Industry Books

"Michael Kleper's The Handbook of Digital Publishing is by far the best, and most complete, publication on this subject anywhere. This is the knowledge library of digital publishing. It will always be on my desk and is my reference source. Brilliantly written by one of the, if not the most, knowledgeable experts in this area. A must for everyone in our industry. Well done, Michael."

The Two Volume Graduate Course "We don't even want to imagine how many reviews, rewrites, update cycles were required for this project. For a time we thought the DTP industry would settle down and become almost static and routine. But the jump start of the Web, interactive multimedia and video have again driven people back to the books. We're not certain exactly how it was accomplished, but Professor Michael Kleper has very effectively squeezed a four-year degree course into two volumes.

The Handbook of Digital Publishing is much more than a coffee table book. The two volumes will quickly become dog-eared as professionals continue to refer to them to enhance and expand their capabilities and expertise. Thank goodness there is a companion Web site to accompany The Handbook. The author's biggest challenge is that The Handbook wasn't just a research/writing job...it has now become a career.

The books are heavy to say the least...fortunately there is a lot of substance, so it lightens the load...

Digital publishing is now the foundation of the communication arts. Kleper has done a great job to help users at all levels understand the tools, processes, and techniques for preparing graphics media in the digital era. His two-book set is jam-packed with solid info on crossing the chasm from analog to digital.

Michael Kleper's books are an incredibly complete and competent source of information covering an amazingly broad area. His insights into an industry he has watched from the beginning should be useful for everybody in this business, and his two hefty tomes are certainly the most complete collection ever compiled on the subject.

Highly recommended.

Andreas Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer Consulting

Professor Michael Kleper's two volume The Handbook of Digital Publishing is an outstanding source on the foundations of the digital age of publishing. For those of us involved in some part of Graphic Arts/Publishing/Communications, and today that is just about anyone with access to a computer, digital technology has made accessible much of what was art and technique. Congratulations to Professor Kleper who has contributed a timely, thorough, and readable work. This is not just a collection of terminology and technology but a much needed companion to understand the digital publishing "tsunami" which has exploded as fast as the computer technology which underpins it. Happily, Professor Kleper has a lot of energy for he has opened the door to volumes three and more for those technologies still being created .....

Buy this book!

This is by far the most useful book I have ever found for developing successful software strategies. Brush has analyzed the works of the leading strategic thinkers: Porter, Mintzberg, Hamel, Ansoff and on and on (the book's bibliography is ten pages of leading writers and practioners) and then applied them using her long career as a high-tech practitioner. (A good combo of theory and practice.) The book is complete with templates and step by step instructions that has made my formerly dreaded regular exercise of reviewing and developing new product and marketing strategies a greatly simplified task.

High-Tech Strategies in the Internet Era is a must for anyone in High-Tech or anyone who uses technology a key source of differentiation to compete. It is extremely thorough and provides complete checklists for setting-up and implementing strategy. In today's fast-paced marketplace it can be the difference between survival and failure.

High-Tech Strategies In The Internet Era is a basic, A to Z, introduction and instruction book on the high-tech strategy process that a business must master in today's computerized and Internet-linked marketing and business environment. Kathleen Brush lays down a step-by-step guide by which any company can achieve a successful, fixed yet flexible course in today's high-technology, Internet communications era. Readers will learn that partners play a critical role in the Internet era; that industry selection is the key to success; that management must learn to live with an empowered workforce; that the role of marketing communications has greatly increased as a factor in the success or failure of a business enterprise; that high-tech strategies are, by necessity, global strategies; and that strategy is the essence of commercial survival in today's global, Internet oriented marketplace. High-Tech Strategies In The Internet Era is essential, invaluable, highly accessible reading for aspiring business entrepreneurs, corporate managers, industry analysts and investors.

An opus in the sense that it took some degree of creativity to skirt the customary publishing procedures . . . way to go, Dr. Kathy!

High-Tech Strategies in the Internet Era is a must for anyone in High-Tech or anyone who uses technology a key source of differentiation to compete. It is extremely thorough and provides complete checklists for setting-up and implementing strategy. In today's fast-paced marketplace it can be the difference between survival and failure.

As an interim CEO of software firms, I see the the problems created by no strategy or poor strategy. This book gives a thorough mthodology to avoid having someone like me take over a company.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! All right, so the author went to Princeton, where he played on the basketball team. We won't hold that against him, especially since the team he played on almost beat #1UCLA in the NCAA's(lost by a point.) Perhaps that near victory prepared him for life as a Hollywood screenwriter, where he suffers the "plight of intermittent reinforcement": every once in a while he'll get a rat's pellet of reward, just enough to keep him "bashing his head into a cinder-block wall."

See the way I'm quoting the author? This is the kind of book where you underline all the time. (Mine is NOT a library copy, I own it.) Some samples:
Comparing how men and women cross a dance floor differently when they're drunk. A man will "do these flanking motions, like a sailboat tacking upwind, stumbling left...then heading back right, like you improve your odds of finding your destination by covering more territory somehow..." A woman will cross "like she's on a mission, walking that straight line.. putting one foot in front of the other, steps short and quick, knowing as long as she keeps leaning forward and staying focused she's gonna finally get there."
Or his example of "due diligence:" "When people are young, they sleep together before getting married to find out how good the sex is gonna be. Second time around, it's to find out how bad's the snoring. Due diligence."
Quoting a teacher friend of his: "Moviemaking is the slow disintegration of a good idea."
Quoting another friend's mother: "Closed mouths don't get fed."
Quoting a doctor on why his friend developed a lump in his scrotum (non-malignant--this book is for laughs, not for downers): "Forget firefighters, forget steelworkers. Writing's the worst--high stress, constant rejection, alcoholism, drug abuse, heart disease, phlebitis, self-contempt, you name it, plus you sit around on your balls all day."

Part of the book is based on columns the author wrote for espn.com. That means he writes short, snappy chapters, which make it an easy read. He also puts in web addresses that will help writers and others with their work. And he's not afraid to personalize the book, be it his relationship with his wife (Where did he find such an angel?!), his sons, or his genuine feelings about our troops in Iraq (sadly, though the book chronicles the year 2005, the troops are still there.) But mainly it's funny. Who knew watching some other guy face constant rejection could be so entertaining?

Finally, Ryder actually had me hooked so much that I HAD TO KNOW what happened to the one screenplay he finally managed to sell. What's the exciting climax? I won't tell you, because you'll have such a great time finding out yourself. You'll also learn a whole lot about the in's and out's of the screen trade, viewed through the lens of a sports consultant, but, most enjoyably, as seen through the eyes of a sensitive, funny, compassionate writer who's been there, done that. If you're anything like me, once you've finished this book, you'll quickly give it to someone you care about so they can love it, too.

Hollywood Jock is an easy read, filled with the amusing adventures that Ryder has encountered in his quest to write screenplays of interest in Hollywood. Anyone even remotely interested in sports and show business will find the book entertaining and funny. This book seems like a natural premise for a TV sitcom. Maybe Ryder will get lucky and HBO will agree.

This book is a gem!

HOLLYWOOD JOCK should be mandatory reading in every college Screenwriting class. Every starry-eyed writer heading to Los Angeles needs to know what to expect, and Rob Ryder's experience is what so many LA scriptwriters confront. Had I read Ryder's eloquent book before spending my dozen years in Hollywood, I would at least have been prepared for the experience.

What's most instructive is that Ryder has such a masterful command of both story and prose -- and deep insight into sport. His so his insider story of how Hollywood actually works at the script level helps explain why we see so few quality studio films.

But most of all, HOLLYWOOD JOCK is simply a crackling great read, whether or not you plan to be a Hollywood writer. It's the real deal about Hollywood, and it's about time someone told that story and so well. Kudos to Rob Ryder!

Hollywood Jock is the kind of book that needed to be written. Most other books are by better known screenwriters that only highlight the ups of their careers, while Hollywood Jock reviews it all. At times you just wish someone would drop some money into his lap to see what he can do, and by the end you're surfing the net finding out what he's up to now. If you're intrested in movies and the people behind the camera, pick up this book. If you don't care at all, still, read this book. The stories alone are worth the read.

If "Hollywood Jock" were a movie, the log line would run: "A sports-mad writer gets a shot at redemption when his wife gives him a year to sell a project to Hollywood."

This book collects the 34 "Hollywood Jock" columns written wrote for ESPN.com, and another 19 that continues the story of Rob Ryder, Hollywood Hustler. We follow him as he tries to sell anyone he can get ahold of on the merits of scripts such as "Zulu Wave," about a black surfer in apartheid-era South Africa, "94 Feet of Hell" that takes you inside a fictional college basketball game; and businesses such as a 4-on-4 summer pro basketball league. He's calls on agents for pro athletes who want to get into producing, directors he has worked with (such as Rob Shelton, who directed "Bull Durham" and "Tin Cup"), production companies, money managers, agents, anyone who knows anyone with two cents to rub together who might be able to get a movie launched.

When he's telling his war stories, Ryder is a genial companion, and you can sympathize with his struggles to get his projects off the ground.

But "Hollywood Jock" is also a mess, a shapeless diary that's as chaotic as the way Hollywood puts together movies. The "wife gives him a year to make good" conceit holds no drama or emotion -- and once he loses his paying gig at ESPN.com, the chapters move away from the look at Hollywood and pro sports and becomes a recitation of e-mails, meetings, appointments and cancellations, writing sessions and what Elmore Leonard would call stuff readers would skip over.

If you can handle that, "Hollywood Jock" is a good example of how Hollywood works and how it doesn't.

This is one of my 2 yr old's favorite books. He asks for it by name over and over. (We both have it memorized now.) It is simple, fun, catchy - everything you love about a children's book. I have to say that I love the book, too and don't mind reading it half a dozen times before bedtime!

I wrote a review on this book in 2000 and even though my son is now over 5, he STILL loves reading these Veggie Tale books! Now instead of just entertainment he is learning from them: shapes, colors, how to count, how to rhyme, and even how to read. And he still enjoys the SPLASH on the last page of this book! This is one I know I'll be reading to the grandbabies someday!

We received this book as a Christmas gift when my son was 14 months old, and it quickly became a favorite. Its rhythmic cadence and rhyme scheme make it fun to read, and the colorful pictures are great. Best of all, though, is the SPLASH! page that comes near the end. My son knows it's coming, and gets excited every time--in fact, one of his first words was "Splash!" I only wish these books came in board format--even with the sturdy laminated pages, my son did rip that favorite page in his eagerness to get to it!

I read this book every night to my 9 month old daughter. She really likes the pictures and rhymes. I'm buying it for my friend's son and my niece for their second birthday- I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as we do. It is the best children's book I've seen so far.

My baby got all these veggie tale books for his first birthday and he just LOVES them. I wish there were more because I seem to read them over and over to him. The small size makes these books appeal to him and I often find him sitting and looking at the pictures by himself. They are also easy to put in my purse to take places. Also the paper is sturdier than most books so he doesn't seem to crinkle the pages. The best birthday gift we received!

Finally, a book I can recommend whole-heartedly to my clients!
If you're in the job market, or planning to be, consider this book as a small but necessary investment for success.

Many books are geared to lower-level, introductory jobs. Kaplan has examples from lawyers, doctors and more.

Kaplan manages to be upbeat and readable without raising unrealistic expectations. Functional resume? Great idea but most employers won't like it. Everyone should review the results-oriented examples in Chapter 1.

Kaplan offers tips for informational interviews, including sample letters to request meetings with strangers. If you're not familiar with the concept, start reading now!

And she's got tips I've never seen anywhere else:
How to answer an advertisement for employment
How to open a letter when you don't know the gender of the recipient ("Kelly" or "Leslie") -- and what to do if you
don't have the name.
How to salvage a shaky interview...
and a whole lot more.

This book will be of most help to experienced professionals and managers who are changing jobs but
not making major career shifts. You'll have to be more
creative if you're changing careers altogether -- and in
those cases, you really need to rely on your network.

If you know a mid-career job searcher, this book would make an
excellent recommendation or gift. Newbies out of school would do well to follow the examples, but they may need some help to translate experience to fit the models.

Go for it!

Robbie Kaplan's latest publication, How to Say It In Your Job Search is really three comprehensive guides rolled into one fabulous book. As always, her suggestions about resume preparation are the best in the business. Robbie is equally versed in what to say in cover letters and interviews. As a bonus, she has woven information about using electronics and the Internet into each section, which replaces the need for an e-job search book too. Her style is dynamic, up to date and reader friendly. How to Say It In Your Job Search is the only self-help book job seekers need to conduct a successful job search.

"How to Say It in Your Job Search" gets right to the best approach for letters and interviews. Every job search book has
similar information. Except this one. What I liked best are the
examples of real letters used in the job search. The choice of words is so critical. The author also covers the right words for
job interviews and resumes.

If you're looking for practical solutions to using the right words in a difficult job search, this book has it.

Ms. Kaplan's book is a comprehensive and informative guide that all job seekers, or those looking to improve their resume and interviewing skills, should use. As a newcomer to the working world, I found it difficult to relate to the advice others had provided. Without a lot experience of fine-tuning my resume, I had trouble with how I wanted to describe the skills I have to contribute to a company.

Ms. Kaplan has provided detailed examples of resumes and cover letters, including all levels of experience and job types, that are clear and concise and get the reader on the road to success. Ms. Kaplan's check lists outline the dos and don'ts of the job hunt and make it easy to chart your progress. I found her check lists and her suggestions for words and phrases to use in resumes extremely helpful.

Ms. Kaplan covers it all- from the resume, to writing cover letters (both job specific and unsolicited letters) to interviewing. She includes chapters on responding to job searches via the Internet- a skill we all need!

Not only have I relied on this book, but my family members have used it too!

Since my company eliminated my position eighteen months ago, I have revised my resumes and cover letters numerous times. I have read almost every job search/career guide that is available on the market today without satisfaction.

In all of the books I have read regarding resumes and cover letters, this book truly outlines the exact phrases that should be used to successfully market yourself with your resume and cover letter. This all-in-one guide includes tips about how to have a successful interview, as well as following-up afterwards. It even has advice about resignation letters.

I have been searching for a book that shows career specific examples of resumes, cover letters, that would also provide keyword phrases. This is the one!

Thank you Pat from NJ who reviewed the "Resumes Quick & Easy 6.0" software package and noted that this book was better than any software application.

I recently read this book that I issued from Chicago Public Library. I am a management graduate & have read lot of books. Though I read management/sales books, I hate them as I find them very generic. So, I picked up this book just for the heck of it. I generally finish books in 3-4 hours but this book is just so different. It made me think & rethink what I am doing as a sales person. It was quite an eye opener. I have been buying things online for the last 6 years but this is the first time when I really felt like buying a bought online. This book is a must READ. I would recommend it to all sales people irrespective of how many years of sales experience you have. Happy reading... Brajesh (brajesh2@yahoo.com)

Have you been wondering why your competition continues to outsell you or you can't seem to hit your numbers consistently? Perhaps you're not researching your prospect well enough or positioning your product properly. The first step to fixing that is to completely understand your existing and potential customer base and realize it's all about how you can either make them money, reduce their expenses, or minimize risks. If you are "in it" for anything else, your chances at success are greatly diminished. By shifting your focus to conjoin the customer's, you'll have the foundation of future success.

Be sure to take an honest and objective inventory of what you do well and what you don't. Figure out ways you can capitalize on your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.

Engage yourself in the customer's business to where you take pride in how they perform--your customer will notice and reward you with a solid stream of business.

Some of the methodologies outlined in this book may seem like common sense to many, but they bear repeating especially if you're not selling as well as you desire.

I'd highly recommend this book primarily for the "solution selling" type of rep.

I love Dave Stein's style. His 21 proven strategies are to the point and broken into manageable pieces. The only gripe I had was with the section on available research tools. The point is well taken that one must spend time researching a company for a sales call, but I felt too much space was given to something so basic. Maybe it's just me because I work in the technology sector, but I was surprised that the company research tools and techniques Dave mentioned are not common knowledge to almost everyone of working age.

One section of the book I find useful over and over again is the Review (Summary) section. Before going on a coaching sales call with a Rep, I sometimes review parts of this section (what parts depends on the Rep's strengths and weaknesses) and find that it can really improve performance.

The new second edition of "How Winners Sell: 21 Proven Strategies to Outsell Your Competition & Win the Big Sale" is exceptional in both its clarity and ease of use. I am a former Fortune 50 marketing/sales executive who now teaches professional selling at the University of Central Florida. Our university enjoys an international reputation for its strength in sales training. Dave Stein's book is REQUIRED READING for the students in our Advanced Professional Selling course. Moreover, Dave now assists in coaching our nationally-famous collegiate sales competition teams. Our teaching philosophy is that 'sales is not a performance; it is a response.' Further, we see sales as much as an 'art as it is a science.' Dave Stein's book is fully compatible with our philosophy. It moves the reader to an even better understanding of the entire sales process. They [good sales guides] don't get any better than this.

Selling is a combination of the tried and true with what's happening in our society today. The world has changed since 911 and the collapse of companies like Enron, Global Crossing, et al. Selling hasn't gotten any easier, and you need to remember the basics once in a while.

This book gives you a good overview of the basics, but also brings out some new points that I hadn't considered in my own selling. It's also a rather easy read. There are 21 'strategies' or things you need to keep in mind during the sales cycle. And the points he brings up are good. When I've lost a sale and do a post mortem later, I find that I've usually skipped one or more of these points.

Not a big book at a little over 200 pages, it is well worth the time if it helps you on one big sale.

I've read Carol Drinkwater's Olive trilogy and enjoyed it very much, so I was very pleased to come across this companion volume. Having read the three more detailed books already, I will admit I wasn't so much interested in the text because I already knew the story, but I was thrilled to see the pictures. It's a lot of fun to see what everybody looks like, and of course like every other reader of the series, I was really curious to see the farm. If the first books let us look into somebody's life, this one let us look into her home. Thanks for sharing.

I loved this book. After reading her previous three books this was like looking at a photo album of an old friend. I just hope she keeps writing, can't wait to see what's next.

I first listened to the audio version, which is read by Carol Drinkwater. This book is written in such an easy, comfortable way you feel as if you are having these experiences of a foreigner living in Provence. I loved this book and bought the rest of the series, The Olive Season, The Olive Harvest, and The Illustrated companion. These stories made me appreciate the process and love of olive oil; creating an olive oil snob in myself. I cannot wait till her journeys on The Olive Route are readily available in the U.S. If you loved the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, you will love these books. If you read Under the Tuscan Sun, it was a horrible book and you need to read the olive trilogy!

This is the perfect companion to the Olive Farm trilogy which i have read and enjoyed. It was brilliant to finally be able to see the faces of the people i read about and came to care for. Beautiful photography and lyrical description which will enable one to feel as though they are there in the south of France and especially at Appassionata

I absolutely loved reading the Olive Farm, Olive Season and Olive Harvest and the Illustrated Olive Farm brought those books to life with all the beautiful pictures. As a Francophile, these books were very satisfying to my soul.

We are going through a major re-organization from push system manufacturing to pull manufacturing in our facility and throughout the company. This book fits in quite nicely with this endeavor. The book does a nice job of explaining concepts and implementation of the principles. It is easy to read. Additionally, it has forms for suggested use in organizing information, AND it explains the forms and how to use them. I am purchasing multiple copies for distribution to all of my Manufacturing Engineers. Too I am recommeding it for use throughout the company.

Though the title implies implementation, I see this more as an educational resource used to train both shop floor workers and management alike. Under this context, this book is outstanding.
Excellent diagrams, charts, and photos make understanding 5S, manufacturing cells, kanbans, and techniques for setup reduction easy.
In fact, the basic concepts behind lean manufacturing are simple. The problem with most lean manufacturing books is that the authors often complicate the subject to make themselves seem as though they are smarter and have something unique to add (when they really don't). This book keeps lean simple.
Great book.

For those who are serious about World Class Manufacturing activities on the shop floor, this book is a must-read. The authors have created a detailed, step-by-step guide filled with useful examples, forms, quotes, and stories.

This is a book that small and medium-sized manufacturers can use to develop in-house training materials for educating their workforce on the how-to's of WCM. The explanations are succint with simple and well-written examples, backed by the rich experience of the authors. Supplementary materials available from the authors would allow any Plant Manager to develop customized training materials specific to his/her shopfloor. A particular merit of this book is the that it recommends the sequence in which the various elements of a WCM manufacturing program ought to be taught/implemented for best results. I plan to recommend this book as a reference to undergraduates who co-op or intern at companies as part of their educational experience.

Unlike other books on "world class manufacturing" which are intended more for business school students and management theorists, this book really is a Shop Floor Manual as the title suggests. Each subject and technique is explained, application considerations are given, and real life "how-to" instructions are provided so that all concerned, from production worker to group leader and production manager, can easily understand and implement the technique in their company. Implementation of just one of the hundreds of world class manufacturing techniques covered will return the price of the book manyfold.

The author seems like a cool guy. Someone you could hang out with, he's also a comedian, which makes the book enjoyable. The book is a very easy read and it's fun to enjoy a book that literally takes you back in time and lets you feel the growing pains of the music industry and what the problems where back then. That is one slight disappointment I have with the book, is that I was hoping for a more current updated bathroom reader and a lot of the knowledge and articles start 15 years ago or so and then continue on up until more recent years. Although, he does offer a reflective commentary at the end of each article, which is nice to see how things have changed since then and what he thinks about it.

I would recommend it! Great read.

For more than a decade Paul Lehrman has become a fixture in the field of audio and music technology. His monthly column in Mix magazine has become a must-read for many audio professionals, myself included. When I first heard about the book I thought: What could possibly be in there that I haven't seen already? Turns out quite a bit! Other than the months in recent years that, regrettably, I've missed the column, and those in Paul's earlier days with Mix that I wasn't the regular reader that I would later become, the book also contains articles that were never published -- some that were a bit too "colorful" for a family oriented magazine such as Mix, unabridged versions of articles that were `abridged' for publication, and music jokes you can file away for those lulls during recording sessions.

The bite-sized articles are perfect for those of us without a lot of time for pleasure reading. If you have read Mix over the past decade you will enjoy revisiting some of Paul's best work and even, perhaps, be inspired by some of the topics Paul himself clearly gets excited about. My personal favorite -- which I didn't immediately recall reading in Mix -- is the article from May of 1999 written after attending a lecture given by Sir George Martin at Berklee.

I recommend this book to anyone working in the music technology or audio production fields. Every studio lounge needs to have a copy on the coffee table! And every bathroom, well...you know.

Scott Metcalfe
Mind's Ear
Director, Music Production and Technology,
The Hartt School, University of Hartford

This book is outrageously funny and insightful. I have always read Paul's column's in Mix with interest, as he is their best writer, but one forgets from month to month how thoughtful his columns are. Reading them all together was eye-opening. And the jokes, I guess you will just have to buy the book if you want to find out how many bass players it takes to change a lightbulb.

I have a few tangential connections to author Paul D. Lehrman: I was the co-founder of Thomson/Course Technology, the publisher of Paul's book, studied computer music back in the days of the IBM 360, and worked with a number of Boston and national bands as a soundman in the early 70's. Plus we were both avid readers of the magazine Recording Engineer/Producer. I've been reading Paul's columns for years in the local Boston press and was thrilled to discover Insider Audio, a 400+ page plus treasure trove of his columns from Mix magazine - which did not disappoint. If you have a serious interest in music and audio, buy this book. Paul's range is amazing, from a great article/interview with Tom Lehrer to the inside story of the Concert for George, you'll be informed and entertained. He does a great job of framing each article with a preface and afterword, that puts these articles in context. And anyone who can get a cover blurb from a member of the Firesign Theater is a hero to me! Now Paul, how about a collection of your articles that didn't appear in Mix?

I was truly surprised by this book, both by the breadth of subjects that Lehrman covers and how much insight he brings to the topics. Since he writes for MIX Magazine I thought the book would be a bit heavy on tech talk relating to pro audio. There is a fair amount of coverage in that area, but also some wonderful gems like an interview with Tom Lehrer, an article about George Martin, and objective discussions about digital downloading and the problems associated with the ever-changing landscape that seems to have brought down giant retailers like Tower Records. A lot of time and care went into writing these essays and the book is a must-read for anyone who works or is interested in music, technology, or likes jokes about musicians that really make you groan!

A big thank you to Julie!!!! This book guided me every step of the way. I ordered the book on 3-17-08, and on 6-3-08 I was on my first boat!! Julie not only gives you an accurate view of what working on a yacht is truly like, she includes her own personal accounts out at sea (which, by the way, are quite funny!!). Julie includes EVERYTHING you will need from training, accomodations, to local spots to network in various ports. I bought this book with no real intention on changing my career. I had always wondered about the industry, and once I got the book, I couldnt put it down. The very next day I started taking the steps toward making this dream a reality. You will find Julie's stories entertaining and the book will engage you from page one. If you have ever thought about becoming a yachtie, you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!

This book is not only a "How To" it's a very good insight on how things really are once you get out on the big sea. The author does a great job by not leading you on that everything is fantastic all the time and tells it like it is. The "I must Confess..." are great additions and I found myself sometimes skipping ahead just to read some of those. I bought this book because I was interested in the profession and couldn't find anything worth reading about it. This is the book to read! And after reading it, I am certain that I am going to Ft. Lauderdale and becoming a Yacht Stew.

I must confess I didn't buy this book from Amazon but directly from the author at the Ft Lauderdale Boat Show.

This would have been invaluable to me a few years ago when I took the overnight sleeper to the South of France with a tent and box of CV's to seek a career change onto large yachts.

Full of practical advice but entertaining as well this book is an excellent read even if the closest you will ever get a large yacht is standing on the dock.

If ever a book has been available that tells it like it is, as this book does, about the process for landing a dream job in the yachting industry as a Stewardess (OR OTHER CREW MEMBER) aboard multiple million dollar luxury Yachts.........SHAZAMMMM!!! AND BINGO!!!...THIS IS IT!!!!

The book is packed with humor and numerous "innocent" confessions of the author's experiences aboard. It's as close as a complete picture can be for preparing to enter this magnificant industry with more info than you'd ever need to taking the first step to a sucessful career in the ultimate world of travel excitement......immediately securing employment as a fully trained crew member after a minimum of two weeks intense training at the finest training facilities available in the world.

College grads with no immediate plans and looking for the perfect job...ATTENTION...,this is what you've been looking for and didn't even know it!

This book is definitely for someone wanting to know what it is "really like" to work on a yacht. This book is funny,informative and a good source to find out what mega-yacht life is like,one you will go back and read a second time. Her adventures were delightful and am hoping Julie writes another book soon!