jjares reviewed On Your Own - How to Design And Construct A Family History Book to Inform And Captivate Readers on + 3414 more book reviews
More than a year has passed since I purchased (and read) this book -- and I'm still angry. To my mind, this book is a rip-off. Why? Let me count the ways.
1) For the minimal amount of information (in less than 80 pages), this book is ridiculously priced at $29.98. I balked at paying this much but thought it HAD to be stuffed with info to command such a high price.
2) The book's title (which is almost as long as the book): ON YOUR OWN - HOW TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A FAMILY HISTORY BOOK TO INFORM AND CAPTIVATE READERS. Mostly, the authors send the reader to another book for instruction on captivating readers. The only ideas they offer on the subject (taken from an additional book) total nine. One of the insightful entries; 'Use short words.' Wow.
3) Computer-wise, I am generally self-taught. I have had training in Word, but not Photo-Shop. So the info regarding "Placing Images in Text' was helpful. There was a photo of what the computer screen would look like when accessing the picture layout tool.
4) 'Software Help" (p. 40). They mention that every software program has 'Utilities' and tell the reader to use them. There is a one-sentence explanation of the utility's uses. I'm still in the dark as to where these magical utilities hide, or how to access them.
The book is written for the PC user; MAC owners get a total of one and one-half pages of (widely spaced) info.
Readers who think they might need the information in this book: I suggest you go to the library and order it as an ILL (Inter-Library Loan) to make sure it meets your needs, before investing in this booklet.
On the bright side: This product offers a large number of photos to illustrate points. The advantage? They are genealogy-specific illustrations.
1) For the minimal amount of information (in less than 80 pages), this book is ridiculously priced at $29.98. I balked at paying this much but thought it HAD to be stuffed with info to command such a high price.
2) The book's title (which is almost as long as the book): ON YOUR OWN - HOW TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A FAMILY HISTORY BOOK TO INFORM AND CAPTIVATE READERS. Mostly, the authors send the reader to another book for instruction on captivating readers. The only ideas they offer on the subject (taken from an additional book) total nine. One of the insightful entries; 'Use short words.' Wow.
3) Computer-wise, I am generally self-taught. I have had training in Word, but not Photo-Shop. So the info regarding "Placing Images in Text' was helpful. There was a photo of what the computer screen would look like when accessing the picture layout tool.
4) 'Software Help" (p. 40). They mention that every software program has 'Utilities' and tell the reader to use them. There is a one-sentence explanation of the utility's uses. I'm still in the dark as to where these magical utilities hide, or how to access them.
The book is written for the PC user; MAC owners get a total of one and one-half pages of (widely spaced) info.
Readers who think they might need the information in this book: I suggest you go to the library and order it as an ILL (Inter-Library Loan) to make sure it meets your needs, before investing in this booklet.
On the bright side: This product offers a large number of photos to illustrate points. The advantage? They are genealogy-specific illustrations.
