It's Your Move: Dealing Yourself the Best Cards in Life and Work

Rating:
Summary: Good Messages in a Confusing Flow
Review: Although classified as a Business book, this title is really a self-help book. It was confusing for me as a reader, possibly based on my expectations.

Based on the subtitle of the book, I expected that I might see a card deck kind of format clearly presented. I imagined perhaps 52 great ideas that I could use to build my effectiveness. The fan of playing cards on the book cover reinforced that expectation. When I finally got past the pages of the publisher's advertising to reach the table of contents, I found that there were nine "hands," an introduction, a preparatory chapter, and a conclusion. Each hand (examples: attitude, visibility, style, listening, learning) in the table of contents has categories that highlight information and advice that would be helpful for anyone looking for some self-improvement help. There are graphics of success cards at the end of each chapter, but the graphics were not emphasized as well as they could be in the chapters. This is a design issue, rather than content, but the design affects the readability of the book.

Some "players" are introduced in the first chapter, representing composites of readers. The idea here, I believe, is that readers would be able to identify with these characters as they move through the book. These characters do stay with us through the book, but an army of other people pop in and out as examples in various vignettes. This parallel theme confused me as I was trying to follow the players and all the valuable advice being offered by the authors. The result of all these themes, a large number of call-out boxes, and a sans serif typeface made this book seem overly complicated.

Unquestionably, there is a lot of valuable advice in these pages, but be prepared to separate the book you'd like to read from the others that seem to be interwoven with it. The index, which appears just before the closing advertisements from the Financial Times, is helpful. The conclusion includes a survey with check-boxes that will enable the reader to focus on next-steps.

Rating:
Summary: The Best!!
Review: I heard Cyndi Maxey speak at a conference. She was great and the book was better. Good strategies for taking control of your career. Throughout Cyndi Maxey and Jill Bremer's book, the examples they used to illustrate their point spoke to me on a personal level and applied directly to my life.

I highly recommend "It's Your Move: Dealing Yourself the Best Cards in Life and Work".

Rating:
Summary: yes, it is our move!
Review: I know, I too thought it was just another person with another book waiting to get on the motivational speaker circuit. But this is simply not the case. It is written in a very straight forward easy to get format. The bottom line is that our life is our choice and the book offers a road map in making those choices.

Rating:
Summary: An inspiring, helpful and refreshing read!
Review: Jill and Cyndi have provided us with an easy-to-read and easy-to-follow guide that just about anyone can put to use! Anyone and probably EVERYONE can relate to this book, whether you a recent graduate, a CEO, unemployed, retired or just looking for something to read! With all of the formulas and tips they provide, there is inevitably something for everyone! It's Your Move makes you feel good about yourself and it makes you want to go out there and do something great with your life!!