The People of Pern

Customer Reviews:

Exquisite!.......2007-07-18

I've loved this book for years and found Robin Wood's art to be uncanny in capturing what I'd seen in my mind. The first time I saw the book, it was resting open on the dining room table. My eyes were captivated by the man pictured there and I thought to myself, "That's Robinton." And it was. Perfection. Buy it and enjoy it forever!

Robin Woods & Anne McCaffrey.......2007-02-14

I think all the comments from other reviewers are valid. As a long time McCaffrey Reader, and fan of all worlds created by her; I'd like to point out that The People of Pern was a BC publication. I have never seen a one with first edition and I have many first editions of McCaffery's.

I'd like to grip about the cover art on the American editions...they stink, and I have a tendency to purchase the British editions just for their cover art. Does anyone else feel that our US cover art stinks?

I adore the amazing art of Robin Woods in this book. It is obvious that she worked closely with Anne McCaffrey and all I can say is Kudos!

Get a copy if you can find one for a reasonable price. You will not regret the purchase.

An 11 year old reader.......2003-04-20

I bought this book to see how to draw a person for an art project. I thought this book was great. The characters have great color. Some pictures I thought were a bit dim. But over all this book was great. The characters from Dragonsdawn, Renegades of Pern, and All the Weyrs of Pern aren't in here, but I hope that Robin Wood and Anne McCaffrey get together again to do pictures for these books.

Brings Pern to life!.......2003-03-02

Absolutely wonderful! If you're a big Pern fan, you will love this.

A must-have volume for McCaffrey fans!.......2002-08-31

I cannot praise highly enough this wonderful companion book to Ms. McCaffrey's Pern books. This book is a collection of portraits of the many characters in Dragonflight, Dragonquest, The White Dragon, Moreta, and the Harper Hall trilogy.

There are artist renderings of almost every character, from Menolly, Lessa, and F'lar; to C'gan, Dorse, Moreta, even Dunca and Pona are in here! Main characters and minor ones--they are all here, and many are uncannily just as I had pictured them in my head! As a bonus, Ms. McCaffrey supplied little commentaries on each portrait that are fascinating to read.

All the portraits are works of true art, but the masterpiece of the book is the portrait of Robinton! You've got to see it--Robin Wood captures him perfectly! Anyone who loves the Pern books should have this in their collection.

Masked Dancers of West Africa (Peoples of the Wild)

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Masked Dancers of West Africa (Peoples of the Wild)
S. Pern
Manufacturer: Silver Burdett Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The People Of Pern
Robin Wood
Manufacturer: The Donning Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PC5IZK

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The People of Pern
Robin Wood
Manufacturer: Donning Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PBZIQU

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The People of Pern

Manufacturer: Donning Company Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, Second Edition

ASIN: B000GM3AWC

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The People of Pern

Manufacturer: The Donning Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000IG46GK

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The People of Pern
Robin Wood Mc Caffrey Anne
Manufacturer: Donning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDC0F0

The People of Pern with Text and Introduction By Anne McCaffrey

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The People of Pern with Text and Introduction By Anne McCaffrey
Robin Wood
Manufacturer: The Donning Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000KBNLXM

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Skyscrapers of Oz
Yoshino Somei
Manufacturer: TOKUMA SHOTEN PUBLISHING CO LT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UDH82K

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Hilarious as always

Listening to the CD makes the experience twice as humorous.

One of Dave's best, and that's saying a lot.

Nothing deserves to be made fun of more than U.S. government...

Slapstick in Modern Language.

Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway: A Vicious and Unprovoked Attack on Our Most Cherished Political Institutions
Dave Barry
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States

Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar?

Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism from Dave Barry

Dave Barry Is Not Taking This Sitting Down

Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need

ASIN: 0345432487
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Book Description

Sensing the need for a thoughtful, balanced book to explain our deeply troubling national political process, Dave Barry has not even come close. Still, though he has covered every presidential campaign since 1984 for The Miami Herald, has run for president several times, and run for cover at the rainy inauguration of George W. Bush (the man will stop at nothing for his art), Barry has nonetheless outdone himself in this book.

Here is Barry's stirring account of how the new nation was formed--and farmed. Here, also, is his answer to the need for a truly memorable new Declaration of Independence ("Whereas in the course of human events it behooves us, the people, not to ask What can our country do for us, anyway? but rather, whether we have anything to fear except fear itself"). There is, too, a revised Constitution for our times ("Section 2: The House of Representatives shall be composed of persons who own at least two dark suits and have not been indicted recently").

Dave also cracks the income tax code and explains the growth(s) of government, congressional hearing difficulties, and the persistent rumors of the influence of capital in the Capitol. Pay particular attention to the footnotesóósome say they are worth the price of admission.*

Finally, he out-Fodors Fodor's in his guide to the politics of Florida, home of the Katherine Harris Eyelash Museum, while his advice on hotspots in Washington, D.C., should end class trips forever.

*You've paid for them anyhow.

Customer Reviews:

Hilarious as always.......2007-05-15

If you love Dave Barry, you'll love this book; very, very funny look at America's political system and how it really works, or in most cases, doesn't. If you're a Dave Barry fan but not into politics don't worry, Dave can make anything funny!

Listening to the CD makes the experience twice as humorous........2006-10-20

Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway is funny for the Washington-themed humor. Add to this a section on the history of our government, a pinch of South Florida politics, and add the great, great narration, and you will laugh, laugh, laugh.

As Dave Barry states, if he wanted this to be a real good book on Washington politics, he'd have to spend a lot of time in Washington. So this is not going to be a really good book!

The jabs at the US Department of Agriculture (not sure whether it should be permitted to call dried plums "dried plums"), the driving habits of older Floridians, and the Clintonian escapades are all fair game to Barry. And wait till you hear the attorney arguments in the 2000 elections!

Read it and weep... from laughter!

One of Dave's best, and that's saying a lot........2006-04-09

Not as funny as his "Book of Bad Songs" -- nothing could top that. Not quite as funny as "Dave Barry Turns 40", but about on a par with "Dave Barry is Not Making This Up". Definitely a book that you won't want to miss, if you enjoy Dave's irreverent style (and who doesn't?).

Nothing deserves to be made fun of more than U.S. government..........2005-12-29

Dave Barry once admitted to being a libertarian in an interview for "Reason" magazine, and nowhere more than "Below The Beltway" does his libertarian cynicism shine through. The commentary is just plain brilliant, besides being side-splittingly funny. Not a single D.C. institution escapes Barry's razor --Democrat or Republican, Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, or any one of the thousands of alphabet soup agencies that nobody voted for; all are deservedly skewered with just the right blend of satire, cynicism, outright nonsense and --most distubing of all-- actual quotes and references from real Federal agency "mission statements." Barry even openly admits that most of his material is made up on the spot --he even steers us to P. J. O'Rourke's "Parliament of Whores" for anyone who wants an even mix of humour AND verifiable fact-- but every so often he'll get to a part that He Swears He Is Not Making Up. And that's when the reader really starts to see government for the out-of-control, self-aggrandizing, eternally-consuming beast that it really is. I note with some amusement that some Amazon.com reviewers are taking Mr. Barry to task for his unrelenting attack on the silliness that is the Federal government, and it is those reviews that I can only conclude are either written by big-government apologists or actual Federal employees. As Barry himself says, only in Washington, D.C. is the phrase "Federal Worker" not considered funny. This book makes the WHY all the more obvious. Bravo, Mr. Barry, and keep making fun of the government for as long as there's juice in your word processor (or until Homeland Security forcibly shuts you down, whichever comes first). I have no doubt the self-important denizens of the nation's capital will continue to provide you with a never-ending supply of fresh material.

Slapstick in Modern Language........2005-10-03

The cover shows an irreverent funny man, and this book is written for macho men as he takes on any and everyone in the federal government from the president on down. It must be his New York years to make him look down on the important people who run the government in Washington, D.C. What he is forgetting is that the states elect those people and send them there -- at least, some of them.

One truthful thing, which other columnists and nonfiction writers won't admit: "I sat around and made the stuff up." His chart explaining how Social Security works is informative, and just might be true -- truer than he thinks. He hates old people, thinks they're more interested in having sex than those able to produce a baby! Has he looked around and seen all that skin young people expose now in today's way of dressing?

"To compensate for the lack of facts, I have included ... snide remarks." So true. Making fun of the words which came out of JFK's mouth into a parody "in the course of human events (that's Lyndon's thinking) it behooves us, the people, not to ask 'What can our country do for us. anyway?' but rather, whether we have anything to fear except fear itself" (FDR) -- the original phrase which moved the Sixties Americans came from a smart speechwriter.

It wouldn't hurt the privileged of today to consider what they can do for this country. Dave Barry does his best to keep people laughing. Being too serious about serious matter we can't do anything about only causes you to feel bad. Who wants that?

He should take on district, regional, etc. government offices, especially GSA, the glorified housekeeping department of the U. S. Govt. I've tangled with two in Tennessee who are tough old soldiers (one even had military training as a "Ranger" and now he spends his days worrying about how to get rid of pigeons). The other, his superior, in Nashville takes off to Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi (who really knows) to be deployed while leaving his Nashville office unattended. These are old men living off the government worse than welfare people.

"Hitting below the belt" doesn't mean his crude, bathroom humor and words; it's what the Baptist preacher did when he attacked the Methodist ritual of sprinkling -- then says that only Baptists will get into Heaven. Seems I heard some other group say that in the past. I wonder if even Dave would go there.

Other significang pardoies include DAVE BARRY SLEPT HERE, DAVE BARRY IS NOT TAKING THIS SITTING DOWN, and DAVE BARRY DOES JAPAN.

Customer Reviews:

A great book on the films of Ingmar Bergman.......2006-03-22

I read this book in my final years of college, when i was studying international film and writing for film---i was also studying and writing on Bergman's body of work in-depth, including watching all of his films. I loved this book as it offered some great insight, and was very easy to digest. Gervais
explores his films chronologically, touching on 'certain moments' [scenes] to help illustrate the 'magic' and 'power' [as well as addressing major thematic questioning and evolution] of Bergman. If possible, 'view inside the book' and see if you can read the Intoduction to understand how the book is written. Brilliant, intelligent and informed writing. An A+ book on Bergman in my opinion.
-Abel Rosenberg
------------------------------
April 2006 Kiwibeak.com Review
A fantastic book that provides great insight into Bergman's films as a unified body of work. Easily conveyed and explained to the reader, the book is a definitive text study on Bergman.

Not Very Insightful.......2003-01-01

Although this book has received high praises on Amazon.com, I cannot share this enthusiasm. The main problem with this book is that it is too superficial, and too cursory. Bergman's films are loaded with meaning, symbol, and depth. This book unfortunately, is lacking in depth. The author reviews each film, and then picks out one scene or theme of each movie and discusses it. He grossly simplifies each Bergman film, and thus fails to explicate the richness of his films. The author's analysis of a key scene from The Seventh Seal is trivial and added nothing to my understanding of Bergman as a dirctor. My advice: skip this book and listen to the audio commentaries on Bergman's DVD's. They are much more illuminating.

A "must" for all Ingmar Bergman fans!.......2000-03-04

Ingmar Bergman is a legendary film producer whose work had a seminal influence on an entire generation of filmmakers and whose films are still viewed today in film classes and speciality theaters throughout Europe and the United States. In Ingmar Bergman: Magician And Prophet, film scholar Marc Gervais explores how Bergman achieve his cinematic magic through his specific choices in the use of film language and the texturing and structuring of images, sounds, and rhythms. Gervais also shows how Bergman's work continues to resonate with new generations of viewers. Ingmar Bergman: Magician And Prophet is a "must" for all Bergman fans and students of the history of cinema.

Customer Reviews:

IT WOULD'NT BE THE FIRST TIME.......2006-09-13

If one looks at history, you'll find out that hoaxing ones death or in this case, finding a look a like to replace a famous person and keep that information concealed at all costs until everybody involved has passed on, is'nt to far fetched. There have been other situations in our history that were'nt at all what we were lead to believe.

Case in point, the legendary Jesse James death hoax still rages on after over one hundred years one both sides. Was it really Charlie Bigalow or was it realy Jesse James who was killed in that house that day.They claim that J.J.'S cousin Bob Ford shot him in the back of the head n the bullit came out at the corner of his eyebrow making a small nice exit hole. AAAAAA excuse me but have you ever seen what a 44 or 45 bullit hole exit looks like? It would have exploded his face. Legend has it that they made a pact to not reveal their identitys until they all had reached the age of one hundred years of age. Of course none of them thought that they would live that long and after that date had passed, he was drawn out from those shadows and to everybodys suprise this 100 hundred year old man had the identical indentifying marks on his body that the Pinkerton detective agency had on the Jesse James of the 1870's. Not only that, but the investigater tracked down many people who were known to have known J.J. back in the day and 5 of the old James gangs members who were still alive all said that ol J. Frank Dalton was really the real Jesse james. Yet after this, the debate still goes on.

Yes I know that this review is supposed to be about Paul McCartney, but what Im trying to get at is that some times these things do happen and there's always going to be no holds barred denial, skoffing skeptics ect...ect... then low and behold, after everybody involved is gone or that one person is gone, then the truth is let out.

Remember several years ago when Iron Eyes Cody died at the age of 91 and only then did we find out that he did'nt have one drop of Indian blood in him but was in all reality 100% Italian? Yet he passed him self off as a Cherokee Indian all these years and nobody was the wiser. To top it off, the Indian Nation knew it all along and never said a word until MR. Cody passed away.

What would everybody think if after the man that we know as Paul McCartney passed on and two weeks later, information is released that proves without question that this man really did take the place of MR McCartney so many years ago and had to forget who he really was and played out this roll for all these years without anybody being the wiser, all for the fans. Ward Frazier Greensburg IN.

Good, But Get the Newer Version..........2005-11-12

This book was completely overhauled and re-published in 2005 under the title TURN ME ON, DEAD MAN: The Beatles And The "Paul-Is-Dead" Hoax, and it is much improved and expanded over this older volume. Both books are great, but the newer one is...well, newer. It's available here at Amazon.com for around $15. Highly recommended.

Khaili!.......2001-06-09

My friend, Andru The Engineer, has written the be-all and end-all book on the moment that froze female hearts throughout the western world. It wasn't enough that he married Linda Eastman; then it looked like he fell off the planet.

This is an exhaustive look at the phenom that swept AM radio and even took in some of the 'serious' media. It was one of those stories that was totally bizarre, but you'd catch yourself thinking "yeh, but what if--?"

Andru and I spent many hours--probably way too many for his parents taste--watching HELP! and A HARD DAY'S RUT on the TV in his parent's den. I'd like to take some credit for inspiring him to begin this book...but that would be quite a stretch.

Far More Credible Than A Black Carnation.......2000-03-18

Beatle fans always knew that someday there'd be a whole book on the subject, but this book surpassed my expectations. Before reading this book, every written account of the 'Paul Is Dead' rumor seemed the same to me...not much more than a list of the 'clues' and the Beatles' explanations. But Andre Reeves' book is not just a listing of clues...in fact, he saves that for the very end of the book. Instead he wisely gets behind the origin and evolution of the rumor, showing how a college student's tongue in cheek newspaper article snowballed into a national obsession, almost like a small fire gradually getting out of control and turning into an inferno. Reeves puts the reader right into those crazy weeks of October 1969 so that he/she can get a glimpse of a world unsure if the baby-faced Beatle was still walking the Earth, barefoot or otherwise. The accounts from the rumor's key players provide information previously unavailable in any Beatle books, and shed new light on many areas. Those who continue to profess that the Beatles concocted the whole thing really need to read this book before uttering another word about it. If you just want a fun-to-read listing of clues, there are many web sites that provide one. But if you are looking for some true stories behind the rumor that put it in a whole new perspective (in other words, if you truly wish to learn something,) 'Turn Me On Dead Man' more than satisfies.

Interesting bit of pop culture.......1999-09-16

I enjoyed the book. I doubt people who don't like the Beatles (horrors!) or who don't care about weird episodes in American pop culture will be interested. The narritive style may be a little too novelized to swallow but it is presented in an entertaining fashion. When does the movie come out?

By the way, I know of one clue not mentioned. On the cover of the U.S. album _Yesterday and Today_, the Beatles are posing around a steamer trunk with Paul sitting inside. Looking at this cover from the right angle makes it look like he is in a coffin.

This, of course, is in the eye of the beholder.

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Turn Me on, Dead Man : The Complete Story of the Paul McCartney Death Hoax (Rock and Roll Remembrances Ser., No. 12)
Andru J. Reeve
Manufacturer: Popular Culture, Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLUCZ8

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Turn Me On, Dead Man: The Complete Story of the Paul McCartney Death Hoax
Andru J. Reeve
Manufacturer: Popular Culture, Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OP5KKQ

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Advanced Players: Get this for the Exercises

Very Good, but Very Advanced

Excelling at Chess was superb but this one?

100+ positional exercises to test your skills

Another Great by Aagaard

Excelling at Positional Chess (Everyman Chess)
Jacob Aagaard
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Excelling at Technical Chess: Learn to Identify and Exploit Small Advantages

Excelling at Chess Calculation: Capitalizing on Tactical Chances

Excelling at Combinational Play: Learn to Identify and Exploit Tactical Chances

Excelling at Chess (Everyman Chess)

Mastering the Chess Openings: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Modern Chess Openings, Volume 1

ASIN: 185744325X

Book Description

Positional chess remains a mystery to many and yet an understanding of the finer points of the game so often makes the difference between two equally matched players. Improve your positional play and you will see chess in a totally new dimension!
In this unique book, International Master Jacob Aagaard selects many original examples of positional chess, the crème de la crème of those that he uses for training and study. Aagaard also delves deeply into the ideas of positional evaluation and analysis.

* Teaches how to mix calculation with evaluation
* Contains many original exercises
* Written by a battle-hardened expert

Customer Reviews:

Advanced Players: Get this for the Exercises.......2006-08-04

Whether you should buy this boils down to whether you would benefit from the Exercises. There are 108 problem positions, indicating which side is to move, but no other hints. The reader is expected to give the position a deep think, possibly writing out variations, but not moving any pieces (i.e., all the analysis has to be done in one's head). After the reader has exhausted her energies or capabilities on the position, she should turn to the lengthy, detailed solutions in the back for immediate feedback, correction and/or reinforcement. This type of training is really effective, as I can attest from personal experience.

The problems themselves are simply wonderful. Very few (if any) have what I consider easy or obvious answers; all combine positional, strategic and tactical components; a great diversity of ideas are covered. According to the author they were originally compiled as exercises for his students; and so the material has benefit of successful use and refinement over time. The solutions take up between one and two full pages per problem, reflecting the depth of the exercises themselves and the level of rigor in the answers. For readers of the appropriate level, this is a great learning tool.

The book is targeted to a fairly advanced level. The reader should be fairly adept tactically, and be conversant with positional chess at least at the level of Silman's HOW TO REASSESS YOUR CHESS. In addition, a certain amount of general chess experience is helpful - that which comes from years of tournament play and the study of master games.

The rest of the book contains some brief chapters with (mostly) illustrative examples. I did find distasteful Aagaard's unwarranted potshots at another author. Nonetheless, I will give this book the full five star recommendation, since there is nothing else quite like its terrific problem section. Excellent production quality, too.

Very Good, but Very Advanced.......2004-09-27

About one-third of the book is positional instruction by the author. I enjoyed this portion. It includes some good insights into the game.

The heart of this book is 108 positional exercises. I like these types of books. I have found that chess puzzles, whether tactical or positional, are the most effective way to improve my playing strength.

There are unfortunately not many chess books with positional puzzles (as opposed to tactical). Among the ones I know of, this book is certainly the most advanced. I believe the puzzles are geared toward players with a playing strength of 2100 USCF/FIDE and over. For example, some of the problems are from Grandmaster games in which the GM failed to find the solution!

My major complaint with this book is that the problems are not organized by difficulty. So some of them will be fairly simple, while others may stump Grandmasters. This can make training with the book difficult, because I don't know how long to devote to a particular exercise. I don't want to waste 30 minutes on a single puzzle if it's one of the GM stumpers.

If you are looking to improve your positional play in chess, I would recommend selecting a book based on your playing strength:
1400-1600: "It's Your Move", by Chris Ward
1500-1900: "The Reassess Your Chess Workbook", by Jeremy Silman
1700-2100: "Can You be a Positional Chess Genius", by Angus Dunnington (this one is my personal favorite!)
1900-2300: "Test Your Positional Play", by Robert Bellin and Pietro Ponzetto
2100-2700: "Excelling at Positional Chess", by Jacob Aagaard (the book reviewed here)

So, for advanced tournament chess players looking to improve their positional playing strength, I recommend this book.

Excelling at Chess was superb but this one?.......2004-07-03

This book looks like a bad sequel of a good book by Aagaard called Excelling at Chess. I go back to that book every now and then to review some points and to better understand conceptually chess. The idea of excelling at positional chess is interesting but wasn't that covered alreay in the first book? Other than the positional exercises (that you can craft for yourself by examining a middlegame position from a great game) I didn't find anything novel or worth reading in this book... Frankly, Aagaard he is becoming a Schiller by doing this type of book factory like production. I was frankly saddened by his book on the Grunfeld and this book about excelling at positional chess... Poor quality books from a guy that created a good name for himself by publishing a very good book of chess: Excelling at Chess. IM Aagaard just entered the dog-house of authors I don't want to read ever again that include: GM Neil McDonald (His book on the French Winawer was hideous), IM John Watson (The third edition of Play the French was terrible), Schiller (Ugh!), and GM Larry Evans.

Very poor book! Don't buy it!

100+ positional exercises to test your skills.......2004-05-25

Earlier, I plan to get this book to improve my kid's chess but when he put it away, I have to evaluate it. I feel some of the chapters is in the wrong order. Chapter 5 or 3 should come first. I also hate it when Aagard keeps refering to Dvoretsky and Silman and other books. The author should just explain what he meant. The publisher should work harder to improve Aagard's draft.

What I feel Aagard should do is categorizes each positional theme such as: (1) release one piece to attack (2) release one piece to defend (3) moving out one piece to release rook (4) draw one opponent piece away (5) prevent counterplay etc etc

The good part of the book is Aagard has 100+ of positional puzzles to test your skills. I spent a good time reading this on my KL-Dubai flight. For some puzzle "Black to Move" is actually black turn's to move and not necessary Black wins !! For these puzzles he is using a lot of chess plays from his IM tournamenet such as Kramnik, Gelfland, Anand and Short.

I am getting my kid the David Lemoir "How to be a Deadly Chess Tactician" to replace this. Wait for my review.

Another Great by Aagaard.......2004-03-23

"I can see the combinations as well as Alekhine, but I cannot get into the same positions." - Rudolf Spielmann

This book addresses exactly that problem. If when a position breaks open, you're on the wrong end of nasty tactical shots, your position must have been weak to begin with.

This book teaches you to spot the weaknesses and strengths on the chessboard. In a sense, it preaches what Silman does in Reassess Your Chess or Dvoretsky does in Attack and Defense and his other books. The difference is this is a concise, understandable shot-in-the-arm for those with positional malaise. (Silman's information is excellent, but his here's-where-the-patzer-screwed-up approach is distracting. In contrast, Mr. Aagaard says here's where I screwed up ... and what I should have seen on the board.)

The writing style is conversational and involving. The positions are adequately diagrammed and well-chosen, for Aagaard chooses understandable positions, which are, nevertheless, crucial moments that lead to the outcome of the game.

While Aagaard's previous book Excelling at Chess was all instructional text, more than half this book is positional exercises to study and solve with detailed solutions. (No mate-follows-in-20-moves notes.)

The previous book Excelling at Chess won a book of the year award at a chess website, and this book really should, too.

Book Description

"New Sales Speak is the first book on the vital marriage of persuasive selling techniques and crucial speaking skills."
-Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times bestseller Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive

"An incredible book on sales effectiveness! You can learn how to release your brakes and step on your accelerator toward higher sales."
-Brian Tracy, Brian Tracy International

"Terri Sjodin is one of the country's top sales trainers, and her book, New Sales Speak, is a must-read for anyone in sales or sales management. Now, the Second Edition is here and it's even bigger and better! I highly recommend it."
-Roger Dawson, author of Secrets of Power Negotiating

"This book gives you real-world knowledge that you can apply every day. The new chapter on elevator speeches alone is worth the investment."
-Eric Worre, cofounder, Better Life Media

Written for anyone who gives presentations, New Sales Speak, Second Edition identifies the nine most common mistakes people make when presenting and shows you how to avoid them. Inside, you'll learn how to: Build and deliver a presentation that is persuasive rather than just informative Make the best use of your allotted time and craft interest-generating elevator speeches Just say "No!" to boring PowerPoint presentations Transform fear into energy-and more!

Customer Reviews:

Talks the talk and walks the walk.......2007-03-15

As a seasoned sales professional, and one who is required to deliver sales presentations in extremely competitive environments, I can say simply that Sjodin nails every point of what it takes to get deals done with this easy to read and use book. I read the first version, and with the updates and added elevator speech chapter in the 2nd edition, I think this book was taken to a higher level: how many times are we caught off guard asking for a clear, concise rendition of what we have to offer, and then close the deal or at least get a meeting? It happens all the time, and this book gives you the tools to do it.

Too many times we fall into the trap of creating a boring presentation without sizzle AND substance, and our presentations get categorized as fluff. This book encapsulates everything we should think about when recognizing who our audience is and how to make an impact and be remembered.

I've seen Sjodin speak a few times, and if you see her speak then you'll realize she is a true saleswoman with grit and she knows her stuff. Many times in just general life interaction I've drawn upon her knowledge and expertise to set myself apart...and it works!

Kudos to the book and Sjodin; if you're serious about selling, this book has nuggets that will get you ahead.

Brilliant Sales Stimulation!.......2006-05-10

From reading New Sales Speak, I learned the importance of focusing on the "how" (delivery) not just the "what" (product). Enthusiasm and expertise shine though on every page as the author teaches invaluable tools to develop dynamic sales presentation skills. I became aware of the limitless potential within an individual to fulfill their desires and learned how to attune those desires through effective communication, courtesy, and creativity. After applying the sales presentation skills taught in New Sales Speak to my next listing presentation, I walked away with 3 things... a signed contract, a satisfied client, and a smile.

and anyone with a paintbrush can be a painter..........2006-04-30

Some people believe salesmen are born, not made. Sjodin, a public speaking and sales techniques consultant, insists anyone can become an effective seller by polishing his speaking skills and learning to sell himself and his ideas to business partners, investors, employers and supervisors.
How insulting to people that earn their living in sales...If you follow her simple thought, anyone with a paint brush can become a master painter and if you have a wrench and screwdriver you can get a job as a mechanic.
You either have what it takes or you don't!
Her claim that anyone can become an effective seller by polishing his speaking skills and learning to sell himself and his ideas to business partners, investors, employers and supervisors is ridiculous! She probably makes more money selling books with great catch titles...

Definitely applies to 90% of all sales people.......2002-04-12

Most sales people are not getting the job done. Period. They move around from company to company, making the same mistakes, and blaming their poor numbers on the product, their employer, the economy, or the price of tea in China.

While this book will not surprise top performers with something completely new, these folks may glean some value out of the distinction between an informational presentation and a persuasive presentation.

I could almost guarantee if all sales managers gave this book to the lower 75-90% of their sales teams, and made it a requirement to use the simple outlines in the book, their numbers would improve.... Anyone who cannot use the outlines to build compelling presentations should not be in the sales arena.

"Lite" Treatment for Beginners Likely to Disappoint Pros.......2002-02-24

This book, like so many others in the field of selling techniques, is probably useful for people new to selling but disappointing to those with more than a few years of experience. Ms. Sjodin's writing is competent, engaging and easy to read. She illustrates her points with pertinent anecdotes that make the book engaging to read, but the content is definitely "lite," meaning both general and thin on substance. Although she has targeted her book for sales professionals, it may be less useful to sales reps than the many more more substantial books on public speaking and the principles of persuasion written for a broader audience. The points Ms. Sjodin makes about sales presentations are no different from tips presented in any low-level high-school or college speech class.
Importantly for new sales people, Ms. Sjodin makes only passing reference to the critically important differences between complex sales that require many presentations over a long period of time and simpler sales that are likely to be closed after a single presentation.
The book is another volume in a growing library of thinly veiled self-promotion vehicles that provide contact information on the back page in case you may want to hire the author as a consultant.
As a 15-year sales professional who has been closing multi-million dollar software deals for years, I read almost anything about selling techniques in the belief that even a nearly useless book can easily justify its cover price if it provides a single good idea. Even so, I wish I had not spent the money on this book.

New Sales Speak: The 9 Biggest Sales Presentation Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (Live)

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New Sales Speak: The 9 Biggest Sales Presentation Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (Live)
Terri Sjodin
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000KLPGXA

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