Shopping Books

When I first saw this book I thought the premise was a bit silly, but as a Christian and a 24 fan, I wanted to give it a try. I'm glad I did because it is one of the best Christian books I have ever read. This is a book to return to in all stages of your Christian walk.

This book along with the others is a great book to read about Jack Bauer before and durring seasons of 24.

I got this book for my small group Bible Study. We watch the episode, then go through the chapter and answer the discussion questions at the end of the book. It is a fun way to find God's truth in the world around us. The discussion questions are well written, and provide the basis for some great discussion. We very rarely end group on time becuase we are so involved discussing this book.

This book not only gives a great overview of 24 season one but gives life values that are related to each episode and gives ways to which you can apply those princeples to your own life.

One might say that in season one of the television series 24, Jack Bauer was having a bad day. His wife and daughter were kidnapped by terrorists who wished to manipulate Jack into assassinating Senator David Palmer. His ex-girlfriend and trusted co-worker turned out to be a mole and killed his pregnant wife. In the midst of the story line revolving around Jack Bauer, author Tim Wesemann believes there are spiritual truths waiting to be explored.

Jack Bauer's Having a Bad Day is an "investigation" into those spiritual truths to be found in season one. The chapters are divided into 24 "faith truths" ranging from issues of trust, dependence, and integrity. Most chapters begin with a snippet from the 24 plot line before exploring the spiritual implications. At the back of the book is a reader's guide with 5 study questions per chapter for personal or group use.

While not every "faith truth" discussed in the book is obviously present in the plot line, each one bears important insight for Christian living. Tim Wesemann mixes personal stories and skillful writing with a keen perception for spiritual wisdom. Jack Bauer's Having a Bad Day is a witty, fun, and meaningful book that helps to make one of America's favorite shows more edifying.

This has got to be the funniest book I have ever read. I can't get to sleep until I finish another chapter, and another and, oh, what the heck, just stay up all night and finish it off!
I've lent it to several friends and have had to arm wrestle them to get it back, so buy more than one. Hide your copy and lend out the others! It's a book for everyone. Why haven't they made a movie of this yet?

This book reminds me of several "family" members I have and it is absolutely hilarous. It is the perfect book to read to relax. I recommend it to anyone and have lent my copy out over a dozen times to family members & everyone returns it and tells me they just loved it.

This is perfect summer reading...easy, light and a breath of fresh air. A group of neurotic New York City shoppers drive to New England to see the leaves change and enjoy taking some souvenirs home. The characters they meet are memorable and will surely remind you of people you have come across in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts or Maine....in other words....people who are NOT New Yorkers.

This book reminds me of sooo many people I know. I laughed out loud!!! I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud while reading....

Having enjoyed Paul Rudnick's rapier wit in movies such as JEFFREY, ADDAMS' FAMILY VALUES, and IN & OUT, I thought I'd give his prose fiction a try. I can't tell you what a disappointment the first 50 pages of this book were -- after which, I cut my losses and quit reading. You have to understand, I was stranded on the runway at LAX for two hours with nothing else to read but the in-flight magazine -- I still couldn't go on with this ill-conceived novel about a family of extremely conspicuous consumers who "visit" objects and rationalize their shoplifting by thinking of it as "giving something a good home." I love shopping as much as the next (gay) guy, but when Rudnick tried to get a laugh out of the line, "What are we, chopped liver?", I tucked the book into the seat in front of me and left it for the next unfortunate TWA passenger. To lift the persona of the stereotypical Jewish shopaholic that forms the wafer-thin premise of this novel: Why don't you buy yourself something nice, instead of this piece of trash? For a hilarious gay-themed romp, try Michael Chabon's MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH ... and leave this one in the bargain bin where it belongs.

Shopping has become a hunt for the cheapest price. Stop the insanity!
Read this book and "re"discover how to enjoy shopping and buying, and stop focusing on just the price you paid.

Being the Book a holic that I am, the title of this book intrigued me.

Hey, I'm always looking for a better way to shop.

This book delivered above and beyond my expectations and knocked me off my feet.

Here's why:

I expected to read about how I can get better deals when shopping. What I found was so much more: How to Value myself more as a person!

Kate Newlin the Author boldly and precisely explains both by example and her own professional experience how our culture has devalued ourselves by buying cheap for sake of soley price instead of buying quality that which our souls may cry for.

There are certain stores that she mentions that when we buy from them it keeps a child in a sweatshop in another country in business. All because of our culture's thrill of the deal.

I give this book five stars because I am all about truth. And this book delivers.

We live in denial as a society on a daily basis. In shattering my own denial in buying cheap instead of buying the quality that my heart really wants, I learned something about myself in deserving quality that my heart and soul longs for.

It hit me between the eyes of why I passed on what felt good to my soul. It has now helped me regain the true thrill of hunt in shopping.

But this time is different.

You are in for a real treat if you are someone who loves to learn how to be a better you in this world. By reading this book, you will discover your world unfolding in a magnificient way.

If on the other hand you are someone who's looking for books on how to get a better price on the deals in the world of shopping you probably will not like this book.

You may even hate it.

As Paco Underhill says on her front cover ( He is the author of the best seller book, Why We Buy)

It's a dazzling dose of tough love for America's addiction to the cheap.

Buy it and see for yourself.

This book is a good addition to any retail strategists library. The author goes into great detail explaining that its gotta to stop being about the lowest price for those retailers trying to survive in a Wal*Mart world. Having been in retail for 17 years; 10 as a pricing professional, this book explains that its not always about the price when a customer is shopping.

Customers are looking for a solution to a problem when they go shopping whether its food, clothing, transportation or other needs. This book explains that its not always price that can win the battle; granted this is not always the issue when it comes to a consumer's level of income. The point is, by showing the consumer that there is more to the deal than just the price, a retailer can earn the trust and loyalty of the shopper's future needs. The trick though is A, to show the consumer a benefit of shopping with you that goes beyond the price point; customer service, knowledgeable staff, comfortable shopping environment, and then B finding a way to incorporate that into the price where the customer can quantify it and still think they are getting a really good deal.

Its not always about price, but rather what else you can offer the consumer they value and still think they got a good deal for that price.

SHOPPORTUNITY: HOW TO BE A RETAIL REVOLUTIONARY comes from a consumer advocate who confronts the idea of 'available and cheap' with a vengeance, advocating a return to service and selection as a substitute for the modern 'quick and dirty' approach to meeting consumer needs. The consumer, too, has given tacit approval to these new retail marketing techniques: SHOPPORTUNITY! Tells how to take back the power, using case studies, personal anecdotes, and reporting to go behind the scenes in the retail selection and pricing process.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a commercial actress who makes her living selling everything from paper towels, body lotions and automobiles, I was mesmerized by this book and had to take a figurative "look in the mirror" regarding my own consumer habits and responsibilities as a "peddler" of these products. Kate Newlin's literary prowess and indomitable wit make these "hard facts" regarding the downward spiral of our consumerism; the ever-growing (and ever related) obesity epidemic; and the complete disregard for the "hourly" workers in this country almost palatable. Her true love for the ideal "Shopportunity" is infectious and makes us want to be more conscience, responsible, and truly fulfilled members of the human race. I highly recommend this book.

It was THE GIRL CODE that gave me such great ideas and insight into the dating scene. I laughed and shared with friends but ultimately I was inspired.

This is a cute, brainy little book that offers not only insights into being a woman and dealing with men...but also about being a man and dealing with women!

I bought a copy of this for all of my girlfriends (and myself) for Christmas and each and every one of them raved about how funny and true it is. I can read through it and either totally identify or know a close friend who does. Diane Farr hits the proverbial nail directly on the head!!!

This is a cute, brainy little book that offers not only insights into being a woman and dealing with men...but also about being a man and dealing with women!

Great book where Diane Farr hits the nail on the head with all her nicknames for the guys, situations, and friends in your life. Excellent gift for a girlfriend or someone just recovering from a breakup!

I thought the book was good regarding the descriptions of how good furniture is made. So, I would recommend it for a person who would like to learn the basics of how furiture is constructed, and what to look for from a quality standpoint and what the difference in upholstry is. Ironically, the author then goes on to recommend buying from many low-end retailers who rip off the public with huge margins, which has been typical of the furniture for decades, I guess, maybe longer. He does make a very good explanation about what 'furniture sales' really are, and why they aren't usually a bargain. Given what he claimed was his favorite store in Chicago, I guess he hasn't shopped here in 15 years.

Maybe this is a little harsh, but I don't think a retailer deserves a 150% profit or more on goods that are never on a showroom floor or held in inventory. Furniture retailers do not add 150% to the value of the product. I think by accident, the author just pointed out, by protecting the retailer part of this supply chain, why so many good American furniture manufacturers have gone out of business; most furniture is overpriced due to the retailers.

Great resource if you are planning on purchasing furniture. Len catagorizes the major furniture manufactures by quality, what kind of quality cues to look for and what some of the best furniture stores are. He'll also answer your questions by email!

I knew nothing about the details of furniture construction before I read this book. I now feel confident in shopping for all types of furniture. I can now look for signs of quality construction and ask the right questions to let the salepeople know I'm not willing to buy just on looks. The details of how certain pieces are made is important for longevity. Highly recommended read!

Locate furniture which fits into budget and home and understand the basics of its construction and marketing using the second updated edition of Shopping For Furniture: A Consumer's Guide as your personal advisory. Leonard Bruce Lewin has sold furniture to stores and consumers for over 35 years: his background provides insider's advice on everything from distinguishing sales prices from daily prices to understanding newspaper ads and big-store sales approaches. Now in a fully updated second addition, Shopping For Furniture promises lasting library reference value, with its clear tips on judging value and prices.

I wish I could give this book more than five stars. I have made lots of furniture mistakes over the years, and now I can begin to see why. The next best thing to this book would be having Leonard Lewin by your side when you shop for furniture! He takes you through the basics (wood, wood veneer, wood finishing, shopping for wood, basic furniture construction and pieces, upholstery, leather, personal style, going to stores, dealing with sales personnel and designers, interpreting advertising). What's more, he lists brands and stores to think about and visit, by area, name and volume). This book will be extremely useful to me, and I plan to reread several of the chapters before buying any furniture. The tone of the book is easygoing and informative, never dull. Most of all, his philosophy that while being an expert helps, all of us can do enough homework to understand what we need to bring to the furniture buying experience. I highly recommend this book, and plan to go back to it in the future (maybe even keep it in the car, since I wouldn't be able to hide it in the store).

this cookbook is a good idea as far as helping you plan your menus and convenient shopping lists...

BUT, if you are health-conscious like me you will not like over half the meals. All of them center around large amounts of meat and some feature main ingredients like Frito chips. I browsed through it for a few minutes, and quickly realized that I was going to need to purchase a new cookbook, because there were hardly any meals I would personally feel comfortable feeding my family. But that's just me. I think meat should be a light addition to meals, not the whole meal, and I'm not the only one who thinks that way--that's what doctors, nutritionists and the updated USDA pyramid say as well.

I didn't think the book was that easy to pick up and get started. It's a little boring and doesn't motivate me to get up and cook.

This book has quick and easy recipes and a lot of shortcuts for busy women. This book also gives some fun ideas for spending time with your family even if time is limited. I like the girlfriend style of this book, too. Highly recommended for today's families. You can use the recipes to go along with some of your favs, too. There are so many ways to use this cookbook. One of my favorite recipes for company is the seafood bake. My kids' favorite is Mexican Pileup.

I love this book. The ingredients in all of the recipes are family-oriented and I'm able to buy them at my local supermarket. Best of all, the meals are easy on the budget. This book offers a cooking system to help you plan your family meals or you can pull out recipes that you want to make when you want to make them. There's recipes for Thanksgiving as well as what to do with the leftovers, which will save us money during a very expensive time of the year. The other thing that I love about this book is the author's personality comes through like she was sitting across the table from you. And there are a ton of shortcuts to make your time in the kitchen more efficient and some really fun ideas to do with the family. You can tell this author has a family and knows what it's like to be a busy mom.

I'm a work-at-home Mom, but that doesn't mean I'm hanging out in the kitchen. As busy as my family is, I'm excited to have a book like Mary Jo's that takes care of the decision making, planning, and even gives me a shopping list. Then, when dinner time arrives, in just minutes, I can prepare and feed my family with good food that they enjoy. Thanks, Mary Jo, for taking the stress out of making dinner!

I just finished reading "Heaven Looks a Lot like The Mall" and it was very funny. I liked how you learned about everything that she had brought in the mall and that it had a special purpose. Like the light blue prom dress, everything had a meaning. Well I hope Heaven does look like the mall cause I could wear stuff thats like a 24,000 fur coat from Saks and never have to pay for it. But I think the "Mall Manager"(a.k.a GOD!!) would probably stop me!!

since the moment i opened Heaven looks alot like the mall, i loved it. i love the beging, middle and the end! it took me only four days to read the whole book from the day i bought it.

Title makes the book sound superficial, when actually it is a thoughtful look at a girl's life & a lot of the bad decisions she has made. Does that make her a bad person? How much can she blame on a psycho mother? Surprisingly good book--hope it comes out as an audiobook soon.

I sense a bit of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven theme in this book, although this book's main audience was teenage girls. It gives interesting insight into life after death, which is a subject that many people try to portray, but I haven't read many as interesting and neat as this book. The book was written in "poems" (much like Sonya Sones, Ellen Hopkins, etc) and was a really fast read. I enjoyed it because the main character wasn't the typical angsty teenager. She had problems, but she didn't mope and whine about them. She just did what she wanted. But in the end, I like the change of the character. It really was interesting to see her transformation from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. I was kept wondering what was going to happen, and it didn't bore me with unneccessary details. Wendy Mass is one of my favorite authors, and with good reason. Heaven Looks a lot Like the Mall is definitely an excellent book. However, if "poems" aren't really your thing, then I would also recommend her book A Mango-Shaped Space, which is even better than this book.

Imagine coming upon a bag of forgotten things, then reliving memories for each and every item you touch. After being beaned on the head during a game of dodgeball, high school junior Tessa finds herself in what she thinks is heaven - but it looks a lot like the local mall.

Is she dead or just dreaming? She remembers being hit by the ball. She remembers falling down on the gym floor. She remembers being a "mall brat," which she compares to being an army brat, but without the moving around. Because both of her parents work at the mall, it's just as familiar to her as her own home.

Soon, Tessa meets an oddly interesting boy who leads her to a bag filled with things she's obtained from the shopping center over the years. The bag includes a baby shoe, a box of crayons, a pair of flip-flops, and a prom dress, among many other things. Tessa then relates a series of events, one for each item. She remembers scenes with her parents, her older brother, her friends, the girls she wanted to befriend, the boys she wanted to date.

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall is a fast, compulsive read. The story flows smoothly. Though it is written as a verse novel, it does not rhyme and is not set to a certain meter. Tessa's memories are related in chronological order, making it easy for readers to quickly learn the story of her life.

This isn't a maudlin modern Our Town, but rather a charm bracelet come to life. Instead of this being a scrapbook of the best and happiest times of Tessa's life, it's an honest look at what she's been though. She's not proud of everything she's done, and she must learn to take responsibility for her actions. As her shame and secrets come to light, Tessa begins to realize that she can still shine -- and that (hopefully) she's got a lot of living to do.

I had heard of mystery shopping but had no clue as to how to go about becoming involved in the business. I'm a senior citizen and needed something to do and also make extra income having fun going to restaurants and B & B's in my travels. There have been numerous Pop Ups on the internet regarding mystery shopping but they want people to pay their company to be involved. Elaine's book gave me the 'start-up and smart-up' to get started. I hope you find this book as helpful as I have to read and get YOU started. Bev

I purchased this book over the others because of the stellar reviews here. What a dissapointment ! The pages are filled with very large print, double or triple spaced just to make the book thicker . It is almost void of useful information for anyone over the age of 12. The book makes numerous invitations to the author's web site and her fee based training, and that explains the premise of this book. Give them a taste so they'll want more. Very superficial and full of cliches. Quote: "..a Mystery Shopping company may not wish to send a seventy year old woman to a sports bar or a twenty one year old to visit a senior housing development" (p.34) or this advice: "Suggested items to bring with you; Two pens and a small pad of paper" (p.77)
Thank goodness the public library had the other book I wanted "Mystery Shopping made simple" by I. Newhouse. I am a small business owner (for 15 years)and I would recommend this other book for any business endeavor, not just mystery shopping. I returned it to the library and I ordered this book with confidence . I will donate the Elaine Moran book to the public library and write-off a $20 donation .

I havent read all of the book yet, but it looks like it is going to be a comprehensive guide that will cover any questions you might have about being a Secret Shopper/Mystery Shopper. What to expect and what to Not expect out of the experience. It is also somewhat like a class in a book on how to be a good Secret Shopper. It is well written, honest and is easy to read. It is 'Up Front' about the amount of money you can expect to make; which is quite a bit less than I had thought it would pay. It also covers the amount of paper work and written reports you will have to do. It is not sugar coated or Romanticised and I like that. This is the first book I have read about being a Mystery Shopper but, as advertised, it looks like it will be the only book I will need.

This is a great book. It is easy to read, short, and full of information. I have used many of the companies and websites listed already.

This book made my first shop so easy. It also made applying for secret shops a snap. There are so many questions on the applications of various companies. This book prepared me to complete the questionnaires with confidence. My first shop I was rated a 10 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest. The higher the rating, the more shops you are eligible for. A great book.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is a silly, fun, "sitcom", "feel good" sort of book that is squeaky clean; it's great! Along with doing a good job of making me laugh out loud, it also does a good job of addressing in a fun way some of the issues that teens go through as some of them start to pair up and old "best friends" struggle to figure out what roles they now play in each others lives. It certainly is one I'll recommend to my students.

I really liked this book. It was a quick fun read that kept me smiling and laughing all along the way. Some books are a great abdominal workout!

The main character was annoying. I was kinda bored reading this. Forced myself to finish it.

Janette Rallison's done it again. She already had me listed as a fan with Life, Love, & the Pursuit of Free Throws. I was already gushing over All's Fair in Love, War, & High School. So when I picked up It's a Mall World After All, I was expecting nothing short of light, fun high school romance. And I got that, plus a little extra for my money. Charlotte is a really believable character, especially to me. Like me, she was tormented by the boys in her school. Like me, she made a major comeback. And like me, behind her bitter resentment, she's a forgiving person.

This book was thoughtful, with Charlotte being determined to give less fortunate kids a good Christmas. I thought some parts were hi-la-ri-ous! Especially the part where ... well, I'll let you read and enjoy.

For girls who don't like to read (or even total bookworms like me) this book is sure to satisfy!

=)

My 11-year-old son and I have enjoyed reading all of Janette Rallison's books! She does a great job of putting humor in high school situations. It's a Mall World is another great one! We are looking forward to her next book coming out...

thepurplebook is a great book for those who don't get out to read Cosmo, Glamour,InStyle, YM, W, GQ, Better Homes and Garden and basically any periodical currently printed in the U.S. or abroad. The term "authorship" is so loose these days. Sure the sites are great, if you can find one that works. We all know how website have a tendency to die online. However, I found some real gems. Thanks InStyle! It's really too difficult to decipher (and the print is too small) for the elderly. And the gen-exers like myself, really don't have the cash to spend $200 for a handbag or pay the large amount of money alot of these sites are asking for their goods and services. I probably wouldn't buy thepurplebook, instead I'd pick it up at your local library.

When I first found out about the Purple Book I was very excited, I love to shop and to find unique buys and often don't run across great websites because they are hard to find. This is a great resource across many categories to help you find what you need online and to discover some great sites for shopping.

The one aspect of the book that I didn't like was that it listed sites that are very known an common such as some brick & mortar stores or very promient online stores (Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ebay, etc...) I was hoping there would be more focus on stores that were unique and off the beaten path but I have found some sites that I never knew of before and it is a great resource so I would highly recommend this for anyone that loves to shop as much as I do!!

This is a rather Zagattish commentary (unfortunately without the point score) on the 1600 or so sites the book tries to cover.

The real value and unfortunately the (slight) failing of the book is that it tries to be too broad. In addition not everything in the book is perfect. I spotted some slight inaccuracies in some websites that I am a regular customer of. Secondly, the narrative is simply too Categorical in its comments, and one suspects that a lot of insight may be colored by the perspective garned from the particular website itself and not through a real user experience. Unlike Zagat, there is very little of the equivocation that may suggest the particular (shopping) website could have failings, or that it may not be so good. Indeed, it would appear that virtually all comments about each (shopping) website highlights the positive ...

Nevertheless, this opus provides the reader with a valuable trove of information. I personally found the epicurean section as well as the stationery/gifts section most useful, although that might reflect my personal biases. While I also question the breakdown of the shopping categories in the book, but on the whole, I recommend it, and think that it is by far the best in its class.

I'm slightly surprised that Amazon did not put out sample pages (at least of the writing of this review) as that would allow customers to have a much better feel for the book. In any case, here's my input:

Opening a random page in women's wear includes the following sites in (continued) alphabetical order:
1) Peruvian connection
2) Pieceunique.com
3) Purpleskirt.com
4) Ravinstyle.com
5) Sauvagewear.com
6) Seamlessbody.com

And just in case you were wondering what they thought about Amazon? Amazon appears twice. The first is under the segment "Entertainment" (which includes books). The entire spiel is as follows:

"The first name in Internet retail has come a long way from its origins as strictly a bookseller. Its expanision started, logically, with music and videos, but has gone on to plenty else. But it's a continued master of entertainment media that keeps us coming back. Here you may listen to music samples, read book samples and read customer reviews of just about anything. There are plenty of reasons these guys are No. one, and you probably don't want to read about them here. Suffice to say, if for some strange reason you've never visited, check it out"

Here's one more random example from www.clambakeco.com:

"Clambakes to travel. When it's time for a good old-fashion clambake, you can do no better than to visit this new-fangled speciality retailer. What's a clambake? Well, as these guys have it, its a shindig that involves steamed lobster, mussels, vegetables, Portugese sausage and of course clams. Yes it sounds like a lot to prepare, but that's the great thing about this site: they send you a pre-packed steamer pot ... You simply add water, put over a flame and 20 min or so later you have a full fledged clamback for as any people as you need. It couldn't be easier, and you get to keep the pot."

This is a terrific, well-researched and well-organized resource, one of the best guides I have ever read. THEPURPLEBOOK starts where search engines leave off, helping to get through the clutter. Cheers to Ms. Mendelsohn for a terrific book. A great stocking-stuffer. I can't wait for next year's edition!

It's scary to think shopping can be made a lot easier than it already is. With the internet, now shopping is so easy you can find almost everything in a matter of minutes, depending on how fast your computer loads. Hillary Mendelsohn's book is nothing new, since there has been directories of internet companies before, but she does present it in a manner shoppers are more used to, rather than in technogeek language. Another book worth exploring if you are looking for internet shopping: Stretch Your Dollars by Buying Wholesale. Saving money so that you can buy more is always exceptional, isn't it? My wife thinks so! Thanks to the internet, she now has more stores to shop til her fingers drop.