Services Books

The title is accurate - these ARE million dollar
mailings - direct mail pieces that are sent to very
broad markets. As such it is a useful study source
for the pro. For the person marketing his or her
own start-up or small business it may be of lesser
usefulness.

This book will probably be of most interest to
those interested in how highly-polished direct mail
offers are written and designed:

Omaha Steaks,
Gevalia Coffee,
Magazine subscriptions...

Primarily this book shows how the most successful direct
mail pieces get the reader to open the mail, comprehend
the offer, and make a decision. This is no small feat -
these pieces are by-and-large interuptive marketing.
For example: you get an Omaha Steaks mailing because
you are on a list as a buyer of low-end luxury goods.
The mailer makes a wild guess that you are likely to
be a meat eater and mails to you with no knowledge of
your dietary habits.

If you market online you will in general have to
interpret how to transfer direct mail concepts to
websites. The nearest online equivalent to most of
these mailings is marketing to big ezine lists or
outright spamming. These pieces are the most successful
pieces of junk mail in recent years.

What comes through in many of the letters is how
subtly cunning and targeted at their ideal customer
they are. Much online copy is more expansive, with
exhausting bullet-lists and what Stephen King calls
"literary elephantitis" - a luxury not permitted
by the weight restrictions of direct mail.

Much of the persuasive value of these direct mail offers
is hinged upon the safety of buying on approval, often
from a familiar brand. As such they are instructive
in how the massive marketing systems of corporate America
function.

This is not a basic copywriting text by any means - the
lessons herein will require diligent study and thought to
apply. I don't have any doubt owning this book will make
you a better copywriter. Compared to a lot of other "swipe
files" you can buy today it's diverse in terms of
mailing formats, product types, and copywriting styles.

If you're looking for a step by step how to guide on how you can create Million Dollar Mailings on a shoestring budget, then skip this book.

On the other hand, if you're an advertising professional charged with the task of effectively spending your client's money on marketing and advertising, then by all means, buy this book. This is your chance to look over the shoulder of a seasoned professional as he looks at some of the most successful direct mail pieces in history.

As for the cost of the book... a course on "marketing" at your local community college costs more and won't provide 1/10th of the information contained within this book!

Wow says it all. Read the prior reviews. Pound for pound this book is worth more than gold per pound to anyone who writes copy. A life time of learning for way less than $100. Have spent 10X as much for a fraction of what this book will give you. Thanks Mr. Hatch

Thousands and thousands of different direct mail packages are mailed every year.

A few are super successful. This book collects the cream of the crop. the "control" letters that made these companies fortunes over the years. And explains why they worked. Will cut decades off your learning curve.

You can use these time tested successes to duplicate. So that your own mailing will be a success. Shows all different types of formats for mailing. As well as different types of offers.

Two other recommended books to learn from are Herschell Gordon Lewis' "World's Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters" and "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time" by Richard S. Hodgson

But both of these are hard to find and expensive. Who knows how long Million Dollar Mailings will be available for?

However, there is a danger in that you'll see how stupid some of the marketing has been done, and is being done, by others in your company. You might get restless, run out the door and scream.

Worth it's weight in doubloons.

Caveat: Bean counters, and bean counters masquerading as marketers, will not understand this book. If all you send out are post cards and self mailers (ads with postage stamps), and you think they're effective, keep doing that. We true direct marketers will gleefully steal your lunch money with Mr. Hatch's assistance.

We came across the Harry books at our library and my daughter (2) loved them so much that I purchased them for her. They are so much fun to read.

There is something universal about the appeal of Harry the dog and his adventures. Little children who have pets in their home environment will easily identify with ALL the 'Harry' stories.

I am so excited!! today I was seeing a patient in Greenville, South carolina and much to my surprise, sitting on the floor of her home was, No Roses for Harry. When I was a child (I am currently 54) this was one of my favorite books. When I had my children I tried to find this series of Harry books but could not remember the names. Oh so depressing. My depression lifted today. At this point in my life I have college and high school students, but the future is bright. Maybe my grandchildren can now benefit. So excited. I can guarantee any youngster will sit down and listen to this book, over and over again.

When Grandma sends the family a sweater for Harry, he knows right away he doesn't like it. It was a green sweater with roses on it. Harry is white dog with black spots and that's the look he likes. He tries to lose the sweater time and time again, but people keep bringing it back, then a bird grabs a lose strand and flies away, unravelling the sweater as she goes. Soon the sweater is gone, vanishing before Harry's eyes and he is happy. But then he learns Grandma is coming to visit and he is worried.

The family looks all over for the sweater, but can't find it. Then when Grandma arrives, she takes Harry for a walk in the park and up in a tree they see a bird with a new nest which looks exactly like Harry's sweater. This is a nice story. My little guy just loves it and frankly I prefer these children's books from the middle of the last century. They really knew how to illustrate them back then.

One thing I have found myself doing is going back and buying all these classic books that I read as a youngster. My little one LOVES Harry! He's just as popular with the kids today as he was 50 years ago when he first was published. He gets read over, and over, and over..... in our house and I keep getting requests for more Harry books! Highly recommend!

This is a must read for anyone that works in health care. Being a RN it has made a tremendous impact on me and my practice. It was very easy to read and I read it in two days and I am rereading it now. Great book on modern day nursing and is a instant classic.

I recommend this book to everyone I meet. It does a fantastic job of highlighting the nursing experience, while examining ALL of the factors that challenge our healthcare system today. I am a nurse and found many of the anecdotes to be all too relatable. I think EVERYONE should read this book!

I have been a practicing nurse now for 34 years. I have done everything from critical care, medical-surgical, some psychiatric nursing, to now; nursing education. This book accurately presents every thing I have experienced.

I read the book and am going to graduate from a nursing program in June of '08. I was so disenchanted as to what went on in the book as I see it going on when I am in clinicals. I probably wouldn't have picked nursing as my number one profession after being in the hospital setting and it should be a read the first quarter of new nursing students. The book is very factual, as to what I have witnessed thus far. It is a shame it has to be the almighty dollar when it comes to health care. This country is so rich and yet it has so many people without coverage. Most of my fellow students are trying to RUN from bedside nursing as the patient ratio is not safe. Schools need to revamp their programs with more hands on experience. We get little to prepare us for the real world. Any nurse will tell you "You will start learning when you get your first job, that is when the real learning begins." It is no wonder there are at least 300,000 med errors a year. Let us shadow a nurse for at least a quarter to see what it's all about. If I wasn't older, I would pursue another degree.

This a a very good, and easy to read nursing text book. It flows well because of the real life stories and examples that all of us at the bedside can relate to. It makes you think about what you do, and what you say. How these things can and do impact patient care, and relationships with staff, patients, facilty, etc. We are such a necessary part of the bigger picture, and this book helps support and encourage us to be the best that we can be and to stand up for what it right and good in nursing and health care.

Simply stated, this book is an eloquently written account of the joy and horrors experienced by the men and women who serve in EMS. Objective, moving, and holding nothing back, this book holds a special place on my bookshelf as an aspiring Paramedic. Kudos to Mr. Canning and everyone else like him.

All I can say about this book is it was enthralling to read! It was unfortunate that it had to leave my shelf to go to Iraq, but while I had it, there was no way I could put it down.

Mr. Canning's description of working EMS holds true for other parts of the country.

I began reading this book while working my own shift (EMT-I, not a paramedic unfortunately) and as soon as a call came in I didn't want the put the book down and go! (but I did, of coarse!) Canning is able to maintain intensity in his stories throughout the entire book. This is a good chance for current and aspiring EMS personnel to get an idea of the wide range of calls medics receive

Excellent views from the inside of EMS. Heartfelt emotions and calls that are true to life keep this work very real.

George O. Love Author of: On The Scene

There are two types of people who will want to read this book: those who like adventure and those who want to see if EMS is for them. Peter Canning is a real-life paramedic in Hartford,
Connecticut, who once worked as a speech writer for former Governor Lowell Weicker. Both of Canning's books are full to bursting with real-life adventure. EMS crews in Hartford have little down time as they go from heart attack patient to auto wreck to infant not breathing to drug overdose. Canning takes his readers along through adventure after adventure at a dizzying pace.

At the same time, Canning shows some of the toll that EMS work takes on the people who do it. In his first book, Canning makes the job switch to EMS. His progression is the usual one from someone who is thrilled with the excitement of the work to someone who wants to earn the respect of his peers to someone who realizes that it's the patient that counts. In _Rescue 471_ Canning has become a well experienced paramedic.

But there are still struggles. Canning works his way through the times when EMS made the transition from a health need to a business dealing in medicine. His smaller EMS company is bought out by a larger one. There are new regulations promulgated by unknown faces. There's the worry about pay and jobs though one of Canning's friends reminds him that EMS companies still need "meat on the seat." Canning also works his way through the worker burnout caused by the long hours of work and dealing with stressful situations. One night Canning just doesn't care anymore. As he drives home, he speeds through the red traffic signals and arrives at his home breathless. I have to commend him for admitting how close he came to losing it.

EMS work in my part of the country is different yet so much alike. The hours are long. A shift is 24 hours on and 48 hours off. The pay is lousy. The only way that the guys make a living is by going from one shift to the next. One medic once told me he had not been home for 11 days. That was after he told me he was trying to leave EMS for nursing. Most of the smaller EMS companies in this area are now gone. Larger companies have taken over the rural areas and even some of the larger cities. This has lead to a demand for medics with techs being told that they need not apply for a job. So two years of schooling (some less, some more) is required to get a job in EMS. And I know of some areas where the EMS guys are getting burnout in about three years. Oh, and did I say the pay is lousy?

To medic or not to medic. Canning worked his way through his burnout. And me? I still have my National EMS Registration and am proud of it.

I love this book and this is a perfect source of good learning of idiom for a small price its comes with. Perfect choice of gift for people that would love to read

Can anyone tell me what this book says about the idiom, "the calm before the storm"?

The graphic desciption and origin of the idiom are excellent. The explanation of the idiom is written in simple English that my 5 year old understands and loves. She read half of the book in one sitting. It's like a joke book to her. She was having a good time by herself. (She reads on a 3rd grade level.) I even learned a few things. It's a must have resource like a special dictionary that will also help to expand vocabulary. I now want all of the author's books.

I absolutely love this book. I am a teacher and this book really helped my students in 7th grade learn what idioms are. They really enjoyed learning about where the idioms came from.

Fairly good source for origins of idioms. Not all are here, but many. Some "conjecture" as to origin on many, but they do seem logical. A good over-all (particularly sufficient for elementary level) resource & nice leisure reading.

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing your expertise with us in this highly recommended book that is both easy to read and to understand.

If you are are an adult child with aging parents, this valuable book is a must to read!

Joanne Harmon(WI)
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)
Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC)

I highly recommend this book for everyone that loves their parents or grandparents and want to help them stay at home as long as possible. The amount of information in one single source is fantastic. I found the book easy to read and informative, great for anyone who is looking for help.

I found "The Senior Solution" easy to read, filled with practical information that I can use and bring to the attention of the people I serve as a loan officer and insurance producer. Now is the time to think ahead and prepare for your own possible long term care needs. Long Term Care Insurance is the way to ensure your peace of mind and protect the assets you've worked so hard for.

I've recently had the opportunity to read "The Senior Solution" by Valerie Van Booven-Whitsell, RN, BSN, PGCM. This book looks at the issues faced by seniors and their adult children, it covers all aspects of challenges that seniors face and gives clear, concise workable answers to them. This is a book whose cost is a worthwhile investment for seniors and their families as well as the advisors that work in the senior marketplace.

Kenneth R. Clark
Certified Senior Advisor

Having seen four of my family members, including both sets of parents and in-law parents who have needed special care and attention during periods of aging, disability and dying, I had to learn by trial and error. Unfortunately, many times it was by error.

Valerie has clearly and concisely covered a very difficult subject in a very easy to read, relatively short book. She is to be commended for including such areas as VA Home Aid and Attendant Services Grants. I had never heard about them before. She also establishes reverse mortgages as a viable way of handling financial needs for seniors aged 62 and over. At the end of the book is a very comprehensive reference guide to several outstanding websites.

All in all, this book is outstanding....especially as more and more people are aging and joining the "sandwich generation"!

I have a copy of The Valley of Decision dated from the early 40's with a notice that the book was printed in accordance with the laws of rationing of paper during the war. The book originally belonged to my mother and I discovered it when I was in my early teens. If anything, this book teaches that duty comes before self indulgence, a concept foreign to many in this day of instant gratification. That one could deny oneself for the good of all is the main theme of this novel. The descriptions of the family in Eastern Europe was especially interesting to me, as my grandmother had immigrated from that area herself. My family lived in a steel town much like Pgh., in fact, about 90 miles north, so the descriptions of the boarding houses and the changing shifts of the millworkers were very familiar. This is one of the best novels I have read and it is re-read every year. The book has lost it's outer spine, but is in excellent condition considering it was printed over 65 years ago. Too sad that the ideals expressed in the novel have lost some of their outer spines, but life goes on.

I DON'T GO INTO A SYNOPSIS OF A BOOK THAT I HAVE READ IF THERE ARE ALREADY OTHERS WHO HAVE GIVEN ONE. HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THAT IN THIS CASE, I MUST CHALLENGE THE COMMENT THAT THE SON REFUSED TO MARRY THE MAIN CHARACTER BECAUSE HE LOVED THE STEEL MILL MORE. MARY RAFFERTY REFUSED TO MARRY HIM BECAUSE SHE LOVED HIM SO MUCH THAT SHE WAS MORE CONCERNED FOR HIS FAMILY AND CAREER THAN SHE WAS FOR HERSELF.

My father had this on his bookshelf when I was growing up in Pittsburgh. I read it as a teenager in the mid-60s and was bowled over by its storyline and history of my town. When I graduated from college in California in the '70s, I bought my own copy. I still read it from time and time, and the magic of the book hasn't faded; the romance, the immigrants' stories, the underlying power of the mills over the lives of every character, they all still enchant.

I first read this book during final exam week in college over twenty years ago; I've read it about ten times since then. As a history teacher that was reared in a steel mill family just outside Pittsburgh, I find the account of the industry and people who populate the area where I grew up to be accurate and interesting. However, what really captures me each time I read it is the humanity and reality of the characters throughout the chapters. I read it again whenever I need to be reminded of home, whenever I want a good "cry" over a book, or whenever I need to be reminded that there is a bigger purpose to life than just what I want; mostly, I read it just because I consider it to be one of the top five books I've ever read.

Marcia Davenpot, a music critic, often chose musical themes as subjects for her novels. That's not the case here in this huge (over 600 pages), ambitious, and vividly written novel that is concerned with a Pittsburgh industrial family over the course of about 70 years. Mary, the "Irish peasant girl from Shantytown" is the main character, and she's wonderfully drawn by Davenport. Her goal in life is to hold the Scott family together: "she was hellbent that nothing should ever happen to reflect on this family," says Paul, the head of the family and the man she's loved (and who has loved her back) but wouldn't marry, feeling his real love was his steel mill. The book spans a very large canvas from Pittsburgh to Eastern Europe and a large cast of characters; Davenport's skill at manipulating events and people is on full display in this novel, and despite its length the book is interesting from cover to cover.

This is a well told, touching story. Krabacher's style of writing is fluent and fast-paced. I appreciate her honesty about her own sorrows and mistakes. This is not a guilt-laden book designed to make the reader drop everything and fly to Haiti. In fact, the author says what she does isn't for everyone, but believes God prepared her for this ministry from the time she was a child. I've read at least 20 books in the last six months and couldn't tell you much about any of them, but this one is worth remembering and passing on to a friend.

"Angels of a Lower Flight," by Susie Scott Krabacher
I found this book to be a candid look at the life of a woman who overcame child abuse and life as a Playboy Bunny only to emerge as a saving force in Haiti. The story reveals the harsh realities of life in Port Au Prince, from gang life to corruption and the superstitions that lead thousands of parents to abandon their less than perfect children.

Susie Scott Krabacher landed in Haiti during its most turbulent political turnover in 1994 and began a mission to save children abandoned in hospital wards - children who had not yet been disposed of or sold for body parts or voodoo rituals.

It is a must read for all who are interested in Haitian culture and understanding it from the eyes of a Alabama woman from the Unite States.
Although heartbreaking at times, this story is purely one of triumph and courage.

One can only conclude that she is doing God's work - and that only God could have prepared her for this unique and unselfish role.

I never write reviews. This was a wonderful book. I really know how to pray for Haiti now. Susan writes so well. I couldn't put this book down! I read it in a couple days. We hope to eventually adopt form haiti, or at least to give money to great organzations there. Enjoy!

Susan Scott Krabacher's abusive childhood and stubborn growth into an international caregiver is an inspiring tale about the power of selfless living. Although I felt she occasionally lapsed for too long into stories of her childhood and days spent with Playboy, the narrative redeems itself in stories of the abject poor she ultimately helped by turning her pain into motivation. We could all learn from her story.

Susie Scott Krabacher's book was an excellent read. It's a great autobiography on her life and gives alot of insight of the problems and issues of Haiti. A must read.

I heard about this book when it came out over sixty years ago, and it was much talked about then. But I did not read it till now. It is an account of a trip the authors took when they were college students in about 1920. It is a funny book and I suppose I laughed out loud at least 100 times while reading about the adventures they had on the trip by ship across tha Atlantic and their time in England and France. The book is a delight to read and is indeed hilarious and I am glad I read it.

This book was very touching. It was also funny and made me laugh out loud at the things that two ninteen year old girls did. Although it was set in the 1920's and I could not catch every person to which they referred, I still got the point of the book and enjoyed it immensely. I would definitely recommend this book to other teenagers and older because this book was one of the best books I ever read. The things they did I would never have done and the people they met were werid, yet I felt that without being able to relate very much to the book made it all the more interesting to read. I hope this book is read by others so they can all laugh as much as I did.

I've never read the entire book (I'm working on it!) but just excerpts from my eighth grade lit. book, but what I've seen of it is FUNNY! Cornelia Skinner and Emily Kimbrough get into such hilarious circumstances! This is one of the few books I've laughed aloud with!

If you enjoyed Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but thought the heroines slightly too worldly, you may be delighted by this autobiographical account of two relatively naive girls off for their first continental jaunt.

It's a delightful, charming little book about their misunderstandings and misadventures, and certainly introduced me to historical ladies' undergarments in an unforgettable manner!

There are sequels (like "Forty Plus and Fancy Free") if you find you particularly liked this one, but the first is the best, as sadly firsts so often are. This is a funny little treasure of a book.

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.

Cornelia Otis skinner is the real comedienne of this pair of authors and injects a lot more humor into this book, as opposed to most of Kimbrough's solo works. You cannot imagine two more naive college girls traveling about Europe in the 1920's. It was a simpler time, and today has great appeal to one's nostalgic side. If you get a chance to pick up a used copy, do so!

Our daughter used this book as a resource when she did her own Search. I read it and was amazed at what a 'complete' book it is. It focuses on every aspect of an adoptee's search. There are chapters for the birthparents, the adoptee, the adoptive parents, etc. There are many, many 'testimonials' included, positive, neutral and negative, from adoptees, adoptive parents, birthparents, regarding searches.
I highly recommend this book to any adoptee who is considering doing their own Search, to any adoptive parent whose child is searching, to any adoptive parent whose child has already done their search, and to any birthparent in that situation.
There truly is something for everyone.
(I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because nothing's perfect.)

I found this book incredibly helpful in helping me deal with searching for and eventually reuniting with my birthmother. I bought it a year and a half ago, and I've referred back to it so many times that it looks like I've had it much longer. It gives very helpful advice for everyone involved in adoption and allows you to see all sides of the issue. Also, the testimonials and Jean Strauss's search and reunion story give the book a very personal feel. Overall, a great book for anyone connected to adoption.

I bought this book after reading "The Girls Who Went Away" by Ann Fessler and I'm glad I did. It really brings the subject of adoption full circle by telling the stories from all sides of the coin. But it also gives A Lot of starting points and next steps for people to use while doing their own search. My brother and I are both adoptees. I found my birth mother over 16 years ago but she had died in a car accident 6 months after I was born. Took me 15 more years to find my birth father. Both finding my birth mother and birth father were purely the grace of God because I had absolutely nothing to go on. My brother recently asked me to help him locate his birth parents and I'm so glad I purchased this book. Not only for the large quantity of resources it lists, but so I can also prepare him for the many different outcomes he may experience. I can also add, that by reading this book, it has been an emotional rollercoaster. Being able to relate to so many feelings, stories, dreams has really been healing in a lot of ways. Knowing there are so many people out there with similar emotions due to being adopted has been comforting in some strange way. I'd have to say one of my favorite parts of the book is when it talks about how society continues to view the adopted child as just that, a child. Society never took into account that we, as adopted children, would grow up to become contributing adults who have every right to know about ourselves, where we came from and everything pertaining to our lives. I guess if I had to pick one word to explain how this book made me feel it would be EMPOWERED.

Being adopted, my interest in finding books relating to my own thoughts and journey was quite a challenge. Interestingly, I found this book after finding my birthmother and two siblings. The book was a confirmation of every step and emotion I felt. I can't reccomend this book enough. It is written in a non-threatning and caring tone. Every adoptee or a parent that has relinguished a child should read it if for no other reason than to educate oneself.

To help someone not only understand why they are searching, but help in getting started in the search. This was a God send for me! I am now sharing my copy with my neighbor who is an adoptive mom. It's just wonderful. Everyone should read it.