Wallace Books

I read this book the first time when I checked it out of the public library. I loved it so much that I had to have my own copy. It is a fascinating account of how the nouvo riche in the U.S. basically bought acceptance to high society for their daughters. You can just pick it up and read sections - it's not necessary to start at the beginning and work through. Not a summer goes by that I don't pick it up!

As the other reviewers have noted, this is a great romp through a part of American history you don't learn about in school. I read it through once and then re-read it just to savor all the little bits and pieces the authors have so generously loaded it with. If you ever wondered about all those Vanderbilts and all those Whitneys, here is your chance (from an American point of view!)to find out just how and why these ladies ended up in the postions they did- all for the love of Edward VII. I wish there were more reader-friendly books like this that make history so entertaining.

Every time I read this book it becomes more and more interesting. Meticulously researched, with great little anecdotes and etiquette tips.
This book is a lot of fun! I especially liked the many photographs of the designer gowns (most by Worth, if you please!) that are liberally scattered throughout.
If you're ananglophile you'll want to get this one!

Those few of us who have wondered why in the world a comfortable, cosseted American girl would want to marry an Englishman and live in a cold climate in an even colder stone castle will find answers here, even if the answers aren't satisfactory to the modern ear.

Think of it: wealthy American society girls, products of generations of men and women who gave lives and fortunes to escape a Royalist society, thought it a worthy investment of their lives, loves and wealth to buy an English title in the form of a husband. It's understandable that men who have no money and are saddled with huge estates and titles with no way to support themselves "in the manner to which they have become accustomed" would search out these women. It's another matter to understand the women, especially if they were bright and energetic (like the fabled Jenny Jerome).

Of course the first women to get involved in this weird method of social climbing didn't realize what was involved. (Though why American society decided that an English title was important in the United States, especially if it could be bought with money, still escapes me.) The problems included loveless husbands who paid little attention to their wives and carried on affairs; cold and drafty castles into which Papa sank tons of money to no avail as far as comfort was concerned; families who refused to accept them in spite (or because) of the fact that they provided the money to keep the lifestyle intact; servants who often were sulky and rebellious ("but we've ALWAYS done it that way"); children they handed over to nannies. The first brides must have kept the hardships and loneliness from the succeeding generation, for the rage for English titles prevailed from the mid-19th century almost through the mid-20th century.

TO MARRY AN ENGLISH LORD is a fascinating and complete look at these women and the lives they led. Illustrations showing the homes and households of the times and how they operated, fashions, maps, photographs of the women and their friends, families and husbands all combine to present the core of that particular section of society in that particular age.

The book is meticulously researched and includes a bibliography, a register of American heiresses, a suggested walking tour of the women's London and a very handy index. It's built around the stories of these women and the men who wooed and won them. Who they were, what they did and what the consequences were -- all adds up to an intriguing and fascinating read.

Who says that history is boring and stuffy? This well-researched book is chock full of anecdotes, pictures, and facts to make the period and the subject come to life.

This book discusses the phenomenon of the "dollar princesses": American hieresses who married into titles abroad, particularly England. Amongst them were Winston Churchill's mother; a woman who was the second-highest ranking woman in the British empire (after only the queen); and maybe the most famous of all: Consuelo Vanderbuilt, who begrudgingly became the Duchess of Marlborough in a marriage aranged by her social-climbing mother.

Written informally, with lots of pictures, this might be a great book to buy a teenager who is just transitioning into "grown-up" non-fiction, but finds most of it dry and uninteresting. It is also a must-read for anyone who plans on traveling to country-houses in England, as it gives a more accurate view of what it was like to actually have to live in one of those monstrosities! Anyone who is interested in the history of class in America, or of the British Aristocracy, would also be interested.

Have you ever thought of a cow in a cat's point of view? Well in the book Upchuck and the Rotten Willy you will find a lot of things in a cats point of view. In Chuck` s point of view if you haven't eaten spaghetti you haven't lived.
Have you ever just sat on a fence all morning telling jokes? Just hanging out with friends. If not, Chuck will tell you all about it. In this book at times I think Chuck talks and thinks like a person. He thinks about things that most people wouldn't thing twice about.
This book is really funny in the first part of the story when the 2 friends (Tom & Chuck) make fun of the dogs at the park. "Why are dogs noses so flat?" " From chasing parked cars."
If you like animals, horsing around, or if you like spaghetti this is the right book for YOU!

If you like animal books this is the book for you it is adventerous, funny, sad, and loveable! It is the most wonderful book I have ever read you have to read it, it is so exciting you'll not want to put this book down it is so good! Yuo'll also want to read it over and over again it is just so good I can not explain how good it is it just is so good!

If you like animal books this is the book for you. It is adventerous, funny, sad, and loveable! It is the most wonderful book I have ever read. You have to read it; it is so exciting you'll not want to put this book down! You'll also want to read it over and over again.

If you looove animals like me you'll love Upchuck and the rotten Willy. Know here a little about it. Well, let's see THeres these two cat's who have adventures, but one cat moves away and so chuck makes friends with a dog. It also made me cry but in a good way.READ this book if you like excitment, adventure, and love- Upchuck and the Rotten Willy!

My 8 1/2 year old got this book and asked me to read it to him every night. I also fell in love with this book and it was so well written. I am now going to get all of the sequels to this book as a special surprise for Christmas. A story of friendship and sharing life together, it warmed our hearts. The book also kept us both in stitches. We would read paragraphs over and over just to get a good laugh! It was wonderful time together laughing and learning about what life as a cat would be. I loved the parts where the cats would make fun of the dogs.

I am very grateful to B. Allan Wallace for writing this book in this style. Such profound and practical insights digested through his own experience are generously shared using language, imagery and reasoning readily understandable by a parochial Australian such as me. His explication of more traditional Tibetan metaphors and images is also very helpful. I love the kindness and humility and humanity of the book. It has already helped me in my quest to be more patient and compassionate.

I must confess I have not read the entire book, the first section called "the preliminaries" is so deep and full of wisdom that I have not gotten past them...it alone is worth the price of the book. I am not a buddhist, but this is deep stuff about how to live and approach conciousness, with the ultimate goal being full awareness. Clearly written, logical, very deep. My highest rec. if you want a spiritual but not dogmatic book, grounded in practical excercises. Contemplative, dynamic, deep.

Having read many books about Tibetan Buddhist principles and meditation techniques, this book is by far one of the best. Wallace writes for the skeptical, intellectual Westerner. Many Buddhist books written by Westerners either use baby talk or are too sirupy. Because of this, I preferred those written by Tibetan teachers - until I came across this book by Wallace.

A. Heinz, Cape Town

This is a well written book that gives you a lot of in depth information about Buddhism. I think a beginner should start with Rahula's What the Buddha Taught. After that, this would be a great choice. However, for those who have some knowledge of Buddhism and want to learn more, as they travel on the path, this is a wonderful book. Buy it. You'll like it.

Realize they are two very different books! If you are looking for something to benefit your practice then "Buddhism with an Attitude" is the way to go. Although repetitive at times, this itself is helpful, and it is written in a more instructional tone. If you feel your practice has fully matured (lucky you) and you are simply interested in a concise, more academic exposition of the seven point mind training, then "The Seven-Point Mind Training" is the one for you. Also, for being more condensed, the "The Seven-Point Mind Training", will be the book you will want to carry around once you are familiar with Lam Rim practice.

This is one of the very first books I remember my mother reading to me, I was so entranced at age 5 I had to learn to read so that I could devour more. I have been addicted to books ever since. Enid Blyton has an amazing imagination and can send you to another world completely, whether this book Enchanted Wood or The Faraway Tree, The Secret Seven, Famous Five, the list is endless thank goodness but still not long enough. These books taught me the joy of reading as it has taught my children and my grandchildren. Enid Blyton deserves more than 5 stars!

My husband remembered loving this series as a kid and was delighted to be able to get them for our son. At age 7 our son would read the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree over and over. Enid Blyton connects perfectly with the magical imagination of kids this age.

The enchanted wood is a fab book its about three children Joe,Beth and Frannie. They live in the contry side and they find a magic tree and up the tree they make loads of friends but at the top of the tree there are lands some lands are good and some lands are bad. If you liked the sound of that you will have to get the book!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember reading this book as a little girl. Enid Blyton is in my opinion the best children's writers. Now that I'm a mom I'm getting this book and other Blyton favourites for my kids.

I remember reading this book when I was little. I recently came across it again at my parent's house and found it to be just as delightful now at 32 as I did when I was 7! It is filled with magical wonder and fantasy. A great recommendation for children of all ages!

I have found most "self improvement" golf books to be difficult to grasp without great photographic portrayal of the techniques being taught. Video would make them all that much better. This book, however, deals with easy to grasp concepts and exercises that are practical and efficient. What a great thought process the super fluid concept is! This is just the book needed for those who need to take a break from the physical grind of improving their golf game and get into the mental end of the spectrum.

A PGA master professional told me that my greatest problem was rhythm and tempo. He introduced me to a few aspects of "quantum golf" and I suddenly hit my 3-iron longer than I previously hit my driver.

Back in Europe I still focused on my rhythm and tempo but after several months the length of my shots decreased and I went back to classical golf.

Only after reading the book "quantum golf" I saw that I was missing one essential part of quantum golf - the Q-position. I went back to quantum golf and my results are amazing: my length and precision off the tee improved a lot.

A fascinating novella, where a Mr. Smith learns about himself as he explores golf with a mystical teacher in the middle of Iowa. Great reading for tennis players or golfers who want to learn a "superfluid" swing, but also for the golf/tennis metaphors that apply to life. Delightful

I'd heard of transcendental meditation since the mid-70's and always found it fascinating. I never paid the exorbitant fee they wanted to learn it, but understood enough of the fundamentals that I could apply it to some things in my life.

This was the first book about golf that actually used those principles. I had been in the Navy for quite a while and had the opportunity to play golf at many fine courses around the world.

I bought this book one early summer while my handicap was hovering around 17 and went on leave. I read the book, practiced the way the teacher asked in the book, and went back to my duties after my thirty day leave. Within a month, I had my handicap down to 12 (quite an accomplishment for a self-taught duffer like myself.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that aspires to achieve "Zen" in their golf game.

I'm a pretty good golfer, and I knew that my game was plateauing. I was stuck at about 79-83, and I knew that spending time beating balls at the driving range was getting me no where. I bought this book based on the reviews I saw here, and I have to admit I am SHOCKED. The book is that good. It's a story, that reveals the secrets of golf within it, primarily teaching you better rhythm, and how to "dance with the club", I feel the difference already, and I have owned the book for only 3 days. Its a great read, and very helpful, I would recommend to all level of players.

I really think they are stretching to come up with more "Essential" books for Star Wars, but nonetheless, this is still a good book full of all the information you knew, know, wanted and didn't want to know about the lovable robotic droids of the Star Wars movies and books. Star Wars fans won't be disappointed, however there is not much here for the non-Star Wars fan, as they probably won't even know what their reading about (or if they did, they wouldn't care). I recommend this to all Star Wars fans.

I have all of the Essential Guides and have been pleased with all of them to one degree or another. The Essential Guide to Droids, however, is one of the better ones. The author and artists have done their homework in researching the novels, but for all their work-there are some really silly designs in here, usually written into novels or whatever, because the author thought it would be cute, but only comes across as annoying or dumb (the C2-R4 comes to mind). Other designs have not been well thought out-the M38 Explorer droid is too tall, it seems logical that if you want an automated robot for planetary surveys, then something with a lower center of gravity would be a much better design. I would recommend that everyone ignore the fact that Anakin made C-3PO and keep his manufacturer as Cybot Galactica, since that is a little more believable. As always The Essential Guide to Droids would make an ideal addition to the Star Wars role playing table as well, and it has a good spread of robots from domestic, industrial to combat and medical droids. A solid effort with great art work and well written.

In the immortal words of Darth Vader..."Impressive. Most impressive." I found this book to be not only an excellent resource but also a great read. It touches on every major detail of the droids that it mentions...which is quite a bit. You can read about anything from C-3P0's internal computer to the technical details of the medical droid. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to scratch the surface of Star Wars and dig a little deeper.

This is where I go to get information on Droids. You never seem to get really good description of the droids so this is where reccomend that you go and if you can't find out what you need to know the I would reccomend th Star Wars Encyclopedia.

The Essential Guide to Droids is better than the rest of the EG series thus far. It has good pictures and relatively informative schematic drawings of each of the droids, with better art than has been seen yet in a Guide. It also has the obligatory listing and brief description of all the major droid manufacturors in known. Another helpful feature is that it lists the droids according to their function, rather than in the standard alphabetical order, a la EG to Weapons. But the author goes beyond simply describing each droid and its function. He created background lore about the droids, and their developers. He doesn't make each droid individual, but rather trases entire product lines, for example, he goes from the R1 to the end of the R- series, creating the whole product line development, etc... What he doesn't do is spend the entire allotted text space for each droid simply relating the adventures it has had. This is a very helpful, informative, and readable SW book, and I'm glad I bought it.

Wallace does an excellent job of refuting the fallacious views inherent in realist and instrumentalist views of reality. In providing a clear alternative, based on the Madhyamika Buddhist position, he has written a book full of new insights well worth reading. Buy it now and take a significant step in making your life happier!!!

As both a physicist and a buddhist, this was the book I've spent years looking for. I must admit that I was turned off by the scary guy on the cover, and my previous readings of assorted new-age fluff. Make no mistake however, this book is rock solid. Dashing to bits our untenable "assumptions" of exactly what reality is (for the concept of reality itself is an idea), we develop a clearer picture of exactly what it means to be human.
With a pertinent selection of quotes and ideas from the western world, Einstein, Poincare, Heisenberg, etc., we can clearly see how we have shaped our world from our worldview into what it has become. In the present age, we are the willing slaves of technology. Just as our cells don't know what we are doing, people spend their lives working to buy toys like cell phones and televisions, and have no idea how they work. Yet, because it is 'scientific', technological advancements are greatly praised and coveted. Meanwhile, intellectual, spiritual, and philosophical advancement is shunned as meaningless.
This book deftly points out taking such a stance reflects complete ignorance, since scientific investigation of the mind or the physical world provides no further understanding of reality, just a better "understanding" of our own ideas. Are we to say we are more advanced than our ancestors because we can relieve ourselves indoors, whereas our ancestors didn't care? Our social advancement, which can be seen as that most critical for our own species, has been left in the dust, in lieu of technological advancement--that all too often poisons us and our planet. How is this the rational course of action?
Although the first 9/10 of this book are right on track, I felt like the final portion, in its attempt to reach a resolution, a reconsciliation of western philosphy with Buddhist philosophy fell short. This may be the point. Wallace seems to want (or as the reader we want and assume that's where he's going) to pull us all out of the pit of buddhist emptiniess dug in the first 19 or so chapters. But, as Wallace points out, neither worldview is right, just 'more or less useful' in various contexts. There is no escape from our essential nature of emptiness and, like Descartes, by the end of the book the reader is left feeling like he can know nothing apart from his own 'existence'. But after having read the book, the reader of course realizes this is just an illusion, a particular spin on consciousness we decide to choose out of infinite number of possible interpretations, interpretations in turn all shaped by our cultures, mores, and environment, a.k.a 'reality'. Choosing Reality is a great book, and who knows how much you will gain by reading it.

Firstly, I must say that it is very difficult to summarize this book in any way. The complexity (and importance) of the material is such that there is no substitute for a direct, mindful read. However, if you are looking for a very worthwhile attempt at summarization, I suggest you read the review by ABC "bb" (I was persuaded to purchase by this review).

Many reviewers have commented that "Choosing Reality" is an "easy read". While I do agree to an extent, it seems necessary to note that these comments are true only in relation to other books of the same nature. Considering the complexity of the subject matter, yes, this book is an easy read. In comparison to most literature, however, this "easy read" statement is perhaps less plausable. My point is this: do not expect this book to be simple (firstly, because it isn't; secondly, because it shouldn't be). This is of double importance if the reader is of a traditional, Western mindset. The content of "Choosing Reality" (especially the latter chapters) takes time to fully absorb. In fact, this book was, for me, the anti-thesis of a 'quick read'. That said, I must say that I enjoyed every long minute of it.

Wallace does a wonderful job showing the flaws in scientific realism and instrumentalism, chronicaling the histories and the theories of each. He then thoroughly explains the comprimise, the middle way, the Buddhist way: a centrist view of reality. While the presentation of the centrist view was invaluable in its own right, the most enjoyable sections of the book came after this presentation. Wallace undertakes the very difficult task of using language to describe how the centrist view can be applied to our lives. Rather than just offering a theory, he describes how the centrist view deals with the mind, the nature of "physical reality", and the illusory "self". The author earnestly argues that the implications of the centrist view are real; implications that will certainly force you to re-evaluate the world you live in. The beauty of this book is that it caters to any audience. There is enough science to make it rational and reasonable; there is enough Buddhism to make it real and applicable. I consider this book of utmost importance to anyone interested in modern physics, Buddhism, the nature of reality, and/or the self.

Finally, I must note that as much as this book is a religious view of science, it is equally (albeit more subtly) a scientific view of religion. As perhaps Wallace's greatest triumph in this book, modern science and religion are shown to be infinintely complimentary, both ultimately striving to understand the same things: the nature of reality and our role in it. To this end, "Choosing Reality" is a must read.

Summary: Wallace makes a valiant attempt to contrast science & Madhyamaka (Buddhist "centrist" philosophy). He fails because of his limitations. He equates physics, science, & scientists (with human flaws), ignores western mysticism, the value of probability/statistics/circumstantial data, & non-behaviorist psychology but has many flaws in his arguments. Still, many of his observations regarding particular scientists & their misunderstanding of analogies vs. reality are correct. Overall, his viewpoint seems (per Jeff Rubin) Orientocentric. More specifically:

This book criticizes science's methods (vs. achievements) via Buddhist Madhyamaka thinking. It also presents meditative techniques & the 3 Immeasurables in the last 2 chapters. However, as a former physicist/systems engineer & a Dzogchen practitioner, I have problems with its': 1) criticisms of science confuse physics & science--even regarding medicine, 2) confuse science & scientists (with human faults/failings)--though many of his criticisms here are valid, 3) the Philosophy of Science (e.g. Sir Karl Popper) ignores Thomas Kuhn's seminal "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" & scientific life cycle of evolving paradigms. General Systems Theory would extend it to religion too: Madhyamaka (p. 148) vs. purportedly more advanced Mahamudra & Dzogchen, 4) it ignores Change Theory whose unfreezing periods explain science at sea amongst conflicting theories (like Soviets in US supermarkets). 5) per the Myers-Briggs, it seems Sensate--the bark vs. the forest (systems approach)--explaining its ambiguity intolerance, criticism of Quantum Mechanics' probability & statistics, & overlooking Set Theory. Its approach is typical Madhyamaka--based on extremes, Exclusive OR, & a binary assumption (black or white rather than shades of gray--let alone multi-colored). About 100 years ago, Mipham noted this flaw in Madhyamaka philosophical arguments.

There's a major flaw of uni-epistemological systems e.g. philosophy (based only on Rationalism=logic) vs. science's bi-epistemological system--adding Empiricism (data) to create a feedback loop/self-regulating system; thus, science doesn't investigate angels dancing on pin-heads. Other errors include: discounting 2nd hand/circumstantial evidence & iterative/interactive processes (see TV show "House's" iterative, circumstantial diagnoses), overgeneralizations, misunderstanding of analogies (words, models, metaphors--with error factors/partial truths) vs. assumptions, violations of Non-Allness...While a mind set effects one's perceptions, it doesn't totally control them (p. 101, Bruner's quote "unspecifiable degree")--a person wearing sunglasses isn't blind--esp. if properly trained, or there'd be no new paradigms or breakthroughs. It's a matter of degree, not an all or nothing per his p. 128 "whole or parts" analysis approach (ignoring synergy, functionality, & dictionaries). Models are inaccurate but most have referents in nature vs. p. 98. Per Knowledge Management, context is necessary for knowledge--IMHO this includes Levels of Abstraction--the cause of most so-called paradoxes.

Psychology herein is "radical behaviorists" overlooking Freud, Jung, Maslow, Psychology & Buddhism books. Prior to or same year (1996) as this book was originally published (but ignored herein):
Daisetz T. Suzuki, Erich Fromm, & Richard De Martino Zen Buddhism & Psychoanalysis Harper 1960
Alan W. Watts--Psychotherapy East & West, Ballantine NY 1961
Tarthang Tulku--Reflections of Mind, Dharma Pubs, Berkeley CA 1975
Nathan Katz--Buddhist and Western Psychology, Boulder, Prajna Press, 1983
Howard Coward--Jung and Eastern Thought, SUNY 1985
J. Marvin Spiegelman & Mokusen Miyuki--Buddhism & Jungian Psychology, Phoenix Falcon Press 1987
Thubten Chodron--Open Heart, Clear Mind, Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1990
John Suler--Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Eastern Thought, 1993
Mark Epstein--Thoughts without a Thinker, NY Basic Books, 1995
Hayao Kawai--Buddhism and the Art of Psychotherapy, Texas A&M University Press College Station 1996
Daniel J. Meckel & Robert L. Moore--Self & Liberation: The Jung--Buddhist Dialogue, Paulist Press
Jeffrey Rubin--Psychotherapy and Buddhism: Toward an Integration, Plenum Press, NY

Additionally, Western mysticism (e.g. the Rosicrucian Order, Theosophists, Sufis, Kabbalists (e.g. Aryeh Kaplan's trilogy on Jewish Meditation)) are ignored, incorrectly implying a lack of Western contemplatives.

For more specific errors, see pp. 73, 90, 157, 158, & 201. For example, he takes figures of speech literally on p. 158. Maybe it's my work in physics & engineering, but would anyone really think that by mixing equal quantities of 40 & 50 degree water you'd get 90 degree water? Be serious. By the way, p. 201 is wrong: some Tibetan Buddhists use intoxicants ceremonially. This book is an early attempt to contrast physics & gradualist Tibetan Buddhism--an ambitious attempt--but flawed & invalid.. Just because you can't use a yardstick to measure molecules doesn't mean there aren't any molecules. Rather, there aren't any molecules because the concept of molecules is an artificial analogy created to improve understanding and, especially, to facilitate communications between/among people. As an engineer, I like black boxes--like Dr. House, they make my day--puzzles can be fun!

This book is fantastic. As an engineer, I understand the concept of a model. A model is only as good as the application it is used for. Unfortunately, I think some scientists and physicists, most teachers and all media have gotten the concept of the model confused with true reality. Just because a system that accurately describes the working of physical reality works well (using concepts such as atoms, molecules, electrons, and nuclei) does not mean that this is what reality actually is. Science and physics is a model of reality, not reality itself!
For those delving deep into meditation, for those looking for those deeply entrenched assumptions of science, mathematics and medicine this book is a must.

Maybe only a great character actor could write about a great American character with such warmth and passion. Maybe it's because Richard Kiel spent over a quarter of a century in putting this story together. No matter the reason, KENTUCKY LION is truly a grand story. The characters come alive in this womderful piece of story-telling; even if it wasn't 95% true, I feel like I got to know Cash. I can't wait to see the movie!

I just got a copy of this book and upon opening it I could not put it down. Richard Kiel has done an astounding job of recreating in colorful details the life and adventures of this true gentleman. It is a page turner indeed! Once you start it you will see just how wonderful it is and just how hard it is to put down. I highly reccomend this book to anyone and I truly believe it should be included in a list of mandatory reads. There is much to be learned from this book. The authors have done an astounding amount of research into the life of this greatly overlooked individual. Richard and Pamela have created a true gem with this book. A masterpiece telling of the true life of Cassius Clay. A++

What an incredible account that until now has gone uncovered! The astonishing true story behind the Cassius Clay story. Captivating and enlightening read.

Excellent...This is a must read. This historic american novel will make a great movie or mini series for television. Richard Kiel and Pamela Wallace tell the life story of Cassius Clay with passion, romance and intrigue. I started reading this on my flight from California to Texas and could not put it down. The history that was researched for this book is truly amazing. It's a great story of a great american hero.

Kentucky Lion: The True Story of Cassius Clay
This is an amazing book about one man who would not give up his fight for something that he believed in, despite many things being thrown in his path. Once you start reading it, you will not be able to put it down. I had never heard the name 'Cassius Clay' before reading this book, and now I will never forget him or the story of his life. It's definitely a book that everyone will find interesting given the many aspects of his life that are brought to life throughout the pages of the book.

A definite MUST READ!

Let's face it. Most sales people we come in contact with drone on about what they think is gonna make you buy. Wahburn and Wallace have revealed profound conclusions of what customers want to hear, based on hundreds of research questionaires conducted with customers of highly successful companies. I've been in sales for 17 years and I gave up on reading sales books because they were not helpful. This one is different. It immediately helped me improve my presentation that I've been giving for the last 11 years. I thought it was as good as it was gonna get. Wrong. I'm making more money and saying what customers want to hear. Even better, more customers are saying what I want to hear. Buy the book. You won't regret it.

I have heard of different personality types for years, how to pick them out and what to do after you know their type, but it was always so complicated. The authors make it VERY easy to pick out the personality type, then they tell you what to do with the information. They give excellent examples from their own work with clients over the years.

This is not one of those books that is just an advertisement for their consulting or their seminars. Each of the three personality types is clearly described. A simple trick is given to remember how to pick each personality type. Then many real life examples of how to sell to that presonality type. All the authors have left for you is to modify the examples to the products you are selling, modify the presentation you already use so that it targets the three personality types in 4 or 5 areas and you will be selling in a way your client likes to buy.

What if you are doing group sales with a mixture of personality types in the same room? It is covered in this book.

This book is too good and too cheap not to get and read. The contents are too easy to not put into practice.

I am a CPA and Harvard MBA and have sold sophisticated tax shelters on a commission basis for years. This is one of the finest books on salesmanship I have ever read.

It is grounded in excellent theory, yet it presents the information in a simple manner that is easy to understand AND easy to implement.

The book focuses on two areas:

1) Know where your customer is in the buying cycle. a)Is he committed to do something yet, or not. b)Is this a repeat of a prior purchase or not? c)Is he evaluating alternatives? d)From whom will he buy the product or service selected? e)Is the price right?

2) Different personality types buy in different manners. The book describes three types. a)Commander (take-charge, action-oriented leaders) b)Thinker (logical, analyze details, and like knowing the answers), and c) Visualizer (practical, intuitive, see things as they are).

A buyer is interested in certain information at each STAGE in the buying cycle. Additionally, each personality prefers to receive their information in a different manner. By recognizing the buying stage and the personality of the buyer you are trying to persuade, you can choose the most compelling arguments to make every time. This will avoid 90% of the turn-downs other salespeople get when trying to close a sale.

I have read other books classifying personalities into 9 or 16 types. Other authors define 8 or 11 stages of a sale. By using 5 stages in their DREAM sales cycle, and 3 personality types, I think Washburn and Wallace have done salespeople a GREAT service. These categories are well defined, easy to identify, and easily utilized to increase sales with their strategies.

Readers looking for more advanced strategies in these areas can try Kerry Johnson's "Sales Magic" and "Selling the Way Your Customer Buys" by Marvin Sadovsky and Jon Caswell. However, I feel Washburn & Wallace's "Why People Don't Buy Things" has the ideal mix of quality content which works, is easily digested, and implementable. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Great book on why we sometimes let the big one slip away. Full of ideas and case studies to help anyone selling anything to better position their product/services and ultimately sell more.

I refer to this book on a regular basis to train my sales force. It reinforces what we have been working on for several years AND the results are there. Great job Harry and Kim.

I found this collection of short stories to be amazingly gripping and enjoyable. Each of the stories were well written and kept my attention from start to finish. I've not been a fan of locked room mysteries, however, I must admit that Phil Mann's "Touch Of A Vanish'd Hand" not only kept my attention but spurred me to purchase more books in this specific genre. Joan Myers' "Copycat" was another personal favorite. I tip my hat to each of these authors as well as the three editors. Thank you for such a wonderful piece of modern literature.

Although I'm a voracious mystery fan, I tend to shy away from short stories as they never seem well developed enough. This anthology, however, has changed my mind. Each story is exceptionally well crafted with well defined characters, clever plot lines and lots of twists along the way. There is a mystery here to satisfy every taste and type. And there isn't a red herring in the bunch. Plaudits to the members of SinCLA - keep 'em coming!

The Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime has released a captivating short story collection centering on what else: murder and mayhem. The twelve stories are fun to read as they vary in methods, means, and motives, but share a common background: the LA area and a common theme: of entertaining the reader. Characters run the gamut from the underbelly of society to the elite, but act as culprits dispensing murder. Though this is the "sisterhood", two of the collaborators are males, but the audience would not know gender if the stories were contributed anonymously because they are all strong entries.

Fans of murder and mystery anthologies will fully relish this collection. For the most part, the authors are just starting to become known, but in some cases, this reviewer has never previously read a work by a particular contributor. That error will be corrected as each writer holds up his or her end of the book, making for a wonderful reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

A Deadly Dozen is a compilation of short stories, naturally involving murders, written by the Sisters in Crime in Los Angeles, California. Featuring a deadly dozen stories from such authors as: Kris Neri, Cynthia Lawrence, Cory Newman, Lisa Seidman, and others, these stories provide a platform for these writers to dip their pens into stories with a twist. This group, which formed in 1986, led by Sara Paretsky, Sisters in Crime is now a respected national organization. The Los Angeles Chapter was formed by Phyllis Miller in 1989. In recent years, male writers have been welcomed into the organization. A Deadly Dozen is the second anthology published by this group.

The problem...and the thrill...of short stories is that the characters have to introduce themselves to the reader early and completely. The reader has to immediately descend into the world that the author has created, and be ready for a real jolt at the end. Kris Neri's chilling "Sentence Imposed" does just that:

"Call it fate, call it chance--either way, it'll change your life. Sometimes you just find yourself staring into a crowd, your gaze floating aimlessly over a sea of faces you won't remember the instant you look away--until one person's eyes seem to grab hold of yours and you make a connection. You can't explain it, but somehow your life and that stranger's become bound together. When I made that link, it was with a little girl."

Whatever the subject, these writers know how to pull no punches. "Wifely Duties" is a Hitchcockian tale of a wife who plots to kill her husband, and ends up as a victim herself. "Push Comes to Shove" is a wrestler's nightmare. "Fatal Tears" is a classic sibling rivalry piece. A Deadly Dozen exposure is like taking in several episodes of "Night Gallery," with cataloging students catching a murderer in "Miss Parker and the Cutter-Sanborn Tables."

Shelley Glodowski, Reviewer

A DEADLY DOZEN (TALES OF MURDER FROM LOS ANGELES ) is the third anthology following the 1997 DESSERTICIDE (DESSERTS TO DIE FOR ) and 1998 MURDER BY THIRTEEN.

The Los Angles chapter of Sisters in Crime has released a book of twelve short stories, based on murder and mayhem. I usually do not like to read short stories, but these stories were fully contained with well-crafted plots and well defined characters. My favorites were Wifely Duties, because every woman can identify with Lucy and her discontent with her marriage, but I would like to think that we would not go to the lengths that she did, and with such a startling conclusion. Cats and Jammer was another favorite, it's about a teen-age detective that finds a body and the suspects are many.

Stories included are: Sentience Imposed by Kris Neri Wifely Duties by Cory Newman Push Comes To Shove by Nathan Walpow Fatal Tears by Ekaterine Nikas Miss Parker and the Cutter Sanborn Tablets by Gay Tolti Kinman Driven To Kill by Jamie Wallace Touch Of A Vanish'd Hand by Phil Mann Ai Witness by Kate Tornton Over My Shoulder by Lisa Seidman The Cats And Jammer, by Gayle McGary Copy Cat by Joan Myers Midnight by Dorothy Rellas

This book is well worth the read.