E Books

Carbonel took me away when I was a child,I loved every well written detail,and could imagine every event as it took place-the only problem was,when I got older (alot older!!)I had forgotten the title and despaired of ever finding the book again-Imagine my joy when I found a used copy in a thrift store-it looked familiar,could it be....? Hooray!It was!Carbonel!I bought it immediately and read it asap and will never ever let it out of my hands again!This is a fabulous book for children of all ages,and if my opinion counts for anything,I would advise to get a copy of your own right now!Truly a wonderful,wonderful book.

...It was my FAVOURITE when I was a kid - ...Why is this fantastic book out of print??

When I first read this book, I was 10-years-old. I grew up and never forgot the joy that I received from its pages. I kept looking for it when I got older and now have my own copies of all the Carbonel books. I am now in possession of an amazing child's book that deserves to be shared throughout centuries to come. Wonderful book - deserving to be named a favorite classic.

This book captured my imagination as a child and was a pleasure to read again after 17 years. I feared I might ruin a childhood memory by tracking it down and reading it again but it was well worth the effort. I hope it's magic will still reach young readers even though it is now out of print.

My mom gave me this book when I was 8 years old. Hesitantly, I started reading it, and was immediately hooked. It is the first chapter book I remember reading, and I owe my love of literature to Barbara Sleigh and Carbonel. Before the advent of the Internet, I spent many years trying to track down copies of all the Carbonel books, with limited success. Then one day, I discovered that they had had been reissued in the United Kingdom. I was in law school at the time, and my wife told me we couldn't afford them. Imagine my surprise, that Christmas, when I found them under the tree! My wife had called a bookstore in London, and had them shipped to the US just in time for the holidays. I'm now 39 years old, and still reread those books about once a year. I have read them to both my children, and they have read them by themselves. I think we can all look back on our lives, and find one or two events that shape aspects of our future. For me, a British book about a little girl, a witch and a magical, royal cat set me on a road where books became some of my most cherished possessions, and reading my most enjoyable pasttime. Read the books; feel the magic.

This book is full of really good recipes. I love that it is divided by season

Not only is this cookbook chocked full of interesting recipes, but it is gorgeous! The photos accompanying each season are breathtaking - if you can appreciate the subtle beauty of food itself.

First off, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Chef Ramsay enjoys the flavor of lavender and chocolate as much as I do! I used to make white chocolate and lavender truffles for the spring and I was thrilled to see a recipe for "Mille-Feuille of Chocolate with Lavender": a light dark chocolate ganache with steeped lavender piped over layers of puff pastry. He even serves lavender flavored ice cream on the side! Simply beautiful.

Obviously, the chapters are divided by the four seasons. At the beginning of each chapter, Chef Ramsay informs us as to why the vegetables, fruits and meats belong in each season. Followed are the recipes which may seem a bit daunting to the average chef. As in his other books, there is a good mixture of easy dishes that make this cookbook worth its weight.

Spring recipes that were fun and easy included "Whiting with Lemon and Parsley Crust", "Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Fava Beans" and "White Chocolate and Lemon Mousse".
Summer recipes include "Lobster with Mango and Spinach Salad", "Poached Salmon with Gewürztraminer Sauce" and "Loin of Beef with Watercress Puree".
Fall recipes that were a joy to make are "Lentil and Langoustine Soup (I substituted Cray Fish for the Langoustine)", "Tomato and Parmesan Gratinee Tarts" and "Monkfish with Creamy Curried Mussels" (a bit expensive but makes a great romantic dinner for two!). Winter recipes we enjoyed were "Smoked Haddock and Mustard Chowder", "Seafood in Nage with Carrot Spaghetti" (you do have to make the Nage(a vegetable broth) ahead of time but it is totally worth it!) and "Veal Chops with a cream of Winter Vegetables" (we actually substituted the Veal for Chicken and it worked well. Pork chops might also work, but you are not going to get the same texture.)

Again, at the back of the book is a plethora of cooking techniques, broth recipes and miscellaneous kitchen information.

`A Chef for All Seasons' by the English high tempered chef, Gordon Ramsay looks like and is very much of a `follow the trend' book, just as `healthy eating' and `quick cooking' themes are bandwagons on which cookbook writers jump to squeeze another ounce of interest out of their audience for their latest book. Unlike some other seasonally or calendar oriented books such as Alfred Portale's `The 12 Seasons', Nigel Slater's `The Kitchen Diaries' and Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette various `Twelve Month' cookbooks, the recipes in this book offer little real guidance to when it is best to make these various recipes. As the author himself says, for him, summer begins in early May and most of the best produce is available closer to autumn than in high summer.

Except for a very few fruits and vegetables such as fava beans and strawberries in spring, tomatoes and corn in late summer, there is little reason aside perhaps from cost from restricting oneself to strictly seasonal produce, except for price. While my favorite local supermarket carries excellent asparagus the year around, it's price jumps from $1.99 to $2.99 in late summer, to drop back a dollar in March, and briefly drop to $1.69 (a pound) in May and June. So, I don't eat asparagus at $3 a pop, but do eat it every other month. Similarly, I don't make dishes with beefsteak tomatoes quite as often in the winter and spring as I do in high summer, but I don't eschew them entirely in winter. So, unless you are willing to literally graph out prices and availability of produce based on supermarket prices in your area, most seasonal considerations seem like a waste of time. Because, if you can't get it at all (like fresh fava beans in October), the question is moot, and if you can get it at a reasonable price and at a reasonable quality, the small difference between seasonal and off seasonal produce shipped in from Chile probably won't make a big difference to you, especially when you are looking at Master Ramsay's recipes, where the prep and cooking time are worth far more than that extra dollar you may pay for off season blueberries.

The other side of the coin is that Gordon Ramsay's recipes are very, very good without using excessively expensive ingredients except as options and they are (relatively) easy for `haute cuisine' dishes. So, this book is more of an argument to select Gordon Ramsay as your primary source for fancy dishes, instead of Eric Rippert or Albert Portale or Tom Colicchio or Joel Robuchon or Michael Romano or Charlie Trotter. Compared to many of these chef / authors, Ramsay is equally as fussy, but manages to follow the dictum of using the best ingredients and being as careful as possible not to muck them up. And, unlike some of his preachier colleagues, he concentrates on the simple procedures rather than on the gratuitous yapping about using fresh ingredients. For us in the peanut gallery, we pick the best that we can get without traveling 20 miles out of our way. Even foodies have a life beyond cooking and marketing.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ramsay's style, it is very, very French in technique with lots of creamy sauces, soups, and confits. It may not be the kind of thing you would pick for a low calorie diet, but it is not quite as fat laden as the provincial cuisine of southwestern France (see Paula Wolfert's excellent new edition on the subject). As usual, the most sprightly and revealing blurb on the back cover comes from the always eloquent Tony Bourdain, who describes this as `...food porn at its most lush...', a far more original approbation than the overworked `decadent'.

I confess I was not immediately as impressed with this book as I have been with some of Ramsay's other books, but this is largely due to what seems like less general information on cooking technique and more space on the recipes themselves. There is, however, still a fair amount of gems on various foods here. For example, he gives an excellent argument for preferring your mangoes firm and not quite ripe to the squishy red ones soft to the touch. But, the very best part of the book for the foodie cook is the last section on `basic recipes and techniques', especially if your library is not already filled with tomes from Jacques Pepin, the CIA, and James Peterson on basic kitchen skills. The most interesting recipe here is the one for `Vegetable nage' that on the surface is very similar to a vegetable stock, but it seems to be a cross between a veggie stock and a court bouillon. It is not cooked as long as stocks and it seems to have a longer refrigerator life than meat or fish stocks. While this is a classic French term and concept, I have not seen recipes for it in many other books. By pure coincidence, I noticed a very similar recipe in the book `Full On Irish' by Irish Michelin starred chef, Kevin Dundon which he describes as a kitchen garden vegetable stock. I don't even recall seeing this in Deborah Madison's great works on vegetable stocks.

All of Ramsay's measurements are Yankee friendly, as everything is measured by cup, spoon, or count and not by gram or liter. He also does a better job of displaying ingredients lists so that units and ingredient names are all put on separate lines or columns. Unfortunately, he does not do this in the `basic recipes' section. But, since almost all items are simply counts, the problem is not acute.

This is another reason to make Gordon Ramsay your celebrity chef/writer of choice, especially as his books are reasonably priced and very attractive to look at, with full oversized pages of well-chosen pics (but without captions!).

Recommended.

If only Gordon Ramsay had been writing cookbooks when I was learning to cook some 50 years ago, I never would have bought another series of cookbooks. He's that good.

Gordon Ramsay's A Chef for All Seasons is a cookbook you can use for those super special occasions: when you want to impress those friends, who love to cook themselves, or when you just want to eat really awesome food yourself. A lot of the recipes call for expensive ingredients, like lobster, goose fat, the obligatory truffles and foie gras. But there are also quite a few recipes with more common ingredients, which are real gems. I just want to mention the Veal Chops with a Cream of Winter Vegetables (even Gordon calls this "a nice recipe for a mid-week dinner") and the Pillows of Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Fèves.

The recipes is divided into four chapters, one for each season, which is a great plus in a cookbook. Each chapter contains recipes for starters, entrees and desserts. The last chapter is Basic Recipes and Techniques, which contains instructional photographs. Finally, the index has entries for each ingredient used.

It's great fun to read about how things are done in Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, e.g. "Boil the potatoes still in their skin until just tender. Drain and peel them while hot. (We do this wearing rubber gloves to protect our hands.)" in the recipe for Pillows of Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Fèves.

His perfectionistic style makes some recipes seem harder than necessary. After following his recipe closely the first time I make it, it is usually easy to see some shortcuts without sacrificing the quality of the end product (I imagine that Gordon will wholeheartedly disagree with this).

To conclude, I would highly recommend this cookbook for the experienced cook, who wants to surprise others (or her/himself) with great food.

This series focusses on three Wiccan girls trying to make it through normal life while all the while using and running into magic. This series was particularly special to me as I am a young Wiccan myself and to see a book like this that shows Wicca in such a lighthearted and acceptable manner is simply wonderful.

I was glad to see an extra-large book to tie up the loose ends in this series in a great finale. It lessened the blow of this possibly being the end of the series.

The whole series is well written, character driven, mostly realistic, and well worth reading.

'"And so it ends."'

Now, I'm not usually one to waste my time soaking up the end of a series, but "Initiation" by Isobel Bird was one exception. I have to admit, this was one dramatic and overall astounding conclusion to "Circle of Three," and I would reccomend it to anyone. Whilst Cooper and Jane are busy with their 'Bitter Pills' plans, Kate and Annie are undergoing thier final initiation as witches. Cooper, who didn't make the initiation class, seems to be wasting away her sorrow in her hard-rock guitar; but Kate and Annie are more interested in which coven they will join and what the right choice is. Little does the circle of three know, their choices will soon merge into one as the conclusion of the fifteen-book series comes to an end. And as it draws near, Annie fears that the circle of three she, Kate and Cooper had formed is really going to break up after all. But the end is full of surprises, like Cooper's decision to become initiated and the forming of a brand new coven. Like I say, this is truly the beginning of the end. I hope to see more books by Ms. Bird, but if not, I'm glad I read the Circle of Three. This is truly excellent for all young Wiccans who need a good read, a good laugh, and time to enjoy themselves.

1st of all i would just like to say i am NOT 1, i am 14, there was just a problem with the regular review form. Lol. But anyway, this last book was a great finale for The Circle Of Three series. I can't believe it's over. It may not be, but there's usually a title for the upcoming book and even a passage, but it was not there. Basically, Kate, Annie, and Cooper have to deal with their Initiation...Kate will have to decide between her life in wicca, or being in Wicca for an old flame...Annie must choose the right coven also, but the upcoming wedding and her new sisters will show her what's the real path, one which will let her find her way....Cooper was not offered initiation in The Challenge Box, but finds renewed faith, but it may be broken once more... Each witch-to-be will together face a shocking revelation, including facing rejection...but the question is for all of you who haven't read the book yet, will they find the light to their destined paths? This may be confusing, but once you read Initiation, you'll understand. This was a great read, which i recommend to all who have read the others in the series. Buy it soon!

I must say, this entire series has been surprisingly informative and interesting (there are even a couple of ideas that I'm interested in adapting for public rituals). I'm a 29 years old practitioner or Wicca (I've been studying for 12 years), and although these books are aimed at teenagers, I've read them all, and so have many of my friends (ages 22 to 35).

As the series evolves, we see the personal growth and studies of three teenage friends as they struggle with adolescence and with their increasing interest in the pagan religion which is Wicca. This series presents their experiences as members of a study group organised by an eclectic coven (a year and a day of studies, possibly leading to initiation) and as members of their own "circle of 3", how their friendships and personal goals develop with time, how they become stronger, more mature individuals, how their families and friends react to their interest in this path, etc. The books are informative in the ways of eclectic Wicca, if I had children I'd feel completely comfortable in letting them read them, there is no gratuitous sex or violence or any such thing. Very well done, highly recommended!

Bought to give to a friend. I lost a child and was looking for a book to help her. It was full of helfpul ways to deal with grief.

The author has the ability to perfectly verbalize the feelings which, up to now, were just that, feelings. Its been 30 years since our son's death and we still cried from time to time but didn't know why. Now we rejoice in our tears.

Elaine Stillwell, mother of two young adults killed in a car accident 15 years, ago has spent many years since as the Bereavement Coordinator of the Diocese of Rockville Center, N.Y. In Death of a Child she offers support and advice to parents dealing with the whole spectrum of loss: children who die suddenly, after extended illness, before or soon after birth, and even death that involves war on terrorism. Topics include anger with God, communicating with a spouse, voicing emotions, and coping with holidays and anniversaries. Stillwell does a good job addressing specific issues for each of these losses.

This book is filled with insight,practical advice, and inspiration. I think it will help me be a better friend to my friends who have just suffered this terrible loss.

This is an amazing book that says everything I am currently feeling after the death of my 16 month old son in April 2004. She has a wonderful ability to cut to the heart of the matter- the insensitive comments from others, the unbearable-ness of your loss. Yet she offers hope for the future. She knows the second most horrible thing would be to have others forget your child, and offers ways to lovingly keep their song alive. My favorite part was the simple prayer she offers, those who have read the book know which one. The one that starts, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, etc. Thank you Elaine for those five minutes of healing laughter. If you have to read this book, I am sorry for you, and I hope it helps you as much as it did me.

This book is very detailed. It helped me a lot when I got to a Asian Market to look for food. Plus at least when I know what it is. I recommend.

This book was the connection I needed between the recipes in my Japanese cookbooks and the local Asian market. Many of the packages have no English word on the package. I have used this book every time I have shopped; when I can't figure out what I am looking for, I take the Japanese word (the book cross references in English and Japanese) to the service desk. The young Japanese woman takes me to exactly what I am looking for. It has saved hours of decoding the ingredients.

This is great for descriptions and translations, not for cooking assistance; it discusses pairings of flavors for ingredients you look up. It is the perfect dictionary to keep close to the Asian cookbooks.

This ten-year old dictionary remains unsurpassed
as a guide to the ingredients, methods and utensils
used in japanese cooking. It is a portable volume
with romanized, kana and kanji versions of all the
names and so is ideal for a trip to the market
where many unfamilar ingredients may be presented
to the english--speaking food lover.

There are seventeen useful appendices that cover
topics like:
Chopsticks
Katsuoboshi
The kitchen and its utensils
Kombu
The Meal
Miso
Sake
Salt
Sansai
Soy sauce
Sushi
Tea
The tea ceremony
Umami and Flavor
Vegetarianism
Wasabi
Wasabon Sugar

In addition, many of the entries have enough
detail to be useful to the Western chef who
wants to incorporate Japanese ideas into his
or her cooking. Hoskins is an admirably concise
writer who packs a lot of information into a
small amount of graceful prose.

Be aware that this is not an encyclopedia. If
you use the English-Japanese section to look
up `mushroom' for instance, you'll find the
translation `kinoko' but not a comprehensive
list of Japanese mushrooms or techniques for
cooking them.

So leave the browsing to other books and keep
this one for trips to the market You'll be glad
to have it.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and the forthcoming novel bang-BANG from Kunati Books. ISBN 9781601640005

I recently spent a month in Tokyo and I enjoy cooking. I found this book along with a good Japanese cookbook to be very useful both in the market and the kitchen. I would have like it to included a kana (Japanese syllabic writing) to English section, but understand most English speakers are not familiar with this Japanese syllabic writing. Luckily all Japanese know our alphabet and my fellow shoppers were always happy to help me find what I wanted. In fact, I believe they appreciated my interest in their food and culture.

For those people who love Japanese cuisine but don't know much about the Japanese language, this pocket size dictionary is a wonderful tool. It focuses on most terms and words used in Japanese cuisine including drinks, entrees, ingredients, food terms, even some cooking and food container names. The dictionary allows readers easy to look up information. It is arranged in three sections: Japanese-English, English-Japanese, and Appendices with some interesting topics in Japanese cuisine. Each entry in the Japanese-English section provides the Japanese term in Roman script, Japanese character, as well as Kanji, along with the English definition details and possibly some additional culture notes. Truly, this dictionary is a MUST!

(Reviewed by Otto Yuen, 19-Jan-2006)

The quotes are great and some of the stories hysterical. It does remind me somewhat of The Accidental Tourist with regard to the advice for life, not just for travel.

I am afraid to fly. I am afraid to travel outside my southern Illinois home town. This book helped me to understand the ups and downs of travel. The toll free phone numbers and web pages were a great help in planning the trip of a lifetime...to Hawaii. Thanks to Doctor Travel for his advice and counsel.

As a frequent traveler I thought I discovered all of the answers. Dr. Travel shows me that I was wrong. He has uncovered lots of solutions to problems that I thought were unsolveable. For anyone that is planning a trip...take the Doctor with you.

I travel over 200 days a year. I thought I knew it all until I read Doctor Travel's book. I love it. Filled with useful tips, humorous stories, and wonderful illustrations, I read the entire book on one flight. I could not put it down. If you are planning any trips, take the doctor with you.

James Feldman has been there, done that. In fact, he's highly experienced in being there...getting there. A veteran traveler and travel planner, he's learned the secrets that can turn a potential nightmare into an enjoyable journey. Readers will learn more travel tips than they could imagine even existed. Even the most seasoned traveler (I log between 100,000 and 200,000 miles each year) will benefit from what's in these pages.

Unlike some other books in this field, this one is funny, easy to read, and a real trip in itself. The design makes reading this volume a real pleasure. Take it on your next flight and watch your seatmate look over your shoulder.

Note: This book was written before 9/11/01, so travel has taken on a whole new dimension since its publication. Don't let that concern you. There is still an incredible amount of valuable information, advice, and insight in these pages.

Highly recommended.

I absolutly adored this book, and I can't come up with enough good things to say about it. It's great for absolutly any age (I'm 26) and I read the first three books in two days.

Wholeheartedly reccomended for girls, who will find a near perfect heroine and role model in Emma.

I loved this book,it was a great story.i cant wait till i get my hands on the third book.

I loved this story because there were more adventures and surprises, but the end made me sad until I read the next book, Once upon A Curse, and everything was better. I was hooked, I read one and I had to read them all!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!! I LOVED this book! After reading Frog Princess, I thought there couldn't be a better book in the world! But I was wrong! I loved this book even more than Frog Pricess! I love it so much, I finished it in a day. If you liked Frog Princess, READ THIS!!! If you didn't, you should still read this because it was GREAT!!! I read the third one too, and it was also great, I would recemend the series to anyone! Read them. You will LOVE them I promise!!!!!!:)

If you want to read "Dragon's Breath" I suggest you read "The Frog Princess" first so you can understand it better. In "Dragon's Breath" Emma and Eadric help Emma's Aunt Grassina, the current 'Green Wtich', turn her true love, Haywood, back into a person from a otter. After overhearing a wizard talking to the soul of her grandmother, who turned Haywood into an otter in the first place, Emma learns the things needed to turn him back. Hearing this she sets off to find the ingreddients with Eadric by her side. They find many weird 'things' along the way including dragons witch makes Emma's magic stronger. The neighboring kingdom chose this miment to attack. With Grassina distracted and Emma's magic out of controll it looks like Emma's father's army is going to lose untill something very strange happenes......

This is a good book for people from realities and understandings uncommon to Earth. Humourous, not to be taken seriously.

E.T. 101 is the funniest, most entertaining book I have ever read, bar none! What a comfort and joy to receive this delightful letter of explanation and instruction from Home!E.T. 101: The Cosmic Instruction Manual: An Emergency Remedial Edition

I thought, "how interesting, a little book on science fiction". How very wrong I was. This book was written in 1990 according to the first several pages and I must say its prophetic, filled with wry humor and great insights to todays earthly condition.

It was well written, well organized and to the point with very little excess. I see this book similar to eating peanuts: "don't need to eat very many and your full". Its chock full of great stuff and worth more than what it is selling for I must say.

Something I've never seen before... a book about walk-ins and extraterrestrials which is intentionally humorous, witty, and does a good job at it! I wasn't expecting anything other than something solemn and serious about love and light. It's quite good. Although it defines all the terms it uses at the beginning, it still assumes you have a pretty good idea what those things are. The humor isn't as confusing as it could be... it's still way more comprehensible than a lot of New Age books I've read. The book's stance and behavior seems to be entirely different from most New Age books I've read, despite how its goal is evidently the same. (Preparing the world for its upcoming changes, which include heightened vibration, commonness of androgyny, etc.) There are title headings such as "Look Jane, see Spot transmute" and "When in Rome, do as Acturians."

I laughed out loud when I first discovered this little gem in a Northampton, MA bookstore, in the early 1990s. Since then, I've read and re-read it several times. It's language and insights could almost have come from some young tatooed and pierced skate-boarders I have known. Yet the wisdom and humor are on a par with that found in Neale Walsch's "Conversations With God."
Put this on your bookshelf along side Ken Carey's lyrically profound "Starseed Transmissions," and the refreshingly matter-of-fact transcriptions of Lisette Larkin's "Talking With Extraterrestrials" and "Listening to Extraterrestrials." Reading and pondering "101" and these other books have helped me to appreciate why we humans have chosen to incarnate on this planet at this time.

Whether you are starting your own internet business or just in the midst of cleaning out your basement, you have probably asked yourself how much you could make if you sold your inventory on eBay. The online auction site has largely become a household name and given thousands of entrepreneurs a platform for starting an online business. Regardless of the size of your business, eBay's Secrets Revealed provides numerous tools and insights that will undoubtedly help you find success.

Blacharski provides detailed step by step instructions to guide you in the most important aspects of making your business succeed. Aimed at the new or existing entrepreneur who wants to add eBay to his or her web-based marketing arsenal, eBay's Secrets Revealed provides specific insight to most concerns that can emerge when using eBay, such as various costs and expectations of customers. The detailed descriptions are especially useful for the newly initiated making the process of getting started less intimidating. Although the book may seem like more information than you need if you just plan to sell a few items, it is still a valuable resource for helping to make sure you do not encounter any of the most common pitfalls.

Full of advise from those who have made their eBay business soar, eBay's Secrets Revealed covers all of the business owning fundamentals as well as special sections on specifically eBay related topics such as protecting yourself from fraud and web-based marketing strategies. In addition to useful eBay information, Blacharski provides an overview of other similar websites as well as their comparative strengths and weaknesses. With concise and well written explanations of all tools and services eBay offers to facilitate smooth management of your auctions and easy transactions, eBay Secrets Revealed is highly recommended to anyone starting an eBay business.

Dan W. Blacharski's EBAY'S SECRETS REVEALED is for any who would expand their eBay business by tapping into expert advice. From watching out for spyware and understanding search engine optimization to cross-selling techniques, this is designed to help eBay sellers expand upon basics.

These days, it seems that everyone's had an experience with buying or selling on eBay. In the book eBay's Secrets Revealed, Dan Blacharski gives the reader everything he or she needs to know the set up and run a successful eBay business. Competition is fierce in the eBay business, states Blacharski, and any edge can translate into bigger profits for a business. This book gives you the edge that other successful eBayers may not want you to know - the secrets of the trade.

Blacharski starts at the beginning by describing the origins of eBay, and gives a comprehensive look at all aspects of running the business, from finding products through business accounting. Blarcharski also describes the technology that will make your business a success, such as anti-spam software, auction tools, photography editing software, and working with search engines.

The step-by-step guide is so encouraging that it seems easy to get started selling. There can be many pitfalls to running a business where the customer and seller never meet, and the product isn't seen until after it is purchased. Blacharski reassuringly addresses common problems and helps the business owner avoid trouble through proper planning.

The book has a colorful, attractive layout. Sidebars offer interviews and tips from the pros, checklists, and warnings. A logically-arranged table of contents steps the reader through the process. The chapters are clear and free of jargon, and the reader can easily jump to the topic he or she needs the most. Cute graphics are sprinkled throughout the book, and crisp photos end each chapter.

A new eBay business owner, or someone considering the business, will need this book. All you need to learn to start selling is addressed within the pages, and at less than 300 pages, it is an easy read.

Ebay's Secrets Revealed
By Dan W. Blacharski
5 out of 5 stars


In the 21st century, almost every American with internet access has either searched Ebay or at least heard of Ebay. There are multiple books out that have a reoccurring theme, which is "make money, make money," but that is about all that is to them. This book not only is a guide to making profit, but it takes you through the in depth steps to get there. It even goes into all of the different branches of information that will answer any almost any question imaginable that has to do with Ebay.

I have found that this book contains an abundance of valuable information to both current and future Ebay sellers. Meta tags are a key tool that are commonly over looked by Ebay sellers, but in this book Dan Blacharski not only covers the topic, but gives examples and even basic tutorial information on the subject. This book truly is revealing the secrets of Ebay.

Reading all of the advice and informative stories from actual accounts is another benefit of this book that gives the reader a personal connection. I also like how the author even gives resources as to sites that are similar to Ebay. I think that any person that needs guidance about Ebay should most definitely read this book. You are enlightened on every subject such as the history of Ebay, how to promote, shipping and handling, and even the legalities.

This book is magnificent, because once you finish reading it, you are truly educated on all of the possible in's and out's Ebay. I have stayed on the side of being a buyer on Ebay, and have never bothered with the selling aspect of Ebay, because I have always thought that the entirety of being a successful Ebay seller was too complicated. After reading this book I feel like I have gained not only a complete understanding of how to be a successful Ebay seller, but I have also gained the confidence to pursue being a seller, because I was finally able to comprehend how easy it can actually be.

eBay's Secrets Revealed
by Dan W. Blacharski

I laughed the first time a buyer sent me postage stamps for a payment. I returned the stamps and told them I accepted money orders or payment through pay pal. She did not laugh. She wrote a negative comment about the transaction and then filed a complaint against me. The litigation lasted for months and I was frustrated and confused. For several years I struggled with my site on eBay. I learned a few tricks on my own through trial and error.

Many powerful eBay sellers were reluctant to pass along any of their secrets. My site was floundering. I decided this enterprise was not for me. If only Dan W. Blacharski's book, `eBay's Secrets Revealed' was available to me way back then, my business would have been a success.

In the very first chapter Dan discusses name recognition. This is an extremely important concept in eBay auctions. Studies show that consumers feel comfortable with items and locations that are familiar.

Dan's information contains simple information regarding keywords that a first time seller may not even consider. The in depth chapter on accounting and taxes can literally save your business. Dan takes a step by step approach on how to succeed in your eBay business.

Make no mistakes eBay is a business and a livelihood for many individuals. Dan lets you know about security, customer service, fraud, payment methods and everything one needs to know to be a success in this burgeoning enterprise. Even the images you post reflects whether this item will be looked at and possible purchased.

Chapter 10 states the importance of positive feedback. This is not something you can shrug off. It can mean quitting your day job or failure. If terms like, second chance, reserve price, buy it now, absentee bid and insertion fee are foreign words to you, purchase this book.

This book can direct a novice, inform a buyer and lead an entrepreneur to success. The money invested in this book will ensure an easy and attainable transition in the art of selling on eBay. This information can also be applied to any other business project. After reading Dan's book, `eBay's Secrets Revealed' I feel confident to once again try my hand at selling and buying on eBay.

I give this book a rating of 5.

I don't know much about Cuba, but this book has set me straight. Make no mistake. This is not just an academic book, or not just one more journalistic account of today's Cuba. It is not about a specific issue or a specific time for Cuba. This book is indeed ABOUT CUBA. While it narrates the story of a particular group of intellectuals living in Castro's Cuba, it exposes a lot about the system: contradictions, paradoxes... It says so much about Cuban life in general, rich with anecdotes, reflections and so much more. And above all, the prose is great and it makes excellent reading. By all means, this is THE book about Cuba !

I personally know very little about Cuba, other than it is the last communist stronghold in the Western Hemisphere. I read bits and pieces from academic books, but did not get much insight from them, let alone any enjoyment. When someone suggested this book I was skeptical. Instead, this book, while telling one specific story (of a sttrongly political nature) that happened in Cuba, offers so much information and insights into Cuba's life - political, cultural, economic and social. I read it all in one go, found it extremely interesting and stimulating, and really really enjoyable. I would recommend it without reservations to anyone with an interest in Cuba, who would like to read a "real" Cuba story, filled with lots of academic analysis, but also being a piece of outstanding journalism and thus very very easy and pleasant to read.

Aún sin conocer mucho o casi nada sobre el tema de Cuba, encontré absolutamente fascinante este libro. Creo que es la primera vez que yo haya leído un libro de unas 250 páginas en dos días ! Es una historia fascinante, densa y llena de eventos y emociones. Aún dejando de un lado lo académico que tiene este libro, es un libro que nos mete en La Habana de 1996, haciendo sentir el lector como si éste estuviese presente. La historia expuesta en este libro es una excelente novela, pero - lamentablemente - no podemos olvidar que se trató de una triste realidad.

This is a truly great book. By providing a detailed account of the major 'purge' of Cuba's intellectuals in the 1990s, the author examines and analyses the delicate and intricate relations between the apparatus and the island's renowned intelligentsia. Some issues (often taboo even for Western academics) are approached very directly and very balancedly, such as the blurred border-lines between research and espionage, and the relations between genuine intellectuals and Cuba's repressive apparatus - indeed, the same apparatus that occasionally purges them. The arguments contained in this book derive from genuine evidence of crucial importance, namely those would-be classified documents, which somehow leaked out of Cuba in 1998 and were published by the author, causing great embarrassment by the Cuban Government, and an uproar among intellectuals, artists and others. Over 100 pages of those documents are contained in the book itself. Altogether, this is excellent reading. It is extremely central to the study and knowledge of today's Cuba.

Con gran maestría y excelente prosa, el autor de este libro nos coloca en la Cuba de hoy, justo al medio de un drama humano vivido por fieles miembros del aparato castrista. Un drama, justamente, que nace de esa fieldad y que termina por comprometerla. Es una de las tantas historias de contradicciones y tensiones de la Cuba de hoy, que ocurren en los medios más sencillos como en la familia o el lugar de trabajo, así como entre intelectuales o personalidades políticas. Tantas batallas llevadas a cabo por valiosos cubanos, a veces victotiosas y a veces no tan victoriosas, que en cualquier caso nos demuestran la desesperada tentativa de los cubanos de seguir en el camino hacia la democracia.