Book Description
The Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosure Deeds introduces you to the best investment alternative of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Every month, smart investors are placing their money in fixed interest rates of 16 percent or more in government-sponsored tax liens. Plus, learn how to invest in foreclosure tax deeds. All of this in 7 days! From the publishers of Investing Without Losing, ISBN 0978834607.
Customer Reviews:
This book was an eye opener.......2007-09-20
I read The Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosures in one weekend. It is very consice and gets right to the point. It was fun researching some of the suggested sites and actually seeing some of the properties that were listed. I am a detail person, and I would have preferred to get more details on some of the pitfalls that I may face in making these purchases, but Don Sausa does have a unique ability to take a complex subject and simplify it for all readers. I think this is a great book for anyone who needs to know about purchasing tax liens and deeds. There are so many rip-off programs out there and people are paying alot for them. I applaud Mr. Sausa for his consumer friendly book and the website support. It is a great value!
Good starting book.......2007-08-10
I want to give this book a star of 4.5 because I think it is clear and straight to the point about the topics. It helped me understand what kind of investment it is and more importantly, it tells me about the possible risks/problems. There are many books about the same topics and many of them simply address too much about the "easy, simple and safe" side of the investment. The reality is all successful investment takes some research. But this book doesn't seem to be hiding any potential problems and certainly showed me a clearer picture of this type of investment and how to do it. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in this field, especially beginners. Thanks!
Know your state laws.......2007-07-12
I truly enjoyed this book. But I've learned that our state (NC) does not have tax lien certificates or deeds to play with like this book teaches. However, this does not mean one cannot use the information in another state that allows this activity. If you only want to do this in your residential state, find out first if it is allowed. If not, I wouldn't waste my time researching further.
A practical, solid guide to an excellent alternative.......2007-06-04
Tax lien expert Don Sausa presents The Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosure Deeds, a guide for lay readers of modest means and up to investing in a secure market favored by the rich - government tax auctions, in which tax lien certificates and tax deeds are sold for pennies on the market value dollar. Designed for quick-study in seven days or less, The Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosure Deeds covers where to find tax auctions, important research that one should undertake before the auction, bidding types and strategies, how to flip tax liens, and much more. A practical, solid guide to an excellent alternative to investing in the volatile stock market or lower-yield bonds, featuring numerous sample checklists, state-by-state summaries of auction types, and much more to help any reader get started in the market. Highly recommended.
Enjoyable read.......2007-06-02
This is an enjoyable light reading on tax liens. Although the book says you can learn it in seven days, I think you can probably read through this entire book in about six hours. You don't carry a huge bunch of pages with useless glossaries. It goes straight to the point and step by step. I also recommend reading Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens: Earn Safe, Secured, and Fixed Returns Every Time by Loftis. Our local library showcased these two books actually during the tax season. I don't think they knew these books were actually for real estate tax liens rather than personal taxes. But I'm glad they showed it!
To break it down, here's why I like this book --
a. It's a very easy read, you can get done with it in 6 hours.
b. It's cheaper than a tax lien system I found online by supposed gurus who charge an arm and a leg. yikes!
c. It's written by someone who actually buys tax liens and not just someone that writes for a living. Those books tend to "look great" but lacking in content.
d. It isn't boring, it is illustrated.
Product Description
Purchasing tax lien instruments from city, county, and municipal governments can provide you with very high and secure rates of return, in some cases as high as 12%, 18%, 24%, or even 1,000% or more per year. If performed correctly, investments in tax lien instruments will far outpace stock market performance, even traditional real estate investments. The key is to know how to perform this process correctly. Tax lien certificates and deeds are not purchased through a broker; you purchase these property tax liens directly from the state or county government (depending on the state). This type of investment was created by state law, and state law protects you as the investor. Investing in tax liens and deeds can be very rewarding. Tax liens can be tax deferred or even tax-free. You can purchase them in your self-directed IRA. Interest rates vary but average between 4% and 18%. The interest rates are fixed by local governments, essentially a government-guaranteed loan. Additionally, the investment is secured by real property (real estate). This sounds great, but what is the catch? There really is none, except you must know what you are doing! This groundbreaking and exhaustively researched new book will provide everything you need to know to get you started on generating high-investment returns with low risk, from start to finish. You will learn what property tax liens and tax lien certificates are; how to invest in tax lien certificates; how to buy tax lien certificates; insider secrets to help you double or even triple your investment, how to start with under $1,000; the risks, traps, and pitfalls to avoid; and a detailed directory of states that sell tax lien certificates with contact information. In addition, we spent thousands of hours interviewing, e-mailing, and communicating with hundreds of todays most successful investors. This book is a compilation of their secrets and proven successful ideas. If you are interested in learning hundreds of hints, tricks, and secrets on how to purchase tax liens and deeds and earn enormous profits, then this book is for you.
Customer Reviews:
Doesn't offer much.......2007-08-09
The other reviewers are obviously novices, easily impressed, or are related to the author or publisher. Would you rather read a cook book written by Julia Child or Martha Stewart or one written by me after interviewing Julia & Martha? The author has never bought a tax lien and doesn't pretend that she has, and the book reads that way.
The book is fairly thorough, but gives no real insight or tips experienced by a seasoned investor in tax liens. The book has a very general tone about it throughout. It's obvious the author has never gone near a courthouse or auction. The book is roughly 30-40% filler material. I read this book in one evening. Of all the tax liens books that I've read I would put this one at the bottom of the stack.
The best book on tax liens over the past several years is Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens by Larry Loftis. The 16% Solution written in 1994 is dated, but would be my second choice. No I'm not related to Mr. Loftis and wouldn't recommend any other book written by him that I've read.
More viable information than any other similar book I have found todate.......2007-06-08
The Complete Guide to Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens & Deeds: How to Earn High Rates of Return - Safely
"By far the most through and comprensive of any book I have found anywhere on this subject of Investing in Tax Liens"! Has enabled me to make a considerable amount over the past few months with very little effort.
Buy this book and avoid the seminars.......2007-04-09
Tax lien investing is interesting. They are touted as a surefire winning ivestments and many "experts" offer training costing thousands of dollars to "train" you on how to invest in these "goldmines". Do yourself a favor, buy this book and avoid the seminars. You are going to learn by experience and this book will help you get started. The seminars are simply going to part you and your money. Tax liens are not as easy as they sound. You cannot simply go down to the courthouse and buy a 25% lien. Most people trying to get you into this game neglect to mention the fact that large companies will flood the market with lowball offers to obtain a majority of the better tax liens.
No nonsense. No hype. No Details.......2007-01-13
From reading the cover you might think this is another get rich quick idea. After reading the book, however, you'll find a hype-free matter of fact approach. All the benefits and pitfalls (at least that I could think of) are covered. I went to a seminar where someone pitched an expensive package of services to help someone who wanted to invest in tax lien certificates. Instead I bought this book. It will answer your questions and help you decide if you want to proceed. What the book does not include are all the little details you'll need to actually execute a purchase. This varies a lot by state and would require the book to double in size. So, if you just want to know about these investments, I recommend this book. If you are ready to invest, you'll need more information.
Good explanation of difficult subject.......2007-01-04
Tax lien and tax deed investing are complicated subjects, made even more complicated by the huge variations in laws from state to state. This book explains the different details with great clarity.
The book opens with general chapters that explain why the differences between tax liens and tax deeds, the things an investor must consider when planning such an investment, and guidelines that will help make the process more comfortable. For example, even an experienced investor may have little experience with auctions, which is the method most governments use to sell tax liens and deeds - "The Complete Guide" has tips on what to bring and do in those situations.
Also in the early chapters, Burrell uses real world examples to help explain points - showing, for example, the forms used to register for an auction in Los Angeles. Later, Burrell discusses subjects like foreclosing (the painful part for those of us without thick skin) and getting financing for a tax lien or tax deed investment.
However, the key parts of the book are the tables (I think there are about 20); Chapter 12, which has a comprehensive breakdown of the different state laws; and the exceptionally comprehensive, 60-page (you read that right!) glossary.
Book Description
Mexico's political, social, and economic landscapes have shifted in very striking ways in recent years, and the country now moves cautiously into the twenty-first century. The Course of Mexican History has been updated and revised to address these remarkable transformations. This seventh edition offers a completely up-to-date, lively, and engaging survey from pre-Columbian times to the present. New sections cover the dramatic 2000 election of Vicente Fox to the presidency of Mexico; the privatization of state-owned enterprises and the concept of the free market; and the reaction of the communities of rural Mexico to this economic "progress." Lavishly illustrated throughout, the text features 250 photographs and drawings, and 14 maps for easy reference. The leading textbook in its field, The Course of Mexican History is indispensable for students interested in Mexican history, politics, economics, and culture.
Customer Reviews:
Alright for a text book.......2007-05-15
Had to buy this book for a Modern Mexican History class, so I only read the chapters dealing with Mexican history from the end of the colonial period through the end of the book. What I read was interesting, brief and to the point as a text book should be. However, I would not enjoy just sitting down and reading it for fun.
typical college text.......2007-03-14
This is a general narrative summary of Mexican history. It is not very deep on anything, has few direct quotes from primary materials, but it's organized fairly well. For the beginner - or college student who is not very intellectually ambitious or curious - it's OK. For anyone else, I'd advise buying the really excellent Mexico Reader, Duke Univ Press, edited by Gil Joseph et al. The Mexico Reader is a terrific compendium of original sources covering all the same periods and can be used as a complement or in place of this book.
The best place to start to learn about Mexico's History .......2007-03-05
Growning up in a "Mexican" household with parents that did not teach me Spanish or much about Mexico's history, culture and roots has left me with a thirst to find out more about Mexico. I am so happy that I stumbled upon this book. This is a book that is easy to read. This was actually the book that I started with in my pursuit to find out more about Mexico's culture and history. This is also where I would advise anyone else to start.
From this book you will learn about Mexico's early Indian civilizations through the Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest all the way to the colonial era through the revolution and independence of Mexico, and post-1940 era. If you want to learn more about Mexico's history you will also find recommended readings at the end of each chaper of this book. I highly recommend this book.
First-Rate History.......2007-02-25
Easy to read, remarkably free from academic cant, with suggestions for further reading placed conveniently at the end of each chaper, this is undoubtedly the best one-volume history of Mexico available. A good place to start for anyone interested in the subject.
Best book on Mexican History.......2006-12-18
Sherman, Myers and Deeds have the best book on Mexican history that can be found. It covers all aspects from the social and cultural to the military and political. It is very well written with plenty of pictures so you can visualize what happened at each point. The analysis is truly top notch and one of the great assets of this book is the wonderful suggested reading at the end of each chapter. It really allows you to learn all about Mexico and then go back and read further on the parts you find the most interesting. This is an essential book for any latin American history library and one that will live on throughout the ages. It is updated regularly although any edition is a great start to learning about Mexico. Whether you are an expert or a beginner you will find this book useful.
Book Description
The essential companion guide for any stand mixer.
A stand mixer is an indispensable tool in the kitchen. Its attachments and accessories make a stand mixer the quintessential food preparation machine-for everything from grinding meat to making pasta to kneading dough.
The Mixer Bible has 300 recipes designed for the stand mixer and its attachments. These outstanding recipes range from appetizers to homemade sausages to divine baked desserts and treats. Here's a sampling:
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Appetizers: Mediterranean Tart with Goat Cheese and Roasted Vegetables, Cheese Straws, Hot Spinach Dip
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Soups: Sweet Potato Soup, Coconut and Ginger Soup, Old Fashioned Chicken and Noodle Soup
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Main Dishes: Turkey Pot Pie with an Herbed Crust, Herbed Cheese Ravioli, Scallops with Asian Noodle Salad
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Sides: Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, Zucchini Pancakes, Butternut Squash Casserole
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Sausage: Country Pork Sausage, Chicken and Apple Sausage, Chinese Pork Sausage with Five-Spice Powder
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Pasta: Lemon and Black Pepper Pasta, Pumpkin Pasta, Gluten-Free Pasta
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Breads: Cinnamon Rolls, Walnut Potica, Chocolate Chip Macadamia Bread
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Cookies: Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, Deluxe Lemon Bars, Pumpkin Spice Cookies
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Desserts: Decadent Chocolate Mousse, Pear Frangipane Tart, Lemon Blueberry Trifle
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Ice Creams: Peach Sorbet, French Vanilla Ice Cream, Coconut Ice Cream
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Sauces, Condiments and Extras: Cinnamon Applesauce, Tomatillo Salsa, Whipped Horseradish Cream
The Mixer Bible will become a standard cookbook reference for home cooks.
Customer Reviews:
The Mixer Bible.......2007-09-30
I love this cookbook for the KitchenAid Mixer I bought. Tells you what attachment to use on each recipe. In the last couple of months I have used it many times.
Just so so.......2007-08-06
I'm really disappointed, not to many recipes that I would try. Only one cheesecake recipe :-(
mixer bible.......2007-08-01
This mixer bible was the second part of the anniversary present. I've looked through this and the recipes look yummy! We're excited to use it as I really like the "side notes" on the pages. Those will help alot in substituting and measuring.
Not what I expected.......2007-04-19
Not just titled the bible, many people consider it to be the bible of mixers. Unfortunately, I disagree. I'm not sure what I was expecting- I guess I was looking for new uses for my mixer along with a great set of recipes. There's about 4 pages of tips for using your mixer.
Instead most are regular recipes that look for some way to use the mixer- usually when it makes no sense. Take the soups for example. Sorry, I'm not going to use my mixer as a strainer. How about using the mixer to mash your potatoes? No thanks. I've got cheap, easy, and effective hand tools to take care of those tasks.
It's not a total loss. The sausage, bread, and dessert sections are great. That's a PRACTICAL use for my mixer. All in all, this is primarily a recipe book with little to do with your stand mixer. The bible, it is not
Fully Reccomend!.......2007-04-12
I bought this w/ my KA pasta attachments & it's just wonderful. I'm one of those that's had a standmixer for 2yrs & never used it to it's full potential. So this has become a wonderful companion!
Product Description
The ultimate foreclosure kit is here! Learn how to buy government instruments for a fixed and safe return of 16 percent or more. It's practically like investing without losing. Also learn how to buy properties below market value through tax foreclosures.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but newer version is out.......2007-05-19
I would recommend this but there is a newer version of the Ultimate Foreclosure Kit, which is the Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Liens and Foreclosure Deeds: Learn in 7 Days-Investing Without Losing Series by the same author. You should search by the ISBN number (0978834682) to find it. Found that out the hard way. I suggest getting only one of the books rather than both.
Very effective........2007-02-24
The foreclosures covered in this book relates to tax deeds. Basically you could own properties for one tenth the price. The things I liked about this book were mainly that...
PROS:
a.) It's written by an investor. According to his bio page, he actually invests in tax liens and foreclosures. It's not a person who writes for a living and cares about proper grammar structures, but actually someone that has experience in what he's talking about.
b.) The book is for the average Joe. Some of the foreclosure books I've read took 3-4 chapters in before you learn anything. Some books don't even tell you how to do it, they just tell you how wonderful it is to be rich and being able to invest.
CONS:
a.) I think the web site for the book could be better designed. Not really a fan of white text on black background. But heck, it's free and you don't have to pay anything extra to get updates.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Day 1: Know The Types of Auctions
Day 2: Before You Start (Learn how to finance your investments, even from strangers online...)
Day 3: Where To Find Tax Auctions
Day 4: Research Before The Auction
Day 5: Bidding Types And Strategies
Day 6: Flipping Tax Deeds With Ease
Day 7: Conclusion
Concise.......2007-02-23
I should have spelled that 'concice' to match the book! This book was straight to the point (less than an hour to read) but had lots of grammar, spelling and sentence structure errors. One paragraph had three errors in it! If you can get around that, plus the fact that this book is really more like a booklet, you'll find that it's ('its') loaded with great information!
Invaluable.......2007-02-02
One of the best books I've read on tax liens and tax deeds/government foreclosures. You don't buy this for bank foreclosures but for government foreclosures (which is often more common in some areas). I used this in time for Arizona auctions (occuring in late Jan and Feb) and so far the checklists and strategies hasn't done me any wrong. The maximum returns in Arizona is roughly 16% but you bid down to win. I was able to secure an average 13% on the tax lien instruments.
Some of the helpful things I liked were as follows:
(1) Online web resources that gave updates on upcoming tax auctions
(2) Tax lien calendar in the book that shows approx month each state holds their auctions.
(3) Easy to read and understand without any technical or law jargon.
Book Description
No good deed goes unpunished . . .
Working as a consultant for a Baltimore newspaper, p.i. Tess Monaghan seems far removed from the unsolved slaying of a young federal prosecutor—until her well-meaning boyfriend, Crow, brings a street kid into their lives, a juvenile con artist who doesn't even realize he holds an important key to the sensational homicide. But Tess's ethical decision to protect the boy's identity no matter what could have dire consequences—especially when one of his friends is murdered in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity.
With federal agents threatening her with felony charges—and a killer threatening far worse—Tess couldn't deliver the kid to investigators even if she wanted to once Crow goes into hiding with his young protégé. So her only recourse is to get to the heart of the sordid and deadly affair while they're all still free . . . and still breathing.
Customer Reviews:
No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman.......2007-07-10
In Lippman's latest installment of the Tess Monaghan series, Tess has taken on a new gig as consultant to the local newspaper, where her job duties are to train reporters in investigative techniques, using three recent cases as paradigms. One of the cases Tess plans to focus on is the murder of a local federal prosecutor. When Tess's significant other, Crowe, befriends a homeless street kid, Tess inadvertently learns the young man has information about who killed the prosecutor. In an effort to inform the authorities without identifying her source, Tess sets up an interview between the young man and a reporter. Although she promises Crowe she will do everything she can to protect the young man's identity, federal agents insist she reveal her source. When Tess doesn't cooperate, they begin to threaten her family and hint at filing felony charges against her. Crowe goes into hiding with the young man, unaware that two federal agents have honed in and are after them, not to bring them in but to kill them.
The Tess Monaghan series remains a constant bestseller in PI series to date. Tess is a strong character, a young woman with an edge. To counterbalance her cynicism is her mate, laidback and amiable Crowe. Lippman excels at characterization, and with No Good Deeds allows the reader a deeper look into Crowe's persona and background. And, as always, spending time with Tess is a bonus. This must-read moves at a fast pace and has plenty of interesting characters.
No Good Deeds.......2007-05-07
I will try to read more of her only because it took me
3 chapters to figure out who did what. Will never be a PD James.
Ghetto blasting.......2007-04-17
When PI Tess Monoghan and her boyfriend, Crow befriend (a little unwillingly on Tess's part) Lloyd, a tough, black teenager from the ghettos of Baltimore, they put in motion a series of events which are connected with murder, drug dealing and extortion by people who should know better. Lloyd is living on the streets in a hand to mouth fashion, getting money for food from begging, scams and from skirting around the edges of a criminal element which uses young boys to do their dirty work. When the body of Federal Attorney, Gregory Youssef is found, Agents begin digging to find connections with drug dealers and Lloyd clearly is frightened by the name of Youssef, even though he claims never to have met him. Tess, Crow and their families are threatened when crooked Federal agents try to locate Lloyd and so are forced to go into hiding and to call in favours from family and friends, to remain alive. It's an exciting, pacy read which fans of Tess Monoghan will thoroughly enjoy.
Good, but not great.......2007-04-08
This is the third Tess Monaghan novel I've read and I don't think it compares well with Ms. Lippman's earlier work. Crow is an annoying character. It is hard to understand how Tess even tolerates him. While reading it I kept thinking how two-dimensional he is. A 1960s hippie-wannabe who doesn't seem to understand how the world works. It also bothered me that by the end of the book there were still a couple of unresolved plot twists. Ms. Lippman is an excellent writer and her style and pacing kept me interested enough to move through the book in a single sitting. Because of her writing ability I'm looking forward to reading her latest novel, "What the Dead Know." At least I know I won't have to put up with Crow in that one. (It is a stand alone book, not part of the Monaghan series.
No More Crow, Please!.......2007-04-04
I think Laura Lippman is a terrific writer, and I love Tess and this entire series. However, the one character I've never been able to stand is Crow, so I didn't really enjoy a book that was mostly about him.
I thought it was out of character for Tess to not question Crow about all his money via the disposable cellphone, and moreso to not be upset to find out he'd been keeping it from her considering her own financial problems. I also couldn't understand why she'd be putting herself and her family at so much risk for someone she didn't even know (who tried to take advantage of her) and a guy she was slowly finding out she barely knew and might not be able to trust.
As with all her books, this one was well-written and hard to put down. I just wish I didn't have to suffer through the annoying Crow to enjoy it.
Book Description
Strike Down Evil with the Sword of Enlightenment
“Only those who are pure in word, thought, and deed may look upon the knowledge gathered within this blessed tome. For the blinding truths inscribed within offer nothing but redemption or destruction for the wicked. May these consecrated pages forever illuminate the paths of the righteous.”
-- Raziel the Crusader, ruler of the Platinum Heaven
As the Book of Vile Darkness was a resource book on the most evil elements of campaign play, the Book of Exalted Deeds focuses instead on the availability of good resources and features in the
D&D spectrum.
Included are new exalted feats, prestige classes, races, spells, magic items, and descriptions and statistics for a host of creatures and celestial paragons to ally with virtuous characters. The Book of Exalted Deeds also provides descriptions and statistics for a host of creatures and celestial paragons to ally with virtuous characters.
Book of Exalted Deeds is the second title in the line of
Dungeons & Dragons products specifically aimed at a mature audience.
To use this supplement, a
Dungeon Master also needs the Player’s Handbook,
Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. A player needs only the Player’s Handbook.
Customer Reviews:
The White that comes to Save the day.......2007-08-07
I bought the Evil book first and unfortunately, this book is not as wickely clever as that one. But it needs to be written, becuase this is the dawn to evil's night, both sides must be equal. It is a great supplement for an Evil campaign, which I ran for over a year. The "bad guys" were all the paladins and high Preists of good. But once we went back to the usual type of good/neutral campaign, this book came back out and some pc's willingly wanted to become exhalted. It is well worth your money. Great prestige classes and feats are included in this.
Grab your Holy Avenger and roll initiative!.......2006-08-14
This book is an extremely in depth look at how to play good characters. The maturity warning is unwarrented, I believe, because the only thing it does that is mature is cover topics such as good vs evil and how to be a good PC. The content is not innapropriate mature, more like difficult to understand mature. It is the excellent guideline for being a goodguy, and I would almost require it as a rulebook for anyone who treads the Lawful Good path.
Sad.......2005-10-23
I found this book to be more or less devoid of useful or interesting material, with two exceptions. I liked some of the feats presented in the book and I liked the section on creating immortals. The rest of the book was fluff, useless, a waste of space. The book tries to explain goodness to players, all of which know what it means to be good anyway. It presents a whole mess of groupings of deities which anyone could make up on their own, which is basically the way Wizards of the coast present everything divine. Instead of giving 7000 examples of divine beings, why not give us a book about how to build them, details of how divine beings interact, create, and how they fit into the cosmos? Anyone DM truly worth his salt makes all his own stuff up anyway rather than using the junk in books like this and the Manual of the Planes. Spend money on something else like Heroes of Battle, a much better book and more useable.
Awesome book.......2005-08-12
Has good, balanced classes and pretige classes to add to the library of DnD. New items are useful and goes into plenty of detail about using an Exalted character. Excellent addition to any collection of DnD books.
I'm Not a Hater.......2005-04-24
But this book is lame. Especially compared to its companion piece, the Book of Vile Deeds. Vile Deeds was cool--it had crazy pictures, an interesting musing on the nature of good and evil [before whole heartedly abandoning that line of reasoning and presenting such morally ambiguous figures as the "Cancer Mage"], and some really evil stuff to throw at your PCs.
This book... well... it has a great cover. No seriously, it's really neet to look at.
The inside art isn't very attractive. Most of the add-ons are like "if your characters become extra special good, they are just so swell! Let's make everything holy or something like that!" The prestige classes aren't very inspiring either. And it's not really clear [although Vile Deeds wasn't either] about how a non-god figure is more powerful and important than a god figure? I guess it's one of those DnD continuity issues that you just have to grin and bear... or create your own setting!
overall, not really worth your time.
Book Description
Everyone is always looking for new and interesting recipes for appetizers, and in this book you'll find hundreds of dips, nuts, nibbles, salsas, spreads, soups, dumplings, tarts, wraps, and so much more! From ultra-simple hors d'oeuvres like rosemary olives and marinated cubes of feta cheese to hearty sweet and spicy lamb meatballs and finger-friendly oven-fried chicken lollipops to enough beef loin with horseradish aioli and ham and gruyère strudel to serve a large crowd, this will easily become everyone's essential cookbook when planning a party—big or small. The authors give plenty of menu suggestions making it easy to match the food with the event, whether it's a small spring fling, outdoor picnic, or Super Bowl party. A handy Find It Fast index organizes recipes in helpful categories like low-fat, vegetarian, or super-fast-to-prepare. Thirst-quenching drink recipes round out this ultimate guide to perfect party food.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific Recipes and neat ideas, You'll love this cookbook!.......2007-05-20
Just got it and very impressed with recipes, breadth of ideas, and innovativeness. And don't take my word for it: This cookbook was one of three in this category nominated for a James Beard Award!!! Didn't win but a wonderful honor for these up and coming cookbook authors.
James Beard Award Nominee! Wow!!!!.......2007-04-07
I was so pleased with the last book that these authors wrote that I really looked forward to this book. It is very well thought out in it's presentation of recipes and handy tips, and the recipes themselves are to die for. What I especially like about this book is the "Find it Fast Index", which breaks down the recipes into several categories from "Quick and Simple" to "Freezer Friendly" and several in between. It also has a very helpful Menu Planning Chapter for those of us who appreciate help in figuring out what to serve with what! I am still working my way through the recipes, but my favorite right now is Pear, Gorgonzola and Hazelnut Bundles. It is so delicious, and so quick and easy to prepare. I really like the variety of recipes, all the way from Nachos to more sophisticated recipes. The icing on the cake is that this book has been nominated for the best book in America in the Entertaining Category of the James Beard Foundation Awards, which is the equivelant of the Academy Awards, so I must not be the only one who loves it. I'm glad it's being recognized for the great book that it is!
Little Big Book a James Beard Award Nominee.......2007-04-07
I bought this book as soon as it came out last fall and so have used it a good deal over the holidays. The egg rolls are the best I have ever eaten and don't get me started on the smoke and fire beef kebabs.Everything that I've made from The Big Book of Appetizers has gotten terrific reviews from my family and friends. The authors give easy to follow directions for dishes that I would have been afraid to try before using their book. Apparently I'm not the only one to sing its praises since it has been nominated for a James Beard Award which is like the Oscars in the cookbook world. For the price (under 20 bucks) this book is one of the best deals going. Don't let the fact that there are no pictures stop you from taking a look at one of the best cookbooks of the year.
stingy!.......2007-04-06
Beautiful photo on the cover, and NONE! inside. I am sorry. That feels just stingy to me. Only text, and not a single photograph. If you want a real book on how to make appetizers, get Martha's big handbook. (very good for when you have guests with different needs such as pregnant, nurseing, gluten allergy, nut allergy etc.)I know you may feel indifferent to her, but the woman really knows how to cook, and how to share her knowledge. As for this book; save your money.
I gave this book to my girlfriend.......2007-03-30
I gave this book to my girlfriend for Christmas. She loved it and she has made many recipes from the book. She is a very professional (but amatuer) cook and said this was the one of the best cook books she has ever come across. She reads a lot for Cook's Illustrated, so she knows what she is talking about. As Creative Director of AUDIN Web Design, I thought the cover was very well laid and made my mouth water. there are some recipes I would stay away from and in fact one them made me sick on several occasions.
Customer Reviews:
Inside the Mind of a Violent Revolutionary.......2005-06-16
Robert Griffin has done a thorough job of profiling the radical white nationalist Dr. William Pierce. Even Pierce himself questioned whether he had done enough to have a biography written about him, but Griffin has an interest in fringe groups and spends a lot of time covering Pierce's intellectual influences and who Pierce has influenced, as opposed to what Pierce has done. Like a lot of left or right wing extremists, Pierce often advocated the violent overthrow of what he thought was a corrupt order.
Pierce, who is now deceased, would often nurture his violent anger towards those who changed the country during the sixties--jews, blacks, communists, and liberals. This dark side of Pierce was well represented in his two pulp fiction books, The Turner Diaries and Hunter, which dwelled upon getting violent revenge against what he saw as a corrupt government, liberals, race-mixers, jews, and blacks. Timothy McVeigh loved the Turner Diaries for its anti-government message and had a quote from the book among other anti-government quotes from other mainstream sources with him when he was arrested. His connection with Pierce and white nationalists was tenuous.
An earlier violent white nationalist, Bob Matthews, was a member of Pierce's organization and was heavily influenced by the Turner Diaries. He and his compatriots began robbing porno shops and Brinks trucks to finance the revolution. Eventually, he died in a shoot out with a SWAT team. Pierce liked Matthews for being a manly man of action, but advised him that he shouldn't start a revolution before its time, during the education stage. Pierce was somewhat disappointed with the novels because he could still not bring in the professional class of people he wanted with his action-filled pot-boilers. Pierce believed that violent revolution was the only way to achieve what he wanted, a white ethno-state.
Pierce was a smart type of racist that was on the fast track to becoming a full professor in physics, but he began reading about racial topics during the upheaval in the sixties and decided to dedicate his life fully to saving the white race from dispossession. He was heavily influence by G. B. Shaw's play Man and Superman, coming away with the idea that we, as the white race, should focus on improving ourselves, not merely enjoying ourselves, collectively and individually. Pierce decided to "serve the life force" completely in fanatically pursuing his white activist goals after reading Shaw`s play.
Another interesting influence on Pierce was William Gayley Simpson, who became a missionary Christian helping the poor after reading about the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, but after several years of the Lord's work, decided that conditions of the poor could not be improved unless human quality was improved. If human quality is good, the environmental conditions of their living space will be good, if the quality is bad, then the conditions will be bad, despite all help to improve it. Such eugenic philosophies resonated with Pierce's own thinking.
Pierce's weekly social analysis given out over the internet was insightful as far as pointing out the racial double standards of modern western society, which Griffin presents parts of.
Pierce stated that white-on-black crime is often reported repeatedly nationally to instill guilt in whites that they are still racist, but black-on-white crime, which is much more prevalent, is only reported locally and often the race of the victims and perpetrators aren't mentioned and it is often not charged as a hate crime.
Pierce said that during the sixties, opponents to integration and civil rights were almost always shown on TV to be lower class angry rednecks. Higher class and better educated whites with articulate arguments against civil rights and integration were almost never shown on TV. This presentation had a way of manipulating viewers into coming to a decision guided by the media because the viewers would be turned off by the angry redneck. It is the old political tactic of presenting your enemies as stupid.
Pierce also stated that multiculturalism says that it is good for minorities to look out for their own racial interests and have pride in themselves, but whites are strongly discouraged to organize in behalf of their own interests and they are supposed to be ashamed of supposedly being oppressors.
Pierce talked about how the schools don't really teach white kids about their race, heritage, culture, and accomplishments in a positive way and classic and traditional educational texts such as McGuffey Readers and Aesop's Fables have been generally been taken out of the schools, leaving white students de-moralized and rootless.
Pierce was both disturbing and inspiring; forcing those whites who would listen to think about their future and their children`s future and what kind of society the future had in store for whites. But his violent anger had sometimes even his sympathizers calling for him to tone down his message. I'm sure he will live on in the minds of his followers for years to come, although his organization has dwindled, from what I've read, because of the leadership vacuum that occurred because of his death. Griffin does the biography right, laying down the facts cold and letting the reader decide whether Pierce was a good man or not, or something in between. This is also an interesting book on how books affect people in their thoughts and actions--for good or ill.
An interesting book for readers of all viewpoints........2004-07-27
I am not a white racialist. I say this not because I feel the need to issue this disclaimer for Political Correctness, or out of fear that I may be considered such, but to explain my perspective on the life of William Pierce, head of the National Alliance.
My father was an undergraduate student under Dr. Pierce in the early 1960s and to this day doesn't understand how someone who impressed him as the most intelligent man on campus could have gone on to head an organization such as the Alliance.He did, however, feel that Griffin did a thorough and fair job of setting forth Pierce's belief system. I presented him with this book after having read it three times myself, out of sheer fascination with Griffin's superb, elegantly and straightforwardly written text on this enigmatic figure who my father had spoken of many times in our household. Astonishingly, as my father was describing him in awestruck admiration, Pierce was in the thick of conducting a political and organization-building activity that my father-and many if not indeed most educated Americans-would consider repellent and loathsome.
The formation of Pierce's belief system and the process he followed in translating these concepts into action are well described, as is the genesis of the National Alliance, the white racialist organization Pierce founded and which is considered by anti-racist and civil rights organizations to be the most intellectual and the most dangerous of all such outfits. Along the way, I gained an insight into the working of Pierce's mindset, and I think I understand him and his ideas, his worldview, his sense of life as well as one possibly could without having actually known him.
Although I cannot accept his fundamental thesis of White Supremacy for intellectual reasons, I think that to some extent one has to admire the courage of his convictions, because it is incredibly difficult for a bright young academic with early tenure to leave academia and go forth to promote an idea that obviously will make him an absolute pariah among his former colleagues, students, the media, and society in general. Griffin neither makes apologies for Pierce's views, nor the acts of members of Pierce's Alliance;however, he reports them without clouding them with his judgment. The reader understands fully the facts of life about the National Alliance, including the actions of Robert Mathews and his "Order",which apparently made possible much of the National Alliance's access to facilities.
My only complaint is not with the book's content, but with its physical form: my copy had its covers curl up and fray at the edges within days after it arrived, and the spine split shortly thereafter. I had my copy professionally hardbound, but readers should expect that a book will not disintegrate within a few readings.I hope future printings will be bound with a more durable softcover.
Well written, fair, and interesting........2004-06-01
I really enjoyed reading this book. I had always
been curious about Dr. Pierce and didn't know that
much about where he'd come from or how he'd gotten
to be the man he was. This book answered all those
questions and more, and upon finishing it I had
a deeper respect for him.
I like the fact that he comes across as a man with
a sense of humor and a sort of worldliness that often
goes missing in men who take on the issues he took on
in his lifetime. He did not oversimplify things nor
did he work at making things complex in ways that weren't
necessary. I came to appreciate the *way* he thought
about things and the *way* he proceeded with his life
because of reading this book. Because of these things,
I found the book to be personally inspirational.
I was also delighted to find that Robert Griffin did
neither demonize nor glorify Dr. Pierce. I think he
portrayed Dr. Pierce as a man, the personal man being
the source for the public figure; faults and all.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is
curious about Dr. Pierce and doesn't want to read
something that is either fawning or villifying.
Well done, Mr. Griffin.
A Great book about a Great Man.......2004-03-13
Why is it that people who have never read the book, have nothing to contribute to the reviews, are allowed to post things such as hoping that a car hits another person?
Dr. Pierce was yet another person who didn't fit the liberal image of White Nationalists. Dr. Pierce had an IQ that was off the charts, and was capable of debating any subject a person could bring up, in any field. In this book, Dr. Pierce looks back on his life, and gives his view on issues and people associated with White Nationalism. Dr. Pierce did more for the WN movement in America over the last 25 or so years then any man not named David Duke. Even today, when I listen to the archives of his radio broadcasts, and hear that distincitve Hello that he started each broadcast with, I smile. Buy this book if you want a fair and balanced book about Dr. Pierce and White Nationalism.
AN EYE OPENER.......2003-11-20
I read this book over two years ago, and it remains one of my favorites.
Professor Robert Griffin does a great job and an invaluable service to the Late Dr. William Pierce by portraying him in an unbiased way, and without any kind of sarcastic arrogance which characterizes most other works on the topic of white racialism. Dr. William Pierce was not a violent fanatic nor evil racist nut who hid in the hills armed to the teeth with guns and missiles as the controlled media and certain jewish 'human rights' organizations want you to think: Dr. Pierce was a spiritual person who was not corrupted by the stale materialism and diversity of American society. He was incorruptible and actually lived by higher principles that do our present 'leaders', if you can call them that.
Dr. Pierce saw straight into the soul of Western civilization and realized it's successes, failures, potential, and the danger in which it is in today. He strived to reach as many Europeans with his message and inspired them to regain their pride, self-esteem and dignity by removing the blinders of apathy, ignorance and multiculturalism from their eyes and opened them to the naked truth of nature, history and the will to start on the upward path.
Dr. William Pierce's untimely death has been a very sad and shocking occurrence, but he has made us all proud white European men and women much more stronger, and his message will undoubtedly be carried on by those who have the strength, foresight and intelligence to listen. Without Dr. William Pierce, we would surely be in a much worse situation today.
All people of European ancestry should read this book and learn the ultimate truth that to be white and proud is natural, healthy and right, no matter what others say.
Average customer rating:
- Those who like this book really like it, those who don't really hate it
- Poor book, badly disjointed, rehashing scandals most people already know about
- I read this book before because it was WRITTEN before...
- The Hollywood Book of Scandals
- Debbie Davis could only like this book.
|
The Hollywood Book of Scandals : The Shocking, Often Disgraceful Deeds and Affairs of Over 100 American Movie and TV Idols
James Robert Parish , and
James Parish
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0071421890 |
Book Description
Popular cult author and show business insider James Parish exposes the scandals that rocked Tinseltown
Nothing intrigues the public more than a good, juicy scandal. Add a famous Hollywood star or two to the mix and the nation is hooked. The Hollywood Book of Scandals provides the full account of 32 big, provocative scandals—complete with all the sexy, scintillating, and often shocking details. Written by veteran show business chronicler James Robert Parish, this book dishes the full dirt on:
- Bob Crane’s mysterious death
- Elizabeth Taylor’s seduction of Eddie Fisher
- Robert Mitchum’s arrest for drug possession
- Judy Garland’s public meltdown
- Errol Flynn’s trial for statutory rape
- Winona Ryder’s shoplifting trial
More than 100 black-and-white celebrity photos offer readers a close-up look at the leading players in these sordid dramas.
Customer Reviews:
Those who like this book really like it, those who don't really hate it.......2007-07-12
There's not much space, it seems, for in-betweens, but place me firmly in the "like" camp, especially since I've talked up this book favorably in reviews of several other Hollywood-gossip books here on Amazon. I will say I'm also in Parish's corner. I haven't read a _bad_ book from him yet, IMO. His "Hollywood Book Of..." series specializes in relatively short, punchy articles that are well-researched (certainly in comparison to some other books in this genre), evenhanded and crisply written. While the photos are not always anything special (his series on actresses features much better selections of pictures), they're also usually well-chosen and a lot less sensationalistic than, say, _Hollywood Babylon's_ selections.
Another reviewer questioned why Cary Grant's rooming with Randolph Scott should even be considered a scandal in 2007, which misses the point. It's not that it's not scandalous now, in 2007; the point is how it was regarded _back then_. If Parish doesn't make it clear in that particular instance, he generally does elsewhere in the book (for instance, in his analysis of the Fatty Arbuckle scandal, where it was clear both at the time and now that Arbuckle was a railroaded, innocent man; in fact, Parish explodes the myth of Virginia Rappe's innocence and demonstrates that key (false) testimony was given by a friend of Rappe's who had an axe of her own to grind).
No book is perfect, though, and my own quibble is that Parish covers some material that's already been gone over in other books in the present series, while leaving out other material that clearly deserves inclusion. Specifically, I'm thinking of his section on the Woody Allen-Mia Farrow breakup, which was already discussed at length in "The Hollywood Book of Breakups". The space devoted to that rehash could have been used, instead, to talk about - for instance - the David Begelman check-forgery scandal (where actor Robert Stack discovered his name signed to a check he didn't draw or cash, which was ultimately traced to then-studio head Begelman).
All in all, though, I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
Poor book, badly disjointed, rehashing scandals most people already know about.......2007-03-24
I found this book to be very disjointed, badly organized, and even poorly written. The list of "scandals" is the same old list of tired stories, innuendo, and might-have-beens that every movie fan and scandal fan likely knows about already. Worse, some of the occurrences Parish lists aren't really even scandals - the fact that Robert Blake was tried for his wife's murder may be a scandal, but in 2007 is the fact that Cary Grant shared a house with a fellow male star even slightly scandalous? The only scandal is in those who judged him, one way or the other.
In addition, this book could have benefited from thorough copy editing and fact-checking. There are many minor and major factual errors and, in addition, many typos and grammatical errors.
I don't recommend this book.
I read this book before because it was WRITTEN before..........2006-09-04
If you have read the Hollywood Babylon books, then there is really no need to read this one. It is a rehash of what was in those books.
The only reason you might want to read this one is to save yourself reading the other two or maybe you have no clue at all about these scandals and want to catch up.
I found the book hard to follow in general. Overall I can't tell if this was a repeat by intention or what. I like John Robert Parish too, so this is no slam on him. I just don't get the point, but he isn't the first guy to so something over.
The Hollywood Book of Scandals.......2006-07-29
The scandals themselves were interesting however I found the book hard to read. Some of the information was repetitive from chapter to chapter and it was not well written. I was looking for something that I could just pick up an read a story at a time and this was not the book for that.
Debbie Davis could only like this book........2006-06-24
Only a short bus rider like Debbie davis could love this book.This book is the second book in a row this parish character wrote and its boring an old news from the old tabloids.Unless you have lived under the dirt there is nothing new here. Just an obvious attempt to make money. This has been done much better by better writers like Bob Thomas and James bacon and Earl Wilson!!!!- Note- one reviwer wrote Don Johnston of Beach Boys wrote I write the songs. His name is Bruce dear.
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