Economic-Life Books

Good manners never go out of date and neither will this book. And looking and feeling comfortable in new situations is a skill of ongoing value. For 20 years I have given this book to my kids and hundreds of their upwardly mobile friends because it is the single best guide to "high-class" behavior and etiquette ever published.

If you know every thing in this book, it is still a good refresher. If you don't, it might well save your life! Remember, kids, the faster you are moving upward in this world, the more "pop quizzes" you will take on this material every day for the rest of your lives!

I can't say I was fully suprised when my local library finally took this book from the shelf due to its age. What really suprised me was that I had to come here to actually buy it! Most etiquette books are usually the type to sit on a 'For Sale' rack until nearly eternity.

'Outclassing the Competition' is a bit dated but the advice is invaluable to anyone who would seriously wish to advance themselves socially and be seen as having more manners than most of the general public. Even a slight usage of the techniques in this book would set a reader above a great number of the general public these days. Ranging from pronunciation of words and use of terms, to cooking and entertaining this book has nearly all of what most would want to find out and apply to the 'better' situation life has dealt them.
My only wish would be for Ms. Darling to come up with an updated, revised version of this wonderful work. Simply because while 'class' never goes out-of-fashion, times do change.

I have been referring to this book for nearly 20 years ! As I have risen in the ranks of Corporate Events, I have leaned heavily on Jan Darling's knowledge to make both my client and me look good. Yes, some of the suggestions are a little dated ( Godiva chocolate is not the status purchase it once was) but knowing how to behave in unfamiliar situations, knowing what to say and displaying beautiful manners never, ever go out of style. And,no, I am not selling my copy for love nor money - would love for Ms. Darling to issue an updated edition, though!

I can't believe this book is out of print. My copy of this edition has been circulated to several executives who lacked the time or training to perform skillfully in social events such as formal dinners and parties. This is the ideal book for the folks who had to spend their energy in university learning mathematics rather than learning how to survive in formal social settings.

Are you uncomforable in certain social settings because you were not taught certain skills others take for granted? Are you surrounded by people with money that seem to know thingss they take for granted that you do not? This book helps in so many areas, that I have given it as a gift to many friends in the past. It is simply a a book which is rich in details for social survival for those of us that grew up with tv dinners and one fork..and now...for whatever reason, find ourselves in uppercrust surroundings and feel out of place. The book is getting a bit dated, but I recommend it to anyone. Some items covered are: how to pronounce wine names..basic wine knowledge..how to conduct yourself at a very formal table setting...how to be waited on...what a wine steward is...pronouncing designer names correctly...like do you really know how to correctly pronounce Givanchy? It's in the book and much, much more....If you read this book, you can pick up small things like putting your silverware on your plate in an "x" to show that you are finished with your plate. It is endless with advice for all of us that were not raised with proper social knowledge and helps you in business settings,,gives advice on gifts, tipping, clothes. My only complaint is that the book is getting outdated. Tips in the book that were very clever, like giving a box of Godiva as a thoughtful gift with class..are showing their age. I wish the demand was there for the author to update her book, which I believe handled correctly, would have been a major best seller. The book is easy to read, and divided into major areas of concern. Even though it may be difficult to buy now,,,get it! You will have no regrets.

Research, analysis, synthesis. Dr. Howard takes abstract theory and delivers practical actions. This new paradigm seamlessly integrates individual personalities into effective management practices. Hiring, training and optimizing employees (using these principles) should all but eliminate firing. Managers will be able to predict, instead of react. Career paths are planned, not discovered by trial and error. Human Resource management becomes more science than art. Functional deployment of staff is now possible, enabling management to capitalize on each and every employee's natural talents.

This is a must have book for any consultant or any individual interested in conducting personality research.

I have been working in the industry for a number of years and I have finally found the one book that seamlessly integrates science and practice. The research is insightful and the recommendations applicable. The Howard's have done a fabulous job of understanding the needs of today's organizational psychologist/management consultants and created the ultimate resource guide and complimentary materials.

Because of this book, I am certain that I am providing my clients with better service, presentation and product! A great read, resource and thought-provoking tool.

I picked up this book after reading "The Owner's manual for Brain" by the same author. This book is short and precise to the point. Every paragraph in the book is written very concisely with specific applicability i real-life. Understanding the principles behind what is mentioned in this book is very helpful in working with people at work and elsewhere. Sure enough, I get less frustrated, but am able to apply the thoughts behind this book and use them in right set, to get the best out of those. A must read for every manager.
I enrolled in CentACS immediately after reading this book!

As a corporate psychologist, I was pleased to find the serious research underlying this book, although it should be just as appealing to new students and the lay public. It is an excellent combination of literature review and applied science. Particularly valuable are the mappings of Big Five personality factors to various leadership styles (Kotter, Bennis, etc.) and 200 managerial competencies. Additional chapters do the same for approaches to learning, team building, interpersonal relationships, sales skills, and more. This book should soon be required reading within this field.

Being a doctoral student in organizational leadership, I have read most of the books written about personality research, and especially those that focus on leadership behavior. Examining leadership competencies, learning styles, team development, and the application of personality assessment with the book has "simply" further opened my eyes to the importance of improving interpersonal awareness in the organization. The Howard's book is the first that I feel approached the subject from an understandable and practical basis. I use the book daily as I write my dissertation as a reference for practical applications of personality testing with the NEO-PI-R, and how to apply what I have learned from my data in the topic of leadership. It was a pleasure to find a book that allowed me to peruse the table of contents and move right to a section that applied to my current research without having to struggle. A nice thing that the authors have done is to provide a common language that can be used in the workplace with regard to understanding individual differences. This can set the stage for better communication among team members. In addition, I have found that as people understand themsleves better and can speak a similar language it can improve the flow of overall understanding in the organization. The book has opened my eyes to better acknowledge individual differences within teams, and to believe that there is no perfect solution when choosing leaders and team members. The world must incorporate these important individual differences effectively into their organizational structure; so as opposed to sujectively wandering through the personnel challenges of today's workplace, understanding these differences and blending the right mixtures of personality traits can make a difference in determining success. I applaud their efforts, and look for more.

Since innovative thinking on ways to balance packaging and the environment is always in short supply, I was curious to see if Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World by Daniel Imhoff would contribute something new. Though the book did indeed start out as a polemic against packaging, it quickly changed into a more productive--and provocative--course.

Imhoff, Executive Director of Watershed Media, reports on what is realistically possible in terms of the latest technology, from a new generation of zero-effluent mini-mills to the latest thinking in natural capitalism, eco-intelligence, design, and biomimicry, all as applied to packaging. (The biomimicry section alone will spur many ideas for the creative package designer.) Imhoff also covers the newest generation of bioplastics from a variety of suppliers, reviewing pros and cons of each material. Case studies show green packaging done right.

Also included: a comprehensive checklist for assessing the environmental impact of packaging before the designer makes a selection decision. The list includes attributes designers should keep in mind when selecting materials.
This is a well-written, fairly reported, attractively put-together book that deserves a place on the bookshelf of any designer or materials specifier. The 168-page trade paperback is available for $16.95.

Capsule review by Dave Newcorn, Vice President New Media, Summit Electronic Media.

There are environmental causes that stir the emotions--the plight of whales and baby seals, the fate of redwoods, or the metastasis of suburbia. But Daniel Imhoff would point out that the most pervasive and fastest-growing environmental problem is so commonplace it's invisible: packaging. Styrofoam containers from a fast-food meal, the anti-theft blister packaging that encapsulates retail electronics, or the common aluminum can and plastic bottle are all part of a waste stream that composes some 300 pounds of garbage per person per year, headed straight from the shelf to the landfill.
Apparently mindful of the fact you can read only so much about polystyrene peanuts and polyethylene bottles, Imhoff has organized his book into punchy little essays, short case studies, and colorful charts that survey the extent of the packaging problem, along with a range of solutions that some companies are trying.

Imhoff points out that packaging is increasingly the product itself--a method corporations use to market feelings of familiarity, uniformity, or purity. To illustrate, he would have you consider evolution of the egg: It is nature's perfect packaged food source, with its container, the shell, being durable yet entirely biodegradable. For years, eggs came in molded paper pulp. Now the most expensive of them frequently come in molded plastic trays, derived from petroleum products. (Nature's Promise, which markets eco-friendly eggs, requests on its tray that you recycle the plastic packaging, even though few municipalities take such containers.) And lately eggs come as pre-scrambled "pasteurized real egg product," in capped cartons at premium prices--far removed from the simple egg. The packaging will be with us decades, maybe eons, after the egg has been cracked, scrambled, and eaten.

As its title implies, packaging choices for environmentalists are dilemmas, with few simple solutions: Would you rather bag your groceries in the products of clear-cut forests or petroleum? He holds up companies such as Aveda, the Minneapolis-based cosmetics company, as pioneers. Aveda worked to eliminate toxic or less-recyclable plastics from its packaging line, and strove for 100 percent recycled plastics in its containers, risking profit margins in the process. Other companies are experimenting with novel products, such as biodegradable plastics.

But even these are merely "less bad" solutions in a world full of packaging waste. Imhoff concedes that packaging offers a good deal of convenience and that making upright choices involves giving up some of that convenience. He recommends carrying a mug and a reusable water bottle, eating in instead of getting takeout, buying in bulk (which reduces packaging waste), buying from local farmers and farmers' markets, and toting around cloth bags. When the cashier asks the question in the book's title, Imhoff suggests, hand over a cloth bag and say, "Neither."

If every person in America understood the energy, chemicals, natural resources and money that went into creating packages, it's likely our consumption habits would dramatically change. Imhoff does a great job of detailing the hazards and challenges of packaging, without being preachy - he lets the statistics and facts tell the story. This book informs, amazes, and startles the reader.

I really liked this book for telling me about things that I haden't thought of before, although I thought myself to be an evironmentally aware person. Some of the statistics are breathtaking. Facts are supported by visuals and an attractive layout. As a general reader with no specific education in the environmental science field, it was a bit dry for me at times, but well worth the read. I made lasting changes in my every day life due to the book, and can't get the statistics about plastic bottles and only small amounts of the actually recyclables making it to a "next life" beyond the garbage dump out of my head. Quite life changing.

This book is excellent and a very easy read. It does a great job of breaking down the different products and their impact on the environment. There are great examples of companies that are doing their part to help reduce the negative impact on the environment.

Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, puts forth his philosophy on success in business and life in this book. One thing that you'll notice is that he takes an almost religious approach to work, and believes that one can find true happiness through work. At the same time, he realizes that work can be a real struggle, so he gives good advice for pulling through those difficult times at work. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to look at success in business through other means than money. It will help you see how you can gain self fulfillment through your work.

Kazuo Inamori's book is highly inspirational in its evocation of "passion" as the underpinning driver of success in life. In all fields of social endeavour, it is the most passionate individuals who stand out, and ultimately achieve success. We see this in the sporting arena (Muhammad Ali, Leyton Hewitt), in business (Richard Branson, Jack Welsh), and in politics.

Inamori's book is divided up into two parts. Part one provides a series of insights on "How to Succeed in Life", covering the following key areas: ability, effort, attitude, and success. His central thesis is that success = effort x ability x attitude. Most of us tend to see success as the result of effort and ability, but overlook the power of maintaining a positive attitude. Inamori urges the reader not to overlook the immense power that a positive attitude can have, both in terms of attracting support for our goals, and in terms of building and maintaining our own self esteem.

The second part of this book focuses on "How to Succeed in Business" and covers the following eight areas; passion, profit, ambition, sincerity, strength, innovation, optimism, and 'never give up'.

Above all else, this book contains genuine bursts of insight that will enrich the perspective of most readers. Unlike so many self-help products that promise the earth and deliver disappointment, this book is as close as the thinking person will get to "the real deal".

I would put this book on the same shelf with "The Witch Doctors" by Micklethwait & Wooldridge, and "Dangerous Company" by O'Shea & Madigan - all of these are excellent business books, and stand out as unique and valuable contributions to our understanding of the meaning of success in today's modern world of work.

I bought this book back in 1995, and after much reflection and numerous business/leadership books, I must say Mr. Inamori is still in a class of his own. Though he teaches seemingly oversimplified concepts, it is indeed the correct concepts--if there is such a thing. Correct, for example, in that you can leave the world knowing your grandchildren will be proud that you existed. If you're familiar with Maslow hierarchy of needs: when you're reading this book, you will have no doubt that the author is at or above the self actualization stage, which I must say 90% of all the so called gurus of business don't seem to be in. The concept that you should speak from your heart, not implementing certain "techniques" in public speaking rings true for me personally. I'm grateful for such a gift from Mr. Inamori.

I've never written one of these reviews, but this is one of the treasured books in my library. I've owned it since it came out and continually refer to it for advice and council. I have also given it to many customers. Kyocera's website is also an inspiring to place to see how Mr. Inamori put his philosophy to work to bring a legacy of business success worldwide. His people-practices would change the world if practiced.

This is a great book! Whether you read it straight through for the inspiration or read a section a day (usually only a page in length) as a meditation guide, just read it and absorb it. Give it to your boss, give it to your customers, give it to your peers, give it to your team members, even give it to your family. All will be better for it.

Power Tools for Women is one of those books you want all your friends and collegues to read, only you can not bear to lend your copy!. This book is a must for all women. We are in a position of transition, trying to balance home life and career, being wives, mothers, bosses, role models, and somewhere in there trying to maintain our sense of self. Joni Daniels has captured our issues and given us a wonderful resouce on how to work with them. Her wit and writing style coupled with her examples of real people situations make it such an easy read.
I am buying this book as gifts for all the women in my life,and I know they will love me for it!!

I liked Power Tools for Women because it really hit home. I could identify with many of the real-life examples the author wrote about. I kept thinking, "Yeah, that's me she's writing about!" Daniels' advice helps you figure out how to make things work whether it's on the job or at home. She shows that you probably already have the ability to tackle something tough, you just have to recognize it. She also gives suggestions on how to develop that ability. This book is packed with great ideas and is one that I'll keep referring to. It's smart, funny and right on target.

I liked Power Tools for Women because it really hit home. I could identify with many of the real-life examples the author wrote about. I kept thinking, "Yeah, that's me she's writing about!" Daniels' advice helps you figure out how to make things work whether it's on the job or at home. She shows that you probably already have the ability to tackle something tough, you just have to recognize it. She also gives suggestions on how to develop that ability. This book is packed with great ideas and is one that I'll keep referring to. It's smart, funny and right on target.

This is a must have book for you and all of your friends. Joni Daniels shows us clearly that we have the tools to get what we want from our work, families, relationships, and life we just need to "put on the safety goggles" (i.e. have a clear vision) first. The stories she tells have universal appeal -- you'll recognize yourself and your close girlfriends. Just spending 15 minutes at night reading this book was a great way to get a charge to my batteries, get me planning my next career move. This book is the kind that you don't want to lend. I find myself buying additional copies to give to friends.

I just finished reading Joni Daniels new book- "Power Tools for Women" and I had to write this review. I have never done this before but I wanted to let other women know how essential this book is to help all of us understand how to change our lives and have more personal and professional satisfaction. We do have the power and the tools to be successful, to be who we want to be--deserve to be and not what our society, corporations, families,teachers, etc. peg us to be.

The methaphor of power tools makes it easy to understand and apply the advice in this book and I related to many of the examples Ms. Daniels used. I have worked in a "man's world" for over 30 years moving from secretary to vice president in a billion dollar company. You don't get there simply because you are good technically. The secret to how you get what you want is in this Power Toolbox. Read this book and level the field!!!

If you're in a need of some inspiration, read this book. PowerTools will get you energized to turn your dreams into a reality. Reading all the touching and motivating anecdotes from other women will empower you to take action to achieve what's most important to you.

In the wonderful book, "Think and Grow Rich," by Napoleon Hill, he advises readers to think of role models who at night, just before going to sleep, you imagine are in a meeting with. During this imaginary meeting you are asking them to teach you what you most admire in them.

And he calls these people his invisible counselors.

Aliza, in essense, is doing this, through "PowerTools For Women in Business," by telling the story of 10 women who continue to convert their most adverse life experiences into propelling causes, work and prospererty.

Because, as Mary-Scott Welch, "Networking", said, "It helps a lot to get other women's ideas about your problems, not in the abstract but in the very specific terms of a real-life situation," a book like "PowerTools is a great beginning for women to walk through the examples of other women, to bring out the best in who we are.

As a journalist, I have the opportunity to meet many authors, and I must say that some of them do not live the messages that they promotee in their books - but Aliza certainly does.

This book contains easy to follow, real life stories of women maximizing their strengths, while never forgeting to be women.

Thank you, Aliza for living your mission.

Aliza Sherman writes a powerful guide filled with tips and tools that inspire, challenge and help you grow professionally and personally.

Aliza Sherman's PowerTools For Women In Business is an enthusiastic, can-do optimistic guide that teaches women how to best take advantage of their own strengths and personalities to succeed in the business world. PowerTools For Women In Business is about keeping professional and personal lives in harmonious balance, never sacrificing one at the expense of another, when for women especially they tend to become all too intertwined. Personally imposed barriers to success, and emotional obstacles such as guilt or unease wielding power can be confronted and conquered. Very highly recommended reading for any female executive, especially one who is relatively new to the cutthroat, male-dominated, complex and demanding world of business!

I loved this book! Aliza has a wonderful way of drawing compelling stories out of high-powered women and creating "rules" for success based on how these big girls have done it. As a matter of fact, Rule #1 is "Share Your Stories -- Teach, Inspire, Motivate, and Learn by Telling and Listening." A critical lesson, that by overcoming our fear of asking for help and appearing needy, we can actually get farther faster by talking about the areas of business we are stuck in and learning from the advice of others. Powertools was a fun and informative read.

Having met Vince Harris at various conferences I am not surprised that he has written such a down to earth practical guide to not only improving but creating productivity. The readily absorbed epiphanies make it easy to immediately begin using the nuggets for success found in Harris book. Kudos, I don't often find a book anymore that actually holds my attention to the end. "The Productivity Epiphany" certainly did.
Michelle Matteson
[...]

"This book is jam packed with useful tools! Vince Harris provides dozens and dozens of fascinating and practical techniques to increase our influence and effectiveness. Harris finds these tools in scientific research literature, his personal experience, or the proven experience of others, and presents them in an engaging, informative, and easy style. He tells us clearly what to do, why to do it, and how to do it. I was absorbed and expanded by this book. You will profit from owning, reading, and re-reading this book.

"Our happiness, productivity, fulfillment, self-esteem level, charisma quotient, and ability to manifest the things most important to us are all dependent upon how we picture ourselves, others and the world in general. If we can alter how we perceive things, we can shift our reality and experience new insights and breakthroughs in every aspect of our lives. The Productivity Epiphany is loaded with wisdom, new ways to see ourselves and others, and entertaining stories that allow us to see things in an entirely new and supportive light. If you are ready to experience a bunch of epiphanies of your own, this is the book for you."

--Dr. Joe Rubino
Creator, http://www.SelfEsteemSystem.com
Founder, http://www.CenterForPersonalReinvention.com

Vince is a person that cares about you. That is why the Productivity Epiphany needs to be in your library. Very direct, succinct and applicable are the multitude of ideas you will discover in each section. The neat part about this book is you can start anywhere in the book without having started in the beginning! Excellent material that can make a difference in your success. Get it now!
Harlan Goerger, Author The Selling Gap
The Selling Gap, Selling Strategies for the 21st Century

If you have read several good books on increasing your productivity, and have found that the "one size fits all" formulas come up short, then you'll appreciate the "mind food" approach of this book. You won't find one "how" after another; you'll discover 59 short chapters with insights that will prod your mind to generate it's own "ah ha's" allowing you to experience your own Productivity Epiphany. I didn't write this with the idea that it would be the only book on productivity you'll ever need. I do believe, however, that it will amplify your ability to use what you may already know, and support you in your journey of getting more accomplished in most any area of life.

Lester used humor and orgainzed writing metholodgy to teach you how to start your career. She acted as a mother to give you much advice on evaluating yourself and employer, writing resume, preparing interview and following up; but I sure your mother never told you these.

I spent six weeks looking for a job before I bought this book, and one week looking after I read it. Great strategy, easy to read. Helped me get my current job.

I recently bought Real Life Guide to Life After College to learn how to write my resume. This book includes software to build a paper resume and an online one also. I graduate next month and already have tons of interviews set up thanks to the tips in this book. Although I haven't yet read them, there are sections in here on managing your money and the Internet too.

I am about to graduate from New Mexico State University with a BS in Marketing. I bought this book, followed the directions, and I landed a cool job that I start right after graduation. The biggest thing I got out of it was how to approach interviews and sell myself to the interviewer.

You might be able to find a number of books with advice on starting your career, but you won't find one with as consistently good advice - or as practical. At the same time, the Real Life Guides give you a readable book. With advice like this, hopefully you'll be able to avoid mistakes others have made for you.

This is an excellent book. It makes so easy to understand - all those complicated stock terms, author makes use of beautiful examples from time to time. It is a must have for every person who wants to invest money in stocks etc. (may be, except the ones, whose primary carrier is stocks or stock trading). I myself bought and sold stock over the last few years but never understood the terminology completely. It is nice to have it in my library - Thanks to the authors.

If you're a twenty- or thirty-something looking for an accessible, useful guide to investing, look no further. This is a great how-to guide to the markets, written in an inviting yet not condescending style. Buy it. Read it. Tell your friends.

Ever traded baseball cards or comicbooks? You?ve taken your first step in investing!

This book succeeds where many others fail: It does an excellent job of breaking into layman's terms the most complex investing and financial concepts, while at the same time making the whole thing completely relatable for someone who knows *nothing* about investing. That is a talent many wish they had. This is no mean feat when you consider all the jargon you have to learn. Now, imagine having fun while doing it! Wow! Eric Tyson, eat your heart out!

Sure, it?s been a while since this book first came out, so you know it needs a little updating...get over it! I still give the book five well-deserved stars. I appreciate the authors for writing such an awesome little book, as reading a book is a big investment of time, and reading this book was definitely worth it.

Share it with a teen or twenty-something you love, and give them the gift of setting them on the path to becoming investors.

Before I bought this book, I was probably like a lot of young people out there... ya get paid from work and you go blow it on the weekend with your friends at the mall. You just manage to get your bills paid off, and wonder why you can never seem to get a decent amount put away in your savings account? People, wake up! This is the time you should be saving for your future, or you'll regret that you didn't when you get older! I bought this book with determination not to spend every dollar I make and how to put my money towards my future. The book gives excellent explainations on the stock market and how it works, and even explains all those Wall Street symbols in a way that it's actually fun to read! It explains everything from savings accounts, to stocks and bonds, to IRAs! When I was finished reading the book, I was so glad I had read it when I did, because the later you wait, the more you're wasting time! I recommend this book to all! Read it and you'll be glad that you did!

There is absolutely no better tool in the market today. It's a great handbook for those sophisticated Generation X'ers, and an even a better tool for that worldly, younger new generation who are blazing trails right behind the X'ers.

Hey Boomers, your children, the N'Gens, are going to take the world by storm. With your ideas and their cohesive, cooperative energetic spirit, there isn't anything that they won't accomplish.... But without the financial skills so wonderfully illustrated in this book, your child will be left behind the pack. He or She will fail to live up to their unbelievable potential.

As an owner of this book, I can honestly attest to its value. I think it should be part of every high school senior's core curriculum! It is the only book that can make sure your child is ready to assist his/her peers in shaping the future of America and the World.

If your school board has not yet adopted this text, then please makes sure before your son or daughter goes off to college this fall that they have this guidebook to the world of life. America and for that matter the World will be grateful.

A Financial Analyst and Real Estate Investor (Cincinnati, Ohio)

As a physician, I have salesmen calling on me every day. This book not only provides the day to day motivation, inspiration, and hope that we all need; it's content is grounded in an integrity to which we should all aspire. The author's character, insight, and benevolence is a model for us all.

What a great way to start your day! An absolute insightful inspiration from the eyes of a career salesman. This book will help keep you on track of your personal, professional, and most importantly, your spiritual goals! A gift that you will definitely feel the need to share with all your friends, family, and even your competitors at work--Now that is Powerful!!!!

Outstanding Inspirational Tool!!! With little time to slow down in a salesman's high stress environment, this book is an easy read that can help one refocus each day on achieving one's goals. It is a must have for the busy salesman.

This book is AWESOME!!!! A career in sales can be very stressful at times. This book helps you keep everything in perspective. I highly recommend it. I'm giving a copy to all of my sales rep friends!!

Sales is tough, I know. I've read and studied every sales book out there. With me, my success did not depend on technique - I'm already good. What I need is inspiration - not just fleeting feel good thoughts - but real positive and substantive inspiration. I've keep this by my bedside - highly recommend