People Books

101 Words You'll Probably Never Need to Know But Can Use to Impress People is a great book to own. Borrowing it from the library or skimming it in the bookstore (you cheapskates!!) is not enough. You must own it to, as my high school English teacher used to say, "Chew, Digest and Assimilate" every savory bite!

I write and do public speaking, and I can tell you it's LOTS of fun to toss in one of these words without missing a beat, while studying group reactions on the sly!

I do love this book!

As a long time subscriber to the author's "Word of the Day" website, I looked forward to the publication of this book. I was not disappointed. The book contains the definitions of a diverse array of interesting-although often little used-words, together with very clever illustrations to illuminate each definition. I found the book to be highly imaginative and a fun read. I would recommend it to any reader age 10 and above who is looking for a fun vocabulary building tool.

Steven Fantina is the webmaster and editor of "Word of the Day" online website (www.wordofthedaywebsite.com) which is devoted to expanding the vocabulary of its visitors. Now he has gleaned 101 of the most audacious attempts to help the non-specialist general reader to build and employ a truly sophisticated vocabulary. The cartoon illustrations of Joel Barbee wonderfully showcase Fantina's word choice selections making learning these new (and very unusual) words quite "student friendly". From Pneumatology (the study, theories, and/or doctrine of the spiritual world or theologically the study of the Holy Spirit); to Griffonage (illegible handwriting); to Vaticinate (predict or prophesy), 101 Words You'll Probably Never Need To Know But Can Use To Impress People will easily prove to be as fun as it is informative.

I am the author of this work and just wish to clarify the comments of one reviewer below. His reference to "the F word" included in my book corresponds to the word "floccinaucinihilipilification" (not a typo or misspelling). which means "the estimation of having no value." Rest assured that 101 Words You'll Probably Never Need To Know But Can Use To Impress People is a family friendly work.

Every entry is accompanied by a cartoon-style drawing that accentuates its definition and helps readers to retain its meaning.

After the first reading I found some highly useable words for use in e-mail and have been amusing myself by using some rather tasty words. Not only did this book assist in my own amusement, I also had some conversations in which a few words were quite useful.

The humorous cartoons throughout the book really do help you remember the words. Then, each word has been used in a sentence. The word is in bold and is followed by a description.

For Example:

10) DIPTEROUS (dip ter es) - having two wings

....claimed that their dipterous contraption would actually become airborne.

Picture: Dragon flying across opposite page with a smile on his face and the word "DIPTEROUS" beneath the picture.

Now if someone is going on and on about something, you could always tell them that they are only presenting a psittacism to you and then you should absquatulate before they find a dictionary. There are all sorts of ways to amuse yourself with this book. I'm going to try to remember one word a week and in that way increase my vocabulary. Whether you impress people or confuse them silly might depend on how much they love words.

If you are like me, you will be reading the back cover of this book and want to look up a few words. Of course the index makes no sense "at first" because the listings don't correspond to the page numbers. Well, I guess this is a chronological index (When looking up DIPTERIOUS you will be sent to listing 10, not page 10) and you might not read the sentence at the start of the Index if you are looking up "Stultiloquence" instead of "Aquiline." If the author wants to make the index more usable, he might want to put that "warning sentence" on every index page.

After figuring out how to use the index, I did go through a bit of a tergiversation myself and realized that the book is easy to use when you can look up the words in chronological order. Still, I would like to see page numbers too. Maybe the author could put two headings, "Chronological Listing and Page Number" and make everyone happy.

If you love words, this will be highly entertained and personally (not to be a philodox or anything), I loved the picture of the Bandersnatch and Dragon the best and all the pictures add a does of humor to a list of seriously difficult words. I hope this will not be the last book because I could see an entire series of these books for word hungry readers.

This book is dedicated to all the Word of the Day subscribers.

~The Rebecca Review

This book is very cleverly written to make kids love the story and at the same time cram lots of info. about animals and Africa in it. I learned a lot myself, right along with my eight-year-old.

Children have a natural fascination with animals. Now take this fascination a step closer to reality, and you have an engaging tale in the picturesque setting of Africa.

Mac, Sam, and several other family and friends embark on a trip to Africa as part of their camping treat, to learn about various animals living in this country. Several up close encounters with snakes, hyenas, and elephants, delight and scare them all at the same time. At one point the action takes a dangerous turn when their guide is bit by a black mamba and it's up to Max and Sam to get help.

This book along with the rest of the series is one big mystery puzzle. In each book one mysterious letter appears in a map, which will come to a head at one point in an upcoming book. Middle grade readers will enjoy the humor, adventures, and educational tidbits found in each story. Miss Berry's talent in reaching out to this target audience is apparent. The story is easy to read, easy to understand, and the added mystery is the compelling force.

It was a fast and great read and educational even for me. I found out that the stripes on a zebra help to make them less visible to their predator while on a run. So even big kids will discover new things.

As a teacher, I love this new series, and especially this book. What a great way to explore Africa and learn about this interesting continent. The author writes in a fun and entertaining way, and at the same time, throws in educational material. This takes talent that I believe this author truly has.

"Adventure in Africa" is part of a new chapter book series, The Incredible Journey Series, designed for ages seven through nine and is wonderfully done. It focuses on two brothers, Max and Sam, who travel a lot and get into all kinds of adventures along the way. In this book, they travel to Africa, where they go on a safari, see animals like lions, zebras, hyenas, leopards and even encounter some poachers. They also have a mystery to solve - someone has left them a journal and a mysterious map. Each time they take a trip a letter like a "W" or an "I" appears on the map. Max and Sam wonder what letter will turn up on the map during their trip to Africa.

"Adventure in Africa" is a wonderful book that children (and their parents) will enjoy. The book is slim (less than 90 pages) but there are several things going on in the book. The first, of course, is the story of Max and Sam's trip to Africa. Children will enjoy reading about Africa and learning about the different animals there. There are other more subtle lessons in the book, like when school children pull a prank with invisible ink and then feel guilty and try to clean it up. There is also the mysterious map and what the final message will be. Besides the story itself, there are a couple of other things in the book. In the front of the book there are some fun facts about Africa. One is an acrostic about Africa, which is a fun way of showing children what acrostics are. In the book there are a couple of methods of making invisible ink and children will enjoy trying them and writing their own secret messages.

Although "Adventure in Africa" is part of a series, it can be read on its own. However, children will probably want to collect all the books in this fun series.

Max and Sam are on their way to Africa. Actually the book opens in summer camp, where we get to learn a bit about Max and Sam and their friends, then they're late to the airport, miss their plane and have to fly standby. Their parents are working in a village, so Max and Sam are going to be doing a kids safari.

During the safari, their guide, Ms. Sarah, is bitten by a black mamba, not a good thing. The boys, with the help of a wild elephant named Charger, get Ms. Sarah to the nearest village (you'll have to read the book to see how they do that). Then, on their way back to the other children, they hear an elephant cry in the jungle. They know they shouldn't but they go and investigate. Poachers have captured a baby elephant. Can Max and Sam save the calf? That's something else you'll have to find out by reading the book.

This is another Max and Sam adventure that you can read to your child at bedtime . It would also be good for the beginning reader. There is more going on here than the story about their trip to
Africa, there's the ongoing story about the journal they'd discovered in one of their previous adventures and the magic map they found with it and I guess I'm going to have to get the earlier books to understand what that's all about, so you see, you're not the only one who has to read more Max and Sam Adventures to find out what's going on.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

Angela Fisher spent seven years criss-crossing Africa, seeking out traditional forms and styles of jewelry and body adornment. The metal crafting, artistic modes and affectations of traditional piercings are stunning. The more extreme examples of African body art are already missing: cutting and/or scarring, limb binding (neck/arms/legs) and lip stretching are lost arts these days.

The photography is top notch, with highly detailed closeups and oversize, full-color images on most pages. Notes are included for each image, with geography, tribal information and craftsman's details for many pieces.

This is a great example of the "coffee table" book. I checked this title out of the library while in graduate school repeatedly until my mother gifted me with my own copy (thanks, Mom!). For artists and jewelers, this volume will be an endless source of inspiration.

...origin as it relates to African cultural and creative expression and influence. Many designs and patterns we see repeated in contemporary jewelry design can be traced to African styles and designs created centuries ago - a fact beautifully exemplified in this book - with the added bonus of learning something about the meaning behind the particular adornment/piece of jewelry. The photos are brilliant! This book is a treasure and a highly recommended "must read" for everyone interested in design, jewelry and fashion history, and cultural customs, influences and contributions.

I found this book to be amazing...I loved the discussion about the different African cultures and most especially the pictures--I'm even considering purchasing another copy of this book just so I could frame some of the beautiful, highly colorful pictures. I am buying more books from those authors--I expect the other books to be just as beautiful and informative.

This is a thoughtful and gorgeous peek at the diversity of the continent. The colors of the photos alone are worth the price! Fisher's more recent work, "African Ceremonies", with Beckwith, is even better, if possible. And folks, Africa contains 54 countries, over 800 different languages and thousands of dialects, and has around 730 million people. If you consider yourself an interested citizen of our world, don't just look at the pictures, learn about the continent! Many people have criticised the authors, for this and their other works, because they present an Africa that doesn't exist anymore, or they are patronizing and exploitative- I agree in part with this criticism, but I would add some balancing words. This continent has some of the richest cities in the world- Johannesburg being one, and some of the poorest villages- I was visiting in one of them several weeks ago in eastern Namibia. People have cellphones, people have no phones, some drive Lexuses and some drive donkey carts made from the beds of old pick-up trucks. "Old" ceremonies are vibrantly alive for some people, and simply unimportant for others, sometimes within the same family or community. The point is that the images from this book *are* parts of life on this continent, but obviously do not tell the whole story. However, it is just as wrong and short-sighted to dismiss cultures as it is to see only the "exotic". The funny thing is that I first saw this book and "African Ceremonies" at a Himba village in Kaokoland, Namibia, shown to me by a man who was wearing "traditional" Himba clothes, with red ochre on his skin and so on. We were paging through this book and my friend, who is also Himba but wears "western" clothes, commented on how weird the images were, to which his friend laughed and agreed. To them, the pictures of most of these ceremonies were just as alien as they are to most westerners. So, to everyone who likes to box "Africa" and "Africans" into one category, this is perhaps something to think about.

The beauty, dignity, and composition of the photos are enough to lure the reader. This book features the jewelry and accessories of African costume in different regions and tribes. It gives the reader information on the people wearing these lovely adornments, as well as describing their meanings and ceremonial uses, when applicable. While this represents only specific aspects of some parts of Africa, it is a beautiful glance at some tribal costumes still worn in increasingly fewer and fewer places.

This is the best book on the history of the Afrikaners despite its shortcommings. It is ironic that the policy of apartheid, which made Afrikaners a household name and a single Afrikaans word, a derogative international slogan, receives only 50 pages covering. In a timeline of their history this is befitting, although one might criticize it. Yet, one must also remember that Giliomee as sociologist published numerous books on the evils of apartheid. What is more dissapointing, is that he skipped a whole generation, who grew up on the renegate protest newspaper "Vrye Weekblad" and who rebelled with the rock music of the Voëlvry movement, his focus being too much on politicians and intellectuals.

This is a wonderful new full account of the Afrikaner people of South Africa. This narrative history ranges from the first Dutch settlements to the post-apartheid era. It covers the Great Trek, the Zulu Wars and gives special attention to the harsh treatment of the Afrikaners at the hands of the British during the Boer War, in which many were forced into the worlds first concentration camps. A very fluid history and one of the only books to focus on the history of the Afrikaners as a people and a culture. The author is an eminent South African Historian, and an original fighter against Apartheid, yet he argues passionately to explain the reasons the Afrikaners, their nationalists having come to power in 1948, choose apartheid over majority rule. Important leaders are revealed such as Mr. Smuts, Mr. Botha and Mr. De Klerk as well as insights into Mandela and Mbeki's rule. A must read for scholars of south Africa and those interested in Apartheid, its creation and consequences.

A wonderful book and the first of its kind to bring the Afrikaner historical experience up to date. From their beginnings as Dutch colonizers to their Brutal wars with the Zulu as they trekked northward to escape British imperialism. The Dutch of Africa became a hardened and embittered people. As they grew from a paltry group of colonists to become their own tribe, whose roots in S. Africa predate the migration of the Zulu, they also became hardened against those who wanted to crush them, namely the British and the more viscous of S. Africa natives. This book tells the tale of a people between two worlds, on one hand the African world of the Natives and the European of the imperialists. In the end the Afrikaans, being so numerous and having no country to call home could not simply move, the way so many whites did when fleeing black nationalism in Africa. The Afrikaners became victims of their own situation, although the first to suffer the horrors of the concentration camp, and although a poor and starving people in 1900 they grew to dominate S. Africa, and many opposed helping the English in WWII. A marvelous account that brings to life the history of the region this is a muct read for anyone interested in Africa, Aparthied or colonialism's consequences.

This fascinating book is subtitled, "Biography of a People," and it certainly lives up to it. The book follows the history of the Boers of South Africa, from their arrival in the seventeenth century, through to the final collapse of apartheid and beyond (the book having been published in 2003). Along the way, the reader is treated to an in-depth and yet highly readable history that makes South African history come alive in an exciting and highly informative way.

I must say, this book is nothing short of a tour de force! I have read several books on South Africa, and I must admit that I was at first intimidated by this book's size and appearance, which convinced me that it was a school book. But, while this book is eminently useful as a school book, it is still highly readable, making South Africa's history interesting. It covers many details without sounding dry and academic.

So, while I have read several books on South Africa's history, I can easily say that this is the best one that I have read so far. If you are interested in South Africa and the Boers, then this is the best book you can get on the subject. I give this book my highest recommendations!

Nog nooit het ek geskiedenis so pakkend ervaar nie. Die boek lees soos 'n roman wat jy net nie kan neersit nie. En dit laat allerhande vrae -- dit bly jou by. Lees dit!

Workers these days are like snow shovels in a South Carolina blizzard - not enough to go around. Some of the causes are simple statistics: economy up, unemployment down, working-age population falling, employers' demand outstripping supply. But others are cultural. Large corporations, the traditional source of jobs, are often perceived as uncaring engines of depletion, exhaustion, and downsizing. The young are choosing options, from lifestyle to stock, while workplace veterans opt for the dignity of early retirement over the desolation of forced termination. Employers' alternatives are stark: expand their supply, increase their appeal, or prepare for shortfalls and belt-tightening. Recruitment, retention, recession - remorse.

Were companies to examine their own assumptions on hiring and firing, they would find a pervasive and self-destructive premise: old is bad. But as Beverly Goldberg argues in _Age Works_, employers - indeed, society as a whole - have built this premise on an ill-considered, ill-defined congeries of prejudices and presuppositions. Believe it or not, Americans age 55 and above take fewer sick days, adapt to new technologies successfully, and are more loyal to their employer than are their colleagues thirty years younger. And perhaps more importantly, they may be the only untapped workforce available. As hidebound organizations throw fortunes at untested youth, others more far-seeing (including Travelers, GTE, and Baxter Health Care) actively recruit, train, and depend upon senior workers. In a shrinking labor market, corporations and their HR departments may find a surprising competitive advantage in coaxing older employees away from the brink of an often sterile and impoverished retirement.

Eager to dismiss this challenge to their standard practices, naysayers and doomsayers will demand proof. Fortunately _Age Works_ reads more like a position paper than a business book, and like any good position paper, it's loaded with facts. Age Works is the ideal volume for anyone itching for a statistical analysis of the American workforce 1950-2050, in all its hues and strata. Arguably Goldberg's love of statistics verges on addiction, but in the pharmacy of authorial dependence, statistics are a pretty benign habit. More distracting, although again less than fatal, is the book's policy-wonk style. Goldberg stands foursquare in the school of tell-`em-what-you're-going-to-tell-`em, tell-`em-, tell-`em-what-you-told-`em, and _Age Works_ sometimes reads like an executive summary that cannot bear to end.

Nonetheless, _Age Works_ is a cogent, serious, undeniably well-supported piece. Even those who resist the proposed solutions (admittedly the book's weakest section) will find the diagnosis difficult to dispute. Like it or not, America's workforce will continue to grow smaller and grayer over the next twenty years. And by the time the population bounces back, corporations' hiring practices will have appealed to all ages - or to none.

I read Age Works with great interest since I have been involved with this problem for 25 years and have recently published a web site exclusively for older workers. It is a free non- profit referral service. Go to seniorjobbank.org

For a decade we've heard a steady chorus of despair about the graying of America--that graying means paying, in the words of one leading credit. Beverly Goldberg, in this carefully researched, tightly argued, fluidly written, and ultimately extremely important book, shows us a different path. She demonstrates that older Americans are a potential boon to the economy and to the bottom line of forward thinking companies. She shows that they are a group that brings considerable experience and great stability to those that will make use of their talents. And she supplies a roadmap for how we can get there--as indivuals, as companies, and as a society. A great read and a great contribution to the growing body of literature about navigating what may well be the great demographic transition in our country's history, the aging of America.

Since the idea of totally retiring is not something that appeals to me, I found the suggestions for building different kinds of flexible work arrangements very thought-provoking. The numbers in the first couple of chapters will help build a compelling case for allowing those who want such arrangements to have them. I also found the stories of those who wanted out fascinating-they are an indictment of companies for the ways they handled downsizing and mergers. It clearly is time for all businesses to rethink their dealings with the people who work for them and to reconsider the value of older workers.

If managers think they have problems attracting and retaining human capital in today's economy, they haven't seen anything yet. Get set for the massive wave of retirements over the next ten (10) years. Beverly Goldberg conveys a compelling picture of why managers need to learn the value of recognizing, retraining, and retaining older workers. Age Works is a wakeup call to those caught up in the wastefulness of our "throw away" society. Older workers are a precious resource that can ill afford to be squandered. Ms. Goldberg demonstrates a better path and presents concrete ways for managers to benefit from the graying of America.

I heard the 3 CDs and immediately I started using his methods on improving memory. His methods have helped me to increased my memory in all aspects right away. The exercises are easy to follow and the applications practical. I recommend this book/CDs to anyone who wants to improve his memory.

This is a great book. I notice I'm not forgetting things as readily as I did. I can now tell you my safe deposit box number, my drivers license number, my car plates, and various phone numbers. It's also helped me to remember people's names. Great buy. Other programs want hundred(s) of bucks to improve your memory and prevent altzimer's. This does the same thing.

Leah Levitt

I had read a Harry Lorayne book as a teenager many many years ago and found the techniques useful then.

This book allowed me to revisit his lessons as an elder retired physician and is helping me to cope with the usual senior moments that we all encounter.

Highly recommended.

a marvelous and fun book by Harry Lorayne. I would recommend it for everone. All ages will take something good and beneficial from this book and in many cases it is potentially life changing.
Thanks Harry

I have many of Harry's books, and love him! He is such a sincere person and gives his all to us the reader.
Naturally if you have ordered this book, you are in a situation that you may be feeling concerned that your mind is feeling fuzzy, or that you want to keep your brain young and vibrant. You will not be dissapointed in this book at all.
I especially liked how positive the books overall feeling is. That our brains shouldn't be deteriorating and actually should be sharper than ever. I have tried the techniques in the book, and as long as I apply them, I have noticed an improvement! I now know my Bible books forwards, and backwards. Have memorized several scriptures, and am partially thru the Sermon on The Mount.
Our brains are wonderfully made, and we should take care of it. So go ahead, whatever you decide to memorize, it will help you in middle age and beyond. Thanks Harry for the encouragment and help to sharpen up!

In the field of Wellness Dr. Don Ardell is recognized nationally and internationally as its "Dean." Don has an original and very healthy attitude towards aging (which at 69 this national and international age-group triathlon champion has experienced himself). The REAL in the title stands for Reason, Exuberance, And Liberty. How broad is his approach? Well, he tells us that: achieving wellness is always based on reason, science, and the ability to make rational choices; if wellness is not fun, it's not wellness; and liberty, which Don defines as "freedom and choice" is at the center of living the wellness lifestyle.

Don illustrates these principles by, for example, filling the book with intelligent humor (OK, not all of it is intelligent), some his own and some borrowed from others. At the same time, the book is science-based and is well-stocked with both data and references. The text is aimed at helping people to become folks who are "AUI," that is "aging under the influence" of leading a healthy and well lifestyle. The goal is to, as you age, maintain the best possible health, the highest available energy levels, the greatest obtainable degree of physical mobility, and the fullest mental capacity. None of these are to be measured on any absolute scale, but should for each person reflect the reality of their life and their particular genetic and educational endowments or lack thereof.

To help you do this, Don has assembled his "69 Tips." Why 69? Well, Don was 69 when he wrote the book. I suppose that is as good a reason as any. Among them are: "Nutrition [is] the heart of the matter;" "Just say no [to medicalization];" "Take Charge [of the wellness process];" "Understand Longevity;" "Stay centered and balanced;" "Exercise [your] critical faculties;" "[Practice achieving] serenity;" "Sex is wonderful;" "Humor is powerful stuff;" "[Think about] The Meaning of Life [for yourself]." A most useful Wellness prescription for all of us.

Steven Jonas, MD, MPH, Professor of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, co-editor of the textbook, "Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice" (2nd ed., Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2007).

Aging Beyond Belief: 69 Tips for REAL Wellness is author Don Ardell's call to all of us, at any age, to look life in the eye, grin and really live it! We've all seen thousands of books that tell us to be well by doing this and doing that. Eat this, but not that. Exercise this way, not that way. What Don gets at is more the "how to be" not just the "what to do". With that kind of advice a person can live their own life, but do it in ways that will truly enhance their health and wellness.

What will keep this book within reach is not only the easy "pick it up and put it down" format of 69 tips, but the absolutely irrepressible zeal that Don has for living that shows through. A true "founding father" of the modern day wellness movement, Dr. Ardell has been at the forefront of helping us all to realize that lifestyle is the biggest determinant of our health. Don's approach to REAL Wellness, is just that...real, and, fortunately for us, it's fun too.

Michael Arloski, Ph.D., PCC, author of Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change. www.realbalance.com

What's so special about this book is that the advice is good for everyone, regardless of age. If I'd had it as a guide to life in my teenage years, I would have been a much happier camper. Luckily, all of us "oldsters" have Don now, showing us the way to giggle at, think about, and approach our old world in new ways. Don and his book are great companions. Buy one for yourself and for any old codgers that could use a new spin. Maybe we can start a movement.

This book is a delightful and an informative romp about an important subject. Dr. Ardell's ability to combine solid research on aging with personal reflection and humor takes the sting out of contemplating the health challenges ahead for each of us. I especially like the optimistic and proactive approach to wellness. Dr. Ardell explains how healthy eating, fitness, a positive attitude and good friends can enhance our quality of life throughout the aging process.

Dr. Ardell is a social critic and obviously is concerned about the lack of critical thinking and unhealthy practices that is becoming an American tragedy. He does not shove his views down our throats, but allows us to enjoy his perspective and invites us to form our own.

I've seen Don Ardell speak at conferences and I'm pleased to report that this book, like Don, inspires us to be all we can be. Reading Aging Beyond Belief is an opportunity to spend time with a delightful and knowledgeable wellness role model and guru.

I'm still a relative youngster (49) and I feel lucky to have Dr. Ardell's book in my library. I will be purchasing this book for family and friends. My hope is that they too, will age beyond belief.

If aging might happen to you, you'll get something out of this book. If you wish
to age with grace, with wisdom, you'll need this book.

Dr. Don, an exceptional man, offers some rare insights into that inevitable process that will occur to us all

His fearless distillation of a reflected life contains priceless gems for each of us
from his thoughts on death to a sweet meaningful gift to grandchildren.

My personal favorite....live a little kindness, pass on a little of it each and every day.

Great fun as well.

Rick Waldbart

This was of special interest to me since I live near the location of this book. I simply could not put it down until I read it cover to cover.

A fascinating look at our early pioneer families, the hardships they endured, and the genius of their innovations.

A great read.

This is an amazing book about Alex Stewart, an Appalachian survivor. It is told from an interview style where Alex explains how he learned to make different utilitarian items that his family and community needed to survive. He also tells stories of how he learned what plants healed people from illnesses, learned the skills to survive the harsh locations of the Appalachian mountains and loved life with every ounce of his body.
My Appalachian born grandparents read it cover to cover over and over and then had to travel to the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, Tenn to see the common items they remembered with Alex throughout the book. John Rice Irwin, the founder of the Museum of Appalachia is a gifted historian and this shines through in any of his books, written to remember the people of Appalachia. He also seeks to capture this throughout his living Appalachian village, the Museum of Appalachia. A MUST visit and A MUST read for any Appalachian native.

i recently read the book about alex stewart and i have to say that it was so good. i loved it. alex was so talented and as the book stated "he was a national treasure." i would liked to have met him. any craft the author asked him about, he responded that he could make it. what a unique human being. he was warm, endearing, and a very kind and gentle man. he told completely the life of the pioneer to john brice irwin and the book is so well written. it was a joy to read and told in detail of the hardships the people of that era had to indure. i felt by the end of the book the sadness of alex stewart's death and that i had gotten to know him well.

One reason I bought this book is because my Greatgrandmother was Alex's Aunt. I visited Alex as a child with my Parents and Grandmother. Alex was always sending my Grandmother items , such as walking canes. He made my mother a rolling pin, which she still has. Most of all the book gave me many names of my relatives that ive been searhing for.

I bought this book at the Museum of Appalachia (also founded by the author) on my first visit to Tennessee. The book is almost entirely a transcript of a dialogue/interview between the author and Alex Stewart. At first, I thought this would be a strange format, but as I read on, I discovered that this would be the only way to authentically capture the mind and spirit of Alex on paper.

If you're not from the South, you might find Alex's dialect charminging unusual. A few times I had to read a passage over and over again to fully understand what words Alex was saying. Here is an example where it took me a while to realize that Alex meant "Lord" when kept saying "Law":

"They didn't have no men folks, but they had several children. Making liquor was the only way they had of making a living. Law, they had it hard."

The author cleverly asks questions to get Alex to reveal his pioneer wisdom. More than that, though, the author's selections and chapter arrangements helped to organize the sprawling encyclopedia of Alex's mind.

By the time I reached the end, I was sad to have the "conversation" over. I felt I had known Alex a bit personally, and I mourned at his passing. It was joyous reading while it lasted and my heart ached to know more of Alex.

This is a fabulous book I can't recommend enough. 10 STARS.

One of the best parts of working at Sales Gravy is all of the books that come my way from authors and publishers who want us to give them a review. Every once in a while I get a book that makes a real impact on my life. Most recently it was The All Star Sales Book by Billy Cox. Quite frankly, this book came to me at the right place, at the right time. I was having one of those weeks where everything was going wrong. Set back upon setback had sapped my energy and ruined my optimism. After one final kick in the pants, I threw my hands in the air and shouted out loud, "what else can possible go wrong." I had a serious case of "stinkin-thinkin."

Disgusted, I started sorting through the pile of mail my assistant had placed on my desk. The first package I opened contained Billy Cox's, All-Star Sales Book. I turned to the first page and started reading. Almost immediately my mood began to improve. Cox's inspirational and motivational message broke through my bad attitude and began to lift me up. In one passage Cox writes, "I've always heard that when life knocks you down you need to land on your back because if you can look up, you can get up." Just the message I needed to hear at the moment.

Throughout the book Cox delivers the message that in sales and life there are no time-outs, no overtimes, and you only get one chance to play. Through his inspiring stories, easy to understand analogies, and humor, Cox delivers a guaranteed road map to success. In the book he provides practical, and easy-to-implement advice that is both relevant and critical for succeeding in today's sales environment. These tried and true methods are central to every successful sales career and I applaud Cox for delivering these key lessons, anew, in a fresh and engaging style that makes it fun to learn and inspires action.

Jeb Blount,author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

Billy Cox has really put it all together in an easy to read & understand, step by step guide on how to succeed in business and life. My husband and I own a succesful sales company and we have made this book mandatory reading for all of our employees. This book along with Billy's goal setting workbook "The Dream Book" has improved our business and our personal lives dramatically. I will echo what others have said and encourage you to pick up enough of these books for your entire oranization or team.

Although I am not a sales professional, I believe everybody's selling something whether it's to our family members or business associates and "The All-Star Sales Book" will sell you on believing in yourself again. I highly recommend this book for Billy Cox gives you the strategies and techniques to getting and keeping the "winning edge" in life, business, and sales. His book is full of ideas on how to develop and maintain a burning desire to win at the highest levels and to continue raising your personal bar. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of goal setting, decision making, and taking action and initiative so that you stretch yourself to perform at an All-Star level and get results.

Working in the direct sales industry one can really use a great tool to get re-motivated....this is the tool. Not only does it cover tools for work, but in the home front as well. I would recommend this book to anyone!

Being stuck in mediocrity is quite possibly the worst place a salesman can be, claims "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks". Selling just enough to get by makes one comfortable, and lacking aspiration - where one who is doing miserably will be motivated to do everything they can to recover and make the most of themselves- to dream of what they want and that drives them. "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks" hopes to inspire sales people to become more that they can ever hope to be through stories, analogies, anecdotes and more. "The All-Star Sales Book: Get In the Game, Boost Your Numbers, and Earn the Big Bucks" is highly recommended to business people everywhere who need that little kick to get them rolling in life and for community library business collections.

Hi my name is Skyler Williams and Allen Iverson is my favorite basketball player. I've liked him ever since the first time I saw him play. He plays like he's been playing all of his life every day, but he didn't start until he was ten years old. I like his cross-over alot, but my favorite move is his comercial move, the answer shoe commercial. I am hoping that he does more commercials. I like his cornrows. Someday I hope to meet him. If I ever met him I would probably faint. I think it is awsome how he is so good and yet he started playing at the age of 10. I like the way he is shorter than everybody and he is still better than everybody. I think that he is the next Michael Jordan. Every move he does, I try to do and it takes me an hour to get it good and he is the one that makes them up. That is awsome. And he is good at making poems and rap songs. He might come out with a record. He is also good at football and won the AAA MVP award in high school. I wish I could meet him. I have collected 50 of his basketball cards so far and I am hoping to collect some more. Allen Iverson is the best.

Skyler Williams

WHATZ UP TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGSTO SAY TO/ABOUT ALLEN IVERSON. I LOVE YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

buy this book.It is the best

I thought the book was very entertaining, mainly because of my love for the man the book was based on. I think he is great basketball player and I have never known a point guard to score like him. Although we live two different lifestyles, I admire you because you shine regardless! I love that about you. My personal advice to Allen Iverson is to keep your head up and continue ballin'. The next Director of Public Relations for a team in the league, Miss La'Keisha

I LOVE IVERSON he is an true role model. He went through alot as a child and teen and still going through pure hell as an adult. He shows me that you should never give up and forget where you come from. If you have an goal and dont understand Iverson and you only know him as an ball player and dont know why he has so many fans you should read this book. It made me think and rewind my thoughts on the game of basketball and look at him as a total different person. Hes a true role model and thats why true fans like me dont look at him and just see cornrows and tattoos we see an awesome gift from god and a pro at the game of life as well