Professional Books

As a voracious reader of books on stars, I was wonderfully entertained by Edwin Howard's new book, Seeing Stars. The book is written in an easy reading style, full of interesting facts and insights about some of the movie stars who have dominated the screen for the past 50 years. What is most amazing is how Mr. Howard became friends with many of the stars that he covered. This is obviously a testament to his own personality and his ability to connect with stars as people and not just as Hollywood names. This is a must read for anyone who wants an inside glimpse of celebrities as diverse as Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman or John Wayne. I even got several copies to give as gifts to friends who love the movies!

Edwin Howard's "Seeing Stars" enables one to pick a favorite star celebrity and to discover what it's really like to have a one-on-one conversation with them. From the silent stars (Lillian Gish) to Martin Sheen (West Wing) and all the others in between, Edwin gets us up close to the star.

For example, I learned how John Grisham deals with unexpected celebrity; John Wayne's political views and his thoughts on ballet (yes, ballet!) Howard doesn't mince words, he tells of his interviews with the stars in a "what you see is what you get" kind of manner. He has learned how to get close to famous people and earn their trust but as veteran newspaperman his writing rings true.

I read Mr. Howard's wonderful book, and was struck by the feeling of being there personally for each interview. Make no mistake, you are there as each star is warmly and artfully brought to life. A must read for fans of the biggest stars of our time and the best writers too.

Edwin Howard's Seeing Stars is a celebration of a professional celebrity seeker, beautifully written with passionate insight for his abundance of subject matter - such as calling "John Wayne the Grand Canyon of movie stars" and Lucille Ball "the Niagara Falls." Throughout the book, Howard has seasoned his original interviews of some of Hollywood's most famous stars with personal observations and evaluations of their films and careers. This reader learned so much and was inspired to want to see again films in which the stars appeared. This reader-friendly book, with candid photographs of many of the stars, is a must for the cinema loving public as well as for theater/cinema libraries - and the personal book shelves of students studying these disciplines.

Seeing Stars' introduction is a perfect tune-up for what is to come - by first defining what an interview actually is: "biography in a hurry"... and very informative about where the word interview comes from: "to see each other" from old French. The book's opening chapter on Mae West, who invited the author up to her apartment, whets the appetite to read on. In subsequent chapters, one is introduced to sharp, witty and appropriately catchy chaper titles - salt and peppering the interviews to follow. With Howard's flare for words, his interviews are absolutely delicious! The chapter on Patricia Neal will bring a tear to the eye. Wait until you read the final words Howard writes about Elvis Presley!

Let's hope Edwin Howard doesn't stop seeing more stars in the future. This 260-page book seeks a celebratory sequel.

Why are so many of the best American writers Southerners? Edwin Howard is a Southerner and a brilliant novelist and his gifts show through also in the intimacy and warmth of these extended interviews with his fellow Southerners William Faulkner, John Grisham, Patricia Neal, Dixie Carter and Joanne Woodward. In spite of the catchy sub-title, don't mistake Howard for your usual "celebrity seeker". He is a serious writer, and even his short pieces are remarkable for their depth and penetration. And for their frankness and raw humour, because the death of many of his subjects has allowed Howard to print things they said that couldn't be printed in their lifetime (at least not in his Memphis paper). Mae West is even earthier and John Wayne tougher than you imagined - though her main interest is a healthy diet and he loves ballet and considers himself a liberal. Others like Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are as we know them but more so. I skipped some of the interviews at first because they were with actors who didn't interest me (I won't mention names - they may be your favorites) but when I finally read them I found that in Howard's hands they had become interesting. My personal favourite, though, is Lucille Ball; I particularly like her answer to Howard's question, "You don't mind being considered a legend, then?" This is a wonderful book; read it and find out what she says.

My father had the opportunity to meet John and hold a seminar for his top hair stylists. John has a great business mind and here you can read how he did it!

This audio book was an enjoyable listen and provided some good advice on success that the author learned from various successful immigrants. Basically live within your means, be tenacious, and use your brain. My only complaint was that most of the second half of the cassettes are devoted to the author's thoughts on the current sad state of the US educational system. Although this is obviously something the author is passionate about he spends far too much time on it, perhaps it was just bad editing on the abridged tape version.

I loved this book and was inspired by it. It was written in 1990, but the advice is timeless. Especially read the section on living on only 20 percent of your income. (Yeah, that's what he says!) Thought provoking in a time when our national savings rate is negative for the first time since the depression... This book is a quick and inspiring read.

I was fortunate enough to have taken an entrepreneurship and business planning graduate school class with John as the adjunct professor. He made the course worthwhile and put meaning into the work and learning we did. The story he tells is very real, and it could be you or me, but, the secret is in what you do with what you have. And knowing yourself.

John is very down to earth in his book as in life. He knows who he is, and does not profess to be anything else. And in his book, he speaks to you. Not at you. He shares some of his personal struggles on his road to and of success. And don't think he had it paved... that is the best part of the whole story. Here is someone who shares both the ups and downs, and takes you along with him on the journey. Get the book. It's easy and pleasurable to read. If you have ever dreamed of owning yor own business, get this book, read it, and remember the struggles John went through to inspire you through the rough spots in owning your own business. You will be glad you did.

This book is definitely "plain talk" about success. It was an excellent read and an excellent guideline. I've just finished it and enjoyed the book so much, I am re-reading it with my 10 year old daughter. This book should be required reading in our high schools. He makes some very painful points that should be listened to by our educators. The book was written about 10 years ago, but all of the life lessons still apply. Wish he would write a sequel! I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Ellen Castro has written a perfect gift for any busy leader. Her inspirational insight into various aspects of leadership is easy to read and includes space for personal reflection. Whether you read one a week for 52 weeks or several a week, the key will be how you apply this material to your personal leadership.

Castro has taught leaders and been in leadership. She knows what she's talking about. If you want to build trust with others in your workplace, you need this book.

Ellen Castro's book has provided me with many excellent ideas to use in my own business. I had the pleasure of meeting her recently. She walks her talk!

Ms. Castro has written one of the most worthwhile and innovative books on leadership you could hope to read.

Ellen has given each of us the gift of how to become the type of leader we want and were meant to be.

Even if you aren't in a formal leadership position this book is a must read for those wishing to be true to themselves in their professional and personal life.

"Spirited Leadership" has thought provoking questions for the reader at the end of each chapter. If you take time to consider each issue as the author allows, you will be well on your way to a "Spirited Leader".

Very applicable and to the point. A great check list for reviewing my behaviors. Enjoyed the reflections. Helped me integrate into my everyday life.

"Ellen Castro's Spirited Leadership offers a generous feast for the managerial soul. Readers will return to this lovely book repeatedly, and will be refreshed and reinspirited each time. It's a vademecum for the 1990s - a source of spiritual guidance and a stimulus to reflection." Lee Bolman, Missouri Chair in Leadership University of Missouri-Kansas City

I've made the different pot roast recipes from this, my husband some meatloaf dishes - we both love this cookbook. I look through and find good ideas and inspiration for dinner, my husband enjoys the back and forth commentary on food preperation and tastes. The recipes are clear, all our dishes have turned out delicious - none have been difficult or terrible time consuming.

I bought this book a few months ago and I have made 4 or 5 recipes out of it so far. I am very pleased. I have been a fan of Mark for years, ever since I saw him on the martha stewart show, and I have been using his tomato sauce recipe ever since.

Great book, highly recommend it.

Two meatballs is a very delicious cookbook. I have made four or five recipes. My family loved all of them. It is also very nicely illustrated.
I'm going to make the tuscan pot roast the next time I have friends over.

We bought "Two Meatballs..." for our daughter-in-law to be, who is of Italian heritage and quite the young cook. She loves it! The day after Christmas my sister and I went to her apartment to make pasta from scratch. We had a rollicking good time and a wonderful bonding experience. "Two Meatballs ..." was our guide to creating the most luscious pasta I have ever eaten. We are looking forward to more cooking fun together, creating the dishes showcased in this terrific cookbook.

Recipes to warm the heart and soul. Pino and Mark do a great job of letting you know their cooking is sincere. You just want run to the kitchen and try these recipes on your family and friends.

I'm from Southeastern MA. I've actually met people who Mr. Tasca Sr worked for as a grease mechanic in his youth. And I've seen his church, St Rocco, in Johnston RI. Never met Mr. Tasca nor had the chance to buy from him, although his Ford/Lincoln dealership hours, and how you are threated hold true to the narrative. Folks who know him can vouch he's a stickler for getting things right.

I've practiced the concepts, as much as my employers afforded me to at various occasions . I will tell you some of his decisions are empowering, and do deliver satisfaction. His emphasis on efficiency has a lot to do with deliverying total satisfaction since you can only afford to provide satisfaction if you are efficiency oriented.

As an attestment to his sucess, his new store in Cranston, RI, and his Volvo store in Seekonk, MA are something worth looking into, in stark contrast with other failed Ford franchisees around the area ( I won't mention names in fairness to other franchisees ).

Tony

I am currently experiencing poor customer service from my local Ford dealership and from the parent company, Ford of Canada. I won't go into specifics but it involves a warranty claim that is dragging on for almost 4 months now. That said, I read Bob Tasca's book, and I only wish that the current bureaucracy at Ford be locked into a room, be forced to read this book, and then be forced to implement Mr Tasca's methods. The Ford Motor Company is losing a record amount of dollars and it's market share is plummeting, all because of lack of attention to customer service. Indeed, I would state they appear to hold their customers in contempt. "You Will Be Satisfied" is not a book about rocket science; rather, it is a book about common sense and a moral obligation to do the best one can for the customer. Mr Tasca values his customers and will go out of his way to earn their future business. Suffice to say, Ford in 2007 is seemingly doing all it can to alienate it's once loyal customers, and it deserves to be in the dire situation it is now in.

Most of the book is informative and understandable. However, I wish there was some more statistics and less "trust me" behind the buy versus lease question. Not all lease buyers can write off lease costs, for example.

This book opens our eyes. Sure, we feel that we know what we should be doing. Many times we are right in our hunches. Yet, we still do not always do what needs to be done. Instead, out of either laziness or taking the easy road, we fail because it is so easy to do so. Besides, the customer will always walk in the door. Right? As this book reminds us, the customer may never be back. It is in the insight of a professioanl like Tasca that we are reminded of wehat we may already know. Again, our implementation of these rules which he explains simply, we will achieve. Another book I encourage is "Cars and People: How to Put the Two Together."

After the owner of our store read the book all employees read it . Then the owner flew to meet Mr Tasca at his store ,he spent 3 days there, wa sgiven the tour of his store, he spent quite a bit of time meeting with Mr Tasca and his sons talking about his philosophy and way of doing business .What a place !! upon returning we have instatuted The same 7 day return policy that Mr Tasca has as well as putting 3month 3000 mile waranties on our cars.it took some faith in our selves and our business to go all the way but we have and we have not regreted it one bit,, Great Book

I purchased this book for a family member and now they swear by it. It is a good book for everyone to read so that those in the work place can work better together.

This is one of the best business books ever! Five stars is to low for such an outstanding work as 100 ways to motivate others. Steve Chandler and Scott Richardson have a writing style that really hit home for me. Order this book now and your return on investment could be huge. I loved every word. I have already ordered all of Steve Chandler's books as a result of my satisfaction with this effort. . 10 Stars - 2 hour 40 minute very easy read. This book offers steps leaders can take to increase composure and results.

John Halloran
CEO [...]
CEO [...]

Great tips and ideas for motivating others, especially in the business world. Some of them include, "Know Where Motivation Comes From, Teach Self-Discipline, Stop Criticizing Upper Management, Keep Giving Feedback, Get Input from your People, Accelerate Change, Don't Confuse Stressing Out With Caring, Manage Your Own Superiors, and Manage Agreements, Not People." If you want to become a great leader, I highly recommend this book.

I've listened to these CD's more than once while driving. There are lots of great tips - and a couple opened my eyes to some areas where I had been stuck. Not every point was new to me. I have recommended it to others and shared some of the individual points with friends.

Steve Chandler drives home the keys to becoming a great leader in a way that is easy to understand and implement. This should be required reading for anyone in a leadership role. David Otis Author of "Walk Fast, Talk Loud and Smile."

Please know that the book Surveying Solved Problems for the FS and PS Exams by Jan Van Sickle is the same book as 1001 Solved Surveying Fundamentals Problems- plus it has some new problems too.

A must have for future PLS or LSIT examinees. An excellent source of study material needed for NCEES exams including, but not limited to, the history of surveying, calculations, State Plane systems, GPS, and Photogrametry.

I used this book as a study aid and as one of the books I had while taking my test. I found several answers to the test worked out or answered in this book.

The book is as advertised. It has a very large variety of solved surveying problems. The problems and their solutions are very thorough and clear. It's a well done book. The biggest downside is there is no index or listing of the types of problems in the book. If you are using this as a reference dring a surveying or professional engineers exam you will have a hard time finding the example problem you are looking for unless you have spent a great deal of time getting familiar with the book or developed your own listing of the problems. It was very helpful in preparing for the 2.5 hour California surveying exam, it was useless during the exam.

I bought this book to help review for the LSIT exam. After going through some problems I found the book to be very helpful in refreshing my memory on some of the things I forgot. Def. a good book for any surveyor or surveying student.

I read this book on the recommendation of a friend, Paul Dunn. Paul had already set me up to become a value pricing (VP) fan as that what he lives and breathes, and so I was already in a positive frame of mind to read the book. Well, the book blew my mind! It delivered on all of my expectations and then some. If you are serious about making a difference in your business, then you absolutely have to read this book.

This book is not just for accountants and lawyers. It is for any service organisation that has a pricing policy. The science behind VP and how to value your services is incredible. And when you've read it, you'll see just how much common sense there is in VP.

We are now working on introducing VP into our firm and while it's not going to be all beer and skittles as we go through the process, what we can see as possible on the other side of VP, we know will make it all worthwhile.

Read and enjoy!

The author Ron Baker get the point across well, that pricing by the hour is old fashioned to say the least and creates harm between you and the customer. He also shows clearly why value pricing is ethical and how to make the most of your marketing preactices. I would highly suggest this book. It is worth way more than the price!

Having read the previous edition of this book for just 20 minutes I e-mailed the author to tell him that "I have seen this book described as the most important book in the profession. Without a shadow of a doubt, it will change my life."

The new chapters make this latest edition even better. Read the chapter on Total Quality Service to understand how to compete in the future. Ron Baker will completely change your views on pricing professional services. You will start to charge what you are worth with a consequent improvement in both income and self esteem.

Recently I was in a group of 70 accountants who listened to the author speak on Value Pricing for just ten minutes. At the end he received a standing ovation. In my 30 years in the profession I have never seen accountants show such enthusiasm for a speaker and his subject.

If you want to change your professional (and personal) life for the better buy this book.

I bought this book on a trial basis, due to its cost. It came on a Friday, and I scanned it that night. I wrote the check next morning.
This book changed my attitude about my profession. I was ready to quit. Burned out, tired, frustrated, and angry.
Within one month, I had identified 5 major clients and had more than doubled the revenue from those clients. My staff is happier because they feel they are being treated as professionals and generating fees more in line with their abilities. We have "dismissed" several non-productive clients, and haven't missed the revenue. We work fewer hours at more enjoyable work and actually make more profits. It has positively affected my home life as well.

Run, don't walk, to order your copy of this book. Ron Baker does for pricing our services what Montgomery did for Auditing.
What a novel idea, to get paid for the value of the services that we provide to our clients.
Ron Baker's goal, as he so aptly describes it, is "to trash time sheets forever". Keeping track of time is the biggest waste of time ever perpetrated on professionals. Accountants have become slaves to the concept of "the almighty hour". We are not selling hours but intellectual capital.
Ron takes you through every step necessary to start your trip to successful value pricing. You will learn exactly how to present this to your existing clients. You will also learn how to use a change order when there turns out to be hidden surprises that no one anticipated. He will explain the concept of service guarantees as an excellent way of gaining new clients and show you in detail how to draft service agreements to use. The book comes with a CD-Rom that has many forms and agreements referred to in the book.
I don't know too many people who are thrilled about the idea of having any work done for them without knowing exactly what the cost will be. It's like boarding an airplane in Los Angeles, flying to New York, and being told your fare will depend on how many minutes you're in the air.
Ron Baker is truly one of the very few original thinkers in the accounting profession. Listen to him; learn from him, and I promise you that you will improve your professional life and most important, your bottom line as well.

Becoming the Professional Woman is a valuable tool for all women. The values and ethics beautifully depicted in this book mirror the qualities all women should strive to obtain in any career. Women now have an equal footing in the work world. Those that came before us worked hard to achieve this change. Becoming the Professional Women is filled with lessons, tools and tips to assist any woman at any age in multiple professions to live up to her highest potential.
As a professional woman I only regret this book was not avaialable earlier in my career. After completing this book it is now clear to me that growing into a Professional Woman need not be stressful or painful if you utilize the wealth on information and tools provided by the various authors in Becoming the Professional Woman.

I have three professional women in my life - my wife and two daughters - who will find the ideas so eloquently captured on the pages of this book to be a valuable tool to enahnce their professional carreers. The contents are of particular relevance and importance to my two daughters, both young professionals trying to find their way in a male dominated business world. The ideas in this book could revolutionize the thinking of many young professional women, providing them with the edge they need to become dominant in their professions.

"Becoming The Professional Woman" edited by Linda Ellis Eastman is an anthology written by a diverse group of twenty-five successful women. These ladies share powerful tips designed to help women entering the business world. The articles cover a variety of subjects, ranging from Sharva Hampton-Campbell's "Overcoming Obstacles", to Dr. Brenda Ward's teachings on how to gain "Assertiveness Skills", to learning Marketing Strategies written by Nyda Bittmann-Neville and how to organize a Career Wardrobe penned by Laura Leezer. Written in an accessible tone each section is accompanied by exercises and worksheets designed to help the reader identify strengths and weaknesses. The resulting self-evaluation allowing readers the opportunity to assess themselves with clarity.

I am a first-time author and find myself often navigating in uncharted terrain and this book has been a godsend. The topics are timely and the advice offered useful. A valuable resource, "Becoming the Professional Woman" is a comprehensive manual that is a `must-have' for today's women interacting in the work and career world.

This is one of the most informative books I have read this year. It supplies you with tips on almost anything you can ever be faced with as a professional. This book is a must read for professional growth.

As a professional with a Ph.D., I browsed through this book while waiting for a friend. I decided to buy it. It gives down-to-earth advice on how to become successful. The book covers all the topics needed by the young professional from assertivness to etiquette to communication skills to finances. The exercises in each chapter are particularly helpful since they focus the reader on what he/she must do to succeed. I consider the book to be a must read for all professionals, both men and women.

This book is truly everything you need to get started! Many books say that but Sara's book is the real deal! I am a small business owner in another industry, and Sara really nailed everything on the head that you'll need to get, and know, to be successful. She writes in a fun way and you feel like she's your friend next door. She has suggestions for us from her 8+ years of experience so we don't have to reinvent the wheel, and don't have to have so many trial and errors before we find what works for us. I can't stress enough the enormous amount of valuable information in this easy-to-read and inexpensive book! Do yourself a huge favor and purchase this book if you are thinking of starting your own professional organizing business.

Starting a new business is a giant step. Anyone considering a business as a Professional Organizer would be wise to read this book. It brings to light so many different categories of things to consider and know about whether you are in the decision process or you have started your business. Reading this book will give you a huge jump ahead. Some people will spend months learning what you will learn in one day!

Sara's book is wonderful. It is very well written, clearly stated, and has helped me tremendously.

If I had read Born To Organize before I started my organizing business, I would have saved hundreds of dollars and at least a dozen hours. This book leads one through a step-by-step process. Sara Pedersen, the author, includes the fun stuff (client interaction) and the not-so-fun stuff (bookkeeping). It's unbelievable. She leaves no stone unturned. Even with an established business, I picked up valuable information and was thrilled to discover new ideas and inspiration. Sara Pedersen knows her stuff. Read this book and enjoy your new (or old) organizing business!

I have purchased and read 15 "Organizing" books from Amazon.com in the past 3 months. I can tell you for certain there is no book as helpful for starting your Professional Organizing career as this one! I have been organizing for friends and family all my adult life (yes, only for the FUN of it), until 3 months ago when someone suggested I look into doing it as a career. At first I laughed since I had never heard of that job title before. I did some quick research one night-- and boy was I way off. Not only has the industry doubled in popularity in recent years, but the profession is very well paying, very diverse in specialities, and allows many opportunities for growth and education (especially when paired with the association NAPO).
One of the first book titles that fell into my hands was Sara's. This is now almost my daily reference guide! With her helpful pro-con advice I was able to make an educated decison about launching my career in this field. I have taken all of her advice, especially about not underpricing myself, and only 2 months into taking paying clients I have had 9 clients, 3 of which have and/or are currently doing thier WHOLE house AND storage units with me! I average about $1000-1500 per individual contract now. Did I mention I have hardly had to advertise yet? Sara's referral system is incredibly lucrative, and I am highly confident when things slow down her solid marketing techniques will keep me afloat. She is so creative, clear, and organized in her text that it gets me pumped up everytime I crack the pages. I learned something new and profound for my business on every page. NO LIE! I especially appreciated her 8 week start up plan, and her many resource lists (I think I've used them all by now). What more do I need to say? If you are new in this business and aren't going to buy this book-- well then you will simply be missing out on TONS of education, TONS of clients (and tons of money), and I will be perfectly happy to have your business!:) Thank you Sara for writing such a fantastic HOW TO manual for this bizz with terrific insight for the new PO's!
Great Thanks from "Clutter Free Kimberly" in Fairfax, VA