Home Books

Absolute beginners who know nothing about the Internet and/or business will probably find this book useful, though not necessarily more useful than many free online resources. Fox clearly doesn't know much about the technical aspects of the Internet, but nothing he says is so terribly wrong that it will make a difference. Likewise, the general business information is cursory, and adds nothing to free information available online from the SBA and other groups, but it's accurate as far as it goes.

Fox makes a few points that are quite sound: you don't have to know a lot about technology or business to get started selling stuff online; it's better to get started quickly and learn as you go than to develop a perfect business plan that never gets executed; and overspending at the beginning is a bigger danger than being undercapitalized.

It doesn't take an entire book to reveal these "secrets"; nor is Fox a particularly compelling writer. But not being horribly wrong is actually better than average for a "get rich on the Internet" book. I also appreciated that he didn't advocate spamming or deceptive SEO practices, though he could have done his readers (and, thereby, the rest of the world) a service by covering these issues in more detail. His discussion of copyright could also be both improved and expanded.

While I don't necessarily recommend this book, I don't know of a better one to recommend for an absolute beginner who thinks they might want to get rich online. For general background on starting a small business, I would recommend the classic Small Time Business Operator, 10th Edition: How to Start Your Own Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes & Stay Out of Trouble (Small Time Operator).

Title a little deceiving but the book is packed with information and should be read by anyone planning to start an internet business.

At last I found what I needed to learn. Clear structure of all the actions you have to undertake to get started and build your own e-business.

I'd never heard of Scott Fox before, but from what I read in the book, he's been quite successful at making money online. He's worked with some big names so it appears he knows what he's talking about.

The book spends most of the time covering the nuts and bolts of choosing a subject area (niche), determining its feasibility to make money, creating a web site and making the big bucks. He uses lots of case studies of people who are currently making money online, which is very useful.

I finished the book optimistic, but still a bit vague on the next action step. I'm in a bit of analysis paralysis, which he actually discusses briefly in the book. It's where you spend so much time planning and preparing to make money and learning to avoid all the pitfalls that you never take action. The book has given me some more ideas on how to make money, and I plan to refer back to it in the future as I take action.

If you're unfamiliar with how people make money online, it's a great book to help you learn. If you already know about the general methods of making money like drop shipping, selling on eBay, product development, affiliate marketing, digital information products (aka eBooks), then you probably won't find anything new.

Scott Fox covers everything in this how-to book on starting your own internet business. Parts 1 and 2 start with brainstorming business ideas and researching them to be sure they're viable and moves on to explain different business models and how these relate to the ideas you've just brainstormed.

In Part 3, Fox explains the technologies behind the website(s) you are about to build and makes recommendations for how to do it cost effectively. He shows you how to choose a domain name, build a website, and develop "content" (all of the written material on your site).

Part 4 is the best section in my opinion. It's all about marketing and driving business to your site whether you have no budget, a small budget, or a real budget. And what good is having a fabulous site if no one knows about it, right?

Part 5 covers legal stuff and, as expected, is a bit drier than the rest of the book. But it covers important ground and Fox does it in a straightforward and easy to understand way.

One other thing about the whole "millionaire" thing in the title that others have commented on: Fox's point is that even if you're not making millions in your new e-commerce business, you can still live like a millionaire. How? By living on your terms and working when and how you want. And maybe you only make $500k or even only $250k so you're not actually a millionaire. But you know what? The average person isn't making that working 40, 50, 60, or 70 hour weeks working for someone else.

I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who needs the kick in the butt necessary to start their own thing. Fox's style is simple and easy to understand, but at the same time encouraging and motivating as hell.

I liked the author's approach to soapmaking. She keeps it simple, but without discounting the safety measures necessary. I was able to read the book in one sitting and could understand it easily. Great for someone just starting out in soapmaking!

Now were cookin! Great book for the beginner, and great for brushing up for the intermediate and so on. I would recommend this to those who want to give it a whirl. When you read this book you won't want to put it down until you've gone through the entire book. This book gets you all geared up and ready to go. You can use some of her ideas or stick to your own on preparations but at least you won't be scared that something may go wrong or worse yet blow up in your face. You will not be intimidated on soapmaking with this book you will be excited. So buy it, read it and get in your kitchen and start making soap. If and when she puts out another book I will be buying it. Good Luck.

This is a great book for anyone with little soap making knowledge. The details and instructions are great, nice recipies too.

Smart Soapmaking is far and away the best book on making soap at home. I have several other books on the subject which, for me, are far too complicated and scientific. They make the process seem far too daunting, to the point where you give up before you start. Anne Watson has thoroughly explained everything in simple yet practical terms and has taken away completely the fear factor. Her book makes you anxious to get started where the other books might discourage you. I cannot recommend more highly this book. I will never look at my other books on this subject again, no need to. This book is simply the best, better than all the rest!

I'm new to soapmaking and decided to take the plunge as soon as I received my book. I decided to make Anne's Shea Butter Supreme (page 35) - Oh my! It turned out and it's lovely to use. I can't believe I can make my very own soap. This book is very informative and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book for beginners.
Anne, you are a genius - thank you! : )

I learned to sew with this book and have had great sucess. I just bought the new book "Sew On" to progress my sewing and the patterns and projects are amazing! I have learned even more techniques with the new book and I still use my Sew Fast Sew Easy book for reference. I'm really happy with these books from Amazon.

This is a great learn how to sew book for first time sewers, very easy to understand.

This is a classic beginner sewing book. I think people will learn to sew from this book generations to come. The patterns are very simple with easy to follow instructions. The illustrations are clear and helpful. I bought the new "Sew On" book to learn additional sewing skills with more advanced patterns.

I ordered the "Sew On" book and was really impressed with the written instructions and included patterns. My daughter wants to learn to sew and I ordered her this book. When she gets a little comfortable, I'll pass along the Sew On book. This Sew Fast Sew Easy book has simple, easy to use patterns and projects that will get true beginners sewing. I highly recommend this book for true beginners. If your looking for a more intermediate book, find the "Sew On" book.

The book is probably best for true novices. I was never much of a sewer and it has been 30 years since I've sewn anything more than a button or hem. I thought I'd need to review the basics, but this book was too basic for me. i was hoping that it would refresh the basics, but lead me a few steps beyond. I can see where it would be helpful for those who are just starting out, so I can't find much fault with the book itself. It was just not what I need.

Not a tremendous amount of useful info. a lot of the herbs recommended are in a different language; therefore, not useful to those that speak English....

Excellent book and easy to read. It does explain what Ayurvedic is all about and how to improve your health and well being. It has so many suggestions, you will find what is best for you.

The book is very useful to understand Ayurveda's principles and the remedies seem very good (I already tried some and they worked quite well).

I consider this book as a very valuable secret, which everyone must have. A must buy!!!

Any Metaphysical person will enjoy learning about alternative ways to keep your body in tune with the Natural way of Living!

It's nice to have the combination of someone so well researched who is simultaneously an excellent practitioner. Lots of great ideas about transplanting (I hadn't heard of soil blocks before). Many great tool recommendations as well. This is worth the time and money!

This is absolutely the best, straightforward, down to earth, organic gardening book I have ever read. No hype, no buzzwords, no new age crap, no agenda. Simply down to earth - literally.

This book is awesome. Eliot presents an abundance of information. The information is organized and clear. Eliot does not assume what we already know, and what we have at our disposal. For example, many books will tell you how to create a mulch pile. You need this much brown matter, this much green matter, ... . That is all fine and dandy, but where do I magically get all of this material! Eliot understands this and explains many ways we can obtain the mulch material. He also does not assume your knowledge basis. For example, he will explain what and how a lugume works. This book is a constant resource for the organic gardener.

A great book!

Got me hiped up for my next several years here in Missouri. Practical, simplified systems for both the new and novice organic gardener. Definitely a fun read. Bring your highlighter. Thank you to the author, and all of the great shoulders that he stood on to get to this point...

Mr. Coleman has packed so much information into this wonderful book! I have started to use many of his suggestions. Keeping the costs of growing food down was one of the first subjects that caught my attention.

More illustrations need to be added of examples of circuits and setups of connecting to breakers..


But excellent book. I think its THE BEST i have seen!

I bought this because I am an avid DIYer and wanted to run electricity to my shed but was unsure exactly how I wanted to do it. Not only did this book show me what I needed to know, but it gave me more ideas for the future.

I live in an older house and I have had this book for a while now. It gets referenced every time I need to do electrical work. Even if I feel comfortable with what I am doing I still reference the sections pertaining to what I am doing just to make sure I am doing it right. It is very thorough and it has helped me identify electrical mistakes in my house from the previous occupants, such as reversed polarity on outlets which I was changing over to GFCI. This book is an excellent addition to any homeowners library and very much worth the 17 bucks.

This book is in my opinion the perfect electrical guide even for the narrow minded electrical apprentice.

Henry A.

The book is incredibly rich with photo's showing details of each topic. I have not read through all of the content yet but what I have read is very thourough and easy to understand. The pictures tell an incredible amount of the story. I also like all of the references to related information in each section.

Hi, I have NOT read this book, as it is "out of stock" currently...but I have taken this course, and others, from Margaret Fisher at various knitting conferences and she is TERRIFIC! She knows all the techniques and tricks to help a knitter get to the next level, and she is also a great, and patient, teacher. I am sure her book is just as informative and as helpful as she is in person. Whatever your current level of expertise is, I am confident this book will get you to the next with minimal stress!!

As soon as it's available again I plan to buy it for myself, and as a gift for some of my knitter friends who have not been lucky enough to take one of Margaret's classes.

We read this nightly at bedtime. I wish there were more books like this. My daughter has enjoyed learning the verses, and when similar situations arise in our lives, I'll remind her, "Remember how we read about this with Missy and Bill ..." Just another tool to help reinforce attitudes. Perfect for younger kids.

I am using this as a daily devotional for my daughter, who is 5. We've put the verses on alphabet flash cards so she can memorize them, and she loves it. This book does a great job explaining God's word on a level she can understand. The questions after the story give us something to talk about and the little prayer ties it all together. Highly recommended!

I have used My ABC Bible Verses for 2 years now as a preschool curriculum for my children. The stories are well written and the verses are extremely applicable in daily training. I recommend this book to all of my friends. It's excellent.

My four year old boy and I read this for homeschooling. I do not think he is really understanding the devotions. They say it is for 4 year olds but I think it will be a few years before he will be able to comprehend the contents.

We love this book. I bought it for us to read our 6 year old son for family devotion time. While he enjoys it, and we truly benefit from it, I wish we had discovered it when he was 4 yrs. old because it provides a very good basic foundation for learning verses. The Awana verses he is learning now are more advanced, but he still enjoys the stories that go along with the verses in this book. If you have a 4 year old, it is not too soon to start which we strongly recommend.

I wanted to comment on the quality of this book - the layout, illustrations, format and paper stock are top quality, and this is a book you will want to use for several years. Top drawer. See also Susan and Richie Hunt "Big Truths for Little Kids" which can take up where this book leaves off. I'm glad we found them.

I found this book to be exactly on par with Charles Faudree's earlier books - his use of saturated color, grand rooms with a charming and cozy feel, lucious fabrics, accessories of beauty and occasional whimsy - all his signature work is there. Gorgeous photography as always and I love the shots of rooms from above and the format of 'sketches' of rooms preceding the actual photos. And, as always, his beloved dog is in many of the room photos - not because he was placed there but because he loves to be in the thick of things! If you have enjoyed Charle's previous books, you will love this one too. I find myself picking it up again and again.

It's amazing how different people see things differently. The cluttered and overdone look of Charles Faudree is precisely what I adore about his decorating style. The fact that he can put so many things into a room and it still be comfortable and charming is the mark of a master. Actually, I thought this book tended away slightly from the maximum "stuff" of his other previous books. His use of color in this era of drab neutral everything is refreshing and sharp and in many of the rooms in this book, negated the need for so many accessories.

I was disappointed in the rooms pictured in this book. They seem to be cluttered and overdone. There was not the unique, charming, perfect sense of proportion and pleasing to the eye style that usually represents Faudree's work. This book does not come close to his first two books.

John Grogan is back with another sincere, entertaining piece of autobiographical nonfiction.

What you'll love:
- John Grogan makes the reader feel as if he or she is his well-respected friend; he recounts very personal moments without making you squirm with the often felt "too much information" response that comes with many memoirs
- Grogan includes many comical episodes from both childhood and his adult life; everything from nearly burning the church down as an altar boy to his sexual missteps as a young adult. These events don't come off as forced comedy, as this book definitely isn't written purely for laughs.
- John is very upfront about his issues with Catholicism and how growing up in a very conservative family helped shape the person he is today. He admits religious confusion and is very respectful when discussing the problems he feels the church has.
- Everyone will be able to relate to some sort of the familial relationships described in the novel. Just like Grogan, everyone feels certain bonds towards their family yet must learn to break some in order to become an individual. The notion of caring for an elderly parent is also very relevent today, as more and more people are faced with this difficult reality.
- There are so many cliches about home; this memoir doesn't make them seem so corny. The Grogan home has heart, it has history, it is a place the entire family has in common and can return to, no matter how they have changed.
- The pacing of the book flows well; readers won't get bored with any specific part of his life

A few small drawbacks...
- Sometimes Grogan overdoes the foreshadowing; he doesn't need to use it to make the point that life's events often end up happening for a reason
- If you lean towards the more fundamentalist side of Catholicism you may take offence at Grogan's slow departure from the Church and the criticisms he offers(although, his parent's extreme deovtion should make up for it)

John Grogan's memoir is extremely captivating and you can't help but to wonder what else will happen in his already very colorful life.

Get this over quickly, I loved this book. This was truly one of the best books I've read in a very long time. There are authors that write well, concise, but have no clue how to tell a story. There are authors that tell fabulous stories, but write really poorly. Then there is John Grogan, a fantastic story teller and an incredible writer. His years with the perfectionist English teacher paid huge dividends.

This is also, probably one of the saddest books I have ever read. But I would read it again in a second. You know exactly what will happen in the end. There's no surprise there. But it hits like a ton of bricks, nothing could prepare you for the last few chapters. In fact the book is an incredible legacy.

My favorite line is "Dad, it has been an honor to be your son. I am so honored and so proud." In the end this says everything about the book.

The first half is fun, light breezy, easy to read. It's just like childhood, everything is wonderful, life is good, and adults are gods and can do no wrong. The second half is a bit more sober, real life. And the last portion is just what we will all face some day, the mortality of our parents.

A parental warning. I've never read Marley and Me. I understand that younger readers have read that book, pre-teens. I don't think this book is appropriate for that age. There's a few passages that are not really age appropriate. But the bigger point, I'm not sure the book would be interesting to them. It's more about being an adult and looking back. Not only from John's viewpoint, but also his father.

Grogan is a master with the right number of words. The picture painted perfectly. I can see the Mary Ann, I can picture Lourdes, the hospital, his first house... it's a vivid well painted book. He also unveils exactly the right things at the right moment in the story.

I really did love this book. I feel honored to have been given an opportunity to be a part of John Grogan's life for the week it took me to read this book.

This is a great story about a boy's journey to manhood and coming to terms with the differences he has with his parents. Catholicism dominated the Grogan household and John Grogan's look back in time is at times hilarious. Every family has it's quirks and Grogan presents his with humor and warmth.
I enjoyed Grogan's style. I think I will read Marley & Me next.

I grew up Catholic as well, and yes - it's trying at times when our faith is not as strong as our parents.

John Grogan recounts his story, growing up Catholic and try as I might, I just can't feel anything for this author because I don't think he reveals enough about who he really is. This book feels to be almost entirely devoid of emotion. (I felt the same way about Marley & Me) When John's friends shot the fireworks off towards the old man's house and nearly burned it down, I wanted to be squirming in my chair to see what happens next but it's just so dry that when I get to each next part, I just don't care.

I just could never get fully become engrossed in John's story. It's a light read, and I sometimes feel as if he is telling someone else's story rather than his own.

When I read a memoir, I want to really feel like I know the person that's writing the book- but two books later, I still don't feel like I know who John Grogan is.

Childhood memoirs I'd recommend instead:
Running with Scissors: A Memoir
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
This Boy's Life: A Memoir

After reading Marley & Me...and seeing the unreleased copy of "The was Longest Trip Home"...I was ecstatic! I loved Marley & Me, it was so well written, I could only imagine how great this was going to be. I read this book in 1 day, I couldnt put it down....not only did he have a wonderful but badly behaved dog...he had hard nosed parents and he was a bit of a mischeivious one himself...he tried sneaking in girls...he experimented with some illegal things...he was a typical teenager growing up...he left home, met jenny...and then got a terrible phone call that took him back to where it all began...his home where he had not been in so very long...I dont want to spoil it by telling you everything that happens....just rest assured this is equally as heartwarming and touching as Marley & Me....