No comments about Ernest Bevin: A Biography.

3 comments about Elizabeth.

1. I approached this novel as an accompaniment for a trip to Florida. In other words, I thought it would be a run of the mill, rehashed but pleasant reading for me. I am delighted to be affirmed in my expectation. There is so much to be delved into in Elizabeth I history, and I am excited that David Starkey has thoroughly and carefully presented others learnings in a concise and somewhat chronological order.
   
   The writing is dry, unadorned and significantly presumptuous in its presentation. I had hoped to find some embellishments or adornment to Mr. Starkeys' novel but there were none. It is not a matter of not having the material to create with, as so much the possible decision to shorten his pot-boiler to the core. Even with a description of the crowning ceremonies, I felt that the lack of color in his writing left me feeling like I was reading just another published medical journal. Here are the facts, the dates of completion and action; the reader must internalize and review the data.
   I love words and I was not disappointed in this novel to learn or attempt to learn perhaps 100 new and obscure words. Did Mr. Starkey write this compendium with a word processor set on "Oxfordian Thesaurusian"?
   I did also sticky note perhaps fifty facts that Mr.Starkey presented that gave me pause, and desire to continue my research with. There were various passages that time after time, were alluded to, that were not concluded to, in Mr. Starkeys' novel. No definitive statements here! ie: Seymours alleged dalliance with Elizabeth is presented with no forensic aside of proof or conclusion, only assumptions, and those taken from the usual sources. This encompasses pretty much all his facts within this novel. His sources are few and paraphrased continually.
   Is my review harsh? I don't think so. I am researching Elizabeth I and try to give all my history sources a fair shake. A few pleasant words of encouragement, but, not here in this instance. Starkey gets a few points for compilation of events, but loses his credibility with his inability to keep the years presented with the days.



2. She sure was the helluva queen, and this was one real man-size exhibition. Incredible images, straight-talking text. Boy, was that a woman.



3. A great book. After you read this book, you will have more sympathy and respect for Elizabeth I. A neglected early childhood, loved and protected by faithful servants to whom she was loyal until they died. Finally accepted by her Father at heiress at the age of 10, she came to love and admire her distant father. Her mental capabilities were prodigious and her wit and learning allowed her to die an old woman beloved in memory. She may not have been perfect, but she was remarkable.

1 comments about Lancaster Tartget.

1. What can I say, awesome, captivating, fantastic. We owe a debt to Jack Currie for recording this terrifying part of history. We also owe a debt to Goodall publishing and Airdata for still printing it !....

No comments about Dublin Voices: An Oral Folk History.

No comments about Shaw, The Letters of George Bernard: Volume 1 (Bernard Shaw Collected Letters).

No comments about Lord Bute: Essays in Reinterpretation.

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, Second Edition (2nd Edition).

1. This is a good source for the visual learner who needs to see other resume formats and structures.



2. I believe you need more than one resume book these days in order to get a feel for the various styles available to you. With that in mind, the "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume" is an interesting and valuable asset.
   
   I have usually relied on "The Damn Good Resume Guide" in various editions and had pretty good luck. Still, the Idiot's Guide had some styles that I hadn't really seen before. For example, they have resumes for individuals with specialty degrees and experience and for those who have been high achievers in their field.
   
   Two big caveats, however.
   
   The Idiot's Guide doesn't seem to be organized in a logical way. It feels like it jumps around from topic to topic instead of just concentrating on illustrating various resume styles and approaches. Perhaps that's just the Idiot Guide format and they're just trying to present as much as possible about how to write a resume. In any case, experienced resume writers will likely find this frustrating if they're mostly just looking for fresh ideas.
   
   The second issue I have with this guide is the cover letters section. Here's one example they give for a first paragraph: "Do you believe in fate? I didn't until I opened the Sheridan Bee this morning and saw your ad for Job Placement Officer. It sounded like the job I've been searching for."
   
   Maybe this is just personal style issue, but I've been on the hiring end myself and read a few cover letters. If I saw a letter with that paragraph I'd probably question the job candidate's professionalism. It just comes off as overly eager with a touch of inexperience. Granted, this is just one letter in the book. Still, I found the cover letter section to be one of the weakest chapters and not all that helpful.
   
   The Idiot's Guide would probably help a lot of people in creating a better resume. I recommend it as an addition to one's collection of books on the topic. However, I would not recommend it to anyone as a sole primary source of information.



3. Yes this book may be good in showing you how to write a resume and I used it to reformat my resume. But like everything else in this world, results obtained is the ultimate judge. I sent about 50 resumes using the format/s suggested in this book and it did not bring me a single interview. I am fully qualified for the positions I applied for yet could not land an interview! My own style of resume ( 2.5 pages) got me the job I was seeking. Enough said.



4. On the cover of the book it says, "the only resume book you'll ever need". I found that to be very true. I went to an employment resource centre and took a look at more than 15 'expert' resume books, most were garbage, and then i found Susan Ireland's book. I still find the title of her book, "the complete idiot's guide..." insulting. However, don't let the title discourage you. this book does an excellent job for people going through a career change (myself). I have written many resumes and found this book taught me new tricks, boosted my confidence, and best of all showed me how to write a successful resume. Excellent for both expert and novice resume writters. I rated this book 4 stars because of the terrible Cover Letter section.
   For example, p.186 from book:

   "... Dear Mr. Foremost,
   Do you believe in fate? I didn't until I opened the Sheridan Bee this morning and saw your ad for Job Placement Officer....."

   or this clever one:

   ".... Dear Mr. Callahan,
   Research shows that women have a greater sensitivity to color than men. for that reason, I propose that I create a marketing program for Household Paints that targets women....let's talk in person about your new 'Colors for Women' program. I'II call you in a few days to arrange an appointment..."

   Those are some of the weakest examples of cover letters i have ever read. Completely unacceptable in my opionion. My advice, check out the book for the resume section only.




5. before I bought this book I had a resume that I had 10% confidence in. Now in 24 short hours I have created a document that I have 110% confidence in. This book is a must have for anyone who wants to improve their resume without paying a professional to do it. Great as a graduation gift. Filled in the gaps where the educational system fell short.

No comments about Montrose: For Covenant and King.

No comments about KINGS OF THE KREMLIN: Leaders from Ivan the Terrible to Boris Yeltsin.

No comments about DAMBUSTER: The Life of Guy Gibson VC.