ok....but never be a best seller
591723
ok....but never be a best seller. Most men know most of this stuff already. For the ones that dont, go for it.
4130385
I ordered this book thinking, "Hey, this sounds good, the mob from a different angle," but I rarely got a mob hit (no pun intended) from this story.  True, the family was on the lam, true, there was definite larcenous behavior, true, there was murder and drugs, but there was so little and it was revealed so late in the book, that I have to ask, "Where the heck was the mob?"  Now I understand marketing is all about "a hook," but there should be more truth than hype to it, otherwise the customer feels cheated, ... and I felt cheated.  As for the writing and story, it was decent for the most part, but I felt the author got a little self-indulgent at the end.  I understand that her upbringing was, well, different, to say the least.  But she always felt loved and as a child she didn't know how different it was, so there wasn't any deep scarring here.  And you know what they say, "We all got somethin'."  So, to wrap this up, 3 stars does it.  There's nothing really special here, but it's an OK, light read.
1658615
Here comes my comment on the shortcomings of today's pumped up commercial hype in the book world. It used to be when a manuscript made it into print you had some assurance it had gone through a process with the editors and  publisher and wasn't a calculated scam, as in stuffed with large margins,  excess leading, and the like, just to get it to a minimum page length to  justify printing it as a book. Of late I see books like this one with a  retail price that just aren't worth it, contents  notwithstanding. The consumer is left to decide, do I let myself be ripped  off so I can enjoy this material, or do I make a statement and vote with my  pocketbook and at the same time deny myself something worthwhile. I resent  being put in this position. I think the publisher counts on a lot of people  saying oh hell I'll give them the extra 6 or 8 bucks just so I can have the  book. I try to avoid caving in. I can live without it if I have to accept  the condition I put up with a ripoff.
1458568
These stories could have been good...should have been, but we're not.  They had potential but just fizzled out. I've read reviews from people that loved this book. I don't get it. They were maybe reading a different book. I'm not a professional  book reviewer. I'm just an everyday person that knows what I like...and what I don't like.  If you are like me you will read this review and then buy the book anyway. You should. Don't take my advice. But just remember, after you have finished reading it, and realize how silly and time wasting it was.  Remember this....I told you so. (;
1463586
Apparently, you can sell a book with poor structure...and people will still eat it up. Most positive reviews for this book seem to be in love with the "idea" of the book. Yes, we make value judgments based on what we perceive. You can change your own value by thinking. BAM. I didn't charge you for that bit, did I? But, that's about all I got out of this one. Go for How to Succeed with Women by Louis and Copeland. It'll give you a more digestible way of A-not taking rejection personally, B-getting into habits that fight dating anxiety, and C-Not having to get into the smartass, sarcastic mood this book seems to push. It's really not attractive.

Do the work, get positive, get tough.
3604547
I actually read this book back in early January but wanted to "sit" for a bit with it to see if my review might adjust at all. Not really.

This book came with so much hype and sometimes I think that is not a good thing as you go in with super high expectations of near-perfection and there is only one way to go from there. The plot of this book really interested me and all in all it was a good one, the problem I had is that I was just well...bored for most of it *ducks and hides*.

I didn't want to be but I have to be honest huh? The fact that a few weeks later I can't recall much of the book at all to even do my review properly (that will teach me) says a lot, as memorable books I can't forget and can write a review over and over again. This was an okay read, I got to the end, it was not terrible by any means but it did not live up to the hype and it was a touch slow for me overall. 3 stars for 24 hours, I wish I could offer up more.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review.
4558191
I have a hard time understanding how this book stayed on the best seller list so long as there is nothing new or news that is not already known by the majority of the population.  It is just a rehash of old, old news and not worth the price!
3208804
It is just OK book, nothing epic in it. Maybe once all of the series are done it will be good, but this alone is nothing more than OK. I personally like capable main characters it is not the case here (at least they are not shown as capable).

One star is lost on ending (this is not a standalone book or even a single story arc of larger story). This book ends with nothing... almost no questions are answered, it ends very abruptly.
Second star is lost because quite often things that happen do not make sense, people seem to believe words without much proof and are willing to take drastic measures just because someone told something happened this or that way (even those taking action now that this person should not be trusted).
1756830
I'm always interested in reading a new book on Amazon selling, but this one didn't do too much for me.

I expected more information on sourcing media products, but this book didn't give me any new ideas. If anything, I realize that I need more efficient on consistently pursuing various sources, but this book doesn't offer much on techniques to manage this process. The single biggest problem for most successful media sellers is the constant feeling of hustling because it's all too easy to let this business run your life.

The author does live a bit on the edge. For example, he's very willing to list books as "New" that are not exactly new according to condition guidelines. He'll get a lot of backlash about this...honestly, it doesn't bother me a ton. However, if he's creating dissatisfied customers, he's really hurting the reputation of the whole marketplace, which hurts us all.

Overall, I think the author is smart. He probably would have a lot more to offer after a couple more years of running his FBA business because he's the type that will keep developing his processes and sourcing model. While secrecy can be important, you do sacrifice a bit of that right when you decide to write a business guide. I was left with the feeling that the author was purposely holding back potentially helpful detail and information.

If there's a follow-up with more advanced techniques, I'd be an enthusiastic buyer.

If you're looking for a better introduction to FBA, I'd recommend Chris Green's "Retail Arbitrage."
4355451
I can only give this book middling marks. Certainly its heart is in the right place: trying to help people create things -- whether books, films, music, art, or even businesses -- that are of lasting quality and enduring success.

But I have some issues and reservations about the actual book.

As indicated by the title, Ryan Holiday's notion of "work that lasts" is entirely measurable by sales. Greatness by any other measure isn't considered. Given that this focus is plainly stated in the title of the book, and given that greatness by any other measure can always be said to be a matter of opinion, this by itself isn't a valid criticism (even if it does rub me the wrong way). But it leads to another criticism that's more valid. Since the goal of the book is perennial sales, it naturally follows that the large majority of this book is taken up with marketing advice. And the large majority of that marketing advice, in turn, applies equally well whether your goal is perennial sales or ephemeral, make-a-quick-buck sales.

The result is that if you've read much of anything about marketing before, there isn't much in this book that will be new to you. The usual suspects are all there: Be sure there's a market for your idea. Have a good elevator pitch about your product. Network. Build an email list. Etcetera.

Another complaint I have about the book is that it's full to bursting with quotes and anecdotes. I admit I enjoyed some of these and even found one or two to be a bit inspirational, but I felt they were way overused. The major problem with quotes and anecdotes is that you can find one to demonstrate any point at all -- and just as easily find one that refutes that same point. So unless a quote or story is particularly entertaining or inspirational, it just takes up space. If a reader is wondering whether a piece of advice is really a good idea or is worth the effort, a story or quote won't (or shouldn't) convince them.

But I'm not saying this is a bad book. I'm just saying that if you've made any study of marketing at all, you shouldn't expect to find much that's original and non-obvious here.
4564633
First book I've read by this author. The concept was a bit unique and while it took awhile to get caught up in the story, I did finish the book. I would probably read another book by this author, provided the price was right. This wasn't a bad book, but not a great book either. If you like, take a chance on it, it may be right in your wheelhouse!!!
3899506
Our book clubs 'biggest surprise' was that this made the best sellers list at all.  The characters had no depth to them.  The story was a bit confusing and dull.  What a disappointment!  (We printed the publishers 'questions' for book club and wondered what book they read because it could not have been this one!)
1806651
I found this book to be a little rushed and not Robert's best effort. As I read this book it seemed to me he thought, perfect time to write a book and make some money. A line like this really supports that claim too,  "One of the benefits of being an author is that when I want a new liability [read: luxury item], I first write a book, like this one, and the royalties from the book pay for the liability." I have to admit when I read that particular line I was a little ticked. Yes I know when he writes a book he makes a lot of money and can buy his luxuries however it came off as a shot at his fans. At this point, many people buy his things based on his brand. He mentions that in his book. He formed a great brand that is known to be quality, however this book is a letdown. It does have some good information but a lot of it is a repeat from his other books. This book could have truly either not been written or condensed to under 100 pages. If you never read a Rich Dad book, then you may love it. As for me, I have read better from the Rich Dad collection. This book could have been better if it was not rushed or written just to pay for his new luxury.
1398430
This book is okay. The writing wasn't tight. The voice in the writing was natural/casual. As such, it tended to circle and repeat at times unnecessarily rather than hitting the points with certainty and definiteness. I'd consider it an overall easy read.

Although not by any measure a "must-have" for business, it brings up some very valuable points about brand that you won't find in most brand books... That brand is expressed at all times through all mediums, especially through your person, and not just in your logo or your marketing.

There were a couple places where I wished the author were not so overtly sexist in his examples (hypothetically pouring syrup over half naked models). He may have been trying to be humorous or edgy, I get it, but the hypersexualization marketing thing makes this book difficult to recommend or gift to young people who might otherwise benefit from the meaningful message or to modern adults with a conscience uninterested in those pandering methodologies.

All in all, I'd say it's a decent read. Take it with a grain of salt.
2039715
I don't normally write book reviews, especially in English which is not my native language. I feel compelled to write this not simply because this book is useless to me but the growing reviews and ratings it seems to get. If this is the first sales/personal relationship book you ever read, it certainly could have some value. However, if you have reached Sales 101 or Dale Carnegie, there's certainly nothing you can learn from this book.

What troubles me most is the many 5 star reviews it got and low useful ratings on its negative reviews. Certainly, any bad book, or anything bad for that matter, could and will have some avid fans no matter what. However, the discrepancy between quality and user reviews is so huge here, it convinced me that there must be something fishy around here. I just don't believe someone who has gone through any sales book or sales training could found this book passing the 3 star rate, not mention 4 or 5 stars.

I have long been buying books based on Amazon user reviews, and am quite satisfied with the results. However, recently, user reviews have become less and less reliable. The 2012 best rated book Power of Habit is another example. From now on, I'll certainly take a more critical view of the book ratings, and pay more attention to critical reviews when buying books.

For those of you who are realy interested in improve inter-person relationship, I will recommend How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes. It's much useable and actionable, although some of her tips can be cheesy, especially in the second half of the book.
998194
I don't understand how this book made it to the best sellers list.  I found the first part of the book slow and boring.  Would not recommend.
663475
why this book became so popular i cant say. probably just because it has a great title.  i hated it, but found myself giving it a second chance over and over again, because on paper im the exact target audience... until i actually couldn't take it anymore and left it 75% read. repetetive, prideful and not particularly deep.