Careers Books

I started reading "The Financial Wisdom of Ebeneezer Scrooge" expecting to see financial "ghosts" of past, present and future. I wasn't disappointed. What I didn't expect to see was financial failures of Bob Crachit. So I was pleasantly surprised to see that in spite of our perrenial wink and nod associated with the poor among us, The "Bob's" do bear some responsibility to be educated about their situation.

The book seems to be practical in its application of conservative financial wisdom. I say "seems to be" because it's up to me to apply the tools. I think I can, I think I can...

This is one of the most clever approaches to helping people find their way to financial freedom. I have read many many books on personal finance and it has always confounded me as to why more people don't take an interest in their financial future. This book shows how mind traps that were set in youth can keep people from making the right financial choices. The authors talk about "money scripts" that people carry with them and that influence their money behavior. The authors cleverly use the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit showing what their money scripts might have been and how those scripts influenced their behaviors in A Christmas Carol. The exercises are excellent. It took me a while but I eventually identified some of my own money scripts. Frankly, this method could be used to help identify life scripts that keep us from achieving our ultimate potential as well.

The authors come through as genuinely wanting to help their readers. I have read books that were promoted as self-help financial books but in the end were books to promote an author's seminars rather than providing sound advice and help.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to start today to shape a better financial future for themselves and their families.

Enlightening regarding the way you view money and how this affects so many other areas of your life. The impact of early script imprinting and its affect on your adult life is both fascinating and helpful.

The three authors take a good look at the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and pull out valuable lessons about money and the emotions behind them. This is a great book for anyone who really wants to understand their relationship with money. The exercises are easy and yet thought provoking. A great read for the holidays.

This book is worth the price for several different reasons. First, the style is sympathetic, and most people reading this book do not want to have an author shaking a finger at them for their financial living styles. Second, the use of Dickens' famous short story as a lesson outline is not only clever, but also very easy to relate to. Although everyone knows that the miser gets turned around in the end of the story, few have likely stopped to notice that old Scrooge had to go through several stages to realize his money pathology. Also, the book points out that Scrooge was an eager student! The third is that the book is not overly long, and the story flow makes the reader want to keep going, even though we kind of know what is likely to happen in the next chapter.

The author's personal twist near the conclusion is endearing, and of course will not be given away here. It can be a good thing to know that the authors and consultants have had difficult times also. The only example/actual character that sounded less credible, though, was that single woman who earned a quarter million dollars a year, but somehow could never save any money. Yikes! Nobody most of us know.

The general wisdoms in this book are not all that unpredictable. Most have to do with "you are not your money," "it's the LOVE of money that's not good," "you don't escape most problems by getting more net worth," and so forth. True, and always worthwhile being reminded of such. A personal view: too much time spent on the generality of these admittedly good thoughts, not enough numbers thrown in. A good example is the statement (recently found by some uncredited survey, I think) in the middle of "Scrooge" that people usually are better off getting to about $50K annual income; after that, increased happiness doesn't come in the nearly the proportion that increases in net worth do. Probably true, and things like this probably should have been forcefully mentioned a number of times. Readers like to hitch onto tangible, named amounts. Still, it WAS mentioned, and the clever reader will find the passage. A good buy.

I purchased this guide in April. I was very pleased with the quality of info on the subject of selling used books on Amazon. The content was easy and fun to read. The book it self reminds me of a college term paper. I think the price is a little high for a book in this format, but the content makes up for it. I recommend this book for anyone starting out in the world of online bookselling.

Phil,
Reading Room Bookshop

I've been dabbling in the book business for awhile now. I've bought a few books on the subject of online selling, passing this one by, originally, because I'm not a stay-at-home mom. But let me tell you, this is the best book on the subject bar none. First of all, it is presented in a completely unique conversational style. I think this is why a few people said it was like going to a local café and talking the book business with her over a coffee jag. The other piece to that feeling of a one-on-one conversation is the way she seemed to answer the questions you were just about to ask (the way Oprah asks the questions that everyone watching is wondering about at the time). For example, I'd be wondering, how much money do you make and she'd say something like, 'you're probably wondering how much I make,' and answer it. Then I'd wonder how many books you need in your inventory to make that much money and she'd say something like 'you're probably wondering how many books you have to have to make that much money.' And so it went. Besides that, somehow, I can't believe she pulled it off, she fit in more information than you can imagine. She included every bit of information found in the other books, all the practical stuff about how to get started (in a more step-by-step style for those who don't want to jump in headfirst, or accelerated for those who do), how to list books, and find them, and know if you should buy them etc. But she didn't stop there. She went on to include profiles of other sellers she knows and what their business models are like; email addresses, so you can find out about scanners, and software; tons of ideas and information about finding books, including titles of books that are worth money, in all the different genres, so you can start learning how to find the "types" of books that tend to be valuable, before you go out hunting at a thrift store, or wherever. It's concise, methodical, packed with information, yet witty and fun at the same time. I'm a bit embarrassed to be writing this late on a Saturday night, but I feel like I unexpectedly found a Gem.

This booklet has been a Godsend. Full of essential advice and information and plenty of tips for the new online bookseller. I have used much of Christine's advice in the launching of my own online book store. Guidelines on customer service, what to look for when scouting for books and all the bits in between make this a reference book I will keep at hand for many months to come.

I thought this gave good information and was easy to read but I thought it was overpriced compared to other items I've read on this topic. The other items were actual hard back books and this was more unprofessional. I thought it was easy to understand but if I was looking at it in a bookstore I wouldn't buy it it because ot the cost and the relative quality of the product. I would expect to pay no more than $8.95 or so.

This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone wishing to make a few hundred dollars a month to a few thousand. I loved the author's familiar writing style. At times I forgot that I was reading a manual! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and easy way to supplement their income. Thank you for this book! It's given me the ability to make some extra money and spend time with my kids.

I have enjoyed Vicki's style of speaking to her reader, as if she was right in the room with you. She coaches you and gets into your head and heart. She allows you to see the CEO in yourself. This book is not just for the nurses that have joined her company, but for every woman go wants to bring her own light to this dark needy world and make a difference. Even if it is one woman at a time.

Eavesdrop on any group of women lunching at the next table and you are likely to witness laughter, tears, support, commiseration and collaboration in action. Entrepreneur Vickie Milazzo identifies how women can best utilize these natural feminine capabilities to achieve life and career success and fulfillment. Milazzo dedicates an insightful, thorough chapter to each of the "10 Feminine Forces" she has identified. She uses personal stories and the experiences of successful women to coach you to new, unexplored heights. Sometimes her attempt to motivate through her personal saga crosses the line from inspiring to self-congratulatory. Yet, if you set aside this editorial flaw, you have a well-scripted formula for success. We recommend this book to all women who share a spark, a dream and the desire for a richer, fuller life.

I really like the book. It provides motivational examples and good analysis. It's about how women can be successfully in their lives. Make a wonderful gift to any woman you know.

Filled with thought-provoking gems of wisdom and the real-life examples to back them up, I found this book to be a wonderful source of motivation as I think about "what comes next" in my career.

I've never read a self-help type book before, and probably wouldn't have picked this book out on my own. I recieved a copy of this book through a marketing campaign, and figured that I'd give it a shot.

I usually fly through novels and non-fiction books, so I've had to take a completely diferrent approach to reading this book. I've been plowing through it, one chapter every week or so, and it's been having some impact on how I think about my professional life.

The book is filled with the author's anecdotes as well as stories of other women, and guides you throuh exercises that break down your goals and actions. I'm finding it helpful, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a book to help them understand how to reach their goals.

I found this book to be both inspirational and educational.
Inspirational : I found myself connecting to Urban's life story and was inspired to do several of the excercises he recommends. The book is very well written and requires alot of introspection after reading. For every lesson, I found myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading. I read this with a pen in hand and jotted down thoughts as I read. After re-reading my thoughts on each section, I started to think deeply of what matters in my life and was inspired to think of my actions, thoughts, beliefs, etc. in a different way.
Educational: A great aspect of this book is the way Urban injects the works of so many other authors into his own. I found myself writing down the names and titles of many of Urban's cited works. His use of other's ideas to further explain and strenghten his own motivated me to further my knowledge base on the subject. For an author to actively tell the reader to go and look for other's insight only proves to me the author's good intentions and credibility.
Overall - I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for some help on the road of life. Urban does a great job explaining his 20 lessons, and he does an even better job in making the reader want to think about his or her own goals and rules of life.

I got this book as a present for my husband for Christmas. We always try to keep some positive reading around. He enjoyed it very much and has since passed it along to a friend. It's a very cost-effective but impactful gift and a simple, useful read.

As you read this book you find yourself growing with it.
20 simple lessons to follow. the overwall lesson is to learn to enjoy life .. and you will

This book get a 5 star rating from anyone that has reviewed it... do the math. I loved this book, I read many self help book because like many of us i'm looking for that edge that will take me over the top. This book is it. This is the mentor that i've never had.. the words that i needed to hear... this book will make a change... oh and check out his Positive words.. an other gold mine

I know that phrase is used a lot, but I don't use it a lot. I can honestly say that about THIS book....and I read a lot of self-help books. Not because I'm "messed up", but because I LOVE to learn. If I can read a book that can help me be a better person, I will read it...and not just READ....I absorb it and put it into practice. This book did that for me. It even changed the relationship I'm in. We are very serious, but have been having some communication problems. This book caused ME to change so much that my partner also changed and now our relationship has never been better. It showed (or reminded me) what kind of person I want to be, HOW to be that person, what is important in life, how to relate better to the people in my life that matter.....and I could just go on and on, but I won't. I just wanted to say that I got it at our library and it made SUCH an impact on me that I came here and bought the book used so I can go back OFTEN and refer to things I want to constently remember. To me, it's a book that EVERY person should read. I'm giving it as gifts to my grandchildren and children for their birthdays. GREAT BOOK!!!

Our copy has now passed on to our third child -- Anna and Jane loved this book, and Danny loves it, too.

Byron Barton really seems to "get it" -- what captivates a child. Bold illustrations, nice use of color, and just enough detail for a board book.

Board books aren't necessarily meant to teach or be encyclopedic -- they're like good friends that you visit every day, and look forward to doing so. "Machines At Work" is just that -- a good friend.

We've named the characters, we make construction sounds when we read, and we love the lunch break and the end of the day pages.

Solidly constructed, wonderfully illustrated, and age appropriate, "Machines At Work" is a winner, sure to please any pre-reader. Thank you, Byron Barton!

My two year old recently figured out all the sentences in this book, and reads them aloud. He feels so proud after finishing the story, and reads it almost every night. Of course he's just memorizing but its one of a few books that he "reads".

My three year old son usually only lets me read him books with characters he knows. I gambled on this one and came up a winner. I'm not sure why, but he laughs through the whole thing and wants to hear it again and again. He loves to beat me to the first line, "Hey you guys!" For my reluctant reader, Machines at Work is a winner.

When I first got this for my son (2 years), I thought "What a snooze-fest!" We were still high on the Mo Willems wave, still in love with Knuffle Bunny and the slightly off-kilter viewpoint of the Pigeon, so the utter barrenness and simplicity of Machines at Work honestly put me off. But, as it is all about the baby (and don't he know it!), Connor simply loves it! Although he is fickle (we have now moved on to the pop-up Bug series by David A. Carter) it firmly held the New Boy Times #1 bedseller slot for a good 3 weeks (an eternity to the toddler set). It also was known to douse many a tantrum (great diversion - "I know you just ka-bonked your head on the dining room table for the fortieth time today, but LOOK AT THESE COOL TRUCKS!") and entertain on long car rides.

The story (as it is) involves a diverse work crew doing stuff with simple 4-5 word narration for each page. It is so simple, it is almost zen-like. And Connor came to be able to repeat each phrase as we turned the page - as soon as I opened the cover he would gleefully shoud out "Hey, you guys!". Reading this to him at bedtime has become one of the fondest memories of my fatherhood experience, and hopefully one of my son's funnest moments.

When you write as many reviews of children's books as I do (and is there any more pompous way to begin a sentence, I wonder) you sometimes find yourself at a loss for words when it comes to the simpler ones. And author/illustrator Byron Barton is, if nothing else, the patron saint of picture book straightforwardness. There is no wry undertone to a Barton book. No sly wit. No winks or nods to parents and educators beneath the simple childlike text. Nope. Byron Barton is an author that writes stories for children and children alone. In "Machines At Work", Barton (who's millions of books have covered every topic from planes to dinosaurs) tackles that perpetual toddler fascination - - the worksite.

In this particular book, we observe a wide variety of small workers (male, female, white, black, etc.) off to work. Some climb readily into their machines. Others dictate instructions from below. For this day, the workers knock down a building, bulldoze trees, dump rubble, take a lunch break, build a building, and build a road (amongst other activities). Then the expressionless crew heads for home after a long and satisfying day. Says the text, "More work tomorrow".

The book begins with the sentence, "Hey, you guys!". For those parents amongst you who remember the heyday of that classic PBS show, "The Electric Company", you know how best to read that line. Otherwise, the sentences in this book tend to be instructions. The narrator (and, hence, the child reading the book) tells the little people what to do and they do it. I was intrigued by the prior reviewer of this book who commented that though we see the workers apparently build a road and building, no final product is ever shown at the end. It would be nice to see the result of all this work. Obviously Barton thinks kids would be far more interested in the breaking down and building up than in the end products. I was also a little amazed at the amount of destruction in this book as opposed to the significantly smaller amount of construction.

But these aren't really criticisms. If you've a kid who likes machines that go vroom and boom, it's hard to find fault with this book. There are plenty of simple words with thick black lines for kids to understand. No, it won't name the machines one by one. You'll have to find a different book for that. Still, it's a nice enough preschool title to entrance those kiddies who're already enamored of these friendly agents of destruction. A simple text that is certain to find a wide appreciative audience.

Alan did a great job with this book. Not only did it help me to understand the mistakes I have made with graduate school but it also helped me to take a good look at my life. I needed help and after I read the book it was like I had a better outlook on life.The book was very easy to read. What I liked most about the book was was how the author told his story and the stories of others. It was interesting, informative, sad, and sometimes even amusing. Great Book.......Would like to see more of Alans books come out.

This is a great reference book to have on your shelf. It is honest, straightforward, and very easy to read. In fact, it took me about two hours to read. However, don't let the brevity of the book decieve you. this book is packed with advise from every thing to enhancing your application to the final defense of your thesis or disertation. Since I've been to graduate school, I can say that the author talked about every issue you will need to know about to be successful in graduate school. I would even recommend this book to students who have not finished their graduate education. It should be required reading for anyone wanting to get into graduate school.

Being a college students, Mr. Paredes book was very helpful to me. I have plans to futher my education but wasn't sure where to start. Now, I have the help of this book. I have already shown this book to my sister-n-law who is filing out college applications, she loved it too!

This books feels like an abridged version of Getting What You Came For. It's very short so you can finish it pretty quickly. This book didn't provide me with the depth that I was really looking for. Also, I found the writing to be quiet poor. The author's tone was rather encouraging. He repeated several times that you do not need to be extraordinary smart to receive a PhD. He also provided lots of precautionary personal tales. After a few chapters, though, you will start wondering how many friends the author has and why they all seem to be making such terrible mistakes that eventually result in their leaving their graduate program.

I enjoyed reading this book and finding out that I have it in me to SUCCEED in graduate school. I thought grad school was only for the cream of the crop, not average people like me. I wish I would have known what grad school was like sooner because I would have tried to get in a long time ago. The most interesting aspect of this book was how the author weaved his story and the stories of others with facts about graduate school to tell a tale that was interesting, informative, sad, and sometimes even amusing. I thought the author gave commen sense advice to what seems to me most aspects of graduate school (although since I've never attended, I don't really know). Another very interesting part of this book that I haven't seen in other books, and I've been reading a lot lately, was the section entitled "History of Graduate School" This section gives you when, where, why, and how graduate school got started in general and how it got started in the United States. I could go on with other positive statements about this book, but I guess I'll cut it short and just say that, all in all, this was a very informative book and one that deserves high marks.

Susan Harrow is a media coach and marketing consultant. In "Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul" she explores the ways you can share your passion with the world. If you are looking to promote a product or a cause she explains how to become a polished interviewee. She also shows you how to:

Build name Recognition
Avoid Costly Mistakes
Get Media Attention
Become Mediagenic
Create a Winning Press Kit
Find People who Need Your Product or Service
Get on Oprah!
Wear the Right Clothes for a TV Interview

Throughout this book there are many success stories and Susan Harrow gives helpful and practical applications. Simple things like practicing answers before an interview becomes key to success.

If you have a product to sell this is one of the most important books you may ever read. I've been interviewed numerous times and the advice is excellent. The only book I think you need after reading this book is Feeding the Media Beast: An Easy Recipe for Great Publicity.

~The Rebecca Review

Having read a good number of the reviews of this superb book by Susan Harrow, I'll skip points I am happy to see others have covered so well. I also won't take time to summarize what's in the book so much as what I see pervading it and coming through it.

As a spiritual teacher and "Heart-awakener" with a huge focus on personal integrity and realness, I loved finding these two qualities radiating off every page with a consistency, strength, and confident serenity that can only come from someone who's walking her talk. For me from the title on through to the index, the book is a huge sigh of relief. There's so much hype in the world of publicity and marketing. I have to confess that even as a successful teacher of self-awareness and personal and relational integrity it's a struggle for me to read the compass clearly as I attempt to bring my work forward into the clamor of the marketplace. It's a challenge to make both audible and intelligible sounds that still ring entirely true to who I am and who my wife and partner Linda and I are together in our work. Underneath and shining through every single detail, Susan is initiating us neophytes and, I'm sure, many veterans with her obvious mastery of that profoundly intimate craft. That's the main reason I call the book a "publicity with integrity bible." In our time mature trueness to our heart and soul is the necessary foundation of all real spirituality and religion, it's the core of faith more than ever before. Without making an untoward display of it--which would ring untrue for her--Susan has written, in this sense, an authentically sacred text on how to make a true personal and creative ritual of the spirit in bringing our hearts and our messages to the world.

There's that word "real" again. Susan's ear and eye for emotional realness, for how ordinary-human we all are no matter how famous, admired, accomplished, and remarkable, pervades the whole book. It helps us approach the often intimidating prospect of publicizing ourselves with at least one foot always firmly on the ground and the other moving straight forward at a sustainable pace--or, whenever it's necessary to pause and take a breath, able to come back to rest on the material and psychic earth right underneath us.

Quite a number of other men have commented on how the book speaks so directly to us too. I agree, and wish to add that I think that's entirely deliberate on the author's part. I hear Susan Harrow saying to everyone, and certainly to men, "If you want to know how to speak both literally to women in the marketplace--and the worlds of publicity, journalism, and PR--and also to 'the Feminine' principle that no one can any longer afford to fail to take into account in any of our undertakings in life, then don't just do the things I urge you to do in this book in your publicity efforts. All that is important, absolutely. But if you really want to get underneath the content and into the context I'm teaching you, then continuallly take a step back and see how I am myself doing exactly the things I'm urging you to do. Study how I frame my communications to you, how carefully and gently I take all of your possible feelings, fears, reactions, and concerns into account, much as I'm urging you to do with everyone in the world of publicity with whom you wish to communicate."

If I'm at all mishearing you, Susan, I do apologize. But I'm delighted to get this message in any case. You've written a most practical approach to a key project in the life-work I call, in one of my own book titles, "Healing the Spirit/Matter Split." I intend to follow your precepts faithfully in every sense of the word and to recommend your good news far and wide. Thank you! --

"Although Susan Harrow's book, Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul, has a subtitle that calls the book "a woman's guide," I highly recommend it for men, too. If you have a message that you want to spread to the masses, Harrow teaches you everything you need to know about publicity in full detail. Both the beginner and the experienced will benefit. I wish more authors read her book before contacting my magazine. They would certainly increase their chances of getting reviewed."
~ Bob Olson, OfSpirit.com Magazine editor

The title is a bit misleading in that this book is not solely for women. The author may have initially intended it for women, but this book is for everyone! The author's caring and compassion and her obvious intelligence and spirit come through in a way that makes the reader know that there is truth and solid application in it.

Read it, learn from it, apply it, and benefit from it. It's that simple.

Sometimes a book title can be misleading, but not so in this case. In fact, this book delivers what it offers, with a giant bonus - PR advice that works.

SELL YOURSELF WITHOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL is a guide to succeeding in business and in public life, without losing the essence of who you are...without selling out. Susan's book is filled with wisdom, humor, kindness and realworld PR savvy.

This is a wonderful book for the person who wants more success and more visibility for herself or her cause, within her ethical construct. I highly recommend this book.

This book works like a charm. I went to my first interview with a fire dept. and did horrible on my interview. I placed 42 on that hire list. A friend told me about this book so I bought it. My very next interview, with a different dept, which was only a month after the first dept. I aced the interview and I am now #2 on thier list. This is a must have book.

THIS BOOK WORKS/HELPS!!
Several of the questions on my interview were almost verbatim from this book. Having no previous fire service experience to draw from, this book gave me some insight into firehouse "psychology." I did very well on my interview and was hired on.
After reading this book cover to cover about 4 times in the month preceeding my interview, I feel it gave me an edge on the questions and what the interviewers were looking for.
I recommended this book to another candidate and he was hired also about a year later into our department.

This book will be a great asset for anyone preparing for their panel interview or B-pad video test. Is a small price to pay for a good investment.

Just on the first couple of pages and so far I have learned so much wonderful information! This book is so helpful.

Deanna's Husband Jay says....Best book I've used to help candidates get promoted or hired. So far my rate with this book is 100%. Granted we live in a small community there has been ten who have used this book and have either been hired or promoted. This is a must have if your looking for a job as a Firefighter.

Kelly writes in a compelling way creating parallells and connections between him winning the various tasks on The Apprentice and his military experience. I like his style and his sense of taking responsibility even when things go wrong. Humility is deifinetely a trait a leader must develop!

I found the book a pleasant read and I liked the fact Kelly was talking a lot about the lessons he learnt in life and how these experiences enabled him to move on.

I grew up with some idea of what military life was like due to my Dad being in the Navy - but I must admit it's never held a lot of interest for me. Reading Kelly's book did actually shed a whole new light on what advantages military service can bring to other aspects of someone's life. The principles that are discussed in the book (Duty, Impeccability, Passion, Perseverance, Planning, Teamwork, Loyalty, Flexibility, Selfless Service and Integrity) are all really worthy reading for anyone in business and the military slant I found surprisingly gave it more bite and interest.

This is a great book that draws comparisons between Kelly's military service and his rise through the entrepreneurial ranks. I know Kelly personally, and he is not only a successfull businessman, he is also a devout humanitarian. Highly recommended!

I recently purchased "Take Command" for a college course. I chose this book because I am a fan of the television show "The Apprentice." I could not have picked a better book to read before I graduate and re-enter the business world.

The ten principles that Kelly Perdew learned while attending West Point can be used by anyone who wants to get the most out of life. Duty, Impeccability, Passion, Perserverance, Planning, Teamwork, Loyalty, Flexibility, Selfless Service and Integrity. I plan to use these principle's to be a strong leader in everything I do.

I always wondered how I would have handled military training. Kelly details how physical strength is only a small part of it.
I was very impressed with how Kelly got into West Point, as well as what it took to graduate. His business experience explains how to handle a loss and come back and do things better. The experience this guy has at such a young age is unbelievable!

If you are just looking for a college, read this book! If you are graduating and looking for a job, read this book! If you have been working for ten or twenty years, read this book! "Take Command" includes great stories about Donald Trump, Ross Perot and Marsha Evans to name a few. This book will teach you to be prepared for anything and to perform well under pressure or during a crisis.

Kelly Perdew details how the ten principles became second nature during his military training. Anyone can learn and use the ten principles. If you want to challenge yourself to be a strong leader in business and life, "Take Command" will put you in a position to succeed.

This book by Apprentice winner Kelly Perdew is a worthwhile read. Written in the style of many military-business leadership books, it swtiches back and forth between Perdew's Apprentice exploits and anecdotes from great military veterans turned business leaders. The stories about Perdew's career, Apprentice tasks, and about others are both inspirational and entertaining. I am giving 4 stars because he talks about principles, but does not go deep into the reader's application of them.

Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile read for both the Army or corporate officer.

If you want a great book that completely covers all areas of inspecting your house or condominium, then this book is a must. I based my purchase decision on the 5 star ratings this book received many of the Amazon Top 50 Book Reviewers. I knew that those reviews are always valid and real and now I know why this book is so highly rated.

When my house was built I worked alongside the builder to learn as much as I could about construction. If I had this book during that time it would have been a great help since there are areas discussed in the book that my builder never mentioned but obviously a top home inspector would know about. I didn't realize that building codes are only the minimum standards my builder had to oblige by during the home construction. This book opened my eyes to what my builder could have done to go beyond the minimum standards.

This is a great reference for my ongoing maintenance and any repairs needed for my home since this book covers all the topics in detail. There are hundreds of helpful photographs with detailed descriptions of what problems or postive aspects are shown in the photos and how to inspect them in your own home. There is a complete index so I can reference any section I need to without having to search through the 400+ pages to find exactly what I want to know about.

If you need an outstanding reference book for house inspections then this is the one to get!

Guy Cozzi knocks it out the box with this very informative book on what to do look for when buying a House&things that must be on point when you want your House.I had the pleasure of reading this book&was moved by the details&things were said in a way that everyone could relate to.very classy on Mr.Cozzi's Part with all of His details&helpful tips.a must have.

The primary purpose of this book is to help you become an effective inspector of homes, but the audience is much broader than that. If you own a home or are thinking about buying one, then you should read it. It will help you develop that critical, discerning eye concerning what to look for in spotting flaws in a house.
I spent almost eight years as a construction worker, six where I was the foreman, and have performed many repairs to my own homes. And yet, there was much in the book that I was unaware of. It was a learning experience for me, and it will be for you. Unless you find the perfect house or are already an expert, buying this book and reading it will be time and money that will be returned many times over.

I own a very successful home inspection business in California. We use all of this authors products to train my staff since they are the by far the best products for real estate training on the market. We originally found out about these products through excellent book reviews in the local real estate publications. From that we learned the following details and decided to purchase the whole "Real Estate From A to Z" series by this author:

Nemmar Real Estate Training is ranked as the most exclusive real estate appraiser training, home inspector training, and real estate investor consulting service since 1988. Our real estate books, DVDs, CDs and Videos are rated number one in their real estate categories nationwide! Our products have taught thousands of home buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals worldwide. You too can learn everything you need to know about Real Estate - from Asbestos to Zoning. With this knowledge you will save thousands of dollars when you buy, sell, or renovate your home. You will also learn how to eliminate safety hazards and properly maintain a home. Statistics show an average savings of at least $4,700.00 per home for customers who have our books and DVD videos. Our real estate investment, home inspection, appraisal, and home improvement books have been called the "Bible" of the real estate industry. Written by Guy Cozzi, who has decades of experience as a licensed appraiser, home inspector, consultant, and real estate investor. This top selling author has been quoted as a real estate expert by the New York Times and many other publications. He has been a guest speaker on real estate investment TV shows and has taught thousands of people how to conduct home inspections, real estate appraisals, and how to invest in real estate. He also provides real estate advice to many banks and mortgage lenders.

If getting to know your home is important to you, then HOME INSPECTION BUSINESS FROM A TO Z is a good place to start. It addresses safety concerns; Purpose Of A Home Inspection; Description Of A Home Inspection; Setting Up A Business; Tools That Are Helpful; Operating Systems; The Interior; The Exterior & finally Reality Talk & Straight Talk.

Rebeccasreads recommends HOME INSPECTION BUSINESS FROM A TO Z for those who want to learn everything their Realtor doesn't want them to know, without the sugar coat. You'll learn how to catch problem conditions in any house, how to close the deal & get paid sales commission, in one of the hottest markets today.