Maxim Books

I was attracted to this book by having enjoyed seeing Jess Winfield's hilarious play, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), in London. I knew that Winfield would offer good humor for the reader.

Many recent books about Shakespeare have turned him into an expert on management. This is the first attempt I am aware of at making Shakespeare a self-help expert.

The effect is essentially to make Shakespeare more relevant to the modern world by translating his messages into our current circumstances.

Winfield poses one question at the top of each page, for about a hundred contemporary issues. Then, he quotes Shakespeare. Each quote is a famous one, if you pay any attention at all to Shakespeare. Then, he expands on what Shakespeare meant, and provides Winfield's own contemporary thoughts. As Winfield says in the introduction, the book is often "What Would Jess Winfield Do? . . . as illustrated by the words of William Shakespeare."

As an example, one of the questions is "What would Shakespeare do about designer labels?" The answer is Juliet's from Romeo and Juliet, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet . . . ." He then goes on to tell a story about someone who was into buying designer clothes, and couldn't enjoy something that looked great but was a knock-off at a modest price.

The key limitation then, of this book, is Jess Winfield. As he forthrightly points out, he has "no training in pscyhology or social work." He has "never raised a child, and . . . has plenty of personal quirks and character flaws." "I'm not even a Shakespeare scholar."

Although he doesn't say so, it looks like the way the book was written was to start with the quotes from Shakespeare. Then, he probably developed a humorous, contemporary question to fit the quote. At that point, he filled in around the edges with personal anecdotes.

If you read this book as a humorous connection between Shakespeare and today's world, then you will like this book. If you take it literally, you may not like it at all. Most of the questions and answers will simply not make a lot of sense to you.

I've evaluated the book against Winfield's stated purpose, to "draw out of ourselves the qualities [Shakespeare] champions: practicality, compassion, humility, generosity, honesty and tolerance." By having considered Shakespeare, Winfield feels like he has "caught a glimpse of the man behind the quill pen . . . ." and wants to share that glimpse with us.

I graded the book down one star because I found that the book could have used more Shakespeare and less Winfield. I also think the book needed either different questions or fewer questions. A lot of them are either very trivial or repetitive (like the series about eating meat).

Young people often don't read much Shakespeare now. Shakespeare has retreated from the English department curricula in many schools. Don't tell anyone, but he is a dead white European male.

For those with a sense of humor, this book is probably a good way to help inject a little Shakespeare into the unread, unconsidered life of a young person. That's quite a worthwhile thing to do. I applaud Mr. Winfield for both conceiving and taking on the task. If you know such a person, this could be a worthy gift.

After you have finished working with the Bard here, I suggest that you actually read some of Shakespeare's plays. All's Well That Ends Well could be a theme for considering the Presidential post-election recount.

Look for the timeless truths, "O Brave New World."

Jess Winfield may profess that he is not an authority on Shakespeare's works, but he sure knows them better than most people. This book is a gently thoughtful and often amusing read for anyone fond of Shakespeare or indeed, of life in general. And since the author's interpretations of Shakespeare's writings (as a guide in addressing modern problems) are by his own admission subjective, there is plenty of room for spirited discussion with friends and co-workers. A light, quick, and thought-provoking read.

Toni Turner's Wisdom from the Soul is filled with insight and intuition about the vicissitudes of life. Wisdom transcends all color, cultural and socio-economic barriers. This book uses few words but yet speaks volumes about human nature. There is an African Proverb that says "the only time we should look down on someone is when we're reaching down to help them up". Wisdom from the Soul is truly a helping hand.

My homeboy let me read Toni's "Love Gone Wrong" & "Wisdom from the Soul : Quotes from Friends" . Toni can write and express her impulses in a very direct and Cincinnati way that the world can appreciate from her experiences of pain , solitude and triumph . I read her poems in Wisdom of the Soul . Funny , sad and inspiring . Check her out . She got a lot to say in a witty way.

These quotations are some of the most interesting, elusive, and meaningful ideas ever penned. The editors have found some of the best overlooked quotes and put them in this book. Bravo! Once again, this is an amazing book that everyone should read!

I own nearly 80 different quote books--no exaggeration--but this is one of my favorites for two reasons:

1. These really are, for the most part, unfamiliar quotations. It's so nice to see something you haven't read in several other books.

2. Like many of the larger books of quotations, this one has complete sources--a key attribute I always look for in quote books. The source (cite) for each quote tells not only the author or speaker, but also the title and publication or speech date.

So, why only four stars? Again, two reasons:

1. The book's 1500+ quotations are organized into topics. There is a helpful list of those topics at the beginning, but alas, no indexes. Looking for a particular author? You're out of luck.

2. There is no recognizable order to the quotes within each topic. They are not alphabetized by author, and not chronological.

Still, bravo to Wesley Camp for publishing a quote book with fresh material.

This attractive and well designed book is filled with wonderful, insightful, and heartful lessons. It is a definite stocking stuffer.

What a delightful book! Filled with aphorisms, tried-and-true maxims and humor -- especially humor! -- there's something for everyone, whether or not alcoholism has invaded your life or that of a loved one. They may be short, but it can take a lifetime to fully probe and put into practice the wisdom of some of these sayings. Best of all, it can be enjoyed on many levels. Pick it up for a minute or spend an hour delving into its humor and wisdom; breeze through it or ponder a personally meaningful truism; or find those that will have you nodding with a knowing smile.

John C. Maxwell compilates profound treasures in this gem! I have read each page probably fifteen times in the past two years and have sent several copies to close friends. From Anne Frank to Albert Einstein, "Your bridge to a Better Future" is one of those books that just absorbs you in the moment, but stays with you all day long. I enjoyed this book, but what's wonderful about it is that one need not to feel they have to start in the beginning: if they start at the end or the middle, they will take something with them every single time they open it!!!!

This smartly packaged gift book helps the reader enjoy inspiring quotes from many noted authors and statesman of our century. John Maxwell provides practical application and commentary on each of the quotes in a way that helps you evaluate your own goals and dreams. The brief quotes can be read in quick 'bites' or feasted on when time allows.

Buffy the vampire slayer was one of the most enjoyable tv series in recent memory. I think that one of the most endearing qualities was the buffyspeak. All the best quotes are here and it's separated by each character and specific situations.

If you're a buffy fan or just a fan of clever dialog, then pick this book up.

You can get these quotes on line and that may work for others. However, I don't always want to fire up the computer just to me amused or intrigued by a Bufferism.
This book works for me and meets all of my expectations.
The quotes are somewhat organized. It could really use a table of contents. While broken into sections, you do not know what or where those section are.

I own this book already and I love it so much I am giving to my friend. Obviously you have to like Buffy already but this book is so fun to read when you need to be happy because it has the best of the best quotes from our favorite show!

I thought this was a fun little book. It's nice to just flip through and laugh at some of the quotes in the show.

The content of this book could fit in a single web page, and since essentially none of it is original material, I figure it should be evaluated based on which quotes were selected and how they are presented. The presentation is a high level grouping of quotes into topics, and within each topic there is the most obvious/straightforward listing of quotes-- what was said and who said it. I personally do not find the selection of quotes to be particularly representative of what I felt while watching the show were the most salient or memorable moments or dialog; however, I do think it is far better than just randomly pulling quotes out of the scripts, and so is worth consideration. Of course the book has value as statement of appreciation of the show; I have no idea the degree to which this book serves that purpose better than alternatives...

My first exposure to Bob Dole was when he was the vice presidential nominee with President Gerald Ford in 1976. His performance as a political hatchet man during the vice presidential debate convinced me that he was unsuited for the job and helped convince me to cast my vote for Jimmy Carter. It took some time before I realized that he was in fact one of the greatest legislators of all time. In this book he also demonstrates that he has a humorous side that dominates his cranky appearance.
My favorite joke of all in this book was actually uttered by uttered by Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show."

"In a stunning admission on `Larry King Live' last night, Bob Dole revealed he is one of the test subjects for Viagra. He said on Larry King, `I wish I had bought stock in it.' Only a Republican would think the best part of Viagra is the fact that you could make money off of it."

This is a great joke and shows that Dole is capable of poking fun at himself. Had he publicly demonstrated this trait two decades earlier, it is quite likely that he would have been president.
I did not find any of the political jokes to be side-splitters, although they were amusing. They certainly were bipartisan in nature, all of the Presidents back to Theodore Roosevelt and the leading members of Congress appear on at least one side of a joke. The source of some of the jokes will surprise you, even Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon told some pretty good ones.

I wasn't sure if the title of this little book was intended to imply that the author, Bob Dole, laughed, or almost laughed, as he almost became President of the United States or that the book, itself, was intended to be almost funny. I hoped for the latter and found that to be true. That's not to say that the book wasn't interesting, but taken out of context most of the quotes seemed to fall a little flat. To me, it was like reading a book of the 1000 funniest jokes. If you have ever attempted it, you likely found, as I did, that few, if any, struck you as funny. What was missing was the context, the spontaneity, and especially the teller -- the Bob Hope, the Robin Williams, your best friend, or your drinking companion.

But, if you read this book closely, you will find that it sheds some light on our nation's political history, at least since Thomas Jefferson's time, and reveals that politicians and the reporting media haven't changed much over the years.

So, if you are interested in politics/politicians and are looking for a book with a trace of history and tinge of humor, you might find this one to be to your liking. As for myself, I particularly enjoyed the sage observations of Ronald Reagan and the wit and humor of Winston Churchill and that great humorist, Calvin Coolidge. Brevity, as they say, is the soul of wit. But, in my view, true wit is the ability to capture concisely the essence of a situation and express the truth of it in a humorous or meaningful way. And no one was better at doing that than Ronald Reagan. Fortunately, this little book is replete with many his witty pronouncements.

Bob Dole is a very funny guy. He has seen and done so much and is able to laugh about so many great things.

I received this as a gift from my stepmother -- an autographed copy! In this completely bipartisan volume, former Senator and Vice-Presidential and Presidential candidate Bob Dole has compiled a collection of his favorite quotes from politicians and those around them -- with great success.

There are quotes about every aspect of politics -- public speaking, religion, the economy, war, the vice-presidency, losing, etc -- from American history's wittiest politicians such as Calvin Coolidge and Ronald Reagan. There's a final section full of late-night TV show jokes made about Bob Dole.

There's little more to say about this book -- it is what it is, and it succeeds in its purpose.

A real treat for any lover of political humor!

This is a very enjoyable book. Bob Dole has a fine sense of humor and has selected witty sayings by politicians on a variety of topics in a range of situations. Senator Dole has organized them topically and I found all of them funny and many of them hilarious. A few are even worth committing to memory.

It isn't a long book, but it offers a lot of great stories. What is even better is that Mr. Dole shares his own knowledge of some of the people he quotes in the book and of the institutions in Washington that he knows so well. It is a book you can enjoy reading from front to back or just dipping into briefly again and again.

A word to speakers who would use the anecdotes from this book: be careful. I remember when this book first came out and politicians everywhere were quoting this or that story from it and it was a bit embarrassing to hear. This kind of humor is something that has to be used with a delicate touch and with the best style and timing. You can't just say the words and expect the big laugh. It just doesn't work that way. I always enjoyed Senator Dole's sense of humor and he could pull it off with a bit of an acerbic touch. Some folks didn't like that spice, but I always did.

Hello everyone I am one of the models in this book,I am located on page 474 and also on 479. I think the book is a tell all of peoples lives and the beauty of photography,I think that it is an expression of the photographers inner selves as well as the models pictured. Each photographer was to pick 8 pictures that they felt was a portrayal of their image and only a few were selected to be put into the book itself! How dare people that have written the reviews that knock this book,if you wanted to buy porn this is not the book for you.It is a portrayal of both the photograher and model working together to get a work of art!
It's not like these woman were forced to do this and "Hey here's the outcome!" It's the beauty of letting go, walking on the other side, and most people in this world don't explore that side or ever get the chance to!I'm happy with the results that came from this book,it's nice to look back to the time I was able to express myself through photography and have fun doing it! This book gives examples of alot of differant shadowing techniques,lighting, postioning, and timing,and it opens the minds of very few people to ask themselves, "I wonder what this person was thinking with the way they were looking at that very point?"That is the art part of this book,if you don't have an open mind then don't buy it!If you crave things unknown to you then buy it!

This is a visual survey of (almost all female) nudes. I would not call it 'erotica' simply because I associate erotica with sex and with sexual feelings. This collection has nothing to do with sex and little to do with sexual feeling; it has everything to do with stylized poses, various visual effects (some quite interesting), and a seeming penchant for bondage dress-up.

Some of the people are quite pretty to look at; perhaps ironically, some of the most appealing pictures are of models without props or obvious poses. People are interesting--so why not just show them? This is perhaps as close to "erotic" as this collection comes.

It is amusing that this smallish book--barely larger than a standard paperback book--is entitled 'mammoth.' It is no more that than it is erotic. Still, because some of the photos are nice, I rather generously award it four stars.

My only complaint is that its size is very small, and it is hard to see the photographs in its full glory.

I own many erotic photography books, I use them for inspiration when I do my paintings, etc. and I must say, this is by far the best book in my collection. It has like 480 pages of black and white photography from some of the most creative photographers ever, and the shots are classy not smutty.

Every photo looks hand-picked with the finest of quality, almost all photos are female nudes, some with couples, some with props or backgrounds... but nothing looks the same. There are many poses, many closeups and zooms, a lot of things from far away, georgous shadows and lighting, and some of it is just mindblowing.

My particular favorites:
* page 179 a naked woman handcuffed squatting with her back shown to us with a cop car in front of her - all you see is her back, the handcuffs, and the cop lights and the outline of her body... and even though there is very little detail, you can SEE how perfect the photo is and it has much emotion in it.

* page 174 an aerial shot of a nude woman lying in the middle of railroad tracks as if she had been dumped... very very emotional photo

* page 163 just one of a selection of bizarre photos that leave you staring at the photo both impressive and eyebrow-raising

* page 377 a nude girl smoking a cigarette by the window and her eyes are just PIERCING you with her hands covering her face...

I could go on and on, each page (all pages feel glossy) has a huge photo and all the pictures are classy. This is pure erotic art. There are no open crotch shots. There is full nudity, but not one photo looks like porn. Each photographer is given a couple paragraphs describing him/her and then that photographer displays their work. There is not a lot of writing in this book, which I like. It is just art art art lots of beautiful photographs that just are wonderful!

I highly recommend this book above all others. I have many books and this one just outdoes them all!

I think the photographs are well done, but I just do not like the book and wish I hadn't bought it.

The Shadow box is the one of the best books I read. It's trilling, and it will keep you on your feet to the very end of the book. It's about a man who is losing everything and everyone he knows to what he thinks is a cruel city. He is getting tired of running, and he's making a stand. In this thriller there is many little twist and turns in it. So, if you're into a good twisting and turning in a book you should read the shadow box.

Maxim writes well and I enjoyed this book. Although this novel is a "thriller" by definition, the parts of Maxim's writing that I enjoy most are not the action parts of a book. It is the character deveopment, the location descriptions, and the love story that I really like. The author does an excellent job with those things in this novel. Just the right length too; not stretched out nor too thin. You will enjoy Maxim's other books if you like this one. I did and do.

Amazon's book recommendations suggested I read this and I am not so sure I can replicate the logic that those who shared my previous preferences liked this book. Okay, that sounded very convoluted, but that may describe some of my frustrations with Maxim's story. I was curious about the venue of Martha's Vineyard and toward the end I did find myself anxiously turning pages. Maybe that was to bring it to a merciful ending. Still I have reservations about a very positive review. For example, I did suggest it to someone in the pharmaceutical industry, but with some trepidation. It seems to be an action/adventure, but the action was stilted and I think the adventure would have been just as forced if the hero had spoken dialogue as apposed to... Well I don't want to give that away in case you do choose to read this book. The bottom line is that I am always looking for additional authors whose books I will enjoy, but I don't think Mr Maxim is one.

Super development of admirable characters (who you wish you knew)with brilliant story development, thrills, surprises and emotional grip. I've read all of JRM's fiction -- even some that are difficult to find in print -- and this is my favorite.

As someone who has read and enjoyed "Mosaic" and "Time Out of Mind", I delved into "Shadow Box" with great anticipation. Alas for my expectations! Maxim seems to have been having a difficult time writing this novel. Most jarring of all are the "jumping tenses," by which I mean literally within the same sentence the verbs will change from present to past to future tense. Maybe this is some literary tool that's supposed to make the tale more suspenseful; I found it annoying. Also, some of the plot devices has the hero seemingly unusually thick-headed (I'm thinking, 'for Pete's sake, man, it's called a contact lense!') just so his heroine can be brilliant and explain the whole thing to him later.

That being said, the relationships between the characters are extremely convincing and well-developed, the motivations behind the bad guys' actions are mysterious and revealed masterfully, and I also especially enjoyed the character of Moon (he should have his own book!). Maxim's worst is still better than the majority of books written in his chosen genre.

This notebook is actually a collection of quotes from the Robert Heinlein's character, Lazarus Long, who appears in several Heinlein books. Most of the quotes come from the novel "Time Enough for Love."


Lazarus Long is an interesting character, who is extremely long-lived (nearly immortal) by reason of genetics, and is the Senior (head) of the Howard Families (a secret group of related people who, by genetics, are long-lived). Over Long's many escapades and adventures, he has developed a pithy attitude, a sort of practical wisdom, and some strong opinions, all of which are clearly reflected in "his" notebook.


One of the interesting features of the notebook is the beautiful illustrations and marginalia, which are reminiscent of bibles from the Dark Ages and the Renaissance.


A very interesting book of quotes, albeit completely derived from and redundant with several Heinlein novels, and I'm not sure it's worth the money. It does make a nice gift.

If you're going to cut these parts fron TEFL and add art work why not make something that can be put out or given as a gift like a coffee table book. After all there arew some great words to live by in here.

During one of the intervals that this book was out of print, I saw copies offered for $60 and offered one of mine for $80. It was gone in a week. It's not likely that it will ever be out of print again, with new publishing regime, so that's not the reason to stock up.

You'll want a copy for yourself and several on hand when you need a gift for a bright friend... one who has yet to discover Heinlein, or even one who has.

I agree with most of the reviews, both good and bad. This is a thin volume and a copy of "Time Enough For Love" etc. will warm you for a longer period. But sometimes, what you want is a quick thought to lift you. Here's a few favored samples:

"Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors - and miss."

"Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Keep this in mind; it may offer a way to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate--and quickly."

"One man's theology is another man's belly laugh."

"A zygote is a gamete's way of producing more gametes. This may be the purpose of the universe."

This would be a nice addition to the collection of a total Heinlein fan who just can't get enough of the works of a true SF master; otherwise it is merely a collection of cryptic sayings that are better understood in the context of the book(s) from which they are taken.

If you want to understand Heinlein's life philosophy, you should read a variety of his novels.

If you want to see his writing at its finest, read his short stories, especially "All You Zombies".

If you want pithy, useful sayings that give you helpful advice, you should consult to more time-tested sources such as The Book Of Proverbs (the lessons of Lazarus Long were, after all, put in the mouth of a fictional character who increasingly depended on friends with a time machine to pull him out of trouble ... not a resource available to most of you.)

But if you are a Trufan of Heinlein, you definitely need this!

Time Enough for Love is among the greatest novels ever written in the English language. This is but a scant few pages taken from that wonderful work. Do not buy this instead buy Time Enough for Love which is amazing.