Make it Right: Inside Home Renovation with Canada's Most Trusted Contractor - Mike Holmes

The Basics: Make it Right: Inside Home Renovation with Canada's Most Trusted Contractor, Mike Holmes, 2006, 209 pages

How I found it: Greg got this book for Christmas and since I am a fan of Holmes on Homes as well, I thought I'd read the book to educate myself.

What's it about?: This is Mike Holmes' coffee table book style explanation of what he does on his show to "Make it Right". The book explains how to go about doing a home renovation starting from how to hire a contractor, to how to do each part of the job, to what materials and techniques to choose. There are lots of pictures - mostly stills from the TV show.

Did I like it?: This book should be considered an accompaniment to the TV show. I liked reading it because it explained in a bit more detail why they do some of the things they do to fix people's houses on the show, and why they use the products they do. I also really liked that Mike seems to have an environmentalist bent, which doesn't always come through on the show. I am unhappily a long way off from owning a home, but I can got lots of ideas about energy efficient things I can do in my home, and environmentally products I can buy.

Will you like it?: Unless you are a fan of the show, or about to embark on a home reno, I don't know that you would find this book that interesting. It is good as a companion to the show, but otherwise there isn't really a lot of reasons to read it. It's not really in depth enough to be a reference book, although the sections on how to find and deal with a contractor are good.

But don't take my word for it: There are a handful of industry and reader reviews on Amazon.ca, and the official Holmes on Homes website.

How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie

The Basics: How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie, 1936, 276 pages, paperback.

How I found it: I bought some cereal because it advertised on the box that you could get a free book. From the selection they had available, this was my choice. I figured that I needed this sort of information since I am going to work in the field of law. Or something...

What's it about?: This is a self help book about how to deal with other people. It is separated into sections with names like: "Six Ways to Make People Like You", "How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking" and "Be a Leader: How to Change People without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment". At the end of each chapter is the "principle" you are meant to take out of it. These are things like: "Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly" and "Talk in terms of the other person's interests". Really, they are all common sense things that you should do. The whole book can be summed up by saying: be considerate of other people. Each section is full of examples of how to use each principle.

Did I like it?: I really didn't enjoy this book. A disclaimer though: I hate reading self-help books. I always feel like there is more wrong with me after I am finished reading the book than I did before I started. Self-help books are like cosmetics commercials: they tell you what is wrong with you so that you will buy their products to fix it. As a result, I found reading this book to be tedious and I skimmed large portions of it. I think I found it so tedious because its use of examples makes it so repetitive. I am not an idiot. I don't need ten examples of one type of behaviour to understand the point being made. I also wasn't a big fan of the constant use of examples from men I am supposed to be impressed by, such as numerous old time US presidents.

Will you like it?: If you are totally incompetent and self-conscious about your behaviour in the business world, you might like this book. Otherwise I suggest that you just use common sense and the golden rule to govern how you treat other people and you'll be fine. I also think this book would be great as a pamphlet: each of the principles set out with one example. The whole book in under 10 pages. It would be great and not nearly as tedious.

But don't take my word for it: A bunch of glowing reviews from Amazon.ca, and a summary of the principles from the book so you never have to read it. Other than that I can only find other glowing reviews from online bookstores and various business types touting the book as a miracle.

How to Save the World in Your Spare Time - Elizabeth May

The Basics: How to Save the World in Your Spare Time, Elizabeth May, 2006, 207 pages, paperback.

How I Found it: I believe I saw it reviewed in Canadian Geographic, but I might be wrong about that.

What's it about?: This is a how-to manual on how to be an activist or run an activist organization. It includes tips on organization, media handling, public awareness, knowing when to sue, and lots of other stuff. It is written by Canadian Elizabeth May, current leader of the Green Party, former direction of Sierra Club, etc.

Did I like it?: This book was quite informative, but I feel that the title is a bit of a misnomer - it should be Called How to Save the World as Your Part-time Job, because the tactics May uses will consume your life and eat up much more than your spare-time. I found that the book had some good tips that I could even use in the small organizations and clubs I belong to, which is helpful.

Would you like it?: Even if you aren't part of an organization, May gives some good tips on things you can do by yourself, such as letter writing. If you are part of an organization, this is your new bible. May stresses moderation and being careful not to alienate the public or politicians and I think that is a very important message for groups to remember.

But don't take my word for it: a review from the blog athenadreaming.org, one from Geist Magazine (which is Canadian) and review from the Nature Canada website.