Sales Books

This is one of my favorite photo books that details the stately old mansions. It's a shame that many were left to ruin, as a direct result of the terrible economic conditions imposed on the South following the widespread destruction by the Union troops in the Civil War. Through preservation efforts some have been spared as a lasting tribute to the South's heritage.

My mother originally bought this book for me when I was twelve, which was forty-some years ago. Even as a young kid, the haunting and heart-catching beauty of these magnificent old homes caught my heart and from then on, I have been a true lover of ante-bellum architecture and history....I pulled my original copy off the shelf the other night and just out of curiosity, looked it up on Amazon....I figured I would never find another copy of this great book, but leave it to Amazon! I can't believe its still available somewhere.....you must buy this book for your collection....most of the black and white shots are taken ( I think ) in the 1940's and early 1950's, when there was still something left to photograph....as someone else said on this site, these are probably the only actual photographs of many of these places. I am happy to report that there are some,including Oak Alley Plantation and Houmas House, that are still standing and beautifully restored, looking even better than the shots in this old book, so its not all sad, but if you buy it, you will never forget this tragic memoir of the past...

This book contains heart breaking photos of mostly Louisiana Plantations, some Beautifully restored but most are tragic beauties gone for ever, it is the only source for most of these homes to still exist, many of these photos are the only images of these magnificent homes ever taken, read the book front to back and you will agree, it reads like a novel of the tragic queens of the old south.

The Old South and particularly the Plantation homes is a subject that always interested me. This particular book is the best I have ever seen. Some of Mr. Laughlin's comments are a bit flowery, but for the most part, he captures the spirit of this time in history. I think it is wonderful that people have restored some of these homes back to their original splendor, but the pictures and the history of the homes that have long since been destroyed are the most interesting and are truly the "Ghosts Along the Mississippi".

This is a stunning portrait of history gone of the graceful architecture that was to epitomise the South in the US - the antebellum ladies. The oversize black and white photos so the decay nipping at the great ladies (some now sadly lost) with the haunting skill of a painter. Not just the houses themselves, but the smaller touches like the decorations, the outer buildings, the grave-markers. And not, pictures of perfection, so showing with time's ravage has done to them. He effectively catches the by-gone slice of history with a little camera magic, so at the superimposed image of a ghostly woman in the a mirror on the wall pf Parlange Plantation or the pencil portrait of the child of Voisin Plantation.

There are other plantation books that go into more detail of the history of these dying giants of America. But but none captured their spirit as well, and it's too late in many cases for anyone else to even try.

A beautiful work.

I got a copy of this in a second-hand store when I was a kid and I've practically read the covers off. Absolutely magical. I have never read a better imagining of the Cinderella story.

you can not give this book enough stars. this book brings cinderella to the next level very tastefully. thank you to the author for this teenage level.

The book is very good story. The author has done a very good job of telling the story. I have readed this book since 6th grade and now I'm first year in college. I have enjoy this book every time I read it. I recommend it to every one.

I found it! Like one of the other reviewers, I read this book, and re-read it and re-read it, in Elementary school and loved it! The internet and places like Amazon.com have been a god-send for finding those treasures of childhood I thought I'd never see again. This remains to this day my very favorite version of the Cinderella story. Well worth the read no matter how old you are!

Like Robin Grunder's (New York, New York March 1999) review I just saw on this page, I had read this book (from my church library, no less!) when I was about 10-12 years old. I fell in love with it, and it left a marked impression upon me. Sort of "Cinderella at a whole 'nother level." But as a teenager I could not find the book anywhere. As a young adult, I would revert back to childhood books in times of stress (Madeleine L'Engle, Carolyne Keene) and looked for Eleanor's "Glass Slipper" many times to no avail. Then, in my late 30's, when Internet searching became all the rage, I one evening put the title in a search engine and VIOLA! There were several used (collectible) hardback copies available through Amazon.com! ... but I have my used 'library' copy and I'm ecstatic. I'll pass this on to my child's children, who will hopefully love reading as much as I do.

MY SON COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AFTER HE OPENED IT UP XMAS MORNING. I'LL GET HIS REVIEW.

Morgan goes through excruciating detail as to how the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore will now be forever conjoined. The book gives the reader a true perspective of the shenanigans by owners who are looking for the "easy money" of professional sports and how they will stoop to breaking the hearts of thousands of loyal fans just to fatten their wallets. Not only does it cut to the quick about the move of the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore; it also touches off on that fateful winter's night when Bob Irsay packed the beloved Colts onto the Mayflower trucks and stole away the heart of a city. A great read for Clevelanders and Baltimoreans alike; both of which can take small consolation that the heartbreaks of '84 and '95 will finally be resolved when the Browns return next August.

"Glory for Sale" is full of the sort of detail most football fans only dream of accessing...the book enables readers to become part of the franchise process, to feel as though they were actually there. Jon Morgan's style is fluid and literary, and the book, however intricate, reads as easily as a novel. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the world of sports, and for anyone with a solid appreciation for plain old good writing.

Why do elected officials at the state and city level continue to prostrate themselves before professional sports teams? Jon Morgan uses one of the most controversial team transfers of all time to examine a serious public policy issue with bright, jargon-free writing that cuts to the heart of these issues. If you're a taxpayer who's ever wondered about whether sports teams really goose the local economy, you need to read Glory for Sale.

If you have any interest in sports, you have to read Glory for Sale. Jon Morgan has written a fascinating and carefully crafted book about the inner workings of professional sports. Few of us have ever been privy to the secret meetings, the betrayal, the calculated lies, and the greed at work whenever a professional sports franchise tears free from a city. This book is more than the tale of Art Modell's apostasy, it is the frightening blueprint for a society whose religion sports is founded on a single commandment: Thou shalt win. -- Tim Green, author of The Dark Side of the Game and sports commentator for ABC's "Good Morning America," "NFL on Fox," and NPR's "Morning Edition

Glory for Sale is a fascinating read. Morgan manages to penetrate the personalities and structures of the NFL in a lucid and compelling fashion while providing a probing and critical analysis of city stadium subsidies, franchise movements and the business of football. -- Andrew Zimbalist, author of Baseball & Billions: A Probing Look Inside the Big Business of Our National Pastime and co-author of Sports Jobs and Tax: Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Facilities

. . . a detailed, engrossing and fast-paced account of am increasingly volatile aspect of sports. -- Bortz & Co., Sports and Media Consultants

Team relocation is a controversial and complex issue that hotly divides avid sports fans. Jon Morgan's Glory for Sale insightfully lays out the importance of stadium economics in building a competitive team, and it clearly, easily explains why teams move. It is one of the best analyses I've read. --Paul J. Much, Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin (financial advisor on sports economics to teams, leagues, stadiums, and governmental agencies)

Good Behavior provides a reversal of fortune unlike any other that veteran burglar John Dortmunder has ever experienced.

His problems begin when his new partner, O'Hara, turns out to be incompetent at cutting off the burglar alarm. Dortmunder finds himself unexpectedly racing across rooftops while O'Hara is arrested at the bottom of the fire escape he has foolishly taken when the police arrive. After falling down one roof, he comes to a dormer and climbs in . . . only to find himself on a rafter over a roomful of nuns. Having been raised at an orphanage run by the Bleeding Heart Sisters of Eternal Misery, this depresses him . . . along with his sore ankle. The nuns rescue him with a tall ladder, and he finds himself speaking in pantomime . . . until they discover that he can read and begin writing notes. They have taken a vow of silence, and only speak for two hours on Thursdays.

Having noted his burglar's tools, they point out that perhaps the police should be called. But, they have a greater need for a burglar: to recover Sister Mary Grace who was abducted by her father to be reprogrammed into a corporate executive in the family firm.

Alone in the penthouse of a 76 story skyscraper, the sister has been fighting off the deprogramming and her father. By smuggling notes in and out with the cook, the sisters know where she is. Dortmunder agrees to spring her. Then, he becomes discouraged because no one will want to help him for no gain.

Just as he's about to tell the nuns that he cannot do it, they share the security codes for the building with him, which Sister Mary Grace has smuggled out. With that information, Dortmunder knows he can break into any part of the building, which is full of lovely jewelry and antique stores. With that kind of potential swag, his usual partners can be rounded up (Tiny Bulcher, Andy Kelp, and Stan Murch) plus a new alarm man, Wilbur Howey, who has just gotten out after 48 years (10 years for burglary and 38 years for continually escaping) who is very excited by seeing any woman. They also add an inside partner, J.C. Taylor, who sells off-color books and turns out to be critical to freeing Sister Mary Grace.

The burglary goes smoothly . . . but Dortmunder runs into unexpected (and potentially lethal) opposition as he nears the penthouse. Like all Dortmunder stories, the end is filled with fast and furious improvisation.

There's more than the usual humor in this story due to Mr. Westlake having the silent sisters as a running gag. But they communicate just fine, unlike the police whom Dortmunder is trying to outwit.

The plot develops slowly, which makes it more appealing, and the twists and turns keep my heart pumping rapidly. I don't remember a story about Dortmunder that is as engaging the positive human emotions. I think you'll like this one, if you have enjoyed any humorous stories about criminals.

After you finish this story, think about where you think that communication cannot be made. How might you overcome that limitation? Try imaging that you cannot speak, and see if that opens up any new ideas.

This book, about career crook John Dortmunder and his attempt to rescue a nun of the silent sisterhood is one of the best Dortmunder novels Mr. Westlake has ever written. The atmosphere is tense, since the book is about rescuing somebody as well as getting off with a lot of money, and having to put up with the nun's fascist father. This book is an enjoyable reading for all.

Westlake is one of the funniest authors I've ever read and this is one of his best novels. Beware because it will make you bust out laughing in public places if you read it there (people on my bus think I'm crazy). Absolutely worth the high price you might pay for an out-of-print.

While working one night, John Dortmunder accidentally sets off a burglar alarm, an occupational hazard for a thief, and winds up hanging from the rafters of the local convent. Although the occupants are an order of nuns who have taken a vow of silence, they manage to let John know that in return for not turning him into the police, they would make use of his specialist skills. They want him to rescue a young nun who was taken from the convent by her father and is held on the top floor of a 76-storey building.

Dortmunder's flair for getting himself into and out of impossible situations are highlighted again as he attempts to breach the defences of a building that seems as impenetrable as any well guarded fortress can be. The ever-changing motley crew that he works with is made to seem even more motley by the inclusion of the skirt chasing (but never catching) Wilbur Howey. Tiny Bulcher is again along for the ride in all his menacing glory as are two regulars Andy Kelp and Stan Murch.

It's the humorous ways in which Dortmunder deals with setbacks that gives the book it's charm. Interest is added by limiting the field of play to one building. How to get in, save the girl and then out again is the problem he faces.

This is yet another satisfyingly entertaining entry in the Dortmunder series that proves this time that he has a caring side, or maybe it's just his guilty, greedy side rearing it's head again. Whichever it is, it's a pleasure to see it.

John Dortmunder becomes St John when his latest caper drops him into a convent. The sisters see it as divine intervention so they ask him to rescue a kidnapped nun from her tyrannical father who is having the Catholicism deprogrammed out of her. Only Dortmunder could gather a group of thieves to rescue a nun and end up facing a mercenary army set for a Central American Revolution. Full of hilarious incident after hilarious incident, this is the Dormunder gang at its best.

After reading thousands of book proposals and pitches from authors and would-be authors, the majority have no idea how to write a realistic marketing plan. The bulk of these proposals are written with the assumption the publisher will do the majority of the marketing. Instead Shel Horowitz, creator of FrugalMarketing.com, shows writers how to use easily-reached resources to sell books.

Valuable tips and insights are scattered throughout his book including areas such as endorsements, book reviews and awards. Tapping into your personal networking possibilities and even hooking the traditional media and how to give a great interview. Also in GRASSROOTS MARKETING Horowitz will teach you the straight story about how bookstores work then libraries and the online bookstores like Amazon. Finally in his advanced marketing section, he covers speaking to sell books, trade shows and book fairs, affiliate and joint-venture marketing, advertising and direct mail plus how to extend your brand and increase your profits. This book is another valuable resource for any book author or publisher.

As you explore the tips and resources in GRASSROOTS MARKETING, you will increase your value to a publisher and most importantly--sell more books. For every author or would-be author at the earliest stage of their creative process, I recommend you study and apply the insight in this book.

Shel is well-known in small press publishing for his efforts to aid small publishers, authors and others in selling more books without using techniques that make you uncomfortable. This book collects much of the wisdom gained over those years.

I'm especially happy to see that he starts with the most important part: the contents of the book. If you don't think about your readers and what they most want from your book as you craft it (writing or editing, as the case may be), then selling the book will be much harder later. From there he discusses building networks, taking advantage of the strengths of the Internet, using more traditional media, giving good interviews and other important publicity topics.

Unlike many other books, Shel doesn't stop with publicity. This book talks about a cohesive marketing plan every step of the way. Other important sections include the hows and whys of selling through the book trade, and ways to sell books outside bookstores, whether it would be through speaking engagements, through the mail, or through various conventions, fairs and trade shows.

This book is full of solid information, and almost every theoretical discussion includes practical examples used successfully by real authors and publishers.

"Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers" by Shel Horowitz offers much more than book marketing tips and techniques.

The first and most basic question you should ask yourself begins in Chapter Two: What's Your Publishing Strategy? Shel's "been there done that" with each strategy and presents a straightforward discussion of four publishing options available to writers today. This chapter alone can save you years of confusion, heartache, and disappointment, and most importantly hard earned cash.

I share my enthusiasm for Shel's book as a result of one my own thousand dollar mistakes in publishing my own book, "U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within." Obviously, in the massive world of publishing, there's no one book, resource, or person that can provide all the answers. Just as there's no fail proof path to avoid every pitfall an author or publisher may face. And for some, we learn best from our mistakes. But I can attest, had this book been on the market when I began, I may have avoided at least one of my most costly learning experiences.

The book also provides a clear picture that it's the writer's job to know how to position their book idea in the market place to be able promote and sell it, even before the writing begins. Shel shows you how with useful examples. Understanding this process will help pave the way to meeting your publishing goal.

The third benefit of Shel's book is the wealth of resources and links that guide and direct you to some of the most trusted, respected, and credible sources in the publishing industry.

And best of all, after reading this book you can make an informed choice to begin your journey and be in control of your destiny along the way. Since each writer's passion, knowledge, skill set, and end product is unique, I found no better resource to help you begin.

There's no question, "Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers" moves to the top of my personal library of writing and publishing resource gems.

Debra J. Slover, author
U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within
Leader Garden Press

Shel Horowitz is an accomplished professional consultant and practitioner in the art and science of small press publishing. Shel draws upon many years of hard won experience and expertise to write and publish "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers", a 292-page compendium of descriptive commentary, advice, tips, techniques, resources, instructions, and examples of how an author can go about successfully marketing their book in a highly competitive and often volatile marketplace. Shel has included seven different marketing models that authors can draw upon to create inexpensive yet very effective websites as part of their overall book marketing strategy. Also included are two complete, full-length marketing plans that are actually based on two of Shel's author clients. Examples of eight actual press releases and six successful media pitches are provided as templates. Exemplary anecdotal stories drawn from some forty-one authors and publishers, plus about a dozen publishing industry experts, provide aspiring authors with real-life examples of what they can do to promote and marketing their book regardless of genre. Enhanced with a 16-page resource appendix listing dozens of useful books, website, publications, book coaches, organizes, etc., "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" can be considered an informed, user friendly, 'how to' book marketing seminar/workshop in a single volume. Of special note are Shel's commentaries on why books (and their authors) fail in bookstores, online marketing, and operating profitably in a market where only about ten percent of self-published and small press titles sell more than 1000 copies. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is favorably cited on seven occasions within the pages of "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers". Nevertheless, there is no conflict of interest when strongly recommending "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" to the attention of 'midlist' authors of major publishing houses who find themselves shouldering the burden of promoting and marketing their books, self-published authors who have established their own imprint, authors who utilize the services of Print-On-Demand (POD) companies to turn their manuscripts into finished books, as well as authors whose books are published by small presses and niche publishers. "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" is the ideal reference manual for anyone having to promote a book with little or no available capital for publicity and promotion. Indeed, studying Shel's advice and instructions carefully could well make the difference between commercial success or failure for an author or a publisher.

GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS is the 17th book on my publishing shelf. While each of those previous 16 books, including Horowitz's previous "GRASSROOTS" book, had much to offer, they were lacking in practical advice for those of us who are not Captain ManyBucks.

This book will not tell you how to write your book, how to edit your book, how to get your ISBN, or how to get your book printed. Other books abound which offer you that. What you will find are 290 pages of affordable goodies: multiple examples of marketing plans and media releases, a cornucopia of websites to explore, and an up-to-date appendix of resources. The author provides examples for both fiction and non-fiction projects. (About half of my books claim fiction is a losing proposition. Very discouraging!) Horowitz, a long-time advocate of frugal ways, doesn't waste pages on pie-in-the-sky schemes (such as how to appear on Oprah) that are beyond the scope of the beginning author/publisher.

Horowitz admits: "Temptations to spend or even squander lurk under every rock and tree..." Personal experience bears that out. GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS has effective, low cost ideas that will keep me too busy to do any squandering!

Yes, it's indeed possible to make money self-publishing---without 50-grand to risk on a first project. I have, and that included some squandering...er, learning, along the way. This compact book has exactly the things I have been looking for relating to my current project. An enthusiastic 5 stars.

-Byron C. Justice,
Author of VIOLENT NIGHT

Fascinating take on the life of Christ written with factual events from the gospels mixed with the author's vast imagination of what 1st Century Israel may have looked like. From the introduction of Barabbas to Pilate's court, it's a very good book to read and contemplate. Every character is brought into vivid detail and makes you kind of know and care about them from the poor and oppressed who meet Christ to those who are his greatest enemies. Fabulous book and something you'll always treasure!

An inspirational read, very full, I think it could have gone on another few hundred pages but it is long enough.

While the author Oursler covers some aspects of Christ's life very well, from the Annunciation to Jesus being found in the Temple, he seems to cover a few other events scantly. "The Passion of the Christ" had not been made into film yet and I don't think the whole episode of Christ's Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane is covered enough, for as important as that episode is to the Gospels. I think it is signficant that during the arrest of Jesus, the Pharisees arresting him were indeed all were fallen down by the whole episode and not by physical means, before Jesus the Lamb of God submitted to their arrest. I do enjoy however, the trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrin in court. I do find this to be a very viable visualization of how such a trial may have taken place.

The Nativity narrative may well take some from the Apocrypha, Protovangelium, Infant Gospel of James, whereas, Mary's parents, Joachim and Anne accompany Joseph and Mary during the birth of the Christ-child. I do find the first part of the book thoroughly enjoying in relating those incidences we know best from the Gospel of Luke and some from the Gospel of Matthew. I do understand that Herod probably did have some Arabic blood in him, in part if not totally, but I am not sure if an apt description for Herod is calling him an Arab King as he does two or three times in the book. Still, this is a minor detail.


All in all, I am not sure if this is the inspiration for the movie of the same nameThe Greatest Story Ever Told (Movie Only Edition), but the years of Christ's ministry and the parables and the miracles he worked with are well covered here as well, considering this book was written shortly after World War II. It also has made me want to read other biographical type books on Jesus. This book is very much worthy of reading and to then relate one's own knowledge of the Gospels back to it.

It is an excellent book to visualize every detail of Jesus' life.

Read this book out loud to your family and use it for discussions about the life of Jesus Christ. I have a 13 year old son who knew very little about Jesus, and now has a simple but deep grasp of the story. It has lead to talk about Jesus' miracles, His inspirational teaching of morality, and His resurrection. This book is accurate in every particular to the gospel of Mark. Oursler does a good job of describing the facts of the gospel in novel form so that the people come alive again. The language is challenging and specific, though not complicated. Oursler knows the definitive meanings of words and uses them well, but puts them in understandable context. One small remark that might be construed as a complaint: the physical descriptions of Jesus are true to the classical western paintings of a brown haired man with light eyes. Small quibble, not important. Oursler captures the spirit of the man and the glory of God in Him. If you need to "read" the Bible story before beginning your study of the Word, this book will give you a clear picture of the life and teachings of the Master. Enjoy!

I am usually a critic of "Life of Christ" stories. It's easy for me to mount my soap box and say, "If one wants to learn of the life of Jesus, read the gospels." However, this book was different. Oursler remains faithful to the biblical accounts of the life of Jesus, weaving the material from the four evangelists together to produce a truly great narrative. For those thirsty for some reading on the life of the Lord, I would certainly still point them first (and always) to the Scripture; however, I must admit that, regarding Oursler's narrative, there is some value to be gained from the stirring of the heart this story produces. Highly recommended for all -- both young and old.

Marketers are often under the illusion that the things they do - the ads, the promotions, the product development - are the sole levers that will lead to success or otherwise. We often forget that the other player - the customer - has a few levers of their own. One of these levers is the "off lever" and by this I mean the propensity of consumers to switch off completely and run on habit.

Dr Martin really explored this when he was involved in alcohol counselling - and through his understanding of the mechanics of human habit he then stood back and looked at how consumers operate.

Put simply we generally run on habit. Having formulated a preferred brand, and the few underpinning rules or heuristics to support that decision, we then switch off unless something disrupts the pattern.
In the view of Martin some 95% of consumer decisions are hardly decisions at all: they're habitual patterns. You reach for the familiar peanut butter without actually reading the label. That's how branding works really well.

But it is also how new brands, and new line extensions and new ideas can founder really badly. If you launch a better peanut butter - and it tests really, really well in sensory research, and in the focus groups they love that new pack! alas, in the supermarket it dies a quiet death, along with 80% of other new launches. Somehow the new launch has failed to break those consumer habits.

Shoppers behave, metaphorically, like supertankers. They can't steer nimbly to new offers and new ideas. They're set on the course of well established habits.

Neale Martin explores this in great depth (I must add, he cites the work of New Zealand based Alastair Gordon, and of myself - we've worked in this territory together: Alastair really introduced me and many others to the science of heuristics,) and in conclusion delivers for readers a four step programme to behavioural marketing: looking at the way we can "train" consumers to break their habits.

This introduces entirely new ways that you might consider for your next round of brand research and long-term strategy.

- First, we look at context and habit formation - the way consumers develop their routines.
- Next he suggests methods of training consumers - giving them the opportunity to repeat, easily, some new behaviour.
- The next two steps consist of reinforcement and the offering of cues - to retrigger the new habits.

In breaking things down this way, Neale does us the favour of showing us how the customer experience doesn't follow the hoary old AIDA model whereby advertising and awareness drive everything (a model developed in the 1890s, maybe it is just a little superceded) but rather follows a rather more personal chain of events from discovery, trial, learning and habit formation.

For that reason the book, while deceptively simple and well written, is quietly provocative. Neale Martin is more than a theoretician too: his work in the mobile phone market has resulted in a quite revolutionary marketing approach by North American player Sprint. The design of their entire system revolves around developing in their customers some powerful habits that work for the customer, but certainly bring greater loyalty (and I suppose profits) to Sprint.

This is well worth a read. I concur that habit is a force that marketers ignore: what Dr Martin establishes quite clearly is that we ignore this force at our peril.

Takes a simple premise, most of our customer purchase behavior is done on autopilot, and goes about explaining why so much of our marketing ideas don't work. Makes sense, is readily applicable, and a great read.

You will yellow pen this book to death! Plan on buying a second just to have a clean copy. Page after page has insightful behavioral understanding that marketers have not necessarily ignored, but are only learning about now thanks to the evolution of modern scans. Today, can we see and understand the way we receive and react to stimuli. In HABIT, Neale Martin has brought us to the new science of positioning to the way the brain works. This book is for anyone in business or human sciences.

This book was kind of good. It was certainly better than OK, but it didn't set my world on fire. Its message is something any marketer should consider. However, I wasn't particularly impressed with the author's writing ability. Some of the chapters were overly technical. Some of the points made are arguably bunk. And I didn't think the chapters flowed from 1 to 13.

What I got from this book is that marketers can sell to customers one product at a time (and waste their time and money). Or they can sell to the customer the first time and let the customer habitually buy the product on autopilot thereafter. Some call this "Customer Loyalty Marketing." It would be nice if there really was a way to do the second way exclusive of the first. But I don't think it can be done.

If you are a stock trader trying to make a buck playing with stock, then you can read books that advocate Technical Analysis. And you can read books that advocate Fundamental Analysis. Each book will probably say their way is better. However, in reality, the most successful traders are ones who use both ways to analyze stocks. I mention this because I think the best marketers are the ones who have marketing plans that involve selling one product at a time and also involve creating purchasing habits in their customers. By the way, the book's title probably should have been PURCHASING HABITS, and not just "Habit."

The instant book being reviewed seems to promote the idea that marketers are wasting their time selling one product at a time. And it does this without writing a clear easy-to-follow set of chapters that do not build upon each other. As a result, I don't buy into the author's message. However, after reading this book one will definitely be reminded that selling one product at a time is not the ONLY way to go. 3.7 stars!

PS. Take a look at the Search Inside feature Amazon provides for this book. There you can examine the Table of Contents and get a better feel for what this book covers.

This short and useful book's Big Idea:what we do is automatic. People take decisional shortcuts because it makes their lives easier. They are unaware of even doing so. What's this mean for business and marketing? With a customer or clinet, toss out the consultant idea of doing a satisfaction survey---it only reminds them that they have options and interurpts the automatic decision making, elevating your service to the attention of the "executive" mind. Reinforce at the right times: salepeople entertain before the prospect makes a purchase and thus the prospect thinks if I buy, then the good stuff stops so they don't. The timing of the conditioning is ,well, the cart before the horse. Always be honest and protect the brand. Customers are constantly scanning to see if you do. Appeal to emotions. Facts and benefits get you no where. There is lots more. A good book for shaping how you look at selling and business development.

I have long been suspicious of the all promising hype surrounding "advisory", "consultative", "relationship", "soft" and other kinds of fix all selling methods which take purpose and direction away from the seller and substitute it with vague and unsubstantiated promises of better result. One of the symptoms I am seeing lately is the increased demand for negotiation training for sales people. This is of course an ongoing variable in the selling process, it will of course a major problem in the end when the bulk of the selling process has been wasted with fuzzy and ill defined relationship building.

The authors debunk the soft sell myth, logically and scientifically. They deserve the thanks of the entire population of sellers and sales managers.

Reading The Hard Truth is like taking a cool shower. Its' two most powerful messages are that salespeople don't have to sell the way the gurus say to sell and that how you chose to sell doesn't have anything to say about how ethical you are. The authors say that is question about honor, not selling style.

This book needs to be read by everyone in sales trying to resist being forced into a mold. It might make you mad. Parts of the Hard Truth will sting sales big shots telling everybody else what to do. Salespeople will laugh out loud because every salesperson who has ever been made to sit through training classes taught by the likes of big headed frauds like Rev. Dr. Reginald David Barfkon will instantly connect with the Hard Truth About Soft Selling. The chapter called the final irony at the end whacked me with something I never realized. Their revelation about soft selling and the big guns that sell it packed a jolt that opened my eyes forever. I will never listen in the same gullible way again to so called sales experts telling me what I have to do to succeed in sales. If you are in sales you need to read this book and get your sales life back.

This book is about so much more than selling. The authors use a funny, irreverent style, and story after story to illustrate their points about what makes selling so hard, but good salespeople so valuable. Dr. Tanner is an academic but, other than the lapidary research statistics included in the book as fodder for the authors' claims, the writing style and examples are anything but academic. As a CRM consultant, I'm often vexed by the time spent de-constructing why companies can't compete. This book emphasizes the people issues, and takes on the well-worn sales shibboleths that have ultimately impeded so many corporate strategies. Kudos to Tanner and Dudley for getting it right, and being so original in the process.

Internationally noted behavioral scientist George Dudley and Associate Dean of Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business present The Hard Truth About Soft-Selling: Restoring Pride & Purpose to the Sales Profession, a discussion of the latest trend in "soft-selling", and how modern salespeople are often told they must present themselves as "advisors" or "consultants" while remaining accountable for closed sales same as always. Chapters discuss the lexicon of soft-selling; the many types of selling styles; sales training across cultures; how to sell with "radical honesty"; and much more. Written in terms easily accessible to novice and veteran salespeople alike, The Hard Truth About Soft-Selling is a must for any salesperson striving to stay on the cutting edge of their career path.

The most popular kind of packaged training program bought in corporate America is for sales people. There's a dirty secret though: Those sales training programs are more likely to hurt sales performance than improve it. If you buy such training programs, sit through them or have to deal with their aftermath as sales droop, you owe it to yourself to read The Hard Truth about Soft-Selling.

What is soft selling? The authors lump together a broad variety of styles that have in common " . . . a client-centered approach to sales in which the primary role of the seller is to create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation which enables the consumer to reach an informed buying decision free from pressure or manipulation." Anyone who has ever been made acutely uncomfortable by an aggressive, hard-sell sales person probably wishes that such people could be banned. Since we've all had that experience, that's probably one of the sources of the search for a kinder, gentler side to selling.

But that search hasn't yet paid off, as this book documents. That's the bottom line for this book.

If you are pressed for time, I suggest you begin reading on page 154 and continue through page 161. Everything you need to know is there. If you want more detail on any point, you can use the excellent index and thorough list of references to answer your questions.

I've met hundreds of trainers and people who design training course. Within those groups, rarely have I found anyone who is interested in using experimental techniques to identify best practices, improve on those practices and help people learn how to master better methods. Instead, these are people who feel good with the material they are presenting and evangelize based on faith in the "logic" or "ethics" of their approach. The people who buy training courses usually buy on the same basis. They don't bother to check out the track record of a course . . . but rather look to the feel good qualities and techniques for keeping people awake.

Few new methods can be learned and employed successfully with less than 30 days of continual reinforcement. The typical sales training course is less than a week. That's the good news. People don't learn too many bad habits through adopting soft selling. But apparently, they do learn to be less aggressive . . . and that's what hurts sales after sales training.

The authors also point out that many sales people are demoralized. They know their profession has low public esteem. They are also afraid of offending people. So when asked to change, they assume that they should . . . in the absence of any compelling evidence that this will improve matters.

Beginning on page 156 the authors propose practical ways that sales people can improve their performance. It's good advice. I recommend you follow their suggestions whether you are a sales person or a sales manager. Beginning on page 159 there's good advice on how to find a potentially beneficial sales training program and books that will teach helpful skills. I was particularly pleased to see that this book comes down hard on unethical selling . . . regardless of the style in which the bad behavior is couched.

To me, the most amusing part of the book comes where the authors point out that most soft-sell authors, writers of sales training programs and sales people for soft-selling training use hard-sell techniques.

These days almost every job has some elements of sales in it. I was intrigued by the research reported about bad selling habits that soft-selling approaches can encourage: becoming reluctant to canvass for leads; investing time in "upgrading" presentations rather than going to meet with prospects; over preparation for meetings; and becoming rigid in how sales calls and contacts are handled. In over thirty years of supervising people who have performed in various sales roles for me, I've seen all those bad habits in action. The only thing those with these bad habits have had in common is that anyone with these habits never amounted to a hill of beans as a sales person. I've also found that I could never persuade a sales person with one of those bad habits to change to better habits. My best sales people have always been the most uninhibited, friendly people who enjoyed meeting others and firmly believed that we wouldn't sell anybody anything unless it would do the person a lot of good.

A great book for beginners. Gets you playing, and enjoying the familiar folk tunes in no time.

I got several books on learning to play the harp from my local library. This one is head and shoulders above all the others I checked out. It's written simply and wittily. The techniques are well explained and the song selection is really good. I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning to play.

This is a great working book to learn to play Harmonica for the Beginners ( i.e. me). The edition with the two CD's where you can hear the author play the harmonica and also sing the songs is really useful ( it's worth the extra cost!) as you can then hear what you want to sound like. Great book guys. Just work with it and you will feel the same. Also don't give up too soon, the exhilaration you get when you can get the harmonica to do your deed is worth all the agony. Good luck.

This book is amazing. I play guitar, and wanted to start up on the harp. Within the first week, I was playing them together better than I ever thought I would. The book is a great tutorial, very detailed, including an excellent history of the harp. The pictures couldn't be better, and guitar chords are shown. It's just a very effective book. And then, put in the cd's and you find that "Doc" Gindick gives even more instruction. You really feel as if you're with a very patient, relaxed private instructor who really loves what he's doing. The second cd has gorgeous renditions of the songs notated, and really sets goals for you to reach. If you have any interest in harmonica, this is the book to get, it's well worth it.

If you are new to the harmonica and do not care for (or understand) a lot of theory, this is the book and CD to begin with and keep for future reference. I have tried several other books and CD's and got totally lost in the mucical notes and theory. I keep coming back to Jon's publications.

It was good, but not the best i have read. I did learn a lot so I need to give credit for that.

Weil writes a very comprehensive book that asks the essential question, "What is health if not th absence of sickness?". Very informative and thought provoking!!!

This book is required reading for all students at the Clayton College of Natural Health. It should, in fact, be required reading for anyone entering the field of health, as it convincingly drives home an important point: just because allopathy ("conventional" or "western" medicine) has the most powerful medical lobby in the US, its history is far from flawless, and is often downright embarrassing when compared with that of time-honored systems such as homeopathy or tribal approaches to healing. In an entertaining and lucid manner, Dr Weil introduces the reader to many of the alternative approaches still being practiced the world over, and their advantages and shortcomings. He also points to the need for ALL kinds of medicines, and provides guidelines on which types of dis-eases are best handled by the various specialties. All in all, a thoroughly readable and informative book which will hopefully abolish forever the popular regard of M.D.s as "demigods in white," and the idea that allopathic medicine is the only credible and worthwhile approach to healing our sick.

Andrew Weil's book was assigned as supplmental reading in a sociology of health and healing systems course at Park College in Southern California. With phrases like, "nothing works all the time and everything works some of the time," Andrew explored health systems worldwide from accupuncture in China to witchdoctors in Latin America. The idea that Western doctors actually gain much of their credibility not because of their own skills, but because they take credit for what the body already does is interesting. Health and medicine previously seemed like a highly scientific study, but viewed from Andrew's perspective, it is, in many ways, philosophically and culturally specific. Andrew brings a whole new world to medicine. Fascinting perspective.

Pinned on my office wall is an uplifting reminder titled, "Seven Rules Of A Winner". I found it interesting that the author listed health as the first rule. He wrote, "Be proactive and preventative about your health. Your body is your one and only vehicle for your journey to success, so start taking care of your health through exercise and diet." (The Psychology of Winning, by Denis Waitley). I didn't take that statement seriously until after a medical problem sent me to the hospital. Since happiness seems to go hand-in-hand with having a healthy body, I highly recommend this book. If nothing else, it provided me with a positive perspective on illness, and that alone made it worth reading. It also opened my eyes to the down-side of high-tech medicine, or rather, it put American medical practices into perspective and introduced me to alternatives. Herbal remidies are investigated as well as many others. The bottom line: read this book to learn how the body can heal itself and just how much is not known about the process of healing. A must read for anyone wishing to take control of their own health.