Best Volunteer Work
In their recounting of astonishing stories from the front lines of social progress, we see the compelling, inspiring truth of how real people have changed the world, underscoring that one person can make a difference. “Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn show you, through many amazing vignettes matched with serious evidence, that you can make a difference. “Readers will be inspired by the stories [Kristof and WuDunn] tell….There are so many problems in the world, and so many organizations wanting charitable donations, that we can sometimes feel overwhelmed. Kristof and WuDunn’s commitment and passion for substantial action is inspiring.” — Publishers Weekly “[Kristof and WuDunn’s] vibrant portraits of ordinary citizens who are motivated to effect real and dramatic change present a rallying call to action and a voice for the power of volunteerism….This is a slow-go read in the most positive sense; it is hard not to constantly put down the book in order to further investigate the many exemplary causes that are profiled.” —Booklist “The authors deliver a profound message that packs a wallop.” —Kirkus “ A Path Appears . shows how someone with little can make a massive difference to the world we live in.” — The Christian Post “This is a lyrical guide that addresses the deep human yearning to make a difference. A Path Appears offers practical steps that any of us can take to empower others, and ourselves.” —Anne Rice. “Nobody clarifies the social challenges of our time, or the moral imperative to help meet them, better than Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Their latest book, A Path Appears, offers an inspiring roundup of the many simple and effective ways in which we can lend our hearts and talents to grow hope and opportunity both at home and around the globe—and an important reminder that just because we can’t do everything doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something.” —President Bill Clinton. “Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have done us all a great service by shining a light on the problems faced by the poor. With insight, compassion and optimism, Kristof and WuDunn show us that we can all play a role in making the world a better place. “ A Path Appears is an insightful book focused on how individuals can contribute to positive change and the remarkable people behind the organizations that make it happen. A Path Appears is a helpful and inspiring guide for anyone who wonders what difference a single person can make in building a more hopeful world.” —President Jimmy Carter, founder of the not-for-profit Carter Center. “While reading A Path Appears , I felt I was taking a much needed rest under a shaded grove of trees on my own journey to ‘make a difference.’ I highly recommend it as an absolutely terrific investment of time that will leave those who read it more hopeful and motivated.” — Deborah Fikes, executive advisor of the World Evangelical Alliance.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At the end of the book, the authors summarize: 1) Find an issue that draws you in and research it. 2) Volunteer, get involved, or do something more than just writing checks. 3) Use your voice to spread the word or advocate for those who are voiceless. These are really great ideas, but I wished they had been drawn out sooner so readers could be thinking about this approach while reading the chapters. I do think people will feel increased hope after reading it, but my concern is that the people naturally drawn to a book such as this are likely already in a giving mindset, it may have been a better service to the concept to make the book a little more reader friendly to appeal to a wider audience and change their perspective."
"Kristof and WuDunn follow on the successful Half the Sky and continual coverage of social issues through news stories, columns and social media in this work that makes the connection between the stories they tell and the audience that consumes them."
"As I was about to start reading this book, I hoped I would see that there are many good people out there trying to make a change in the lives of people in need. As for the other parts of the book, it is completely based on experimental data and should be read by all those concerned with the lives of the people we share this Earth with."
"From understanding the importance of regularly speaking with your children to learning about how giving chemically affects your body; this book will enlighten you and change your perspective on how to give meaningfully and help someone who can't help themselves without you."
"Would highly recommend this book for those that need some practical ideas and inspiration to jump in."
"We cannot avoid the fact that there are discouraging circumstances all about us, but Krustof and WuDunn demonstrate that "A Path Appears" to each of us who want to do more than stew about the complexity of the problems that plague us."
"I like this book a fair amount."
"I bought this book as a gift for a good friend of mine and they have made it a calling to take action on problems they see."
Retirement guide: For four decades, Hyrum W. Smith has been empowering people to effectively govern their personal and professional lives. Welcome to your new life of retirement and good living: This distinguished author, speaker, and businessman combines wit and enthusiasm with a gift for communicating compelling principles that inspire lasting personal change. Hyrum shares a lifetime of wisdom in this powerful retirement guide to discovering your true passion, re-imagining your life, and trying new possibilities. With longer lifespans and improved quality of life post-retirement, Hyrum skillfully leads the reader on an exciting journey to a brighter, more meaningful experience in this most rewarding phase of life. - Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach, business educator and New York Times-bestselling author, ranked the number one leadership thinker in the world by Thinkers50. Prepare to be challenged to make the most out of these important and meaningful years so that they become the capstone of your life!"
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I will definitely update this review when I get back to my computer as i just finished reading this on my Kindle Fire HD 8" tablet. I don't know if it helps or hurts having read his other works, as it gives the reader certain expectations. This book helps you think about what you want to do in retirement, offers some suggestions, and most of all is a call to action for you to ( full in the blank here because it's different for each of us.)."
"Everyone dreams of retirement -- especially on Monday mornings."
"This book is one you don't want to miss if you are planning to retire or even if you have already retired."
"The best book of its kind that I have read so far."
"Hyrum shares with passion counsel for those on the cusp of retirement."
"The item arrived on time and as described."
The case studies in the book include Jody Williams, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for the international campaign against landmines she ran by e-mail from her Vermont home; Roberto Baggio, a 31-year old Brazilian who has established eighty computer schools in the slums of Brazil; and Diana Propper, who has used investment banking techniques to make American corporations responsive to environmental dangers. In recent years, courses or centers in social entrepreneurship have been created in over 250 universities and colleges such as Harvard Business School, Yale School of Management, Duke, NYU's Stern & Wagner, Wharton, Oxford, and Stanford. In the past two years, the Acumen Fund, an organization that supports social entrepreneurs who solve major problems through business solutions (eg. The list of top business entrepreneurs who are focusing either full time or a considerable amount of time on social entrepreneurship is highly impressive: Pierre Omidyar , founder of ebay, created Omidyar Network to "enable individual self-empowerment on a global scale." Sergey Brin and Larry Page , founders of Google, created Google.org, which supports social entrepreneurs and has raised over $1 billion.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's a little dry unless you're really into the material (wanting inspiration as an entrepreneur yourself)-- each chapter is an account of an entrepreneur but it's not always super personal."
"The book also allowed me to realize that these change makers did not view themselves as social entrepreneurs, but most were simply influenced by contextual events that led them to their current entrepreneurial endeavors."
""...transformative forces: people with new ideas to address major problems who are relentless in the pursuit of their visions, people who simply will not take "no" for an answer, who will not give up until they have spread their ideas as far as they possibly can." This book teaches you to love the work of social entrepreneurs and self reflect on your own life, career, decisions and how you may possibly direct or redirect your life in a way that is consistent with creating and sustaining positive movements on this planet."
"Though I was inspired and challenged to think beyond my comfortable bubble it was intimidating to imagine the strength needed to facilitate change and the audacity needed to face adversity and critics."
"Inspiring and pragmatic stories of people that have made significant change for marginalized people."
"They came exactly what I expected, there isn't anything to be upset with."
Best Volunteer Work
We meet people like Dr. Gary Slutkin, who developed his landmark Cure Violence program to combat inner-city conflicts in the United States by applying principles of epidemiology; Lester Strong, who left a career as a high-powered television anchor to run an organization bringing in older Americans to tutor students in public schools across the country; MIT development economist Esther Duflo, whose pioneering studies of aid effectiveness have revealed new truths about, among other things, the power of hope; and Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede, who are transforming Kenya’s most notorious slum by expanding educational opportunities for girls. “Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn show you, through many amazing vignettes matched with serious evidence, that you can make a difference. Seize one of the many opportunities it lists, and change lives for the better, including your own.” — The New York Times Book Review “ A Path Appears is an exhaustive though not exhausting profile of giving, with surprising guidance—indeed, coaching—on how to be an effective giver. “Readers will be inspired by the stories [Kristof and WuDunn] tell….There are so many problems in the world, and so many organizations wanting charitable donations, that we can sometimes feel overwhelmed. Kristof and WuDunn’s commitment and passion for substantial action is inspiring.” — Publishers Weekly “[Kristof and WuDunn’s] vibrant portraits of ordinary citizens who are motivated to effect real and dramatic change present a rallying call to action and a voice for the power of volunteerism….This is a slow-go read in the most positive sense; it is hard not to constantly put down the book in order to further investigate the many exemplary causes that are profiled.” —Booklist “The authors deliver a profound message that packs a wallop.” —Kirkus “ A Path Appears . shows how someone with little can make a massive difference to the world we live in.” — The Christian Post “This is a lyrical guide that addresses the deep human yearning to make a difference. A Path Appears offers practical steps that any of us can take to empower others, and ourselves.” —Anne Rice. “Nobody clarifies the social challenges of our time, or the moral imperative to help meet them, better than Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Their latest book, A Path Appears, offers an inspiring roundup of the many simple and effective ways in which we can lend our hearts and talents to grow hope and opportunity both at home and around the globe—and an important reminder that just because we can’t do everything doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something.” —President Bill Clinton. “Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have done us all a great service by shining a light on the problems faced by the poor. With insight, compassion and optimism, Kristof and WuDunn show us that we can all play a role in making the world a better place. “ A Path Appears is an insightful book focused on how individuals can contribute to positive change and the remarkable people behind the organizations that make it happen. A Path Appears is a helpful and inspiring guide for anyone who wonders what difference a single person can make in building a more hopeful world.” —President Jimmy Carter, founder of the not-for-profit Carter Center. “While reading A Path Appears , I felt I was taking a much needed rest under a shaded grove of trees on my own journey to ‘make a difference.’ I highly recommend it as an absolutely terrific investment of time that will leave those who read it more hopeful and motivated.” — Deborah Fikes, executive advisor of the World Evangelical Alliance. Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, husband and wife, have coauthored three previous books: Half the Sky , Thunder from the East , and China Wakes .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At the end of the book, the authors summarize: 1) Find an issue that draws you in and research it. 2) Volunteer, get involved, or do something more than just writing checks. 3) Use your voice to spread the word or advocate for those who are voiceless. These are really great ideas, but I wished they had been drawn out sooner so readers could be thinking about this approach while reading the chapters. I do think people will feel increased hope after reading it, but my concern is that the people naturally drawn to a book such as this are likely already in a giving mindset, it may have been a better service to the concept to make the book a little more reader friendly to appeal to a wider audience and change their perspective."
"Kristof and WuDunn follow on the successful Half the Sky and continual coverage of social issues through news stories, columns and social media in this work that makes the connection between the stories they tell and the audience that consumes them."
"As I was about to start reading this book, I hoped I would see that there are many good people out there trying to make a change in the lives of people in need. As for the other parts of the book, it is completely based on experimental data and should be read by all those concerned with the lives of the people we share this Earth with."
"From understanding the importance of regularly speaking with your children to learning about how giving chemically affects your body; this book will enlighten you and change your perspective on how to give meaningfully and help someone who can't help themselves without you."
"Would highly recommend this book for those that need some practical ideas and inspiration to jump in."
"We cannot avoid the fact that there are discouraging circumstances all about us, but Krustof and WuDunn demonstrate that "A Path Appears" to each of us who want to do more than stew about the complexity of the problems that plague us."
"I like this book a fair amount."
"I bought this book as a gift for a good friend of mine and they have made it a calling to take action on problems they see."
Best Vocational Guidance
From the author: “For the last two years, I’ve interviewed nearly two hundred world-class performers for my podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. For most of my guests, it’s the first time they’ve agreed to a two-to-three-hour interview, and the show is on the cusp of passing 100 million downloads. I’ve used dozens of the tactics and philosophies in high-stakes negotiations, high-risk environments, or large business dealings. The lessons have made me millions of dollars and saved me years of wasted effort and frustration. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show , which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have hereditary cholesterol problems and my forays into a ketogenic lifestyle dropped my particle count from ~1950 to ~1225. There are many other great things that have come as a result of my exposure to Tim's podcast, too many to list here. This is supposedly a "recipe book" (according to page xvi in the Foreword). A few guests on his podcast have amazing things to say about meditation (Sam Harris, Naval Ravikant, Kevin Rose, etc.). But there is no central place to which you can turn to find out the collected wisdom of the many guests who have delved into this topic. In fact, there's not even one central place in the book that gives a list of the commonalities between the guests. They have the discipline to turn down the good, so that they can pursue (and achieve) the great. It might teach the tactics and routines and habits of world-class performers, but there's FAR TOO MUCH here to make it valuable in showing YOU how to achieve those heights."
"This book suffers from the expectations of his previous work--Tim is honest about presenting "Tools of Titans" as sort of a glimpse of his journals/notes from his life's work, but this book loses nearly everything we've come to expect. It's WebMD with a clouded personality...it's a bit like a bound website without the hyperlinking. He's shown he's capable of completely rethinking a problem or a lifestyle or a way of doing things, and this book isn't like that at all."
"It was worth the price especially after 200+free episodes of the podcast which I enjoy every week."
"I ordered this book yesterday, and it showed up on my door step today. The book is laid out in a format that is easy to navigate should you want to go back to reference again."
"The four-hour work week was a mindset changer, the 4-hour body gave me a playbook for anything I want to do physically and the 4-hour chef showed me how to have fun learning. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman. The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life."
Best Job Hunting
And as such, I know what it's like to be asked to whip up brilliant algorithms on the spot and then write flawless code on a whiteboard. Learn how to uncover the hints and hidden details in a question, discover how to break down a problem into manageable chunks, develop techniques to unstick yourself when stuck, learn (or re-learn) core computer science concepts, and practice on 189 interview questions and solutions. Extensive coverage of essential topics, such as big O time, data structures, and core algorithms. At Google, she interviewed hundreds of software engineers and evaluated thousands of hiring packets on the hiring committee.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The DP solutions in this book are not actually tabular DP formulations--I recommend looking at the problems here http://people.cs.clemson.edu/~bcdean/dp_practice/ (Brian Dean's Dynamic Programming Practice Problems)."
"I got several offers and without doubt this book helped. The specific coding questions that I would have failed outright on had I not read the book include: breadth first search/shortest path, fundamentals of hash tables, and recursion (fibonacci)."
"I frequently recommend this book to recruiters that would like to help give their candidates an edge."
"Like this book, the material very well structured, with real life examples."
"Good paper quality, great questions organized into exercises covering most important basics like Data structures, programming languages, problem approach etc."
"The afternoon before I interviewed with Amazon for a scientist role, the HR said you should prepare for data structure and algorithm."
"I've been writing software for a long time, and I'm competent at my job. Because the presence of books like these create a vicious cycle: prep book gets written; interviewees study/memorize answers; interviewers make questions "harder" to compensate; new book gets written! The grinder continues to turn, and whereas ten years ago you could get a good job with some string or linked-list manipulation questions, now you've got people who consider whiteboard coding of topcoder elite questions to be the baseline measurement of programmer competency. You'll even run into lazy interviewers who take questions directly from this book, which is the ultimate in stupidity: if "good" candidates have prepared from the book, and you ask questions directly from the book, what are you really accomplishing, other than a test of memorization skills? I've seen it myself."
Best Job Interviewing
And as such, I know what it's like to be asked to whip up brilliant algorithms on the spot and then write flawless code on a whiteboard. Learn how to uncover the hints and hidden details in a question, discover how to break down a problem into manageable chunks, develop techniques to unstick yourself when stuck, learn (or re-learn) core computer science concepts, and practice on 189 interview questions and solutions. Extensive coverage of essential topics, such as big O time, data structures, and core algorithms. At Google, she interviewed hundreds of software engineers and evaluated thousands of hiring packets on the hiring committee.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The DP solutions in this book are not actually tabular DP formulations--I recommend looking at the problems here http://people.cs.clemson.edu/~bcdean/dp_practice/ (Brian Dean's Dynamic Programming Practice Problems)."
"I got several offers and without doubt this book helped. The specific coding questions that I would have failed outright on had I not read the book include: breadth first search/shortest path, fundamentals of hash tables, and recursion (fibonacci)."
"I frequently recommend this book to recruiters that would like to help give their candidates an edge."
"Like this book, the material very well structured, with real life examples."
"Good paper quality, great questions organized into exercises covering most important basics like Data structures, programming languages, problem approach etc."
"The afternoon before I interviewed with Amazon for a scientist role, the HR said you should prepare for data structure and algorithm."
"I've been writing software for a long time, and I'm competent at my job. Because the presence of books like these create a vicious cycle: prep book gets written; interviewees study/memorize answers; interviewers make questions "harder" to compensate; new book gets written! The grinder continues to turn, and whereas ten years ago you could get a good job with some string or linked-list manipulation questions, now you've got people who consider whiteboard coding of topcoder elite questions to be the baseline measurement of programmer competency. You'll even run into lazy interviewers who take questions directly from this book, which is the ultimate in stupidity: if "good" candidates have prepared from the book, and you ask questions directly from the book, what are you really accomplishing, other than a test of memorization skills? I've seen it myself."
Best Job Hunting & Career Guides
Voted one of Top 100 Business Books of All Time on Goodreads. People are using this simple, powerful concept to focus on what matters most in their personal and work lives. By focusing their energy on one thing at a time people are living more rewarding lives by building their careers, strengthening their finances, losing weight and getting in shape, deepening their faith, and nurturing stronger marriages and personal relationships. In. The ONE Thing. , you. '. ll learn to. *. cut through the clutter. *. achieve better results in less time. *. build momentum toward your goal. *. dial down the stress. *. overcome that overwhelmed feeling. *. revive your energy. *. stay on track. *. master what matters to you. The ONE Thing. delivers extraordinary results in every area of your life. --. work, personal, family, and spiritual. Gary Keller. is chairman of the board and cofounder of Keller Williams Realty, Inc., which holds the #1 position as the largest real estate company in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Have you ever felt the Universe arranged everything for you to be at the right time on your computer, reading the right article that mentioned the perfect book you were meant to read at that specific point in your life? Not because it wasn't understood the first time around, but because I simply want to inundate myself with all its the ideas. Below are some of the highlights that profoundly resonated with me but I invite you to grab a copy and read the whole book. Extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus. Success is actually a short race -- a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over. How we phrase the questions we ask ourselves determines the answers that eventually become our lives."
"Or do they pull off something worthwhile and can they really aid someone find the business success they are seeking? Are they preaching to an already converted choir to confirm their preconceived notions or are they offering fresh insights and trying to broaden the horizons of readers? This book is authored by the very successful founder of one of the nation's great realtors, Keller-Williams. Gary Keller is targeting those business folks who want to find single minded success - the kinds of self-sacrificing, dedicated, and single-minded people he wants to hire and who will make themselves (and him) a great deal of money. Keller believes in focus, utter dedication to your one thing, and driving to breakthrough barriers to get to your one big purpose. He is not a big believer work life balance - he actually rejects it and calls it a lie. In other words, the key ideas are underlined in what looks like pencil - as if a previous reader had done it for you. I hear any number of executives talk about this as they are on their third marriage and fathering their own grandkids. There is a lot of benefit that comes from having succeeded and getting the space and time that comes from financial success."
"It's realizing that extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus. well written, incredibly simple, concise, practical analysis of the whys and hows of discovering and executing our ONE Thing. The Focusing Question - Helps us arrive at The ONE Thing. "When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy, but this doesn't actually move us any closer to success. Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of business.""
Best Job Resumes
Are you getting the results you want from your LinkedIn profile? Already a #1 Amazon best-selling e-book, this LinkedIn "bible" offers 18 detailed strategies and writing tips PLUS 7 Bonus tips that will teach you how to get found on LinkedIn, and how to keep people reading after they find you. "I was in a career transition and had been stuck for weeks on how to maximize my LinkedIn profile's potential. "Using Brenda's insightful techniques, I transformed my one-dimensional career history into a compelling brand-focused profile that has increased my profile reviews and name search results by 20%!"
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"To quote: "If you have contacted a particular employer, most of them now research to see what there is about you on Linked In (and on the internet in general. What will get my profile to the top of employer's searches, and make them keep reading once they've found it? The fixes range in difficulty from quick and easy (how to put your best photo forward) to not-so-easy, such as effective utilization of your professional contacts, but al of Ms. Bernstein's advice is of the "Well, that makes sense!"
"This book was a life-changer for me."
"I would not have bought this book at it's $24+ list price for the paper edition."
"Aside from that, this book shows examples and formatting techniques that will help you get noticed by and peak the interest of potential employers who are using the site's search engine for recruitment. Although most social networking websites are constantly updated and changed due to changing trends in technology and to keep users interested; the basics, structures, formatting, and the talking points in this book should serve as a template for any future changes to the interface."
"In her book, Bernstein clearly outlines step-by-step what you need to do to improve, refine and increase the visibility of your profile."
Best Job Markets & Advice
New chapters integrate using social media and social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and ZoomInfo in your job search, along with case studies from successful guerrilla job hunters that detail what works in today's hyper competitive job market with commentary from America's top recruiters. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 explains in step-by-step detail how to use the newest social networking sites and digital tools to perform a precision-guided, all-out job-hunting assault. Get access to cheatsheets, case studies, before-and-after sample resumes and cover letters, and proven tactics that you can tailor to your situation to make it drop-dead simple to find a job fast. "An e-mail chain letter combined with a targeted Facebook ad generated leads within hours." If you're looking to effectively attack the job market with zeal and enthusiasm I've got only one piece of advice for you: read this book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have used ideas for it every day in my counseling of candidates to Upgrade their careers through carefully defined strategy."
"My colleagues will despise me for recommending this book because Dave Perry does give away recruiter secrets to getting hired."
"I purchased this book to help my daughter (recent college grad) launch a job search."
"I am still working with my current employer but want to switch to a new career adventure into sales & marketing for a startup or for a consulting company. It's been 8 years I've not searched a job, and having studied guerrilla marketing during my MBA program, GM4JH 3.0 was an obvious pick. I read the book a couple of months ago I am now actively putting into practice the many suggestions. Even if you are a sharp job hunter, you'll learn a lot of great tips. Not the way that the energy will fall a couple of hours after as you may have experienced with other books or conferences you attended."
Best Business School Guides
Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GMAT Strategy Guide (ISBN: 9781941234020). Purchase of this set includes one year of access to Manhattan Prep's online computer-adaptive GMAT practice exams and Question Banks. In 2000, Teach for America alumnus and Yale graduate Zeke Vanderhoek had a radical idea: students learn better from better teachers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"These books don't emphasize tricks or easy ways to 700+ score, instead they methodically cover areas tested, and should be pretty much all you will need (besides the Official Guides - see below for links). If this is above your budget or you are in a rush, then would recommend you pick the best of the pack: - The GMAT Roadmap Great collection of wisdom (see my review of this book). - Number Properties Guide (condensed overview of Arithmetic and strategies for saving time/solving questions more effectively). - Word Propblems Guide (includes some of the hardest topics - probability, combinations, and statistics). - Sentence Correction (the best book out there on SC). - Critical Reasoning (only second to PowerScore CR but by a slim margin). - Reading Comprehension - a significantly revised book (there are no other dedicated RC books on market really). Between these 5 books you should have 80-90% of the GMAT covered and the rest could be picked up from the remaining books and practice with the Official Guides. *** Each book comes with access to 6 online gmat tests and additional question banks. Also, if you are new to the GMAT, download 2 official practice tests from GMAC and take one of them before you start prepping to get your level - very helpful to track your progress along the way but don't waste these tests - they use real retired gmat questions and though it is possible to recycle them (there are close to 900 questions in the banks), would recommend you use something less valuable for your practice such as MGMAT tests included with these books). ~~~. I have gone through all of the books and here is how it looks: Overall, all books have undergone some degree of updating; not just slapping a new cover as some providers do, so you will be better of buying the 6th if you are deciding. IR - substantial changes and improvements - the book needed them, and is now split by question type and organized a lot better. Quant - mostly minor updates (less than 10% new content). RC - Major update. SC - Restructure with the main difference is that the idiom section is cut down and rewrite of most chapters (more than 20% of content updated). CR - Improvements in text-heavy areas that put people to sleep before."
"The combination of these books, the GMAT Original Guide Bundle (buy those for practice problems), and hours of studying produced a 760 GMAT score!!!"
"I has a chance to review a preview set, and I see a number of meaningful changes in this edition: - GMAT Roadmap and IR books are now included with this set, making it a total of 10 books. - The Quant books have been improved in terms of layout and structure (though content is mostly the same). - The Verbal books have undergone a pretty significant improvement in terms of content (still analyzing the changes; check back in a few days for complete analysis). - Now the series start with Fractions/Decimals/Percents, then go into Algebra, Word Problems, Geometry, and Number Properties. (I feel this is a good improvement - first, it is getting rid of some of the strange names MGMAT used and second, Number Properties was a pretty tough book to use as the first step). If you are just starting out with GMAT prep - get this bundle; it's a good deal for the Manhattan GMAT Guides (separately they cost close to $150). If this is above your budget, then would recommend you pick the best of the pack: - The GMAT Roadmap Great collection of wisdom (see my review of this book). - Number Properties Guide (condensed overview of Arithmetic and strategies for saving time/solving questions more effectively). - Word Propblems Guide (includes some of the hardest topics - probability, combinations, and statistics). - Sentence Correction (the best book out there on SC). - Critical Reasoning (only second to PowerScore CR but by a slim margin). - Reading Comprehension (there are no other dedicated RC books on market really). Between these 5 books you should have 80-90% of the GMAT covered and the rest could be picked up from the remaining books and practice with the Official Guides. *** Each book comes with access to 6 online gmat tests and additional question banks. Also, if you are new to the GMAT, download 2 official practice tests from GMAC and take one of them before you start prepping to get your level - very helpful to track your progress along the way but don't waste these tests - they use real retired gmat questions and though it is possible to recycle them (there are close to 900 questions in the banks), would recommend you use something less valuable for your practice such as MGMAT tests included with these books)."
"I recently decided to go back to school for a masters and wanted to do well on the test, but not spend a ton. After I finish, I plan on ordering the GMAT Official Guides which have all the practice questions and after going through those books, then taking the test."