) but its certainly made all the difference in me being finally, actually organized on day-to-day basis. I'm now the only one in my office with a clean desk :) The book covers just about the same material that I learned in the tape series. The tapes have more anecdotes and 'real-life' examples in them, but the book has a few new pearls and tricks that tells me David's been refining and polishing this system since the tape series.
Two last quick points: first, it requires no special binders or refills. You could use a cheap spiral notebook if you want. Personally, I use a palmpilot, which works well. Second, (IMHO) the Weekly Review is the cornerstone of making this system work, and its worked for me for two years. Remember that; it'll make sense once you read the book :) Now if I could only get David to come up with a system for procrastination....
Rating: 
Summary: Practical, Useful and Well Delivered. What More Do You Need?
Review: Too many books on getting organized tend to be, well, unorganized. Or worse, impractical. They take digressions through academic theories or offer advice which simply won't work in the real world.
Not so with David Allen's "Getting Things Done." He offers clear, concise insights on action-oriented steps anyone can implement to make their worklife more productive and stress free. (He recommends the same approach for dealing with your personal life, and while they may work in this context, I'm not sure how many folks really want to run my family like a business).
Yes, a lot of Allen's advice is simple common sense and he tends to offer lists which simply added pages instead of help. Nonetheless, he presents obvious insights in useful context by showing how they've worked with his clients and it's simple to skip the unnecessary lists. The key is (and this is why I awarded five stars instead of four) Allen's advice is aimed at folks who live in the real world. You can actually implement what he talks about and see results.
While the book may not change your life, it will certainly help you keep it organized and focused. "Getting Things Done" is an ideal gift for the colleague who is more of a "big picture"-type than a detail person.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: Definitely a helpful book. I researched many time management books while in the process of writing my own book, "Never Be Late Again, 7 Cures for the Punctually," and this one really stood apart. While he does get a little abstract and theoretical at times, the concepts are solid, and the organizational tips very useful. I particularly liked the concept of the weekly review. So often, we get caught up in our day-to-day tasks, we forget to step back and view the big picture. Yet one of the habits I've noticed in very successful people is that of consistently keeping the big picture in mind. Overall, a very good book.
Rating:
Summary: Time Tested Principals
Review: I attended one of David's seminars in 1986. As a result, I was able to successfully manage 101 concurrent projects, finishing on time and under budget. Fast forward to 2001. I keep this book by my side at all times (David publish it in Ebook form so it's easier to carry!). The company I'm with now wonders how I get the "impossible" projects done. Using David's techniques in the book, it seems like I can complete a full work day in fewer hours because I know what all my "next actions" are, and do them promptly. Gives me a lot of worry free time.
This is a book you "DO" not just read. Be prepared to work when you start out, but when the initial work is done, that's when the fun begins.
I cleaned my inbox and email box of 300 items in less than 15 minutes, filtering out the junk, the things that needed immediate attention, and the "someday maybe" things (like buying my first Harley).
This works for my personal life too. No more missed anniversaries, birthdays, phone calls, errands, etc.
Do you ever think about work projects at home? Do you ever think about home projects when you're at the office? Ever worry about that phone call you need to make or that errand you need to run? Forget it! Get the book. It's awesome. Get the book - period. If you don't, you deserve your stress.
Rating:
Summary: Changing an entire family
Review: Being raised by an ADD father and a depressed mother left my siblings and I without a lot of social skills, not the least of which relate to productivity. Years ago one of my sisters asked me what I wanted out of life. My answer was simple: to be able to do something just because I decide to do it.
For decades I have studied everything I could get my hands on regarding self-improvement. Silva Mind Control, Insight, Maxwell Smaltz, NLP, countless books, tapes, seminars. Most of these left me thinking, "Well, if I could get myself to do those things, I wouldn't need your stupid book/tape/seminar."
I spoke frequently with my siblings about this, noting to them that successful people do things and think about things differently than unsuccessful people but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what that difference was.
NLP has been a big boost but nothing has matched the power of GTD to transform my life. This is the skill that sets people apart. It builds confidence, it clears the mind, it clears the backlog of projects that have piled up over the years.
For the first few weeks implementing this system I was actually on a emotional high. It was so exciting to have a simple, workable system that truly does what it claims to do. My wife and I have been working this system for a couple of months and have literally transformed ourselves using it.
My siblings are using it to great advantage also and I'm starting to share it at work. I am so grateful for this book and the opportunities it has opened up for a whole generation of under-achievers in my family. Words cannot adequately express my appreciation.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best quality printing!
Review: I'm early in the book, yet it's easy to see it will be at least 4 stars. I must warn readers, however, that this is a poor quality printing. The pages are thin and the print contrast is poor. I'm surprised Penguin's standards have slipped this low. The text deserves a better vehicle.
Rating:
Summary: Practical implementation for the theory.
Review: I love the way the book tells you the theory and then explains why that hasn't worked in practice and then a down-to-earth way of getting the same results. I took 3 days to implement this system and have had an empty in-box at work and home ever since. My productivity is now amazing!
Rating:
Summary: Read Allen's book first...
Review: This book has changed my life. I will not go over what other readers have commented on, but would like to make a suggestion. If your GTD system is already set up, yet you cannot get into the flow, please read "Isn't It About Time?" by Andrea Perry. While Allen's book provides excellent structure to time management, Perry's book provides excellent insights into what might be delaying implementation. The book was written by a British author in a charming way, and not readly available, but well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: This Personal Productivity Tool Works! Really Works!!
Review: I am a self-help book freak. I have been there, done that. You name it. Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, etc., I have read them all. This is the book that gives you the nuts and bolts of implementing a highly productive and stress-free lifestyle. Is it easy? Far from it. It is difficult to implement in full. But you will be able to take immediate benefits of the tips that the author gives from the word go! But one thing I promise is that your head will feel lighter and stress-free. It is very difficult to explain it. How can you explain the taste of sugar to one who does not know what sweet taste is? The problem is with the title - it sounds too simplistic! But I think once you read it, you will discover behind its tips and tools, there is a very deep and profound philosophy. IT will definitely make you a more relaxed and better person.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Definitely a helpful book. I researched many time management books while in the process of writing my own book, [...] and this one really stood apart. While he does get a little abstract and theoretical at times, the concepts are solid, and the organizational tips very useful. I particularly liked the concept of the weekly review. So often, we get caught up in our day-to-day tasks, we forget to step back and view the big picture. Yet one of the habits I've noticed in very successful people is that of consistently keeping the big picture in mind. Overall, a very good book.
