3 comments about Trading Options For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance)).

1. What this book lacks in detail, it makes in subject completeness.
   
   There are dozens and dozens of great websites out there describing options and trading strategies in far better depth and completeness than this book. So, if you're looking for complex spreads or techniques, this book will not satisfy you.
   
   However, online searches are so saturated in trading strategies that it's actually difficult to become aware of real world transactional details (like, "who are the market makers? how does assignment work?"). this book nicely wraps up those "loose ends" that are hardly ever mentioned on your favorite search engine.



2. I wanted something that took me from 0 to 60 in a couple of hours, to explain options in plain english. This book goes from 20 to 120 then back to 40 and up to 80 then back to 10, very poorly constructed and organized.
   
   (My review for Dummies: This book is difficult to follow, jumps around a lot, and rarely satisfies the curiousity at hand)



3. I wanted a book which would explain buying and selling options in a thorough way for someone who knew very little about options. This is not the book.
   
   The author seems to have the intent to throw in as many complex terms without every explaining the simple things. Never once in this book is a walk through through on how to buy a call, how to sell the option, or on how to exercise the underlying contract. The same goes for simple puts.

5 comments about Naked Guide to Bonds: What You Need to Know--Stripped Down to the Bare Essentials.

1. I was not expecting to gain this much insight on the topic of bonds and investing but am delighted to have picked this book up and savoured it to the last page in the course of one plane ride!
   Adept, succinct without compromising depth, this young new author has really delivered on his promise to give us the "bare essentials" that anyone should know!



2. I read the Motley Fool Investment Guide and really liked it, so when I saw this at the bookstore with Tom Gardner's endorsement on it, I thought I'd give it a shot. Just like the Fools, this book is written for regular people and is pretty humorous (for an investment book!). The chapters are well organized so that you learn about bonds "step-by-step". It includes discussions about every type of bond and advice on how to put them into your
   portfolio. It's definitely not written like a textbook -- even the complicated concepts come across clearly. In short, this is a great book. I found it easy to understand and, most importantly, full of extremely useful information.



3. In this very good beginner's guide to the bond market, author Michael V. Brandes addresses all of the fundamental questions clearly and concisely. Bond math can be daunting, but while the author includes a few equations for illustrative purposes, he clearly addresses his book to the general run of individual investors. The book, which has moments of surprising good humor, says right off the bat that bond investing can be dull in comparison to stock investing, not because the stakes are lower, but because the elements of personality and surprise are considerably more muted in the debt market than in the equity markets. We highly recommend this book, even though it is pedantic at times - a risk you take when you venture into the complex realm of bond investing.



4. As a former techie who found his way to the wonderful world of supporting a fixed income desk, I found this book to be an excellent overview of the bond market. The author explains complex concepts such as duration and yield in terms that anyone can understand. This is by far the best introductory book to the bond market I have read (and I have read many)!



5. I highly recommend this book. It gives thorough and strait-forward information on every aspect of fixed-income investment vehicles. This is a great way to learn about this market if one is new to it.

3 comments about Candlestick Charting For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance)).

1. I found this book informative. I have been interested in candlestick charting for years and I was not able to find a text that could give me simple, clear, and concise information until Candlestick Charting for Dummies. This book is just what I needed.



2. I have found many technical analysis books are written with too much jargon and are difficult to understand for the non-professional. This book simplifies everything in a well written and comprehensive guide for the layperson looking to learn about candlestick charting technical analysis.



3. Anyone who is interested in trading, whether its on NYSE,NASDAC,or FOREX like my self you buy this book. Loaded with tons of information.

5 comments about Guerilla Marketing on the Internet: The Definitive Guide from the Father of Guerilla Marketing.

1. All the Guerrilla books seem like smart buys to me. Levinson is a very clear speaker and his writing speaks directly to the heart of the matter. Every page offers practical, inspiring advice that makes you want to get moving in your life. This is very good for anyone who wants to market something. I am using it to help build an experimental writing website for Coatlism Press and [...] and it has helped me immensely. I strongly recommend it to anybody with any product. If it can help sell books and writing, which are hard to sell, I could only imagine how much help it could give to a faster selling product (like protein powder).



2. If you are new to internet marketing this is a great book. The tips and ideas are excellent and actionable. It is not a book on SEO or PPC advertising but is up to date enough to address those subjects and point you in directions on where to go. It is a book on a broad spectrum of internet marketing and how to execute what it identifies. I will read it more than once.



3. For any small business, the Guerrilla series on building a business at a lower cost is an excellent resurce. We've used "Guerrilla Marketing" in our small business for more than 5 years, and found it very useful in helping our business grow while keeping our costs down.
   
   Briefly, the differences between Guerrilla Marketing and traditional marketing are a greater dependence on personal networking, word-of-mouth, and personal efforts, and the realization that marketing includes everything a business person does, including the design of the Web site and the appearance of the store. Not to mention having a good product and a passion for your business.
   
   But perhaps the biggest difference is that the Guerrilla Marketer understands that building a business and marketing it takes time. It's a process that goes on all the time, for as long as it takes to be successful. It doesn't take a lot of money, but it does take time.
   
   I think that as a writer that's the most important lesson I've learned from reading Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet. The Internet is a flash thing. In designing Web sites, there's the rule of three's: 3 seconds to get someone's attention, and 3 clicks for them to find what they're looking for on a site. Ironically, using such a fast system and making it work for an entrepreneur is not a short process.
   
   Bulding a Web site? Make sure it represents your company, because it's your store window to the world's Main Street.
   
   Using a Blog? If not, you might consider doing so because it's a very useful tool in personal networking on the Web. But building relationships in cyberspace takes time, and cultivating customers takes time.
   
   This book defines all the terms businesspeople may not yet understand and best of all, takes the fear out of them. Why not do a podcast? Try RSS feeds, by all means.
   
   Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet is a perfect marketing approach for Web 2.0 social networking. If you're at all uncertain of how to use the new technologies -- or even what they are -- this book will educate you. And probably make you more money along the way.



4. I guess it depends what you are looking for in this book, but a lot of the same old stuff rehashed here. Mainly relevant to "sales letter" type websites. Not ecommerce if that is what you are after.



5. This book sadly doesn't live up to the hype. It reads as an advertisement for the services of the authors and even uses one of the authors as a case study.
   The authors use every old marketing trick in the book to try to sell in the new internet world. Truly long online sales letters and one page websites that try to gather user data are not revolutionary and are a true turn off to lots of folks.
   It is rare that I return a book but this one is going back.

5 comments about Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust.

1. 
   I think this book is wonderful. It is packed with content. And it's very informative. However, I wasn't particularly impressed with its organization. There are many books that could be written to help an executor do his or her job in adminstering and settling a decedent's estate, among them would be the following titles:
   
   EXECUTOR DUTIES
   1. An executor's guide about an executor's role, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty
   2. An executor's guide on what to do when the decedent dies
   3. An executor's guide to what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law
   4. An executor's guide to estate property
   5. An executor's guide to estate liabilities
   6. An executor's guide to professionals who help in the administration of an estate
   7. An executor's guide to services offered and performed by estate attorneys
   8. An executor's guide to settling a trust (if the executor is a trustee)
   
   THE LAW
   9. An executor's guide on how to read a will
   10. An executor's guide to the laws of intestacy
   11. An executor's guide to probate procedure
   12. An executor's guide to guardianship law
   13. An executor's guide to disclaimers for post-death estate planning
   14. An executor's guide to Louisiana custom, law, and procedure regarding an executor's duties
   
   TAXES
   15. An executor's guide to federal estate taxes
   16. Case studies: Completed Federal Estate Tax Forms
   17. An executor's guide to state inheritance taxes
   18. Case Studies: Completed State Inheritance Tax Forms
   19. An executor's guide to generation skipping taxes
   20. Case studies: Completed Generation Skipping Tax Forms
   21. An executor's guide to income taxes
   22. Case studies: Completed Income Tax Forms
   
   The instant book being reviewed was close to 500 pages long. Each one of the suggested books above could easily be 500+ pages long if written well and completely. In fact, #s 10 and 11 could be done for each state and probably be 500+ pages each. The point is, that for the instant book being reviewed to get a 5-star rating it has to be well organized so it can act as a springboard for the reader into other resources. In my humble opinion, this book does not force the reader to quickly and easily grasp the material presented. Accordingly, I have bumped down its star rating. But don't take my word for it. Judge for yourself. Does the book cover the 22 topics listed herein above in a clear and organized manner?
   
   This book totes itself as an "excutor's" guide. But I think it is better defined as an adminstration and settlement guide for executors AND TRUSTEES. Thus, I would change the title a bit to make it more representative of what the book covers.
   
   I think Part I (Getting Ready) along with chapters 3 (The First Week), 4 (The First Month), and 9 (Managing Money & Paying Bills) should be moved to the end of the book and renamed Appendix A. And I think the title of the new Appendix A should be "Roles, Responsibilities, & Fiduciary Duty." I would move chapters 6 and 7 to the end of the book and call them Appendix B. Reading a Will is something an executor must do, but it is ancillary to his or her roles, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty. And I think Part IV (Getting More Help) should be made Appendix C. The current Appendix A should be renamed Appendix D.
   
   I think the middle of the book should be reordered as follows:
   
   8. Taking inventory
   >>5. Life Ins, SS, & other benefits
   >>15. Retirement plans
   >>16. POD assets
   >>13. Survivorship property
   >>14. Community property
   12. Property that doesn't go through probate
   18. The regular probate process
   17. Special procedures for small estates
   11. Taxes
   
   I'm not sure where Chapter 10 belongs? It seems to be just thrown into the middle of the book. I think it should at least have been positioned somewhere close to Chapter 20 (Managing a Child's Trust). 4 stars!



2. This book was informative and served as a good guide for getting started on settling an estate. It also was easy to understand.



3. PA state inhertince tax book tells you everything in this book for free and it is available for download from the state. I wish I had not bought the book.



4. The good news is that contrary to the review about the "e-edition", the Kindle edition is NOT formatted in 2 columns. That review may have referred to the PDF file version one can buy from Nolo or Amazon, and the 2 column format of those is indeed extremely annoying.
   
   The bad news is that the Kindle edition is possibly a faulty conversion from PDF, which Kindle conversion does not do at all well. The result is a table of contents that doesn't go where one expects, and generally problematic formatting and hyperlinks. It also doesn't always change type size correctly.
   
   The other bad news is that this is the 2006 2nd edition: the 3rd is the current paper edition. This is another case of a high priced Kindle edition that has problems and is out of date to boot.
   
   That said, if you are working on estate plans or a new will or anticipating serving as executor in future, this book will give you an excellent idea of what you'll be faced with and have to do. But when the time comes, get the current edition in paper.



5. If you have just become the executor of your loved one's estate, let me say that I am so sorry for your loss. This book helped me get from the funeral to final settlement for my father's estate. Randolph filled this book with easy to understand descriptions, sample letters and checklists to keep you on target -- what to do first, second, third and so one.
   
   Executor' Guide is intended to be a general guide for all 50 states so it doesn't address every state's individual laws. You may still need a local attorney to advise you on specifics for your area. There is still a lot you can do on your own. This book guides you through it.

5 comments about The Little Book That Builds Wealth: The Knockout Formula for Finding Great Investments (Little Books. Big Profits).

1. Reviewing a book like this today is like joining a weight-loss program and concluding on the first day whether or not you got your money's worth. Too early to tell. Ask me again after I've put the lessons in this book to work. Like a year from now. (Gave it a one-star rating because this system wouldn't take my submission unless it included a rating.)



2. Have not finished reading book as yet, but thus far I am picking up good, useful investment information and insights. The only omission I sense, so far, is that there may not be enough "actionable" information (i.e, much theory, but lack of specific recommendations based on that theory). But I will not know that for sure until I finish the book.



3. Becoming an investor who can quite regularly beat a broad based index (e.g. S&P 500) is near impossible. Just ask two of the most famous investors ever: John Bogle of Vanguard (who wrote his own "Little Book" warning investors to stay away from anything but low cost index funds) and Warren Buffett (of Berkshire Hathaway who also recommends index funds for the average investor). They point out that numerous studies show professional money managers (mutual funds) fail to beat the index funds they set out to beat time and time again--and trying to find the few mutual funds that will beat the index is close to a fool's errand. And when regular folks try to pick individual stocks, the results are even worse. Unfortunately, there is one problem with index fund investing: it's boring. Very boring. Moreover, we, for better or worse (worse in the case of investing in capital markets), don't like to be "average" and index fund investing by definition will only yield "average" results.
   
   So investors try very hard to be more than average. And they start by buying books like this one.
   
   This is where Dorsey comes in. He borrows Warren Buffett's now famous concept of 'moats', which is just another term for a structural competitive advantage of a business, and shows his readers how to find them, evaluate them, and then use them to make a profit by investing in individual stocks. Dorsey's game plan is straightforward: find a great business with a moat and buy it only you can get it for less than it's intrinsically worth. The book is well-organized, uses plain-written language and is easily understandable; Dorsey's categories of different moats are well thought out and he provides multiple examples in each moat category.
   
   Here's my problem with this book: Dorsey has you believe that if you can master the concept of moats then you, little you, should spend some time trying to "beat the market." To do this right, however, requires more time than almost any investor (even those who are retired or fanatical) has. First, you have to find a great business with a moat (not as easy as it sounds and it entails both qualitative and quantitative analysis). Then you have to value it (also not easy). Then you have to figure out how much of your portfolio to invest in that company (this step Dorsey conspicuously leaves out which is critical and often overlooked - I would recommend the Kelly Formula outlined in the book "Fortune's Formula"). Then you have to stay up-to-date with the corporation (and its competitors) by reading news stories, press releases, and quarterly reports. Finally you have to watch the stock price: if the stock goes down a lot but the moat and intrinsic value hasn't shrunk, you should buy more of the stock (this is hard for most investors to do) and if the price goes up and the moat or intrinsic value hasn't grown as fast as the stock price, you should sell some of the stock. Get any of these steps wrong along the way and you are sunk. Oh, and you will likely be following multiple companies in your portfolio. Are we still having fun?
   
   As you can now start to tell, applying this "little book" will take a lot of your time. Of course, you could beat the market, but chances are you will make a few mistakes that could cost you a lot of money. My recommendation is to use the book instead in two counterintuitive ways. First, use it to understand what make a great business "great" and if you are thinking about opening your own business, figure out how you can create a moat for it, no matter how small. Second, if you are working in corporate America use the concept of moats to make your company better.
   
   But if you use the book for what and who it is intended for, be forewarned.



4. This is a quick, easily comprehensible, read to understand the philosophy of Morningstar's analysis approach and fundamental investment thesis. Well worth the money.



5. Pat Dorsey's Little Book That Builds Wealth really is a big book that contributes volumes to the investment universe. Overlaying Pat's explanation of the different types of moats on Warren Buffett's portfolio helps the professional and the private investor understand the very important investment moat principles. Coke is a brand or intangible asset moat. Wells Fargo is a switching cost moat. American Express is a network effect moat. And although no longer publicly traded and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, GEICO is a cost advantage moat. This little book is a must read for every participant of the stock market."
   -- Robert P. Miles, author The Warren Buffett CEO

5 comments about 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire.

1. From a job seeker perspective, this book has been worth personally more than 2000 times its list price. It is like being able to read the other team's playbook before the championship game! If you are seeking a job in Corporate America, don't go in without reading this book because this book will get you half way there......and in some unfortunate "buzz-word company" cases - all the way. It tells you everything they want to hear and why. Satisfy HR first, and then worry about your potenital new boss. Why waste your money on learning what you could say during an interview from other books. This book truly allows you to switch seats with your interviewer. This book is truly deserving of the yellow cover with black stripes and should be entitled, "Interviewing in Corporate America"



2. Paul Falcone worked as the Employment Manager for a very large mortgage company. His 96 questions are a compilation of questions that he gathered over the years that help narrow down a candidate pool. These questions are above and beyond the normal tested legal quidelines, they ask whether a person can do the job as described.

   If you are a hiring manager, this will help you to have a template to ask great job related questions. For those organizations who like to have structured interviews, this can be used to pick and choose questions for various managers to help compile a great profile from the interview process. Structuring allows you not to repeat the same questions and shows the candidates that you are careful in your selection process and are interested in getting the best.

   If you are a recruiter, manager or even a job seeker wondering what may be asked in an interview, this is a great tool to have in your library.




3. Falcone offers invaluable advice as to how to "identify high performance candidates, probe beyond superficial answers, spot 'red flags' which indicate evasions or untruths, get references which provide reliable information about candidates, and negotiate job offers which attract winners." The value of this book is perhaps best indicated by the results of research conducted by Bradford D. Smart of more than 4,000 executives in 50 of the "Fortune 500" companies, shared in Topgrading which I have reviewed previously. The results confirm Peter Drucker's assertion that "The ability to make good decisions regarding people represents one of the last reliable sources of competitive advantage, since very few organizations are very good at it." For me, the most stunning revelations in Smart's book are found on page 50, in Figure 3.2, "Cost of Mis-Hire Study Results." According to the results of Smart's extensive research study, the sum of total costs of a mis-hire (on average) are as follows:
   
   Base salary Less than $100,000: 14 times salary
   
   Base Salary $100,000-250,000: 28 times salary
   
   All Salaries: 24 times salary
   
   Sobering statistics indeed. In his book, Falcone includes two recurring sections which define the context within which each of the 96 questions is asked: "Why Ask This Question?" and "Analyzing the Response." He also alerts the reader/interviewer to relevant "Red Flags" which might otherwise be invisible. Books such as this (and it's one of the best) can guide and inform a rigorous process by which to identify those candidates which offer the strongest talent, skills, and (yes) character. I strongly recommend this book to any and all decision-makers and decision-influencers who are involved in their organization's hiring process. But please keep in mind that candidates may have also read this book. For interviewers, it is highly desirable to reveal the person "behind the resume." It is also imperative to obtain "real information" from credible reference persons. My own opinion is that they as well as candidates need to be thoroughly checked out.



4. This book was an excellent resource in recent interview preparations for a new hire and I will definitely keep it in my collection. I was able to quickly compile ones I thought were applicable and have a handy list for the interview. My only wish is that they made more interview books suited towards public sector jobs. Still I highly recommend it.



5. this book is absolutely wonderful in guidence in the interview process. i havent' been in the managers position in about 10 years and had forgotten what was allowed and not allowed to ask. i'm glad this book was there for me to review and learn from. the "red flag" information was a great help in determination of review. very to the point and easy to understand.

5 comments about Five Minutes With VITO.

1. "Five Minutes with VITO" is for those sales professionals who have the desire and commitment to WIN new business. The book outlines specific processes and techniques to get in touch with and in front of "The Very Important Top Officer", the ultimate decision-maker, and what to do and how to do it once you get there.
   It is challenging! If you tough it out the results are incredible. The processes of "VITO Selling" coupled with the Sandler Selling System will make you effective and efficient in the brutal game of "Cold Calling".
   The Broadcast Center referenced on page 201 of the book is a real bonus!



2. This book is a must for any sales person who needs to get to the executives of his prospects. I have managed sales forces for over 25 years and have found that all sales people struggle with both getting to and differentiating themselves at the "C: level. This book will walk any level of experience salesperson through the steps of 1) how to get to the CEO,COO, CFO,CIO ("C" level) how to differentiate yourself when you get to the meeting. My teams have started to use the principles contained within this book with great results!



3. I like this book's approach to sales. It's got hard, tactical information that I'm using to build a better sales strategy for my business, and also has some good recommendations on how to overcome problems like Gatekeepers and prospects who back out of the sale. The part about equal business stature - where you learn how to sound like the person you're trying to talk to - landed me a couple of great appointments. After reading it myself, I bought a book for each member of my salesforce.
   
   I'm using the 'Million Dollar Sales Game - Sandler Edition' for a team building exercise.



4. When I first learned there was a new book that combines VITO (Very Important Top Officer) training with Sandler Institute training, I was intrigued. Not only have I reviewed two of Anthony Parinello's books but I have also worked in sales departments that put his practices into motion. To top it off, I also attended a six-week Sandler Institute course on selling. What's interesting is that in the past I found some of the Sandler training conflicted with what I'd learned from the VITO books. Even with the obvious polarities in strategy, "Five Minutes With VITO" by Parinello and Sandler Institute CEO David Mattson comes off as a marriage made in heaven.
   
   What stands out most in the book are Parinello's teachings on taking on a VITO-like attitude, visualizing success, and establishing rapport with the top officer of the company. For instance, he says:
   
   YOUR JOB AS A TOP SALESPERSON HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PRODUCT'S FEATURE SET, OR THE SPEED OF YOUR WIDGETS, OR THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS WON AWARDS FOR ENGINEERING OR SERVICE OR PUBLIC RELATIONS EXCELLENCE, OR THE POPULARITY OF YOUR BRAND. THAT'S ALL INTERESTING, AND IT'S ALL POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU DO TO EARN YOUR PAYCHECK...BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT VITO BUYS!
   
   YOUR JOB IS SIMPLY TO REACH OUT TO LARGE NUMBERS OF VITOS AND HAVE EFFECTIVE SALES CONVERSATIONS--CONVERSATIONS THAT MIRROR VITO'S OWN SELLING PROCESS. SPECIFALLY, YOUR JOB IS TO EXECUTE, WITH DUE DILIGENCE, THOSE CRUCIAL FIRST FIVE MINUTES--THE FIVE MINUTES THAT WILL VERY LIKELY DETERMINE THE COURSE THE ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP WILL FOLLOW.
   
   Not only that but it's filled with templates for cold calling, good advice on getting past gatekeepers, and it encourages you take action after every chapter. Sandler's teachings on discovering pain, budget, and decision-making authority fit in nicely. Some of the prior VITO books dealt with how to get in the door. This one deals with what to say when you get in. Though it was my understanding that Sandler Training at one time didn't believe in mailing information prior to a cold call, Parinello does and continues to provide examples on what to mail much like his other books.
   
   The advice in "Five Minutes with VITO" is not without its flaws though. Some of Parinello's pitches sound a little too much like what other salespeople say (something Sandler once discouraged, and this book says to avoid in regards to not doing what the competition is doing). Plus it doesn't take into consideration that many companies have adopted some form of VITO tactics. Therefore, they may send the same type of letters and postcards and make the same type of pitches on the phone and in person and create a saturation of cookie-cutter junk mail and clone-like telephone strategies. (I've seen this happen in my real life consulting experience.)
   
   If you've never read any of Parinello's books or if you haven't read Sandler's classic "You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar" this book is a nice introduction to both styles of training. But if you've read previous VITO books, you'll find that there isn't much new information here. However, having seen both schools of thought on sales in practices that resulted in new business for companies I've worked with as an employee, a consultant, and a contracted lead generation strategist, how could I not recommend this book? It should be a welcome addition to your sales library.
   
   Emanuel Carpenter
   Author of "Dead Guys Don't Buy"



5. This is an unusually good book, combining two strong selling methodologies.
   
   It gives an outline and techniques that are required in the marketplace.
   It is excellent at the outline and detail for reaching VITO and then understanding how to sell them.

5 comments about Coping with Difficult People: The Proven-Effective Battle Plan That Has Helped Millions Deal with the Troublemakers in Their Lives at Home and at Work.

1. The concept of this book is good. You can't change other people, and you can't always avoid them. The most realistic option is to have some coping strategies. I think the author outlined them well. I gave the book three stars, though, because the reading got to be tedious and boring. I've read similar books that are more enjoyable, either because you can identify the different personality type with humor, or because they explained the personalities more realistically with better situational examples. This book seemed a little dry.



2. I thought the parts of this book that described some of the different, difficult personalities was very good. I actually really thought it had something to offer and the strategies were practical. The insights though didn't stick and I think that you have to read this regularly to keep reminding yourself that all these people exist in the world (including you) and you are going to see them every day. Thats kind of a depressing thought actually. With all the other books I need to keep reading to remind myself about various insights I want to stay home.



3. Read about the different types of people in the world today, and find out ways to deal with difficult personalities.



4. There are some other books out there on the same subject. Some, like "Toxic Coworkers," may do the job even better. But this is still a useful volume. As the Introduction notes (page 1): "This is a book about impossible people and how to cope with them." Coping is the center of this work--how to deal with workers who are difficult to work with. The idea? (Page 7): "Coping enables you and the Difficult Person to get on with the business at hand." "Win-win" is the goal. Is the advice useful? Each reader will have to decide for him/herself?
   
   The book describes a variety of difficult types: hostile-aggressive, the complainer, unresponsive ones, wonderfully nice people who don't perform, the negativist, know-it-alls, and indecisive stallers. For each, the author describes the malady and then suggests how one might work with them to get the best out of them. The book closes, also, with ideas as to how one can manage one's own "defensive behavior" around such problem workers. The author concludes (page 214): ". . .many people just like you have found that coping effectively with difficult people is possible."
   
   Final question: How well does the book succeed? Not bad, but the solutions will not convince all readers.



5. For the first time I am reviewing a book that I did not completely read. In fact, I read only the first two chapters. But at the time--several years ago, those were the only chapters I needed. Robert M. Bramson, management consultant, found that the number one problem in all the businesses he worked with was people trying to cope with difficult people. So he wrote this book.
   
   He identifies six types of difficult people:
   Hostile-aggressives: those who bully and throw tantrums to get their way;
   Complainers: those who gripe incessantly but do nothing to change things;
   Super-Agreeables: those who are supportive and agreeable but fail to follow through;
   Silent and Unresponsives: those who respond to every question with yep, no, or a grunt;
   Negativists: those who deflate any optimism you have;
   Know-It-All Experts: those who know everything about anything worth knowing-- their goal is to make you feel worthless;
   Indecisives: those who stall major decisions until they are made for them, often causing loss of jobs and opportunities.
   
   The problem I had to work with was the Hostile-Agressive, of which there are three types: the Sherman Tank, the Sniper, and the Exploder. The Sniper makes deeply cutting comments under the guise of humor so that the victim is always slightly off-balance. Was it a joke or not? The Sherman Tank bullies verbally and physically if necessary to see that things go his way. He can be very intimidating. The Exploder is frightening in his vociferous behavior. Of the three the Exploder is the only one who cannot be persuaded to calm down. The victim must wait for that.
   
   The husband, now ex-husband, was the Exploder and also a Complainer, Negativist, and a Know-It-All. The most difficult to deal with is the Exploder. Once he started, his temper and voice became louder and louder. The first step in dealing with this behavior is to get their attention by saying STOP! Stop!. That never worked for me. I thought surely if I break into his monolog he would stop and listen to me. He just got louder and louder. If I yelled, he yelled louder. If I talked, he demanded that I stop sassing him.
   
   The method that always worked for me was to allow him time to calm down. The best way for him to achieve that calmness was that I leave the house. I would drive around for at least 30 minutes, then return home. He was always over his tantrum and usually friendly. He never apologized for anything (it was ALWAYS my fault). We would just start talking again as if nothing had happened. The big deal is that this method worked every time. He needed to be away from interaction with other people until his anger faded.
   
   I have recommended this book to a number of people over the years and tout its efficacy in working with difficult people, especially the Exploders.

5 comments about Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur: What It Takes to Win in High-Stakes Commercial Real Estate.

1. This is the best commercial real estate primer I have ever read. I run a commercial real estate brokerage and this is required reading for all of my agents. I highly recommend it.



2. If you are looking for a step by step buy a house, rehab it, and get rich, please find another book. If you are looking for a dull textbook type presentation you should also pass.
   
   If you are looking for clear explanations of concepts and illustrated with some small case studies to kick start your brain, then this might be just the thing to get you from dreaming to doing.
   
   Although I knew almost all the concepts presented, this book made them much more concrete. I have already begun the process of actually doing instead of sitting on my butt thinking about doing!
   
   Thank You!!



3. Finally a book for someone in the NE to read and understand NE real estate numbers, both insightful and inspirational.



4. This book is absolutely excellent. Jim's writing is straightforward and easy to understand even when he is discussing fairly complex ideas. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in any aspect of commercial Real Estate!



5. Jim Randel shares his 30+ years of real estate experience in this outstanding book. You might not know that he leased Bed, Bath and Beyond space in one of his buildings and they tried to hire him to expand nationwide. He turned down the job. Also, he leased Martha Stewart her first store in the 1980s in Westport, CT. He has closed more than 5,000 transactions as an attorney and is one of the brightest real estate investors in the country. His self-deprecating writing style is refreshing. He once made almost $1,000,000 for an hour long meeting that resulted in a 50/50 split of a brokerage commission. You'll learn more about these stories and much more in "Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur".
   
   You simply must buy this book!