10 things I learned how to do from books

My love affair with words began early…I spoke at 6 months and read at 4 years. It’s been tough to shut me up or get my nose out of a book ever since.

Books have been my teacher, comforter, pain killer, best friend and constant companion ever since I first discovered the wonderful world of belonging.

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During the process, I learned many things from the books. But here in this blog, I’m sharing with you 10 things I learned from Books-

• I valued a book for the emotions that it stirred in me, the places it took me for all the sentimental value that book held for me. For the dreams it held out to me. The physical condition of the book was completely immaterial to me.

• From the sublime to the…nearly everything I learned (at least initially, about sex) I learned from “Joy of Sex”.

• Nearly everything I learned (at least initially) about cooking, I learned from “The Joy of Cooking.

• I learned how to sell and how to influence people.Most of that came from Kevin Hogan.The book Invisible Influence: The Power to Persuade Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere
   is one of my favorites. It has recently been re-issued and updated.

• I learned how to buy antiques, how to refinish antiques and much about the antique business. For this information, I am indebted to "How to Be Successful in The Antiques Business" by Ronald Barlow and my (signed copy) of "Hidden Treasures" by Leigh and Leslie Keno.

• I learned how to sew. Not a highly valued skill these days but one that has saved me money over the years and more importantly given me just the look I wanted in draperies in 29 feet high apartments.

• I have learned a BIT about how other people think. After much pooh-poohing, I finally read, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" and wished that I had read it many years ago when it first came out.

• I learned how to breed dogs. If you too think this might be fascinating, go to the dogs Fanciers web site and read on!

• I learned how many of today's ideas come from old books...I have some of Napoleon Hill's old books and they still have great sales ideas.

I have a small (3 inches by 4 inches ) book by Dr. Robert Anthony called "Think" published in 1983 in Very Good condition that is still full of useful sales advice.

 

And my favorite, a gift from the Risk Manager at Caterpiller when I was his insurance broker..."Earthworms through the Ages" by William Upsom ( a comedy about a man who sold earth moving machines and disobeyed every sales rule out there and made money anyway)!

• I have learned essentially that there is nothing that I would like to learn how to do ...nowhere I would like to go...that I cannot read about in a book.