Right now I'm reading Real Estate Investing For Dummies, and it's not bad at all. Lots of hands-on advice, no-nonsense suggestions for how to get started, what to pay special attention to, concrete tables of rates and numbers etc. It's definitely not for dummies though since it's rather complex, and even if it had been for dummies, I find the title mindboggling. If I'd been a publisher and someone suggested that we cal our new series of instruction books For Dummies, I would have fired him on the spot, lol. It's never a good idea to insult your customers like that, and like I said, it's even downright misleading.

Anyway, have you read any good For Dummies books lately? Any you can recommend?

I was actually going to get a Dummies book for the Stock Market. It looks really confusing but I've always wanted to talk about my "portfolio" and how my assets aren't "liquid". Kinda fun, yeah?

I've always refused to even look at them on principle. I hate the word "Dummies" and the garish yellow covers are simply hideous. Apparently, I judge books on their covers.

But, I've been told they are often quite useful and such.

Reiki For Dummies
Feng Shui For Dummies

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Unfortunately my assets are quite liquid these days. At least my belly flab.

.

My best friend is living in Chicago for three months on business and I bought him a "Chicago For Dummies" book recently before he left. I always seem to buy them for other people, but I could personally benefit from several of them off the top of my head.

CarrieMpls said:

Exactly! I've been resisiting them for years for that reason (imagine how much potential profit that poor choice of title must have made them lose out on), but when I finally got around to trying one (by buying it from Amazon so I wouldn't have to go through the embarrassement of paying at a counter, lol) I actually quite like it. There's a very clear chapter division that focuses on important things, and it's quite substantial despite being marketed as "light".

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

that's actually so cute!

retina said:

Why would anybody be embarrassed to purchase one? Like the cashier is going to actually think you're a "dummy"?

I don't know. I respectfully disagree with you both. They appear to sell well, and are a decent tool to learn the basics on whatever you're interested in, as far as I can tell. To be personally offended by the title is frankly, well, it's funny. I'm sorry.

retina said:

Bitch please.

You're a great looking guy.




My books for Dummies that I liked where:

1) Feng Shui for Dummies
2) Project Management for Dummies
3) Spanish for Dummies


They don't go in to great detail, but they are a great way of breaking down the basics and getting you going.

The worst Dummies book I ever read was "MCSE for Dummies". It left so many details out that are needed for the certification that I don't even know why they bothered.

retina said:

I too have read that one.... I have had several over time.. most when i was building computers and very early versions of windows.

Imago said:

Dummy.

INSATIABLE said:

I bet you break alot of MCSE.

INSATIABLE said:

I thought it was an excellent catch title.. and indicates they will thoroughly break it down for you to comprehend. People must not be offended as they are best sellers and fly off the shelves...

INSATIABLE said:

I just think it's a bit insulting, that's all, and makes you feel like you must be a complete zero in that field to be part of the target group which really isn't true. They could just as well have called it the "101" series, or "The Beginner's Bible For..." or something.

Mach said:

What's Reiki, and was the book any good?

Imago said:

FUCK you.

I'm in a LIBRARY and just quacked like a goddamn intoxicated duck at full decibel.

retina said:

I can't believe I'm defending this, but it's just not meant to be insulting. The lighthearted cartoon guy on front? The cheesy font? It's friendly. I guess it just depends on one's type of humor. "Dummy" is much too bland to insult my intelligence, I guess. We're all different--for example, I'd probably hesitate at purchasing anything with the word "Bible" in the title. If I wanted it, I'd get it, but I'd loathe that title.

INSATIABLE said:

retina said:

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a simple but profound healing system that was originally developed in Japan. Reiki means "spiritual energy" or "universal life-force energy." The Reiki system is universal because it can be used by people of any background or religion. Reiki For Dummies explains how you can harness this energy for yourself.

INSATIABLE said:

I find that cartoon guy on the front more insulting than anything. And YELLOW!! I'm never buying anything yellow.

My favorite are the idiot series...it just seems more truthful, dummie? what are we like 5 years old...I mean, if I knew about what I was reading I wouldn't be an idiot. Oh, and generally they're written better.

retina said:

Let's not talk about belly flab.

Our assets probably carry "equal weight". That could only be good if it was a "bear market".

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Watch out, or I might do a "hostile takeover" and go for "full market penetration".

retina said:

loflmao!!!!

That deserves a WOO HOO!!!!!
[Edited 9/17/07 13:35pm]