Buying-the

I found this hard to put down. It breaks down financial choices into the lowest common denominator. The larger print makes it a nice read. My favorite parts include the cost of smoking analogy and the true price we pay for buying a shirt, shoes, etc. There are some solid tips on retirement planning too, which is refreshing. It's one of the better books I've bought so far this summer. A great value.

I found this hard to put down. It breaks down financial choices into the lowest common denominator. The larger print makes it a nice read. My favorite parts include the cost of smoking analogy and the true price we pay for buying a shirt, shoes, etc. There are some solid tips on retirement planning too, which is refreshing. It's one of the better books I've bought so far this summer. A great value.

This book will motivate the average Joe to re-think monetary decisions. It is filled with good advice, and the tips are easy to understand. This is a great book for college age readers too. We really liked it, especially the large print.

This book is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars if you consider the money you'll save with it. It's concise, well-written, and insightful. It covers everything from buying vs. leasing, extended warranties, negotiating strategies, financing, and trade-ins. I highly recommend the "fax attack" approach that the book describes it detail. It's fun and painless! I used it to buy a new Navigator three years ago and saved more than $2000!Today, I'm using this new edition, which has a chapter on used car buying and internet shopping, to get a quality used car at a fair price. Mr. Bragg won't let you down. He's your coach all the way with plenty of moral support! Ladies and people of color will be amazed at the discriminatory practices used against them -- just knowing what to expect will put you back in control.

What an incredible book, and what a great service to the auto-buying community Mr. Bragg has done! He reveals how the auto business works, then arms you with the tools to cut through the B.S., and get the best possible deal you can. Using his 'Fax Attack' method, we purchased a new car for $2000 under MSRP! If you're in the market to buy a new car, you CANNOT MISS using this book. Get it NOW!

This book and Mr. Bragg's "Fighting Chance" information are the most powerful combination of tools you need to purchase a new vehicle. You aren't just learning how to negotiate the price of a car, or just good negotiation skills - you are really learning the auto sales business and techniques, as well as reinventing the way in which to purchase a new car. Following Mr. Bragg's advice (especially the "Fax Attack" method) you really do become the cat instead of the mouse. You do NOT need to walk into a dealership and negotiate price. Use the Fax Attack method and just wait for dealers to call with quotes; field the lowest offers, and start them on a bidding war against each other! I actually found the process fun (surprise that buying a new car could be fun!). And I got a new 2004 Toyota Corolla for $500 under invoice!

What can I say about this book other than buy it...

I am a business person who always stumbles when asked to order a bottle of wine. I know whites from reds, sometimes (although there was that embarassing time I ordered a bottle of Cabernet and thought I was getting a bottle of white wine), and I can generally fake my way through a wine list (by looking at prices) but I could never predict the flavor of what I was getting myself and my dinner companions into.

Until now...

Immer's easy to understand, yet thorough system has given me the education in wine that I sorely lacked. Reading this book, I felt like a waiter in a class with her. Each chapter contains some introductory text (beautifully written) and tasting exercises. Just reading her descriptions of what you should experience in each tasing was almost (not quite, but almost) as good as tasting the wine myself.

Here is a woman whose depth in prose is only matched by her knowledge of wine. Her simple descriptions of the big six grapes, the wine buyer's toolbox, a flavor map of the world, wines from France, Italy and the rest of the world have opened up my world.

No more white Cabernet for me...

Here it is at last! Andrea Immer, herself a master sommelier, has written the definitive guide to selecting, buying, and ultimately, enjoying wine. Her approach is unique: limit her discussions to the Big Six varietals: riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon, which together account for the vast majority of wine sales in the world today, and proceed accordingly. (Hopefully, in future editions, she will include more discussion on those fast-rising varietals pinot grigio and shiraz.) She proceeds through discussions of tasting and paring with food, as does any other good wine-buying guide. What makes Ms. Immer's approach unique is that she MAKES WINE FUN!!! In doing this, she's going against the grain of centuries of wine snobbery and elitism. She believes wine should be demystified and its joys revealed TO EVERYONE, not just a select few who can afford $50-$100 a bottle. She does this by including unique wine tasting exercises, such as pairing wines with their opposites to give a clear understanding of the concept. (Example: dry riesling tasted with sweet riesling so the reader can immediatly see the difference.) She also includes plenty of names of sample wines you can test with, including many low-priced bottles. In short, her vision, clarity, and above all, SENSE OF HUMOR make this a must-read for everyone interested in wine who detests snobbery and pretension.

Since catching the wine bug a few years ago, I've read five or six books that survey the world of wine. This one is my clear favorite. No one else does a better job of teaching you what to expect when you open up a bottle from a region or varietal you've never tried before. While most books provide lists of grapes and regions and expect you to memorize the style of wines made from each, Ms. Immer presents a system for predicting how a wine will taste based solely on information on the label and basic geographical knowledge. Her "Flavor Map" approach is innovative, intuitive, and highly accurate. I also thoroughly enjoy the tasting exercises, which offer a hands-on way to compare and contrast different styles. This is homework I can deal with!

My only critique is that I would have liked to see more space devoted to grapes beyond the so-called Big Six. But this book is so good, I can't bring myself to take off a star for that.

Feeling like a lamb led to the slaughter? This book provides the tools with which to fight back. Mr. Cummins weaves concepts and real-life illustrations together to create an informative, inspiring book.

As a trainer for new agents in the Real Estate business, I am using the chapters on negotiating to help them learn how to help their clients negotiate the best deal. Negotiating does not come naturally for most people and these chapters will help almost everyone. I am buying it a second time because one of my agents liked it so much they wouldn't give it back to me! All buyers should also read this book. An educated buyer working with a buyer's agent is the best way to buy real estate in the United States today!

I bought this book four years ago when I was shopping for my first house. I got fed up with my realtor and decided I didn't need one, as long as I could handle the negotiations myself. So I turned to this book.

The book is geared toward using a realtor or buying agent, but I found everything was just as applicable if used "going it alone." Especially some of the resources listed in the back for comps, etc. It's a very easy book to read and it doesn't try to make you a slick rapid-fire negotiator. It teaches you very simple yet effective techniques that may be common sense to some other readers, but they weren't to me. Admittedly, Cummins is repetitive in his messages, but I think the repetition serves to firmly ingrain the techniques in your mind so when you do actually get in front of the seller/realtor, you don't let your emotions get the best of you.

As a result of what I learned from this book (and also by not using a realtor), I saved $25K on a $185K house. I also used the techniques in negotiations during a car purchase and during salary negotiations for a new job. Best 17 bucks I ever spent.

Now I'm starting to look for my second house, so I'm re-reading the book (and going without a realtor again). I'm holding onto the first house as a rental, but I hope that if I ever have to sell, it's not to a buyer who's read this book!

I've read the third edition twice all the way through and have referred to it often since. Not only is it, as advertised, the indispensable guide or buying a piano, it contains well-written sections and diagrams on how a piano works, how to care for and maintain a piano and how to evaluate used pianos. I also recommend buying the supplement; it contains actual "street" prices for every make and model. Through this book I've learned such arcane facts as where to get optical midi readers for acoustic keyboards, where to get humidity controllers for the piano, the history and ups and downs of manufacturers through the decades, and how sound boards, stringing and parts of the action all affect the tone. I've played the piano my whole life and I considered myself a real piano snob, but this book educated me more about the instrument than my thirty years of experience. If you love the piano as much as I do but are slightly unsure of how all the parts work, or if you want to know exactly who all those bizarre manufacturers are you've never heard of before, or if you can't understand why Yamahas are everywhere when they sound so bad, then this book will explain it all to you. The book is obsessive, and it has a following (it also has a great web site). It's one long love-letter to the king of instruments, and I can't wait to read the fourth edition.

If you are buying either a new or used piano "with strings" (as opposed to a purely digital [no strings] piano), you MUST buy this book.

If you are buying a NEW piano, you also need to buy the yearly "Supplement" book (Current version is "2001-2002 Annual Supplement to The Piano Book", also by Larry Fine).

Together, these two books do not cost much. You WILL save hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars.

Here is what is covered in each book:

THIS BOOK - "The Piano Book". This book has chapters on How a Piano Works, Buying a New Piano, Buying a Used Piano, Piano Moving, Piano Care, and a special chapter entitled "A Consumer Guide to New and Recently Made Pianos", which includes brand by brand listings and rankings in a number of categories. This book DOES NOT include price information. This book has 234 pages of content!!

THE SUPPLEMENT - "2001-2002 Annual Supplement to The Piano Book". This book provides "suggested" list prices for almost every manufacturer and model, AND discusses % discounts you can expect. For example, did you know, that the average discount off of list price is between 15-25%?

This book is published every year in August, based on data from that Spring. For example, this "2001-2002" was published in August 2001, based on data from June 2001. This means that the "2002-2003" version should be available in August 2002. This book has 98 pages of discount and list price information!!

The author has his own website (pianobook.com) which is also listed in the book, and even offers private phone consulatations (for a fee, given your specific needs).

BOTTOM LINE: Buy both of these books. Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!!!

There's not much to add to the superlatives written about this book except to note that simply having it in your possession can influence salespeople!

I took this book with me in Sept. 2003 to buy a "nearly new" piano at the annual sale of the prestigious Peabody Institute in Baltimore. The salewoman noticed it and said, "I see you have Larry Fine's book. I bet you'll leave here with a good piano at a great price."

Throughout our tour of the many pianos on sale, I felt as though she was being more factual because I had the book! And, because I had read parts of it, I was able to ask more questions about the types of materials used in construction of the various parts.

I bought a 2 month old Kawai GM-10 for about 2/3 list price! Not only did the book give me independent in-depth information on the Kawai, but several paragraphs (p.118) to read comparing it to other brands in terms of sound, feel, durability, warranty, etc.

Now, every time I sit at my piano, I feel an added confidence that I'm playing the finest instrument I could afford.

I was trying to expand my cooking skills and replacing beef, chicken, and pork in my diet with fish and seafood when I picked this book up. It really helped on both counts. Bittman provides a great deal of insights and helpful information into buying fish and seafood, and made the seafood counter at the store a lot less intimidating. The recipes are not intended to create ohhs and ahhs. They are simple, yet favorable dishes that can be whipped up in 30 minutes, in most cases. These are the kind of recipes where I can pick something up on the way home from work, and put together something tasty for the family in short order.

Because most of the recipes are fairly simple, I would encourage readers to use the book as a base to expand ones cooking horizons with respect to fish. The recipes I tried were good, but needed a little extra to round out the flavor or give them some oomph. Unfortunately, tilapia is largely ignored by Bittman, and it would have been nice to get some recipes for this fish, which is readily available in California. Still, this book is a great addition to my cooking library.

I had always believed that cooking fish was difficult, until I found this book. The recipes are easy and delicious, even for a relative amateur who is easily intimidated.

My husband bought this for me. It sat on the shelf unused for a couple years, because I had so many cookbooks and I knew nothing about this book. (Ok, I judged it by its cover, and it didn't look classy.) One day I made something out of it, and it was fantastic. So I made something else another day and it was incredible. This book has recipes for all sorts of fish (except tilapia, which the author says is simply a muddy-tasting fish). Every recipe I have tried tastes like high-end restaurant fare. It is now one of my favorite cookbooks and I have given two of them away as gifts.

I also heard Jack Bishop on NPR and finally bought the book over a year later. I wish I had bought it immediately -- it has been a great investment, especially considering all of the vegetables I HAVEN'T had to throw out. For someone who isn't the most motivated cook (like me), the alphabetical organization is perfect. Got some broccoli in the fridge? Just look under "B" and you will find excellent, easy broccoli recipes with ingredients you have at home. I use it almost every day.

I'm a reasonably decent home chef who's trying to expand his vegetable repetoire, and I love this book!

The genius is the organization - by vegetable! Each chapter explains how to buy the vegetable, then gives you a half-dozen ways to prepare it. If you've ever felt lost or overwhelmed in the produce aisle (Can humans really eat kale? What can I do with jicama?), this book is for you. Or if you're just in a hurry (I need a side dish, and there's still broccoli in the fridge), turn to "B" and flip through a half-dozen recipes.

I stopped using Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" after I got this book. Jack Bishop's approach is straightforward, easy to follow, and the recipes taste great the first time.

I bought this when my husband and I subscribed to a CSA farm and I needed ideas on what to do with large volumes of veggies every week. It covers the gamut of all veggies, familiar and unusual. Has good info on basics of storage, what's in season, signs of freshness, etc., and also basic info on preparation. But the best part are the recipes. I have lots of cookbooks that I keep for only one or two recipes, but this one has tons of good ones that I keep going back to, and many more yet that I still want to try. It's also changed the way I shop for veggies. I used to go to the produce dept. looking for specific stuff, but now I'm more likely to browse and buy whatever is fresh or on sale, because I know that when I get it home, whatever it is, I'll find a GREAT recipe for it in this book.

I bought this book when I was looking into buying a Doberman. It not only goes into breed specifics, what to look for, and what to ask for, it lists various ways of finding good breeders, and if you really should have a dog. Though this book should not be the only piece of literature you go by in choosing a dog breed, as you should check several breed specific books, it tells you energy level, trianability, grooming level, and more, in a easy to read and find list on every page for each dog. I wish the photos could have been color though.

It also lists genetic problems, a quick history, and what to ask your breeder about this specific breed. In one of the last sections of the book, it goes through step by step how to talk to your potential breeder, what to ask, what to expect, and how to turn down a bad breeder.

I often times am looking through this book, even though I am not looking for a dog at the moment, it is simply fun to read through and look at. It's an enjoyable read, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking into buying a puppy, purebred or not.

Your Purebred Puppy is a must-have book for anyone looking to buy a new dog or any clinic that has a pre-purchase counseling service. It is 319 pages long and covers 200 different dog breeds. Welton divides the book into four steps: deciding whether or not to get a purebred dog, choosing the right breed, finding the right breeder, and choosing the right puppy.

There are several reasons that I highly recommend this book. First of all, it does not just explain the different breeds, but it gives advice for choosing the right breeder and puppy. Since the breeds are listed alphabetically, it is easy to quickly find the breed for which you are searching. Each breed's page describes its characteristics such as exercise and grooming needs, sociability with strangers, temperament, history, physical features, health issues, and some things to be aware of before you buy a dog of that breed. The histories of the breeds are interesting to read and help explain why certain dogs do the things they do. Each breed's AKC popularity and photograph are also included. A glossary of color and medical terms is included at the end of the book.

It is difficult to find anything wrong with this book. One improvement to this book could be to include color photographs instead of black and white ones. Also, Welton is biased toward holistic medicine and all-natural pet foods. This is only evident on two pages of the book, so it is a minor issue.

Your Purebred Puppy is a great starting point for a pre-purchase counseling program. Welton's unbiased breed profiles serve as a great reference for helping a client to choose a dog. This book is an excellent source for any veterinary clinic and can be recommended to clients as well.

I regularly recommend this book to anyone who says, "I'm thinking of getting a dog ..." For anyone thinking about finding a new canine companion, this book is the best breed guide you can find. It will help you consider the temperament, health, and family suitability of many different dog breeds, and make the best decision for you, your family, and your new pet. Includes black-and-white photos of each breed, with complete information about what a prospective family should expect when considering the dog as a new family member; excellent "puppy tests" to help you determine any puppy's temperament before you take the plunge; and lots of other information vital to choosing and raising a great dog

This is a truly eye-opening book that I would not be without the next time I consider purchasing a new home. "The Home Inspection Business from A to Z" provides detailed information on what to look for and just how serious various problems might be. Filled with copious illustrations and photographs it is easy to see exactly the problems the author is discussing.

The coverage is extensive enough to start you in the business of home inspections and Mr. Cozi goes through the details of what is necessary to begin such a venture. Areas discussed include heating systems, air conditioning systems, water heaters, foundations, plumbing, septic, electrical systems, roofs, walls, decks, flooring, and just about anything else you can think of. Before reading the book I had no idea the number of potentially serious problems that can be easily discovered with a minimal inspection and some basic knowledge. This is a highly recommended book for anyone looking to purchase a new home, considering purchasing a home for investment purposes, or looking to start a new business.

The primary purpose of this book is to help you become an effective inspector of homes, but the audience is much broader than that. If you own a home or are thinking about buying one, then you should read it. It will help you develop that critical, discerning eye concerning what to look for in spotting flaws in a house.
I spent almost eight years as a construction worker, six where I was the foreman, and have performed many repairs to my own homes. And yet, there was much in the book that I was unaware of. It was a learning experience for me, and it will be for you. Unless you find the perfect house or are already an expert, buying this book and reading it will be time and money that will be returned many times over.

Guy Cozzi knocks it out the box with this very informative book on what to do look for when buying a House&things that must be on point when you want your House.I had the pleasure of reading this book&was moved by the details&things were said in a way that everyone could relate to.very classy on Mr.Cozzi's Part with all of His details&helpful tips.a must have.

Rickertsen presents a comprehensive overview of a management buyout. Before you buy the book, you should know that he is talking about larger companies, and he is talking about fairly senior executives buying them. (One of his examples of a successful buyout manager is Roger Ballou who ran the travel part of American Express.)If you are looking for a company with $5 million in revenues, you may find valuable information here, but you will likely find other books, targeting a smaller company, more appropriate.

BUYOUT will become the 'bible' of buyouts for managers and investment bankers/advisors. One of the first good books on buyouts. The book covers all aspects of the buyout considerations/process/tactics/contracts etc, is an easy read, but above all the joy of which it is clearly written with(and the convincing arguments) must inspire managers to pursue a buyout. I think no manager will be imune to this great book. BUYOUT is a guide, a motivator, a sales pitch and fun book to read at the same time. Also a recommended read to sellers of businesses to show that a buyout is nothing to be scared of. A must read for everyone unknown and known with the buyout business. Just read the book and find out why I am so enthusiastic about it.

Rickertsen succinctly sums up everything you need to know about leading a buyout. This book gives you confidence and guidance - like a personal counselor. The stories are particularly interesting. The appendices are an added bonus and the book's web site offers additional resources to help you move forward with a management buyout.