5 comments about PMP Exam Quicklet: Project Management Professional Practice Exams.

1. Very practical and helpful book that helped me tremendously in passing the PMP exam. Questions are very similar to the real questions in the exam. It also taught me how to correctly read the questions and identify the right answer when you are not sure. The quick review at the end of the book is also very useful: a bonus.



2. I recently passed the PMP exam on the first try using this book to measure my grasp of the material. With this book, you get three 180 question practice exams, which is a very nice value. My exam preparation included reading the excellent Head First PMP book (cross referencing the PMBOK). Afterward, I took the first practice exam and used the results to focus my efforts for further study. Then took the second practice exam, further resolving my focus and finally took the third exam the day before sitting for the real PMP exam.
   
   Performance Benchmark: For the three practice exams in this book, I averaged 93%, requiring an average of 36 seconds per question. (You might consider this a benchmark for passing the real exam)
   
   Cons:
   
   Overall, I found the questions to be a good representation of about 60% of the exam. The remaining questions were of a much trickier nature (perhaps better approximated by Oliver Lehmann's prep material).
   
   There are numerous typos in this edition. Be sure to check out the Errata in Development (in the Customer Discussion section, near the bottom of the Amazon page).
   
   There are many repetitive questions.
   
   Bottom Line: a good value. A helpful tool to measure your knowledge and focus your study. But should be used in conjunction with other reputable practice exams (like Head First and Oliver Lehmann). When you can score >90%, you are ready for the real exam. 4 stars out of 5.



3. Too much emphasis placed on the Input, Tools & Techniques, and Output of the processes when there are not that many questions found on the actual test. These are important, but so are other areas. This book contains 3 sets of tests, 180 questions each. Some questions are repeated among the tests. Ironically, the answers for several are WRONG. This section needs some editing done to insure accuracy. Several places in the answers sections, it will say "Answer = A", then follow up with "B is the correct answer because...". There were also some questions that asked for two answers, such as A & C. The actual test does not ask for nor allow more than one answer per question. Overall it was a satisfactory help.



4. I just passed the PMP exam after mostly preparing from this book and PMP in Depth. Of course all of us have to read the PMBOK Guide too; that's a given. I've found that the questions in this book are right on the mark: actually some questions in the exam were very similar to the questions in this book. I also liked the bonus features in the book: the Exam Tips and the Exam Quick Prep. The Exam Tips helped me to look at the questions in the real exam from the right angle and the Exam Quick Prep put me into the right mood just before the exam.
   Overall, excellent tool to help you pass the PMP exam; highly recommended.



5. The price point for this book is ok in terms of the questions provided. As other reviewers noted, the questions in this book do not cover the kind of second-order situational types that you would expect on the exam. The questions are also grouped on the exams more or less by process area making it difficult to take a subset of the exam and get a feel for your performance; as a result, you have to sit there for 2-4 hours and take the entire test to get a good read on results. I also agree with the earlier statements about typos. I did much worse on this practice exam than on the ones with Head First PMP but did very well on the exam itself, so I don't feel that these tests were as useful in preparing for the exam. If you're going to buy 1 book in addition to the PMBOK, this is not it. If you're buying several it may be worth considering as a supplement to something like Head First PMP.

4 comments about 1001 Solved Engineering Fundamentals Problems, 3rd ed..

1. This is the book to study in preparation for the EIT exams.



2. This book for the most part is good for studying and the problems cover many areas related to the exam. However, this is the 3rd edition for which an errata does not yet exist. Having been studying with this book for several weeks now, it is LITTERED with errors. I would NOT recommend buying this book until a full errata is available. Buy the 2nd edition and view the errata online. We spent hours trying to figure out problems that were done incorrectly. Units don't work out, wrong numbers used, etc. Big time waster and it is hard to have confidence in learning from this book when it has this many errors.



3. Well written, questions are similar in scope and difficulty to actual FE exam questions. Does not cover discipline specific exam questions (civil, mechanical, etc.) No actual practice tests, but good questions and solutions.



4. I've been out of school for ever. I studied for 6 months and failed. I changed my studying strategy after that. Instead of going back and studying the subjects from ground-up, I did almost all of the practice problems in this book twice! Except for differential equations (skipped that section entirely). I think you still need the ground-up knowledge but don't over do it if you've been out of school for a while. Get this book and work problem after problem. Most of the questions on the exam didn't scare me because they were very similar to the problems in this book. Now I'm moving on to the P.E.!
   
   Con: I'm not the sharpest guy by far but I did find some errors in the book which were not published. So I'm sure there are more that I didn't find.
   
   Pro: It's about half the size of the FE Review Manual, Rapid Preperation for the General Exam 2nd Edition, so you can take it with you anywhere.
   
   I also recommend the above mentioned review manual and the FE/EIT Sample Exam, 2nd Edition. These three books got me through the exam.
   I used the HP33s and just programmed the vectors, which helped me out with a couple of questions. (every point counts!) The only other thing useful was the statistics which is already pre-programmed.
   
   Good Luck!!!

No comments about Study Guide Chapters 1-13 & CD.

No comments about Sales and Operations Planning: The How-to Handbook, 3rd ed..

2 comments about Option Strategies for Directionless Markets: Trading with Butterflies, Iron Butterflies, and Condors.

1. I have read a lot of books on options and most of them have one thing in common - they all just describe the various options strategies but do not provide any information on how to use the strategies effectively to make money. This book is no different.
   
   The book delves into how a butterfly and a condor are structured. If you know that a butterfly is structured by a short straddle and protected by a long strangle further out of money, you can skip pages and pages of explanation on the structure. If you already know how to calculate the profit or loss for various prices of the underlying at expiration, you can again skip many pages. Same is true regarding the option greeks. Also, pages and pages of theory does not add much value if you already know about the construction of a condor, which is nothing but a short strangle protected by a long strangle that is further out of money.
   
   What is sorely lacking from the book is any advice on how to practically use these strategies for profitable trading. The author mentions that you will trade these strategies when the market is range bound. The author does not give any practical suggestion on selecting the long strikes or wings of the butterfly other than mentioning in the passing that one may use probabilities, but does not go into details of how the probabilities are derived. If you are a butterfly trader you probably already know about standard deviations and probabilities and the importance of IV in calculating the expected movement. Also, once you are in a trade, how do you manage it when it goes against you? The author does not discuss that in any detail.
   
   The chapter on 'Strategy Applications' has a lot of diagrams depicting when to leg into and out of the butterfly/condor depending on the market; whether it has broken out of a range and whether IV is falling or rising etc., This is one chapter that can be of some practical use.
   
   All in all, if you are a beginner you might find some interesting reading on the butterfly and condor strategies. But all that and a lot more strategies are covered in depth in McMillan's 'Options as a strategic investment' book.



2. I would have liked to see more information on guidelines to determine the best range (width) to buy (sell). Specifics on Condor corrections like when is the best time, how to determine how much correction, and alternatives. I would have liked to see ideas on "winging into condors" or adding one side at a time.

5 comments about The Foreclosures.com Guide to Making Huge Profits Investing in Pre-Foreclosures Without Selling Your Soul.

1. It is a good book for novice investors to review their basic knowledge on forclosures.
   It looks like this book was written a while back and then briefly updated. Or maybe it is good in the midwest and lower priced housing markets.
   Here in California almost all of the defaults have higher loan balances than equity.
   also homes are on the market so long that the length of time to resell might wipe out the $20,000-$30,000 projected profit.



2. This is very much a beginner's book, so if that's you, you might want to consider buying it. Exceptionally important (to me) is the fact that the author takes the time to discuss the psychology of working with pre-foreclosure sellers and the importance of empathy and ethics in putting deals together.
   
   Ms. McGee goes over all of the basics from locating properties to financing alternatives. One thing that's comforting is the fact that the author is an experinced industry insider with years of knowlege and experience in the field. A person like that is sure to have some valuable nuggets to pass on, which she does in an easy to understand style.
   
   In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I am an attorney, real estate broker, investor, trainer, and author of another unique and highly readable book on real estate investing that can also be found here on Amazon -- The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses: The Foolproof Roadmap to Real Estate Riches Without the Risks and Hassles of Landlording. Unlike many real estate investing books, it is written to be a genuine "How To" book that "takes you by the hand" and walks you through a step-by-step process for getting started in real estate investing -- investors across the country are giving it rave reviews. The book also includes sample leases, forms, and checklists, so that you can actually go out and implement the investing strategy it teaches as soon as you're done reading. You might want to check out the companion CD too -- The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses (Combo Audio/Data CD): Author's Audio Commentary Plus Downloadable 32-page Marketing Manual, Checklists, Spreadsheets, and Forms
   
   A related program that's well worth checking out is:
   
   The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth Creation (Combo Audio/Data CD): Audio Seminar With Downloadable 40-Page Action Manual and Active Link Library.
   
   If you're new to pre-forclosure investing, I don't think you'll go wrong buying Ms. McGee's book.



3. This is the real deal. The best book on pre-foreclosure investing out there. And the free bonus offer included inside is huge. I highly recommend this to anyone interesting in buying pre-foreclosures. Whether just one house, or many, this is your first step in the right direction to successful wholesale buying.



4. This is a great book for people starting in the foreclosure business. It gives the basics and then gives Foreclosures.com's spin on how they do business. I would have liked to see more on how you can use the website to start your business, but I guess that is covered when you join. Good starter book.



5. The book is excellent, and provides some powerful insight to Pre-foreclosure investing. Alexis is straight forward and to the point on this subject. Alexis is also extremely passionate about what she does, and very motivational. I anticipate reaping great rewards from the techniques she has provided in her book, and I don't plan on "selling my soul" doing so. Thanks Alexis!

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Writing Effective & Award-Winning Grants: Step-by-Step Instructions With Companion CD-ROM.

1. I haven't written a grant proposal in a number of years, and needed a refresher. This book was just what I needed! It explains in great detail the considerations you need to take when writing a grant, as well as explaining the process through to completion. The author provides numerous real-life examples throughout the book, with lots of helpful resource web links. I appreciated the fact that she broke down the process into small manageable steps. There's even a guide on how to get organized before you start. The author also stressed the fact that the process isn't over once the grant is awarded, and that you still have obligations to meet. That's a detail that is often overlooked.
   
   Overall, I would recommend this book for someone who has never written a grant request before, or for someone like me who needs to get back up to speed. There's a great checklist in the back of the book with a timeline that's broken down by week. This is a tool I'll definitely use!



2. Millions of dollars in grant money floats around today waiting to be claimed. "The Complete Guide: To Writing Effective & Award Winning Grants" seeks to help you lay claim to some of that money, a gift to help your organization, whatever it may be, flourish and succeed. To get that money is not an easy process, and "The Complete Guide: To Writing Effective & Award Winning Grants" will help you write the effective proposal you need to get a hold of the thousands of dollars you also need. Highly recommended to small businesses, researchers, or anyone who may need to write a grant proposal, and should have a place on all money/business community library shelves. Comes with a companion CD-Rom.



3. This book really surprised me, I expected it to be a "How To" that like every other one, puts me to sleep, but I was pleasantly surprised. Every topic is broken down into categories, within each chapter. The page set up is easy on the eyes; I didn't feel overwhelmed especially since this book contains a well of knowledge.
   
   It's amazing how much is available to us, if we know how to acquire it properly. I found the case studies very interesting to read, and the samples in the book really give you all the templates you need to write a successful grant. One thing that caught my attention was all the different websites and resources in the book. I checked out one of the websites that was listed and it had links to different contests and grants available to writers. If that link was not in the book, I would never have found it or even knew that it existed.
   
   If you're interested in writing grants, or need a refresh on grant writing this book is for you. Even if you're not writing but trying to get a grant for a certain endeavor, you might want to check out this book. Grant writing is not as easy as some may say, you can write a great proposal, but if you miss one key element you could lose the grant. This book will teach you how to do the research, organize it, present it and win that grant.



4. This is the most enjoyable, enlightening, entertaining and inspiring book I have ever read. It makes alot of sense, it has changed my attitude for the better in every way. It's lighthearted and uplifting.
   I highly recommend this book to everyone looking for answers to most anything about life. It's a book you will want to re-read.The Complete Conversations with God (Boxed Set) Amazons price, you won't find a better deal for all you get from this book.
   Some similarities to the Secret but in more of a Godly manner and much easier to understand. I would love to have some discussions with others who have read this, to see what oponions they have.



5. I am in the process of reading and learning to use to write proposals for educational grants.

5 comments about Conquer the Crash: You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression.

1. page 129 - "one can imagine a scenario in which the fed, beginning soon after the onset of deflation, trades banknotes for portfolios of bad loans, replacing a sea of bad debt with an equal ocean of banknotes, thus smoothly monetizing all defaults in the system...". that's what happened when the fed recently bailed out some investment firms! it's prophetic. this guy is right on track, and it's about the ONLY book on amazon that is this accurate. ya know, there's a negative review on this book written by someone in florida - you should hunt it up. the negative reviewer pokes fun at this book's conclusion about the housing market. bet he's not laughing now!



2. ...and depression for at least the twenty years I've been watching him...does anybody EVER look at his success rate?...about twenty years ago he made something like a million dollars trading futures based -- so he claimed -- upon Elliott wave theory...he then invested that money entirely in treasury bills and started a stock market advisory newsletter...he has been significantly correct ONCE -- TWENTY YEARS ago...if you had followed his advice since then you would probably have gone broke...and he, himself, admits that he keeps his money in treasury securities and doesn't invest according to his own predictions...now, MAYBE he'll be correct again -- SOMEDAY...but do you really want to follow the advice of someone who's right -- MAYBE -- every twenty years?



3. I don't know where he is today but the author couldn't be more wrong in his predictions for 2002 or is he just off by 7 or 8 years ? Had he wrote this two years ago about 2008/2009 he would have be heralded as an economic prophet. Its completely uncanny that he describes, in the most precise detail, what 2008 looks like but, unfortunately for him, he is predicting todays scenario to happen in 2002/2003. It didn't of course. We not only did not experience a credit bubble but the 2001 Recession turned into a bull, quite the opposite of the authors prediction of a major depression. Of course he could excuse his error today by saying that he wasn't 100 % certain on the time frame, that he did mention a slight chance that it could happen later...at any time really, but such Delphic predictions are absolutely meaningless in their ambiguity. Even a stopped clock is right 2 times a day. I mean, eventually all stock markets along with our solar system get sucked into the sun in 2 billion years. In any event, the author does a great job in explaining the Fed and monetary phenomenon and policy but like pretty much anyone who tries to predict where its all going with technical analysis (ie graphical trend lines) we can see now that he fails and there is no reward for failure in economics. I must confess however that I am defiantly prejudiced against technical (graphical) market analysis as a predictor. I'd recommend this book out of a library for a educational read on the mechanics of money and banking, but not to buy. It's just too old and embarrassingly wrong at its predictions that can now be seen in hindsight.... but then again what an uncanny resemblance to the banking debacle of today ! If one could just add 6 or 7 years to the authors predictions it would be a world best seller to be sure !



4. Must admit I'm only a bit more than half way thru the book.
   However, I bought it after reading other positive reviews & I'm not
   disappointed. The premise is SAFETY with your capital.
   The horrendous machinations we're seeing today in the world of finance was predicted by the author 4 years ago. His recomendations for safe havens for your money are excellent.
   
   Gives methods to determine strength of your bank & money markets as well.
   Well worth the purchase price. Get into prec. metals before it's too late!



5. The author provides good practical advices on how to live through the difficult times he foresees.
   I was slightly disappointed in not finding in the book much of his "charted expectations" of how the market crash shall paly out, although he often refers to his other book ("At the crest of the tidal wave") for this. So I guess I should buy that one as well.
   Also, not much insight is given with respect to Elliot Wave theory, of whom mr Prechter is an eminent scholar. Apparently the only book the author wrote to provide it is "Elliot Wave Principle".

5 comments about The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Culture.

1. My wife and I found this book very helpful, prior to our first trip to Japan. We have been somewhat fearful of this trip, because of langugage and obvious cultural differences. Nevertheless, this book added to our understanding of current cultural traits, ideas, and ideals in Japan; their historical origins; their meaning to both Japanese and first-visit foreigners; and the countervailing Western forces eroding at the "pure strain" traits or ideals. All in all, this book is a fascinating synopsis of Japanese thinking about unique Japanese traits.
   
   We also liked the fact that at the end of each brief chapter, the editors have written a number of thought-provoking questions. These questions ask the reader to expand one's thinking and make clear cross-cultural distinctions. Besides making the book even more useful to persons like us, these questions also make this book a sure winner in any advanced high school or college class on Japan.



2. This book is well written. It was written to be used in a class room setting (the book states this) If I would have know I wouldn't have purchased it. I was looking for a more personal,engaging insight on the way of life in Japan. The book is laid out nicely and still a good read, just a bit too text like.



3. Both editors are professors at Ehime University in Matsuyama, both working in fields relating to England language education, and they have put together a collection of twenty-eight relatively brief essays -- all written by fourth-year students and then polished with the help of the faculty -- on such key attitudes, patterns of behavior, traditions, and social underpinnings. These include group consciousness, the Japanese and ambiguity, personal space, childrearing, the Japanese sense of beauty, male/female relationships, seniority, and other topics that often are puzzling to Westerners. The writing is uniformly clear, even when explaining complex concepts, and there's a detailed bibliography (much of it to works in Japanese, however). A very informative resource for any American trying to figure out the Japanese.



4. This is a fundamental book if you have to deal with japanese people, but even if you don't. Learn the right interpretation of their feelings. A cult.



5. This is yet another one of these 'Guides to Japaneseness' that continue to enjoy widespread support -- usually from people who will be spending no more than two or three years in that country. The academic backgrounds of the authors -- both are, in essence, ESL teachers (or 'applied linguists' to use the word of the day -- should give you a good idea of what their agenda is.
   
   It's not that this book is not helpful -- if you really need to have a pundit explain to you why Japanese people like to give gifts, or that it's ok to slurp your ramen noodles, or that 'saving face' is a leftover ideal of Feudal social rules . . . well, feel free to sit at the feet of these economy class pundits. But, honestly, there are many books that cover the same stuff as this book, in far better detail. Boye De Mente's "Japanese Cultural Code Words" was a more informative and exhaustive read, and I suspect these authors borrowed significantly from him, and his methodology. But do you really, really need somebody to tell you what 'Japanese' people are like? I mean, these books read like those WWII American service manuals about Iraq or France: "The French are a winedrinking nation . . ."
   
   The discussion exercises, obviously intended for the classroom, are hilarious in their imploring tones: "Japanese people don't like . . ." or "It is often said that Japanese people . . ." or "imagine you're a Japanese businessman whose senior has just . . ." To give you a sense of the kind of audience this book is getting . . . a 3rd year course on Japanese literature (taught in the English Department, of all places) used this book as its 'cultural component'. I suppose that, as a primer, it could be helpful. But more likely I think the text was used to buff up the insider's credentials of the professor, whose own linguistic skills in Japanese were non-existent, and whose template for 'Japaneseness' was about as formulaic as the ones found in this book. In short, these kinds of works give you the illusive quality of 'immersion' without having to really talk to people.
   The authors should be taken down to a hip-hop bar in Osaka for a while. I'd recommend Ian Condry's excellent book 'Hip-Hop Japan' for a real antidote to the Meiji-era slop these authors are distilling.
   
   Here's an idea: spend your money on 'The Rough Guide to Japan', which has just as much information on etiquette and customs without the academic dross. Save your money and invite a Japanese friend out for food or drinks: you'll get more insight than this didactic volume will offer.
   
   I don't know what it is about Japan that publishers continue to push out these 'insider's guides' and 'secrets of the Japanese psyche' type guff. I could only imagine the response if you read a Japanese visitor's experiences of child beauty pageants, post-Katrina 'rescue' operations, and the ration of money spent on bullets as compared to beds . . . does that define the 'American mind'? Of course not.

5 comments about Hedgehogging.

1. Hedgehoggers come in different sizes and personalities, and their results swing widely from high levels of success to abject failure. Hedge-fund investing is only for rich people and institutions; however, these funds play an important role in the stock market and the economy. Author Barton Biggs is a cultured, high-level money manager and global strategist. After 30 years with Morgan Stanley (which took public exception to parts of this book), he raised substantial capital through his wealthy family and investors, and entered the hedgehogging jungle. He describes the field both coldly and romantically. He is an effective raconteur, especially when he details war stories about Wall Street's unethical, double-crossing maneuvers, and strange but wealthy characters. getAbstract recommends this book for its smooth, dramatic writing about hedge funds, their context and the players who run them.



2. the book is compeltely unstructured. the author jumps from one theme to another. finally we get this crazy story about the guy who sees tommorow's numbers in today's WSJ and get a brief on Keins biography. come on guys! if you dont know what to write in a book, publish your articles in journals. he's a smart guy(the author), but a lousy writer. Maybe he's got a lousy publisher, somone shoul've helped him structure it much better.



3. As a finance student,i thought that i will capture some good ideas,and fascinating stories from a book written by an experienced man in the finance business.Unfortunatly it was not the case the writer did not have any common sense on how to organize the book ,the style of writing was ok Barton Biggs surely knows a lot of fency words,but he lacks organized thoughts.
   To conclude this book is just flash backs from lunches and dinners that biggs attended ,almost in every page of the book he used [lunch or dinner]meeting ,i never seen his picture before but in my mind he must be 300 pounds



4. Biggs is an engaging enough teller of anecdotes, but he's prone to making conclusions based on little to no data. He also seems blinded by his own industry's whoppers. Claiming, for instance, that LTCM went down because of "3 sigma" events is just plain wrong. The Kindle conversion is sloppy. Font sizes are off. Dashes that originally seem to hae split word in a paper text are for some reason retained. Lazy.



5. Its a great book, I came on here to buy another copy for a friend who runs a well known hedge fund. Well organized? No, not really, but it doesn't matter. It really does capture the flavor of the world nicely.
   
   The quality of the writing is substantially better than expected - which is to say quite good.