Directories Books

Ani Hurwitz, NYC PR pro and another grammar brat, recommended this book with glee in her voice. Professional writers enjoy having a few of these things around, for instant rulings on commonly encountered knots such as "which vs. that." Bryan Garner's American usage rule book is an uncommon delight. It does its basic job with panache, but there's so much added linguistic pleasure between these covers. When you find yourself (as I did) reading random entries for their wit, precision, and style, you have a winner. A distinguished, modern addition to your "how should I properly put this?" reference shelf. Excellent casual reading material for the guest bathroom, too.

If you're ever afraid that you've mistaken "it's" and "its," or if the sight of everyone reading "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" makes you terrified to write a note, you'll want a copy of this book on your desk. Although a good usage manual depends on the reader having some sense of style (enough to look up uncertain techniques or phrases), too many treat you either like a child or an English teacher, scolding you or explaining their advice in impenetrable jargon. (Many such books don't seem to have taken their own advice about simplicity and clarity.) "The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage" is the exception, a book about language that's well-written and inviting, one that doesn't make you feel like you're back in your grandmother's parlor having every sentence corrected. As one of the other reviewers notes, the range of sources and examples is phenomenal--one way you can double-check your phrasing is to see if you'd want to sound like the writers in Garner's citations. But I'm even more impressed with the simple organization and headings. I sometimes have trouble finding advice in a writer's reference because I can't recall the technical term for what I'm trying to do, but entries in Garner's book are easy to find and richly cross-referenced. Most important, Garner's ear for English is impeccable, and you'll want it listening (as it were) over your shoulder. He acknowledges long-held rules but--where applicable--demonstrates their obsolescence; he also recognizes new usages and gives fair warning of the connotations you risk if you use them before they've become standard.

Concise, clear, well-developed, and engrossing entries show Bryan A. Garner employs the annotations he presents in The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style. Not only is this abridged version of Garner's Modern American Usage fun and interesting to read (and shorter than the original, obviously), it covers the fundamental (all 360 pages worth) details of American English that anyone truly serious about the language should pay attention to.

Garner writes in the preface, "Although there are good, clarifying forces at work on the language, there are also bad, obscuring forces. And these bad forces tend to work most perniciously on people who are heedless of their language. It's hard to know such a thing, but this segment of society may well be on the rise.
"This book could never reach those people."

This dictionary makes one aware of those bad, obscuring forces and their effects. But it also effectively explains those misconceptions, misused forms, mispronunciations, needless variants, useless words, and, in many cases, how the "mistakes" evolved. Garner also gives longer essay entries confronting usage and style questions based on topic rather than word.

The over 2,000 quotations from publications (usually newspapers and books), serving as both good and bad examples, paint the objects of Garner's entries into a vibrant mural embodying effective American English. This visualization, combined with Garner's strewn-about humor, takes dry topics and makes them flow more easily for the average reader.

I find myself constantly going back and looking up things in this dictionary, because while few are going to remember everything in it, there's at least the chance of remembering there is a question on the word or subject. If you want answers, keeping The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style handy will likely help you find what you're looking for. (And yes, "Perfectly natural-sounding sentences end with prepositions, particularly when a verb with a preposition-particle appears at the end.")

I have found this not only to be very useful, but also it is ver readable. This book consists of enteries of common style, grammar, and word choice mistakes. It's ver easy to find what you are looking for because the enteries are in alphabetical order.

The enteries are quite fascinating to read. For example, is "data" plural or singular? What's the difference between "flaunt" and "flout"? Can you end a sentence with a preposition? Is the plural for octopus "octopi" or "octopuses?" The list goes on and on. This book is not dry at all. If you have any interest in language and writing, this is a necessity to have.

Fowler's guide is too British. Merriam-Webster's guide is much too descriptive and seeks the low ground too often. Garner strikes just the right balance between descriptive (what most people actually say in common practice) and prescriptive (what good usage should be). The result is that his guidance is high toned without being stuffy. He also gives excellent counsel on proper pronunciation of words that confuse many. This is also fun to read!

In moderating 2 of the larger listservs on publishing, I deal with many writers who are deciding who to approach publication. Many would be best served by a traditional publisher, but can't interest agents and editors. This is the book I recommend to them. It covers everything so well, and makes the what, how and why so clear, that there is seldom any need for more.

This entire series (the other titles include Publish a Book in 30 Days, and Bestseller in 30 Days) is quickly becoming a standard reference because so many people agree with me. Each book organizes the necessary tasks into 30 approachable bundles, with clear, concise instructions and explanations. There are no important details missed, and nothing extraneous to distract you. Ms. Reiss is not only knowledgeable, but also inspiring as a writer and as a speaker.

If you are, or know, an aspiring author, this book is a must-have.

I bought this book to help me take my book from an idea to a bookstore. Its 30 day format is great. It gave me an outline for how to find an agent and all the background to understand what an agent does and what motivates them. It was a great help to me.

If there were a rating higher than 5 stars Reiss would be a candidate. Her two books, this one and "Bestseller in 30 Days" together make up one book that guides the self publisher through all the steps and in order. Reiss provides a sequencing of necessary actions that is unique in the genre. No one writing on the subject, and this reviewer has read many of them, has put together the needed information so crisply and lucidly without excess padding.

Productivity experts know that the best way to accomplish a daunting task is to break it down into smaller pieces. Fern Reiss does this superbly in this book, taking the reader step by step through the task of figuring out how to present one's book to the literary world and successfully approach an agent. Since 1988, I have taught 150+ seminars on getting a book published and have published 11 myself, so that I can authoritatively state that Fern Reiss answers the top questions people have about this process and does so realistically and helpfully. Surprisingly (because of the 30-day format), the book is a good read, also. Highly recommended!

This is one of three books titled "The Publishing Game". Each of the books sets itself apart from the others by the subtitles "Finding an Agent in 30 Days", "Publish a Book in 30 Days", and "Bestseller in 30 Days". Taken together they are a comprehensive set of instructional resources for everything you might want to know to get your book published and marketed.

The areas covered in "Find an Agent in 30 Days" include why you might or might not want to use an agent, creating a title for your book, writing a pitch letter, finding a hook, wooing an agent, submitting a book proposal (and everything that should and should not be in that proposal), how to approach an agent, and agency agreements. What sets this book apart from similar ones is the tremendous amount of detailed, step-by-step information. This is a veritable cookbook of how to get an agent. As a result, you can feel confident that if you follow the directions you will get the same results every time.

Not only do you get extensive guidance on acquiring an agent but also several highly valuable appendices. For example, Appendix A includes additional books for additional study in specific areas of interest. Appendix B is an extensive list of reputable agents. Appendices C and D are detailed examples of a pitch letter and a proposal letter.

I have reviewed several books on publishing and this is one of the best on the subject of getting your book represented by an agent. "The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days" is a highly recommended resource for anyone looking to sell their book through an agent.

I put this book to use very quickly, saved money and saw more places. Orwoll is a skillful guide, clever and knowledgeable.

This book is the best! It answered so many of my questions that I had about traveling. This is such a great resource for traveling. It also give tons of useful websites.

The book "Sams Teach Yorself e-Travel Today" was a great way for me to search the web for travel tips. I was able to take what the author has suggested and use it to plan a great vacation. I was a novice about online travel until I read this guide book. I suggest anyone be they novice or seasoned web user to read this before they use the web for Travel tips.

This book is the most useful, well-written, easy-to-read book of its type I have ever read. And as the former editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine, I can speak here with a degree of authority. The book is chock full of useful, practical tips on how to get valuable travel planning information via the internet and save money at the same time. A first-rate writer, Mr. Orwoll takes the reader by the hand and navigates through the maze of internet travel information in a way that makes the whole business of electronic travel planning clear and accessible. Not only that, it's also just plain fun to read. This book deserves to make it to the best-seller list. --Richard Busch

The real world is getting smaller but the Internet, we all know, is growing more complex and difficult to navigate. A few years ago we were reading books the size of telephone directories which contained URLs (the addresses of web pages) for the entire Web. Lately a new breed of books has sprouted, which cover one and only one subject in great depth. The difficult part about writing (and reading) many of these books is that the author needs to be a specialist in two fields: not only his own area of expertise, but also his subject in relation to the variegated resources on the Net. Fortunately, Mark Orwoll is a skilled guide in both these realms, and his new book, e-TRAVEL, is as useful and convenient as a credit card. Sams Teach Yourself Today e-Travel: Planning Vacations, Finding Bargains, And Booking Reservations Online is divided into five parts. The first, "Getting Started in e-Travel" is a guided tour of various resources about the Internet, including a savvy section on the essential theme: "Evaluating a Web Site's Accuracy and Validity." Part II, "Planning a Vacation on the Internet", includes a nifty quiz: "What's Your e-Travel type?" Part III explains how to be your own travel agent, and how to use the Internet to find the lowest rates and fares. Part IV discusses your laptop computer, passports, visas, customs, digital photography, organizing your money, and keeping yourself safe. Lastly, you'll find a collection of practical travel-minded websites. Keep in mind, regarding everything related to the Web, that things change quickly. Recently a number of major airlines announced that they would create a super-website for travelers. I couldn't find this site mentioned in the book, but readers who are interested in news like this can keep updated at Orwoll's daily travel advice column. There's an enormous amount of essential information throughout this entertaining guide. Orwoll, the managing editor for "Travel and Leisure Magazine", has been there, done that, and shared the best of his inside tips. And it's all served up in a witty style: Orwoll is as pleasant a traveling companion as you'll encounter anywhere. Sams Teach Yourself Today e-Travel is almost certain to save us time and money, teach us how to explore the world from our computer keyboards, and improve the overall quality and enjoyment of our trips. Paperback, 302 pages,

Michael Pastore, Reviewer

Since i received this book i have used it many times over and it has saved me mega hours trying to surf the web for info!

It's all here in this great book! It's all in this book, from the Majors to the very obscure! Get the websites and emails without staring hours at your computer screen!

I also purchased the companion book, The International sports Directory and was amazed what is covered in the world of sports.

Both of these books are well worth the price! my congrats and thank you's to the author for coming out with two such great books!!! THANK YOU!!!

This is a FANTASTIC book! It has saved me 100's of hours surfing the web to try to locate information, when it's all there at your fingertips in minutes!!! Before surfing, get this book! Then go to the internet. The content of this book alone is simply amazing! Everything from International sports & the Olympics to the major leagues, minor leagues, real obscure semi-pro and amateur leagues, college info, interscholastic info! so much more info than I can mention here! Well worth every penny of the price! I also got their companion book, The International Sports Directory. Both books deserve an A+++ rating!

This is an amazing book! I'm sure much of the information is available on the internet, but this book saved me 100's of hours that I would have done in my research on surfing the web. I found the information I needed right at my fingertips in minutes, then went to the internet. The time this book saved me is well worth the price!!! Loads of information on everything from major league sports to the minor leagues, obscure semipro & amateur leagues, college information, etc. (much more information in the book than I can mention here) The book goes on and on with great info! I also got their companion book, The International Sports Directory! Both of these books deserve an A+++ Rating!!!

Anyone in the business of providing goods or services to sports organizations will find this book to be a money maker. By using such an incredibly comprehensive list, marketers can be sure to reach the widest possible number of prospects.

The Sports address Bible is a fantastic book! A super reference and resource book! It has saved me an enormous amount of time that I used to spend on the web searching for websites and information. With this book, I do my research quick and easy then hit the web! This is a sports reference book that everone should have! Hats off to the author! Well Done!

Yeah, this was a good book. Very complete. Kinda fun too. Especially for a guidebook

When I graduated from college, I had NO experience and NO job. And then I found the Internship Bible. What an amazing resource! After applying and being accepted to two internships in my field, I now have a job I love...and all thanks to the Internship Informants, Oldman and Hamadeh. If they were here right now, I'd kiss them! Thanks guys..

I purchased Internship Bible for my son last year and he found it very helpful. It's the only complete internship guide out there. He got 6 internship offers.

A hot book! Really useful! Helped me get internships at Microsoft and Late Show with David Letterman

I'm a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal -- and I used this book to land an internship at WSJ -- which subsequently led to my permanent position at WSJ Interactive. The book was quite helpful, well organized, and a fun read, too. It's the standard bearer for its field.

This book sets out resources, ideas, and materials which could prove to be useful in identifying Civil War-era ancestors. It helped me quite a bit, although I was lucky enough to find other resources not identified in this book. Without this book the job would have been, at the very least, far more time-consuming and difficult.

A little thin, but most of what you'll need is here.

My father purchased a Civil War era pistol engraved with the name of the owner and his regiment. He turned to me and my years of genealogical research experience to help him find information on the gun's owner. I was at a loss because I had avoided the maze of military research, not knowing the how's and where's. Well, not any more! Bertram Groene's "Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor" answered years of questions I've had in a clear, concise and very readable book. Not only do I now know where to find information for my father, but I can delve into the military background of my Civil War ancestors and my Revolutionary War ancestors. Anyone who served in innumerable wars can be found using Groene's book. A must have for your library because you're bound to have a vet.

Packed full of information if your serious about your Civil War Ancestors this is the book to get. I found it very helpful on how to obtain information on my ancestors, most of them confederates!!! I would reccomend this book very highly.

There are thousands of volumes of information about the U.S. Civil War. There are even entire libraries specializing on the subject. So where do you begin?

Groene provides an excellent launching point by describing the most significant U.S. Civil War references, and he suggests not only where to search but how.

He goes into considerable detail on how to use the 128-volume Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion (OR) reference, and it 31-volume naval counterpart (ORN). He also suggests resources for regimental histories that will help you trace the histories of higher-ranking officers and get information covering everything from the regiment's mustering to the disbanding of its survivors.

There's a large section in the book devoted to identifying U.S. Civil War equipment and researching the backgrounds of its owners. Groene shares his own research experiences regarding how a name on a sword or pistol has often lead to the discovery of an interesting chain of events.

This book is ideal whether you are a genealogist, a U.S. Civil War historian or a weapons collector.

This book will be invaluable to any genealogist, even the very experienced. Groene tells you where to begin, where to write, where to go, and what to look for. Includes instructions to identify and verify Civil War-era weapons and accoutrements for interested collectors.

A WONDERFULLY fun book -- to read, to refer to, to give as a gift to alll your girlfriends! Endless information, up-to-date resources, very knowledgeable and savvy and the only book you need about vintage on the net. I hope it gets a new edition every other year or -- knowing the net -- EVERY year; I'll keep every edition, because none will ever be obsolete. These authors know their audience, know their subject, know their territory. A book you'll read again and again and never, ever, finish. :->

Virtual Vintage stands out from most other books on the vintage-resale-thrifting topic -- even though it is geared to the online market. First, the writing is both excellent and entertaining; I found the book hard to put down.

Additionally, the authors also offer some good tips -- laced throughout the text -- on HOW TO WEAR some of this old stuff. As much as I love vintage fashion, and have collected it for several years, I am often at a loss as to how to WEAR some of the pieces, or how to incorporate my vintage "finds" into my real-life wardrobe. So far, few books actually address this issue, and tend to focus instead on buying, selling or simply "collecting" vintage fashion.

This book is thorough and carefully put together -- like a great outfit. I hope the authors write more on this topic, and maybe put together a how-to guide to vintage fashion.

Kudos!

Usually I don't "read" antique guide books, but a couple of pages into this one and I was hooked. In Virtual Vintage you'll find common sense tips on buying and selling vintage on-line, the A to Z of navigating eBay (I learned several new tricks) and lots of design and fashion tips. The book presents useful info including international size conversion charts, how to remove stains from clothing and must-see Hollywood films for clothes lovers. It was so well done I wanted to learn more about Virtual Vintage's two women authors and how they came to write this surprisingly literary guide book.

Virtual Vintage has a section that rates many of the dot com vintage sites for content, ease of use and return policies. Virtual Vintage is considerably more user friendly than most other antique/collectible guide books that I've seen... I am also fond of the book because it gave my vintage site a great review! I will certainly recommend this book to my web customers.

Usually I don't "read" antique guide books, but a couple of pages into this one and I was hooked. In Virtual Vintage you'll find common sense tips on buying and selling vintage on-line, the A to Z of navigating eBay (I learned several new tricks) and lots of design and fashion tips. The book presents useful info including international size conversion charts, how to remove stains from clothing and must-see Hollywood films for clothes lovers. It was so well done I wanted to learn more about Virtual Vintage's two women authors and how they came to write this surprisingly literary guide book.

Virtual Vintage has a section that rates many of the dot com vintage sites for content, ease of use and return policies. Virtual Vintage is considerably more user friendly than most other antique/collectible guide books that I've seen... I am also fond of the book because it gave my vintage site a great review! I will certainly recommend this book to my web customers.

Virtual Vintage covers the world of online vintage fashion. If you are new to buying and selling vintage fashion online, its a great place to start. If you are not new, it still had plenty of tips that I didn't think about before.

The book is much more than online vintage fashions. It also goes into detail about what to look for from different designers, periods, etc. It has chapters on how to repair and care for your vintage fashions. The back of the book includes a directory (with summary) of online retailers to check out.

I found this book easy and enjoyable to read cover to cover rather than just as a reference. The authors write in an informative yet enertaining way.

The only negative thing I would have to say is; when will there be an updated version??? Some of the online sites and eBay information is dated, as is to be expected in a virtual world.

What a wonderful guide. We travel extensively, always with the Interstate Exit Authority as our companion on road trips. However, our current edition is 1998. We anxiously await the 1999/2000 edition to be available. Anyone have a clue when that might be?

I travel from Michigan to Florida with my family every summer. This year we bought a copy of the Exit Authority and let me tell you what -- it is GREAT! We used it every time we wanted to stop somewhere. We even let the kids get in on the act and they loved it too. I recommend it!

We use the interstate often to travel and what a delight it is to know what is available at any interstate in the country. The organization is easy to use. I loved it.

Everyone should have this book. They will know what is at the exit and if the rig they have will fit at the gas station, shopping etc. Rest areas and dumps are a must and the Exit Authority has done a fabulous job of them. They have saved us many times over. Now I need a authority on the other highways that are not interstate. Where can I find that? This Exit Authority is a must for everyone whether they have an RV or just touring in an automobile. Great work.

You'll never wonder what's ahead at the next exit with this handy guide to businesses located at interstate exits. Whether you're looking for a restaurant, gas station, hotel or shopping mall - you can find it in here - LISTED BY BUSINESS NAME! I use this every time I travel just to plan where I stop for dinner or to see what's nearby.

The greatest amount of info in one easy place. It is catagorically written for just the answeres you need.

Excellent resource for any songwriter, performing or not. Contains useful advice on how to prepare demos, copyright, etc, plus a comprehensive list of agents, music publishers, record companies and other useful contacts.

Two virtues make me go 'gaga' over that book:
-The tons of useful information that one needs in the music industry, especially for aspiring lyricists like me
- That it's published annually.
I rest my case.

Now in a substantially revised and completed updated thirty-first edition, the Writer's Digest Press edition of the "2008 Songwriter's Market: Where & How To Market Your Songs" continues to be the premier resource for aspiring and practicing songwriters and musicians to have their music recorded and published. This compilation of information and instruction is enhanced with hundreds of listings for music publishers, record companies, record and music producers, booking agents, interviews with successful professional in the industry, and so much more. Cover market place resources for all genres of music from hip-hop to rock, from classical to country, from pop to kids, the "2008 Songwriter's Market" will prove to be an invaluable, information packed, and thoroughly 'user friendly' resource. Enhanced with listings for songwriter support organizations, conferences, thematically appropriate websites and online communities, "2008 Songwriter's Market" should be considered an essential, core addition to personal, professional, music school, and community library reference collections.

I finally discovered my talent (we all have at least one buried inside): writer. Yeah, right! Me too at first I thought the same. Where do I start, what do I write? Well, just write and let it come to you. That's how it worked for me. I came up with a music concept album years ago (I was not even trying, it just came to me in front of a Starbucks), and for the past months my inspiration has exploded. Suddenly I felt that I could actually do something about my writing. But I did not know what I could do with the songs. A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Writer's Digest Writers Market series. He was well inspired. Soon I discovered that every writing form and creative field has its own "market" reference book. I found this Songwriter's Market online and did not hesitate. I am glad I bought it. It is the best way to quickly enter the world of music business and songwriting. The book has many excellent articles, reference materials, and lists of publishers, producers, agents, and music labels, arranged by genre, geographic area and style of music. It's going to be a long journey, but an exciting one. It has transformed my life. I treasure this book as a source of possibilities. That's the word. Wherever you are in life, look for possibilities, not just opportunities. It will take you farther. Rock on!

300 Incredible Things to Learn on the Internet quenched my thirst for learning and left me wanting more! I want to know when 300 MORE Incredible Things to Learn on the Internet will be available. This book is a valuable resource for all ages. Parents, teachers, students and just about anyone will enjoy these interesting and incredible sites. Whether you need help on a tricky homework question or can't remember the capital of North Dakota, 300 Incredible Things to Learn on the Internet will help! There are sites on every topic imaginable! I never knew surfing the Net could be so fun! Hats off to these INCREDIBLE authors!

The authors falsely advertise this book when they say 300 INCREDIBLE THINGS TO LEARN ON THE INTERNET. Instead, they provide 300 classifications with several URLs included in each classification. An estimate based on an unscientific sampling of the 300 classifications, the book provides gateways to over 1000 incredible things.

I tested a few in areas of personal interest like Astronomy and Election, and asked my family members to do likewise (their choices). The sites that each one of us entered we agreed were informative and in some cases very entertaining. We felt some of the URLs were too slow. However, generally, we all agreed this book is a great gift for the newcomer (are there any left?) and the youngster to use for fun and reference...

Harriet Klausner

This book is full of wonderful web sites for all ages and interests. As the teacher for adults and teens new to the internet, I found this book to be an invaluable resource. A variety of subjects, listed alphabetically make the format very easy to follow. I want to spend my afternoons...cruising the 'net using these "incredible" suggestions!

To be honest I wasn't really expecting much when I was given this book as a gift. Still the book proved my wrong, proposing 300 really interesting things to do online! I was amazed at such sites as fun-with-words.com or vazelos.com which really bring the internet experience to a new level. Highly recommended. You 'll keep coming back to it when you are bored surfing!

Your book blew me away from page one! This book is more entertaining than any other educational guide to Internet sites and the best thing about it is that it's fun. Every person of every age needs this book. The topics covered are so numerous, this book proves itself incredible for all!