5 Points, Paperback, 2001A comprehensive guide to the soul, this book offers an easy grasp of the true essence inside everyone, commonly known as the soul. How is the soul incarnated and how does it play a role in our everyday lives? Illuminating in its information, it leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of who we truly are as souls.
8 Points, Hardcover, 1993The Frugal gourmet Cooks italian
5 Points, Paperback, 1991
22 Points, Paperback, 2006This textbook teaches all those who interview adults for professional purposes how do "dig deeper," by probing the respondents adult-developmental level, or meaning making. Knowledge about respondents' level of meaning making allows for effectiveness in interventions with clients, and also heightens the benefit for the client whose self awareness is boosted. The techniques presented derive from research in adult development over the lifespan at the Kohlberg School at Harvard. The book contains 9 chapters, letting you steadily accumulate knowledge to the point where you can try your own developmental interview. It contains an Appendix with exercises, case studies of individuals and teams, and an introduction to assessing large groups developmentally through Capability Metrics.
4 Points, Hardcover, 1988To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help--especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai sword masters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment to strike. In succinct detail, Miyamoto records ideal postures, blows, and psychological tactics to put the enemy off guard and open the way for attack. Most important of all is Miyamoto's concept of rhythm, how all things are in harmony, and that by working with the rhythm of a situation we can turn it to our advantage with little effort. But like Zen, this requires one task above all else, putting the book down and going out to practice. --Brian Bruya
7 Points, Paperback, 1994In a book as provocative and insightful as Deborah Tannen's You Just Don't Understand, Barreca explores the new politics of marriage. "Feminist humor maven Regina Barreca takes on marriage with her characteristic wit and wisdom, demystifying the institution's roles and expectations clearly and usefully."--Ms.
11 Points, Hardcover, 2000After the release of her bestselling title, <I>Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap</I>, Peggy Orenstein toured the country talking to groups of parents, teachers, and girls. It was after one of these teen town hall meetings that she decided to write about the crucible of postfeminist socialization at which today's women--not girls--find themselves: the reconciliation of motherhood and personal aspirations. It's a subject she's intimately familiar with. Orenstein began researching <I>Flux</I> when she was in her mid-30s and agonizing over whether to have a child: "I wanted the richness of motherhood in my life but worried over its costs. I could almost hear the traditionalist in me clucking, 'You can't have it all,' and it infuriated me. Why couldn't I? Why couldn't any of us?" <p> To help her answer these questions, she interviewed about 250 women between 1996 and 1999, and their varied responses serve as a kind of public consciousness-raising tool. She also interviewed their friends, lovers, and partners to get to the root of the expectations, joys, and frustrations of these women living in a "half-changed world." Though most of the women she interviewed come from similar backgrounds (college educated, white, middle class, and heterosexual), their combined experiences provide readers with plenty of different viewpoints to consider. A portrait of a generational Everywoman emerges from these snapshots in a way that furthers the stated purpose of the book: to inspire readers in "the search for a more satisfied life." <I>-- J.R.</I>
9 Points, Hardcover, 2006The sleep solution that identifies the three types of insomnia.
In this revolutionary book, Dr. Paul Glovinsky and Dr. Art Speilman, two experts in the evaluation and cures of insomnia, offer a program designed to tackle the three most persistent sleep problems-getting to sleep, staying asleep, and broken sleep-drug-free and clinically proven.
Now, 50 million Americans who suffer from insomnia can discover:
- Why their sleep patterns are out of control
- Why sleep is so unreliable
- How insomnia can be learned or innate
- The predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors of insomnia
- How to clear their minds for the pleasure of sleep
- The benefits of sleep hygiene and bright light therapy
- How to calm dreams
- The simple tricks of muscle relaxation
- The important discovery of circadian rhythms and what it means
- How to build a wave of sleep and achieve a sleep drive
- Clearing the mind of stress, anxiety, and depression
7 Points, Paperback, 1997Nationally known intuitive and spiritual leader Sonia Choquette shares the nine universal principles for creating the reality of your dreams. Step by step, with practical advice, specific exercises, and modern-day parables, she teaches readers to make the changes in thought and behavior that will lead them to the attainment of their most heartfelt desires. 256 pp. National publicity. 30,000 print.
11 Points, Hardcover, 2005A guidebook for professionals seeking sex-positive approaches for their clients. Britton shows therapists and counselors how to move their practices into sex coaching or integrate sex coaching techniques into their existing therapeutic work. The emphasis is on encouraging sexual self-understanding, growth, and pleasure. Topics covered include: learning the basic models informing sex coaching, developing a sex coaching mindset, and addressing clients' desire for sexual enhancement.
12 Points, Hardcover, 2002True stories and practical advice from successful therapists-turned-coaches. The New Private Practice presents a behind-the-scenes look into the professional lives of therapists who are working as personal and business coaches. Each chapter is filled with the personal stories and practical advice from successful, experienced therapists-turned-coaches, to help readers better understand how to succeed in the coaching field.
6 Points, Paperback, 2005Finally, a dream come true for the millions of people who suffer from insomnia: a holistic, drug-free program that really works. Stress. It's everywhere-and it's keeping millions of Americans up at night. But now there's help: Michael Krugman's Sounder Sleep System. In this revolutionary book, Krugman shows readers that insomnia is not just a nighttime affliction, but a 24-hour-a-day condition, associated with stress experienced during the day. To combat this stress, he offers a program based on traditional and modern self-healing methods. Readers can personalize the plan, which consists of a combination of 18 mini-moves designed to induce relaxation, reduce stress, and endure sound sleep. The mini-moves can be done in the middle of the night-giving readers an instant solution to help them fall back to sleep. Presented in an illustrated, step-by-step format that makes learning fun and effective, THEINSOMNIASOLUTION will help millions of readers to sleep easier.
8 Points, Hardcover, 1998Change can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. The message of <I>Who Moved My Cheese?</I> is that all can come to see it as a blessing, if they understand the nature of cheese and the role it plays in their lives. <I>Who Moved My Cheese?</I> is a parable that takes place in a maze. Four beings live in that maze: Sniff and Scurry are mice--nonanalytical and nonjudgmental, they just want cheese and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Hem and Haw are "littlepeople," mouse-size humans who have an entirely different relationship with cheese. It's not just sustenance to them; it's their self-image. Their lives and belief systems are built around the cheese they've found. Most of us reading the story will see the cheese as something related to our livelihoods--our jobs, our career paths, the industries we work in--although it can stand for anything, from health to relationships. The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese, and be prepared to go running off in search of new sources of cheese when the cheese we have runs out.<p> Dr. Johnson, coauthor of <I>The One Minute Manager</I> and many other books, presents this parable to business, church groups, schools, military organizations--anyplace where you find people who may fear or resist change. And although more analytical and skeptical readers may find the tale a little too simplistic, its beauty is that it sums up all natural history in just 94 pages: Things change. They always have changed and always will change. And while there's no single way to deal with change, the consequence of pretending change won't happen is always the same: The cheese runs out. <I>--Lou Schuler</I>
8 Points, Hardcover, 2000Offering insights into the issues that threaten relationships and practical tools to strengthen and make them work, this book reveals secrets on how to move past the limitations of traditional rolesâwoman, man, mommy, daddy, and othersâinto practical ways to give and receive more loving, sharing, happiness, and fulfillment.
9 Points, Hardcover, 2009Think you know what it takes to be successful and happy? Think again!
If you were to ask anyone what factor contributes most to being successful and happy, you can be virtually certain that not one of them would mention loyalty. And that's a problem. Grounded in the most comprehensive study of loyalty ever conducted, Why Loyalty Matters proves that when it comes to business success, relationship success, and even our overall happiness, loyalty is the difference maker.
In Why Loyalty Matters, renowned loyalty experts Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan Aksoy draw from the most comprehensive study of loyalty ever conducted, the landmark Ipsos Loyalty Study, to show why loyalty is critical to our happiness as individuals and our success as a society.
Readers learn:
*How to leverage 10 relationship building blocks to shape your interactions at home and work
*How organizations can gauge and strengthen employees' loyalty--and why they should
*How to boost your company's profits by finding and developing loyal customers
*How to achieve career fulfillment through loyalty to your job and coworkers
*How to develop more loyalty in your friendships, family, and community
The book includes one-time access to LoyaltyAdvisor.com, so that readers can uncover their loyalty strengths and weaknesses--and what they can do about them! LoyaltyAdvisor, the product of a global, comprehensive effort to identify the loyalties most important to our success and happiness, provides readers with an assessment of their relationship styles and a comparison of their loyalty levels with national norms. LoyaltyAdvisor also allows readers to invite three or more friends, family, or professional colleagues to participate in a confidential evaluation of readers' loyalty to them.
8 Points, Hardcover, 1997The Way Home brings Hazelden's treatment model to life. Here the miracle of recovery is revealed through the stories of four individuals who have lived in the alienating territory of addiction and have made the long journey back home. Live for a time with them-experience their struggle for recovery and their discovery of hope and serenity
8 Points, Hardcover, 2000From the watery Northwest corner of the United States comes this exquisite collection of nature stories by renowned author Brenda Peterson. Like a misty Seattle weekend, Peterson's contemplative prose invites readers to go inward, to a landscape of rivers, sounds, and oceans, places that host mythical shape-shifters and mer-people, as well as seals, whales, gulls, and salmon.
Whether she is discussing her wind-rattled studio on the shore of Puget Sound or her deep relationships with marine and land animals, Peterson writes with spiritual maturity and environmental authority. Each passionate story examines the way humans commune or collide with the natural world, so that a pearl of wisdom is always found beneath the surface. This gift of wisdom is especially appreciated in the section on the Makah whale hunt, where Peterson takes huge risks as a narrator, willing to delve into the spiritually and politically complicated issues of native whale hunting. When negotiations between Makah representatives and moderate environmentalists (including Peterson) tragically faltered and a 2-year-old gray whale was killed in May 1999, Peterson writes, "We hear only of the wars--the winners and losers. But what of those who battled most to understand themselves and reconcile seeming opposites? What about those who allowed themselves troubling ambivalence and soul searching, without an easy answer?" Indeed it is her willingness to dive into this underworld of ambivalence and soul searching that makes her nature writing so resonant and influential. --Gail Hudson
12 Points, Hardcover, 2003For women seeking complexion perfection, Dr. Nicholas Perricone is the name to know; actress Courteney Cox counts herself among his many devotees. In <I>The Perricone Promise</I>, he claims that his 28-day program will help stop and even reverse the aging process, making anyone who follows his advice "look and feel ten years younger." Perricone says the brain and the skin both start out as the same embryonic tissue, so it follows that any efforts aimed at improving one's complexion will also improve one's memory and overall sense of well-being. <P> To this end, he recommends a three-pronged approach: a very specific 28-day diet; supplements taken morning, noon, and night; and his own line of "topical" cosmetics, all aimed at boosting the body's levels of "peptides and neuropeptides." These substances, according to Perricone, are not only the building blocks of the skin's collagen, but an integral part of the functioning of the immune system, and may prevent inflammation in the body that's associated with such illnesses as arthritis and heart disease. <P> Perricone's diet sensibly includes a "rainbow" of fruits and vegetables and the liberal use of herbs and spices, and shuns any foods browned or cooked at high temperatures. But unfortunately, some of the food combinations sound less than appetizing (typical snack: "1-2 ounces sliced turkey or chicken breast, 3 olives, 3 strawberries, 8 ounces water"). His eponymous supplements and cosmetics are also pretty pricey, but as far as Perricone's fans are concerned, when it comes to putting the brakes on the aging process, you get what you pay for. <I>--Erica Jorgensen</I>
7 Points, Hardcover, 1990
13 Points, Hardcover, 1997Our favorite Doyenne of the Dainty serves a delicate and oh-so-tasty blend of low-fat elegance in this handsomely designed cookbook. No calorie counter, Martha proves how a lush variety of grains, fruits, and veggies can be a delicious alternative to fatty dishes. She offers more than 170 recipes, showing how to transform the freshest seasonal ingredients into scrumptious treats guaranteed to delight both the palate and the eye. From Grilled Portobello Pizza to a luscious Lime Soufflé, Martha will change the way you think about healthy eating.
4 Points, Hardcover, 2001<P>Every woman's been there and some have been there again and again! Best-selling author Bradley Trevor Greive (BTG) understands (really, he does) the very essence of woman's age-old quest for her soul mate, the endlessly frustrating search for "Mr.Right." Women from all walks of life ask, "Why is a good man so hard to find'" BTG has the raw objectivity, brutal honesty, and deep insight into the male psyche (after all, he is the enemy) to provide a credible answer: "Hey, maybe there aren't any!" Bradley Trevor Greive again has combined witty, original text with superb, side-splitting photographs (retro images of people this time) to perfectly illustrate a simple, but powerful message about how we choose to live our life and who we choose to share it with. Looking for Mr. Right is one of the most hilarious, uplifting books for women ever written and makes an absolutely ideal gift for all ages.<P>
6 Points, Paperback, 1994
11 Points, Hardcover, 2002<p>In this lively and colorful book of popular history, journalist Betsy Israel shines a light on the old stereotypes that have stigmatized single women for years and celebrates their resourceful sense of spirit, enterprise, and unlimited success in a world where it is no longer unusual or unlikely to be unwed.</p> <p>Drawing extensively on primary sources, including private journals, newspaper stories, magazine articles, advertisements, films, and other materials from popular media, Israel paints remarkably vivid portraits of single women -- and the way they were perceived -- throughout the decades. From the nineteenth-century spinsters, of New England to the Bowery girls of New York City, from the 1920s flappers to the 1940s working women of the war years and the career girls of the 1950s and 1960s, single women have fought to find and feel comfortable in that room of their own. One need only look at Bridget Jones and the <i>Sex and the City</i> gang to see that single women still maintain an uneasy relationship with the rest of society -- and yet they radiate an aura of glamour and mystery in popular culture.</p> <p>As witty as it is well researched, as thoughtful as it is lively, <i>Bachelor Girl</i> is a must-read for women everywhere.</p>
11 Points, Hardcover, 2005Amy Tan, who has an unerring eye for relationships between mothers and daughters, especially Chinese-American, has departed from her well-known genre in <i>Saving Fish From Drowning</i>. She would be well advised to revisit that theme which she writes about so well. <p> The title of the book is derived from the practice of Myanmar fishermen who "scoop up the fish and bring them to shore. They say they are saving the fish from drowning. Unfortunately... the fish do not recover," This kind of magical thinking or hypocrisy or mystical attitude or sheer stupidity is a fair metaphor for the entire book. It may be read as a satire, a political statement, a picaresque tale with several "picaros" or simply a story about a tour gone wrong. <p> Bibi Chen, San Francisco socialite and art vendor to the stars, plans to lead a trip for 12 friends: "My friends, those lovers of art, most of them rich, intelligent, and spoiled, would spend a week in China and arrive in Burma on Christmas Day." Unfortunately, Bibi dies, in very strange circumstances, before the tour begins. After wrangling about it, the group decides to go after all. The leader they choose is indecisive and epileptic, a dangerous combo. Bibi goes along as the disembodied voice-over. <p> Once in Myanmar, finally, they are noticed by a group of Karen tribesmen who decide that Rupert, the 15-year-old son of a bamboo grower is, in fact, Younger White Brother, or The Lord of the Nats. He can do card tricks and is carrying a Stephen King paperback. These are adjudged to be signs of his deity and ability to save them from marauding soldiers. The group is "kidnapped," although they think they are setting out for a Christmas Day surprise, and taken deep into the jungle where they languish, develop malaria, learn to eat slimy things and wait to be rescued. Nats are "believed to be the spirits of nature--the lake, the trees, the mountains, the snakes and birds. They were numberless ... They were everywhere, as were bad luck and the need to find reasons for it." Philosophy or cynicism? This elusive point of view is found throughout the novel--a bald statement is made and then Tan pulls her punches as if she is unwilling to make a statement that might set a more serious tone. <p> There are some goofy parts about Harry, the member of the group who is left behind, and his encounter with two newswomen from Global News Network, some slapstick sex scenes and a great deal of dog-loving dialogue. These all contribute to a novel that is silly but not really funny, could have an occasionally serious theme which suddenly disappears, and is about a group of stereotypical characters that it's hard to care about. It was time for Amy Tan to write another book; too bad this was it. <I>--Valerie Ryan</I>
13 Points, Hardcover, 1992Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit. The classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter to be weeps so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef. She shares special points of her favorite preparations with listeners throughout the story.
8 Points, Paperback, 1999Tony award-winning Ken Howard (<I>1776</I>, <I>Child's Play</I>) reads <I>I Know This Much Is True</I> with the conviction of a used car salesman and the charm of a seasoned politico. Reminiscent of a former football coach recalling his glory days, Howard's booming, rich voice is a beefy compliment to Lamb's powerful prose. Never to be mistaken as a ventriloquist, Howard makes little distinction when moving in and out of character--his voice barely cracks an octave for dainty female personalities. However, this understatement (so to speak) lends to smooth transitions and believable, down-to-earth narration. (Running time: six hours, four cassettes) <I>--Rebekah Warren</I>
5 Points, Paperback, 1990<I>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change</I> was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges. <p> Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more. <p> This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. <I>--Joan Price</I>
7 Points, Paperback, 1994A front-page byline in <I>The New York Times</I>! A <I>People</I> magazine cover story! A travel assignment in Katmandu! Dream on. "This is a book," says author Lucy V. Parker, "about commercial writing, business writing, nonfiction writing. It is a book about obtaining practical, often unglamorous assignments that can pay the bills." Sure, celebrity profiles and investigative journalism can be thrilling, but so can paying the rent. Besides, someone has to write all those newsletters, brochures, press releases, speeches, instructional manuals, and articles for employee magazines. With Parker's help, you can write a business plan, form a business, market your services, learn what to charge (and how to collect your due), and deal with taxes and contracts. Parker even tells you how to cope with the loneliness inherent in running a solo venture. Hint: online chat rooms are OK, but "people breaks" are better. With profiles of 10 successful professionals from a variety of specialties and a list of 60 key assignments for home-based writers. <I>--Jane Steinberg</I>
6 Points, Paperback, 2003Daniel Mason's debut novel, <I>The Piano Tuner</I>, is the mesmerizing story of Edgar Drake, commissioned by the British War Office in 1886 to travel to hostile Burma to repair a rare Erard grand piano vital to the Crown's strategic interests. Eccentric Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll has brokered peace with local warlords primarily through music, a free medical clinic, and the "powers" of common scientific instruments, much to the dismay of warmongering officers suspect of such unorthodox methods. Drake is an introspective, well-mannered soul who, once there, falls in love with Burma and stays long past the piano-fixing to aid Carroll's political agenda. Drake's arduous journey to reach the outpost, however, takes far too long (nearly half the book) and the plotting is rather heavy-handed at times (one night, Drake learns of a mysterious "Man with One Story" who rarely speaks, and the very next morning the Man tells all to Drake). The story is ambitious, the language florid and sure to please, but the dialogue and melodrama are sometimes tedious. While out on the town with Carroll's love interest, Khin Myo (who enchants Drake), Mason offers the townspersons' view of Drake: <blockquote>It is only natural that a guest be treated with hospitality, the quiet man who has come to mend the singing elephant is shy, and walks with the posture of one who is unsure of the world, we too would keep him company to make him feel welcome, but we do not speak English.... They say he is one of the kind of men who has dreams, but tells no one.</blockquote> Drake's complexity is thin; perhaps the beauty of Burma takes over any real need for introspection. Despite these quibbles, <I>The Piano Tuner</I> is a memorable achievement. <I>--Michael Ferch</I>
5 Points, Paperback, 1987
4 Points, Paperback, 1986Jamaica Kincaid beautifully delineates hatred and fear, because she knows they are often a step away from love and obsession. At the start of <I>Annie John,</I> her 10-year-old heroine is engulfed in family happiness and safety. Though Annie loves her father, she is all eyes for her mother. When she is almost 12, however, the idyll ends and she falls into deep disfavor. This inexplicable loss mars both lives, as each grows adept at public falsity and silent betrayal. The pattern is set, and extended: "And now I started a new series of betrayals of people and things I would have sworn only minutes before to die for." In front of Annie's father and the world, "We were politeness and kindness and love and laughter." Alone they are linked in loathing. Annie tries to imagine herself as someone in a book--an orphan or a girl with a wicked stepmother. The trouble is, she finds, those characters' lives always end happily. Luckily for us, though not perhaps for her alter ego, Kincaid is too truthful a writer to provide such a finale.
5 Points, Paperback, 1993
8 Points, Paperback, 2000As popular and indispensable a guide as Writer's Market (or the "writer's Bible," as it has come to be known) is, its intense focus on market listings leaves little room for the informative articles writers crave. With the revised edition of Writer's Market Companion, readers will find all the answers they need about the business of writing. <P>Seventeen chapters updated with all of the latest statistics, trends, and news will provide writers with a comprehensive overview of the publishing world. Insider advice from successful authors and editors gives readers a professional view of what it takes to get their work in the market, get it published, and get paid. Topics featured in the book include: *The Writer's World *Your Writing Plan *Selling Your Articles and Other Short Nonfiction *Selling Your Fiction *Promoting Your Business and Yourself *Making and Saving Money *Finding A Community <P>With one of the most trusted names in writing, this book is bound to take its place alongside Writer's Market on every author's desk!
6 Points, Paperback, 1994During the week Robert J. Ray was a teacher.ÃÂ ÃÂ On weekends he learned the fiction writer's craft and produced his first novel.ÃÂ ÃÂ He ended up selling six books in six years.ÃÂ ÃÂ The same success as a writer can happen to you.<br><br><br><br>His step-by-step program, the same one he uses himself and teaches in his popular fiction-writing class, organizes your writing around the weekends.ÃÂ ÃÂ Each weekend you work through the basics of character, scene, and plot, the construction of the novel in scenes and chapters, and the actual writing and editing of your book.
4 Points, Paperback, 1986The story of a travel-hating writer of travel books, Macon Leafy, who systematically avoids adventure... until he meets the frizzy-haired, stiletto-heeled, astonishing Muriel (she's trying to train his unmanageable Welsh corgi, Edward), who up-ends Macon's world and thrusts him into engagement with life. Anne Tyler's most famous best seller.<br><br>Winner of the 1985 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. 2 cassettes.
5 Points, Paperback, 1995
5 Points, DVD, 2002
3 Points, DVD, 2003
7 Points, Paperback, 1993
7 Points, Paperback, 2000
6 Points, Paperback, 2001In our hype-infested society, honest and positive word of mouth can multiply sales explosively. But for those who think it happens by chance (as most marketers do), this book will be an eye-opener. <P>The surprising truth is that word of mouth can be implemented as strategically as any other form of marketing--and at significantly lower cost! This is especially good news for any seller of products or services who must maximize every marketing dollar. <P>Central to this book is the innovative Decision Matrix, which helps readers identify who their potential buyers are and what messages those prospects need to hear from friends, coworkers, and trusted advisors. This matrix is followed by step-by-step guidance on how to construct an integrated "no vested interest" campaign that leverages all channels (including traditional media, the Internet, and PR), penetrates successive tiers of audiences, and builds sales exponentially. Marketers will learn how to: <P>* Target the predominate adopter type (innovator, early, middle, late, laggard) * Create the content--the actual words--needed to accelerate the process * Identify the sources and delivery mechanisms that will be most persuasive * Use a wide variety of the methods that trigger runaway word of mouth.
4 Points, Hardcover, 1997Lester Wunderman's <b>Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay</b> truly is both informative and entertaining. It combines an extraordinary personal history of "direct marketing" with a remarkably candid look at the field's most acclaimed practitioner. Written in an easy-going and deliberately persuasive style obviously honed during Wunderman's six decades in the trenches, the book shows his skill developing and gaining acceptance as he creates revolutionary advertising programs for future corporate stalwarts like the Columbia Record Club and American Express.