Sales Books

This book has it all and should be a compulsory read for anyone interested in sky rocketing their sales performance and understanding of many of the core principles of success in selling.

Congratulations Tom Sant for putting together a useful book without all the BS but good practical advice taken from the "Giants of Selling". The book is full of stories, history and examples that help your understanding of process, with pratical ideas that you can take and immediately implement into your business today.

I enjoyed each section very much with its own lessons and I encourage readers to read a section, then take time to ponder on what has been learn't and list what actions you are going to take before moving onto the next section with contrasting ideas.

Highly recommended

Alistair Gray
Founder Creating Succesful People

This is a great book about great sales people, but offered in a way that should be able to pick up on the traits and habits of these pioneers. A must read for anyone who is in sales or manages sales people.

This is one of the best books that I have read. I will venture out to say that it should be a must read book for any one who wants to sell anything, even if it is an idea to your boss.

I believe the title of the book gives the perception that it is a historical book of four great sales persons. People looking for sales improvement books may perceive this to be a book that is more historical in nature (because of the title) than a book that will lay out ideas of great sales person who saved their companies and themselves from going bankrupt.

Unlike other quick fix sales book the author is telling us how the great sales person of yesteryears improved their sales and how we can take those lessons and apply to our situation. Here too the author helps us in making it clear that the techniques espoused in the book are not one size fits all. He lays out the type of industries and type of services that could use one technique over the other.

The other benefit of this book is that it will be very easy for you to ask your boss to implement some of the ideas laid out in the book. The reason your boss would want to listen to you is because you are suggesting ideas that have been used by giants like John Patterson, Wheeler, Girad and Dale not some new sales guru.

This is a book all sales professional would enjoy reading. It contains enough information for a green peel to act as if an old dog.

Sir Isaac Newton reputedly explained that if he could see further than others, it was because he "stood on the shoulders of giants." (Actually, centuries before him, Bernard of Chartres observed that "We are like dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants.") When John Wooden began to coach basketball at Dayton High School in Kentucky, he began to formulate principles for a "pyramid of success" for himself and the players he coached. Throughout Wooden's career, these principles focused much more on development of character and quality of life than they did on victories on the court, although his U.C.L.A. teams won 10 NCAA titles during his last 12 seasons, including 7 in a row from 1967 to 1973. His UCLA teams also had a record winning streak of 88 games, four perfect 30-0 seasons, and won 38 straight games in NCAA Tournaments.

I mention all this by way of introducing the remarks that follow. Thanks to the author of this book, Tom Sant, his readers are able to stand on the shoulders of four "giants" in salesmanship: John Henry Patterson, Dale Carnegie, Elmer Wheeler, and Joe Girard. As did John Wooden, each thought of success in terms of a pyramid that has a broad base of participation and (yes) opportunity at the point of entry but a severely limited area at the summit. In fact, the favorite greeting of Zig Ziglar, another giant of sales, is "See you at the top!"(In fact, he likes the expression so much that he used it as a new title for one of his books, Biscuits, Fleas, and Pump Handles.) Sant examines the career of each of the four men, then explains what he thinks can be learned from their quite different approaches to sales...and to life.

For example, Sant credits Patterson (1867-1947) with being the first -- or at least among the first -- to institutionalize the process of selling as a standardized system. As a result, by all of them following his brother Crane's four step process, CEO Patterson and his sales force enabled their company, National Cash Register, to continue to growth profitably throughout the Great Depression in the 1930s. Sant characterizes Carnegie (1888-1955) as "the apostle of influence" because Carnegie's original "six ways to make people like you" continue to guide and inform sales planning and initiatives more than 50 years after his death. According to Sant, Elmer Wheeler claimed there were no magic words but understood "the magic of words" which he formulated in his original five "Wheelerpoints" (e.g. "Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle!"). As for Joe Girard (1928-present), he used various strategies and tactics for "priming the pump" to become (according to the Guinness Book of World Records) "the world's greatest salesman. Sant devotes considerable attention to how Girard developed his "Law of 250" (i.e. "Most people have about 250 other people in their lives who are important enough to invite to a wedding or to a funeral") which serves as the basis of his continuous cultivation of past, current, and prospective customers.

Had Sant limited his attention entirely to the four "giants," I would still rate this book Five Stars but hasten to point out that that there is a substantial value-added benefit which I did not anticipate when I began to read this book: Sant correlates all of the "lessons" to be learned from Patterson, Carnegie, Wheeler, and Girard and then suggests to his reader how to select the most relevant material from among the abundance he provides. Here are key points he stresses:

"1. The sales method matches the customer's preferred mode of buying.

2. The sales method is flexible enough to be self-correcting, incorporating lessons."

3. The sales process itself creates value, usually in the form of intellectual capital, for both the customer and the vendor.

4. The methodology followed increases the efficiency of the sales process, making the sales cycle shorter or enabling the salesperson to handle a larger volume of accounts successfully.

5. The methodology should be transferable across all skill levels.

6. The methodology is based on objectively measured events or tasks."

Also in the final chapter, "Looking Back to Look Ahead," Gant observes that "all of the sales methods we have looked at have one thing in common: They work...But they work only if you work them." Therefore, "Chose one. Use one. Do it every day. Keep at it steadily persistently, consistently. The bottom line is that you just need to do it." Of course, the methodology selected could be a "hybrid," one which combines some of Patterson's ideas about process with Carnegie's insights about influencing others, Wheeler's focus on "the magic of words" (as opposed to "magical words"), and Girard's "Law of 250." It remains for each reader to decide what is most relevant to her or his own circumstances. Whatever they may be, "you just need to do it."

An excellent novel, part of the series written by WEB Griffin. As intiguing as The Corps series. Delightful to read as a relaxing activity but always "wanting more" as you continued the novel. Strongly recommend as an adventure espionage novel. Highly recommend.

During WW2, the 'Office of Strategic Services' was set-up by 'Wild' Bill Donovan as the precursor to the CIA. Unlike the CIA of today (uhhuh) OSS was run on a shoe string and by a lot of academics who watched to many John Wayne movies. The OSS was notorious for trying to pull off missions in France which led to more problems for the Resistance than they were worth. It was a hotbed of Ivy Leaguers who thought that intellectualism would win out over ability every time.

Griffin has done a marvelous job of describing the tenor of the times on both sides of the Atlantic. The Germans cover all the cliches, like the Honorable Prussian Office, the dastardly Gestapo/SS Guy, the bumbling 'Sargent Schultz' type, etc. The Argentines spend their time plotting to overthrow the government (coup d'etats are like a national sport) and deciding on whether to be American or German neutrals. The Americans are all 'can do' kind of guys, especially the marines, and have more luck with the ladies then an Emir in his Hareem.

But, it's all good fun, sort of like Casablanca (but without the music) from the feel of it. Of course, the idea that there will be a sequel is understood, and we'll get to see everyone again real soon. We'll always have Buenos Aires. Here's looking at you amigo.

This is one of the best books I have read about the OSS operations in a theatre that is rarely considered.

WEB Griffin fills a gap in my military history of actions outside the main combat arenas. He obviously researches thoroughly and the result is gripping all the way through.

Honor Bound captures your attention at the start and never lets go. While there is not really a lot of "action," the story, the settings and the character development all make for an excellent book.

The story is the recruitment and development of an OSS team to carry out a secret mission to disrupt German submarine activity in neutral Argentina during WWII. The sub story is the reconnection of a powerful Argentine father and his American son who have not seen each other since the son was an infant. Several other sub stories are also woven in. All are interesting and well told.

The primary setting is WWII Buenos Aires. Most of us are unaware of the atmosphere there during the war, so that makes for a good learning experience. Other settings include Guadacanal, Midland (Texas) and New Orleans. All add interest to the story.

Griffen also does an excellent job of developing his characters. The primary ones really come to life.

If you are looking for "shoot 'em up" action, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a fascinating book about an arena that you probably know little about, give this a try. I am pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

What a superior career guide! After looking at several books, I found Ms. Williams' Insider's Guide... and used it to prepare for a pharmaceutical sales career. Three weeks after buying the guide, I have a job with Pfizer!! There is no way that I could have prepared for those FIVE interviews without the Insider's Guide... I wasn't surprised by a single interview question. This book is the best investment I've ever made. I can't recommend it enough to anyone who wants a career in pharmaceutical sales.

I'm writing this review because the previous comment by "Chris S." is wrong. This isnt a book you should "read in one night" and it is not just general information. This book is an insider's GUIDE to pharm sales, not the insider's guide to info on pharma companies. The guy doesn't know what he's talking about. This book has EVERYTHING you need to know about getting into pharm. sales. It's the one stop book of info. that will give you exact interview questions, complete overview of the entire interview process, in depth explanations of what's expected of a pharm. sales rep, and a good overview of well, everything. It's almost like sitting with a pharm. sales rep and asking him/her questions. I was a college grad with barely any sales experience. I had a friend in pharm. sales who recommended this book, and with the help of the book and my friend, I was able to get through 6 VERY competitive interviews with a pharma powerhouse company. Again, I didn't have any professional sales experience. I bought other pharm sale books as well and returned them. Nothing compares to this book. If your looking to get into the world of pharmaceutical sales, just like the title says, then this book is for you. Don't pass it by and if you get the interview, don't for to ABC - Always Be Closing!

Four stars to Jane Williams for writing a comprehensive text like book on getting a job in pharmaceutical sales. Excellent content but could have been a bit more original in both style and format. I chose this book because after reading the reviews it promised to be the most comprehensive guide available. I was not dissappointed, but in order to be the most comprehensive information, I also ordered PharmRepSelect audio book CD and Interview Insight CD along with this book. Good choice, because it provides different view points from authors with different styles and experience.I recommend information on different formats, keeps it way less boring, together this is a five star package! Thanks to Insider's Guide book and PharmRepSelect audio CDs I aced my interview and now work for a pharmaceutical company selling anti cancer drugs. Going to work is rewarding and I thank these authors for their help in getting me a career I enjoy.

Okay people, I bought the book 3 months ago, and I must say it is the bomb!!! I have no sales experience, but this book guided me step by step. It even gives you various scenarios with various answers. It is outstanding for a newcomer to the industry. Take heed and get the book!! I wanted the newest edition, but it hadn't come out yet and I was desperate to begin my research. I had 2 interviews with the same company--I was referred by my pharmaceutical sales rep friend--and I believe they went well. I am waiting to proceed to the next step, which is with the district manager. Needless to say, I was overly prepared. The binder the book suggests you put together totally "WOWED" the interviewer. 2 words...THE BOMB!

As a professional sales consultant, I am always looking for books that I can utilize as a consultant. The new 7th Edition of the "Insider's Guide..." is absolutely fantastic! This book offers excellent advice on networking, the pharmaceutical industry and the new physician call guidelines for pharmaceutical sales representatives, understanding the interview process, using personality profiling to your advantage, 150 specific detailed pharmaceutical sales interview questions and answers as well as major pharmaceutical company profiles and contract sales organizations contact information.

The book is very well written, professionally edited, and reflects the author's credibility. It is easy to see why this book is being utilized by college and university sales and marketing professors for their sales and marketing courses and special sales classes.

This book is great for boys and girls alike, but especially poignant for young boys who still want their sleepy pals but also want to be thought of as grown-up! If you can get them to read it with the attitude of the characters, you'll smile the entire time you're reading. Dont' let this one get by you!

These books are perfect. His ear for spoken language is dead-on. It's a joy to read aloud.

This is one of the sweetest bedtime stories, getting kids ready for sleeping over with a reassuring message. Best of all, it features two little boys. There's not a lot of gentle message kids books out there that feature little boys.

This is timeless kiddie lit story: Ira is invited to his first sleep over. Ira's older sister, however, casts doubt in Ira's mind. Will Reggie laugh because Ira sleeps with a teddy bear? Should he go with or without his beloved teddy? His parents are supportive and Ira makes his decision, only to change his mind once again.

Jim Trealease, of Read-Aloud fame, read this story, with appropriate voices to a group of teachers. I was so enchanted with it that later, when I taught high school, I asked permission of my seniors to tell them Ira Sleeps Over. They loved it!

Not having read the book nor able to check it out from a library, I relied totally on reviewers 5 star comments when deciding to purchase this book. Just about 1/3 the way into the book my parental radar piqued at the conversation between Reggie and Ira concerning ghost stories, "scary, creepy, spooky ghost stories." To my sorrow, no mention or even allusion of this was in any of the reviews.

My youngest 3 children (two 5 year olds and a 7 year old) are from a culture that emphasizes ghosts, the boogie man, evil spirits, etc. in a demonic fashion. Prior to becoming part of our family, ghosts were used as a form of disciplne to terrorize them to comply and obey. Even after having them in our family for a year they still struggle with the memories of these demons. Since the ghost story is the climax in Ira Sleeps Over, I do not recommend this book.

Easily digestible brain and soul food. This book would make a great gift for anyone on your "wonder what to buy for" list. I can also see it as a discussion opener for parents with older children. Many short lessons that can open up conversations that teach values. I short changed this marvelous book one star because I felt cheated by the last lesson. It just seemed as if someone else wrote it. But go ahead, you read it and see what you think.

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others.

This book is great. Some people may be reluctant to buy the book because the fact that it is somewhat a religious book, or the fact that it has some "Christian" teachings installed into it, but that should not turn you away from this great book of life lessons. It is a book of many proverbs that the author claims to thought up of himself. That in itself is impressive. Each proverb can be applied to daily life and we can easily apply it to our own lives. One proverb states "A fish cannot describe water until it is caught." It has a lot of depth but is a very light read. It is like "chicken soup for the soul" book series. There are stories that accompany these proverbs. Stories that at first glance may seem pointless, but analyzed, can give you a lot from it. Why not try this book?

I bought this book when it was first published and used it as a primer to learn how to cook. It is highly practical with the chapters arranged by technique (boiling, braising, sauteing, etc). And it is well illustrated with simple drawings that effectively communicate how to execute those techniques. I would recommend it to anyone, especially those who are just learning to cook. Unfortunately, even though it was re-issued a few years ago in both hardcover and paperback, the used booksellers think this book must be worth its weight in gold. It isn't. If you can find a copy in good condition at a reasonable price, consider buying it. If not, look for James Peterson's -Essentials of Cooking- which, in many ways, is a superior book and should be available at a sane price.

Selection, technique and associated recipes from this legend make this a book one turns to often. Mine is worn out from over fifteen years of usage. You'll put it profit in your kitchen.

This is the classic of American cooking, the first cookbook to own and the one you go back to all your life.
Beard had a brilliant sense for food, and in this book he shares concepts and approaches, explaining the equipment you use, and the techniques, methodically, clearly and with his particular elan.
Anyone can follow this book. But between the recipes presented throughout the book (organized in the unusual manner of by technique - things you boil, things you bake, things you roast, etc.) and the concordance (organized by food), you can find great recipes and just plain information and direction to help you make just about enough food to last a lifetime.
I brought it with me to France and still rely on it.

This classy reprint of a standard cooking guide deserves a spot on the shelf of any serious cook's collection: this edition provides an introduction by Julia Child and a foreword by Barbara Kafka as it covers the basics methods and ingredients of good cooking, with a healthy dose of Beard's philosophy added for spice.

A must for anyone who loves good food. I bought my copy about 20 years ago in my bachelor days, and still refer to it regularly. If you can learn the techniques in this book and in "From Julia Child's Kitchen," you'll be in the 99th percentile of home cooks. Add a couple of Pierre Franey's 60-Minute Gourmet or Cuisine Rapide volumes, and you and yours will eat well for life.

I can't say enough about Santore's illustrations; the best ones are exquisite, the less-than-best ones detailed and very lovely to look at. The text remains largely unchanged, though Andersen purists will never be satisfied. The story itself, like all good fairy tales, is complicated and open to many different interpretations. Perhaps you are of the feminist stance that views this tale, and all others of its ilk, with horror because of the pain and disfigurement the protagonist must endure to become 'acceptable' to her love interest, or maybe you are the more old-fashioned, evangelical sort who sees the little mermaid's quest for a soul as noble, self-sacrificing, and the definition of true, selfless love. Or maybe, like me, you're somewhere in between. ( ;

Whatever your views on this classic tale, it's still a cracking good story, one that has appealed to the 'old souls' in children everywhere for years, and it's only made more beautiful and poignant by Charles Santore's wonderful illustrations. (Not to mention the fact that it is an 'old school' fairy tale, which means no candy-coated, neatly wrapped up Disney-fied ending. Expecting everyone to live 'happily ever after' is probably not sending our kids the best message!) If you are an Andersen fan -- or just a lover of fairy tales -- buy it. I have yet to find a better version.

this was the first little mermaid story i was aware of. i'm not really a fan of disney because they alter the stories, among other things, and so in retrospect i thank my mother for getting me this book when i was young. The story is beautiful and the pictures are as beautiful as the story. This is my standard for the little mermaid story and to date all other renditions i've read have been sub-par in comparison.

The illustrations are very pretty in this book, The story was also great and good for any mermaid fans! Specifically The Little Mermaid!

My title is correct, I've had this book for 10 years-- I received it as a gift from my father when I was 9 and even now I'll look back on it for more than childish nostalgia. It's truly a gorgeous book.
You can read the story of The Little Mermaid 100 times, but there's nothing like skimming the pages of this book and awing at the illustrations. There is nothing bad I can say about this book...

If you don't have it, get it now!

I would recommend this book for girls between the ages of 14-16, as it is gothic, dark and disturbing. I could only read a few pages at night before putting the book down. This is the original Hans Christian Anderson telling, and not some gay, twisted-up with a happy-ending Disney-version! The Little Mermaid is obsessive about those of us living up here on land... Perhaps, feeling she doesn't belong in her world in the sea. So to show her devotion to her land Prince, she allows the Sea Hag to bewitch her, that she may walk and dance on land. She is in terrible emotional and physical pain, and in the end becomes a silent martyr for love. As this is how things go when one resorts to spells and manipulation! Santore's paintings seem to carry this depth with the pages of dark blue, green and gray colors. Personally, the painting are too dark for my taste. Santore's Little Mermaid could be any little neighbor girl you know. This story comes across as a metaphor for someone who thinks like a victim, or who is self-destructive. It could be a metaphor for someone who is disabled, or wanting to turn towards a spiritual life. I feel this book would make for interesting group discussion for teen girls. Finally, this story is based on true events from Hans Christian Anderson's life as a young man. It was his first original fairy tale for which he is most well-known.

Tim Smith's pure approach to keeping customers loyal shows how disciplined use of the right talents can separate us in this world of mediocrity. This is one of the milestones of being a Professional Sales Rep. I would suggest it to any sales rep regardless of the industry.

This book way better than Kaizan or other Japanese book. Tim Smith the Shogun of samurai salesman!!

Tim Smith has given sales people a practical guide to establishing lasting relationships and a loyal customer base. Mr. Smith has broken the sales process down into 7 steps, which when followed, result in a powerful relationship and long term success.
Mr. Smith's approach is logical and easy to follow. Examples of how this process works are plentiful and buttress his points very well.
I found the book readable and amusing. I will strongly suggest this book to my sales colleagues who are looking to improve their sales skills.

Being a sales representitive in a competitive industry can be intimidating! Tim Smith's book Loyalty Based Selling gives you the tools to suceed from the start. Loyalty Based Selling is a quick read that avoids all the warm and fuzzes about selling and gets right into the meat of it. Tim offers a unique perspective and specific examples of whats's made him #1. Sales reps make many mistakes that could easily be avioded if they use the tools and game plan that Loyalty Based Selling offers. The book walks you through how to introduce your self to a prospective customer to celebrating the close of a big deal. This book is a must read for all sales reps.

This book is outstanding! It takes a very simple approach to communicating the best way to maintain business with current customers and grow your business with both existing and new customers. Each one of us can implement the seven steps into our selling. Mr. Smith did a great job of giving us examples we can work with. I have already recommended this book to several colleagues!

This second-hand copy of "The Madness of a Seduced Woman" sat on my book shelf for a number of years before I finally pulled it out. After looking at the cover I thought to myself that it really didn't appear to be the style of book I usually enjoy and considered tossing it or trading it back in for something else. However, hating to give up on any book, I decided to read a few pages and give it a chance. What a great decision that was! I was drawn into the story of Agnes Dempster, her unusual family, and her tragic love story, from the first beautifully written page to the very last. From her unhappy childhood, her turbulent and violent youth, her sad journey through depression and mental illness, to her somewhat calmer and more stable maturity, you will travel with Agnes from birth to the grave and she is someone you will not soon forget.

This is a book to be treasured and will remain in my personal library along with other all-time favorites such as "Gone With the Wind" and "How Green was My Valley." I'm now planning on reading "Anya" by the same author with the hope that it will come somewhere close to the perfection of this one.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If ten stars were available in the rating system it would certainly deserve every one of them.

"The Madness of a Seduced Woman" is the story of Agnes Dempster, who enters life with a strong legacy from either side of her family. From her father's side she has inherited wealth and from her mother's, beauty, yet people in each of her parents' families have exhibited mental instability in recent generations. As with her mother and grandmother before her, Agnes' dissatisfaction with life leads her to believe that there must be something more for her if she can leave her home town and escape the influence of her family. After the death of her grandmother, Agnes leaves her family's farm at the young age of 16 to live and work in a nearby city.

Agnes meets Frank Holt, a young stonecutter who lives in the same boarding house as her, and they begin a relationship. In her naiveté and immaturity, Agnes believes Frank to be all that she has been looking for in her search for a meaningful life. Their romance begins normally, but over the course of time is tested by a series of difficulties and Agnes' increasing dependence on and obsession with Frank. When Frank realizes that he cannot love Agnes in the same, all-encompassing way in which she loves him, he begins to cool off the relationship. This leads Agnes to a decision that will affect her and those around her for the rest of their lives.

This is one of my favorite S.F. Schaeffer books, even though it is a very dark one. This is definitely not a light read for the beach, and the description of a home abortion is not for you if you are at all squeamish. What the book does is capture what I like about Susan Fromberg Schaeffer's writing - her ability to transport the reader into the times and places of her stories. I am also impressed by the timelessness of the subject - obsessive desire is something very common to hear and read about, but the twist to "The Madness... " is the period in which it takes place (the 1890's). This book is a study on all that can go wrong with life if one is dependent on others and their happiness in order to feel fulfillment themselves.

This book is my absolute favorite and I've read it several times. It is the story of how an extremely beautiful woman's obsession takes hold, grows, and eventually takes over her life.
The story follows Agnes Dempster through her late teens, early twenties as she discovers men and relationships. Her first relationship is with the perfect "nice" man who completely falls for her. She had to work so hard for her father's love that she feels any love easily given isn't worth it,s o she quickly becomes tired of his doting. Suddenly the untouchable man, the one our mother's warned us about, seems to reach out to her and she completely falls for him and, it would seem, vice versa.
This dark, heartbreaking story is so intense, so real, so incredibly moving that at one point I had to put the book aside to wipe my tears. At another point I found myself holding my breath. I could feel her obsession growing while knowing that he was using her and leading her on, and yet, Agnes is still drawn to him. He repeatedly gave her just enough attention to draw her in and give her reason to believe; and then he was gone again.
This protrayal of obsession was so intricate and detailed that the web was spun around me as I read what seemed to be a love story. The abortion is so real that I felt her pain and shame, yet understood her sense of duty. The field scene at the end is so well described that I feel like I was there. The court scene is so well written that I found myself gripping the book tightly.
This book is for every woman who has ever loved and lost or loved and obsessed or loved and borderline obsessed, and I think that covers every woman alive. We've all been there.

This author does a fabulous job of conveying the main character's madness in a way that comes across as a dream sequence. One seldom finds an author who can write a well-rounded story that truly involves the reader. By the end of the book, Agnes comes shining through -- with all her shortcomings. Read this book! "...a woman scorned..."

This is a novel that springs from an amazing imagination. It is as if the author tapped into a dream vision of Agnes to creat a haunting and memorable charcter in an ethralling narrative. The story is gothic in its imagry, and brings the reader deep into the spooky farm country of New England, and enchants us with a kind of psychological mystery. There are some flaws, though- because this book obviously stems from the author's fantasy, rather than real life experience, there are obvious inconsitencies. For instance,the novel purports to describe a rich farming family, but at one point the narrative asserts that girls in the family were out working in the field as soon as they were old enough. I don't think the daughters of the area's most wealthy family would be "working in the fields." Also, there are weird little problems like descriptions of apple blossoms... in the wrong season. If you can swallow the little editing problems,this is a wonerful and entertaining read.

I picked up this book because I have always found e-mail to be an effective way to begin and develop relationships with interesting people I would never have otherwise met. That's one of the many reasons I like to write reviews on Amazon.com. Since most books about the Internet are extremely simple and out-of-date, I had low expectations. Imagine how pleased I was when I discovered that this book not only answered many of my questions (such as how to get started with e-mailing to opt-in lists of people who have given permission to be contacted with information in certain subject areas) but also provided information that I did not imagine existed (such as sites for posting e-mail press releases and statements of competency to reach the media). Best of all, the ideas here take little capital and expertise so most people who are active on the Internet can use them.

Here is the table of contents to give you a sense of how the book is organized:

Chapter 1: E-Mail Newsletters

Chapter 2: Discussion Lists

Chapter 3: Online Networking

Chapter 4: Signature Files

Chapter 5: Autoresponders

Chapter 6: Customer Relationship Management

Chapter 7: Promotions and Direct E-Mail

Chapter 8: Online Public Relations

Chapter 9: Advertising in E-Publications

Chapter 10: E-Mail Marketing Rulebook

Chapter 11: Technical Know-How

Chapter 12: Measuring Results

Chapter 13: Opt-In List Brokering

Chapter 14: Worksheets

Chapter 15: 20 Recommended E-Mail Publications

As a result of reading this book, I began to wonder if I should also offer a free e-mail newsletter of more analytical and detailed book reviews covering those books I like best, with the reviews organized to be easier to access. Your opinions on that subject are most welcome!

The technical support in the book can save you some money on implementing by allowing you to do more of the work yourself. You are also directed to examples and organizations that can help you. I wrote down more than 30 web sites I want to investigate as a result of reading this book. That's about 27 more than I got out of the last 400 books I have read.

Another positive feature of the book is that it is anti-Spam. If you are like me, you get about 40 Spam messages a day that have no connection to any interest you have and seem to be created by people with little talent. One reason I have been slow to use more e-mail marketing is because I am very anti-Spam and didn't want to become a Spammer even by accident.

The best advice from the book is to build your own lists from people who reply to you and give you permission to contact them again, and use those to establish and maintain mutually supportive relationships. That makes sense to me. My web designer has been urging me on with this idea for years, but I never quite got the point before. Now I see what I should be doing. Even though I have read and liked Permission Marketing, the idea just hadn't clicked before.

Even if you don't plan to do e-mail mass marketing, the ideas in here for online public relations will make the book valuable all by themselves.

The authors also offer you access to their web site for more information and help.

A revised edition is planned for a few weeks from now, and I suspect that it would be a good idea to see what is in that edition as well. I wouldn't wait for that one, however, to get started. You can make significant progress in the meantime with this edition.

After you have finished reading this book, ask yourself what is the one thing you could do today that would help get valuable knowledge out to those who need it most. Then take that action. I also urge you to make that question and action step a daily process thereafter. This book should make you very capable of doing this!

For anyone looking for an experienced and relaible method of managing opt-in email marketing this is for you.

Marketing With E-Mail is a quick reading that broadens your horizon by giving you a concise, to the point overview of the different tools available to market a company and its products/ services through e-mail. Permission marketing is the mantra of Marketing With E-Mail and her author, Shannon Kinnard. E-mail marketing, though important, is not a stand-alone communication channel. By offering your prospects and customers multiple response paths, you increase the probability that they will respond to your product offering. In addition, Marketing With E-Mail and the companion web site refer to many resources that you can explore to get additional insights into that new field of marketing. Shannon Kinnard, however, does not cover the economics of e-mail marketing thoroughly. Case studies are not usually backed up by any in-depth financial analysis that should definitely convince you that investing in e-mail marketing provides a sensible return on investment and positively influences customer lifetime value. Hopefully, Shannon Kinnard will further share her (financial) expertise with you in the second edition of Marketing With E-Mail that will be released soon.

I am a technoid (See my about me area) so when I first started reading this book and Kinnard described the tools I thought the book was going to be fairly boring. Later when I entered in the chapters on marketing I was thrilled with an entry level book.

I needed (and still need) good ideas to help me market my business. I used my highlighter a great deal in this book. In almost every one of the later chapters I found really good ideas. Also the structure of the book was wonderful. The beginning of every chapter is a series of descriptive or narrative paragraphs, case study, resources and a cheat sheet. The structure that Kinnard uses makes this a tool for reference as well as a good read.

Finally, I think Kinnard has an excellent style. I think one of the great tasks of writing a book like this one is that most of the audience really is not interested in reading the material. We just want to know it so that we can use it. So, time spent reading and learning about email is tiresome. Kinnard does a good job of making the paint dry quickly.

As a web designer for small businesses, the task of bringing visitors to a site often falls into my lap. It's a daunting task and with internet marketing still in it's infancy it's difficult to look to anyone as an expert. Ms. Kinnard is worth her weight in gold; demonstrating how to handle the new field of e-marketing and expertly giving how-to advice.

Many of my clients are regional shops and businesses that do not have the big business (big $$) marketing budgets. Not only do I often find myself referring to this book often, but I recommend it to all of my clients as well.

Business owners are often one of the biggest draws for a business; their personality, eye for detail, or craftsmanship is what attracts customers. By reading this book, my clients are able to market themselves, which my all accounts is a win-win scenario.

If you own a business or if you represent a business that is trying to increase their market share on the Internet, make this mandatory reading.