Review of It's Your Time (Hardcover)

This was a great read - funny and inspirational.I went thorugh every room in my home and with Joe's methods, I actually organized the closets - I did it, just like he says.I would reccommend this book to anyone looking to organize their home or office.

Product Description
IT'S YOUR TIME, featured in Oprah's O Magazine, is about managing your time through organizing and managing the space you live and work in.A fun and simple way to do what you always wanted to do - take control of your time.Buy IT'S YOUR TIME today.Lead a happier, healthier life tomorrow.Reduce stress.Gain up to 2 hours of extra time each day.Manage your time by organizing your home and workplace in 7 easy steps.Only $9.95.

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Review of Smart-Money Moves for Kids (Paperback)

One of the principle tasks of successfully parenting children is to teach them the proper value and use of money. Judith Briles' Smart Money Moves For Kids is laid out in five consecutive parts: The Game Book for Parents; Kids - From Preschoolers to Preteens; The Teen Years; The Adult Rises; TheInternet. Packed with quizzes, games and charts to make learning aboutmoney easier, the text is easy-to-understand at all levels and provides adependable and comprehensive guide for parents. Smart Money Moves For Kidscovers all aspects of money management including allowances, saving money,developing an entrepreneurial spirit, the first real job, credit, and much,much more. Smart Money Moves For Kids is a "must" for all parentsconcerned with preparing their children to one day thrive and prosper inthe real world as adults.

Product Description
When it comes to money, every parent needs a game plan.Dr. Judith Briles' Smart Money Moves for Kids is designed for teachingkids from 3 to young adult about the value and use of money.It islaid out in 5 parts: The Game Book for Parent; Kids--From Preschoolersto Preteens; The Teen Years; The Adult Rises; and The Internet.Packed with games, quizzes, the stock market, collecting, buying cars,even planning a wedding, the author makes the money maze easier.Itcovers ALL aspects of money management including allowances, saving,spending, developing the entrepreneurial spirit, getting a job, usingcredit, leaving the nest and much, much more.Smart Money Moves forKids is an excellent, and very readable, resource for all parents (andgrandparents!) who want their kids to have money savvy.

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Review of Self-Help (Paperback)

Lorrie Moore has long been a favorite writer of mine.Her short fiction, which has appeared regularly in THE NEW YORKER and elsewhere, is unbeatable.Her humor is sharp, her descriptive powers awesome, and her stories (almost) always feel as though they actually go somewhere.

One of the best pieces in "Self-Help" is probably the first Lorrie Moore piece I ever read."Self-Help" was published the year I graduated from college, and I think a college friend gave me a copy of "How to Become a Writer."Note the "become" instead of "be."Moore acknowledges the process involved in writing and lets her readers know that writers are not sprung fully-formed from the head of Zeus or anyone else.Listen to this beautifully assured, resonant, yet hilarious passage from "How to Become a Writer":

"First, try to be something, anything, else.A movie star/astronaut.A movie star/missionary.A movie star/kindergarten teacher.President of the World.Fail miserably.It is best if you fail at an early age--say, fourteen.Early, critical disillusionment is necessary so that at fifteen you can write long haiku sequences about thwarted desire.It is a pond, a cherry blossom, a wind brushing against sparrow wing leaving for mountain.Count the syllables.Show it to your mom.She is tough and practical.She has a son in Vietnam and a husband who may be having an affair.She believes in wearing brown because it hides spots.She'll look briefly at your writing, then back up at you with a face blank as a doughnut.She'll say: 'How about emptying the dishwasher?'Look away.Shove the forks in the fork drawer.Acccidentally break one of the freebie gas station glasses.This is the required pain and suffering.This is only for starters."

Moore likes to do that--throw in references like Vietnam, then spin things around a little so that it comes out funny.One of my favorite Lorrie Moore bits had to do with a woman who said something awful before she could stop herself--Moore described the blurted insult as being "a lizard with a hat on."Wacko as that sounds, you still know exactly what she means.That is her great gift--she makes life sound wacko and off-kilter, but you completely, utterly GET IT anyway.



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Review of Oh, Solo Mia! : The Hip Chick's Guide to Fun for One (Paperback)

This is a fun book written by two witty thirty-something gals, Wendy
Burt and Erin Kindberg who appropriately have subtitled it "The
Hip Chick's guide to Fun for One." I smiled when I saw the bright
pink cover and snappy illustration, I smiled when I read the table of
contents, and I just kept smiling as I read through it. Each of the
125 chapters, that are less than two pages long, includes an idea that
a single woman can do alone. All of them encourage creativity and
include such diverse activities as volunteering in an animal shelter,
skydiving, learning to brew home-made beer, taking a road trip in a
convertible, and even crashing a wedding reception. Each idea is
presented with humor, followed by a short list of places to go for
more information, including appropriate websites.

The book, of course,
does more than just give ideas. It says something about the authors
themselves. These are women who enjoy their lives and are always on
the lookout for something interesting to do. And even though they
often humorously refer to the possibility of meeting some hunky guy
while learning to fly or going to a town meeting, this is somehow just
a footnote to the idea of the activity itself. There's encouragement
to take courses, learn a new skills, help the needy, and open your
eyes to the pleasures of just plain living. It's upbeat all the way. I
read the book all the way through but it can also be read by just
leafing though it or choosing a chapter at random. But however you
read it, I can guarantee it will make you smile as well as act as a
springboard to further inspiration. Recommended.


Product Description
Oh, Solo Mia is the essential guide for all women in search of ideas for entertaining themselves after wearing out the resources of the neighborhood Blockbuster. Oh, Solo Mia offers more than 100 creative ideas with attitude for swinging single chicks. Inspirations range from the cheap and tame to the chi-chi and daring, and all are guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment for girls (of all ages) who just wanna have fun!

From the Back Cover
As Cyndi Lauper succinctly put it in the early '80s, "Girls just wanna have fun!" In Oh, Solo Mia!, you'll find more than 100 ideas and inspirations for doing just that. From the mild to the wild and from the budget-conscious to the chichi, you'll have a blast reading about the many activities savvy solo chicks can do on their own. Here's just a sampling of the many fabulous and funky ideas inside:

• A star is born--host your own wild and crazy public access TV show
• Sneak into a college lecture and gawk at the cuties while expanding your intellectual horizons
• Jump feet first into everyone's greatest fear--tandem skydiving
• Attend a wine tasting and learn there's more to life than screw tops

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Review of Chick Living: Frugal And Fabulous (Paperback)

A disappointment. I picked up "Chick Living" from the library because it's about the various things you'll need to know when you're learning to live as an independent adult. It's also about living in a way that doesn't expend tons of money. Anything it can say will be handy, right? Well... its crippling flaw is that it's trying to cover such a wide array of topics that it can't really go into them far enough to be useful. You get a tiny little paragraph for each thing, basically, and most of it is stuff that you'd know even before you tried to live on your own. (And that's weird, because there's all kinds of stuff that you don't learn until you stumble into it when you're living by yourself.) Each subject is a lot of common knowledge, and is so brief that it's scarcely of use. For example, it tells you that if the toilet is running, you jiggle the handle; if that doesn't work, you call a plumber. If the toilet is blocked, you put the plunger in it and move it up and down, and if that doesn't work, you call a plumber. Seriously, that's all it says. The book is aimed at a female audience, which is peculiar, since the subject matter itself is unisex; the book's presentation is what makes it female-directed, with its pink and green ink (a decorative addition that makes the book pungent of chemicals, which turned me off of reading it for a week after I first opened it) and its writing style, which is identical to that used in teen girl fashion magazines such as "Jump" and "YM," including catchphrases such as "get glam." (I've never met anyone who really talks like a teen girl fashion magazine, so this stuck out to me.) The chapter on finances is where the main juicy I-didn't-know-that stuff is, but it mostly tells you to get some other book, which happens to be one I'd checked out at the same time, so I said "okay" and dropped Chick Living back into the library return slot.

Product Description
You're young. You've used up the handful of decorating ideas you ever had and, frankly, it's time to take down the tapestries and the pushpin-worn posters. You're livin' in the real world now, sister. And, you're broke. So what if your mom thinks you're sassy and sophisticated-it's high time you showed everyone else you truly are. In Chick Living, Kris Koederitz Melcher teaches us how to live frugally while oozing fabulousness. Melcher's got your back with real-life lessons in necessity such as securing renter's insurance, getting enough calcium in your diet, and when to take your car and yourself in for a routine checkup. We can all learn a lesson or two from Melcher who, in her first year out of college, paid every bill on time and had funds left over for starting a Grown-up Girl wardrobe and a savings account. What's a Grown-up Girl Wardrobe, you ask? What's a savings account? Never fear, oh sweet young dear. Help is on the way. It's an expensive world out there and this guide is here to tell you what to spend on and when to put your money away. Quit dishing out three bucks for your morning latte and start making your frothy favorite at home. Discover the beauty of a yard sale and have enough cash left over for a monthly dinner-out splurge. Invest in a few classics for your closet but avoid the enticing lure of fad clothing. You'll find everything here but the kitchen sink (although Melcher tells you what should be underneath your sink). Whether you're in search of a job, a roommate, a couch, or a recipe, Melcher's preparedness savvy is the ideal remedy for the just-out-of-college blues or the woes of any fund-hungry chick. You'll thank your extra pennies that she's put her hard-won wisdom and experience into a guide for the rest of us.

About the Author
Kris Koederitz Melcher is an editor who has worked in publishing and public relations for several years. She has written, pitched, and placed articles in publications like Modern Bride, New Woman, Parade Magazine and more. She strives to live a frugal and fabulous life in Leawood, Kansas, with her husband and daughter.

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Review of Ending The Sex Wars: A Woman's Guide to Understanding Men (Paperback)

I found this book to be disappointing at best.Too general.Too elementary.Not at all what I expected or was looking for.

Product Description
Ending The Sex Wars: A Woman's Guide to Understanding Men is a book written to help women understand the sometimes strange and perplexing behavior of the men in their lives.

The author, Dr. Morley Glicken is a psychotherapist, teacher, scholar, and prolific writer. He has included many stories and examples of men and women who have successfully resolved serious relationship problems, gathered from his many years of experience.

Sex Wars is practical, easy to read, enlightening, funny, and always entertaining. Dr. Glicken has given women and men a simple way to understand each other. When you've finished Sex Wars, you will want to practice what you've learned with the men in your lives, and you will know a great deal more about yourself.

From the Book: 'The men I've written about are the men you will meet in your life. They often have ways of viewing life, love, and relationships that can be confusing. By understanding men, I believe you will have much more successful experiences and that you will come to know that men cherish the guidance and the sweet and tender love you give, and are much better because you are in their lives.'

About the Author
Dr. Morley Glicken is a nationally known educator, psychotherapist, and author of six books on mental health. He is the former Dean of the Worden School of Social Service in San Antonio and currently directs the Institute for Positive Growth: A Research, Treatment, and Training Cooperative in Los Angeles, California.

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Review of Males, Nails, Sample Sales: Everything a Woman Must Know to be Smarter, Savvier, Saner, Sooner (Paperback)

This is mandatory reading. NO woman should EVER be allowed to enter into a relationship, take a new job, furnish her home, plan a party, shop for clothes, contemplate a vacation or raise children until she has this hilarious gem on hand.I just ordered a whole pile of them to give to ALL the women in my life -- especially my adult daughters while they're still young enough to avoid their mother's mistakes. I plan to give these books as stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, engagement and bridal shower gifts, and "just because" gifts to any woman with a good sense of humor and a great desire not to screw things up.

Product Description
What your mother, Oprah, and Martha never told you

Let's face it: we live in a complicated world. Lands' End has a swimsuit anxiety zones area on its website; a moisturizer can cost more than a weekend in Paris; they can send a man and a monkey into space, but they still can't find a cure for split ends.

Clearly, we all need essential life skills and operating instructions. But why should you have to learn from hard-won experience when Stephanie Pierson is willing to give you her vast life experience and wisdom (and share some of her more humiliating life lessons)?

This smart, funny, fabulous book will get you everything from a juicier chicken to a less hostile hairdresser. Read it and you will know what not to order from room service (eggs Benedict) to what never goes out of fashion (a crisp white shirt) to what is never in fashion (socks and Birkenstocks worn together). You'll know when a man isn't a keeper (he knows more Sondheim lyrics than you do), how to buy a house (location, location, location), how to assess an Oriental rug (condition, condition, condition), how to get the best price from the wedding caterer (say it's for a funeral), and how to get the dog in a custody battle (keep a dog-walking journal).

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Review of How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook Featuring Over 50 Foolproof Ways to Win, Woo & Wow Your Wife (Paperback)

Craig Boreth has done it yet again. First there was that other thing and now . . . this. Wow! What next? But, let's focus on this right now . . .

I must admit that I was immediately drawn to the hilariously strident tone of the title when I included the book in my Amazon guide "So You Want To Be Your Own Wife." But that is part of the brilliance of " . . . Damn Shirt . . ."'s concept: looks like a feminist screed, actually is a cleverly disguised spy manual for men to the secret and mysterious world of connubial bliss, nay, even concupiscience.

Ok, yes, my wife and I blithely disregarded the rules for reading (See "For Men Only" and "For Women Only") and read it selectively aloud together. We hooted again and again and agreed that it was not only funny but spot-on. Although we are surely not the target audience (my wife thinks farts are quite amusing and I find ironing meditative . . . go figure!), we loved the book and ordered a few more copies as gifts for friends.

On one level, the book's short chapter bites and Jay Mazhar's great illustrations make for the quintessential "coffee table/bathroom book." But it is much more. Each chapter---with great titles like "How To Eliminate Gas" and "How To Walk Slowly Through a Museum"---has a witty and humorous lead-in that then manages to segue into very real useful and well-researched information for, not just wife-pleasing and appearance-of-sophistication, but things that all self-respecting, socially-mobile adult males should take personal pride in doing. Things like being considerate of others in one's environment, listening to others (or at least appearing to), tying a bow tie, keeping your body fit, and, my personal favorite, "How To Have a Reasonable Midlife Crisis". The best thing is that Boreth slips all these important things in while you are chuckling over his humorous presentation so nothing has any kind of a preachy feel ("I'm happy, fabulous, hunky, sensitive, and evolved and here's how you can be, too!").

This book is many things for most people. Would-be metrosexuals will eat it up as a starter guide. Young married (and impending matrimony) couples will benefit mightily. I predict, in fact, that this will become the hot shower gift of the next generation. Older couples may pick up pointers. The clueless will find clues and the clued will become yet more clueful. Skunkish boors will be predictably unchanged and unchangable but their wives will get some brownie points with friends and family for having tried something, anything. As well, we showed it to our gay friends (in fact, one couple just got married) and they loved it for the kitsch factor, the studly voice, and the retro illustrations. The general gay literary critique: "Craig Boreth is hot."

All said and done, "winning, wooing, and wowing" is, as the author so succinctly put it, "a journey, not a destination." "How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt . . ." is one hilarious and well-written roadmap to the ultimate satisfaction, seemingly scarce in today's world, of happily bonding with your life partner, and to that most enigmatic of human institutions, marriage. Buy copies for your friends and laugh and learn together!

Product Description
PERFECT HUSBANDS ARE MADE, NOT BORN

LADIES: At long last, a practical guide to help your man become the perfect husband. How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt is your salvation, with simple, easy-for-a-guy-to-follow instructions on those little things you can never get him to do, such as:

- How to Put the Toilet Seat Down
- How to Stop Snoring
- How to Ask for Directions
- Plus, more than 50 other essential topics (even How to Dance at a Wedding)

It's a must-have guide that will finally convince him it's in his best interest to make you happy, no matter what it takes.

GUYS: Don't panic. It's not how perfect you are, it's how perfect she thinks you are. How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt is your key to the castle. Imagine what she'll let you get away with if you master a few skills, such as:

- How to Appear Calm While She's Driving
- How to Apologize Convincingly
- How to Enjoy a Chick Flick
- Plus, more than 50 other essential topics (even How to Hide Your Porn)

How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt includes countless tips and tricks for keeping you sane, keeping her happy, and keeping you both laughing.

About the Author
Craig Boreth is a perfect-husband-in-training who lives in Santa Monica, California, with his perfect wife.

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