Harriet Klausner


Good book, terrible e-book   July 11, 2002
 34 out of 35 found this review helpful

I purchased the Adobe e-book version of this book assuming it would be easier to use for reference than the print version. I was wrong. The Find feature is slow, cumbersome, and doesn't support Boolean searches. You can't copy or print even the smallest portions of the text. You cannot jump to a reference from its listing in the index. And when you click on the highlighting tool, you'll accidentally hit a link that periodically pops up for Amazon.com, opening your browser whether you want to or not. You cannot return this e-book, though you will be tempted to. Save yourself the money and buy a used copy and some sticky notes.


a thousand good quick reads   January 24, 2004
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

I enjoyed this book throughly! It's an excellent resource for speech writing or for creating your own personal fables (to be passed on through conversation and lessons). I also liked how many of the stories were cross referenced when multiple people were involved, and how a few of them were retold in different ways when listed under different people.

My only complaint... (and this is a big one!) is that the list of celebrities and historical figures is extremely westernized. There are only a handful of eastern and middle eastern people represented. Even Eastern Europeans are greatly outnumbered by the British and American figures. And god forbid that we include anyone from the Southern hemisphere. I'd like to see more variety in the next edition, or even a companion book with some 'minority' focus in it.


Good AND terrible   March 11, 2003
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

As the other reviewer said, a fabulous book that is absolutely awful as an e-book. I have the hard copy, and use it frequently for speeches and talks. It is brilliant - pick one up, and you will sit down with it. But the e-book is as bad as the other reviewer mentioned - all the portabilitiy in the world can't make up for impossible searches and slowness. If I could get my money back, I would... Maybe it's just Microsoft Reader, but regardless, it makes the book virtually unusable.


One of my favorite books   March 27, 2008
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I must admit, I have had this book either by my bed or (forgive me!) in the bathroom for at least 20 years and am on my third - the other two worn out from too frequent reading. Lots of wonderful tidbits on just about anyone you can think of in history/literature/the arts/music. Highly recommended.