European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 03, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse They re dummies when it comes to Selling books by Farrell Kramer the associated press in the modern Day world where we arc what wheat we dress for Success and we shop till we drop it s comforting to know that being Dummy can prove folks at id books worldwide who nearly four years ago brought out the first Dum Mies Book with Dos for dummies and have kept them coming Ever since believe people Aren t shy about admitting a certain befuddlement with com plex topics. ,. Computers and the software were the first area id targeted and the books did Well. In Early 1994, the company turned off the information superhighway with personal finance for dummies. Sex for dummies by or. Ruth was theimer Avail Able in mid september represents id s biggest and boldest departure yet. The company Hopes the volume s title won t be off putting for a Book that discusses the most personal of life s endeavours. In the talmud in the jewish tradition it says that the lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained explained Westheimer the sex therapist known widely As or. Ruth. Her volume As is the Case with All the dummies books uses a dose of humor and a Breezy style to / simplify and demystify a Complex subject. The books All use Catchy voc lines and a variety of icons to Alert readers to important information. \ an Advance copy of sex for dummies included \ the following highlighted Points a target with an Arrow in the bulls Eye alerts s readers to a one example the next time your friends kid you about being a Virgin Tell them that you re not one anymore. You Don t have to say More than that except maybe to give them a a lighted bomb provides an ominous warn an example you can also carry intimacy too far and think nothing of say burping loudly in front of your spouse As if he or she weren t there. That s not intimacy that s being As a whole the dummies series offers 154 titles and boasts sales of More than 20 million volumes since its inception by far the most widely disseminated Book line catering to the Ess than Brilliant. Various other series have come along to varying Levels of Welcome. Most successful is a line targeted at Complete idiots such As the Complete idiot s guide to the internet. It has produced 64 titles and sold More than 2 million volumes since it started in Early 1993. Selling books to dummies and idiots quite obviously runs the risk of offending Book buyers with fragile egos. Even the difference Between the words Dummy and idiot has created some debate. I would rather be a Dummy than an idiot said Amy Gugig browsing in the computer books Section at a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan. Milissa Koloski group publisher of id books dummies press unit expressed a similar sentiment we think dummies is a term of affection whereas idiots is a Little offensive Don t Tell that to Macmillan computer publishing Home of the Complete idiots line of books and the world s largest computer Hook provider. We re both going after the same customer said David Israel its vice president of the Battle for the Book dollars of dummies and idiots the two sides Are using Many of the same approaches. Both lines feature soft covers with easily identifiable Bright colors. Both feature the generous use of graphics and illustrations to guide readers though the material. Both have similar titles and subjects there s Dos bestsellers Huey Newton emerges As a Brilliant strategist and a ruthless killer in the Shadow of the Panther Huey Newton and the Price of Black Power in America out in paperback. For dummies and the Complete idiot s guide to Dos personal finance for dummies and the Complete idiot s guide to managing your Money. Also both publishers can rely on deep corporate pockets. Id books is a International data group inc. In Boston a computer publishing company. Id books generates annual Revenue of $50 million and says a Good portion of that Cornes from the Dum Mies line. It would no disclose profits. Mac Shillan computer publishing is owned by new York based entertainment conglomerate Viacom inc. Its Complete idiots line has produced sales of More than $15 million since its inception. Profit Fig ures were not available. Writing for dummies arid idiots clearly can be lucrative " " John Hilmus a divisional merchandise manager for Barnes & Noble inc.,says the dummies guides to windows and Dos have both been top Sellers. I be Lieve from time to time they re within the top 15 or 20 Trade paperback titles we have in our stores he said. If computers represent the past in dummies and idiots literature the future is business arid general interest topics a -. -.-. Some other noncom Putur titles in the works include parenting for dummies and wine for dummies. But the biggest splash is expected from sex for dummies. .-.-. -. Paperbacks the Shadow of the Panther Huey new ton and the Price of Black Power in Ameri Ca by Hugh Pearson Addison we slain this study the bold Leader of the Black Panther move ment emerges As a Brilliant strategist and a ruthless killer the author analyses the party s terrorist tac tics and the role sympathetic Whites played in its Fame. Last year reviewer Bob Blauner called the writing of the courageous act in which Pearson sometimes achieves the excitement of a. Political Black nationalism a search for an identity in America by . Essin adorn University of Chica Gothe nation of islam is portrayed As a movement that transcended purely Politi Cal objectives by offering a sense of Unity and Pur pose to poor Blacks. Previously out of print this 1962 Book is an excellent Standard treatment of Black nationalist belief reviewer Michael Eric Dyson wrote in 1992. Talking from 9 to 5. Women and men in the workplace language sex and Power by Deborah Tannen Avon. A in Guise analyses speech patterns showing that verbally assertive women do not reap the same rewards As verbally assertive men. New York times new York times list hardback fiction 12 3 4 5 8 7 from Potter Field by Patricia Cornwell last week 1 weeks on list 3 Beach music. By Pat c Orpy last week 2 weeks on list 8 Menoch the Devil by Anne Rice Las week 3 weeks on list 6 the Celestine prophecy by James Rcd held last week 5. Weeks on Lisl 79 lightning by Danielle steel last week 4 weeks on list 6 the rainmaker by John Grisham last week 6, weeks on list 19 the Bridges of Madison county by Robert James Waller last week 7 weeks on Lisl 160 8 for the roses by Julie. Garwood last week 9 weeks on list. 2 9 Selgrath the sorcerer by and Leigh edding last week. 12 weeks on Lisl. 3 10 politically Correct bedtime stories by James finn Garner last week 11 weeks on list 63 .11 Rose madder by Stephen King last week 8 weeks on list 10 12 Stormy weather by Carl Klaasen Glrst week on hot 13 dangerous to know by Barbara Taylor Bradford last week 1q weeks of list. 6 14 the witness by Sandra Brown last week 13 weeks on list 10 15 Disney s Pocahontas mouse works last week 14, weeks on hot 1 8 nonfiction 1 to renew America by Newt Gingrich last week 1 weeks on. List 8 2. Midnight in the Garden of Good and evil by John Berenda last week 3 weeks on list 78 3 a Good walk spoiled by John Ferris Lin last week 5 weeks on Lisl 11. 4 new passages by Gall sheeny last week 2 weeks on Lisl 11 5 beyond All reason by David Smith with Carol calf last week 4 weeks on Lisl 4 6 spontaneous Healing by Andrew Weil last week 7 weeks on list 14 .7 sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra last week 6, weeks on list 6 i Sisters by Carol Saline photographs by Sharon Wohlmuth last week. 9, weeks on Lisl 36 9 my old Man and the sea by David Hays and Daniel Hays last week 8 weeks on list 4 10 in their name edited by Clave. Irving Lisl week on Lisl 11 when elephants weep by Ellrey on and Susan Mccarthy last week 14 list 8. \ 12 dark Sun by Richard Rhodes first Weck on Lisl. A 13 Dave Barry s Complete guide to Guys by Dave Barry last week 10 weeks. On list 14 14 the death of common sense by Philip k. Howard last week 11 weeks ont 29 v " 15 the liar s clubby Mary Karr 12 weeks on list 4. Miscellaneous " 7 1 1 men Are from Mars women Are from Venus by John Gray last week 1,. R weeks on list 1192 the seven spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra last week 3, weeks onlist24 . -.v. 3 Stop aging now by Jean Carper last week nil listed weeks on list 3 4 How to argue and win every time by Gerry spi nce last week not Lisie weeks on list 15 -. Paperback i insomnia by slept in King weeks on Lisl. 3. .2 the body farm by. Pairicia Cor Wall weeks on list. 5 _. A 3 nothing lasts forever by Sidney Sheldon Listl Lisl. ,. 4 the alienist by Caleb Carr week3on.li5l.il .,., 5 the Stone diaries by Csc i Shields weeks on list 1 7 6 debt of Honor by Tom Clancy on list 1 0. 7. Everything to. Gain by Barbara Taylor Bradford weeks on list 6 " 8. The last innocent Man by Phillip Margolin weeks on Biol 2 9 the chamber by John Grisham weeks on Lisl 23.10 the 13th juror by John Tae scream weeks on list 5. 11 Trust me by Jayne Ann k on list 2 12 playing for. The ashes by Elizabeth George weeks on list 2 " 13 prime time by Sandra Brown luit week 6p. Usi 14 three weddings and a kiss by Kathleen e. Woodiwiss Catherine Anderson Lorelta Chase and Lisa Kleypas Lisl week on Lisl -. a on isl. 6nonfiction 1 the hot zone by Richard Preston weeks or Lisl 7 2 Don t stand too close to a naked Man by Tim Allen weeks on Lisl 2 3 Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Ellrey Kluger weeks on list. 10 4 reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher weeks on list. 23 r 5 embraced by the ought by Betty j. Eadle with Curtis Taylor weeks on Lisl. 50 8 care of the sout by Thomas Moore weeks on list 86. 7 having our say by Sara l Clany weeks on Lisl. 49. .,.8 the Road less travelled by m. Scott Peck weeks on list 617 9 i know Why the caged Bird so Nasty Maya Angelou weeks on Lisl 129 10 Motherless daughters by Hope Edelman weeks on list 17 ii dangerous minds by Louann. Johnson weeks on isl 2 12 mama makes up her mind by Bailey White weeks on list 51. 13 soul mates by Thomas Moore weeks on list 33 14 a history of god by Karen on list 43. 15 the Catcher was a spy by Nicholas a idol weeks on Lisl. 8 miscellaneous 1 Chicken soup for the soul by Jack Canfield and my k Victor Hansch race is on list 49 2 a 2nd helping of Chicken soup for the soul Compi a by Jack can acid and Mark Victor weeks on list 18 3 the seven habits of highly effective weeks on list 2 4 Tan stupid things women do to mess up their lives by Laura c. Schlessinger weeks on list. 10 september 3,. 1995 sunday Page 17
