Book Description
Communicate like a pro.
Successful managers, professionals, and assistants know that one of the most important keys to getting anything done in the business world is being understood. And with e-mail, quick notes, and computers, many people don't realize that their message just isn't getting through. With this invaluable guide, readers will learn how to construct an effective memo, write more compelling sales letters and collections letters, and communicate more professionally through e-mail.
-Includes a CD-ROM with more than 600 templates, downloadable by both Macs and PCs for editing and usage
-Features details on choosing the right medium, finding the right words, grammar basics, punctuation, formatting, and getting your point across
-Contains examples, templates, tips, and techniques for writing effective sales letters, announcements, performance evaluations, personnel letters, collections letters, answers to complaints, vendor letters, thank you letters, cover letters, and letters of recommendation
Book Description
A hysterical collection of Rosa's letters to well-known corporate giants, and their attempts to give a candid reply.
Customer Reviews:
laugh while you wait.......2001-11-12
My plane was delayed, and most passengers were upset, including me. After all, we all had places to go and people to see. I sat on the floor, against the wall, and began reading Paul's book. My anger quickly faded into laughter, and then a happiness came over me. I found myself laughing out loud. I realized how much a little laughter can change my mood, and I felt sorry for everyone sitting there reading the bad news in the newspapers. I wanted to read Paul's book out loud, but instead I held the book up and proudly laughed so people could hear me, in the hopes that they would in turn read Paul's book one day, and realize that a little laughter is good for the soul! I was glad my plane was late, because I learned a valuable lesson that day! Thanks Paul!
Hit and miss.......2000-05-22
This book is pretty much hit and miss. Rosa writes stupid (although often amusing) letters to various companies and organizations. The fact that these companies respond (usually with an impersonal form letter) is the punch line of this book and this one-joke premise wears thin pretty quickly.
For example, regardless of the company he's writing, Rosa ends every letter by asking for a complementary t-shirt, thereby tipping his hand that it's all a joke. It's this approach that differentiates a so-so book like his from a truly great one like those by Ted Nancy (or even Don Novello). Nancy's letters are both hilarious and outrageous, but they also always have just enough plausibility that his targets ignore them at their own peril. It's the walking-on-eggshells responses Nancy gets that are (almost) as much fun as the letters he writes. By contrast, Rosa tries to carry his book solely on the humor of his letters and, although there are many bright spots, he often fails in the attempt.
HYSTERICAL...HYSTERICAL...HYSTERICAL.......2000-03-16
Paul Rosa has a sense of humor that is out of this world. I love his letters! I actually read the book and tears streamed down my face from laughing so hard! I definately recommend this book to everyone! Kudos Paul! (Hey, can you send me an XL t-shirt for my eloquently written review?)
Complete Idiot Letters as reviewed by complete idiot.......1999-12-17
Even funnier than the original Idiot Letters; Mr. Rosa strikes fear into the hearts of Corporate America, and giggles in their mail rooms.
Inane and boring.......1999-10-06
Hoped it would be funnier! There have been many knock offs of Don Novello's (sp?) letter campaign book, and although this had a few funny ones, it wasn't as political as Novello's or downright sidesplitting as Fred Grimes' "Dear Ernest and Julio." Seems he had a few good letter ideas, and then had to fill in the rest of a very slim book. Also--the formula is very similar to Grimes. Good for a few--emphasize FEW--laughs.
Book Description
With U.S. unemployment the lowest it's been in 25 years, the job market for teens has never been better. But even in good times, it can be hard for teens to find jobs that are right for them. They still must be able to interview with confidence, stick with the daily grind and figure out how much money will be paid in taxes. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cool Jobs for Teens teaches job-finding skills (resumes and cover letter writing and interviewing techniques), job-keeping skills, being an entrepreneur, spending and saving on a salary and exploring internships and volunteering. Ideal for 12-18 year-olds.
Customer Reviews:
A good book for teens.......2005-08-27
This book is packed full with info with teens. Though at some time it seems focused on the obvious (different kinds of jobs) If you're a teen looking for work, check it out.
Good summaries, good resumes, the rest sucks.......2001-08-25
I got this book from the library, and I'm glad I did. This book provides helpful descriptions and ideas of jobs, but it didn't provide the information I wanted on how to obtain them. It provides several website links, most of them completely useless. The tips for resume writing were helpful though. Basically, it spends the first 20 pages convincing you that you want a job, about 100 pages listing types of jobs and what's involved for them, and the last 100 talk about resumes, interviews, and applications. The interview tips are simple like "Don't wear gobs of makeup", no big secrets or really helpful info. To conclude, the book is worth a glance, but the library already paid for it, there's no reason for you to.
Average customer rating:
- A Fine Job. So Funny!
- Hilarious!
- Super Keen
- Fairly good for an imitation.
- What Prank letters should be!!!
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Idiot Letters
Paul Rosa
Manufacturer: Main Street Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Hire Me Dumbass!
ASIN: 038547508X
Release Date: 1995-03-01 |
Book Description
Look out, public relations; take cover, customer service -- Paul Rosa's letter is in the mail and his inventively imbecilic queries about consumer products have a way of eliciting equally idiotic and even more unlikely answers from some of America's biggest companies.
Customer Reviews:
A Fine Job. So Funny!.......2006-06-13
This collection of letters is humor at it's finest. Mr Rosa presents you with such witty humor that I found myself laughing outloud!
Hilarious!.......2006-03-22
Paul Rosa is just too funny! Although he stretches the bounds of believability so far that it's no wonder he doesn't get a response to many of his "Idiot Letters" it's totally laugh-out-loud funny. If you need a good chuckle, this is the book for you.
Super Keen.......2003-11-27
This book is very funny -- sledgehammer premises ("I glued my hand to a vase, etc); but with perfectly precise wording.
Rosa writes from the perspective of a naive someone who is amazingly! as enthusiastic about consumer products and their advertising as Corporations pretend to be. This must lead the Corporate letter readers to wonder "is this person really stupid enough to believe our hype? Hmmmm." Brilliant premise played out with sledgehammer and razor wit. If you like "is this guy serious???" humor, you'll love this.
Fairly good for an imitation........2003-04-07
Exactly the same thing has been done more than 20 years ago much more efficiently by the British Henry Root ("The Henry Root Letters").
I expected to find some reference in the "Idiot Letters", but found none...
As to the book in hand, it has a couple of funny ideas, but not a lot of imagination. The writer ought to have elaborated on some of the most stupid and/or humorous answers, which would have added another dimension to the joke. As it is, it lacks a lot.
What Prank letters should be!!!.......2002-11-03
Most prank letter books are written by a fictitious person. This greatly reduces the humor and purpose of the prank. So far I've only come across two prank letter books written without the cowardly use of a pseudonym. Idiot Letters and Hire Me Dumbass (by Joe Mozian) are both written by real people. Their authors are gifted in the odd art of prank letter writing and accept full responsibility for their actions. While Idiot Letters does get a bit far-fetched on occasion, it is funny. Hire Me Dumbass however is honest from cover to cover, and hysterical to boot. If you are a first timer to prank letter books, both Idiot letters and Hire Me Dumbass are the best places to start.
Book Description
FINALIST FOR THE 2001 THURBER PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR A "ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS" (DENVER) BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Millions of people dream of abandoning the city routine for a simple country life. Jim Mullen was not one of them. He loved his Manhattan existence: parties, openings, movie screenings. He could walk to hundreds of restaurants, waste entire afternoons at the Film Forum, people-watch from his window. Then, one day, calamity. His wife quits smoking and buys a weekend house in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York -- in a tiny town diametrically opposed to Manhattan in every way. Slowly, however, the man who once boasted, "Life is just a cab away," begins to warm to the place -- manure and compost and strangers who wave and all -- and to embrace the kind of life that once gave him the shakes.
Customer Reviews:
City folk turned mutant country killers .......2007-05-13
I was enjoying It Takes a Village Idiot up until page 183 when suddenly, outta no where, Jim & Sue turn into cruel vicious killers.
"Patrolling the perimeter (of their garden) one day" Sue spotted a woodchuck down by the barn and yelled for me to come help. I grabbed the first thing I could find--my five-iron-and ran down there.
We had him cornered and I started clubbing it. It was like something out of Goodfellas. Each smack made a sickening thump, but the thing wouldn't stop twitching. I didn't want it to suffer (yeah right. can you believe that?), but I couldn't seem to finish it off.
Finally I came down with a mighty stroke right on its head. Woodchuck blood splattered all over me, my shirt, my pants, my face. But it stopped moving."
I don't know about you but that makes me ill. How cold blooded can you be? To physically beat something to death. Woodchucks = Marmots = Groundhogs
All they had to do was lower that fence they put up around the garden (to keep deer out), a foot or two below ground. Where's their brains. That's what I did. It was plain common sense. When you see something digging under your fence--lower it!
Heck! with the money they had they could of poured a two foot concrete wall below their fencing. I used rocks and junked bricks.
Then on page 206 there's this
"On the way to the store, we passed a fly-covered deer carcass on the shoulder of the road. Sue looks at it unsympathetically and says, One down, three hundred thousand to go." " Ouuwee where'd she get all this hate from? What an ugly person she turned out to be.
Then they turned into arrogant rich country snobs, belittling everyone who does not live/think as they now do. What an about face. In the beginning Jim and Sue Mullen seemed like OK people but in the end you see that they really aren't.
Hilarious and So True.......2007-04-06
Jim Mullen has written an hysterically funny, insightful book that is a must read for those wavering between living in the City or living in the country. Mullin is a rare writer who can get humor out of real life -- side-splitting humor at that. This is a great book for anyone interested in big laughs and great insights.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution! and Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
I live In Delaware County........2007-02-09
Like some of the other reviewers said this was a quick read. Not just because it is light. It is also a likeable book. There are some exagerations though (you don't have to drive to Endicott for a the New York Times though who knows maybe you did in 87). It has a cute ending in that he winds up liking Delaware County very much.
Light, fun read for the most part. Inconsistent, I thought........2006-11-23
OK, so, you know before you open the book that city dweller finds peace and happiness in the heartland after many poignant and sweet things happen to him to sway him. So he starts out being the unwilling partner in this move outside of NYC, and gradually he comes to love it in the countryside.
But throughout the book, I felt like every time he was gradually starting to sway toward the country life, he'd then turn around and say something to the effect of how he's only doing this for his wife and that if he had his druthers, he'd live in their Manhattan apt instead. And it wasn't in a sweet sort of way, as though he were battling his own feelings. It was more like the chapters were not in chronological order. That was my beef #1.
Beef #2 was the story about the author's completely gruesome and totally gratuitous, hateful torture of a woodchuck that was a pest in their garden. This, after he went on and on about how he and his wife went to pains to use only cruelty-free traps in their garden. It was just so gross and nasty and it made me feel so sad and dark.
Otherwise, I would say it was a good, very quick read. There were funny parts and it was decent (if a bit snarky) writing. And I love any book that has chucking it all as its main theme.
" REALLY GUARANTEED TO SMILE ".......2006-07-18
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT . I PICKED THIS BOOK UP AT A SWAP AND IT WAS THE BEST MONEY I NEVER SPENT . THIS BOOK IS SO TONGUE-IN-CHEEK AND AT TIMES LAUGH OUT LOUD IT DESERVES 5 STARS . I WON'T SPOIL IT BY GOING ON & ON AS SOME REVIEWERS. HOWEVER, JUST KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A " FISH OUT OF WATER " REAL LIFE STORY OF CITY DWELLERS MOVE TO THE COUNTRY ! STORIES WHICH ARE ALWAYS FUNNY . SO IF YOU CAN'T BUY IT, THEN AT LEAST GO TO YOUR LIBRARY AND TRY TO GET IT . SO WORTH YOUR WHILE . NOT AS TWISTED AND LAUGH OUT LOUD AS THE DAVID SEDARIS BOOK OF " ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY " , BUT, THIS BOOK IS FUNNY WITHOUT BEING OFFENSIVE . VERY ENTERTAINING. IT WILL FIND A PERMANENT PLACE ON MY SHELVES TO LOAN TO FRIENDS .
Book Description
You're no idiot, of course. You handle last minute crises at home and the office, come up with one-of-a-kind ideas, and even find time to catch up on your favorite novel. But when it comes to writing a persuasive report or press release, you feel like taking English 101 again. Don't cut class yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrific Business Writing takes the fear out and puts the excitement back inot writing effective and winning sales letters, proposals, press releases, and articles. Feel confident about successfully communicating your ideas. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:
Customer Reviews:
Quand il est minuit moins cinq.......2004-01-30
Ecrire c'est plus agreable lorsque l'ecrivain se sert du style parle. Les lecteurs comprennent plus facilement ce que vous dites. Ils sont en cas de faire ce que vous voulez d'eux. Ce qui leur plait aussi, c'est d'avoir, a leur portee, tous les faits et les statistiques. Mais au beau milieu du temps de la technologie, ils aiment surtout entendre la voix de l'ecrivain. Alors c'est toujours utile de laisser entendre votre avis.
Gave me the guidance I needed.......2002-05-19
I am always writing on my job and sometimes I just didn't know who to start on certain types of documents. However, this book helped me a lot. Now at least I have the steps and guidance of this book to help me.
A Hard Day's Write.......2001-07-17
Write the way you talk so your writing sounds natural. Think of the reader's background and level of responsibility: make it easy for the reader to figure out why you are writing and what you want. Be concise and to the point: back up ideas and recommendations with facts and opinions. Fight writer's block by working on orderly flow and by making sure that you know all you need to write. Marcia Layton's humorously written, logically organized and well-indexed COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO TERRIFIC BUSINESS WRITING jumpstarts just about every kind of writing around. Her book puts into practice Edward P. Bailey's THE PLAIN ENGLISH APPROACH TO BUSINESS WRITING, Robert W. Bly and Gary Blake's THE ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS WRITING, Richard B. Loth's HOW TO PROFIT FROM READING ANNUAL REPORTS, and Maryann V. Piotrowski's EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING.
Book Description
You're no idiot, of course. You read the classifieds every day, call your career counselors by their first names, and even help your friends write winning resumes. But when it comes to composing a fantastic cover letter, you feel like someone just slammed the job-opportunity door on your foot. Don't give up yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Cover Letter shows you how to write a cover letter taht convinces employers to call you for an interview. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:
Customer Reviews:
I may be a complete idiot, but..........2006-05-10
What a disappointment! This book is really geared towards people with a wealth of experience. Every example seems to cite 12 years of X, successful projects in Y, AND you're friends with the hiring manager. (I'd assume, though, that with all that under your belt, you've probably written a cover letter or two.) If you're a new grad or don't have a background in your field, you're not going to find much help here.
Another issue I had with the book - the resumes can be incredibly corny. I like puns and googled quotes as much as the next person, but I would never include them on a resume. I found a lot of the resumes lacked sophistication in exchange for a more 'personal, informal' tone.
Overall, I didn't get much help from the book and would recommend passing on this one.
Not too great for New Grads.......2004-01-25
This book does offer some good tips but I wish that it had a better section for New Grads. If you've been in the business world for a few years then this book does offer some good advice. However, if you're just out of school, you might want to consider another book.
Great Book.......2000-10-12
Great book!
You can forget about writing boring cover letter that is becoming predictable by using this book as a guide.
Susan did a great job by using lots of example, regardless of the situation you are in.
I think it is a must for any serious job-seeker.
Amazon.com
The Complete Idiot's Almanac of Business Letters and Memos, by former executive recruiter and corporate trainer Tom Gorman, will provide basic relief for anyone whose throat tightens and palms moisten at the mere thought of putting work-related data on paper. It offers clear and specific suggestions for planning, drafting, and refining all types of business communications, from proposals to sales letters to thank-you notes. It also includes advice on choosing appropriate delivery systems and controlling incoming correspondence, as well as ideas on how to improve computer writing and maximize the use of e-mail. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
You're no idiot, of course. You can manage a spreadsheet, find your way from the airport to the hotel all by yourself, and browse the Web like a pro. But when you sit down to write, you feel like you're back in Mrs. O'Malley's tenth-grade compositon class mixing up "it's" and "its." Come out from under your desk! The Complete Idiot's Almanac of Business Letters and Memos gives you step-by-step guidelines for planning, drafting, and perfecting letters and memos for every occasion, whether it's writing a thank-you note, submitting a proposal or issuing a reprimand. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful book, with information rarely available elsewhere.......2004-06-08
Wonderful book, with information rarely available elsewhere.
I see it as an honour, be be able to write this review today, on J.G. Bennett's birthday, June 8.th.
This book is a collection of accounts written by J. G. Bennett and his wife Elizabeth during the three months preceeding Gurdjieff's death in 1949. It is detailed report of what was really happening during that time, a very good recollection of journeys vividly structured and reported.
In Elizabeth notes you find, that the memories of the dinners and lunches rituals, at Rue des Colonels Renard in Paris, with the 'toast of the idiots', are meticulously recorded and clarifying.
One very impressive description made by Elizabeth is her personal experience of Mr. Gurdjieff's death:
"We arrive at the chapel a little before six. I had not meant or wished to see his body;...
I was overwhelmed by the force that came from him. One could not be near his body without feeling unmistakably his power. He looked magnificent; composed, content, intentional, for want of a better word. Not simply a body placed by someone else. He was undisguised, nothing was concealed from us. Everything belonging to him, his inner and outer life and all the circumstances and results of it, were there to be seen, if one could see. What force there was in him then! I have never seen anything in any way like it." Idiots in Paris / pag.104- about Mr. Gurdjieffs death.
necessary for students of the life of Gurdjieff.......2002-05-09
This one tells us much about Gurdjieff, and by the way, much about the kind of student he attracted, people like Bennett--who might be one of the most gullible men who ever lived (he was later duped out of his estate by some other even more phony guru, as documented in Madam Blavatsky's Baboon). For all his brilliance, even in old age G. was very crafty, manipulative and superstitious, as revealed here (he thought the caves at Lascaux were painted by Atlanteans!). Also, the quality of the Bennetts' writing really sets this apart from some other books in the genre; it is compulsively readable.
Product Description
We eavesdrop on a game of checkers where a convoluted jumping sequence has been set up and the action is about to begin..... We let the first player make his move; his jumps - and therefore acquires a bunch of his opponent's checkers. We let the second player make his retaliatory move; he jumps - and therefore acquires a bunch of his opponent's checkers. They each savor the results for a moment, then one of them puts the situation into words: "I love this game because everybody wins. You took more checkers than me and I took more checkers than you..." In checkers, we can see the stupidity; in economics we cannot. But all that must change if we expect any semblance of a reasonably non-violent future. The basic problem is that we don't make money, we acquire money and, regardless of any obfuscating detours though our intertwined businesses and/or our multifariuos levels of government - we acquire it only from each other. Read this book. But let there be absolutely no misunderstanding, it is bitter bitter medicine. You won't like what you read; you won't believe what you read; but your children need you to read it.
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