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A Little Bit of Everything For Dummies

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Twenty years ago the very first For Dummies book, DOS For Dummies, was published. From that first printing of that first book came a series unlike anything in the publishing world, one that is global in both geography - we have been published worldwide in some 30 languages - and in coverage. No single volume can hope to summarize what thousands of titles have meant to millions of readers over the years, and we don't claim to do that in this e-book. Rather, this e-book celebrates the breadth and depth of the For Dummies series, offering 20 chapters - in honor of our 20 years - from a list of books compiled by our global colleagues. We are confident the chapters we've included give you a representative glimpse at why - no matter what the topic - our products have meant so much to so many by Making Everything Easier. We've grouped our chapters into five main parts:

Part I: Dummies Classics, offers four chapters from some of our best-loved books. There's a chapter from DOS For Dummies, the book that started it all, and chapters from two of our best-sellers: Windows 7 For Dummies and Sex For Dummies. And just for a bit of spice, we've included a chapter from French For Dummies.

Part II: Daily Dose of Dummies, offers the kind of lifestyle, self-help, and business skills that our readers have come to treasure. There's one of our famous Part of Tens chapters from Cognititive Behavioural Therapy for Dummies and a chapter from Meditation For Dummies to help you get your center. Chapters from Leadership For Dummies and Marketing For Dummies help you develop new skills for the marketplace.

Part III, Fun with Dummies, celebrates life and all it has to offer. We've got chapters here from The Royal Wedding For Dummies, Guitar For Dummies, Digital Photography SLR All-in-One For Dummies, Puppies for Dummies, Knitting For Dummies, and Wine For Dummies.

Part IV, Get Social, highlights how we help you grow and develop new skills. Chapters here come from Facebook For Dummies, Social Media Marketing For Dummies, and Dating For Dummies.

Part V, Going Global, shares the worldwide appeal of the For Dummies series. These chapters from British History For Dummies, Canadian History For Dummies, and Rugby Union For Dummies were created by our global colleagues and authors and show how the For Dummies approach applies not only to whatever the subject is at hand, but also wherever the discussion is taking place.

Download and enjoy!

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

2068 people are currently reading
4770 people want to read

About the author

John Wiley & Sons

720 books26 followers

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5 stars
904 (23%)
4 stars
847 (22%)
3 stars
1,047 (27%)
2 stars
626 (16%)
1 star
413 (10%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
Profile Image for Cathy .
1,901 reviews288 followers
April 22, 2012
"...this e-book celebrates the breadth and depth of the For Dummies series, offering 20 chapters - in honor of our 20 years - from a list of books compiled by our global colleagues. We are confident the chapters we've included give you a representative glimpse at why - no matter what the topic - our products have meant so much to so many by Making Everything Easier."

Sometimes less is more. This is a collection of 20 totally random chapters that will give you a very strange reading experience. It is potluck if there is anything that holds your interest. And in the one chapter that I happen to know a lot about, I found something major that was not correct. Which makes me wonder.

I skimmed through most of the chapters. I am glad this was a free copy, otherwise I would have been very frustrated. Don't bother. Use Wikipedia instead.
Profile Image for Riccol.
69 reviews2 followers
September 25, 2015
A free book from Barnes & Noble. Not much to be said about it, just a random collection of topics any which of one, if you really wanted to learn about, you'd be better served by obtaining a book devoted to just that topic.
12 reviews
April 2, 2014
This didn't work for me, but only because I don't have any particular interest in the subjects that were chosen for this compilation. Perhaps the Dummies series is best suited to individual books on individual subjects.
Profile Image for Lauren.
64 reviews9 followers
September 6, 2012
This was free at the kindle store. Nice overview about a couple different subjects. The topics were pretty random, but I definitely learned something! I do not think I would have bought it, though.
12 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2015
Jumbled

This book jumped from topic to topic. It is not at all coherent. I really can not recommend it very highly.
Profile Image for Thom Swennes.
1,822 reviews56 followers
September 22, 2014
This (in 2011 published e-book) is written to celebrate and summarize the twentieth anniversary of the For Dummies books. It takes segments from previous publications and blow new life into them. Some, like the first book, DOS for Dummies recaps a system and era not quite forgotten. It is like walking through a series of antediluvian and antiquated buildings; the shell is familiar but the kitchen, bathrooms, appliances and furniture are definitely dated. The first two chapters are a nostalgic trip to the root of our present computer generated world, exposing just enough of these early roots to totally confuse you. Chapter three may not be Greek to all readers but it is definitely French. It provides the novice just enough to get him (or her) into trouble. This book, even in its entirety isn’t recommended to master the language of love. Speaking of love, chapter four titled Avoiding Sexual Relationship Pitfalls, may not help in solving your emotionally loaded domestic troubles but might glean a path in avoiding them in the future. The timing is everything. Ten Healthy Attitudes for Living, chapter five, gives the reader suggestions on how to weigh, balance and carry emotional baggage. This is a must section for some and a complete waste of time for the emotionally well organized few. Chapter six, Meditation 101: Relaxing Your Body and Calming Your Mind, is sure to be beneficial to everyone and it is nestled in the middle of this book to provide the perfect oasis of rest to energize the reader for the rest of the book. The Responsibilities of a Leader (Chapter 7) may be seen as a modern version of How to Win Friends and Influence People and is sure to benefit many of the more assertive readers. Chapter eight is another career orientated section, Leveraging Face-to-Face Marketing Opportunities and may interest some, stimulate sleep in others and leave many scratching their heads in utter confusion. Chapter nine is the first section directed at a specific group or groups. Charting the Course of the Royal Romance may be of great interest to history buffs (this is history in the making) and old school Royalists. If you like reality TV of the upper crust, this chapter is sure to hold your interest. Finally a chapter for everyone; with the shortest title thus far, chapter ten entitled simply Rock holds promise for the masses. Everyone has been captivated at one time or another by the beat of the drum and rock music moves the soul as well as the feet. It may not make you a star but it will provide you with an insight in the making of greatness. The double one chapter that follows handles cameras and the proper way to maintain them and make more than just pictures. The digital (or dSRL) camera is featured in Handling and Cleaning Your Camera and Gear and is sure to answer those questions you never dared to ask (for fear of looking the fool). Chapter twelve entitled Socialization and Civility focuses on raising your canine partner and making him (or her) truly man’s best friend. Caesar Milan, get outta town, dog whispering is now broken down for the masses; dogs beware! Tools of the Trade featured in chapter thirteen were once the bread and butter of every girl/woman but has now been grossly neglected and almost forgotten. New life has been blown into knitting and the sweaters and shawls are sure to follow. Marrying Wine with Food (chapter 14) explains the unexplainable world of high- brow culinary mystique. It explains which vino goes with which food (which is lost on me because everyone knows everything goes with beer). Chapter fifteen, Building Out Your Profile, explains the do’s and don’ts of social media. How to present yourself to the world without risk of being misused or exploited; this is a must for everyone of all ages. The next chapter (16) is Joining the Conversation and explains the advantages and tools required to become a good public speaker; a must for salesmen or people suffering from low self esteem. Following this inspiring and informative self-improvement chapter, like a freight train moving toward the sunset, chapter seventeen entitled The Perfect Date is sure to get the wallflowers back into the garden where they are bound to grow and flourish. The chapter (18) with the ambiguous title of The Sun Never Sets-But It Don’t Shine Either, explains to the common man (and woman) how and why Great Britain felt compelled to put their stamp on the world. The creation, governing and defense of a global empire isn’t cheap and without risk and ridicule. From the conception to the destruction of colonial England the reader is given an abridged blow by blow account that may (or may not) keep you on the edge of your seat. Trailing like the caboose of any self-respecting train, chapter nineteen, Borden and the Great War is a history lesson of the maple leaf. Robert Borden is the George Washington of Canada. He campaigned for and won the bloodless revolution for independence. This was just prior to that unnecessary and mega destructive war recorded in history books as the Great War or World War I. Conscription in Canada wasn’t a popular political move and almost sparked a revolution in protest. This is interesting and heady stuff for history buffs and Canadians. The last chapter is rightly about the world’s most popular sport; soccer. To be more specific, the World Cup, this chapter is dedicated to that four-week tournament represented by countries spanning the world to determine a real World Champion. I’m not really big on self help books but this one is a step above providing something for everyone. This is the longest review I’ve ever written but this book richly deserves it as it is short and diverse enough to fall through the cracks. What this book lacks in depth it makes up in scope and is sure to appeal to the masses.
Profile Image for  Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf.
5,983 reviews132 followers
May 19, 2018
I was expecting more...

3 Star Kindle Unlimited Read
I absolutely love these "For Dummies" books. This "A Little Bit of Everything" is no different I just expected more. I did however, enjoy the glimpse it gave. You are never to d to learn something new and the "For Dummies" series breaks it down for the simplest of simpletons.
Profile Image for Kristina Moses.
248 reviews
May 1, 2019
I thought it was a fun smattering of different topics that I wouldn't ordinarily think of reading about. I thought the chapter on training puppies interesting; I hadn't realized that reacting when a puppy is scared or acting defensive actually reinforces the behavior. I'm also a big history nerd, so I loved the chapters on British and Canadian History. Three of them that were a slog, though, were Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and the Rugby Union, as I had absolutely no interest or use for that information. I don't even know anything about rugby, but I might have still found that one useful if it was a chapter about the game itself, not just the upcoming (at the time) world cup and the famous players that I've never heard of. Back to fun things in the book though, it started with a chapter from the first dummies book, DOS for dummies. It was really fun too look back at how we used to have to deal with computers.
Profile Image for Paris Bell.
2 reviews
May 10, 2022
Some VERY valuable points. However, only targets a specific audience. Not the best book for mere introductory topics
Profile Image for JhkPuff.
1 review
Read
November 15, 2020
Jag markerar den här titelm som "läst" varje gång jag avslutar en bok som jag inte hittar på Goodreads, så att den kan räknas mot mitt årliga mål.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
8 reviews
April 16, 2013
it was free on Amazon so it was worth the price. I guess it makes for a handy reference book. the information is pretty light and topics are so-so
3 reviews
August 5, 2014
Boring

Boring

Boring.!xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xXxX xxx xxx xxx x x . x xXxX x x x x xxx xxx x xXxX fifth xxxc
1 review
February 28, 2017
Ho-hum

Not much that I was interested in, but that is just me. I guess it could be good for others.
Profile Image for Petrina Binney.
Author 13 books25 followers
July 25, 2021
3.5 stars, really.

Having been the go-to guidebooks for a good number of years now, the Dummies Guide produced this selection as a sort of introduction to their style of teaching. The subjects covered in this book include: eating clean, meditation, compassion focussed therapy, nutrition, Windows 10, coding, iPhone for seniors, GoPro cameras, business planning, Office 2016, small business marketing strategies, investing, blogging, Facebook, eBay, LinkedIn, guitar, bridge, chess and digital photography.

The trouble is, in some instances, it’s just one chapter from the original Dummies Guide book. I don’t really need to know how to buy my first guitar. I’d sooner know how to tune the thing. I don’t really care about computers or LinkedIn so, I’ll be honest, I skimmed those chapters.

I did find the chapters on playing bridge and chess interesting, and the writing is concise, not overly flamboyant, it does what it needs to do and, let’s face it, when you’re learning about a new subject, that’s what you need. I’d certainly recommend the Dummies Guide books if this large sampler is anything to go by. However, this book itself is a little confusing, given that it is a mish-mash of multiple subjects which have little, if anything, to do with each other.
Profile Image for Gian Andrea.
Author 6 books34 followers
May 2, 2020
I've got a free copy of this book so I won't complain, plus I knew what I was getting myself in to.
The Dummies book series has been pretty popular throughout my childhood, and as a result I remember seeing them here and there in libraries and bookshops. Back in the day where learning how to use DOS was the only thing you needed to know about PC and technology.
Things are moving fast nowadays so I'm not sure how much of this info is still relevant, and although they re up to date with chapters on 'social media' and 'trends' etc. I still find it like a little read, that I'd recommend to a younger public, more than a real go-to guide to improve your knowledge about a specific topic.
Great fro travelling or when short distance journey, or whenever in need to kill some time.
Profile Image for John Michael Strubhart.
531 reviews11 followers
July 11, 2018
I got this ebook as a freebie back in the day. I confess that I skimmed about half of it as some of the topics were of little to zero interest to me. It's a good sampler though. The Dummies series is prolific and very useful. In fact, were I to restart civilization with only one book series as a resource, I would choose the Dummies series over even The Feynman Lectures on Physics despite the latter's status as sacred text in my universe. Should you choose to learn from it, I hope it serves you well.
Profile Image for Marisa Quiroz Lemus.
51 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2020
Creo que si bien es un muy buen libro aniversario y lo leí por estar de promoción en amazon, aporta pocas cosas nuevas al mundo de la tecnología sobretodo. sin embargo una persona poco o nada entendida en el tema puede tener un muy buen primer acercamiento con respecto a estos temas. se te dan consejos y como con los demás libros de esta serie es un libro de consulta que resulta útil en algunos temas. Creo toda esta serie de libros son excelentes sólo la parte de tecnología siento que siempre se verá un poco obsoleta.
4 reviews
February 24, 2014
I Loved it

I liked this book series because face it,all of us deep down inside us are sometimes dummies. so all you skeptics out there,go stick it and suck my d#$$! MOTHER-F@!$!
2,976 reviews
October 4, 2017
The authors refused to take the correct position on vaccination, why puts the rest of their advice under a cloud of suspicion. It seems like the emphasis is sometimes on the wrong things.

Otherwise, it's not a terrible guide. It just never feels validated by anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Paul Etheridge.
1 review
November 27, 2019
A little bit of everything

Very good read. Enjoyed the difference tropics and very enlightening. From computers to relationships to language to wine to history and more was discussed in this book.
Profile Image for Kamie.
1,026 reviews30 followers
April 27, 2018
I found the information to be not exactly relevant anymore, but maybe they have an updated version?
Profile Image for Aicha.
33 reviews
February 28, 2019
The topics are random and some of it have academic terminologies. Got it for free from my Kindle store. I enjoy rrading it but definitely will not spend my money on this one.
Profile Image for herman rotter.
11 reviews
March 19, 2019
Okay book for what it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Alexis.
1 review
April 5, 2019
Purdy good

Enjoyed it, kept me entertained. I would recommend this book to anyone. Love the for books very fun and interesting.
1 review
Read
December 15, 2019
No

No thanks
Why icon
Think that it was not run by an independent financial advice to the first place r
Profile Image for Mati.
1,031 reviews1 follower
December 16, 2019
Compilation of various topics too short to be informative but long enough for ‘do you want to know more’.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews

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