Caldwell Books

Unlike Orwell's distant and dismissable prognostication "1984", Caldwell's "The Devil's Advocate" traces a straight line between American Freedom and American Fascism, showing each step in the journey, from ignoring Franklin's warnings about trading liberty for security to the deceptive seduction of liberal socialism. Read this book, and then give it to a friend to read also.

I read this book and loved it when I was about 13. I reread it recently and realized that one becomes a little more discerning in 20 years. It has the usual Taylor Caldwell flaws -- melodramatic, overwritten, with a peculiar take on human nature -- but is distinguished by a rock-stupid hero. The man is supposed to be in deep undercover, yet jumps at every misguided opportunity to make allies, assuming they are on his side with the most threadbare of evidence.

This seriously undermined the book -- more so than with other Caldwell books, which can be enjoyed for a certain over-the-top intensity and sheer goofiness. But usually her heroes are not quite so dim.

Although Caldwell's book was published in 1952, it tolls a warning bell loudly for us even today. So much of what she wrote of is coming to pass: America arming, then fighting, Her enemies; our freedoms slowly eroding, life becoming unbearable in a totally unrecognizeable world.

Too bad she got one small detail so very wrong: creeping fascism is in our world and in our America today, but it's not due to any misguided liberalism. I think Miss Caldwell, if she were alive today, would know our world, but would not believe who our leaders are and what they are doing to us.

In this work, author Taylor Caldwell has given us a frightening portrait of an America controlled by the far Left, with only a handful of dedicated Patriots working to restore the Republic. Recommended!

Excellent book, Almost like your reading todays headlines!!! Fast paced, can't put down.

This is a great paperback to take on vacation. It is quick paced, interesting, and not heavy.

There are times when I want a large deep book but there are other times when life is burdensome enough and I just want a little escape... this is a good choice for those times.

I just started reading Laura Caldwell. Just when I finish a book by her, and think the next one can't get any better, it does. This book is a definate 5 Star. I thought Rome Affair was good, but Look Closely, is even better. I highly recommend this one. A real page turner.

This was the first Laura Caldwell book I had ever read so I can't relate LOOK CLOSELY to the author's chick-lit reputation, but I can say that this book is non-stop suspense, the kind that you can't put down and the kind that keeps you guessing all the way to the stunning end. Protagonist Haily Sutter's courageous charm glitters on every page. She's a one-of-a-kind character that makes you wish she were your best friend, but you'd never wish to be in her dysfunctual family. There wasn't a mini-second of down time in this rivoting story of a brilliant lawyer juggling a high-power career while tracking down the fate of her mother.
I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates a good, intelligent mystery.

The deep suspicions harbored by Hailey Sutter towards her immediate family members on the mysterious death surrounding her mother is expertly crafted to keep the readers on edge for the major portion of the plot. Its intriguing to readers why on earth Hailey's father failed to communicate any knowledge of the whereabouts of Hailey's elder brother & sister after more than 20 years.

Just when you think it may sound too preposterous an idea that a close family member whom you live with fail to disclose their whereabouts and were not declared missing even on police records, the plot regains credibility when Hailey investigates for herself and finds the spouses of her missing brother & sister. It is through the spouses that Hailey gains a better insight into her long lost siblings. Hailey finds out through letters sent to her former family maid, Della, that her elder sister is mentally disturbed having been institutionalized at some point after high school.

Just when the plot was building nicely towards the resolution, the events that unfolded in the last chapter canceled out the suspense. What was so infuriating was the far fetched revealation of who did what to whom and the need to keep Hailey in the dark about the mystery of her immediate family members!!

On the whole, it is a readable suspense novel except for the ending.

I don't know if I'm hypercritical or what, but lately I have a hard time reading books where the author's lack of craft and subtlety interferes with the story. I bought this book because I really like two of Laura Caldwell's other books, and this one got high ratings from reviewers. I thought I was in for another fun read, and I was certainly not distracted by her technique in other books. It's almost like it was written by someone else entirely.

The premise of the story, that Hailey Sutter is looking into her mother's death based on a note she receives, is an intriguing one. But the author has to repeat again and again how isolated Hailey is, and after a while I found the whole "recovered memories" thing to be a bit ridiculous. Maybe I don't understand enough about the psychology of this process, but I just found it a little silly. For example, as she's having a conversation, or taking a tour through her old house, she suddenly pauses, Christopher Walken style, and has a flashback of a memory she's never known about before. I mean, does this happen to real people? I just didn't buy it after the fourth or fifth time it happened. Without ruining the ending, I have to say that it made me roll my eyes in the same vein.

I'll keep trying Laura Caldwell's books because I liked her other ones, but skip this one if you have a low tolerance level for authors who tell instead of show.

"The Pig Did It" is a wonderful farce, set in Ireland. Aaron goes to Ireland to mourn a lost love, and gets caught up in a situation with his aunt--and a body found in her yard, and of course--the pig. Romance enters the picture--naturally! May be the funniest romantic story about--and would make a sparkling romantic comedy. It is laugh out loud funny, and so cleverly written. Can't wait for the other two books in the series.

If you like the comedic dialogue, mystery and surprise of "Arsenic and Old Lace" and exotic settings of Dame Agatha, you'll book a front row-seat for this one. Joseph Caldwell sets his vulnerable American protagonist on the rugged Irish coast and draws us into his tale with skill and charm. The mist and mysticism of coastal Ireland seep into Caldwell's instinctive description and fine ear for colloquial repartee. Here are memorable characters that flash with panache from a squealing snooping pig and lovelorn hero Aaron to his novelist Aunt who writes happy endings onto tragic classic novels. Trawling through Aunt Kitty's lively and deadly suitors that ebb and flow through a school of red herring, we catch the depth of Caldwell's wisdom -- love is a mystery that makes unsuspecting victims of us all. As for the next book of the Trilogy, I'm hooked.

The Pig Did It by Joseph Caldwell describes Aaron McCloud's botched attempt at mourning a woman who failed to live up to his romantic expectations. He journeys to Ireland to stay with his aunt, a woman who writes her "versions" of classic novels. He plans to spend his days walking the beach, dwelling over his female student who refused to love him (please note that he didn't love her, he just wanted her to love him). Upon arriving, Aaron's plans are immediately derailed after a rebellious pig sets his sights on tormenting him. The pig ends up unearthing a dead body on his aunt's property, which sets up the plot for the rest of the novel. There's plenty of Irish charm, including religious conflict, family pride and stubbornness. Caldwell leaves you with the message of not dwelling on things don't matter and that you are responsible for your destiny.

The novel is funny, interesting and light. My biggest critique is that it failed to live up to its potential; I feel that the characters and the relationships between them could have been paid a lot more attention. The book isn't even 200 pages; there was definitely room to develop personalities and events. Supposedly this is the first of a trilogy, so maybe we'll get more information in the forthcoming books.

I was really disappointed in this story. It was a little funny at times, but overall I felt the author did not write a very good story. I would not reccomend it to my friends.

Read out loud the first few sentences of this book and you'll hear perfect writing - crisp, almost like poetry. In fact, if you heard the Poet Laureate, Seamus Heaney reading his translation of Beowulf, his voice will echo (and not just because he's Irish).

The story is very inventive and very original, which is saying a lot these days, and quite good. I could've enjoyed another few chapters, but the ending came about rather suddenly, and so that why I only gave it 4 stars. If I could, I would've scored it 4.5.

I look forward to Caldwell's next book in this trilogy.

This book did something surprising to me---it made me feel very old! I am not really VERY old yet, although my teenager might think so, but I guess I am old enough so the Chick Lit style of writing doesn't really appeal to me. Most of the essays here are written in that style---they are very centered on the feelings and experiences of the writer, and most of the writers seem convinced that their own thoughts and feelings and childhood family are quite fascinating. Almost every essay follows the same path---telling about a childhood experience and then telling how they read a Judy Blume book and it made them realize they weren't alone in what they were feeling.

My friends and I read plenty of Judy Blume growing up too, and I admire her as a writer. However, we didn't really read her because she mirrored our own lives. Her characters live in a pretty small world, really---suburban,fairly well-to-do families. It's the world she herself knows, and she writes about it very, very well. It didn't really interact much with the world we lived in, in rural Maine, mostly in families that struggled with money. Although of course some issues of childhood are universal, I think the book would have been more powerful if we heard from some authors who lived a life UNLIKE those of the characters in Blume's books. Maybe that is what I find I don't like about chick lit type books also. Although they probably don't think so, the writers and the characters usually share membership in a pretty exclusive club---suburban or urban professionals or the children of such!

I don't meant to knock this book. I think if I had lived that life or if I lived it now, and if a Judy Blume book had been a real guide to life for me, I would love reading about others like myself. And if you did, you probably will enjoy this book a great deal.

When I felt that wave of nostalgia that hit me when I spotted Judy Blume's name scripted in girly letters in on the front cover, I knew this book was a must read. And, reading the essays written by the 20-to-40-something female authors in this book, I remembered just how much Judy Blume's own books were must reads for navigating the perpetual perplexities of puberty.

More than just a trip down memory lane, these essays depict how Judy's fictional stories comforted so many of us during the real-life struggles of adolescence. A common thread in these essays is that reading Judy's books as teens allowed the authors to feel less alone in their overwhelming confusion surrounding their changing bodies, friendships, family dynamics, identities, and overall place in their ever-changing worlds. Returning to these books decades later, these authors can appreciate Judy's wisdom, advice, and insight at a completely different level. It turns out that "Judy's Blume moments" are Forever...

I am a huge Judy Blume fan and came of age reading her books. This anthology is such a treat to read, I read it on a recent business trip and it made the hours at the airport fly by!

This book features a wide variety of young adult and chick lit authors paying tribute to Judy Blume in different ways. The authors range in age from late 20's to late 40's, and each of the 24 essays is unique. The idea was to write something along the theme of the book's title, but surprisingly, many different approaches were taken. Some of the contributers wrote about incidents in their lives and compared them to events in Judy Blume books. Others described how reading a particular JB book had made a difference in their lives, or helped them in some adolescent situation. Still others analyzed elements of JB books heavily and only briefly compared them to their own childhoods or lives.

Among the essays, JB's novels "Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret", "Forever", and "Deenie" seem to be discussed more often than others. Some get only a few mentions, and others, such as "Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great" are virtually overlooked. JB fans of my generation will be pleased to know "Just as Long as We're Together" is featured in several essays.

This collection of essays is sure to please fans of chick lit and/or fans of Judy Blume. I enjoyed some of the essays more than others, and have found myself wanting to read the published novels of several of these ladies, since I enjoyed their writing so much. Overall, it is almost like reading a JB book in and of itself. It'll take you right back to adolescence. You'll relate, you'll remember, you'll laugh, and best of all, you'll be immersed in some high-quality, honest writing.

Judy Blume is one of the most beloved and well-known authors of our time. She has written countless stories for pre-teens, teens, and adults alike, and millions of readers have been charmed by her lovable characters and easy-to-relate-to storylines.

In EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, twenty-four of the most popular female authors today, including Megan McCafferty, Jennifer O'Connell, Megan Crane, Cara Lockwood, and Meg Cabot, contribute essays relating their own experiences with Judy Blume.

Covering everything from their own "Judy Blume moments" to hiding under the covers with Forever . . ., these stories are intensely personal recollections that offer an insight into the influence that Judy Blume's works have had on everyone who reads them.

As a Judy Blume fan myself, I really loved reading this book, and it brought to mind my own memories of reading her novels. Whether you just want to know more about some of your favorite authors today, or, like me, you grew up with Blume and her characters, this book is well worth reading and you definitely don't want to miss it.

Reviewed by: Andie Z.

Oliver Goldsmith (c. 1730-1774) was born to an English clergyman in Ireland and is often described as an "Anglo-Irish" author. Originally trained in theology, he later studied medicine and worked as an apothecary's assistant. Both then and now, critics regard the vast bulk of his writing as "hackwork"--poorly written material undertaken for the money offered. Even so, Goldsmith was indeed an exceptional and often innovative author when he put his mind to it, and his finest works rank with the best of his age. By most accounts Goldsmith wrote the comedy SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER in 1771; it was first performed in 1773 and has remained a favorite of the English stage ever since.

The play concerns the Hardcastle family, who are country gentry living living outside the common realm of English aristocracy of the day. Mr. Hardcastle dislikes "society" and frequently battles with his silly wife over his refusal to spend a season in London; Mrs. Hardcastle is in turn besotted Tony Lumpkin, her wayward son by a first marriage. Indeed, the only sensible member of the family is daughter Kate--and as the play begins she is told by her father that his choice for her husband, Charles Marlow, will arrive that very night. But things do not go as planned: due to a prank by Tony Lumpkin, Charles and his companion George arrive under the impression that Hardcastle's house is actually a roadside inn. Needless to say, complications abound, and Kate finds herself assuming the role of rural barmaid the better to study her intended and bring all complications to a happy resolution.

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER is often considered a turning point in English theatre. Earlier comic authors tended to emphasize themes of hypocrisy for comic effect; Goldsmith certainly makes use of this, but instead of giving us cuckolds and strumpets he takes a more kindly point of view. His characters may sometimes be foolish and silly, but they are not so much vicious as playful and although the plot is farcical the situations are never unkind. The result is a charming confection of smiling entertainment. SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER has remained a favorite of the theatre for over two hundred years for a reason: it is as spritely, elegant, and amusing as it was when first produced. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This play is a wonderful little comedic satire that is as funny now as when it was written in 1773. Mr. Goldsmith's characters are wonderful, and the storyline is funny without being "sappy". His characters are so very human! He does not shy away from exposing human frailities, and he does it in such a way that no one would take offence to it. His characters make common human mistakes based on misunderstandings and practical jokes, but his characters are not tragically changed from these occurences. They, as well as the audience, understand human frailties, and look upon these as things that help us grow. This is a jovial, friendly play that is well worth the time it takes to read it. I find that reading plays is a nice alternate to reading long novels. A little different from short stories. I like the economies of a play. So much is written and so much is implied all in five scenes.

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER is one of the best plays to be written during the Restoration era. It's full of wit and great one liners, not to mention that it's a comic satire on the dramatic conventions of the day. The play is quite funny and when performed is one of the few "classical" (meaning anything pre-20th century) plays that all audiences seem to enjoy. Unfortunately, Goldsmith's masterpiece is seldom performed nowadays. Most American's have never heard of Oliver Goldsmith (is that the guy who directed PLATOON? is a typical response), let alone SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER instead tends to be one of those plays that everyone in theatre knows about, but that most people outside of the theatre universe don't even know exists. It's a shame because the play is a masterpiece of wit and comic timing and has so much to offer to modern day audiences.

This play is a rollicking satire on the British caste system of that era, seen through the mischief, mayhem, and mistaken identities of this work. Almost a must-read!

Few English plays dating from the eighteenth century appeal to modern audiences. For much of that period comedies were characterized by an exaggerated sentimentality and intense moralizing. Independently, the playwrights Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan rejected this moralizing mode, returning to the English stage a humorous, mildly satirical form of comedy.

In a short period they created three plays that are still enjoyed today: She Stoops to Conquer (Goldsmith, 1773), The School for Scandal (Sheridan, 1775) and The Rivals (Sheridan, 1777).

In recent months I have read all three play. All are quite good, but I especially liked She Stoops to Conquer and The School for Scandal. While The School for Scandal is widely admired for its witty dialogue, She Stoops to Conquer offers the most hilarious situations.

The basic theme in She Stoops to Conquer is familiar. The guardians, her father Mr. Hardcastle and her aunt Mrs. Hardcastle, have arranged a suitable marriage for young Miss Hardcastle. She, of course, has other plans. Oliver Goldsmith adroitly transformed this overly used situation into delightful comedy. The plot is complicated by a shy suitor, friends with their own plans of elopement, and an unruly prankster, all leading to utter confusion in the rustic Hardcastle household. I quickly became engaged with the ridiculous happenings; I read She Stoops to Conquer in a single sitting. Five stars.

Possible Interest - Another Comedy and Two Moralizing Plays:

John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, first staged in 1728 in London, was another exception to the moralizing trend in the eighteenth century. This delightful, satirical comedy is considered the first modern musical. Five stars.

In the prologue to The Conscious Lovers (1722) Sir Richard Steele states his objective: "To chasten wit, and moralize the stage" and to "Redeem from long contempt the comic name". Steele's objective was to instruct and to ennoble rather than to amuse. Humor is clearly subordinate. Two stars (plus perhaps 1 star for historical interest).

George Lillo's moralizing melodrama, The London Merchant (1731), was a resounding success in the summer of 1731 and was apparently performed 179 times by 1776. Its repetitious moral lessons seemingly resonated with eighteenth century audiences. Three stars.

This book takes a fascinating look at some of the female war correspondants who covered World War II. Sorel does an admirable job of showing us these women as they were, and does not try to portray them as heros or feminist crusaders, but as distinct individuals, each with her own personality and ambitions. Sorel tells their stories on a very human level, set against the backdrop of the horrors of war.

"The Women Who Wrote the War" is a comprehensive compilation and listing of the contribution of women in the press in World War II. From the first women to recognize the changes in Germany, the real threat of Hitler, and to sound the call of the rise of fanaticism, these women had to fight against fear, physical threats and censorship. They also had to work their way around the bias against their sex....often entering dangerous areas with no support or credentials. All arenas of the war were covered by women, from Germany, France and Britian, to the camps in the Far East and Russia. These women were invaluable in providing an acounting of the horrors of war and the human toll it took. They report on all fronts,and unflinchingly look at he horrors of war close up. This book also details the struggle of these women to be accepted, to find their place in a male dominated career. "The Women Who Wrote the War" is a fiting tribute to there trailblazers.

Women Who Wrote the War begins with the first American women reporters in Europe, moves to the Spanish Civil War in 1937 and ends eight years later in Berlin in 1945. That's a span of 25 years. No single volume could do justice to a work of such scope. The author attacks this problem with short bits presented in anecdotal form. These move the time frame but rarely penetrate far beneath the surface. Thus, we learn less than we'd like to about these fascinating women. In this respect, in my opinion, The Women Who Wrote the War could have been made even better. For example, reader is never told how the reporting of these women differed from that of male correspondents (if it did), or whether it excelled or was subpar. No examples are given, save a few photographs, of the work they produced, although Sorel clearly did a tremendous amount of research and must have had the information. From the standpoint of a straight report of the physical action, this is an excellent work. Still, at the end, I wished I'd come to know these women just a little bit better.

If you ever wondered what it was like for Women who were reproters during World War II, then read this book. It traces their pre-war accomplishments, of which there are many, to what it was like for them at the front, or wherever they were. Many were having problems at home so they used work as an escape. Many had to fight to prove they were as good as a man. Some defied regulations to get a story. These women did what few had done before. These are the stories of the women who wrote the war, read them, you will not be dissapointed.

Waging slaughters has traditionally been considered Guy Stuff. So, too, the reporting of them. THE WOMEN WHO WROTE THE WAR, by Nancy Sorel, is the story of the female war correspondents who, working for various U.S. newspapers and wire services, shoved their way to the battlefronts of World War II, making that conflict, especially in its latter stages, the first to be equally reported by both sexes.

By her own admission, the author cut fully half of the female reporter roster from the book so as not to render it unwieldy. Even then, the half remaining is an Honor Roll of the profession: Helen Kirkpatrick, Margaret Bourke-White, Lee Carson, Ruth Cowan, Lee Miller, Martha Gellhorn, Catherine Coyne, Virginia Irwin, Iris Carpenter, Annalee Jacoby, Mary Welsh, Dickey Chapelle, Sonia Tomara, Shelley Mydans, Pat Lochridge, and a host of others too numerous to mention here.

Beginning roughly with the Spanish Civil War, and finishing with the months immediately after WWII, the book's chapters are a series of snapshots in which Sorel's subjects appear or not, depending on their presence in the theater of conflict being described - and they all seem to move around a lot. So, in sequential order, one reads of reporting Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia, the attack on Poland, the fall of France, the Blitz, the Nazi assault on the Soviet Union, the war in China, the Japanese capture of the Philippines, the North African and Italian campaigns, D-Day, the liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, the Pacific islands war, the advance into Germany, the American-Russian link-up, the liberated concentration camps, V-E Day, and, finally, the surrender of Japan.

I can't give WOMEN WHO WROTE THE WAR a 5-star rating because the number of players was too excessive. It would've been better had Sorel focused on, say, just 3 or 4 correspondents in each theater (Europe and the Pacific) as representative of the whole. As it was, so many names kept popping in and out of the narrative that it was hard to "get to know" any one of them, though some are better introduced than others. However, taken as written, this is an admirably comprehensive look at the gutsy ladies that did what they had to do to bring the stories back home to readers in America. For example, Virginia Irwin obtained one of the biggest scoops of the war by deliberately defying a specific SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces) restriction on correspondents' movements in a certain area. You go, girl!

We bought the Insight Guide and were pleased by the wonderful photos and the descriptive sections that cover culture, food, activities, and regions. However, if you are looking for hard details essential to making travel plans before and during a trip, this book is totally useless. Even if other books fail to capture the flavor of Puerto Rico, they can be relied upon to locate hotels, restaurants, museums and hours etc. This is a decorative book, worth reading, but not a travel guide in the usual sense of the word. All these impressions are fresh, since we arrived home just last night. As Northern Californians who look to Hawaii and Mexico for tropical vacations, we found PR, especially the time we spent on Vieques, to be at least the equal of our usual locales, and the time on Vieques to be unmatched in terms of mile-long beaches that you have to yourself.

Having looked at several guidebooks to Puerto Rico, this one is superior. Up-to-date information and nice photos.

i just love this book, it tell you all about the island it's history,
the people, and the food. you can even learn how to speak spanish, there's
a section in back of the book that teaches you even how to order food in
spanish.

Known for their numerous photographs, researched facts, and great coverage of historical and cultural items, the "Insight Guides" series has covered almost every nation on earth with wonderfully. Their "Insight Guide to Puerto Rico" was especially much more fascinating to me since they covered a lot of things and places I did not know about my homeland.

Beautifully binded, full of colorful photographs and drawings, and informative, this guide allowed me to explore more towns, sites, and places that are usually off the beaten track for a normal tourist. Their coverage of Puerto Rico's satellite islands: Vieques, Culebra, and Mona, was very interesting, and I was happy to see Mona in photographs, because it is rarely captured in photographs.

The chapters on Old San Juan, Ponce, and the Karst Country were also all informative and refreshing, making my trip much more entertaining. From the island's plethora of important rum distilleries (world's biggest producer of rum) to a brief discussion on local dialect, the editorial staff at "Insight Guides" did an excellent job of representing this beautiful Caribbean island in all its' splendor.

If you are looking for the best travel guides to Puerto Rico, this book and "Lonely Planet's Guide to Puerto Rico" are the two best travel books to this island. Don't forget to pick them up before your next visit to the island.

I was a professor at the Univ. of Puerto Rico during the 1980s, and return occasionally for scientific work. I also teach a Tropical Biology course every other year that includes spring break in Puerto Rico. I've read about eight guides to Puerto Rico and nearby islands, and I think this is the best in terms of accurately reviewing history, culture, and some of the biology and geology. The photographs are extraordinary, and really capture the island in all its facets. This Guide also gives the best information about each town's history and points of interest. It probably devotes the least space to casinos and cruise ship information, but I see that as a strength. I want my students to develop some understanding of the history and culture of Puerto Rico, even though it's a biology class, and I have found the first couple chapters of the Insight Guide do a better job than any of the drier academic sources out there. If you want to buy a guide to Puerto Rico for your own enrichment, this is the one to get.

Don Aslett's Office Clutter Cure book isn't technically about office efficiency, but you will find if you follow his advice to clear the clutter from your office space, you will automatically increase your efficiency - it will inevitably happen without you even thinking much about it. You'll be able to find things easier, and for some reason, most people get more work done if their work area is cleaner. It might seem that there's no logical connection between clean work space and productivity, but it does exist (although I know many people think they work better in a messy office).

Don Aslett has a great sense of humor, and it shines through in this delightful and easy to read book. Highly recommended if you work in a cubicle or small office.

As owner of one of the U.S.'s largest cleaning firms, author Don Aslett has first hand experience with the way that mess and confusion can impede a good day's work. His book shines a light on the chaos, from overflowing wastebaskets to staggering stacks of paper, to (gasp!) the inside of the communal refrigerator. He reveals why out-of-control office clutter is not simply unsightly, but harmful to your productivity and your career. Then, he offers the cure, including ways to reduce paper accumulation, organize your workspace, weed through the junk and create your own filing system. He brings humor, enthusiasm and passion to tackling the daunting job you need to do before you can do your real job. If you want to be liberated from your office mess and experience the exhilaration of a clutter-free work life, we recommend this book - just put it on top of your stack.

I don't work in an office. I work in a classroom. However, I found that much of what is said in this book applies to me.

I teach science, and have worked in 2 different schools where I inherited the previous teacher's mess. In the first one, I applied many of Aslett's principles without even realizing it. There was so much junk that I couldn't even work. I did almost no labs my first year because I couldn't find anything!

At my new school, started by organizing. Recently, I read this book and was inspired. I went through my storage area and threw out every broken piece of equipment. I also snuck out a few pieces of equipment that I knew I would never use.

It has been a wonderful feeling. I now have room to have a sort of "office" in my storage room. I can find equipment quickly, making me more likely to do labs, and I have created room for the equipment I plan to order that I will use.

I see no obvious connection, but I now get my work done a lot faster. I write a lot of my own material. Before I did my decluttering I was working until midnight or later. Now I'm going home for supper, and coming back and working only a few more hours.

His book is not so big on specifics. That is why I did not give it a fifth star. A few more specific ideas on organizing papers and the clutter I'm required to have would have helped. Overall, however, he covers the general principles of clutter removal and organization, he is inspiring, and, most important, this book is a help.

Honestly, this book made me a better teacher!

This is classic Aslett -- it will have you pitching half the papers on your desk in no time. Aslett has some good ideas on how to begin to conquer the clutter of accumulated paper, and ideas that can be used in discrete time increments. Of all the clutter / office organization books I've read, his are the only ones that actually make me eager to get to work.

Two reasons I gave this book four stars rather than five, are (1) because of Aslett's gratuitous name-dropping & boasting (when my coimpany was cleaning AT&T, when I was consulting with the top executives of IBM, when I was making one of my many TV appearances with Regis & Kahie Lee . . . ); and (2) because Aslett seems to consider himself an expert on all things rather than sticking to what he knows best. Of course, I've read most of his books, and there is some redundancy, as if they're just regurgitations of former material. If you haven't read his other books, you might not have this perception. Nonetheless, every time I read one of his books I can manage to throw out several boxes of stuff, and after reading this, my office at work no longer has any hidden stacks of papers waiting to be dealt with.

This book is a humorous pictural guide to reducing office clutter. It offers many reasons for "86-ing" piles of useless clutter and suggests alternate solutions such as using a briefcase.

The Bible is in perfect condition. The transaction was smooth and quick. Would definitely use this vendor again.

I really like study bibles and this is my favorite so far! The annotations have a great way of pointing out the grace we all have the option to accept.

I love this Bible. I have years of notes written in my bible and have used the NASB version for over 37 years. My daughter just gave birth to our first granddaughter so I thought to celebrate I would get her a new bible. She and her husband read it every day!

I like the way the Ryrie Study Bible is layed out each book introduction,timeline and charts concordance etc is set in this bible. Of all the Bibles I own this has been the One I use all the time. I just wish the leather had been more of a lighter green because I can't tell it from a black Bible at a distance. Anne Eppright

I have used this study bible since it originally came out in the 70's when I was first saved. I cut my spiritual teeth with this bible, and it never lead me astray. I think this is the most doctrinely sound, best annotated study bible around. There are a lot of notes, but not excessively so, and they bring greater understanding to the text. There is an abundance of maps, diagrams, some lists, and a very nice doctrinal section in the back. It is written from a very conservative, fundamental background but often will site other views on a topic. There are many nice references that will also shed light on a given verse. This was the first of the recent flood of study bibles, and IMHO the best of the lot that everybody else has tried to copy. Get one in your favorite version (KJV, NAS, or NIV)

BUYER BEWARE: I purchased this book and Adopting Online: Your #1 Guide to a Successful Adoption (also by Mardie Caldwell) and to my surprise THEY WERE ACTUALLY THE SAME BOOK, PUBLISHED LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS APART UNDER DIFFERENT TITLES! Nowhere did it say that one was a minimally updated version of the other.

While the information that these books contain is very good, I find it a very shady practice indeed to publish two books in this manner less than 4 months apart without informing potential buyers of the duplication. It has left me very wary of the author and the publisher. In fact, I would guess the US ISBN Agency would be interested in knowing these books are the same...

This book takes you through each part of a domestic adoption, and is vital for people who are considering a private adoption. It literally walks you through the steps and decisions you will need, and addresses concerns that many adoptive parents don't even consider until they are overwhelmed, in the middle of a situation.

If you have to buy one adoption book, this one should be the one!

Easy to read, full of helpful tip sheets & forms.

Probably best value is the directory in the back. Use it again and again!!

Adoption: Your Step by Step Guide is an easy-to-digest guide book on adoption in the 21st century. If you're looking for straight forward, honest, experienced, and encouraging information on how to pursue your adoption dream then this is the book for you. It is a quick read and filled with tons of outside resources to help you complete your adoption journey. Not only was it helpful, but the anecdotes and examples really helped make the process seem less overwhelming. Adoption is such a huge process, but this book helps make adopting a child seem within reach. Thank you!

Mardie Caldwell's wonderful book is the only one to answer all your questions about adoption. Whether you need help finding the child of your dreams or have been touched by adoption and would like to know more this book will provide the support and wealth of information you need.

EVERYTHING you need to know about adopting IN ONE BOOK, I love the authors ability to capture each situaton that can come up (including financial),lessening the fear of starting the adoption process. Many resources (if not all) are listed for every state and Canada! A must have guide if you are considering adopting.