Villanova Books

I've read lots of sport books. This might be the best-paced book ever. It's broken up into vignettes and profiles and stories - even some funny jokes. What Villanova did was a great achievement and this book brings it to life with just the right amount of history, humor, and fun.

Confirms my opinion of St. Augustin as the premier Father of the Church. It is not St. Augustin writing, is the Holy Spirit writing through him.

Villanova is a school that's hard to get to know if you just walk on campus for a tour. This book gave me the insight that I didn't get from my college visit, or information session. I'm so glad this book is available, because the student perspective is unlike anything else I've found. Now I feel like I can make a more accurate decision about whether or not I want to go to 'nova. It's thanks to this book that I know about the fun things (such as where to go for good food or movies) as well as the academics and other important issues like whether or not there is a prevalence of drugs on campus. Anyone thinking about this school should read this book.

Using a perfect blend of storytelling weaved in with the history of Villanova's football team, Tony Moss' readers become a fly on the wall throughout the Wildcats' 2005 season.

Moss does an excellent job of tracing Villanova's history as it attempted -- and failed -- to join the ranks of 1-AA, while also showcasing a bunch of student athletes who work just as hard as larger, more popular programs.

Unlike other books, Moss is able to blend history with present events with ease, presenting a story with excellent flow to it.

Moss also does a great job of getting the reader inside the locker room, making them feel as if they were with Villanova throughout the season.

Tony Moss' account of NCAA I AA Football is wonderful book. Sports books aren't always the best in terms of writing but this was an exception. I found the book to not only tell a good story but also entertain the reader by the writing style. The examination focuses on Villanova but it really is much more than a story about one year in the life of a college football team. Readers who love football will find Tony's book to be not only entertaining but also a fairly honest picture. Why do schools consider moving up to Division I? What financial pressures exist playing at the I AA level? What challenges to I AA teams have relative to recruiting, gaining media exposure etc. are all covered. Very good book for fans of college football.

Thomas Berger turns the world of hardboiled detective fiction into a twisting, chugging, roller coaster of ludicrous dementia in this first-person account of a hard-luck PI set in NYC in the 1970s. The book is a treat, if for no other reason than to relish the prose of TB. Don't look here if your standard interest is formulaic detective fiction. There's nothing standard or formulaic about Berger's books. You can't label him w/out negating him.

Berger's send-up of the private eye genre. Think of Hammett and Chandler and all the other writers of hard-boiled detective novels and then try to come up with the best way to parody them, and you have this wonderfully crazy book. Berger uses lots of word play: getting around to asking about a dog, a character says "Something's rotten in the state of Dane - I mean Denmark." Tough guys aren't so tough: "I'm not the knave you take me for, sir. The day is not more pure than the depth of my heart," says one, quoting Racine. And the book opens with the line "Call me Russell Wren," as if MOBY DICK was the greatest detective story of them all. Berger's humor, as always, is broadly applied, and the book's a fun read.

This anthology edited by Eigo differs from most Catholic books on Mary. Rather than defending traditional Marian doctrines, it attempts to reinterpret Mary in the light of modern thinking. For example, the social-justice aspect of the Catholic Church is reflecting in the rethinking of Mary as one who identified with the oppressed. Feminist critiques of Mary are included, one of whose targets is the traditional view of Mary as one who was submissive and obedient.

The article by Johnson rejects the patron-petitioner model in her attempts to place Mary not between humans and God, but WITH humans in their journey through life before God. Jegen focuses on Mary in Luke-Acts, pointing out that Mary is a woman of prayer par excellence, who guides the followers of Jesus in a prayerful, discerning life of faith. Despite her simplicity and lowliness, Mary is clearly one who knew the Jewish scriptures, and the history of her people, very well.

Between these colourful covers you will find a complete set of rules and a campaign for a Live Action game, four adventures, over 100 plot hooks, and a time-line that brings us up another five years! And I must point out it is all duel stats {both R&K, and d20}! As I have said before, I played in this LARP at the 2003 SoCal GenCon. It was awesome. The point system they use to control the "action" in the game is simple and effective. It uses a combination of stats and "hero points" {a rough equivalent of Drama Dice} you can raise your abilities with the hero points and you can earn more for daring deeds {a side note for those who play in Skudley's Saturday game; at GenCon they used the same tokens for their Hero Points as I do in my game. Hmmm, great minds...}. The adventure, "Giovanni Villanova's Grand Ball", is not a simple affair. The players are "guests" or "gate crashers" at the birthday celebration for Giovanni Villanova. Of course where the Villanovas are, intrigue, fowl play, dirty politics and dastardly deeds follow. This adventure plays like an elaborate session of "Host a Mystery". It requires a large group, several GMs, the appropriate setting, and plenty of preparation.
The four adventures follow in chapter two. "The Tower of Faith" is set in Eisen in the year 1668. A plot involving the death of the Hierophant, a Montaigne officer, a cardinal, and love... Great plot if you are running a 7th Sea Hero campaign, but most d20 players lean toward the "dark side" and the scenario needs a bit of tweaking to work there. However, this adventure does offer chase rules and an encounter table! Something missing from the Swashbuckling Adventures™ Book, and this alone is worth the price of admission. "Four `n Twenty Black Birds" is, by far, the best of the four. This adventure takes a page from the popular television series "24 Hours" and inserts the Villanovas, a Vestin or two, a jeweled rose, and love, to make a daring adventure that spans a time of twenty four hours. And here is the kicker, it's written so that the game time and play time coincide to make an adventure that lasts twenty four hours {I don't know about you, but as a GM I could get at least three to four sessions out of that}. My only complaint is that this adventure needs a cast list that defines the rolls at a glance; I had to take notes to keep up! "Fischler's Rescue" takes us to the small town of Seeufer in Eisen and involves the town Eisenfürst {Eisen for "mayor"}, his advisor, Heinzelmännchen {Eisen gnomes}, Kobolds, and love {it's a Swashbuckley thing; think of all the Swashbuckling movies you've ever seen, yep, love}. I enjoyed the plot, and it has a good background story, a GM could use it as filler and to give the players some new contacts in Eisen. In the last adventure "Adventure in Puerto Grande" we find ourselves in the Midnight Archipelago. This escapade involves an opera house, a fire, pirates and {you guessed it} revenge. This venture comes in a close second. It works for both Light Heroes and Dark ones, no tweaking necessary.
Chapter three offers us plot seeds and adventure hooks, in fact that's the title of chapter three: Plot Seeds and Adventure Hooks. The first offering is more of an adventure sapling than a plot seed. In fact it offers a story to follow and several asides to fill in the blanks. The rest of the chapter is dedicated to ideas for adventures in all the lands of Theah and several of the secret societies. More ideas than found in villain's bag of tricks.
And finally we come to the additions to the timeline 1670-1675 and more. My oh my, what they do to Avalon, the church... Best not to say, I don't want to spoil it for you. I am, thoe, quite intrigued...

I agree with a previous reviewer, this is a booklet, not a book. My wife and I read this book separately and we both thought it was a waste of money for the content. Granted, there is a little bit of information that one could use, but not much. What's worse are the "forms" the author supplied in the book. Are they examples or are they for actual use? She would've been better off supplying a CD of them which would make them of some use to the reader.
I would get the 16% Solution, a way better, more informative book.

An easy to read concise look at the tax lien and deed industry with a really useful list of questions to ask when you call counties to find out about their sales. Most other books I've read deal with Lien OR deed purchase. This deals with both. I don't like to spend a lot of time reading I would rather do and this was definitely the book to get me doing. Very motivating.

I've read more books than anyone I know, & this is by far the best book I've ever read in my entire life! If I could rate it a hundred stars, I would.

Lillian Villanova's book is very readable, & by that I mean absolutely anyone can buy the book, read through it, & completely understand what is being presented. Her fantastic explanations of how to buy tax lien certificates & tax deeds has fundamentally & profoundly changed my life.

From the title to the end, I found it impossible to put down, & for that I am grateful because Ms. Villanova's inspiring, 'you-can-do-it' tone moved me to start my own limited liability company immediately after reading it the first time.

Each page is simple to understand, yet packed with information anyone can use to totally achieve their dreams. Quite frankly, I was at the end of the book so soon I wanted there to be more (then luckily found out she'd written even more books that include more specialized info).

I've read all the big titles, own all the No Money Down courses, most of which are very good,& I swear to you that 'What Your Bank Doesn't Want You To Know...' is far superior in terms of its immediate ability to help you if you apply the knowledge in its pages.

Truly the cost of the book has been nothing compared to all it has helped me with, & will continue to help me with regarding my own success. I have recommended this book to literally everyone who asks how I know so much about purchasing tax lien certificates, & even had one mortgage company president tell me, "I'm glad my customers don't know about this."

It is in your own best interest that you buy 'What Your Bank Doesn't Want You To Know...' You will be amazed by what you learn, & your friends will want to borrow your copy, so go ahead & buy several! I sure did!

Half of the book is public information and over half of the book is terminology. So much say about the meat of the book.

For anyone who wants to get a basic understanding of how tax liens and deeds work, how to discover where to find the sales and how to research and purchase them, this is the book. A quick read without a lot of puff and fluff it gives you all the info you need to get started.

I bought the two volume set and after reading through and doing some research took advantage of the free one hour consultation. That and the books were really all I needed!
Over the past few months activity has been brisk in Texas. .. Like the author mentioned to me several months ago, if you find solid properties investors will come. She was right. I had very little money to start. I now have three solid liquid investors that are willing to source money for me. There is still a lot for me to learn but, I just want to thank the author for writing these books and for being there for me in the very beginning of my tax deed career. I have began to build a good list of reference contacts in the real estate industry and am beginning to succeed beyond my wildest dreams. Not only did I get the info I needed in these books but a grounding in Real Estate terms and many sample forms some of which i have put to good use. The books are worth evey penny if you put them to use and I did, big time!

This book along with volume 2 gave me far more information than I have been able to get anyplace else, including from all those infomercial and seminar packages. I've used the books to learn how to purchase tax deed property right here in AZ and look forward to going to Nevada. The two volume set even came with a one hour free phone consultation! that's how I learned the even though AZ is a lien state I could buy deed property. Ms. Villanova's books are worth every penny and then some!

I have purchased many books on Real estate investing and found that this book along with volume two gave me everything I needed to get started investing in tax liens and deeds. Volume one gives you a complete overview and volume two is written in a simple step by step "how-to" format that is easy to follow and makes sense. I have already purchased a number of liens in AZ and think this author has given me invaluable information...worth many times the cost of the books!

This book contains only general information available elsewhere on the internet for free. The few basic facts are rehashed and restated in order to fill out the book, together with useless make a list recommendations.

This book talks mostly about Tax Liens, not Tax Deeds. Also because each state is different it is very general. If you know nothing and I mean nothing about Tax Liens, it might be worth buying, but you can research it yourself by calling the assessor/tax collector in your area and then searching county records. You'll find you will have to do most of the leg-work yourself anyway, the book even tells you this!

This book is lacking some definitive bidding strategies (just read chapter 3) and is VERY expensive. I highly suggest other books on tax liens like Profit by Investing by Loftis (ISBN: 0793195179) or The Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Tax Lien and Tax Deed Auctions by Sausa (ISBN: 0978834607).

Both are more comprehensive and are a lot cheaper!

Volume two continues the stream of general information available for free on the internet by restating the information in volume 1 and adding little new of interest or real worth. The offer of a booklet with information specific to your state has not been honored even though I sent my $3.00 check in almost two months ago. E-mail responses have been vague and the request to return my check has been in vain. Save your money and don't order this book.

There are about 10 valuable pages in this book, and the remainder is all fluff. I bought the second volume because I figured the author must've put all the substantive material in volume 2 since it wasn't in volume 1. I was wrong!!! I was also interested in the free coaching that's available if you purchase both volumes, and that hasn't materialized either. I submitted copies of my receipts, as requested, expecting to get an authorization code and further instructions but I've not gotten a response back after about 3 months. I mailed in $3 to get a booklet specific to my state, and although my check was cashed, I have yet to receive that either. I've tried to email Lillian Villanova at her website, and my emails have not gone through. Don't waste your money...she doesn't seem to deliver her promises, and this second volume seems to be mostly a pitch for their mentoring services. If you're looking for some solid information, look elsewhere-- you won't find it here.

I bought the two volume set and after reading through and doing some research took advantage of the free one hour consultation. That and the books were really all I needed!
Over the past few months activity has been brisk in Texas. .. Like the author mentioned to me several months ago, if you find solid properties investors will come. She was right. I had very little money to start. I now have three solid liquid investors that are willing to source money for me. There is still a lot for me to learn but, I just want to thank the author for writing these books and for being there for me in the very beginning of my tax deed career. I have began to build a good list of reference contacts in the real estate industry and am beginning to succeed beyond my wildest dreams. Not only did I get the info I needed in these books but a grounding in Real Estate terms and many sample forms some of which i have put to good use. The books are worth evey penny if you put them to use and I did, big time!

I bought both volumes of this book and found they provided everything I needed to get started. Although it took a while to get my free manual, it was not the reason I bought the books. My free manual however did arrive freshly updated and I have actually bought some liens and a Building lot for $420! It really works if you take the time to learn. Its set out step by step and the forms, annotations etc were very helpful. And, I got a free one hour consultation!