People Books

This is a great, straightforward reference. It covers everything any person needs to know about dining etiquette without any useless "filler" material. The audio format is great and the speaker is one of the best I have listen to.

After a few months as a first year associate at my law firm, one of my former law school classmates told me that their firm had sent its new associates to an etiquette class. I decided that it might be a good idea for me to brush up on my etiquette skills as well, so I purchased this CD and also the Food Scholar Wine Basics CD. I recommend both for new professionals to prepare them for any "dining" situation they may encounter in their first jobs. These situations frequently fall into the "you don't know what you don't know" category of student knowledge.

I, for one, had very little experience in more formal dining situations upon graduating from school. This CD was just what I needed to get myself up-to-speed. It is well-organized and well-presented, covering a number of very specific situations that convey the elements of common sense and consideration that underlie all etiquette.

The author thankfully avoids spending time on how to arrange the seating at a state dinner. What he offers is practical, usable advice on the types of real social interactions that occur in all kinds of business. A very useful CD and well worth the price. Definitely five stars.

I will be graduating from college this year and have started to interview for jobs. I have a decent GPA, am in the career placement office every week for advice, and have spent hours polishing my resume. I thought that I had all my bases covered. Then I started actually interviewing for jobs. I have already had three interviews that included meals and two "mixers" with drinks and appetizers. It was a little overwhelming. I could tell there was an order to things I did not completely understand. A friend recommended this Dining Etiquette CD, so I ordered it. I had yet another meal during an interview after listening to it. It made a big difference. Knowing what to do at every turn during the meal was a confidence booster and I am sure it helped me appear more polished and professional. I HIGHLY recommend it, Two Thumbs Up.

A good etiquette book should sit on every professional's bookshelf alongside "how to win friends" and "7 habits." I purchased this book along with Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 2: Wine Selection & Etiquette and The Etiquette Edge: The Unspoken Rules for Business Success to cover all the bases. These books do an excellent job covering the important etiquette skills often overlooked in today's environment. Although often underappreciated, exhibiting proper etiquette signals to others (especially your boss and clients) that you are well educated, care about detail, and have respect for others. I highly recommend these books for anyone new to the business world or for those of us who may need to brush up on the basics.

The last book on CD my wife and I bought was terrible: mens' voices for female characters, etc. And what's the alternative on the radio? Pop music or Howard Stern? I spend twenty percent of my waking life in my car. I might as well spend it wisely. The Food Scholar is easy listening and presented in a way that makes the information easy to learn and remember.

Hamlet? A high school term paper compared to Lizotte's book. The Bible? A confusing rant of disconnected stories next to Ken's perfectly crafted epic. And don't even get me started on Hemingway, whose combined works in light of Ken's latest masterpiece are not even worthy of lining my bird's cage. No my friends, what Lizotte has done here has shaken the publishing industry to its very core. No more books need ever be written -- read this and sleep peacefully, knowing you've experienced all you'll ever need in wisdom, entertainment and humanity.

Ken's new book is wonderful and a must read for all consultants! It essentially outlines a road map for successfully navigating your way from professional with pearls of wisdom to savvy expert / thought leader. Throughout my consulting career I have had the pleasure to work with Ken first hand. And he has effectively captured this transformation process in his new book. His book is an easy read. It provides an overall strategy, practical approaches and how to's, testimonials from successful thought leaders and makes the business case for why you should invest your time and energy. When working directly with Ken you also benefit from his unconditional support and great sense of humor as you forge ahead. So, at a minimum read the book. If you have the opportunity to work with Ken then do that too! Happy reading!

Carol Bergeron
President of Bergeron Associates(tm)

Ken is nothing short of a wizard at making people famous. While working with him I've had more articles published in all the best places. Now he's captured the best of his wisdom in The Expert's Edge, and you have no excuse but to follow his advice and make a name for yourself that will produce dividends now and for years to come!

If you want to be a leader in your field - read this book. Ken Lizotte has packed his book full of practical and useful advice about how to do it. It's well-written, well-organized and easy to read. A real gem!

Ken Lizotte in The Expert's Edge, McGraw-Hill 2008, has nailed it. If your eye is on the prize of becoming an authority in your field, this book is it. The Expert's Edge is riveting--- and real. You'll come away with real answers and a riveting plan of how you can become "the Go-To Authority People Turn to Every Time."

M. Susan Hamilton, Director-The Family Economist

These fairies are so easy to make and very fun! Everything you need,even glue,comes in this kit except hair.If you have yarn or ribbon you will be all set,or you can draw on the hair and glue a hat made from almost anything you can think up on top. The only tools suggested are nail clippers for cutting the floral wire and small plires or tweezers to help in bending.I also like to make jewelry and already had all of the wire bending and cutting tools.You can get a set of them in the craft section and they are inexpensive.My daughter and I love doing crafts together and this is something we both enjoyed making.You do not have to be crafty to make these fairies and I think they would be an awesome scool project for teachers.All of the supplies you need to make these are inexpensive and can be easily found at craft stores.A few ideas had for these fairies is maybe get some of the little floral stakes and attatch them to put in potted plants,or they could be scaled down and used as jewelry or hair accessories.They would also look very cute decorating a gift or card.Highly reccomend this book for a fun evening!!

I love this book, it provided entertainment for my daughter and myself. That and she loves the little fairies! Thanks!

I made these darling littles creatures for my daughters 7th birthday party. I took a picture of each one, then hid each little fairy around my yard. Each child got a photo and had to find their own fairy. It was a great success! My daughter still plays with hers in her dollhouse. Once you have your supplies all set up (I supplemented the supplies in the book with additional pieces from the arts & crafts store), you can make them pretty quickly. My daughter helped, too! Great fun!

I got this book at the FAO SHUWRAZ toy store at Caesar Palace in Las Vegas yesterday. I'm 12 years old, and I was there for vacation with my friend, brother, and some parents. I got kind of bored, so I walked around and randomly walked to this place on the second floor where they were selling KLutz crafts and books. Then my eyes fell on this book. I immeadiately began to read it. I LOVED IT! The fairies were adorable, and I've loved fairies ever since I was little. I got my mom to buy this for me, and today, I tried to make my first fairy. I thought it was going to be hard, but it turned out great and extremely cute! I recommend this craft for anyone who enjoys creating things and loves fantasy creatures, especially fairies.

My 7 year old loved loved loved this book. It came with tons and tons of great pages to make all kinds of fairies. Easy, yet creative! I also love that Klutz gives you tons of other ideas of how to make fairies without the products included. They are basically getting you started with the products provided in the book, then they show you tons of other great fairy making ideas. Possibilites are endless! Yay for Klutz!

A teenager, Rosie is ready for adventure: she's been an obedient girl most of her life but now longs for action. Asher is a new boy in school with dreadlocks and an attitude to match: Rose is instantly attracted. An accusation of theft leads to a hitchhiking adventure that will change her life and decisions. Romance and action blend in a satisfying story which teens will relate to.

Rosie Moon, 15, is irritated with her life. Her mom treats her like a 5 year old, her dad doesn't really care, and her younger brother is a nuisance. The best thing about her life is her best friend, Pip, until a rebellious new kid, Asher, comes to school. His parents are seperated, which doesn't help with the move. Asher and Rosie want to get away from it all and when Asher is accused of stealing a wallet, their dreams become a reality. They set off for their "crazy" adventure where they find themselves...and each other.

At first, I was confused by the writing style. The book used words that I wasn't familiar with because the book originated from Australia. The book was also incomprehensible because it jumped to different characters, and I got thoughts and opinions confused. As I read more, it became clear and it was amazing. The plot was well thoughtout. Lowry used superior descriptions for the settings and people. It felt like you were there! The book showed situations that teenagers have to overcome these days. Towards the end of the book, I couldn't put it down. It was supenseful, a definite page turner. Overall, it was an exceptional book. Kids under 13 should not read this book. It had some vulgar language and usage of drugs.

Reviewed by Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations

Fifteen-year-old Rosie Moon lives in a small seaside town in Australia, where experiencing life is limited to walks on the beach and secretly piercing your nose. Her parents aren't getting along, her uptight mother finds it difficult to give Rosie the freedom she craves, and she's not sure how to impress the quietly rebellious new boy in her class, Asher Fielding. Asher just moved to town with his newly single mother and desperately wants to leave his restrictive new school and head back across the country to his father and his old friends.

Rosie and Asher's friendship begins when they are paired up for a poetry project, and their romance takes off when Asher is mistakenly accused of stealing. He decides to run away for the second time, his first attempt to return to his father having proved fruitless. Rosie, desperate to break away from her own small-town troubles, decides to go with him, and the two take off on a cross-country search for adventure, freedom and, of course, love.

Brigid Lowry's novel was first published in Australia, and while American readers may be a bit confused by some of the geographic references, they will also find it interesting to learn about daily life on the other side of the world, where the lingo may differ but the issues and emotions of the characters are strikingly familiar. The story is told in a series of vignettes, including everything from stream-of-consciousness thoughts to lists of the contents of someone's pockets or what someone had for breakfast. Anything that may provide a further glimpse into a character is fair game.

Some of the vignettes can be confusing, such as Asher's scattered thoughts or dialogue scenes with no speaker indicated. Also, some of the thought sequences feel unnatural at times, with characters narrating their actions to themselves as they do them or describing their emotions (apparently for our benefit), creating the feeling that we're being told what the person is thinking or doing rather than overhearing their actual thoughts. This is an interesting approach to storytelling, but at times it can come across as a self-conscious attempt at originality. Perhaps this technique was more original when the novel was first published, but with the recent popularity of books told in diary, email, list, or other unique formats, some of the creative appeal of Lowry's style is lost.

On the whole, however, the charm and good intentions of the characters --- everyone from frustrated students and teachers to struggling parents and even the occasional stranger --- make this a sweet story worth reading. There's not much of an edge to the characters, but the parents' difficulties at figuring out how to be the best parents, and the teenagers' need to explore the world around them without restrictions, are both real and very touching. After reading GUITAR HIGHWAY ROSE, readers may wish they could be the stars of their own road trip adventure/love story.

--- Reviewed by Emily Shaffer

I first read this book at 15. I then suggested to my English teacher that it should be put into the school curriculum. Six years later, they're still reading it as a class text, and I'm still re-reading my own copy. The first time I read it, it felt so familiar, as if I knew the characters personally. Not many books do can that.

This book was like, the best book EVER! I first of all LOVED the cool way it was written. It's really easy to fall in love with Rosie and Ash. Definetly one of my all time faves! Read it if you haven't already!!! : )

Thanks to Bill's book, I made the career change from being a horticultural consultant for a laboratory to being a technical writer for an ecommerce company in the Silicon Valley. I got serious about my job search in November, finished Bill's book in January, started networking and going to industry meetings, started interviewing with companies in April and started my new job in May. Bill's book was right on the money. I work reasonable hours for a well-managed, successful company. THANKS BILL !

For us "low-techies", this is probably the best book out there to help cross the digital divide and begin a great career in high tech. Not only does Bill detail, in normal language, the industry and how to crack it, but also how to build your career once you're in. Everyone considering the leap into high tech should read this book!

The author's key premise is sound--high tech companies have lots of positions that low tech liberal arts types can fill. The key is how to break in and how to learn the jargon. This book is nuts and bolts, not an elegant read, but quite useful as a "how to" guide. This is for the person who doesn't mind "working up" into a position from the bottom. It's a good guide. Too many folks feel "stuck" in low paying "non-tech" jobs. This need not happen. This book has some good guideposts out.

I went to a seminar taught by Bill in April, and bought his book on the spot.

It is informative even to a person with no computer background, I was a bio major in college!!!

Now I am in software, as a Assistant Product Manager and really exceling, it is true what Bill says, it is the mindset and savvy that will carry you, the technical stuff you can and will learn along the way

I was able to apply the principles in his text in giving advice to ppl on how to get their own tech jobs (advising them to buy the book)

his book is fun to read, inspring, and chalk full on insider stuff it would take yeeeeeeeeeeeears to figure out on your own, frankly, it is one of the best investments you could ever make

A good book to include in your job search library. It will build your confidence in approaching high technology companies. You will see how to translate your low-tech but important skills into good positions in the contemporary job market.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "The Accelerated Job Search" docwifford@msn.com

When given as a gift, this product was really loved- so much that we bought another one for ourselves.

great information, nicely displayed. i wish i got one for my bar-mitzvah!

This gorgeous coffee-table sized book would alone get my five stars for its detailed but clear maps and its breathtakingly diverse array of figures and illustrations depicting the major events of over 3,000 years of Jewish history. As it is, it provides detailed, well researched and very readable historical synopses of Jewish life throughout the world over this period, with each folio (two facing pages) a separate topic. Each folio includes the historical synopsis, usually a map, a series of other illustrations, including photographs, art, and other figures, and at the bottom of every page appears a time line highlighting important dates relevant to the topic. The topics range from the dawn of Judaism to present-day issues in Judaism, from Chinese Jews to the Jews of King Solomon's era, to Jewish farmers in Eastern Europe. You need to see this book in its entirety to believe it. If you ever wanted to an excellent and fascinating introduction to Jewish history, I don't think you can get better than this rare, colorful, scholarly and very engaging book. I'm so enthusiastic about it, I've bought it as a gift three times over.

Professor Barnavi has done a great service both to Judaism and any students who are inclined to further their understanding of it. As a Christian proponent of this ancient faith upon which our own is based, I have found it an invaluable resource in my ecumenical studies involving history and development of Ancient and Modern Jewry and the vast knowledge accumulated over the thousands of years of its existance. It is a concise coverage of every age of its progression, along with a magnificent garnish of photographs and illustations which bring the entire process to life. I highly reccomend this book.

Few of the world's peoples can boast of a history as long and as varied as that of the Jews, or one encompassing such a range of achievements and tragedy. It spans more than three millennia and has touched most parts of the globe. This text sets forth this history graphically-in nearly a thousand detailed and accurate maps, brilliantly reproduced drawings, photographs, and paintings; plus chronologies and commentaries by dozens of leading experts. The result is a triumph of the bookmaking art-a comprehensive and dependable reference work.
Beyond the strictly historical, the Atlas also deals with many fascinating and important aspects of jewish culture-languages, literature, art, and music.

Suffering is the proper word. Anthropology should be totally, completely fascinating -- it's the study of human cultures, for heaven's sake -- but it's often a dry-as-dust class for college students.

This book is not dry. In fact, it's probably the only anthropology book that can bring the reader to tears of laughter.

Which is not to say that the book is a comedy. It's not. The book is a sympathetic and interesting take on the writer's study of the Dowayo people. But the Dowayo people -- like any other ethnic group or people -- have quirks that the people themselves cannot see. Nigel Barley lives among the Dowayo and documents their lives, tells how he does anthropology, and manages to do so in a way that makes the book one I sometimes pick up, open at random, and enjoy.

Stumbling upon this book was total luck! The only motive I had to get this book was a desire to learn more about Anthro as informal as possible- yet have it be completely nonfiction.

I just want people to know that this is my first actual review. That being said, everyone who reads this review should understand that I liked this book SO much that I not only sent it from my house in Japan to a friend in the states, but I also came back here to write a short blurb on it.

I promise any future reviews won't be such a waste of everyone's time! Take a chance and get this book!

I borrowed this book in the early 90s from a British friend (thanks Mark!) and it fast became one of my favorites (a close second to Brave New World). Witty, touching, and hilarious - I would love to have Nigel Barley over for a dinner party! I just wish he had written more books like this one!

Nigel Barley is a social anthropologist and this is his account of his first fieldwork, a year living and studying the Dowayo people of Cameroon. Social and cultural anthropologists (also known as ethnographers) travel to exotic locales (sometimes in our own backyard) and live among a group of people for a year or more in order to come to know their way of life intimately and write about it. Most every Ph.D. student in the field will face this "rite de passage" in order to become "a real anthropologist," and is generally given precious little guidance in the matter, which seems cloaked in mystery and is therefore commonly a source of considerable anxiety. In recent years, the situation has been partially remedied with the publication of some texts on methods and techniques, as well as the development of courses on field research methods, but there is still little written on the human dimension - namely, what is life like "in the field"? This book joins a small club, which includes Malinowski's diary and Return to Laughter. What sets Barley's book apart is his wit. He faces some serious problems but - in retrospect at least - laughs at them. It is a very entertaining read. You will learn a lot about what to expect in the field. It will also be useful for anyone who will be living in Africa and possibly other developing regions, such as Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries. I was, however, uncomfortable throughout the book because the author seems to be very distant and detached from the people he lived with and studied. It is hard to find anything very positive about the Dowayo, and the book therefore serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about Africa and bolster Western superiority. I prefer the eloquence and wisdom of Return to Laughter.

This is a budding anthropologist's account of his experience with an obscure and previously unstudied people in the Cameroons. If you thought you might want to be an anthropologist, this will either inspire you or turn you to some more comfortable calling. The innocent Englishman describes in hilarious detail his dealings with bureaucrats, missionaries, village chiefs, and rainmakers, while trying to maintain anthropological distance. You learn a little bit of anthropology from the book; you learn much more about the anthropologist. He may have embellished his story in places, but he probably didn't need to. It would make a great film, but don't wait for that. It's one of the funniest books you'll ever read.

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

I retired from working at a nursing home. I happened across Mrs. Wilders books while working there. I only wish I had these books before my mother passed. She didn't like living alone but wanted to be in her own home. I know she would have liked living at The Home had she not been bombarded by others about the horrible things (they imagined)that went on there (Two of these people eventually lived in a home) and probably would have lived longer than her 80 yrs. She quit taking her meds. unbeknowst to me and died of a massive heart attack.
Reading about the shennigans, shall I say, that went on at Fair Acres was similiar to a day in my 'home.' The residents/folk become family and interacted as such. They took care of each other. And we staff felt like family to them and they to us. We staff/residents were the only 'family' some had. Despite the illnesses some had there was a lot of fun too.
I tried to get in touch with Mrs. Wilder but alas, unable to do as I wanted to thank her for writing those books.
I was saddened to learn this year of her death.

Cute, funny, poignant, sad, etc.--all the adjectives you would expect to describe a book like this. Effie Wilder takes us on a tour of the retirement home and introduces us to her friends and acquaintences. Being able to take people's stories and use them to make people smile is what makes books such as this so endearing and special to read.

Baby boomers should read what's in store for us when we, too go to "prison" in an old folks home. Hopefully, we'll have a neighbor there just like Hattie. Written with humor and insight, it rang all too true to the characters I met while visiting my mother when she was an "inmate." Lot of truth to it.
Wilder's also an inspiration to fledgling authors who say they're too old to write that book they've put away time and again. Not so. Go Effie go!

I am no where near "Out To Pasture" but I found this novel to be delightful. This book has the oddest group of senior citizens you will ever run across. Filled with both serious and light situations this book will make you cry and then laugh. Effie Wilder teaches us that just because you are older your life is still full and the possibilities are endless. Way to go Effie!!

Mrs. Wilder has given all generations a delightful and easy to swallow book about aging. The main character, Hattie, is into everyone's business, but in a kindhearted way. Through her eyes the reader can see much of the pain and joy of being older. Leaving your home and moving into a retirement home is never an easy choice, but I think Hattie shows us that if done with grace, it can work out to be a fairly good life. The book is a joy to read, offers lots of laughs, a few tears, and some good hard lessons about life. I look forward to sharing this book with my "adopted" eighty-four-year-old grandmother.

and get Dr. Fee's audio tapes from Regent College bookstore.
I studied with Dr. Fee at Gordon-Conwell while pastoring in Cambridge, Ma. Our church supported some of Dr. Fee's mission trips around the world. His books are all great, but his lectures, especially his exegetical NT book studies, are simply unparalleled, satisfying the intellect and the spirit and leading one to experience the Holy Spirit in the Word.

Gordon Fee does an excellent job in making his case that from Paul's perspective the Holy Spirit has a central part in our lives. We are to be people of the Spirit! His cry for the church to see that we are an "eschatological people in a world gone mad" resonates in my heart. We are to be the people of God in the world and the Spirit empowers us to be that! This book will breathe life into you and is theologically sound!

I came to this book already in disagreement with some of the author's views on charismata, and I expected to be in disagreement with most of the book.

However, I had little issue with most of the points he made and was glad that he reasoned from scripture and not human psychology.

After the second chapter I was frustrated with the phrase "at the heart of Pauline theology is...". It helps to understand the heart of one's theology to understand where they're coming from in all that they write. However, I think it was unecessary for the author to claim a new "heart" for Pauline theology to make his overall point about the Spirit of God and the church. It seemed to come from a desire to systematize something for its own sake.

Also, when defining the purposes of Paul, the author claims that "Paul was not writing to present a study of God, but to build up churches and address gut issues about being God's people in a totally pagan environment". He never explains why it can't be both. Obviously, Paul's ultimate purpose was for transformation and the practicalities of knowing God. But, the author's claim above suggests that Paul's studies of God in his letters (the indicative) aren't needed for the practicalities.

In the end, when the author addresses charismata, he didn't go into depth with scripture as much as I would've liked, but he does reference another of his books where he does. Also, in fairness, he points the reader to the best defense of the contrary view, which I appreciated.

If the reader is well read, the front 60% of the book will be skimmable.

I would highly recommend this book. The book has a very sound theology and has excellent scholarship at a layperson's level. It will help any reader gain a more insightful understanding of the purpose and leading of the Spirit in connection to the Church (people of God). Dr. Fee is able to properly exegete the Scripture of Paul's writings and help our understanding. This book is good for all Christians and especially those wondering (or concerned) about the role or move of the Holy Spirit.

Gordon Fee has written an easy to read version of his larger work "God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul." Recently, I read and reviewed Frank Macchia's book "Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology" and as much as I liked Macchia's work, this book by Fee is in some ways at least, better. I like Macchia's work on tongues and their meaning, but Fee really does an excellent job of showing the continuity and discontinuity of the Church who is the Israel of God and the nation of Israel in the OT. On page 50, Fee has a great chart that shows how that we are living in an already/not yet eschatalogical framework. Fee takes great care to show that the most important thing for the Church to get hold of is that we are the eshatalogical people of God and the Holy Spirit is the down payment on and fortaste of that future which is the come. He deals with Paul and is an excellent interprter of Pauline theology. Fee does not dismiss the importance of the Spirit in Paul, but shows how that, although, Jesus is the center of Paul's thought, it is the Holy Spirit that is driving this life in the Messiah and that give energy and freshness to the revelation of Jesus. This is an excellent work. I recommend this for everyone Pentecostal or not. I believe that a popular audience could probably read this book and benefit from Fee's great and scholarly insight.