Independent Books

Long over due. Stephen Foster is one of the great intellectual minds of our time...

"Hate Whitey" is a short staple-back pamphlet on Hollywood's anti-white movies and episodes of several TV programs. Following an introduction by the book's author, Michael A. Hoffman, the book is divided into five sections. The first section deals with movies that denigrate "white trash" and "rednecks," basically uneducated white people in the southern and western US. These whites are frequently cast as irredeemably backwards and bigoted. The second section, and the longest, lists the movies that vilify Germans. Germans are often portrayed as fiendish plotters trying to take over the world. The third section is a list of movies vilifying Christians. The fourth section are movies that Hoffman characterizes as "worshipping the Pharisees," i.e., movies that portray Jews in a benevolent light contrasted with the ignorance exhibited by white gentiles. The fifth section asks the reader about how many movies have been made about the Soviet oppression of peasants in Russia and the Ukraine during the 1920s and 30s and about the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. None have been made about the Soviets and only one made about Palestine. Most of the movies listed would count as "B" movies that are relatively unknown, or "cult-classics" at best (like "The Karate Kid," "The Boys of St. Vincent" and "They Saved Hitler's Brain". Some however have had wide critical acclaim and are well known such as "Pocahontas" and "Schindler's List."

I bought this book hoping for a Linda Howard story I hadn't read, only to find the one in here is An Independent Wife. Good story, if you haven't read it yet, though. And if you like Stella Cameron, her contribution was worthwhile, as well.

You will find a general treatment of the topic of Independent Contractors (IC) in other Nolo guides but if you want a definitive and detailed guide, this is the book for you. All the way from templates of general independent contractor forms on CD-ROM to a thorough analysis of the various aspects of working with Independent Contractors, this book does a great job of discussing in plain English what every Small Business Owner needs to know. There is another Nolo guide on just the different contracts you could use for this purpose but this book contains most of those types of forms.

The book starts out with an introductory definition of an Independent Contractor and explains the benefits and risks of hiring one. The next natural step for every employer is to go through the process of determining the worker status and federal payroll taxes. After discussing this topic, the book explains the Safe Harbor Protection which is the process an IRS auditor is supposed to follow in determining if your classification of Independent Contractors should be questioned (something along these lines).

There are 3 chapters devoted to IRS specific topics - IRS Audits, tax rules for specific workers, and the IRS test for worker status. State payroll taxes, Workers' Compensation, hiring household workers, and labor/anti-discrimination laws are addressed after that.

The book then discusses the topic of Intellectual Property ownership in this context of Independent Contractors. This is followed by a few chapters on sample IC agreements, procedures for hiring ICs, how to avoid government audits etc. My favorite chapter is the Chapter 13: Intellectual Property Ownership as this can get very tricky if you aren't careful. In my business, this also happens to be one of the biggest risks in hiring ICs for our work instead of employees.

Overall, this is an excellent book that explains in plain English (as Nolo always does) of the intricacies involved in working with ICs. Of course, as some large corporations in the computer industry found out, it isn't that straight forward. So this book only helps you do some of the right things and avoid the obvious problems but there is no substitute for a good lawyer who can handle the more difficult issues.

Good luck!

Hollywood Renegades introduces us to a group of independent filmmakers whose collective efforts and use of their movies as weapons against the major studies effectively ended the old Hollywood studio contract system. Historian J.A. Aberdeen reveals fascinating information (much of it previously unreported) about the rise and fall of the Society Of Independent Motion Picture Producers (SIMPP) and how an independent filmmaker movement of more than 50 years ago laid the foundation of the modern Hollywood we have today -- and a struggle by independents to make and distribute their films that continues into the present day. Highly recommended reading for all movie buffs and cinema history students, Hollywood Renegades reveals the astonishing stories of Charles Chaplin, Walt Disney, Samuel Goldwyn, Alexander Korda, Mary Pickford, David O. Selznick, Walter Wanger, Orson Wells and others whose impact on American filmmaking was as profound and far reaching as they were talented and ambitious.

Susan Mansell has written a positive and informative handbook based on her own experiences as a public school parent at an urban school with a very diverse student population. She has also interviewed parents in six other successful schools across America. Parents can use the ideas in this book about what works in a public school setting. A few ideas include: a well-run school management council, successful grant-writing, community building events such as: parent skills surveys, dances, clean-up days, partnering with local businesses,international night performances, tutoring, working in the library, repairing and wiring computers, painting door or wall murals with students, chaperoning school trips, running science experiments, and speaking at school assemblies. All of these things are covered in the book plus much more. Principals and their all-important relationship with parents is discussed in great detail. The author gives examples of how the principals in the different schools manage to run their schools and include parents as partners. The final chapter includes websites, books, organizations, articles and other resources for parents to get even more information. This book is easy to read, a great resource for parents and is highly recommended.

How to Plan Your Trip to Europe is a well written, concise book for first-time Europe travelers. The authors guide the would-be traveler through each step of planning their trip. This is not a "destination" book, just practical information based on many years of the author's travels.

This book is the sort needed today. It needs to be brought back, as there is not another of its sort currently available.

Unlike all other similar books, this book provides information on how a person experienced in writing can augment the skill with page layout and circulation tips provided within it.

This book is a must. It belongs on your bookshelf with Starting and running a successful newsletter or magazine, and How to start a magazine and publish it profitably.

I found this book as a New Entrepreneur Nurse Practitioner to be extremely informative, well written in a step by step approach and easy to read.

I found this book a month ago and have been reading it ever since....I am from the construction background...so to speak if you have any knowledge in the real estate industry...this book will open your mind to many ways of buying and selling homes for an astounding profit.....Although it is long term investing....read and decide on yourself which investment in this country is the MOST secure!!! For you Teens out there....please read it and have your parents with you...maybe you both can develop a partnership with them.......As a country we need to help our children....because as a country we have failed in knowledge to them......