Stevens Books

Matthew Strebe is a professional consultant so he knows what he's talking about. Book is full of practical, detailed advice about running your own business. He tells you about taxes, incorporation, deductions,etc. Also a very good section on marketing. He tells you about his experiences with mailers, ads, etc.

Smart. To the point.

Money well spent.

Wow! I wish I would have had this book 4 years ago. A must read for anyone thinking about taking on side-jobs or going out on their own. Not only is this book packed with invaluable information but Matt's sense of humor made reading this book an absolute pleasure. Two big thumbs up from this reader! :)

Book covers the business, legal, technical ends of consulting. I feel greatly enlightened after reading it. It was recommended on the Cisco Newsgroup, and I thank the person that told us about it. After reading it, the book will now stand as a reference for me, especially the fine examples of contracts included. A real book written by a real professional, and not stuffy like technical books from experienced people can be. I have nothing bad to say about the book, but everything good. If you have any inkling to become a consultant, or need to know more to help you make the decision, read and absorb this informative how-to manual. It accomplishes what it is supposed to in a somewhat enjoyable/light touch manner, and there isn't any more to say!

I was heading out on my own in 2001 and my younger brother (also a network engineer) had a copy of this book and gave it to me. He's a fan of Strebe's writing style from other books, and although the unfortunate cover art almost turned him (and I until he explained) away, he bought it.

The book is really pretty useful. For retainers, I use a version of his retainer agreement. However, there are some things that my experience has found are different than his experience.

For example, mailing DOES work. I bet he sent a letter. You don't send just a letter. You send a letter and YOUR BUSINESS CARD. Because out of 1000 businesses, almost nobody might need you right now, but if your card ends up in 20 rolodexes or 50 rolodexes from that mailing, over the course of a year you might get ten calls from that mailing. Calls are worth the $37.00, if that's the formula. Trust me. .... I don't do it every month or even every other month but it does work, and him dismissing it out of hand because he tried it once and didn't get any calls is a little irresponsible.

Another thing is, this book is I'm sure quite true for Matthew Strebe's experience, but if you're doing this in the post-Tech-bubble world, you're going to have to expect that it's going to be harder to find the relationships and big jobs than it was during the years Strebe was gaining his experience as an independent. I'm doing okay, my business is growing SLOWLY but steadily (which is what every entrepeneur I've met and talked to since I started doing this has told me is completely normal) and if you have solid skills like Strebe and I do, you'll prevail eventually and it is worth it.

One other thing I disagreed with is that while it is true you don't want to be buddy-buddy with your customers too much, to the point that you get exploited, the reality is that non-tech type people are a lot more touchy-feely and relationship-oriented and they need to like and trust you because you are carrying the keys to their kingdom and they know it. People can say anything they want about the sales process but the reality is I walk out of a business with a deal or a relationship 100% of the time if I connected as a person with the customer, so they saw me as someone who had the experience and character to be mucking around in their stuff, and about 0% if I didn't. You can't get that by putting up a 100% wall between yourself and your customers. Getting by in this business is less about making "big scores" and more about having successful, long-term relationships where they call you and don't resent your fee because they know you're the best they're going to find. In the 90's it was about "big scores." Not any more, and remember that when you're reading this book. I wouldn't be surprised if Strebe has changed his focus a bit since then, too.

....

Overall this book was excellent. The only side of it that I didn't like is that a lot of the TAX/BUSINESS STARTUP information was directed to people living in the US (I figuered that before I purchased it anyhow). The book gets into detail and gives you some confidence in going in alone on this type of business. It's a good idea to read this book before you read others regarding this issue. The other books are 3 times the size and would probably turn the reader off before you get to the next chapter. I really enjoyed reading the book but I decided to start this business more on a part time level rather than quitting my job and going fulltime.

My jargon/headache-free gateway to the delights of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was The Happiness Trap by Dr Russ Harris. Before reading The Happiness Trap, I knew of ACT as some framework to do with values and mindfulness but the language was all a bit foreign to me and I wasn't enticed to delve into it. I read The Happiness Trap in one sitting, disobeying all the suggestions to not rush, because I couldn't put it down. There are these irresistible little carrots dangling at the end of each chapter, snippets about what's coming next, making it compulsively readable. By the time I got to the end I had thoroughly defaced it, underlining all the good bits, all the bits that resonated with me and articulated the suspicions I had about traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and an agenda of control. Reading it I laughed, I cried, I changed. I felt awakened and freed. And I was hungry to know more. It would be no exaggeration to say I could divide my life professionally and personally into Before The Happiness Trap and After The Happiness Trap. Moreover it prepared me for and eased me into the more technical writing about ACT and Relational Frame Theory (RFT) on which ACT is based. An extra special thing about The Happiness Trap is the use of a conversational and interactive writing style. It was as though I was engaging with a therapist through the pages of the book, a therapist who walked me with kindness and gentleness and empathy through the processes and techniques and having some fun along the way. The Happiness Trap is the recommended reading for clients at my psychology practice as I am confident that anyone who is literate can absorb its contents, `get' ACT first time around and be empowered to create their own ACT toolkit for living well.

Russ Harris distills complex concepts into easy language to help one thrive more in life. I found this book incredibly helpful for my life and very readable. I read it in one sitting. I have spent many years reading different books on psychology, philosophy and spirituality and this is one of the best. The more I truely live what he has written in this book, the happier and more engaged in life I am.

As a practitioner utilising the ACT model with her clients I have found this book to be exceptionally helpful, not only with addressing my own personal behaviours but also with strategies to employ with clients. Like others, I have several ACT texts but this is the one that I draw upon the most because of it's simplicity of explanations for the lay person. This is a book that anyone with general literacy levels can pick up and run with, and provided they follow the simple steps outlined in the book, can make changes quickly and effectively toward a more rich, fulfilling, and meaningful life. I recommend this book to all therapists and to anyone looking to step out of the "struggle" and into their lives.

The Happiness Trap is written in the `self help' style so anyone can pick it up, but with three texts on ACT under my belt, this is the one I refer to most when working with clients. I've read it twice and find it invaluable.

The book is a fun, breeze description of a "new" self-help therapy technique called ACT.

In this version it is presented mostly as a therapy techinque for healthy people to live happier life's. What is really cool is that the technique is really Insight Meditation. Without using any Buddhist language the author describes how to experience our life in a state of awareness and acceptance; to be with our thoughts, feelings and emotions without judgment or struggle. For those of you who would like to explore the therapy benefits that Buddhism has to offer this would be a great book to read.

The author draws from concepts of modern psychology, neuron-psychology and evolutionary psychology all to basically underpin what the Buddha talked about 2,500 years ago.

If you enjoy Buddhist thought this book will help bring home the "therapeutic" benefits of Buddhism. If you could care less about Buddhism this book will still provide plenty practical advise to live with more awareness and ease. Either way you stand to gain something.

Wonderful book of the Island's favorites along with Sam's favorites. The food in Hawaii is delicious and this is a welcome addition to my shelf for bringing those flavors to home when we can't be there. This is one of my favorites of Sam's book because anyone can cook from it.

I haven't tried to make anything yet and it's mainly because I don't know what each dish is simply by it's title. There are only a few photos of his dishes (and they're not next to the recipe, the few given are all in the center of the book). I like to know what a recipe should look like when it's done so I know I've done it right - this book seriously lacks in that department, something I find very important in a cookbook. However, if that doesn't bother you and you just want the recipes, I'm sure it's great because Sam's a great chef.

Sam Choy has always made cooking hawaiian style simple for me. I like his sense of humor and food combinations. My only problem is finding fresh ingredients here in eastern Washington. I use this book primarily for summer luau parties and impress all my friends. It has lots of variety.

With an UKU here and an OPAKA PAKA there, a touch of mango and crushed lemon grass, coconut hull fires and roasted HAPU UPU U, new ways to whisk a mother hollandaise,and flavors that jump right up off the page.That is Sam Choy's Island Flavors.
When exploring new techniques and language in cooking it really is irrelevant if the recipes are complicated, compound, simple or sublime, what matters is if they work. The recipes in Island Flavors work. Too often the reader/cook is duped into buying a cookbook by the way it looks and the food displayed, or by the hype and narrative of paid critics and TV shows. Thankfully there is no illusion to this cookbook. I have found the recipes to be both true to the pan, and true to the palate.
This is a highly recommended cookbook for the novice as well as the more experienced cook. It is full of great information, and you can feel Sam Choy's love of food throughout the book. Food is love so why not read and cook with those who love the craft, and leave the dilletantes of cuisine to gather dust on the backshelves, or in the late night hours of Emeril hell. Sam Choy cooks great food, is a great chef, and is a great food writer. Cook along with him as you read and you will understand why so many of the great chefs are smiling all the time. Food this lively can only make you happy.

All of Sam Choy's books are good, but this one has a special place in my kitchen, because it covers the gamut of dishes. Unlike his seafood and Poke books, Sam provides some of the finest "home cooking" recipes of the islands.

Well done!

The scenes in this book enabled me to explore a variety of situations and characters. The dialogue is concise, but emotive--the words are easy to pronounce, yet they emit a lot of meaning. In practicing the scenes with friends, I found it easy to empathise with the characters and generate a latitude of interpretations. I recommend this book for any student of theater. Though the title seems to recommend the scenes for mainly teenagers, I found them just as powerful for adults in their twenties (I qualify as the latter).

I personally had the great experience of working with Chambers, and this book truely helped me broaden my range. Having seen myself only as a comedy actor I was in awe when he asked me to do a dramatic scene, but with the help of this book i can now do a dramatic scene and hold a straight face. I would recommend that anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry read this and try to work with this great coach and teacher, Chambers Stevens

The scenes are both fun and easy to learn. Besides discovering my kid, he has been an invaluable resource with both his books and his coaching! All his books are highly recommended.

Lots of variety and plenty of scenes. I started with Sensational Scenes for Kids and now I am enjoying the Teen Book. Chambers is a great acting coach and his books are wonderful.

Chambers has a way with making even the most serious situations into funny ones. It is a MUST tool for teen actors who are serious about their career. This in one of the many helpful books that Chambers as written for kid/teen actors.
SETH MORRIS-age 12-actor

I am not a science fiction reader and didn't know what to expect from this book, but after reading it, I will be counting the days for James Stevens next novel.It had so many things that are happening in our moral decaying world ,that it gave me an earie feeling, like a premonition, of something not too far away if we don't open our eyes on time.Yet it gives you hope, because it teach you that the answer to your doubts and fears are inside you. Only you can save yourself.I enjoyed every word in it and could not stop reading until the last page.

What do you like in book? If you are like me, it is never just one quality that you look for, it is a combination of several qualities which vary in amount depending on your mood.

I didn't know what to expect when I read this book. And honestly were I not a member of the same writer's workshop as James Stevens-Arce, I would not have bought this book. It is just not my thing. Don't get me wrong. A lot of people in the workshop really loved this book for the story, but as I said, satire is really not my thing. To me it was just a nice relaxing evening on the couch-I don't get very many of those-so this was well worth the price to me

The thing that most impressed me about this book is the speed with which you can read it. It just draws you in and really does a better job at it than just about any book I have ever read. It was amazing, I read this book in just about two hours and forty-five minutes. This makes the book especially relaxing to read I think.

So is the book good? I think you will need to decide that for yourself. However, one thing I will say is that James Stevens-Arce is without a doubt the hardest working author I know. He always takes the time to go that little extra mile for the fans..

A novel that uses first person, present tense is not easy to find, probably because there are not many convincing reasons to use it. In Soulsaver, James Stevens-Arce does it well.

This book is an interesting and fast-paced satire. The protagonist, Juan Bautista Lorca, is a callow youth blinded by the society in which he lives. That Stevens-Arce chooses to tell his story from this little twerp's viewpoint is daring for the reader doesn't take immediately to him. Stevens-Arce carefully mitigates that problem in several ways.

First, he doesn't get inside his head much until the character begins to change, and to grow. We can never be certain but I believe this was a conscious decision because poor Juan doesn't have a deep thought stored anywhere in there, anyway. It is a perfect approach to this kind of character building.

One of the difficulties of using this method is that the reader gets less insight into the character than we have become accustomed to. Any we do get comes from the dialogue and/or what is happening around Juan. There is an advantage here, as well. The action moves forward very quickly and we find ourselves immersed in the time (The Year of Our Lord 2099) and the place (San Juan, the capitol city of our 52nd state). And, surprising, this is enough. The author has carefully balanced what the reader is likely to miss with what she gets.

As Juan develops and finds his own depth, we find that Steven-Arce is a writer with a first-class instinct for words as well. For those of us who long to see, hear, and feel when we read, this novel is not a disappointment. We must wait, but we get wonderful similes like, "...the sun...looks like a communion wafer pasted against the sky," and "...the Swiss cheese of pigeon holes cut into the ancient wall..." Stevens-Arce has crafted a book where there is only straightforward, uncluttered writing until the reader is hooked. Only then do we find passages that are pure poetry. By that time we find ourselves literally gobbling it up.

Stevens-Arce has one more trick to keep the reader hanging in there while this shallow youth ogles breasts, bounces to the music blasting into his headphones and relishes his own benign happiness with himself and the god-awful world he doesn't see around himself. He uses present tense. I hate present tense. Yet I hardly noticed. It propels the novel forward when it needs momentum. After it has done its job the reader becomes so used to it, it is no longer a factor.

If I were still teaching English, this book would become one of my texts. It's not often that one finds first person, present tense put to such carefully crafted use. It's also not often that one finds a book that lauds the often-maligned ability of thinking for oneself. Next to Holden Caulfield, Juan Bautista Lorca may be the best literary example for youth in recent times.

A gripping, fast-paced, amusing look at a future that was both terrifying and hopeful. Crisp, sure writing swept me into the story, willy-nilly. Well worth the ride!

Religious fanatics control this truly dystopian society of 2099. Puerto Rico is a microcosm of events that happen across the USA for it is the 52nd state. Faith and religious beliefs are examined, challenged, and altered in this delightful, somewhat shocking, all too plausible novel.

Juan Bautista Lorca, a rookie technician, and his partner Fabiola drive a FreezVan for the Suicide Prevention Corps of America (SPCA -- yes, a glimmer of the satire woven throughout the book). They race to the scene of a suicide, pack ice around the body, then take it Saint Francis of Assisi Resurrection Center in time for repair and revival. Returning to life after the harrowing experience of death, deep freeze, and resuscitation generally prevents the individual from trying to commit this heinous crime again. Only those who truly do not want to live in an over populated, under fed, under educated, and overly controlled society try a second suicide -- and they make sure the body can't be made to live again.

This book has won many awards: Best First Novel of 2000--Rocky Mountain News; Best of the Year 2000 list--San Francisco Chronicle; Best First Novels of 2000 Recommended Reading List--Locus magazine.

This is the story that I could easily see Kevin Smith (Silent Bob) turning into another great hit movie. Five stars.

Victoria Tarrani

I enjoy the adventure in all these books and particularly like the fact that there is a series of books and they have the same characters.

A famous writer is coming to Green Lawn, but after the writer doesn't show up for a book signing event in the Book Nook, Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose are worried.
Later in Dink's letter it says the the writer was probly kidnapped.
SO they started investingation, was the auther really kidnapped and by whom?
You need to read the book and find out!

My eight year old grandson is avid reader. He reads 2 years ahead of his grade level in school. I always think of books for my grandkids as gifts. When his birthday was coming, I came looking for books. I found this series. They are called the A-Z mysteries. I bought the first ten books A-J and they were such a success. He loves everyone of them. I am going to buy more of them to use as gifts for good report cards, etc. I think that books are the most important gift that you can give to a child and these books are great.

I like everything about the kidnapping stuff. I like Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose. I think the pictures should be in color.
It was a good mystery.

I wanted to get a beginner's chapter book for my almost 6-year-old daughter. I thought about Junie B. Jones or the Magic Tree House series, but I was turned off by Junie's poor grammar (or at least the author's attempt to make her sound like a "real" 6-year-old), and by the Magic Tree House's female character being "dreamy" while her brother was "logical". This book managed to avoid those caveats, while still being an entertaining read for my daughter. I wasn't sure at first if she could follow a chapter book on her own, with illustrations only appearing every 3 pages or so, so I read her the first two chapters last night. This morning, the first thing she reached for was that book. Instead of getting up and watching Saturday morning cartoons, she sat in bed, ate a banana, and finished her new book. I couldn't ask for anything better.

This book was great!! Very age appropriate. My daughter and I went through it together and it answered a lot of questions for both of us.

This book is an awesome book for explaining the pre-teen things that girls all face, it is faith based and was EXTREMELY helpful for my daughter.

This is a GREAT book! I'd give it 10 stars! It has answered all my questions about becoming a woman. I think it would be good for ages 8-13
Thank you Nancy Rue!

I found this book to be through and down to earth. It's is written very well. This book is the perfect introduction for the pre-teen girl without older sisters or female cousins to be honest with her. This is also good tool to equip parents with answers the pre-teen may have. With all th worldly influences of today, it's great to have a biblical resource.

I bought this book for my daughter who was 10 at the time. I read it first and even censored the chapters I didn't think she was ready for. Eventually, she read the whole thing and it opened up a great dialogue between us and allowed her to ask questions about the confusing things. It was a good way for me to approach a "scary" subject and now we talk openly about everything.

My reason for choosing this book is the biblical basis and the focus on God as the creator. I love that it encourages prayer, journalling and time with God during the roller coaster ride that my daughter is getting ready to start. Great book!!

This book tells it all, breaking everything down about the show, you name it, this book tells it.
A wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary!

This book is something special in that it combines the usual prose of a "Making of..." with a wealth of large-size images and illustrations as well as a detailed guide to the seven seasons of TNG. Included are sections on "Generations", "First Contact" and, in the newest edition, "Insurrection". Although some of the images are already known from The Art of Star Trek, this is another great look behind the scenes. More than the rather loosely arranged images in the The Art of Star Trek, this book really tells the story of a series that is developed through seven seasons.

The Continuing Mission is probably the best book about TNG with all of its aspects. It was obviously written to be entertaining in the first place, so it never gets too profound. Nevertheless, we learn a great deal, for instance, where Guinan's name comes from, how many writers mingled together the script for "Yesterday's Enterprise", or how a shuttle may become a big starship. The only slight criticism I have about it is that the text is mostly separate from the images. Although there are captions, I would have liked to know more about several of the images.

The sub-title of the book is "A Tenth Anniversary Tribute", and it is a worthy tribute in any respect.

This book is essential reading for any Star Trek fan. Even if you may not be a big fan of TNG (I myself prefer DS9), this beautiful tribute will surely improve your understanding of the days before, during, and after the creation of TNG series.

The text is written in a very amiable, intimate and lively manner, obviously showing the authors' love and dedication to the TNG world. Content-wise, the book is utterly fascinating: there is everything from the stories behind the casting ("But he's bald!"), to the creation and incarnations of the spacecraft of the show, to interesting anecdotes both clever and funny, highlighting special episodes, audience reaction, notes on production; even clear and non-technical explanations of various financial aspects of producing TNG and the movies. Absolutely nothing comes across as overly technical.

The book is divided into chapters tracing each season and movie involving TNG cast; each "season" also includes episode-by-episode synopses by the side - very helpful not just as an episode guide, but as a way of guiding the reader throughout the TNG journey. In fact, one of the best things about this book is its strong sense of chronological unity - reading the book from front to back, you are surely and rapturously guided through the entire TNG history - it feels like getting to know an old friend anew.

The book is made even better by the tons of colour photos throughout - ranging from pictures of props to sets, to ships, production designs, cast, scenes, costumes, production... it's just fantastic.

A lot of intelligence and dedication has gone into producing this book. I really can't praise it enough except to say: now I admire Star Trek: The Next Generation even more.

A pure celebration of Star Trek The Next Generation! A tenth anniversary tribute that does justice to the show and to all three movies through it's date of publication. It give some very good details on all the shows, some insights from a lot of the people that made The Next Generation. The pictures and drawings are stunning to say the least. If you're a fan of Star Trek, this is definitely essential to your collection.

First of all, this book is huge. Really. It is tall and wide as well as being hefty. It does the amazing task of covering 7+ years of television history regarding the show responsible for renewed interest in science-fiction.

The history is indeed an interesting one. Many tidbits are revealed, and if you are a trivia junkie, it will fill the endless void nicely.

The pictures are great, as well as commentary and brief interviews of folks. The only thing I felt that could have been done better were episode summaries. They fell by the wayside a bit; but the sheer volume of information contained in the book makes up for it.

It is well-constructed, and has lasted repeated flipping and reading. That and its size make it an excellent coffee table book. People who have no interest in Trek pick it up and are fascinated by the information. It makes a great gift, for yourself or the TNG fan in your life. Or even, the television trivia buff as well.

This book is a great overview for someone just beginning to think about starting a business venture, but it seemed to be more focused towards the needs of a large venture, rather than a small business. It covered a lot that I thought would not be applicable to the type of business I want to start -- a small town retail shop where I plan to run the business myself and will not hire executives or get funding from investors (other than probably a local bank or the SBA). Perhaps this just shows my ignorance of what owning a small business is about, though!

I also have to express my disagreement with his comments regarding attorneys. (Disclosure: I am currently an associate at a big law firm.) It sounds like he happened to get some bad attorneys. For what it's worth, my thoughts, based on my own observations of attorneys at large and small firms (my own firms and opposing firms), are this: (1) I don't think his experiences reflect the services provided by all large law firms -- I think the quality of services you get depends on whether you hire a good INDIVIDUAL attorney, not law firm, (2) you are much more likely to have someone "learn on your dime" at a small firm than a large one simply because attorneys at large firms do a lot more business and specialize in certain areas and therefore become more experienced with matters that arise in those areas, (3) most small firm attorneys will NOT be as great as the ones he found, and (4) most partners are so distracted by bringing in business and a million other things that associates are much more likely to focus on your deal, keep things moving quickly, and actually pay attention to the details. I think the ideal arrangement for a small business owner is to find a good associate who has a good partner to ask for guidance on big issues when needed. I just don't think it's fair to generalize that all big firm attorneys are terrible and negligent with small clients, or that associates are all clueless and learning on your dime. (I can provide proof in the form of reviews from my large and small business clients!) That all being said, there are some fantastic attorneys at small shops and if you find one, you will pay much less for their services. My best advice on finding a good attorney (whether at a large firm or a small firm) is to get referrals from other business owners.

The Entrepreneur's Notebook by Gold offer an enthusing reading for anyone interested in knowing the fundementals of starting a new business venture with the least amount of mistakes. This is why I liked this book:
1. Uses real life examples from the author's own experience to explain entrepreneurship and the mistakes not to make when starting a new business.
2. Uses very simple analogies (I love the chapter on cash flow).
3. Very easy to follow and explains the different entrepreneurial personalities in great detail.

I did not like this book for the following reasons:
1. This book is not universal and most of the chapters apply to entrepreneurship in the US only. Although the first chapters are applicable to any entrepreneur, the ending chapters are rigid and US specific.

Final Verdict: Still a valuable buy but more applicable to US entrepreneurs rather than Entrepreneurship in general.

Steven gives great illustrations to drive home his insightful advice for entrepreneurs. As he's "been there, done that," we can take his advice to heart in the hopes of becoming a success like him!

Great book for getting ready to open a new business. Would refer to anyone thinking about opening a business.

Gold goes far beyond the typical "here's the difference between a C Corporation and an LLC" to explain not only the nuts-and-bolts of finding business partners, forming a company, marketing your products/services, and writing a business plan, but also--and perhaps even more importantly--how to *think about* being an entrepreneur and how to make the critical decisions that can make or break any new venture in its early stages. And he does this not only from the point of view of someone who has studied and taught business (although he does fit the bill on both of these fronts), but as someone who has successfully started and run several businesses.

For example, he not only points out the need to put together a team, but explains how to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses and how to identify complementary team members who are most likely to work together as a cohesive unit. He not only explains the importance of finding the right corporate lawyer for your company, he also provides concrete--and nonintuitive--advice for how to avoid picking the *wrong* one. He doesn't merely repeat the mantras of "find your niche" and "focus on your core competency," he explains how to translate your "big idea" into a finely-honed business plan based on analysis of both your company's strengths and weaknesses and the market in which it will operate.

I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about starting a business who wants to avoid common pitfalls and start off on the right foot with the "entrepreneur's mindset" and plenty of concrete strategies for success.

Wilbers is nationally recognized columnist on writing. His book combines the best ideas and examples on how to write simply, and on how to write well. He captures the heart and flavor of numerous other books on writing and rhetoric, and presents them in a simple, readable, understandable style. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is not only an easy read, but an enjoyable one. The examples of good and bad writing clearly illustrate a running theme in the book: It is not just what you say, but how you say it that matters in effective writing. My law partners liked this book so much that we distributed copies to partners and associates alike, and I personally gave copies to everyone in my family attending high school or college. At the present price, buying this book is a "no-brainer." This book is also well indexed, which makes it useful as a reference. I keep a copy on my desk.

Stephen Wilbers' "Keys to Great Writing" is a wonderful book. I've read most of the classic books on writing and this is by far my favorite. Even when presenting well-known advice ("Omit needless words"), the examples are fresh and usually better than wherever I first read such advice ("Elements of Style" in that case). Wilbers has a very sly sense of humor that pops through in many sections.

The book is split into three sections. The first covers the "keys to great writing" (economy, precision, action, music, and personality). The second covers "Elements of Composition." The last section is by far the smallest but was perhaps the most useful to me. It is on the writing process itself.

I enjoyed the book so much that I tracked down the author via email and paid him to review two chapters of the next book I'm writing. I wanted to see how well I'd done at taking his advice from the book.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I bought this book for a guide to improve my writing skills for work as well as my module assignments.

Intelligent, well organized and fun to read, this book is a "must have" if you want to improve your own writing or help others to improve theirs.

I'm using this text for an on-line writing course. The author has put everything in easy-to-understand language and includes a bit of humor along the way. Excellent advice, hints, and ideas.