General Books

Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter)

Garr Reynolds

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Riders Press Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $17.46

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Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Skills -> Communications
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Skills -> Running Meetings & Presentations
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 81 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Must read book on presentation design 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I finally had a chance to read Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. Garr is a leading authority on presentation design and delivery, advocating his minimalist (or "Zen") approach to presentations. His blog is one of the most visited web sites on the subject.

That's what 50% of this book is about, convincing the army of business managers writing thousands of PowerPoint presentations every day to drop their bullet point slides, take off big corporate logos from their slides and use more images supported by minimal text. It is an important message and I forgive Garr for repeating it many, amny times throughout his book.

The other 50% is focussed around taking the designer approach to presentations. I enjoyed reading backgrounds on Japanese and Zen culture and how they can be applied to good design. I did learn a few things about photo composition.

The book is nicely illustrated with example presentations, and many "before and after" slide transformations.

Having read slide:ology by Nancy Duarte just a few days a go, it is interesting to draw a parallel. Slide:ology contains more practical presentation advice: how to define color schemes, specific examples about slide build up. Presentation Zen adds more on the create design process, esthetics, and photo composition.

Editorial Review:

Presentation designer and internationally acclaimed communications expert Garr Reynolds, creator of the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the net -- presentationzen.com -- shares his experience in a provocative mix of illumination, inspiration, education, and guidance that will change the way you think about making presentations with PowerPoint or Keynote. Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today's world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations. Garr shares lessons and perspectives that draw upon practical advice from the fields of communication and business. Combining solid principles of design with the tenets of Zen simplicity, this book will help you along the path to simpler, more effective presentations.

The Numerati

Baker, Stephen

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Blackstone Audiobooks, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $19.77

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Sociology -> General
Subjects -> Science -> History & Philosophy -> General
Subjects -> Science -> Technology -> Social Aspects

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Be Afraid, Be Vey Afraid 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

In this informative book we are introduced to a new breed of mathematicians, "the numerati", who are responsible for gathering loads of private information individuals provide when they use a credit card, donate to a cause, surf the Internet, or even make a phone call.

The book's chapters include:

1. Intro
2. The Worker
3. The Shopper
4. The Voter
5. The Blogger
6. The Terrorist
7. The Patient
8. The Lover
9. Conclusion

This book is so so interesting. I especially enjoyed the chapters on Shoppers and Bloggers. One firm in New York analyzes data from web searches, and gathers some 20 billion behavioral clues on internet users each day. I also learned about an interesting Blog search engine, how political consultants target particular voters, and so much more. This non fiction book is highly recommended.

Editorial Review:

An urgent look at how a global math elite is predicting and altering our behaviorat work, at the mall, and in bed.

slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations

Nancy Duarte

Amazon Price: $23.09 List Price: $34.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $20.87

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Graphic Design
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Software -> Business -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Software Engineering -> Information Systems

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

No matter where you are on the organizational ladder, the odds are high that you've delivered a high-stakes presentation to your peers, your boss, your customers, or the general public. Presentation software is one of the few tools that requires professionals to think visually on an almost daily basis. But unlike verbal skills, effective visual expression is not easy, natural, or actively taught in schools or business training programs. slide:ology fills that void.

Written by Nancy Duarte, President and CEO of Duarte Design, the firm that created the presentation for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, this book is full of practical approaches to visual story development that can be applied by anyone. The book combines conceptual thinking and inspirational design, with insightful case studies from the world's leading brands. With slide:ology you'll learn to:

• Connect with specific audiences
• Turn ideas into informative graphics
• Use sketching and diagramming techniques effectively
• Create graphics that enable audiences to process information easily
• Develop truly influential presentations
• Utilize presentation technology to your advantage

Millions of presentations and billions of slides have been produced -- and most of them miss the mark. slide:ology will challenge your traditional approach to creating slides by teaching you how to be a visual thinker. And it will help your career by creating momentum for your cause.

Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual

David Pogue

Amazon Price: $23.09 List Price: $34.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Pogue Press Amazon Marketplace: 46 new & used starting at $17.00

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Operating Systems -> MacOS
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Operating Systems -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 131 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

With Leopard, Apple has unleashed the greatest version of Mac OS X yet, and David Pogue is back with another meticulous Missing Manual to cover the operating system with a wealth of detail. The new Mac OS X 10.5, better known as Leopard, is faster than its predecessors, but nothing's too fast for Pogue and this Missing Manual. It's just one of reasons this is the most popular computer book of all time. Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition is the authoritative book for Mac users of all technical levels and experience. If you're new to the Mac, this book gives you a crystal-clear, jargon-free introduction to the Dock, the Mac OS X folder structure, and the Mail application. There are also mini-manuals on iLife applications such as iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto, and a tutorial for Safari, Mac's web browser. This Missing Manual book is amusing and fun to read, but Pogue doesn't take his subject lightly. Which new Leopard features work well and which do not? What should you look for? What should you avoid? Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition offers an objective and straightforward instruction for using: Leopard's totally revamped Finder Spaces to group your windows and organize your Mac tasks Quick Look to view files before you open them The Time Machine, Leopard's new backup feature Spotlight to search for and find anything in your Mac Front Row, a new way to enjoy music, photos, and videos Enhanced Parental Controls that come with Leopard Quick tips for setting up and configuring your Mac to make it your own There's something new on practically every page of this new edition, and David Pogue brings his celebrated wit and expertise to every one of them. Mac's brought a new catto town and Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition is a great new way to tame it.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book

Adobe Creative Team

Amazon Price: $34.64 List Price: $54.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Adobe Press Amazon Marketplace: 74 new & used starting at $32.43

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Web Development
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Software -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 79 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This thorough, self-paced guide to Adobe Photoshop CS3--written by the experts at Adobe Systems' is ideal for beginning users who want to learn key Photoshop concepts and techniques, while readers who already have some experience with Photoshop can use this book to learn Photoshop CS3's more advanced features and newest tools. Using clear, step-by-step, project-based lessons, each chapter walks readers through the creation of a specific project, with each chapter building on the reader's growing knowledge of the program, while review questions at the end of each chapter reinforce the skills learned in each lesson. Photoshop CS3, long the industry standard for digital imaging software, offers plenty of new features and enhancements for creative professionals and digital photographers alike. Users can enjoy unrivaled editing with non-destructive Smart Filters, improved curves, and adjustable cloning and healing with Preview Overlay. Increase productivity with Photoshop CS3's streamlined interface and new Photoshop Lightroom " integration. Anyone who wants to create a composite will benefit from the revamped Photomerge® tool, which lets you apply automatic layer alignment and blending to your images, while the new Quick Selection tool lets you select pixels not just by color, but by texture and shape as well. And digital photographers will be pleased to know that they can now process multiple Camera Raw images in a fraction of the time it used to take.


Educational instructor notes—created to help teachers plan, organize, and time their lessons—are available for this book (and for other Classroom in a Book titles) at www.peachpit.com/instructorresources.

Office 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Peter Weverka

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $16.27

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Graphic Design
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Microsoft -> Applications -> Outlook
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Microsoft -> Scheduling & E-mail

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Office 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I've used word and excel extensively since 1995 in
the work place.
I got this book for my 42 year old daughter who is just
beginning to come around to PC's. I know how much i hate
scrolling or searching thru MS's Helps.
Well, the book arrived today. I was IMPRESSED.
I'm going to order a copy for myself.
Thank you Peter Weverka.

THIS IS AN IMPRESSIVE BOOK.

Great book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Received this book quickly. I bought the book for work. It has been very helpful. Thank you.

Editorial Review:

• Revised and updated to cover changes to all of Office's applications and productivity tools
• Offers beyond-the-basics coverage of Office word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, e-mail, databases, and desktop publishing
• Covers Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, productivity tools such as Microsoft OneNote, and SharePoint
• Thoroughly updated to cover the new Office interface as well as new features in each application

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition

Steve Krug

Amazon Price: $26.40 List Price: $40.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Riders Press Amazon Marketplace: 84 new & used starting at $21.70

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Web Development -> Website Architecture & Usability
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 439 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Five years and more than 100,000 copies after it was first published, it's hard to imagine anyone working in Web design who hasn't read Steve Krug's "instant classic" on Web usability, but people are still discovering it every day.  In this second edition, Steve adds three new chapters in the same style as the original: wry and entertaining, yet loaded with insights and practical advice for novice and veteran alike.  Don't be surprised if it completely changes the way you think about Web design.

Three New Chapters!

• Usability as common courtesy -- Why people really leave Web sites
• Web Accessibility, CSS, and you -- Making sites usable and accessible
• Help! My boss wants me to ______. -- Surviving executive design whims
  

"I thought usability was the enemy of design until I read the first edition of this book.  Don't Make Me Think! showed me how to put myself in the position of the person who uses my site.  After reading it over a couple of hours and putting its ideas to work for the past five years, I can say it has done more to improve my abilities as a Web designer than any other book.

In this second edition, Steve Krug adds essential ammunition for those whose bosses, clients, stakeholders, and marketing managers insist on doing the wrong thing.  If you design, write, program, own, or manage Web sites, you must read this book."  -- Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing with Web Standards

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition

Steve Krug

Amazon Price: $26.40 List Price: $40.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Riders Press Amazon Marketplace: 84 new & used starting at $21.70

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Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Web Development -> Website Architecture & Usability
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 439 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Five years and more than 100,000 copies after it was first published, it's hard to imagine anyone working in Web design who hasn't read Steve Krug's "instant classic" on Web usability, but people are still discovering it every day.  In this second edition, Steve adds three new chapters in the same style as the original: wry and entertaining, yet loaded with insights and practical advice for novice and veteran alike.  Don't be surprised if it completely changes the way you think about Web design.

Three New Chapters!

• Usability as common courtesy -- Why people really leave Web sites
• Web Accessibility, CSS, and you -- Making sites usable and accessible
• Help! My boss wants me to ______. -- Surviving executive design whims
  

"I thought usability was the enemy of design until I read the first edition of this book.  Don't Make Me Think! showed me how to put myself in the position of the person who uses my site.  After reading it over a couple of hours and putting its ideas to work for the past five years, I can say it has done more to improve my abilities as a Web designer than any other book.

In this second edition, Steve Krug adds essential ammunition for those whose bosses, clients, stakeholders, and marketing managers insist on doing the wrong thing.  If you design, write, program, own, or manage Web sites, you must read this book."  -- Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing with Web Standards