Buying-the

This book goes into graet detail on the the pros and cons of differetn years and models. It really helped me in selecting a plane for purchase.

this book is a great guide for anyone playing with the thought of owning a small airplane. the prices may not be totally up to date, but the aircraft are still the same

I found Mr. Ellis' book in a local bookstore shortly after starting my private pilot training, based on my eventual desire to buy my own plane. The book reads quickly and combines a perfect blend of hard facts and anecdotal material to really define the issues a prospected buyer needs to focus on.

I pretty much devoured the book in a few days and referred back to it -- especially for the invaluable aircraft model summaries -- until I concluded that a Cardinal RG was the right plane for me. Using the "Selecting Your Airplane" chapter, I found my perfect bird after using Mr. Ellis' expertise to eliminate many contenders.

The book is AWESOME and, having read most of what is out there on this subject, the best I have found.

Having read "Home Buying for Dummies" by Eric Tyson and Ray Brown which I highly recommend (with five stars) to all the home seekers, now I understand why I'm not really happy with this book. I find this "Idiot's Guide" approach too moderate, lacking in-depth analyses or comments in many areas. (e.g. how to spot ideal locations, etc. ) The author, in my view, doesn't take a stand and states her opinion clearly enough, which sometimes makes me feel like I am reading a free government brochure on home buying A to Z. Perhaps one single volume is not enough to cover such vast and complicated areas as buying and selling homes.

Although I will keep this book and use it as a reference/glossary when necessary, I'd probably rely on Tyson/Brown's book for "tips" most of the time.

I'm currently in the rush to buy a condo in a seller's-market city, and in the last two weeks I read through a dozen home-buying advice books. The Complete Idiot's Guide is by far the best of the bunch, and in case you are comparison-shopping, I think it's much better than the For Dummies title.

The biggest reason is the book, now in its fourth edition, is very comprehensive. The bulk of it covers the buying aspects, but there are a few chapters devoted to selling, and this is a great arrangement. As a potential buyer, it's to your advantage to know what it's like to sell, so when you select a property you will instinctly think of the time when you need to or have to sell. In my caes, I plan to live in the condo for about 5 years and then move to a different city, so having a seller's perspective while I shop for a condo is really helpful. For instance, I saw a nice condo yesterday which I would have bought but when I considered the selling perspective, I saw some problems and decided not to pursue it. As a home buyer, especially a first-time home buyer like myself (that's why I bought this book!), you really want to make a well-rounded decision. Sure there's no perfect house out there -- unless your definition of "perfect" is imperfect -- but the last thing you want is spend half a million dollars on something you regret right after you sign the closing docs.

Second, compared to many books this one is very well written. Maybe I have a slight bias in favor of female writers, but I find women tend to be better in explaining complicated concepts than men. This book is a perfect example of my stereotype. Every chapter is easy to read and follow, and you see the major points right away. The For Dummies title in particular suffers from information overflow and leaves you wondering what you've just read. Which makes it next to being worthless, especially if you are in a rush to get acquainted with the real estate market. There's a lot of information in this idiot's book but the top-notch organization makes it easy to digest... and remember.

(Don't forget, you don't want to carry a home-buying primer around when you shop for a house! If you did you'd simply be taken for an unpleasant ride by greedy sellers and brokers.)

Third, like I mentioned before, this book also covers aspects of the selling process, so it's a great book to keep in case you need to sell. In addition, when you do sell, you can review the home-buying chapters to learn what motivates the buyer, so to get your best deal!

To be honest at first I didn't like the format of this book; the page is wide and there seem too many words. But because the authors write well and clearly, I eventually found it the best primer on home buying, with bonus coverage on the basic of home selling.

Very highly recommended, especially to previously clueless people like yours truly.

I reorganized the information and examples in this book for the 3rd edition and want to point out a few things to potential readers. Because the book just came out in September 2000, note that the two previous reviews are based on the 1st or 2nd editions, not this third revision. Please check out this new edition because it has been reworked to better prepare you to buy or sell a home. You get more information on determining how much home you can afford, understanding your credit, and finding a mortgage broker (to get qualified) before you find your dream home. I truly believe that the first five chapters in this book will help you be better prepared to buy and sell your home and guide you through the rest of the book.

with a book about wine that unravels and decodes all the language that goes with wine. Philip Seldon takes you step by step through the wine world, without all the fancy words and snobbish attitude that the wine world is stereotyped with. He guides you through wine in a way that allows you to form your own opinions. This book sits on my coffee table and it has a been a useful tool in my journey with wine.

The concept of the "Idiot's" and "Dummies" guides is a bit too cute for some people -- and others are too pretentious to have one seen sitting on their bookshelf -- but in more than a few cases, a true expert in the field has been called upon to pen the work, and Phillip Seldon is indeed an expert in wine, as his straightforward and hugely informative work shows. If you know nothing about wine, this is the place to start. Seldon doesn't forget to show you how to uncork a bottle before getting on with how to taste and smell and examine a wine. His strength is not overlooking the *why?* behind little things like why whites wines are served cold and reds at room temperature, why a bottle should be stored on its side, why champagne has bubbles -- all things one needs to know before, say, getting bogged down in critiquing vintages. Start a lifelong love of wine -- get this book and buy a few bottles. Spend the weekend holding your own wine tasting.

This book is simply wonderful - it tells you everything you need to know about wine without being cute or condescending like Wine for Dummies. Robert Mondavi says that this is the best introductory book on wine and it certainly is. It has more information than Wine for Dummies including specific wine recommendations. While it is an Idiot's Guide it does not treat you like an idiot. I recommend it for everybody who wants to learn about wine.

This book can be divided into 3 main parts. The first 4 chapters essentially put forward the case for e-procurement with an opening chapter containing some 33 references alone!

The intermediate section ranges from main players on the market, the software landscape & architecture, models, classification schemes and government/military tendering processes. If this chunk don't win you over then I don't know what will.

Finally, the last 4 chapters deal with issues that an intrepid implementer of an e-procurement initiative should consider. Guiding principles, structures & phases, elements to productive executive workshops and the all important change management issues. Dale places great importance on change management even going so far as to quote Mark Twain. This section is quite admonitory but the author is a management consultant by trade so I guess it's quite logical for him to advise us on issues that we should be considering before getting our hands dirty. Perhaps it will earn him some business ;-)

One thing I noticed about this author is that he is very competent at is finding synonyms. For example "maverick purchasing" can also be termed "off-contract buying" or even "rogue procurement". All of which help the reader to become more fluent in the lingua france of B2B electronic trade and keeps the narrative fresh and interesting. Early on he broadly classifies goods into white-collar ORM and blue-collar MRO introducing these colorful terms in large bold print - a common characteristic of this book.

Chapter 5: "The E-Procurement Software Landscape" requires more work IMHO. The sheer fact that I found myself tabulating the main players like Commerce One & Ariba, the solution/s they offered (whether enterprise or network based), it's name and their strategic partners would tend to indicate that the author should have done so. The main diagram provided is a pie-graph showing macroscopic market detail but it just too encompassing. Don't get me wrong - the information is provided (in text format) but it's all over the shop (no pun intended). A table would have gone down well.
Chapter 6: "The Architecture of Web-Based Procurement" is fantastic. It should have come earlier. Dale breaks down the environment broadly into "one-to-many" and "many-to-many" type approaches. Another class he introduces is the "buy-side", "sell-side" and "independent portal" type offerings. He further sub-classifies the buy-sponsored focus into 'desktop' (e.g. Concur Procurement) and 'central' type offerings. He provides us with a powerful classification scheme here but I felt he could of tied examples of each type closer to said classes. One other thing that I found surprising was the fact that he only mentions the 3 main pricing models in passing (subscription fee, transaction charge & percentage of exchange fee). I though he would of elaborated on this like he did with the mentioning of vertical e-markets like the Covisint alliance (forged by the "market creators" Ford, General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler and Renault-Nissan) and the corresponding horizontal e-market offering: OrderZone.com/ (which comes compliments of W. W. Grainger). Once again the information is provided all right but I felt that a suitable table could have easily consolidated the stuff at chapter end.
Chapter 8: "Government and E-Procurement" is riveting and current. If you're in favor of lowering the cost of government (raise hands) this exploration should give you warm, tingly feelings all over. Firstly, he introduces us to how government traditionally puts out tenders, then comes the e-procurement advantage bit and finally he rounds of with the one-and-only example of Singapore's "GeBiz" portal. This is a common technique that Dale employs of teaching us about the old bad way, then introducing us to the new good way and finally topping off with a great example. Also covered at the end is military procurement, which in current times is quite poignant. Need I say any more?
Finally, concerning predictions, Dale is not afraid to stick his neck out and make a few non-obvious ones. He sees no particular model becoming *the* dominant one but rather continued coexistence of "...the buyer-sponsored enterprise model and the third-party sponsored exchange model..." and foresees "...dramatic changes in terms of focus and consolidation..." to boot. He upholds Gartner Group's forecast that each vertical will only be able to support a max of 3 players and hence foresees "consolidation of the vertical e-marketplaces" which "...has already begun." Auctions in said verticals most evolve "...toward fuller functionality or extinction." The broad distinction between direct and indirect goods will remain but "...continuing to blur" Government can help "set standards" (like XML which he praises because it "...will greatly help intersystem connectivity.") and the whole e-government thing will "...soon see significant growth." In general though, survivors "...will need to offer supply chain management expertise as opposed to simple purchasing leverage."

To summarize therefore what you will procure is 196 pages spread over 14 chapters with an average of 5 citations per chapter. 10 diagrams, 8 short case studies and about 5 graphs. Common industry terms are introduced and defined in large bold print, TLAs are kept to a minimum and the cover has some pretty trees on it!

This book is very suitable for people who do not come from a business background - like me for example ;-) After reading this hardback I certainly increased my business vocabulary and was able to "talk the talk" with the best of them. I obtained extremely useful classification schemes that greatly helped me with business model deconstruction & system analysis and became familiar with the main players on the market at the same time.

Personally I would of loved to see more on auctions and their variations, perhaps including some game theory - but perhaps that's just wishful thinking!

Quote of the book though, definitely has to go to the chap deep inside an e-procurement project who shrewdly observed: "I like the supplier savings here, but I don't plan to be one of the transactional savings."

Blue collar MRO anyone? :-)

eProcurement is an excellent book for the basic fundamentals of of eprocurement (eprocurement 101). We are the authors of a more advanced version for purchasing professionals already using some form of epurchasing. Our book is titled ePurchasingPlus and has input from over 30 experts and practitioners from US, UK & Canada that use ePurchasingPlus products and concepts. We recommend both books for the purchasing professional to find about the future of our profession.

Mr. Neef did an excellent job with this book. It is not a down and dirty technical book that describes the inner workings of an e-procurement system. Then again, I think that is why I like it so much. After reading this book I feel I know the business behind e-procurement and that is THE most important issue when it comes to any system.

As a result of reading this book I have a better understanding of what e-procurement is all about. I also feel I have gained an appreciation for the different types of systems as well as where the entire e-procurement market is headed. He discussed the importance of things such as Decision Support and Business Intelligence. He supported most, if not all, of his points with solid research.

I am an systems engineer and not a business person. I got a lot out of this book. I would recommend it to both members technical groups as well as business people. The technical person will gain an appreciation for the business aspects of e-procurement. While the manager/business person will be given good direction and insights into e-procurement. I would imagine this to be of benefit to anyone whose organization is contemplating e-procurement or just some one generally interested in the area. This is even a good read for the manager who is not currently involved with e-procurement. It may show you how much you DO need it.

KUDOS to Dale Neef.

Book was ok. Think it had more painfully obvious stuff in it than actual"Hey why didn't I think of that?" info.

I would have never thought of all of these issues when buying my first horse. After reading this book, I no longer felt apprehensive about going through the process and I was informed. The first two horses I looked at flunked the vet exam big time which I would have never discovered on my own. Also, I got excellent guidelines for how to take a test ride from reading Horse for Sale. This book tells it all and I thank the author for helping me find "Destiny".

Buying your first horse is a huge ordeal!!! Cherry Hill's book was incredibly helpful!! I learned so much from her book and it made me feel more confident about what to look for. I made informed and knowledgeable choices in buying my horse. I only wish that I would have read it sooner. I would highly recommend this book to any first time buyer/seller. Make an informed choice, read Ms. Hill's book.

This book contains a good deal of information, but it is poorly organized and edited. There is a large amount of typographical errors and some of the specs are not even listed. For example, one of the cameras had its strap lug type listed while another did not. The author did not list the dimentions of the cameras, nor the weight of the cameras(grams, ounces, drams, no weight measurement). Finally, and most importantly, he doesn't tell a story with any of these cameras. Yes, there is alot of pictures of these rare beauties, but its boring. Its hard to believet that in his reaserch that the people involved in their development did not tell him any funny anecdotes. Its boring and a shame.

A very handy book to be carried about when buying used Leica equipment. The book does just what its title says. I have been a Leicaphile (and Hasselblad fan as well) for many years. I find it very enjoyable just to sit, read and learn about these fine photographic machines. I received it only today and already am hooked.

Excellent authoritative and comprehensive book that accomplishes exactly what the title says. I use it almost daily.

A very good introduction to the world of wine. Clarke spends the majority of the book discussing the basics: what to expect from different varities of wine, and what to expect from the various geographical regions where wine is produced. He spends little time on specific labels (although he does offer a few suggestions), so if you are looking for a buying guide this is not your book. It does not go into much depth, but it does a fine job of covering the subject in a light, engaging manner.

Just as I enjoy armchair travelling for its budget price, I like armchair wine books. Not all of us can afford to drink great wine daily, but it's fine to read about it and to heighten your appreciation when you do get the chance to try a great wine. This book is very easy to follow and does an especially great job on the various grape types (varietals) from gamay to nebbiolo and everything in between. It should answer almost anyone's basic questions about grapes and how wine is made. The flavor wheels and food charts are very helpful as are the regional breakdowns that make up part 3. I happen to like this breezy style, but if you want a stuffy wine book, don't buy this one. Our fearless author sticks in lots of his opinions, but in a way that makes us believe him.

For the novice (and even for the expert who needs some brushing up), this is an easy to follow and helpful guide to a world of wine.

This is the best introductory wine boook that I know.

This book is useful if you are your own handyman (as the author is) and want pointers on how to do things. Otherwise if you are going to hire your own contractor or handyman, it really is not very useful. For these investors, your money is better spent on a book that covers more in debt things you need to know about what kind of property to look for and how to determine a good buy and financing needed to secure it.

Dworin is a clear, engaging writer. He presents the pros and cons of this business honestly. I read this large book in a few days and was eager to go out and start rehab-ing straight away. I would recommend this book for 1) anyone thinking of doing this as a business, 2) anyone contemplating remodeling their own home, or 3) anyone thinking of buying a home.

You know those ... get rich real estate books, videos and CDs that end up only giving you basic common sense information that you already knew (Like the last 45 minute video I watched the spent the whole time telling you to clean up the house before the potential buyer comes over. THIS BOOK IS NOT ONE OF THEM. This book is filled with tons of real, experienced info that you don't already know from common sense. 2 thumbs up!

The title of this book claims that 4 subjects will be covered: Buying at live auction, selling at live auction, buying online and selling online. Personally, I was hoping that the author, a real expert in selling things at auction, would share some tricks of the trade and tell me some things about selling that I don't already know.

Unfortuneately, the only subject she really covers adequately is buying at live auction (and she does an excellent job at it). Her comments about selling at live auction boil down to how to pick an auction house. You can find much more than she tells you about buying online in the Ebay help pages. And she says even less on selling online.

It's too bad! She could probably give us Ebay sellers some really good advice about how to present our articles and how to put together and split up lots to maximize appeal. She knows how to do these things and she writes very well. I get the feeling that she wanted to do a book that encouraged people to attend auctions (she founded a big auction house in the MidWest so she would be interested in that) but her publisher wanted to do the Ultimate Guide.

She won the argument -- and we all lost out!

Good for someone who wants to attend live auctions; practically useless otherwise!

This book is good for what it is--but the Internet auction information seemed to be tacked on as an afterthought at the end of each of the four major sections. I think that the Internet auction information should have been organized in a section of its own.

For example, the section on "Choosing an Auction House" discusses catalogs, commissions, marketing, etc. The Internet information included in this same section included selling basics, attracting a clientele, feedback, opening bids, and fraud disputes. These topics just do not fit into a chapter with live auction information.

Another thing--the Internet topics are not even listed in the Table of Contents, giving me more reason to suspect that they were afterthought!

One reviewer listed all the chapters and their contents, so I will not duplicate that.

I did learn a lot about appraisals, estimates, "as is", and the top ten auction bargains including silver flatware, chandeliers, old books, and monogrammed objects.

I bought this because I did not know everything about auctions. However as was not going to buy a pig in a poke. The first thing going for it was the fact that I watched Leslie weekly on HGTV and this has helped me many times. Secondly I opened to the sections that I already feel comfortable with such as books and glass. She knew what I knew.

Now that I have read this book ad applied some of its principles I can tell you that it is a keeper. If you already know the subject it is nice to have it restated in a different way. If you do not know the subject you can live on every word she says. There are very few color plats in the book; yet the descriptions are so clear that color plates are not necessary.

Even online auctions are covered and I found the fact that there are very many online auction locations not just the big three of interest. For those people that have never been to an auction this book will give them the courage and the tools needed.

While I'm sure that hard-core vegetarians and other food purists will complain about this book, which contains a few recipes containing eggs, dairy products, as well as meat and fish, this is a superb book for anyone wishing to learn more about soy foods. This book is especially useful for cooks, like me, who eat meat, but who are interested in exploring ways to add economical and nutritious soy foods to their families' diets. With careful descriptions and explanations of a broad range of soy foods, from miso to tofu to tempeh and everything in between, this book offers recipes for many meals and occasions, using easy-to-understand and easy-to-follow instructions. Substitutions are often suggested, and most of the recipes can be created from ingredients readily obtainable in most supermarkets. The recipes are both imaginative and tasty. I'd recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone who loves to cook and is interested in alternative sources of protein.

very well written and the recipes are very tasty. I'm trying to replace meat in my diet and there are many recipes that taste just like meat, such as meatless tacos p.191 made with soy crumbles, tofu stir fry p.258.
I actually use this cookbook more than any other. It goes way beyond just addding tofu to vegetables to create gourmet healthy meals.
I also highly reccomend The Soy Zone book by B. Sears to explain why soy is so important a factor in living healthier.

This is a superb cookbook! This is a collection of the best soy recipes I've ever seen. There is also an abundance of information about the various forms of soy foods. This is a comprehensive cookbook with everything from breakfast to desserts, and everything in between. All of the recipes have excellent instructions that make each recipe a success every time.
For anyone who wishes to incorporate soy into their diet - vegetarian or meat-lover- this is the perfect cookbook. I highly recommend the Double Chocolate Bread Pudding, Roasted Tomato Bisque and Southwestern Bean Spread!