Sales Books

I am going to make this simple. I read an old paperback copy of the original "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". Having enjoyed reading the original, I found the "Ultimate" version in the discount section at Barnes and Noble. What a great buy for ten dollars.

Not all may like the series. For those that do, I highly recommend all additional books to the original. You will not be let down, as (the late) Mr. Adams continues to entertain again and again as things move on. Just about any science fiction fan with a sense of humor will love these books.

Great read, I didn't even know about the Zaphod short story (my own words) that was included in this book. Happy to have all of the stories all in one book and makes it easy for me to go back and reference parts from the earlier stories, especially since I enjoy noting the really good lines.

I've lost track of the number of times I've read the Guide novels over the years. This compilation of a 'trilogy in 5 parts' makes it nice and easy to read them all as one continuous story. I don't really need to elaborate on how good these stories are as those who have read them will already know. But to the uninitiated I strongly urge you to purchase a copy, prop yourself up against your towel, and eat plenty of peanuts. And most importantly, Don't Panic!

If finding out your house is about to be bulldozed to make way for a highway bypass is unnerving and life changing, imagine finding out the same is about to happen to your planet. Thus begin the adventures of human Arthur Dent in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams.

Of course Adams is not the first writer to use science fiction to satirize the foibles of the human race and its institutions and culture (including science fiction), but he does does so with a rare combination of sophistication, style, and humor. His description of why the bypass is being built and why Arthur doesn't know about it alone starts the series off on a scathing note. In the universe of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the book within a book), people sometimes survive government and corporate bureaucracy and personal greed and thoughtlessness, but more often destruction and waste seem to result.

Throughout his post-Earth adventures with Ford Prefect, the two-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox, fellow human Trillian (Tricia McMillan), and Marvin the perpetually downcast robot who takes lows to new highs, Arthur is the proverbial Everyman, whose struggles to make tea (and thus achieve some sense of ordinariness) in his new life result in near-destruction. At one point, he happily serves as "Sandwich Maker" on a pre-technological world that views this skill with awe.

Adams is perhaps strongest in his numerous asides in which he talks about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the publication for which Ford Prefect researches and writes, and the Encyclopedia Galactica; the nature of improbability; the humorously and seemingly invariable and inevitable tragic histories of various planets and races; and various theories surrounding such things as time, space, and infinity, almost always with a slyly serious wink about the absurdity of it all. These digressions allow his imagination and his intellect to soar and in many cases are more interesting than the story itself. This may go back to how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy begins--that people want to move between Points A and B very fast, and that people at Point C in between (Everyman Arthur Dent) "often wish that people would just once and for all work out where the hell they wanted to be." There seem to be no Points A and B in Arthur's new universe; there are infinite points and lines and continuums, most of them absurd in one way or another.

With the exception of Trillian, Arthur's fellow travelers are well drawn. The most amusing is, sadly, Marvin, whose programmed depression is annoying and whose perception is accurate.

There are ingenious ideas scattered throughout the six stories, including the irony of a lorry driver who hates the perpetual rain that follows him no matter where he goes because, unbeknownst to him, he is a Rain God.

The problem is that many of these ideas, like life events, crop up randomly, play themselves out, and then seem to fall flat in the end. Undoubtedly, this is part of the universe as Adams sees it; it is made up of absurdity upon absurdity, which may not have neat Point A to Point B progressions. Some of this lack of cohesion also may be the result of transforming material written for episodic radio into book form; a certain sense and continuity may have been lost as the author diverts his tale to Points E, M, and T.

The first two books, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, are the best in the series. Life, the Universe and Everything is, almost as the title promises, too contorted and meandering. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, which takes place on Earth, lacks an engaging focal point, which makes it seem long and tedious at times. "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe" appears to be a throwaway story reflecting the author's views. Mostly Harmless, written at what Adams admitted was a bad time in his life, lacks the élan of the earliest books; it is more downbeat in attitude than its predecessors and borders on determined and grim. Marvin is long gone as comic relief; the weakest character, Tricia/Trillian, now moves to the forefront but without further development; and even Ford Prefect has sobered up, quite out of character. It as though Adams wanted his characters, most notably Random, to reflect his anger and depression and his universe to end without possibility of resurrection--in the same way that Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes.

Underneath the satire, the humor, and the bitterness, The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide is imaginative and thought provoking, revealing a rare story-telling and writing gift that is brilliant both on the surface and in the depths.

As usual the movie can't live up to the book. This is a must-read -- one of those points of cultural brilliance that will still be read three hundred years from now. Be prepared for very dry humor, British-style...

Gibran was a great author and in this book he truly shines. I recommend this book to anyone, even if he/she is not into reading. The book is short but full of wisdom. I only gave it 4 stars because the idea of the book (and even the title) are taken from "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" which I gave 5 stars. So I didnt think it would be fair to give this one an equal grading. I actually recommend both books, but The Prophet is much easier to read, while Thus Spoke Zarathustra is deeper and more intelligent.

I appreciate getting the book at the great price. I'm really not complaining but the book was quite yellow and the jacket was torn in various places. It looked like it was on the shelf for quite a while........Maureen

I keep a copy of this book nearby at all times for quick reference, my personal copy home to numerous marks and marginal notes. Every line reads as the most delicate of poetry, honed and refined to the purest and most undeniable words of truth and wisdom.
This may be the height of human understanding, bringing a peace and solidarity which encompasses the many to make us all one.

These days, Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" often gets dismissed as "hippie" literature. Yet, this book had been a bestseller LONG before the 1960s. Originally published in 1923, it almost instantly became a hit and even did well through the Great Depression. Today, Gibran's claim to fame is being the third best-selling poet of our time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu... and pretty much entirely based on sales of this book. When his publisher, Alfred Knopf was asked who the audience for the book was, he flippantly dismissed the question. "It Must be a cult," he retorted.

Yet there is no such cult. What's incredible is that there's absolutely no marketing hype behind the success of this book. Gibran himself is long gone. There is no political, religious, or commercial enterprise attached to his name bent on winning souls and/or profits. The Gibran estate has merely been licensing copies year after year in response to the demand - a demand fueled pretty much entirely by word-of-mouth and chance discovery. The fact is, the twenty-six poems in this book have a surprising and suprassing relevance, insight and compassion. Broken down into several topics ("On Love", "On Work", "On Joy and Sorrow", etc.) the book itself recounts the sermons of a fictional poet leaving behind the gift of knowledge before he leaves his homeland.

I first found Gibran through a setting of his poem "On Children" by local Washington, D.C. singers Sweet Honey in the Rock on their album, "Breaths."

"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you."

At the time I was about to leave for college and eighteen years of living under my parent's roof had made me restless for autonomy. That poem eloquently expressed everything I was yearning to say to them in my hours of frustration and adolescent angst. It later proved to be a reference to turn to in times where I needed confidence to live an independent and fulfilling life, while still maintaining respect and compassion towards the parents who had raised me.

I am not exaggerating when I say that the poems in this book have kept me grounded and sane throughout some of the most troubling times in my life. Our modern lives are ever hectic, stressful and busy - wrought with drama, frustration, depression, etc. The knowledge in these poems brings me back to a "middle ground" - there is a sage wisdom and clarity in the poems that has often been helpful for me in "unwinding" and coming back to earth. They bring me back to a place of clarity from whcih I can see my life from a wider perspective.

Though Gibran himself was a Christian and despite the title and conceit of the book, this is not really a religious book. The insight in this book would be applicable to your life even if you are an atheist. What's more, the poetry is mostly imagistic. Do not expect the academic poetics of Gibran's contemporaries Eliot or Pound or even Frost. They are written with the aim of being accessible and immediate to the reader and rely mostly on clear metaphors and vivid imagery.

Copies of "The Prophet" are not hard to come by. Perhaps check out the book's table of contexts either using Amazon's "Search Inside" feature or in your local bookstore and see if it addresses a problem or issue you are dealing with. That's a good a place as any to start with. Chances are, you will find something that speaks to you on some level.

This book is a sort of Hallmark Greeting card compilation of the type of vacuous garbage-thought that made the 1970s a cultural disaster. Are you a sentimental pacifist who thinks Gandhi was swell, but never heard of the Moriori? Do you think of love as some sort of emotional flatulence that comes and goes the way weather does? Do you think evil is only a result of people being insufficiently nice to one another? Are your views on child rearing that you should let the kids do what they want because they're individuals? Do you think business is evil and soul destroying, and hurts the world more than it helps? Do you think religion is bad, but spiiiiirituality is good? Do you think criminals shouldn't be punished, because it's not really their fault? Do you think a mindless pursuit of pleasure is necessary for a healthy life? Well, if you believe any of these things, and enjoy saccharine sweet sing-songey prose, this book is for you. It comes in an attractive hard cover, making it appear to be a very serious book, on the same level as Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but with more naked lady pictures inside. It will provide you with many prim moments of doltish piety in your cloud cuckoo land. You may even be able to use this tome to pick up on people who are as morally defective as you are.

Personally, I prefer my wisdom to be, you know, at least vaguely wise. If I want florid saccharine language, I'll go read some Browning or other Victorian poetry. You can pick up antique volumes of such stuff for cheap, since books which required effort to write or read are unfashionable these days. They also look nicer on your bookshelf. As a bonus, it might actually be good for you to read Browning, whereas reading Gibran is sort of like giving yourself a mental venereal disease.

Please, humanity, restore my faith in basic human decency: stop reading this book. This book destroys souls and stunts aesthetics. If you must give copies of the book to people, give it to people you don't like. Give this book in the same spirit the British sold Opium to the Chinese. The end result will be much the same if they take the precepts of this silly book seriously.

I've enjoyed McNaught's historical novels and rank her among the best of fictional romance authors. I was hesitant to read this contemporary work of hers, but I am so glad I decided to read it! This novel has now become my favorite among McNaught's works. I enjoyed the rollacoaster ride Meredith and Matt took me on. It is so full of heartfelt emotions. Needless to say, this is one book I'll definitely read over and over again.

Some might say the book was a "little long winded", some might say "that it contained to much plot"...but I say "Paradise" was a perfectly long, no details skipped, well thought out love story. I can't wait to pass it along!

Paradise remains my favorite contemporary romance novel. In fact, it transcend the normal romance novel. JM does a fantastic job with developing a very complex, sincere, beloved heroine. As much as I appreciate Meredith, it really is Matt Farrell, our wonderful hero, who makes this love story so memorable, remarkable, and stunning. I've read it over 5 times and after each reading, you would think that I would like it a little bit less but the opposite has happened. I continue to find new things that I like about the book, new lines that I adore, and new things about their love that fascinate me. It really has stood the test of time and is a very solid romantic novel.
It is by far my favorite Judith McNaught book and I compare all romance novel to this one. Some may find the merchandise/retail part boring but it only makes the novel more interesting to me.


SPOILER:

The book has one key flaw but if you can overlook it, I think you will like it. Many people question how it is possible to fall in love after one brief encounter. How could Meredith fall in love with Matt Farrell after the July 4th party at the country club.

I think that's a very justifiable flaw or criticism of Paradise but if you read the entire book, it's not about the first moment they meet. Yes, it's a very special moment but they develop into something more while Meredith and Matt spend time together at the Farrell's simple home in Indiana.

What makes the novel beautiful is how these two fall in love the 2nd time around. There are some outrageous things. For one, Matt's proposition. It might seem a bit far fetched.

Regardless, I love the dialogue between Meredith and Matt. Who could resist when he says, I'll hand you paradise on a platter....(or something to that effective!). Anyway, there's so many great scenes in the novel. JM takes you on a highs and lows and highs again. It's filled with wonderful and interesting characters. It's not the most perfect of books, but it's absolutely romantic and worth reading over and over again. I have one copy but I think I will need to get another one since I've read it so much that my paperback isn't in such great shape.

Enjoy - you will love this book.

Her writing is much stronger for the historical romance novels. This is a contemporary romance, and I don't think she captured the way people really speak to each each other quite right. She is definitely a favorite though.

I don't really go for contemporary romance but this I can appreciate. I really love the new cover as well and how Meredith and Matthew finally realise they still love each other and manage to overcome all obstacles, it just warmed me to my toes! I've read all Judith McNaught's books and can't wait for more!

This book was kind of slow but did have enough interesting characteristics to keep me reading. Not at all a bad book but just not anything that made me want to get the second in the series.

It really seems only fitting that a video game about books would have a series of books published in its name. For some reason when such books were first coming out I was sort of skeptical about their quality. I truly am glad I overcame this and decided to pick up the Myst books. I was an early enough adopter to be able to get all the hardcover texts and they are all beautifully designed. It's strange that a lot of books don't adopt this kind of method, because it really is eye catching and I'm glad the makers of Myst picked up on that. In terms of binding, it technically is rather cheaply done to support the mass market interest in this series. Rather than have a truly older styled binding, they have the typical style with embossed paper wrapped over the hard cover. The paper is of excellent quality and is embossed in sections, which adds a tinge of making it feel artificially handmade. I've had mine for many years now and there is barely any wear on it. However, when one inspects the design you can tell it is merely paper glued over the normal hardcover pressing and it is merely there for aesthetic appeal. The books in the game have a very old styled feel, which they should since they're all handmade books, but the makers wanted to keep that atmosphere alive with printing these books. Despite my inspection of the edition, I must say it was a great marketing idea and wish more publishers would do this rather than just adopt the typical dust jacket. That being said, the current editions more readily available to readers are the regular paperback and now the collected edition which was recently printed.

I wasn't sure what to really expect from this book when I first got it. I had beaten the game "Myst" and the game was pretty well written. However, the game had a lot of unknown elements in its story, and I'm sad to report that "The Book of Atrus" doesn't fill in all the gaps. It certainly fills in quite a bit, but not everything. This book acts as both a prequel to "Myst" and a bridge to "Riven". It's an interesting story in that regard because it tells about Atrus' childhood and goes into why the age of Riven is in dire need of our help!

At the end of Myst we find Atrus sitting at a desk in a deep cavern in place known as D'ni. We are transported there with him once we escape the island of Myst, but we are never told why he is there; just that he needs to make a decision concerning his sons. This is all well and good, but there are so many holes and questions, thus the novelization seeks to explain them. At one time Atrus lived with his grandmother, Ana, in a desert region. "The Book of Atrus" goes into detail about his life and learning there. It's almost an ideal childhood until one day his father, Gehn, returns and seeks to take him back to D'ni. See they are from a race of people who lived underground until they were all of a sudden destroyed. Ana, Gehn, and Atrus are the only decedents we are made aware of from this great society. So when Gehn was old enough he returned to the world of D'ni in search of its secrets, to see if he could find it and possibly rebuild it. Needless to say he sort of succeeded.

Gehn understands how to write in the books and knows the secret D'ni language to make different ages to create portal links between his world and others. However, he does not wield this power intelligently, but he doesn't want the knowledge to die with him, so he seeks out his son. He teaches Atrus everything, but Atrus has a keener mind for creating ages. Most of Gehn's worlds are unstable and if a world has inhabitants Gehn insists on be treated as a God. Needless to say Atrus' kindly nature has the better of him and he seeks to change this.

In this we get to see the bridge to Riven's story line. Riven had been an age linked to by Gehn, but the world was vastly unstable. So he and Atrus sought to fix it if they could. Gehn, being the overbearing man that he is, did not think most of Atrus' ideas were good ones. However, one thing would change Atrus' life forever when he got to Riven, he met Catherine there. Yes, the girl he references frequently in the first "Myst" game. Eventually she would bear his two sons Sirrus and Akenar, so as you can tell, I knew Atrus would succeed even during reading this, so I don't feel I am giving anything away. The book doesn't go into detail about the two sons growing up, so you never really know how everything started with them. Anyway, there is a solution to Atrus' problem, but I'll let the readers find that out for themselves. When we get to "Riven", the video game, there are further complications based around this story... I'll leave these mysteries to be discovered for yourself.

I don't feel I am spoiling very much of the book because it is riveting in itself. Most people who read this will undoubtedly have played the video games and already know the stories' outcomes before reading this. As any Myst player knows the interesting factor is in the details, I have left every part of these out. The book is a fascinating page turner and I really couldn't put it down at all. This book leaves a lot more mystery to the reader in the end and left us looking forward to the follow up text, "The Book of Ti'ana." I especially recommend this to any Myst fan who wants to delve deeper into the story line and world of Myst. I don't think many people would pick up Myst if they didn't already enjoy reading books to find out what new worlds they would be brought to. In that spirit these books are clearly written!

Being a fan of the Myst series since it's original launch in the early 1990's, I can say that this book lives of to the expectations that Myst/Uru fans have come to appreciate. It's easy to read, flows well, has a great underlying story. After reading, you are able to understand and appreciate the island of Myst and Riven so much more. It's an easy book to read, which makes it great for both young and old. Though the book is around 400 pages, it flies by and as always, I was sad to finish it, but there are two more sequels to entertain the Myst fan in all of us.

The Myst series was such a wonderful series, after I found out they made a book about the history of Myst, I basically thought that it would be horrible. Grave mistake. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It couldn't get any better.
The creators of Myst even helped make it, and they knew what they were making. The horrible thing is that these books were discontinued.
Even if they were discontinued, it is not a reason not to buy them. They are all wonderful books and I suggest you get all of them.

I read this book when I was younger and only remember great things. Looking back on it now I can tell that the writing isn't exactly scholarly, but that doens't matter, Myst is a fun adventure story that all kids and teens should enjoy. And no, I'm not a big fan of fantasy myself, but I had no trouble getting drawn in.

I've collected most of Penman's books over the years, though this is the first I've read. And, while, I'm not immediately going to tear into another, Sunne in Splendour is nearly as good as historical fiction gets. It's the story of Richard III, the princes in the tower, and the coming of Tudor rule. Richard III faced many tragedies during his short and turbulent reign and the author employs these to create an inner turmoil, a self-doubt, a crisis of conscience that adds remarkable depth to this Yorkist sovereign.

Penman's characters are well-formed, her narrative skills excellent, and her research clearly outstanding, (though her conclusions are no less controversial). I enjoyed Sunne in Splendour and always looked forward to returning to it after I'd set it down. There are, however, a few issues that keep me from rating the book higher. Penman's attempt at period English begins to grate with her liberal substitution of the verb "be", as in: "Be you annoyed if I continue to write such sentences?". In addition, she could have implied half the heavy petting and been ahead of the game. That kings, too, have intimate relations I think we all understand.

In the end, though, these complaints merely deflate a 5-star rating to one of 4+. Regardless of my literary predilections, I believe the book well worth the reader's time.

Everyone knows the stories about the monster, Richard III, who killed his nephews, the poor little princes in the tower. But what if the stories were wrong? What if they were lies perpetrated to discredit Richard in order to justify Henry VII stealing the throne of England? They say that the winner gets to write the history books and since the Tudors won, they made sure that their version of events leading up to Bosworth Field painted them in the best light and condemned Richard as a vile murderer who deserved to die.
Historians have long since come to believe that Richard was not the man portrayed in Shakespeare's "Richard III" but a generous and honorable man who tried to do the right thing for his country. The play is based on stories that were written by supporters of the Tudor family. Also keep in mind that the Bard was writing during the reign of Elizabeth I, the granddaughter of the man who defeated Richard in battle and seized the crown of England. With only a tenuous claim to the throne, Henry Tudor had to make it seem as if he was the country's savior -- not the leader of a coup.
This is a fascinating book about political intrigue and the struggle between these two powerful factions who both felt they had the right to rule England. Richard's story is only the last act in the War of the Roses which had been going on for year and years. Sharon Kay Penman is a wonderful writer who breathes life into her characters and makes them seem real. I felt as if I was transported back in time to another century to live among characters I came to really care about. In fact, I admit I fell in love with Richard and even though I knew the final outcome of the book, I still grieved when he died so unfairly.

Sharon Kay Penman is one of the best authors for those who love historical fiction. I would heartily recommend all of her books.

I love to read historical fiction, but don't love the droning of history books. This was a fun, entertaining, easy to read novel of 15th century England.

Penman's books are all fairly lengthy, but by the time you get to the end, you don't want it to be over. This one is no exception. I actually preferred the character of Edward to Richard in this book. Probably because he seemed more believable. Penman let his flaws show brightly and therefore seem more relatable (I think that's probably why Anne was probably my least favorite character). The almost saintly portrayal of Richard is pretty much my only complaint though. I was thoroughly entertained by this book. The relationship between Edward and Richard was touching and the shift in Edward's character throughout the book was very well done.

I think the reason why I'm such a huge fan of SKP is her ability to really make you sympathize with the characters. She always makes their motives really clear and you almost can't dislike any of them, because you really feel like you understand them. The best example of this was Richard's decision in the final battle.

The best part, for me, is that the history is amazingly well researched, as always. There's only one fictional "main" character, and she's not a very important. The story just sucks you in even if you don't have much background knowledge. This one is definitely a keeper!

I rate it 2 because it is not my cup of tea. I do find the idea of positive thinking can be applied to what I am doing although really that is the only idea in the book. There are many examples of miraculous things that happenned, but I dont know whether it is described as it happens or whether it is described as the author wants the reader to see to prove his point. Things just happen too easily without describing there are hard work involve to achieve what you want to achieve. I wonder if I can have the most positive thought about being famous yet stay at home and do nothing about it and still can fulfilled my dream?

This book does more for you because it requires some input on your part. Involving your personal information which enables you to acknowledge some blocks and helps you make the changes you need in order for your dreams and desires to be manifested. I highly recommend this for anyone who feels like they are in a rut and need to get out or anyone who needs some help in reaching for the stars with a definite purpose.

I love this book. Joe Vitale is a wonderful author and has a way of speaking in his writing that is direct and gives you some ideas of different approaches to this topic. I recommend this book highly.

This is a very slim volume. If you are looking for a complex program to change your life, with many exercises and ideas, this is not for you.

Strangely, however, the short text did have a powerful effect on how I viewed my world after I read it. Joe's list of things to do is pretty short (list what you don't want, list what you do want, and then a few more steps, equally as simple.) What did happen is that I decided to restructure my thinking, considering every thought as to whether it was positive or negative. I also decided to fill up an envelope on my desk with "thank-you notes" to God, thanking him for all the positive things happening every day. (Not particularly something in this book, but based on Joe's ideas.) Each day, I jotted down an thank-you whenever something good happened. Then I popped it into an envelope I'm keeping on my desk. A week later, the envelope was full to bursting. Some seemingly negative things happened but I decided to treat them like opportunities, keeping a cheerful frame of mind while dealing with the issues. If nothing else, I felt good during the process.

Maybe this is all about how you view the glass; a half-glass full of refreshing water, or a half-empty glass heading to a full-fledged drought. For whatever reason, despite the fact this is a very short book, it can get you to thinking. Maybe that's it's power.

The only reason I give this book one star is because everything in it is also in Vitale's other book The Attractor Factor. Attractor is an expanded and much better version that I rated 5 stars and which I highly recommend.

There is so much good information in this book that I hardly know where to begin. I particularly like the way each tip is graded from one to five stars (the tactic ranking system) and Sampson's writing style is easy to read.

One of his tips is that you should use Amazon's review facility in combination with a well thought-out personal profile to direct traffic to your own books.

Before reading this book I had barely scratched the surface of Amazon.com.

Paul Blakey
Owner of Twin Eagles Publishing
http://twineaglespublishing.webs.com

Brent Sampson's Sell Your Book on Amazon offers a well-structured, informative introduction to the key merchandising tools available from the world's largest bookstore. For self-published authors new to Amazon's intricate and personalized architecture, gaining an understanding of all that Amazon offers can be a daunting challenge. The neophyte is tempted to take the easy road: get your book listed with a brief couple of descriptive paragraphs, then hope for the best. Sampson's careful explanation of each part--from the Author's Profile, blogs, Listmania, Search Inside modules to the multipart Editorial Reviews page--helps the reader better understand each feature's marketing advantage and gain an improved confidence in how to harness Amazon as a key online partner in building book sales and author reputation. As useful as this guide is, it would have been helpful to see more examples of how authors from different fields successfully put Amazon to work to build online sales. In every respect, however, Sampson's book is an invaluable resource for anyone selling their books on Amazon.

Numenon (Bloodsong) (Bloodsong)Unfortunately for me, I struggled with Amazon for years before finding Brent's book. Here the information is, all in one well organized place: what all those tabs and "click here's" and strange terms mean. (Is Amazon as counter-intuitive to you as it is to me?) When I read this book, I realized I'd been doing nothing to help the sales of my books. Now I have a chance. I get to put together a winning strategy and carry it out with a clear plan.

Brent's advocacy of the POD concept came as a revelation. I've heard others say the same thing, but doubted it. Now I'm going over the financial side of our publishing business with new eyes. Since the meltdown of our financial world, getting books to market for the lowest cost IS the only viable alternative. POD may be the only way to go.

I have a question, though, Brent. This book's been out a year or so. How does POD work on the late 2008 Amazon? I understand they only accept POD books through their own company. When I did a cursory investigation of that company, it didn't seem to offer all the features and flexibility yours did. Now what?

I've read a lot of books on self publishing. I decided on self publishing for myself because I didn't want to take 18 months to get a book published, and I didn't want to share the profits if I had to do the marketing anyway.

The problem with these types of self publishing books is that they contain a lot of information on self publishing, but in the marketing chapters the marketing information is skimpy at best.

Another problem I had was that when I looked for information specifically on book marketing, I really couldn't find a whole lot that allowed me to take full advantage of the internet (i.e. getting the word out quickly and automating some of the work.)

What information that was available involved having to travel, or doing tasks that are really time consuming. Because of my schedule and lifestyle, I needed marketing techniques that were fairly easy to do, effective, and could be done at home.

Finding this book is like an answer to a prayer. It does everything I mentioned about and includes plenty of techniques on how to market your book online specifically using Amazon. Since Amazon is the number one bookstore online anyway, it's where you want to go because that's where your customers are.

Sampson includes all of the techniques and even rates them for you so you know which ones are the most effective. It is a fast read (will only take you a couple of hours), and you can begin marketing on Amazon immediately.

What separates the best sellers from those books that are never read is marketing. Although many writers may avoid marketing like the plague, for those of you who don't mind marketing (I don't), this book offers you a viable opportunity to connect with your readers, make more money, and spend less time doing it. Even if you hate marketing, this is a good book for you because it's a great marketing plan for introverts.

Once you've written that book, and you're ready to start promoting, start with this book. It will save you the days and weeks I spent researching to find the right marketing information.

This book will save you time, it will save you money, and it will end any stress you may have over trying to figure out how to market your books and make money from them. Highly recommended.

Jinger Jarrett, Author, Internet Marketing for Free: The GUIDE: Internet Marketing to GO!

Having gone through this book several times, I have gotten several great ideas about selling on Amazon. It was not necessarily something specific the book said, more like 'Oh, and I could do that!, or thats a great idea.'

You may have wondered, what benefit could I possibly get from doing a list or listmania. As a reviewer, I think 'what's the point?' tons of people look at these lists, but hardly anyone says they are helpful?

From an author's perspective though these lists are read by thousand of people, and if you tweak your presentation as the author suggests, that is thousands of potential customers for your book. In addition, if you do not already write reviews, this can also give you much exposure, and if you develop some skill as the author suggests, you can raise your profile.

The multiple book strategy, I found very useful, and the ebook strategy he mentioned is also valuable. If you don't already know about ISBN numbers, hello, then you need to get the book.

How can a new writer have a similar presence to a seasoned writer on an Amazon search?

What are the economics of an ebook versus a regular paperback? Very useful to know.

My personal recommendation to you is study how other authors market themselves, how you notice them as you peruse, and what they do to stand out. Some top reviewers on Amazon are also authors. Look at what they do on their profiles.

If you're like me, you,ll get some inspired ideas of how to use information and strategies in the book. I hope this is helpful to you.

If you were to find this helpful, please click yes.

Love from Both Sides: A True Story of Soul Survival and Sacred Sexuality

If only I'd found Steve Weber's book last year! What a wealth of information for a first time writer. Writing a book is daunting - takes forever, yes? Then finding a publisher is almost impossible, right? - but once that happens, and amazingly it did for me, I was like a a deer-in-headlights about the marketing and publicity. But now that I've found Steve and his book, I think I'm in love. He charts out what needs to be done and makes seem so easy. Thank you so much!

I recently finished writing my first book in nearly 20 years and was looking for information about selling it online. I bought Plug Your Book! by Steve Weber and I'm glad I did. I really had no idea just how drastically the book publishing industry has changed since the 1980's.

One strategy that I started using as a result of reading this book is writing book reviews on Amazon.com (hence this one). I had never written a book review in my life until I read Weber's book. Now I write them all the time.

This is has been one of those rare buying experiences for me - the product I bought actually exceeded my expectations - by a long shot. This book is packed with useful information for authors and publishers. I really don't think you can get this kind of information anywhere else.

I highly recommend Plug Your Book!

Mitch Paioff, Author, Getting Started as an Independent Computer Consultant

Getting Started as an Independent Computer Consultant

I found that the book had some very important and valuable information, giving both pros and cons of different aspects of online marketing...in the rapidly changing field of book publishing, this book is a must read. If you don't use all of the book's suggestions, (I ended up using a totally different web host than those originally suggested in the book because it seemed much more user-friendly to my neophyte sensibilities), it will certainly get you pointed in the right direction. Thanks a bunch to author Steve Weber for laying it all out!!!

I didn't think any book could come with new stuff on this topic but it does. There is some old stuff but plenty of new tricks to get my teeth around in plugging my stuff online. I have been told by publishers that online sales account for 10% of sales - now I am beginning to wonder.

I have read at least a dozen titles on book marketing and I believe this to be the most valuable book available for today's world of internet marketing. The great part about online marketing is that you can actually target specific markets and it's usually free.

This book will help you focus your online marketing strategies in several ways:
* Influencing and Understanding the Amazon sales Rank
* Setting up and Effective Website
* Creating an Online Press Kit
* How to Get More Amazon Reviews
* Effective Use of Blogs
* A Page for your Book on Sites like MySpace.com
* Leveraging Social Networking
* Leveraging Amazon.com

This is the only book I've read that doesn't just tell you what to do in terms of book marketing, but it tells you specifically how to do it. It's really the only resource you need for marketing your book.

Stacie Vander Pol, author of Top Self Publishing Firms

I purchased My Utmost For His Highest as an appreciation gift for the Church School Staff Members at my church. The Book was very well received and appreciated. Some of the older members were especially pleased with the Large Print. I definitely recommend this product.

Book was in said condition, very nice. It arrived in a timely manner.
I am happy to have purchased it as the content is very meaningful and helpful.

I have been an Oswald Chambers follower for many years. I had been reading a tattered copy that belonged to my dad. For my birthday today I got this copy for my birthday and it is so very special. The leather cover is so soft and beautiful. Two shades of purple and liliac. Soft and comfortable to hold.

The dovotions are still current today. They make you look deep within your heart to what God is saying to you.

Highly recommend.

This book has been a profound daily devotional for me for 15 + years. I have read it every year. The insights this man of God had are some of the most relevant, authentic, and remarkable devotions I have ever read. I continue to be amazed.

Oswald Chambers gives the awesome truths of the Bible and God's character in this easy, daily study.

This is an amazing look into the life of a man who was born to make money. He absolutely knew from a very young age that he would be rich. Most of us have no idea what we want to be until after we graduate, but Warren Buffett always knew what he wanted to be. The author made me feel as if I actually knew Buffett personally. Good job.

Note: The review that follows is of the Second Edition.

I recently re-read this Buffett biography (first published in 1995 and now re-issued with a new Afterword, dated January 2008) and then read Alice Schroeder's The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life. Both are first-rate. Which to select if reading only one? That depends on how much you wish to know about Buffett's personal life, including his relations with various family members, and how curious you are about his personal hang-ups, peculiarities, eccentricities, fetishes, etc. If you can do without any of that, Roger Lowenstein's biography is the one to read. I also highly recommend the recently published Second Edition of The Essays of Warren Buffet: Lessons for Corporate America, with content selected, arranged, and introduced by Lawrence Cunningham.

In fact, I'd now like to provide a brief excerpt from Cunningham's Introduction: "The central theme uniting Buffett's lucid essays is that the principles of fundamental business analysis, first formulated by his teachers Ben Graham and David Dodd, should guide investment practice. Linked to that theme are management principles that define the proper role of corporate managers as the stewards of invested capital, and the proper role of shareholders as the suppliers and owners of capital. Radiating from these main themes are practical and sensible lessons on the entire range of business issues, from accounting to mergers to evaluation." Lowenstein does a skill job of examining the context in which various lessons were learned, both by Buffett and by those with whom he was associated. In fact, one approach to his life and career is to examine in terms of student-teacher relationships such as Buffett's with Graham and Dodd as well as others' with Buffett, notably Katherine Graham and those who comprised the "Graham Group": Jack Alexander, Ed Anderson, Henry Brandt, Robert Brustein, Buddy Fox, David ("Sandy") Gottesman, Tom Knapp, Charlie Munger, Bill Ruane, Walter Schloss, Roy Tolles, and Marshall Weinberg. Munger is probably the most important of these associates for reasons best revealed in the narrative. It is worth noting that when Lowenstein was about to begin what proved to be three years of research and then the writing of this book, Buffett informed him that he would do nothing to block his efforts nor would he do anything to assist them. In the Afterword, Lowenstein recalls his first post-publication encounter with Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting in1996. Despite everything that had happened in Buffett's life and career during the previous 45-50 years, Lowenstein observes that "Very little in the portrait, and nothing in the investment profile, has changed." His consistency "may be his least appreciated trait."

As does Schroeder but in somewhat greater detail, Lowenstein rigorously examines subjects that include:

1. The development of Buffett's business philosophy
2. His most important business relationships over the years
3. His most important personal relationships over the years
4. His non-negotiable values
5. What Berkshire Hathaway accomplished under his leadership as CEO
6. Buffett's insecurities
7. His views on philanthropy
8. His social awareness
9. His relationship with Melinda and Bill Gates
10. Why no one else has achieved comparable results by following Buffett's advice

Joe Nocera shares his own thoughts in response to the last point in a profile of Buffett that reprinted in Nocera's book, Good Guys and Bad Guys: Behind the Scenes with the Saints and Scoundrels of American Business. "I think the answer is twofold. First, truly great investing requires a temperament that very few people have. For most of us, it is difficult not to panic when the market tanks, for instance. It is hard not to want to jump on the hot stock, even if we know nothing about the business. The ups and downs of the market are stomach-churning events. The fundamental equanimity required to be a great investor is an extremely rare thing.

"The second reason we don't invest like Buffett is that his methods are far more complicated than they sound. Think about it: When Buffett talks about the `economic prospects' of a potential investment, what he means is that he wants to be able to see where the business will be 10 years from now. If he can see the business remaining dominant for the next decade, he'll consider buying the stock."

"One of the most important reasons for difference [i.e. being able to determine whether or not a business will remain dominant for the next decade] goes almost entirely unacknowledged among those who hope to find in Buffett an easily reproducible investing style. He is a genius when it comes to numbers. `Accounting,' he likes to say,' is the language of business.' It is a language in which his own fluency is unsurpassed, and which gives him an enormous competitive advantage. Usually, all he needs is a quick glance at a balance sheet to know whether he's interested in buying a company or not - because he finds meaning in numbers that the rest of us don't."

Warren Buffett is among the most effective CEOs in recent business history (at least since the conclusion of World War II) and there is certainly a great deal of value to be learned from his performance as both a leader and a manager. Although a business icon, he is also an exceptionally human being because of a unique combination of insecurities, hang-ups, fetishes, neuroses, etc. that various loved ones (notably wife Susie, daughter Susie, and companion Astrid) were able to manage with exquisite sensitivity. Like so many others, he cares more and more deeply than he is (generally) able to express. That said, one close associate and dear friend, Bill Ruane, suggested to Lowenstein after his book was published, "I'm not sure if you captured how [begin italics] tough [end italics] Warren is." Perhaps no one can but credit Roger Lowenstein with providing in this volume a thorough, balanced, multi-dimensional , and insightful explanation of how an ordinary man in almost every other respect accomplished greater success in business than almost anyone else ever has...or ever will.

Roger Lowenstein did a remarkable job in researching and writing the story of Warren Buffet. The book is delightful to read, and it balances well the personal and professional sides of Mr. Buffet. I find it amazing how the simplicity and unconventionalism (not to call it old-fashion style) of Mr. Buffet, adhering to basic Graham-Dodd principles of value investing and incarnating the opposite of all the Wall Street hype has proved successful over such a long time-span. I highly recommend this book to any investor!

This is an excellent biography of Warren Buffett's life and why and how he has become the incredible person he is today. It is interesting and also well-written. It could make you an investor if you are not already one.

When I first came across this book, I had planned on reading a Buffet biography for quite some time. I hesitated for a while because there were so many options. As I enjoyed reading Roger Lowenstein's, When Genius Failed, I made my decision to read this particular book based solely on my knowledge of the author. Fortunately, Lowenstein did not disappoint. Indeed, this Buffet biography is very well written and will be entertaining to both the lay person and professional investor, alike. If I could suggest one or two improvements, it would be for the author to reduce the overall length and sprinkle in a few more investing ideas. Also, potential readers should be aware that most of the content ends in the 1990s when the first edition was printed. So, much of the color about his friendship with Bill Gates and his first non-US investment, Israeli-based ISCAR, is missing.

Just as he did in When Genius Failed, Lowenstein does a great job describing historical accounts of entertaining or semi-dramatic events in Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist. Remarkably, the author is able to paint very clear pictures of scenes that occurred 50 years ago. This particular work is especially impressive as the author received no assistance from Buffet himself making the task of collecting details on such events very difficult.

Unfortunately, the book contains very little explanation of Buffet's investment strategy. This book is not an investing textbook, which is understandable. Rather, it is a biography that has some elements of Buffet's investing wisdom explained. It would be nice if it had more details on the investing front.

Some readers might find the book a bit longer than necessary. Of course, the wordiness may be a matter of personal preference. I would argue that most readers will stay thoroughly entertained throughout the book.