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This is one of the best memoirs I've read. Broyard is brilliant, an elegant writer, and his story is interesting. Anyone in love with New York, or just in love with good memoirs, should read it.

Returning from World War II, Anatole Broyard, a young man of New Orleans Creole stock who had grown up Brooklyn working class, took advantage of the GI Bill to jumpstart his fortunes. Manhattan beckoned across the river, and upon enrolling in The New School, he fell down the rabbit hole and into the Wonderland that was Greenwich Village. At The New School, he sat in the classes of the major intellectuals of the era, many of them from Europe. He had only just begun when he met artist Sheri Donatti, a protégé of Anais Nin, who instantly provided him with a place to live and a relationship that would come to define the entire mad scene, where everyone read Kafka and modern art was It. The old rules, whatever they were, were out the window and where Sheri was in command, the rules changed daily. Broyard, who paints himself as an outsider has enough access to the epicenter of the action and thinking of the place in this time frame to be its ideal interpreter.

This memoir covers just a couple of years, but that's enough to get down the Bohemian culture of Greenwich Village a few years before Keroauc appeared on the scene and nearly a couple of decades before the sixties would recast their own version. Broyard went on to become for 3 decades an admirable book critic for The New York Times and to live a happy, domesticated family life in the suburbs. His lucid, literate and witty style shines in KAFKA WAS THE RAGE. He was working on this memoir when he died of cancer in 1993.

My first reaction was, I wish I had been there too. As he said, the public was visually hungry at that time. Now the public is pretty much jaded in mho, but also, there are probably many more visual artists per capita than in 1947.
Other quotes I liked: pp129 On Delmore Schwartz, he was like the grammar-school bully who rips open your fly buttons. It was Delmore who helped me to understand what I came to think of as the malice of modern art.
pp134 The social history of the world is, in some ways, a history of censorship.

One brilliantly sunny day in July, I decided to head out to the lake to bask in the sun and read. Unforuntately, I realized halfway there that I hadn't bought anything to read. So, I trotted over to my local used bookstore and began browsing their recent acquisition table. This little volume immediately gained my attention. It looked like fun, it looked like it would be a quick read, and it was short enough that it wouldn't keep me from continuing in any of the other books that I was already reading. So, off to the lake with this book in hand I went.

KAFKA WAS THE RAGE was quite a nifty little read. I had read a fair amount about the Beats at one point, so this had some of the same post-WW II Manhattan atmosphere, but that was set more in the area of Columbia University, so this shifted the scene further south. There is no real story to tell here. Broyard merely recounts in a more or less anecdotal form a number of events and individuals from a particular moment in time. He has a gift for summoning up particular moments in vivid detail, and a talent for the brilliant line. An example of the former is his recounting of an adventure in which he took Delmore Schwartz, Clement Greenberg, and Dwight MacDonald to a Spanish Harlem nightclub. Another is his description of his art professor Meyer Schapiro.

Some great lines:

"I thought that being a Communist was a penalty you had to pay for being interested in politics."

[on Dylan Thomas] "To him, an American party was like being in a bad pub with the wrong people."

[on Delmore Schwartz] "Like Samuel Johnson, whom he resembled in many ways, Delmore was not interested in prospects, views, or landscape. He had looked at the city when he was young, and saw no need to do it again."

[on a painter friend] "His voice was soft, deep, and cultivated and his manners were a history of civilization."

As one might expect (and hope for) in a memoir set in such a vibrant era, the book is marvelous for its incessant name-dropping of famous individuals who pop up briefly as characters: figures as diverse as Erich Fromm, Maya Deren, Anais Nin, Caitlin and Dylan Thomas, W. H. Auden, Gregory Bateson, as well as the previously mentioned Schwartz, Greenberg, MacDonald, and Shapiro.

If you're expecting an overview of the 1940s Greenwich Village scene, adjust your expectations. This is for the most part an account of Anatole Broyard's life, as he lived in Greenwich Village in the 1940s. The focus is on Broyard's concerns of the time and his particular perceptions. It is a distinct difference.

That acknowledged, I'd like to say that I recommend the book anyway. Broyard's account is valuable for its loving criticism of the 1940s art world, for its honest recognition of the stupidity of youth, and for its meandering remembrances, repleat with similes and earnest attempts to find meaning in the past. The book is valuable because of its examination of life, an examination that is all the more interesting for the time period and the location of the subject.

I said that Broyard's account was more an account of his own life than of the times. But it is also an opinion of mine that one life tells a lot about a time period. The setting for the memoir is New York just after WWII--the whole city is glad to be alive and glad to be carefree for the first time since the beginning of the war. And Broyard's account of himself and others in the period is fascinating for that reason, for the way this made people act. Need another reason? Broyard's memoir is peppered with chance meetings with prestigious artists and writers of the time. He exposes the mentality they all lived with--the way they lived with art the way other young people live with football or pop music. He exposes the advantages and disadvantages that that presented. Most of all, he exposes your youth--your own youthful pretensions, and stupidity, and wisdom. It's the account you would write if you had the time... And the insight.

Well written and he knows what he is talking about. I have started doing the cleanse and it is just as he described.

this book is a wonderful tool, very clear on what to do and where to get the simple products to do the cleanse, even my husband is doing it!!! It really is easy!!!

Specially now that its role on gallstone disease isn't that clear. But then the author doesn't make it easy on himself. The very few studies he references aren't even identified in detail, he merely redirects the reader to his other book, time and time again. Though there seems to be some good advice in the book, some of these studies are way too old.
He points to a single circadian rhythm, not even acknowledging the current assumption that divides people into "owls" and "early birds". He lumps every alcoholic beverage together, not caring for studies that wine may have huge benefits. And he seems to have skipped the whole debate on the needed amount of water per day, which may not be the 8 glasses accepted until now. He also seems to believe that green tea has no caffeine in it -it has almost as much as black tea. In fact he regards caffeine with the same disgust that doctors show for cholesterol, when the current view is that it functions as the very delivery system for tea's antioxidants.
He repeats over and over how his other book reveals the "true" causes for this and that; and the bibliography section consists merely of his own books, with just two or three more, mostly dating from circa 1990. Not surprisingly, he also considers the spiritual method he devised to be "the most perfect way to harmonize the physical and the spiritual" or whatever. I think it's absurd that, having not properly followed a thorough, source-contrasting method of research or exposition on the physical realm, he then feels no qualms about casually veering off into spiritual matters, even going on to "design" sacred chanting. I'll bet he takes credit for that as well. His method for removing gallstones is obviously "the best", if only because he "tested and improved upon" it. But then he's not really a great communicator, his English is sometimes lacking. That may be one reason. Yet his solipsistic disregard for even quoting external sources is apparent from page one. In fact, if you go to his website, you soon find out that he no longer answers questions, due to "his schedule being too busy". I tell you, spending your time re-reading one's own books is clearly a time-consuming, fast-lane way to oblivion.

ONE LAST QUESTION !!!: If cholesterol's only role is to repair arteries, as the author emphatically states, why does it keep attaching itself to the walls long after they are oversaturated to the breaking point with it ?

All I can say is that this really works! I actually am looking forward to my second cleanse. I feel great and have more energy. My Gallbladder pain has dissappeared. You owe this to yourself to try, you won't be dissappointed! Everything he said would happen did, and I was dubious at first.

This book provides a very detailed explanation of all the affects of Liver and Gallbladder congestion. Andreas comes across as very knowledgeable and experienced in this area. Even though you can find the recipe for a cleanse on sites like curezone, it is very helpful to become fully informed on the reasons for the cleanse. I had heard of this cleanse years ago, but didn't actually have the "guts" to do the cleanse until I read this book.

This is a well written book that is easy to read and easy to understand. It's the story of one youth's hope, determination, escape and survival during one of the world's darkest times, WW-II. Bob Golan seemed to be always just a step ahead of those who would do him harm. It was especially interesting to me since, as a young man, my father and I would listen to all the "war news" that came on the radio and the book brought back plenty of old memories of accounts of hardships, suffering,and atrocities endured by the Jewish people as reported by the commentators.

Once you have started to read this book it will hold your attention until you've finished.

Clint Jordan Ottawa, Kansas

I am a 12 yr old boy, who is an avid reader, especially of people who have done extraordinary things in their lives. I read this book by Mr Golan and was so inspired by him that he has become to me my very first and probably forever role model. I have never looked for "human" role models for various reasons, but Mr. Golan changed all that for me!! What a great man, what a life he has lead. I really never knew what it was like to never know what it was like to live by the notion to "NEVER GIVE UP'" and thanks to him I now know. If one day in my life I should ever have to face a life challenge and I should (G-d forbid) want to just give up I will remember Mr. Golan and all he went through to overcome. I will remember him and draw my strength from him and his life and hopefully I will stand tall and be as courageous as he was. Hopefully I will do as well as he did. Thank you Mr. Golan for your inspiration, may G-d continue to give you strength all the days of your life.
Chaver Paul Harrison

Dear Mr. Golan, I'm sending you this note of admiration and appreciation via Jo Braxton, a mutual friend. While I was visiting in Tulsa recently, she put her copy of your book in my hands, knowing my avid interest in history, and also being aware that some aspects of my family's background and history echo yours. I'm not Jewish, but that's wholly irrelevant. Every family and every individual who survived the horrors of World War II in Europe has a tale, at once similar and unique, to tell. My family comes from Bulgaria, and we were fortunate to get to the United States just a few months before Hitler invaded Poland. Among our family, predominantly, were physicians, lawyers, teachers, and clergy. Those the Germans didn't execute during the war were executed by the Communists who seized control of Bulgaria when the war ended. None have been heard from since. Both the Germans and the Communists had the same motives for eliminating local intelligentsia wherever they invaded and ravaged. I simply want to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your book. It is gripping, fascinating, and very well written. How you and others survived such a traumatizing ordeal is a wonder and a tribute to the unquenchable desire of human beings to be free and to live in dignity and respect toward each other. But, sadly, to judge by the history of the Middle East since 1945, and even more so by current events there, nobody seems to learn by mistakes. It seems to me that, some 2000 years later, we're just repeating the vain, fruitless political experiences of the ancient Romans in trying to impose our notion of order and stability in that perpetually troubled region, and with the same disastrous results. No foreign power can impose a military solution there to what remains an insoluble political, ethnic, religious, and cultural dilemma. I'm nobody in particular, just a retired professor of English, French, and German, an old horse out to pasture, and I'm not a professional book reviewer--but, I know a well-written and unforgettable tale when I read one. What an extraordinary odyssey life is for all of us! Thanks for writing your book. I think it crucially important that eyewitness testimony from all who endured and survived the horrors of World War II be recorded and preserved. Only if we keep that unspeakable tragedy in mind may we perhaps avoid further episodes of such bestial barbarism. Reading your book, I'm gratified that at least some are able to endure, survive, and triumph over such devastating experiences, but I'm also left wondering: Is there hope that the human race will ever grow up, become truly civilized, and accept its responsibility for the well-being of all creatures on earth, so we can get along cooperatively and harmoniously? I do wonder, and though I hope, part of me is skeptical, and I wish it were not. Best wishes, Mike Trapp(...)

Very few people have any idea of the horrors visited on the people of Poland, Jews as well as non-Jews in 1939. This one man had the wisdom to chronicle the events as they happened and helps relate the fears and uncertainty that his family faced during their journey into the seeming abyss of history. Fortunately for us he survived the journey and recorded the story not just for us but for all people who believe in the firm resolve of the individual.

A heart rending odessey of a young lad and his family grasping
for safety from the Nazi horde. A tribulous tale through Siberia also compels your interest. The story ends with the Golans reunited in the transition of Israel. A unique experience with the reader a part of it.

Why stumble along and question yourself, not knowing how to price, run a business, organize your life or plan your dreams when you have Lynette Harris so kindly opening up herself and all she has learned and experienced in her book, "Making Money With Your Creative Paint Finishes". I turn to her book regularly when pricing out a job or just doing my books. She even tells you what supplies you will need on your site.....why make mistakes when you have her experiences to guide you around them.

This book contains valuable information on how to make your business profitable. It includes sample contracts (a must for the professional) and tips on accurate record keeping. I have an MBA and feel that my skills in business are high however, I was able to get information from this book that was very useful. It is comprehensive, covering everything from starting your business, marketing, partnerships,and more. There is even a section on the importance of honing your craft. The author includes information on continuing education, recommended reading as well as resources for supplies. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering starting a business of Decorative Painting.

Many thanks to Lynette Harris for making this advice available! Good sound suggestions for marketing the business, pricing, as well as advice on contracts and suggestions on how to choose your business name and much more. Good food for thought! I highly recommend this book for anyone who may be considering going into this field of business!

I bought this book before "officially" starting my decorative painting business and I am very glad I did. I constantly refer back to it when I need tips. A must have for anyone who is considering going into business in this field!

I am planning to go into the business of faux finshing. This book answered every question I had and more in regards to starting in that business. Lynette shares her expertise in a very organized, entertaining and easy to read manner. She covers everything from naming your business, managing it, pricing your work to contracts and mastering your craft. What a treat to find a book specifically aimed at starting a faux finishing/stenciling business! If you're thinking of going into business for yourself, this book is a must read and great way to get started. Thank you Lynette for sharing what would have taken me years to learn on my own.

I like that this book is more focused at experienced aquarist who want to further their understanding rather than people who are completely new to the hobby. I also like that it is a heavy read relative to other aquarium books, In some places I felt like I was reading a microbiology textbook. Its all around aquarium health info but it has a big section on fish health. It has a lot of detailed pictures for identifying fish sicknesses, and is actually kind of gross, but I have never seen a book with so much info on the topic and I think that is its strongest point. The weakest point is there isn't much on plants which to me is just as important as the fish, I guess that's a different book.

This book is amazing! I absolutly recomend it to everyone I've talked to. Not only does it use casual scientific terms but it does also explain them for anyone that doesn't have a BSc. Great information not only on fish disease, but on maintaining a properly balanced aquarium & preventing diseases from occuring in the first place.

Personally I think it should be a manditory buy with ever first-fish purchase.

I have Aquarium books coming out of my ears. In my quest for knowledge on how to care and treat my freshwater fish, I have purchased books, but most left a lot of my questions unanswered, or were vague on discriptions of fish diseases and/or how to treat. This is by far the best all around book for the Aquarium Hobby enthusiast. It has everything you need to know about aquarium fish, their environment, disease and prevention. The pictures of diseased fish help you pin point the proper ailment, bacteria, and cure. I give this book 5+ stars and highly recommend it to anyone who has aquarium fish.

The book is pretty good for most aquarists as all should have something to help with the diagnostics and treatment of their pets. There's some pretty good photography of various diseases that simplifies the text, and in each section there is a little box of explanation of a point in the text, be it a bacteria type or similar. Where the book falls slightly short in my opinion is in the treatment section. I would not advocate the use of all the chemicals in this chapter and some may well be impossible to obtain for most people. In this case, I would recommend using the book then visiting a professional fish keeper, specialist shop or vet with your diagnosis after consulting the treatment section to see if there is an alternative.

All said and done anything that can help easy diagnosis and lead to the correct treatment of fish disease is a good thing.

I bought this book based on the great reviews here, and have not been disappointed. That said, there are a few deficiencies that drove me back to the web for more information and hence this review.

There is very little information about contemporary brands and their products that can be used to treat fish diseases. Using the book, one can easily diagnose pop-eye (which I was combating in my prize altum angels). But the suggestions are not terribly helpful in finding the right product to treat this affliction. For example, there are 3 or more different drugs under the Mardel brand that all claim to treat pop-eye. Some target gram-positive bacteria, some target gram-negative bacteria, and some are broad-spectrum antibiotics. At the same time, some can be simultaneouly administered with other treatments, some cannot. And so on. It would have been helpful if the book had helped me sort these details out (which I eventually did) and if it had suggested possible courses of action. Even something that lists all common antibiotics and adds a classification chart to go with them will address this concern.

And as one reviewer pointed out, some of the suggestions are beyond the scope of the hobbyist. But let this not detract you from purchasing a guide that will save you time and help you narrow your diagnosis.

This book was an easy and comforting read. I can highly recommend it if you are caring for someone who is terminally ill. It gives a very gracious and encouraging picture of the final months and days. The analogy of "May I walk you home" will stay with you long after you put the book down. It's also a great read for those who support the caregivers who support the ill.

I chose this book for two reasons: Joyce Rupp is my favorite author of spiritual materials, and I was in the process of walking my daughter home during her final year of life.

The stories and prayers helped me feel that I was not alone in this journey. That others had experienced it before and lived through it to tell the tale gave me strength to do the same. I know that my daughter had a better quality of life through this process of dying from cancer and being in home hospice care because I was better prepared to companion her.

I highly recommend this book to clergy, family members, and other caregivers. It is full of 'hope' as well as practical suggestions gleaned from others' experiences of companioning the dying.

A wonderfully comforting and uplifting book for caregivers and
those they care for.

Author relates how she comforted terminally ill people with compassion and love. Prayers for each situation are excellent.

The prayers and Meditations were so helpful that I purchased extra for those I knew were experiencing this journey. The price enabled me to afford this gift.

I want to give my honest opinion of this book. I have never read anything else by this author. While it was entertaining, I found it to get just a little more drawn out than I would have liked. I also did not like his viewpoints on some of the different plants. I guess you just need to take it in stride, but when he characterizes some of your favorite plants as nuisances (or more), etc. it is a little irritating. I did enjoy it, but I don't think I'll read him again. I wanted to give this review, since everyone seems to have LOVED this book but me.

I first read Merry Hall over 30 years ago, and having recently re-read it I was impressed by how much an impression it had made on me. Many a time I have unknowingly quoted from the work, thinking the quote apocryphal!

You must read for yourself how to deal with an overgrown holly hedge, and how to plant hundreds of trees without buying them, and what berberis can do for you, and why you should cultivate periwinkle...

I'm sure you'll be delighted with the finely drawn sketches of the real people populating the story: the characters of gardeners, society ladies, and men who work for the government in a clearly covert and somewhat sinister capacity. You'll enjoy the cats, the lilies, and how to create an English country garden from a neglected and ill directed site.

The gentle humor reflects the gentler times before the horrors of World War 2 brought violence, destruction, and death into the hearts and homes of most of Britain.

This book is a keeper!

One of the book catalogs that I occasionally get in the mail has been singing the praises of the late Beverley Nichols. Besides writing mystery novels, he also wrote about his adventures in renovating and resurrecting a home in the suburbs of London just after WWII. First published as a collection of magazine columns, he would later on assemble them into a trilogy of books.

The first of the trilogy, Merry Hall details his search, at times frustrating, for the perfect house and garden. Very soon he became aware of what land agents (realtors for us Yanks) really meant in their ads, and he started to see his hopes plummet as his hopes were continually dashed. But one listing caught his eye, and with a good friend, he took the journey out of London to look the place over.

The estate, spreading over five acres are a compendium of every gardening mistake. Ghastly ornaments litter the grounds -- the previous owner was very fond of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). And the house, a lovely Georgian mansion, isn't much better. While it hasn't fallen down yet, there are 'additions' that are ugly and inappropriate, and decorating choices of colours that can be best left to the imagination. Not to mention the holly hedges, a stagnant stinking pond of unimaginable depths, and dire warnings from his friend that Nichols is about to step into a money pit that will sap his life and savings.

Undeterred by such gloomy words, Nichols falls head over heels in love with his find, especially when he discovers the kitchen garden. Not only is it beautifully kept, but along one wall is a collection of exquisite lilies. Soon, he discovers why there is such order in the midst of such chaos. For along with the house and land comes Oldfield, an ancient gardener of superb talents. Smitten, Nichols signs for the house on the spot, and soon starts on that most dreaded adventure that most home owners endure -- renovations.

With his 'valet,' Gaskin, and two cats, 'One' and 'Four' Nichols moves into Merry Hall, and starts the work with a great deal of gusto, and soon finds out that in his own little Eden, there's a few problems. For one, there are the neighbors, Miss Emily and Our Rose, forever scheming to get something out his prized gardens. And Oldfield, is quite another problem altogether. There are towering elm trees and their suckers, the dratted holly hedge (the solution to that one is not one that I would recommend!), and the question of what would you do if you could dream -- and dream big?

I loved reading this book. I found myself entranced with Nichols writing about everyday life, the perils and delights of gardening, and living with cats. At times I was helplessly laughing at Nichols' searing wit and lofty views on post-War taste in Britain. He, quite frankly, doesn't give a hoot as to what people will think of him (save Oldfield, for very sensible reasons).

Where this story shines, however, is not just in the language and Nichols' skills at writing. It's in his loving, vivid descriptions of flowers and plants, and I found my mouth watering, and desperate looks out at my own wilderness, wondering Could I do it too? The antics of his cats had me in nodding agreement, and plucking at my partner's sleeve and crying out, Listen to this --!

Along with Nichols' wonderful prose, there are illustrations by William McLaren in black and white, along with several photographs of Beverley Nichols (including one with 'Four' in his arms). For this new edition, there is also a forward by Ann Lovejoy and an index of all of the plants by Roy C. Dicks. The book itself is a facsimile of the original edition published by Jonathan Cape in 1951. This new edition, only available in hardbound, is published by Timber Press books, and they can be reached at [...] for more reprints of Beverley Nichols books.

In short, this is a book to delight any gardener, bibliophile or cat lover's soul. It's funny, at times sorrowful (I cried over 'Two' and 'Three's stories), and came away with a wistful hope that one day too, I would have a wee garden of my own. If you can't purchase this, do try to get your hands on this one at your local library. It is simply too good to miss.

Five stars overall, recommended.

Just as Trollope passed the literary torch to Angela Thirkell, so did E. F. Benson pass his to this good fellow! Mr. Nichols' trilogy about Merry Hall is so entertaining, even though at times he comes across as a bit "twee". As you get to know him and his neighbors through the books, you come to realize that yes, some things are more important in your own blinkered surroundings than in the big wide world. I would recommend these books to anyone who loves gardening (on a grand scale), gossip, and the minutiae of life.

The first volume of a trilogy about the author's time at Merry Hall, this book is more humorous garden writing than strict autobiography. We know (primarily from the dust jacket) that Beverley Nichols was a widely-travelled journalist and prolific author, but aside from the occasional mention that he needs to keep working (hard) to pay the (very high) bills, Nichols doesn't mention his life outside of Merry Hall or, more specifically, its garden.

The book begins after WWII, when Mr. Nichols returns from "a job" in India to a ravaged London and develops an overwhelming urge to move to the country and get back to nature in the form of a hopefully large and preferably derelict garden that he can "rescue". After a daunting (and amusingly described) search he miraculously finds what he considers to be a dream property - a Georgian manor house on 5 acres of truly hideous landscaping.

With wry wit Nichols tells the story of acquiring the property against the better judgement of friends, and of what is involved in making a run-down manor house habitable, and in dismantling, re-ordering and re-planting 5 acres of gardens. Along the way we meet Oldfield, the very talented but taciturn and somewhat difficult gardener; Gaskin, the long-standing and nearly superhuman manservant; Miss Emily and Our Rose, nosy and perpetually disapproving neighbors; and the beloved cats One and Four.

Although avid gardeners will no doubt love this book as they mentally compare notes with the author, one need not have ever dirtied one's hands with compost to enjoy reading it. The narrative meanders like a leisurely stroll in the garden, and Mr. Nichols' faith in the therapeutic powers of gardening is reminiscent of that in The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett). The author's fond and poetic descriptions of the various aspects of his garden, intermingled with his sharp social observations and dry British humor make this a thoroughly enjoyable read. I have already ordered the other two books in the trilogy.

An additional note: this is a facsimile of the original 1951 edition; it contains lovely line drawings throughout, and is printed on the nicest paper I have encountered in a long time.

I love how this is personalized for MOM'S! It has stickers and grocery lists and had a Mom tab and a family tab for things to do! It helps keep your things yours. LOVE IT.

I used to jot notes and appointments down on a calendar. This book is much better. I can keep track of who has an event, apointment or birthday. I close the book and everything remains private, in case I want to surprise someone.

enough space for writing. Two columns - one for my stuff and one for everyone else's - good for keeping my head on straight. The lists in the back are nice, but not really big enough - I am not sure how they could be made bigger, when I have more, I just use two! The stickers are fun, I like to use them to give me a smile. Lots of places to write telephone numbers and kid information. Overall, a great calendar.

I LOVE the format--Mom's schedule in one column, the family's in another! Plus the perforated grocery lists in the back are great! I only wish they were bigger ( I buy a LOT more than 20 items, so I end up using more than one list)! There are lost of useful "extras" (telephone lists, etc), and the stickers are really cute!
My only criticism is that it is bound in paper. I take it everywhere I go and I'm afraid it might not hold up. A "hardback" would be so great!

This is a real find. I love the pockets on the front and back covers. (very handy for stray $100 bills.) I love the detachable grocery/to do lists in the back. I love that I can put my things in one box and family things in another box for each day. It reminds me that I do exist outside of my family functions (chauffeur, cook, bum-wiper, etc.). The artwork is super cute and as a bonus, the cartoon page gives me space to doodle or write notes to myself. My kids love the stickers but I am guarding them fiercely. ANyway, I love this calendar. NOw I just have to find her Mombag - I saw a friend who had it, and now I want one.

Most people like me are disorganized because there is too much information!!! This handy SIMPLE book gave me tips in a SIMPLE format, which is what I needed to get myself organized. I refer to the book from time to time, reinforcing the organizational tools needed to simply my life.

This book has 500 tips for getting your life in order and most of them take a lot longer than one minute. I'll let you do the math on that. But each of the tips is pretty quick to read about, and that's mostly what I do. I keep this book on my bedside table so that when I need something light to wind me down, I can pick it up, read a tip or two, like " . . . create standard packing checklists for volunteer meetings, children's overnights, or family camping trips," and think to myself, who lives this way? If I did all the things this books suggests, my family would have me at the psychiatrist's office getting me diagnosed. So I don't really do any of it. I just find crazy books like this highly entertaining. I think you will, too.
Lucy Adams, author of If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny

I liked this book. The author gives a plethora of tips on how to get organized in any part of the house. It is nice that she focuses on many different areas such as clutter control, paper management, family tips, and work tips. My only complaint about this book is that while it is an organization book, it didn't seem very organized and jumped around a bit.

I am a professional organizer in Honolulu, HI [...], and there are certainly tips in here that are effective and useful, and that I would use in my business.

If you are like me (and you just might be if you are reading reviews about this book) you have a tendency toward clutter, but have never given up the fight. If that sounds like you, I urge you to get this book. Each page has one or two bullet points in large print - advice and tips on how to get organized.

One of the best sections in the book for me was on paper clutter. I seem to drown in papers. Until I read this book, I had struggled for years with how to organize my files. In just a few bullet points of advice, I was able to understand for the first time how to file. I am still in the process of switching over the headings of my files, but what I have done so far makes paperwork a breeze. Taxes this year were a cinch because of how I had my tax paperwork filed.

Based on this book by Donna Smallin, I look forward to reading her other books.

This is a very useful little book filled with tips on keeping yourself organized. I found many great ideas in the book and it covered just what I was looking for.

The book is organized into two parts:

Getting organized (getting started, clearing clutter, paper stuff, spaces & things)
Staying organized (everyday strategies, clutter control, home management, schedules & to-do's)

I found so many of the tips useful (perhaps more useful tips than other similar books). Putting small items in zippered bags in your purse helps to cut down on clutter and makes finding things much faster. (I did this with my makeup and now finding my lipstick is a snap and I don't have to worry about the lid coming off in my purse!). Stapling product receipts to the manual is also a great idea. The author warns about keeping your will in a safe-deposit box because it will be sealed at your death - an important piece of information!

I also really like the format of this book. You can read it from front to back or just open to any page and start, which makes it easy to read in small bytes before going to bed or for a minute or two while your coffee is brewing in the morning. The typeface on the pages sorts the information visually: lists are easy to read, important words are bolded or printed in a different typeset. This probably sounds unimportant, but it helps you to read the book very fast and get lots of ideas in a short amount of time. The author also includes little sentences to encourage you in your organizing (like: "Remember nothing worth doing is easy").

This book is full of ideas you can really use and is so easy to read. A great reference for anyone and would also make a nice gift!

I bought this book for my 5-yr.-old son and it was a huge hit. He will look at it for a couple of days and then it's back on the shelf, but it regularly is pulled off again. He loves the little Pokemon-like characters and is getting tonnes of info (as am I) about the elements of the periodic table at the same time. He also makes it a point to tell everyone that there is chromium in our spoons which always catches them off guard :)

This book has almost singlehandedly convinced my 6 year old he wants to be a chemist. He has read it repeatedly, memorized the chemical abbreviations and periodic numbers, learned about protons, neutrons, electrons, etc, and his favorite question to ask a new friend is now "What is your favorite element?" OK, not all kids will geek out this much, but the fun pictures and engaging text may just convince some other children to spend thier braincells on chemistry instead of Pokemon. Highly recommended!

I bought this book for my eight year old daughter. My nine year old son hangs over her shoulder to read along. They will read two or three pages a day every day for a while, then, ignore it for a week or so. I'll think they've lost interest in it, but, nope, it will come out again after a rest. I think there is a chance that, unlike their mother, they will someday pass high school chemistry.

My son, age 6, received this book almost 5 months age. The binding is just about to go - he takes it everywhere and is the only book he willingly reads to himself. Detailed descriptions of the elements are definantly included in the book but unlike my own experience with the elements the author makes it fun. The uses of each element are described so the elements become relevant to even a six year. The included poster is informative and cute enough that he wants to keep it on his wall. The only problem now is to find another chemistry book written so a six year old can understand it.

This book describes over 100 elements of the periodic table from a first-person point of view, making the elements seem like they are people. Each element has a two-page spread, with one page containing information about the element and the other page showing a cartoon picture of the element. The information listed includes the element's symbol, atomic number, color, and date of discovery. Each element then describes its characteristics through a first-person narrative. A glossary and index are available at the end, and a poster of the periodic table with the cartoon pictures is included.

This book is so cute and clever! It makes a topic which can be boring to students into something fun. Having the information written in first person helps to draw the reader into the book because it is more like a story. It includes some information on how the elements are grouped together, but mostly concentrates on describing the individual elements. The poster is an added bonus. My students loved this book! If you teach chemistry, this should definitely be part of your collection.