Etiquette Books

When my daughter got engaged, I checked 15 wedding books out of the library. This is the only one I'm buying. It offers extremely practical information, is up-to-date and still classically correct. I recommend it to anyone putting on a wedding.

This is a very entertaining book -- I've become a great fan of Zibby. Alison Bell mixes a retro-feel with current trends, language and situations to create a charming and appealing world for Zibby and her friends. I particulary like the focus on manners -- and what kind of manners are important (a great lesson for kids) -- embedded in a bouncy, amusing story.

I'm always on the look-out for engaging, well-written children's literature and the Zibby Payne series hits the mark.

I'm not one to rave about, well, anything, but I'm making an exception here. If you are getting married and are on any kind of budget, buy this book. The wedding industry, as I have found, is not the most honest. The prices are insane on flowers and food and not to mention the ridiculous stipulations some venues try to put on you. The authors of this book are very upfront about what can go wrong and give you many tips on what to ask and what to look for in your contracts. I've found with other books that the vendor reviews tend to be skewed, but the vendor reviews in this on seem to be fair. Over all, the book was well worth the price.

Excellent advice in this book! I would highly recommend this book BEFORE you book anything.

This book has great ideas, but I would NOT recommend reading it from start to finish as soon as you get it. The book is packed w/so much information that it is overwhelming at first, especially for a newly engaged bride. And the book tends to paint a negative picture of the wedding industry, which left me feeling somewhat hopeless. Rather I found it most helpful to read in sections when I was working out the details for specific parts of the wedding such as attire, reception, ceremony, etc. The oddest thing about the book is that it jumps around from one topic to another in a disorganized fashion. The chapters are broken down into topics, but the authors allude to other parts of the book in each chapter of it.

Still sorting through.....as I said with both of my children getting married, we need all the bargains we can find.

Bridal Bargains gave me SO many fantastic money saving ideas. I will use this book as a guide throughout our entire wedding planning process. Some ideas were ingenious (It helped me fine my dream wedding gown for only $124 - You CANNOT beat a bargain like that!!) The book offers many questions to ask that are probably very often overlooked, tactful ways to ask them, a WIDE spectrum of ideas for every aspect of your wedding (Ex. From do-it-yourself Ipod wedding to full fledged orchestra) What's to lose!! (Other than a couple hundred dollars off your wedding budget of course :)

This book was wonderful! Full of laughs and great tips and tricks. Amy needs her own show, she is so entertaining.

Want to have fun while under the stress of entertaining? Amy Sedaris proves that David is not the only quirky writer in the Sedaris family. I Like You is the perfect gift for that hard to please friend."

I love this book. I bought one for my sister as well because it's got great ideas and it's hilarious. A good resource to have for all sorts of things.

First, I bought this as an audiobook to get me thru a cross-country drive.
This is not a good choice for audio format - maybe you need the klitchy recipes and photos to make it as cutesy as it is billed to be. Still, I thought the content was not funny at all, just condescending, childish hostess advice most everyone has heard already. Marbles in your med chest? Oldest trick in the book, but as someone who really has entertained company (and actually cares about their comfort, also known as "hospitality") more helpful is to place items guests might be embarrased to ask for in your med chest - like aspirin, Tums, tampons, etc. Yeah, I get that it is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek but it never quite gets there. Overall, this book - audio or not - sucked. I made it to disc 3 and gave up. Save your money!

This is a general warning before reading the review: This book is VERY odd, so if you don't like oddball humor, go find another book.

The book's flap shows you how funny it is, as she gets angry with you for not purchasing the book. And there it begins.
The layout is very old-fashioned. The chapters are spread out with many photos and crudely drawn images. Usually these images make you chuckle. The whole book is in full-color, so no guessing as to what color such-and-such is.

The content is hit-and-miss, but generally a hit. It'll make you chuckle, and you'll definately think "what was she on?" during some chapters, and that's the point. But that's not all; you also get a giant reference manual to easy-to-make recipes! Rachael Ray, move out of the way! This book also shows you how to entertain and be a guest, as these are also part of the hospitality boat. You'll eithe laugh or end up scratching your heads at the comedy.

------------over-all grade-------

Writing: B+ - It's funny, but it drags on for much longer than necessary.
Layout: C+ - It's very old fashioned, which is a big turn-off. Full of yellow and greens.
Overall: B - It's a generally fun guide to entertaining, but beware if you don't find it funny or you'll be returning to Borders right quick.

It seems that David is nothing but trouble in this colorful tale. But Mom loves him no matter what mistakes he makes, which makes this a great book for those times when a child feels like they're nothing but a bundle of mistakes.

This is a great children's book! My daughter loves this book. Even very young children can understand and relate to this story, and the illustrations are brightly colored and childlike. Overall, this is a truly excellent book.

I didn't pay attention and purchased the Spanish version. Nothing wrong with that, except I don't speak Spanish. I'm keeping it to avoid the hassle and am re-ordering... just letting the rest of you know. :)Other than that, I'd give it 5 stars... so, technically, I'm rating Amazon's marketing.

this book is AWFUL. this kid david wreaks havoc in his parent's life and is just told "NO" throughout the book. then, in the end, when he breaks his mother's favorite vase after being told not to play baseball in the house, he gets a big hug from someone we never see and is told that he is loved. it's a PATHETIC book. the only good thing about the book is that clearly the author grew up in a nice house because the furniture is nice in the book.

I purchased this book for my 2 grandsons ages 2&4. It is their favorite book. I read it several times each time they come to visit. They are now saying NOOOOO DAVID. The artwork is great!!

This book has basic people-management practices and offers fundimantal supervisory tips that every manager should have.

Sutton (the author of this book) is a management science and engineering professor from Stanford. He suggests (correctly, in my opinion) that we can all be difficult sometimes and that being difficult can, in certain scenarios, actually contribute to our effectiveness as managers. But that's the rare exception because (as he counteracts this argument) the reality is there are plenty of certifiable you know whats who are difficult to fire because they are often in positions of authority and are mistakenly deemed talented and effective by their superiors. It's a fun and readable book, that shows you how to deal with these folks and manage in a work environment that's filled with 'em. I think anyone with people issues at work will benefit from using it to inspire some fresh thinking.

The other gem I recommend strongly because I've found it extremely helpful in these situations (for dealing with difficult people and keeping myself in check in the process) is The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book

Sutton gets right to the heart of what it means to turn the tables so the rest of us can work in ***hole-free zones. Part of the problem in dealing with butt heads is really and truly naming them butt heads and not making excuses for there behavior. Or worse yet, finding fault with ourselves for letting them get under our skin. Well, no more snickering uncomfortably because we don't know what else to do. This should be required reading in business school, conflict resolution training and in behavior management courses. Take the time to plumb the profiles in the book and find yourself rewarded.

I read this book again recently because it's worth learning from. The accounts here are not a "how to", but a "why not?" Why not shift the dynamic so that it no longer favors butt heads? I keep it on my desk and recommend it to anyone having difficult interpersonal relationships. More import, I used it with stunning success in a prison setting to help an inmate defuse an imminently violent situation by shifting the conflict dynamic and getting other inmates to join him. The would-be perpetrator backed off and was forced to find a different way to relate this inmate in the violent and hyper-masculine setting that is prison.

I'd recommend The No "Butt Head" Rule for use in any kind of confrontation training and behavior management education program you can think of. It's a powerful and empowering tool for anyone who'll take the time to explore it.

It is inevitable that we all have to deal with jerks at the workplace or on your team. Sutton does an excellent job of pointing out the consequences of having these individuals in your organization. He also gives you the tools to handle these jerks.

As a team manager, I needed to recognize the ripple effect and toxic implications that one of these egomaniacs was having upon my team. I had been tempted to keep this person on the team because they were a "rock star" and considered one of the most productive people in their field

Through Sutton's book I recognized the toll that this individual was having upon the rest of the team members. My team is now less one "rock star" and performing better than ever. Thank you Dr. Sutton.

As with all Ina books, this one was not a disappointment. Thoroughly enjoy her writing style and tried-and-true recipes.

Forget the fat. Or don't think about it anyway. Every recipe I've tried in this book is not only easy to make, but delicious. I've made the pesto and the pasta salad that uses it, both with great results. I've made the oriental dressing and have used it for salads as well as for a marinade for chicken. This is fantastic stuff--yummy and great for parties. You can't go wrong.

My friend invited me to a dinner party where she served the filet of beef, the gorgonzola sauce/gracy, the spinach gratin and the garlic potatoes...it was delicious! So I had to order a copy of this book for myself and the recipes are just out of this world. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves food.

This is a quality product, the best cookbook I've read in years! Each recipe is clear, precise, and appetizing. Yes, I will buy others written by Ina Garten.

This was my first introduction to Ina Garten and I loved this book so much, I ended up buying 2 more. Every single recipe in this book came out looking great and tasting even better. Her recipes are extremely easy to follow and are very detailed. This is great for any kind of cook, from beginner to advanced. Two thumbs up!

I first purchased this book about 18 months ago. It contains so many real-life stories of positive results from developing the ordinary capacity of being nice to everyone you meet each day. I've probably given over 40 copies of this to business and personal friends who have, in turn, passed copies along. A terrific read for anyone.

It's a quick read and full of great reminders that can be used in business or everyday life. I think it would be great mandatory reading for everyone! The world would be a better place if everyone practiced the principles outlined in this book.
One message is: you get back what you give out. I do believe that's true!
Highly recommended. Enjoy.

You may not be familiar with the authors' names, but you are probably familiar with their work. They are the founding partners of the advertising agency responsible for the Aflac duck campaign. One of them wrote the "I want to be a Toys R Us Kid" jingle earlier in her career.

Their message is that being nice (but not phony) in personal and professional encounters builds goodwill, which can lead to big and small rewards. Many examples are included in the book.

One memorable story is a reprimand delivered in a motivating tone. Two employees had missed several meetings with a client, who became upset. "I began the meeting by telling them some positive truths first. I told them that they needed to understand that they were very important to the client. He looked forward to their meetings, so when they canceled on him it was a very big deal. They responded with surprise - they never realized how much they mattered to the client... By the end of our conversation, they actually felt empowered. And they haven't missed a meeting since."

Some notable benefits of a "nice" work environment:
- people who are in a good mood are more likely to help others
- positive feelings make employees behave more ethically
- workplace jokes and humor stimulate creativity
- cheerful employees are more productive and make customers happy.

The authors cite various researchers throughout the book. They seem to be especially impressed with Prof. Daniel Goleman, author of the books Primal Leadership and Emotional Intelligence, as they have quoted him seven times.

I was first introduced to this book by an associate who said it described me perfectly. I didn't realize what a compliment this really was until I ordered it from Amazon and read it.

If you are not a nice person, this book can really revolutionize your outlook. It lays out the case to be nice to others in a logical manner and provides a lot of thought provoking reasons to embrace this concept.

If you are already a nice person, you will get even more out of this book. Lots of great advice on sincerity and how to still get what you want out of any relationship. You simply can't go wrong.

On top of this, the book is both easy and fun to read. It's a GREAT conversation starter and wonderful source of quotes for classes and speaches.

The information in this book seems obvious, but I never thought that reexamining my notions of what it means to be nice would cause me to change my perspective so drastically. It is an elementary concept, and most people know a nice person when they see one, but rarely do people discuss the concept or what change of character is required to come off as a nice person to others. Intention is always in the back of people's minds, but in the heat of the moment, it becomes difficult to make the wisest or nicest decision. Its hard to weigh the benefits of preventing yourself from making a reactionary blunder. But with the help of this book, the guidelines that most of us already have some subconscious notion of are clearly laid out.
The anecdotes that this book is comprised of are thoroughly enjoyable and illustrate a great picture of how beneficial approaching everyone with kindness can be. The book also does a nice job of tempting the reader with the idea that being nice will reap personal benefits while at the same time, reinforcing the notion that being nice doesn't have to have selfish motivation. It is simply a good habit to have; it will boost your self-respect and the well-being of all.

I first bought a copy of this cookbook for my mom, then one for myself, and now one for a friend. It's a great intro to "american" cooking and entertaining. My best find in this book: the curried butternut squash soup (which I'd never had before), and I love the sesame ham-and-cheese bites! Only drawback in this book: the amounts are meant for entertaining (10 lbs of meat for chili!) and need to be significantly scaled back when cooking for two...

When I first began to learn how to cook I was overwhelmed with the array of cookbooks on the market. I purchased several compilations and found many of the recipes to have uneven results. You could spend an hour on a recipe only to have it turn out to be the blandest meal ever produced. In came The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. This cookbook was notable for breaking away from traditional American fare, creating celebrated innovative American recipes and incorporating fresh ingredients. It now seems like a staid proposition, but twenty-five years ago, using fresh ingredients was a novel idea.

While some cookbooks are formidable in size, The Silver Palate perfectly hits its stride with just enough recipes, covering finger food, fish, cheese, meat, dessert, vegetable and drink dishes. The most wonderful part of this book is that the recipes are uniformly fantastic. Chili for a Crowd, Minty Cucumber Salad, and the favorite, Chicken Marabella, are not only simple in their execution, they are delicious. Although I haven't made a dent in the dessert section, for fear of changing my entire diet solely to sweets, the dessert recipes I have tried are scrumptious. The book is enhanced with sidebars that explain how to cook herbs, or prepare edible flowers. The only cautionary note is that The Silver Palate includes a hefty amount of rich ingredients, which today, you can easily find substitute products and still get the same excellent results.

Quill says: Cookbooks come and go, but this one will endure for the ages.

I am on my third copy of the Silver Palate Cookbook as the first two were over-used till they split. Twenty five years later and everyone still likes spinach in phyllo and brie in puff pastry! Forget about Jerry Seinfeld's wife(hiding veggies in brownies)....the vegetable recipes in this book will appeal to your kids because they taste amazing. I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like the Chicken Marbella (children LOVE it....all that brown sugar). The venison stew is very good and a tasty way to cook something that can otherwise go wrong very quickly. The profiteroles are a fool-proof dessert and the Chocolate Truffles are easy for kids to make along with you...and especially nice at the holidays.

If you can't find it in this cookbook or on [...], you don't need to make it. All of my favorite recipes--the ones friends and family beg for--are in this book. Its style is fresh ingredients with sensible, practical instructions: preparations simple enough that you can have a glass of wine and talk to your guests in the last forty minutes as you serve your hellacious dinner. You'll seem like a mircle-worker.

This is actually my second copy of the book--I used the other one (paperback) until it fell apart.

Recipes I have been borrowing "forever" in this book...time to have my own!

the person i bought this for loved it
i hand delivered it to Shanghai China for their use there

The Devil's Food cupcakes and Blueberry muffin recipe is the best I've ever made or purchased. If there are a few more recipes that turn out as well, this book is well worth it.

This cookbook is fabulous if you love to bake. I can't think of one recipe I've wanted to try and wasn't able to find it in this book.
The whole reason I bought this book is because a friend made homemade blueberry muffins from a recipe in this book and they were the best I've ever had.
Another recipe I go back to at least once a month is for Buttermilk Biscuits. Delicious!
There is lots of information other than recipes - guides and diagrams on how to do things (cut/slice, etc.), pictures, etc.
This would be a great gift for anyone who loves to bake!

That's how good it is! All the stuff that I've been trying to look for is all here! I just borrowed it from the library and kept renewing it over and over again. Hahaha!! I tried a bunch of recipes in this book. The carrot cake at first threw me off the loop. But, the second time I tried it, I whipped the eggs and sugars until it became light and fluffy and it came out perfect! I even added some chopped pineapple to it and chopped toasted pecans and it came out beautifully. To die for Sour cream fudge cake, the yummy lace cookies, and, oh my, the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies!!!! I got to buy myself a copy of this book for sure!!!

This book has probably the most recipes that I use over and over again. I know that many true "pastry chefs" cringe at the thought of America's Test Kitchen because of their non-traditional methods and/or ingredients, but it always ends up coming down to one thing for me - their recipes work. They are reproducible and have been lab tested for a taste and texture that mostly I agree with. I don't need a 3 star Michelin chef telling me what's good - good pastry is what tastes good to me.

I admit though that some of the recipes go against the grain of traditional baking. Example, they insist that key lime pie tastes better when made from regular limes and not key limes - something considered sacrilege. I also have to agree that their tasting panel's determination as to what tastes good can be skewed at times and not necessarily accurate to what you may think is good. I have always been able to tweak the recipes to adjust for my tastes, so I didn't find this too much of a problem.