Finance

The thing I really like about this book is the system it uses to help you find the correct spelling of lots and lots of words. Arranged alphabetically are all the possible phonetic ways different words could be spelled with the correct spelling next to it. The incorrect spellings are in one font and the correct spellings are in another. There are also numerous explanations of the words, including sources, usages, and so on. These are very entertaining to read. I highly recommend this book.

When I was in high school, I and a few good friends made a pretty good hobby out of tormenting (in a good way, of course) one particular English teacher in our school.

One of my favorite tactics in this teacher's classroom was to blurt out, in mock consternation, "How do you spell ______?" whenever I couldn't spell a word. Why? Because a) I was young and immature and a legend in my own mind, and b) the teacher always fell right into my trap...

"Look it up in the dictionary!" he'd scream, without fail, pitching me a nice softball right over the plate ...

"But HOW," I whined, "am I supposed to look up a word when I can't spell it in the first place?!"

(GLARING SCOWL)

Problem was, I was only half-kidding with most of my questions (though I'd never admit as much to the teacher). Often it really WAS difficult (not to mention time-consuming) to look up the words I didn't know, especially if their spellings weren't very intuitive.

I guess that's why I'm enjoying my copy of "1,001 Commonly Misspelled Words." With this handy book, you don't need to know how to spell a word already before looking it up. You need only know how to pronounce it -- because you can then look it up phonetically. Why didn't someone think of this before?! Once you get to the word's phonetic spelling, you can then see the correct (though often counterintuitive!) spelling. Plus, you might get a little story about the word or, better yet, some sort of nemonic -- er, I mean mnemonic -- device so that you can remember how to spell it in the future.

I only wish the book included more words. But in any case, it's a nice tool -- especially for a writer type like me. I would think it might also make a good gift for new college students and others who will be tearing their spelling hair out from time to time in the years to come.

Highly recommended!

This book is not worth the paper it's printed on. Several of 1101 ideas are repeated under different headings and most are truly idiotic! For example, only a few of the 60 ideas under the "FOOD" heading make mention of any government food safety regulations. The author suggests you can sell peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at your local mall, sell hot gourmet dinners out of your truck to train and freeway commuters to eat before they get home or bottle your own water. Huh?? This book assumes you can acquire many of the highly specialized skills needed to be a blacksmith, butcher, glass blower, embalmer, real estate agent, etc. naturally in no time or cost. Offers no resources, websites, or bibliography to help the bewildered and bemused reader actually attempt any of the ideas.

It was hard to believe this book was published in the 90's. There was a suggestion that stuffing envelopes was a suitable job for handicapped people. He suggested raising domesticated chipmunks, running a puppy mill, going door-to-door to teach people how to tie knots, repairing guns... It goes on in that vein. I also question how many of these jobs qualify as home-based. This book is definitely worth a perusal since it is amusing but it is not worth buying.

The first thought that comes to mind is if they took the silly (selling chipmunks as pets), illegal( importing and selling exotic animals), and impratical for the vast majority (gun smithing and instrument building) ideas from this book they would have to call it "78 Non-Profitable Ideas That You May Start From Home But Must Do Someplace Else". Since this title is obviously too long and not nearly cathcy enough for the 90's, its clear that they decidede to add 1023 ideas to the book and sell it to an unsuspecting public.

On reading this book I was struck by the complete lunacy of some of the suggestions. The author is suggesting starting a business going door-to-door teaching people how to tie knots and also manages to put forward the idea of breeding chipmunks for pets. There are numerous bizarre ideas like this.

The worst part of it is that most of the suggestions could be bested by a simpleton with half an hour of free time and and a sharp pencil.

This book is completely absurd, however I would recommend getting from the library in order to laugh at a great number of its ideas for businesses, numerous of which are obviuosly illegal or unethical.

I'm not yet 2/3rds of the way through Luc Dupont's book, but already, I am disappointed. He's collected lots of tips from lots of sources, but the book is filled with contradictions (sometimes within pages of each other), bad editing, bad proofreading, and the perpetuation of outright myths.

I wouldn't have even posted a review, had Dupont not repeated that old nonsense about the Chevy Nova not selling well in South America because the name translates as "doesn't go." (Actually, Dupont doesn't even get the myth right, saying it means "It doesn't work.")

The fact is, this IS a myth, no matter how many times it is told, and even though it is often told by no less than Landor Associates, one of the world's largest "naming" organizations.

The editorial sloppiness is annoying too. At one point, actor Don Johnson is listed - on the same page - as endorsing both Coca Cola AND Pepsi. Legendary direct mail writer Dick Hodgson is listed as "Dick Richard S. Hodgson," and typos abound.

Trouble is, all these inaccuracies make one wonder how many are as yet undiscovered. And that, in a book that purports to present proven techniques, really hurts credibility.

This book is arranged in ten thematic sections with subdivisions. Each chapter is a well-researched mix of scientific knowledge and concrete examples.

The written style is lighter and more easily readable than that of a typical advertising book. An extensive index and chapter notes are provided for easy referencing. Sources include: Advertising Age, Adweek, Harvard Business Review, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

This is truly a quality book. Recommended for academic and public libraries that serve marketing students, small businesses and entrepreneurs.

I didn't know anything about this book before I read a review by John Kremer. Mr. Kremer is an expert on book publishing and marketing. He is also the author of a number of books on marketing, including 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, The Complete Direct Marketing Sourcebook and High-Impact Marketing on a Low-Impact Budget.

Here is what Mr. Kremer has to say about 1001 Advertising Tips:

"I use 1001 Advertising Tips as an ideal stimulator. Great sections on headlines that get results, copy that sells, effective typefaces, comparative advertising, and effects of repetition."

Mr. Kremer, you're right! 1001 Advertising Tips is exceptionally good, written with energy and full of ads. Dupont's passionate interest in advertising and knowledge about his subject are evident. Unlike most advertising books, this one provides its information in a light and conversational way.

This book addresses the question: How to Create Advertising that Sells? The writing is direct, and the book design is spacious, with lots of subheads and photographs.

This very detailed book can be understood by anyone with an interest in advertising. Many of the names will be familiar, Ogilvy, Caples, Bly, Hopkins, etc., but other lesser-known figures are also included.

I picked up this book in a bookstore, started reading it, went back to work and shut my door to continue reading it throughout the afternoon! It's full of good advice for anyone who works for someone else - lots of motivating, common sense tactics to get along in the business world. Perpaps business schools should offer a course on "Real Business 101" and use this book as a text!