Mitchell Books

This is a beautiful book for children of all ages. I have three nieces ranging in age from 4 to 13 and each enjoyed it at a different level. Wonderful illustrations support a fun and inspiring story. I highly recommend this book!

This is a wonderful story about finding ways to be q part of something even though you don't "appear" to have the talent. Holly finds a wonderful way to express her ability to "grow" flowers. The drawings in this book are absolutely beautiful and the attention to detail is amazing. Anyone who loves flowers or gardening, both young and old, will love this book! A great gift.

What a wonderful story about finding your own personnel way to express yourself when you can't do what everyone else can. A great story for children and adults to remind us to look at things from a different perspective. The book is filled with beautiful, colorful and detailed drawings. Gorgeous drawings of every kind of flower. Makes me want a garden like that. Great book for young and old flower lovers, gardeners and the gardening challenged!!!

"Holly Bloom felt as grouchy as the thorns on a rosebush.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make her flowers grow."

Holly wants to create her own garden but doesn't know all the secrets of gardening. Her mother, Iris, has a green thumb and her father gives her creative advice. Everyone in the family seems to be participating in the gardening activities. The pictures are filled with bright colors and comforting gardening situations. Her father paints pictures of the flowers while family members cut roses or plant new flowers.

"What I really need, thought Holly, is a green thumb."

So, Holly puts green paint on her thumb. This book has a real sense of humor. Well, when that doesn't work, Holly tries using fertilizer and then a variety of tools. Finally she soaks the flowers with too much water. (Why does this sound like my gardening at times?)

Finally, Holly goes to bed and when everyone thinks she is asleep, she sneaks into her dad's art studio and makes all sorts of paper flowers that fill up the entire room.

Children will enjoy the surprise of Holly finding a way to "grow" her own flowers. The art by Lori Mitchell is healing and calming. She uses just the right colors to set a mood for each page. The illustrations were created using black Prismacolor pencil and acrylic paint on Arches hotpress watercolor paper. The result is vibrant art with a realistic feel.

~The Rebecca Review

I've shared this book a dozen times with my 6-year-old son. He gets greatly discouraged when things don't bloom after he's planted seeds, so "Holly Bloom's Garden" gave him the idea of making his own flowers. The book's illustrations are warm and charming and Ashman and Parent tell a good story that should appeal to both boys and girls.

I have not read the book yet but I have a question about one of their movies that I hope someone can answer. I cannot remember
the movie this skit was in but it was the skit where Groucho, Harpo and Chico are sharing basically a tiny room on board a ship. First the cleaning ladies come in to clean, then the steward delivers food, then the mechanics come in to adjust a pipe valve and finally the room is packed head to toe with all
of these people and they all pop out of the cabin door and spill out onto the ships floor. It is hilarious! Please, someone, which movie is this scene from. It's making me crazy that I can't recall the movie title. HELP!!!

The answer to your question is A Night At the Opera and is considered one of their most famous scenes.

Wonderful book full of trivia for even the most expert Marx fanatic. Revised edition is well worth the investment for info such as the butchering of "Night at the Opera"...which is the film with the stateroom scene asked about previously.

This is the most detailed book on the Marx Brothers I've ever seen.I highly recommend it.Every single movie they ever made,together and alone,is so fully detailed.Plus every actor and actress the brothers ever worked with(including the legendary Margeret Dumont of course)is also fully reviewed.

This book is a must for any Marx fan!

Actually, I think I saw the sink somewhere in the book too! ;)

It's everything you could possibly want to know about the Marxes. I like the A to Z format, it's very easy to navigate your way through the book. I use it all the time for reference. A well-researched, well-written book. Get this one.

I did not think I would like this book when I started it. but as I got into it I found it to be very interesting. I loved the story about the twins and just how easy going life was back then it is a shame it is not still like that! this book will take you back to a very simple time when andy was growing up. you will learn a lot about Mt Airy. which is very very much like mayberry. any mayberry fan would like this book.

I recently moved to Mount Airy, the fabled Mayberry, and wanted a resource to help me learn a little bit about the "lore" behind this community. This was an excellent resource and a fun read at that. For me, it helped bring to life not only the ties of my new hometown to the TV show, but also to learn a little bit of history about this community.

My wife just purchased this book for me and it was very interesting, especially being in the first person from Jewell. Brings back so many memories from my wife's family. I will be sending it to my 92 year old mother-in-law to read and I know she will enjoy it. Thanks, Jewell, good talking with you. Bill Tarpley

Hardly anyone who has been exposed to television over the last forty years has not come in contact with the good people of Mayberry. Walk up to most people on the street and ask them to name three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and you just might get a blank stare. Ask the same person to name three residents of Mayberry, North Carolina and very few people will have a problem. Andy, Barney, Opie, Aunt Bea, Otis, Goober and Floyd have become so much a part of American culture that to most of us they are just like family. Mayberry is as real to most people as Chicago or Los Angeles and almost everybody knows that you have to go to Mount Pilot to get Chinese food.

Mayberry of course is not a real place but is instead a product of Andy Griffith's mind. Griffith's mind was however heavily influenced by his hometown and Mount Airy, North Carolina has become to most people, the real Mayberry. Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mount Airy and is just a few years younger than Andy. This book therefore, depicts on a very personal level the Mount Airy that has become America's most famous small town.

Many of the stories that are related in this book had a very obvious influence on the happenings in Mayberry. One story involves a young man who went on a small crime spree that included throwing rocks through most of the windows at the school. The authorities kept catching the young man but he would escape from jail almost as quickly as they locked him up. It all sounds a lot like Earnest T. Bass to me. If you remember Barney's very off key rendition of, "Welcome Sweet Springtime" you will not be surprised to learn that this song was a favorite of Andy's grammar school music teacher. Over and over, as one reads this book, they will be reminded of some happening in Mayberry.

There are many stories in this book that do not relate to Mayberry at all but are personal reminiscences of the author. At first I felt like these stories should not have been included since I bought this book to learn about Mayberry. As I read however, I changed my mind for these stories add greatly to the reader's ability to relate to life in a small southern town. Thank you Mrs. Kutzer for giving us all the chance to feel like we grew up in Mayberry just like you and Andy.

Thousands and thousands of us faithfully watched the television classic, The Andy Griffith Show and its sequel, Mayberry RFD. We followed Sheriff Taylor, Barney, Aunt Bea, and the rest through 249 episodes from 1960 through 1968. From 1968 through 1971, we were treated to 78 episodes of Mayberry RFD. Watching these shows today is a heartwarming nostalgic experience. Why, there's even an active The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club!

Mayberry has its roots firmly and deeply planted in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, a small town nestled in the mountains between Winston-Salem and the Virginia state line. Andy Griffith is celebrated there, along with all the traditions of hometown America, during community festivals and other events.

Jewell Kutzer grew up in Mayberry, just a couple of years behind Andy Griffith. She shares many of the memories that inspired Griffith to create Mayberry and the character of the popular television show. In Memories of Mayberry, she shares her experiences growing up in this now-famous small town. It's a pleasant, comfortable book to read, like having a conversation with a friend. Mt. Airy was a microcosm of life in a changing country, in a changing world. Lives were interwoven with the lives of others in the community. People were real, they were caring neighbors, they led simpler lives in the 1940s and 1950s. This book takes the reader back to those uncomplicated times.

Did I say uncomplicated? Well, compared to today's complex lifestyles. But for Jewell, growing up in a small town, life brought one adventure after another. Her tales of yesteryear are referenced to episodes in The Andy Griffith Show that relate to the memories. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of how Griffith made the show so real in the earlier days of television.

Want a trip back to our roots? To the values on which our country was built? Pick up a copy of Memories of Mayberry to open your mind and heart to our wonderful past, not just in Mt. Airy, but in hundreds of other small towns across the land. Definitely designed for readers over 40 (we were there), but offers valuable insights for younger readers, too.

An excellent book that I had seen at a friends. Ideal for those like me interested in French wine. A different approach than some similar books where the author brings to life the personalities involved.
It arrived promptly and well packaged so many thanks for that.
One thing I would mention are your delivery charges. I consider them high.
I have also bought CDs from you with the same comment.

You should be aware that there are others 'in the marketplace' who offer free delivery. So beware as you may lose me and others because of this and this only.

Bernie Besnard 11 July 2008

I am a sommelier in a fine dining restaurant, and while I have found this book particularly helpful, my staff seems to have some issues with it. We used it as a textbook, covering one region per week. I like that it allows me to really visualize the vineyards and understand why the wines are what they are. In the Northern Rhône section, he talks about the steep, terraced vineyards and the stiff Mistral winds... when you understand where the wine is coming from, the wine itself makes sense. For my waiters, though, it was just too much stuffing, and they were unable to extract the information that I wanted them to. Perhaps novices need something more factual and to-the-point rather than an in-depth, evocative narrative? At any rate, I strongly suggest this book as a tool to delve deeper into French wine for those who already have a broad knowledge base. It's not for the beginner though.

For the people like me who doesn't have any knowledge about France wines, it is the best book to start with.

You might buy this book because it's a beautiful coffee table book - the beautiful pictures and the layout...Or you might buy it because it's great for reference material.

If you love wine, simply buy it for that reason alone. It is very up-to-date, the author, no stranger to French wine, a true professional, uncovers the latest trends and troubles in the various wine regions of France. He talks with growers and vintners, producers and negociants - providing perspective from all angles.

Beyond reading the latest issue of Decanter or Wine Spectator, this is perhaps the most informative and concise manner of learning about the "now" of French wine. Like other Mitchell Beazley publications, the focus here is on the great presentation and the high level of scholarship/research/journalism. This book will nourish your curiosity.

A great read and reference as to what is going on in French Wine today. Covers all the regions and introduces the reader to the regional personalities and the best producers. You gotta add this one to your wine library.

The authors use the framework of the Apostles' Creed to provide a helpful description of the Christian story and some of it's implications for the way we might live today.

This book is an especially good first step for those who are becoming disillusioned with an exclusively "head-based" evangelical perspective on faith. (IE - Christianity is about holding the right ideas.) It offers a simple invitation to begin to "try on" the idea that doubt is an essential part of faith.

Per James Pond's review (below), the authors clearly wrestle with these questions in the context of orthodox Christianity, and do not engage with a larger, global perspective on Spirituality.

I am one of the skeptics this book was written for. I also happen to be a Christian. The authors of this book not only understand, but promote, the idea that the two can coexist. As they quote from Dostoyevsky: "Sometimes the greatest act of faith is in the doubting."

What a gift it is to go on this 30-day journey with people who readiily acknowledge how fragile faith can often feel. Larson and Mitchell are refreshingly honest about their own doubts and questions, which is probably why so much of it resonates with me. They actually encourage us to be skeptics, in the healthiest sense of the word, leaving room for the mystery that is God. If you're looking for answers, look elsewhere. If you're open to the value of living with questions, you will probably appreciate, as I did, what this book has to offer. An excellent choice for devotional reading and meditation, regardless of where you are in your journey.

I found this book to be a wonderful tool to share with friends who are asking questions about God and looking for something to help them along. I like the conversational approach, the 30 day format, the way it breaks down the Apostle's Creed and helps the reader understand what it is all about. I have given numerous copies to friends who are at various places in their spiritual journey, some just starting out, others further along, and all have remarked that this book was very helpful to them.

What a great little book! The authors take the time to explore spiritual questions, rather than simply rushing to answers; and each writes with a humor, honesty and humility that I enjoyed and appreciated.

The daily readings are refreshing and challenging - providing a unique and interesting mix of scripture, creed and thoughts on faith. I used the book as devotional reading and have returned several times to chapters like "What About When Doubt Overshadows Belief?" and "Will Life Ever Be the Way It's Supposed to Be?"

I'm grateful to have this book - and have already given copies to friends

After reading A Place for Skeptics...I could have entitled it "A Place for my Friends and I". All my life I have heard the Apostles Creed, and this book helped me to take the next step in understanding my faith and belief in God. More than that, this book has been a helpful tool for me to give to friends as they try to understand their own beliefs in God, and how those beliefs make it into their everyday lives.

A Place for Skeptics is an excellent resource for making the bridge between God...Religion...and your everyday common life. It invites you to explore the reality that God does bring Real Answers to Real Life.....

While I wouldn't recommend this book to beginning programmers, it's great for people who already know another language (preferably C/C++) and a little about object-oriented programming. It touches on many subjects, so you won't need a whole bookshelf of Java books ("Let's see...one for language reference...one for graphics and the AWT...one for networking..."). I take this book back and forth every day between work and home. What would I do without it?

This is one of the first books I bought to get an understanding of Java and how it is comprable to what I already know of C/C++. This book is the perfect starting point, giving every comprable declaration to C/C++. Kudos to the authors, can't wait for a more up-to-date version though.

Excellent book, but now that Swing is moving ahead of AWT, this book is useless for GUI. But as for the basics, it's an complete book. Good for someone who already knows a programming language

Fantastic book. Pithy style, very readable, no fluff, excellent as a reference. Anyone coming to Java from C++ should get this book. About the only thing I would do to improve it would be to have at least a short chapter on database access.

Even though this is one of my oldest Java books I keep going back to it. I wish it would be updated for the new Event model and swing however. The coverage of the 1.0 JDK is very good and I still go back to the gridbag description and examples when I get confused.

This is a 40th anniversary reissue of *the* book about the search for the living Homer in then-Yugoslavia organized by Milman Parry and his assistant and successor Albert Lord in the 1930s. Anyone interested in Homer or Balkan traditional epic should know the book. The DVD contains wonderful material that is also available online, so there's no need to replace your older edition.

Any student of traditional literary forms needs to read this book, which analyzes in considerable detail the 30 odd years of research done by Lord and Parry into oral epic in Yugoslavia. It is generally more applicable to Homer than to the Bible, but "The Singer of Tales" at least provides a starting point for discussion on aspects of oral tradition and the use of formulas. It can't be ignored!

Albert B. Lord's "Singer of Tales" was published in 1960, as Number 24 of the "Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature," and was picked up in paperback by Atheneum only a few years later (1965). Over the course of four decades, and a variety of reprintings, "The Singer of Tales" has established itself as probably the most widely read book in the monograph series, and the most controversial. It is certainly the best known of its author's books and articles.

"The Singer of Tales" is established as a fundamental work in the study of oral literatures, and literatures which appear to have emerged from oral traditions (Biblical, Old English, African, and others). The book presented to English-language readers studies of oral heroic poetry collected in the Balkans in the twentieth century, analyzed their technique, and compared them in detail to the Homeric poems, and, to a lesser extent, medieval European works with similar traits. Homer's repeated phrases and verses were shown to be explainable as a technical device to assist the rapid composition of poems as they were recited, not a sign of scribal corruption or sloppy editing of independent short songs. The comparisons were not new - French scholars had called attention to the nineteenth-century collections of Balkan heroic songs -- but were presented in a coherent and even attractive package, and included additional material from Lord's own fieldwork.

The heart of the book, however, was the work of Lord's teacher, Milman Parry, who had died in 1935 leaving a seven-page draft of his projected synthesis. Parry's works had not had a great reception from English and American classicists (a major study was then available only in French), but the basic ideas had filtered into classical studies in an unsystematic way. In "A Preface to Paradise Lost" (1942) C. S. Lewis even formulated an "audience-theory" variant of "oral formulaic composition," explaining how it helped listeners as well as the reciter-composers. With Lord's presentation, however, a fairly esoteric theory became a part of the intellectual world of literary scholarship.

A Second Edition of "The Singer of Tales" appeared in 2000. It reprints the existing text unchanged, but includes a useful new introduction, describing the history and reception of the work, with extensive bibliography. It also includes a CD with reproductions of the original audio recordings of the sections of songs quoted in the text; those with the right PC or Mac hardware and software can also access visual material, including a short filmstrip of one of the traditional singers, and other interesting extras. Those not interested in these additions may prefer earlier printings. Harvard University is also making material available on-line; see my review of second edition for some details.

Albert B. Lord's "Singer of Tales" was published in 1960, as Number 24 of the "Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature," and was picked up in paperback by Atheneum only a few years later (1965). It is probably the most widely read book in the monograph series, and the most controversial. It is certainly the best known of its author's books and articles.

Over the course of four decades and a variety of reprintings, "The Singer of Tales" has established itself as a fundamental work in the study of oral literatures, and literatures which appear to have emerged from oral traditions (Biblical, Old English, and others). The book presented to English-language readers studies of oral heroic poetry collected in the Balkans in the twentieth century, analyzed their technique, and compared them in detail to the Homeric poems, and, to a lesser extent, medieval European works with similar traits. Homer's repeated phrases and verses were shown to be explainable as a technical device to assist the rapid composition of poems as they were recited, not a sign of scribal corruption or sloppy editing of independent short songs. The comparisons were not new, but were presented in a coherent and even attractive package, and included additional material from Lord's own fieldwork.

The heart of the book, however, was the work of Lord's teacher, Milman Parry, who had died in 1935 leaving a seven-page draft of his projected synthesis. Parry's works had not a great reception from English and American classicists (a major study was published in French), but the basic ideas had filtered into classical studies in an unsystematic way. In "A Preface to Paradise Lost" (1942) C.S. Lewis even formulated an "audience-theory" variant of "oral formulaic composition," explaining how it helped listeners as well as reciters. With Lord's presentation, however, a fairly esoteric theory became a part of the intellectual world of literary scholarship.

A Second Edition of "The Singer of Tales" appeared in 2000. Serious students of Classical, Medieval, and several other literatures who do not already own a copy, and want (or need) one, will probably buy this edition; it is what is readily available. It reprints Lord's text without change (and rather more clearly than some copies I have seen!), so identifying references in early discussions of the book will not be a problem.

What about those of us who have a copy, or have just read the book several times? Is the Second Edition worth our time and money?

The differences from the first edition and its various reprintings are two.

First, there is an "Introduction to the Second Edition" by Stephen Mitchell and Gregory Nagy, distinguished scholars of Germanic and Greek literature (respectively). It surveys the history of the book, its reception, a variety of responses, and the development of Lord's thoughts on the issues it raises, and concludes with a six-page bibliography (in rather small print). The coverage is pro-Lord (not unexpectedly), but so far as I can see includes the most impressive of his critics. This is useful, and the execution is excellent, but the needs of the student can probably be met by consulting it in a library. Inevitably, as a review of current scholarship, it will be dated more quickly than the rest of the book.

Second, the volume comes with an Audio and Video CD. This contains actual recordings, made in the field by Parry or Lord, of Serbian traditional singers. The audio tracks are accessible on a CD player (or DVD player). For those with an appropriately powerful PC or Mac, it is possible to see the texts and translations as the singer performs. The passages chosen are those given in the text of the book, and are a minute fraction of the audio archive and published transcripts, but they bring the descriptions to life. The sound quality is that of the actual recordings, and has not been "cleaned up" or otherwise enhanced. For those with the right software, it is also possible to see an actual short film of a traditional singer performing, and Bela Bartok's attempts to transcribe some of the music. Assuming that changing technologies (see below) do not make it inaccessible, this should retain its value indefinitely.

(Or until the entire archive, with transcriptions and translations, miraculously shows up on DVD. Meanwhile, a substantial selection of material from the Milman Parry and Albert B. Lord collections, including more Bartok manuscripts and his public letter on the value of the collection, a collection of photographs, and the filmstrip, has been made available online by Harvard University, on a site dedicated to Oral Literature Studies and the Milman Parry Collection; additional material is promised.)

So, if it fits your budget (and the price is quite reasonable, despite my sticker-shock when I remember what I had paid for a copy in 1968), go ahead; just make sure that you are getting the second edition, with CD, not a copy of the first edition.

Note: On the Macintosh side, I have run the CD successfully on an early PowerMac using System 7.5.5, although the "film strip" (which needs a slightly later version of QuickTime) was, predictably, not accessible; completely successfully on a G3 under System 9.2; and again, on a G4 with System 10.2.7 (and later 10.2.8), which needed to open the "Classic" System 9 emulator to display the visual material. The "Classic" mode is supposed to be phased out over time, so problems of obsolence may already be closing in. A report on Windows issues would be useful.

A great book which changed the way we look at poetry produced by an oral tradition. Based on fieldwork by Milman Parry Lord shows the structure behind the improvisation and applies the theory to Serbo Croation epic tradition, Homer and French medieval poetry.

Feeling a little lost in this Market?

Investing in this report could be the smartest move you made this year.

Swanepoel nails it again. In the more than 25 years I have been in this business, I find the reasons for this downturn are without precident. Swanepoel provides a detailed accurate analysis of the market and clear steps to follow for survival and prosperity when the market returns.

With so much information out there, this is a very good read of all the trends happening in the real estate industry. It is data rich and very comprehensive. Be aware of the factors influencing the real estate arena and understand what is happening to be able to respond to grow your business. Also visit www.retrends.com for more information on Swanepoel Real Estate Trends Report.

The Swanepoel Trends report is a tool that every broker and agent must read. It gives you the edge on the competition by knowing what is going to happen rather than saying to yourself after the fact "what happened?" In today's changing and volatile market you need to be able to see the future in order to seize your future.

For several years Stefan Swanepoel has been the go to guy for global up to the minute insights into who is doing what to who and for who in the real estate industry -- what threats and opportunities to look out for -- how to minimize the threats and maximize the opportunities.This years edition is no exception. Each year I look forward to The Swanepoel Trends Report to stay at least 3 steps ahead of the great unwashed!

John M Peckham III CCIM, CIPS, RECS
Executive Director
Real Estate CyberSpace Society

Today's real estate industry and marketplace is in the midst of the perfect storm. An amazing number of forces, factors and trends are impacting virtually every aspect of the industry and those who work within its sphere of influence. To not understand these factors amounts to the ultimate vulnerability. To not be considering how they will influence the industry moving forward is tantamount to feeling one's way in the dark. To not appreciate the amazing opportunities being created for all involved amounts is to missing an historic moment.

There is an impressive range of information, literature and publications available to the student of today's real estate industry. However, there is only one place to start the search. Stephan Swanepoel's 2008 Trends Report offers in depth information, focused analysis and a unique perspective with respect to how these forces are coming together to restructure the industry, reform the transaction and create a high value service proposition. It will be found on the desks of industry leaders across the country and will be quoted whenever the decision makers meet.

This book provides a clear rationale and perspective regarding the key issue confronting all organizations today, and that is the effective use of their marketing and sales resources. The authors make effective use of providing an effective context and examples. It is a straight forward and understandable approach to leveraging resources that account for some 30 to 50 percent of corporate costs. A must read for C level executives and all marketing and sales executives.

It's not often when a book comes along and hits the often disparate marketing and sales models right in the face. Value Acceleration does just that. It gives you an actionable plan to truly ensure long-term advantages over your competition. The authors cite Peter Drucker and his quote, "Marketing is the company and all else are costs" and reveals how a company can have a firm and competitive marketing/sales process model in place. I particularly liked the authors' focus and understanding that indeed "marketing is the one thing that can't be outsourced."

If you're ready to have a real breakthrough in sales and marketing - this is the only book you'll need to read this year.

Rebecca Morgan, CSP, CMC
Author of "Calming Upset Customers," and "Professional Selling: Practical Secrets for Successful Sales"

This fairly short book (164 pages) give us something we haven't seen in quite a while: A brand new, groundbreaking idea. Until now, almost every book or article on marketing was really about advertising or some form of promotion. We've wasted a lot of energy during the last 20 years trying to get genuine marketing improvements in our businesses from this very shallow well. This book points out that marketing is 1) really the only non-outsourceable thing that our firms do, and 2) the only thing we don't currently understand very well. It next corrects that lack of understanding with a clear, complete model of marketing--one that connects with most of the other functions of our companies. This book then introduces us to the ways that we can manage this critical function with already well-understood tools. It is a whole new way to look at not just marketing but our entire business. I predict that the ideas presented in this book will be the next big thing in management.

The reason that the book is fairly short is that it does not follow the same mindless formula that every business book published in the last 25 years seems to have. That is, it does not take 300 pages to explain what can be explained in half that, and it does not endlessly repeat the same things over and over, in slightly different but completely transparent ways. In other words, it respects our intelligence and our time. I wish there were more like it.

If you're interested in lean process, how to successfully link marketing and sales activity for an amazing outcome then this is the book for you. The chapter on "Eliminating Your Wasted Effort" is worth the whole price of the book. For every corporate CMO, CEO, VP of Sales - this book is a must read.

This book opens your eyes to what companies need to do to be competitive in the highly competitive economy in which we exist. It provides breakthrough thinking in how to leverage marketing and sales activities. I highly recommend it to anyone responsible for managing marketing or sales within a company, or anyone who aspires to do so.
Steve Waterhouse
Consultant & Author of "The Team Selling Solution"

Mary Mitchell's Class Acts is filled with good information, overlaid with a gentle philosophy, and is a good read to boot. It's the only etiquette book I've read cover to cover. It makes a perfect gift -- a lovely compliment to colleagues, clients and friends who are indeed class acts.

Mary Mitchell has written a stunningly clear, well thought-out, and concise book. Her background in etiquette, coupled with years of work in the field of corporate governance place her in the unique position of being able to match business accountability with manners at a time when both assets are sadly on the decline. Not only are her points well taken, but the book is well-written and entertaining. The suggestions and advice contained in this book are indispensable for just about anybody interacting with anyone else.

At last, someone who "gets it!" Mary Mitchell eloquently makes the case that respectful, ethical, balanced business conduct is not simply "do-gooder" window-dressing but an issue that strikes deep at the bottom line -- via the relationships created with employees, employers, customers, vendors, colleagues and, oh yes, investors. Take THAT, Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing, Adelphia, and all the rest! This should be required reading for everyone in business.

Class Acts is an essential book for today's personal and professional environment. The strength of the book comes from it's applicability to one's life lived in a 24/7 world. The lines between professional acts and personal acts are less clearly defined as one realizes that a "whole life" standard to behavior is the only way to conduct oneself. It is precisely this understanding of all "actions" and their impact on daily life, both on the individual and organizational level, that makes this book a boardroom to bedroom must read.

As the CEO of ULiveandLearn, an educational company, we have been involved in developing programs that offer training and continuing education programs. Often, the benchmark programs are the ones that ignite support across a broad group of users, from corporate managers to educators to community-based organizations.

We are looking forward to helping bring Class Acts live through programs that integrate the essentials of the book with case studies and programs for corporations and organizations.

The opportunity to create and sustain an environment of good manners, good relationships and good business benefits us all. Mary Mitchell clearly understands the power of her message and it's long reaching effects on everyone who cares enough to be a Class Act.

Class Acts by business etiquette authority and consultant Mary Mitchell is a straightforward, "reader friendly" guide to using good manners, etiquette, and positive relationships to improve business efficiency, profitability, and the lowering of daily stress levels while on the job. From the importance of accountability, forgiveness, and trustworthiness; to improving communication skills; to handling disagreement in the most effective manner (always disagree in private if possible, and carefully watch one's tone of voice while disapproving); to coping with the challenges of cyberspace; to knowing better than to pursue a workplace romance (or if one must, to pursue it with caution and close awareness of the other party's feelings), Class Acts emphasizes that it is the creation of good and enduring relationships which, in the end, are fundamental to the establishing of a good and profitable business climate.