5 comments about Jump Start Your Business Brain: Win More, Lose Less, and Make More Money.

1. The average 5-star rating that this book has received to date is interesting. My 2-star rating credits Doug Hall's follow-up to his classic "Jump Start Your Brain" text with introducing readers to basic marketing in an enthusiastic manner. However, unlike the first "Jump Start" book (refer to the associated 5-star review I wrote for that text), there really is no uniqueness to this book when compared to other business-related marketing books except for the style in which the material is presented. Hall constantly brings up his "Merwyn" probability success tool that is being sold to the reader as a good way to predict the outcome of their product ideas, but since it is a proprietary tool there is no concrete explanation of the analytics behind the tool. Often, the book seems like it is merely a 300+-page sales pitch for Merwyn (and by the way, there is even a coupon in the book to get a one-time discount on use of his tool through the author's firm). After reading "Jump Start Your Business Brain" line by line for the first few chapters, it became quickly apparent that there is definitely a large amount of non-value-added fluff in the material. I still highly recommend "Jump Start Your Brain", but I do not believe this new Hall effort is worth your time unless you are completely new to marketing theory.



2. If there is only one business book to own, this is it!
   
   Doug Hall lays out a straight forward, highly logical, and common sense means to communicate with your customers. Using his approach of communicating through overt benefits, dynamic difference, and real reason to believe, your business is sure to grow. This is a keeper!



3. I buy about a book a week from Amazon and never write reviews - but I have to on this one.

   Did you buy one of the original Apple Ipods? All the PR and reviews got your expectations up - only to find out that they went cheap on the battery. It lasts about 3-minutes. Big disappointment. It was capable of so much more.

   Same with this book. I LOVED Hall's first book. Great breakthrough stuff. So when this one was released I got in the pre-publication line. I saved the book for a Saturday cross-country plane ride ready to savor. Had the highlighter all ready and - bummer. Couldn't believe it.

   It's the equivlant of "Eat plenty of vegetables, get plenty of sleep and brush your teeth every day." Mundane, sophormoric stuff to be associated with the name Doug Hall. Not at all in the same league as his first book - a masterpiece. This guy is so much better than this cute little book of lists. I'll buy his next one, pay money to go see him - but this isn't the Doug Hall of the first book.




4. The book is full of marketing truisms that are presented better elsewhere, but set forth here as if they were new discoveries. For example, "benefits sell more than features." Well, duh! You already know this if you have read a single introductory marketing text. That said, the book's positive point is the energy with which he conveys the information, and it is a reasonably engaging read. The negative point is the ego of the author rises to the level of distraction.

   So what's with all the glib five star reviews this book has received? Was I missing the point, was I reading a different book, or were there a few reviews planted by the publisher?




5. Up Your Business Success Odds to 80 percent/TESTED TO WORK!!

   Is your business or business or product idea focused in a way that makes its success chances from 60 to over 80%?

   Or is it in the 17 to 23 % range that most people achieve?

   Would you like a guide that explains the 3 principles that can help you to make that upgrade & that has been tested to work ??

   Would you like a way to test your marketing materials IN ADVANCE & know how successful they're likely to be--that also has been found to be accurate in practice to within a few percentage points?

   How about detailed, reasonably easy to use, tips from a man who successfully teaches Fortune 500 exec's how to do all this?

   If so, immediately buy, read, & use this book !!

   You'll be dramatically glad you did !!

   I think it's one of the 3 best business books ever written.

   David Eller

No comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Manga Fantasy Creatures Illustrated (Complete Idiot's Guide to).

1 comments about Cutting Edge: Japanese Swords in the British Museum.

1. In a very few words, this book is informative to both the newcomer and the more advanced collector. The historical and technical information is authoratative and concise, but the best part of the book are the incredible photos of the blades. These are the best photos I have ever seen, you can actually see the hamons and hadas which are also described in the text. It is extremely difficult to take photos like these, and in many books you can see the blade but not the individual characteristics which actually give the beauty to the blade.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Shirley Temple Dolls And Collectibles: Identification & Value Guide (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. Great pics of Shirley Temple Dolls & memorabilia organized by years-very thorough and helpful since I am a Shirley collector. Additionally, great tips on improving the looks of the dolls. Well done.



2. 
   This book is one of the best books on the subject of the Shirley Temple dolls (& other S.Temple Collectibles).
   Written on quality paper with excellent photos



3. I found this book to be very helpfull in finding what I needed to know on the dolls and clothes



4. I have two other Shirley Temple Price guides and I think book is just the most comprehensive. It has lots of pictures and includes all different Shirley Collectibles. It has pictures of a lot of rare Shirley Dresses and compo. Shirley's that were made in Germany, Australia, Great Britain. It is a nice large book and is a great reference guide. Love it!



5. This is the best ever book about Shirley Temple dolls. It is amazing. Filled with information and tips. This book could easily sell for double the price.

2 comments about The Official Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide, 3rd Edition (Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide).

1. I own the two previous versions of the Overstreet Grading Guide and have a few historical observations which may put the current work into perspective. First, the grading world was stood on its ear with the advent of third party grading companies that "certify" the grades of comics, by far the most prominent being CGC which began operations in 2000. Second, grading is not a science, it is an art. Like Robin Williams in "Dead Poet's Society" you can't grade a comic book on an axis like was suggested for grading poetry in the text Robin taught from in literature class.
   
   What you see here is Bob Overstreet's second attempt to incorporate more CGC-like grading standards into his publication. The attempt at grading uniformity is laudable but not always attainable. True the defects chart/graph in the guide shows that for a 9.8 grade, a book should have no more than two defects, yet a color plate of Infinite Crisis #1, shown as example of a 9.8 book, shows three defects indicated by arrows.
   
   CGC however demonstrates similar occassional inconsistency. In the Overstreet Grading Guide no bindery tears are allowed in 9.9 (Mint) books. I have owned and currently own a number of 9.9 and 10.0 CGC books. None have any bindery tears, except one 9.9 I previously owned which had a prominent and easily visible bindery tear in the upper left corner. I have tried to nail CGC down just what the difference is between a 9.9 and a 9.8 book, relied on their advice in my submissions, but to no avail. I have produced CGC graded 9.9 books from my submissions, but not when expected.
   
   This grading guide is just that; a "guide," to be used in combination with experience in the comics hobby as well as hopefully some education, training and dedication. It is not a bible to be referred to in attempts to discern the objective truths of grading; there are few. What it is, is a solid guide to introductory and intermediate level grading. To go beyond that you have to have enough knowledge to identify the inconsistencies in this guide and deal with them. If you have expensive, key issue Golden or Silver Age issues or high grade issues, you should strongly consider submission to CGC. CGC graded comics are most fungible in the marketplace and will always draw multiples of the bids placed on non-CGC graded comics in the same grade at auction.



2. Ladieees and gentlemen! New in this Third Edition! 10.0s with visible defects! 9.9s with spine stress! A 9.6 with a 1/4 inch front cover tear!
   
   ...and that's not all!
   
   You also get all the same internal inconsistencies that you got in the second edition, such as text descriptions that read "No creasing" accompanied by pictures of books in the same grade with visible creasing!
   
   So what prompted this THIRD edition of the grading guide? Apparently, they thought the addition of zoom boxes on a few of the defects here and there justified an entirely new edition! Well, that and a few pages of the same namby-pamby discussion of restoration, pressing, and disclosure that you can read on the CGC message forums for free.
   
   The bottom line is, if you need a grading guide, buy the second edition; don't buy this third edition. If you follow this third edition and try to sell someone a "10.0" that has visible defects or a "9.6" with a 1/4 inch front cover tear, I don't care what the guide says, you're going to have an angry customer.
   
   And if you already have the second edition of the grading guide, save your money and skip the third edition. This book is a complete waste of cash and paper.

5 comments about SS Uniforms, Insignia and Accoutrements: A Study in Photographs.

1. I collect german memorabilia and recieved this book in the mail yesterday!If I could give it more than 5 stars I would..!!!
   
   thanks Amazon excellent service!!!
   
   Paul



2. The book is a great photographic resource since there are few resources on this topic, however for the price, I was expecting more detail. There are many nicely detailed photographs of badges, insignia, and accoutrements, but I would have personally liked to see more detailed photos of the uniforms.
   
   Pictures of medals, belt buckles, and cloth badges were all well photographed in the front and back. The uniforms had front and back pictures as well (but not all of them). I wanted to see the inside lining of the tunics. It may be too much for some, but I thought if the author showed the internal label in the collar, he should also include areas like the internal lining near the cuff, back, and front button areas.
   
   The book is more of a general reference for a look at uniforms than a detailed look at the construction and detail of some key areas (for collectors or curious people) is a downside. So if you want detailed photos of uniforms then I would suggest another book, but if you just want a general idea of the uniforms, insignia, and accoutrements, then this book is a good resource.



3. Wonderful reference guide with full colour photographs of SS tunics and SS related gear such as insignia, cufftitles, daggers etc... Includes B&W photos as a historical reference point, very useful for those contemplating the purchase of any SS related items or those restoring uniforms. A must for any SS enthusiast!



4. A must have for the collector. A.Hayes shows everthing from Uniforms, Helmets, Weapons, Musical Intrustments to childrens toys. He also shows period photographs not seen before. He does not fill the book up with the history of the SS where you can get anywhere else and concentrates on the colored photos.



5. Very sensitive and intelligent vision of uniforms used by ss political and army organisation. The must for collectors and reenactors people. Every one must have it !

1 comments about The Big Book of Farm Tractors: The Complete History of the Tractor 1855 to Present ... Plus Brochures, Collectibles, and (Town Square Book).

1. Superbly and profusely illustrated with color photography by Andrew Morland, Robert Pripps' The Big Book Of Farm Tractors: The Complete History Of The Tractor 1855 To Present presents an informative text enriched with brochures, collectibles, and tractor lore that will delight anyone with a fascination with, and appreciation of, farm tractors and their role in making America the source of agricultural wealth and prominence it enjoyed beginning in the late 1800s and lasting throughout the 20th century. Here are detailed descriptions of every category of farm tractor from early steam powered models through the diesel age. Short essays define the times and old black-and-white period photographs are the stuff of which nostalgia is made. Big, beautiful, and ideal for gift giving and community library memorial fund acquisition selection, The Big Book Of Farm Tractors is an entertaining as it is informative.

No comments about American Stonewares: The Art And Craft of Utilitarian Potters.

5 comments about Restoring Classic & Collectible Cameras.

1. This is not a good first book on camera repair, a distinction which has to be noted in contrast to his first book which is far more suitable as a primer. For the somewhat experienced phototechnician working on the classics covered in this book, it's a useful title. I would start with either his first two titles (Camera Maintenance and Repair 1 and 2),the classic Ed Romney text (Trade Secrets:Basic Training in Camera Repair), or if you can find them the old National Camera correspondence materials.

   That said, given the proliferation of specific books he has produced, they are informative and useful within their scope.




2. This is an excellent repair book. Some who have reviewed this book are missing the point -- this repair knowledge transfers to many cameras other than the ones featured. So I wholeheartedly disagree that this book is for repairing only the specific cameras listed -- it provides scores of solutions for other cameras also. Ever tried to pull a viewfinder window? Ever wondered how to make spraypaint hard and tough? How to fill incised lettering with white paint? The difference between slow and fast epoxy? How to make bellows? How to refurb a resistor? How to clean aluminum? How to remove a round window without scratching it and without buying a special tool? How to mate helicals? How to prevent and repair battery acid damage? Where to obtain chemicals at low prices and when to use them? And on and on and on. Tomosy is like having an expert looking over your shoulder as you repair. I'm going to purchase the other Tomosy books after reading this one.



3. Its a great book if its talking specifically about the model of camera or shutter that you are trying to repair, and its got a surprisingly thorough section on bellows repair. Other than that the book is just OK. I would recommend buying this book if you have one of the cameras that are discussed inside it, which are covered from disassembly to reassembly. Those cameras and shutters are: Voigtlander Heliar No. 6 shutter, Bausch & Lomb Iris Diaphragm shutter, Wollensak Iris Diaphragm shutter, Packard Ideal shutter, Vest Pocket Autographic Kodak Camera (1915-1926), Kodak Folding Pocket No. 3-A, Kodak No. 3 Folding Brownie, Kodak Model A Folding Brownie, Kodak Six-20 Model C, Eastman 5x7 View Camera No. 33A, Lancaster & Son Merveilleux, Rembrandt No. 2 Portrait Camera (Burke & James Inc.), Thornton-Pickard Duplex Ruby Reflex, Graflex Speed Graphic Pacemaker, Ensign-Cupid, Kodak Premoette Jr. No. 1 (1913), Rolleicord Vb, Contax II, Exacta VX, Leica II, Nikkorex Zoom 35, Nikkorex 35, Universal (Univex) Mercury II, Zeiss Contaflex, Contaflex I, Contaflex Super and the Minox C.



4. Not complete, but a good start for mostly pre-1945 cameras and lenses. The sections on bellows restoration and construction alone probably make this book a worthwhile purchase. Tomosy illustrates restoration techniques using specific cameras and lenses that are mostly common and relatively inexpensive. A couple of different Kodak Brownie cameras are two of the cameras examined in the chapter on folding cameras, for example. The Exacta VX, Nikkorex 35, Zeiss Contaflex, and Leica II are some of the models examined in the 35mm chapter. Other chapters cover Lenses and Lens Shutters, Wooden View Cameras, Large-Format Focal-Plane Shutters, Medium Format, and the Minox C. What keeps this from being 5 stars is Tomosy's too casual treatment of wood-, metal-, and leatherworking on a couple of his projects. However, he does include an appendix about tools, lubricants, parts suppliers, and other suggested readings.



5. Great book.Well down.Thank You Mr Tomosy

2 comments about Cult Watches: The World's Enduring Classics.

1. Balfour highlights 30 of the world's leading watches with half a dozen or so color photographs so clear details of the watch faces can be seen and with essays on each watch's history and individuals who have played a role in its becoming a leading watch. "Leading" means watches which are expensive, but which also stand out for their design and craftsmanship and are desired by wealthy individuals around the world who have an appreciation for high quality and modern fashion design. Balfour is a prominent observer of the field of leading watches who besides doing frequent lectures and broadcasts, has written for GQ and Newsweek International. He is also the main watch-industry correspondent for the Financial Times.
   
   In addition to highlighting the 30 watches, the handsome book contains considerable secondary material of interest to collectors at all levels; including newcomers to this glamorous field involving auctions and investment purchases as well as retail sales. In the Introduction, Balfour cites several watchmakers such as Alain Silberstein who necessarily, but regrettably were left out of the limit of 30 watches. While not receiving the full treatment of the highlighted watches, worthwhile information is given on these (i. e., they are not simply mentioned). In the section "Collecting and investing" of the Introduction, Balfour describes categories of watches such as sports watches, military watches, and car watches. Of an appearance and production quality of a coffee-table art or fashion book, "Cult Watches" has enough basic and authoritative content to be a primer and reference as well.
   
   Some of the watchmakers are household names; while others are recondite to all but the most active and experienced collectors. Cartier, Rolex, and Bulova are known by most. Breguer, Girard-Perregaux, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Tissot are not generally familiar. Balfour gives all of the chosen 30 watches, familiar or unfamiliar, equal treatment on the basis of his expertise and enthusiasm for this popular fashion field. Anyone attracted to it will enjoy and learn from the book.



2. For watch enthusiasts of vintage pieces and ones that date back to the 70s and 80s this book is for you, it also includes newer timepieces but not as in depth.