The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do

When it comes to changing a tire, scrambling eggs, telling a joke or doing laundry, Ettus is no expert. (She’s just the president of a brand-management firm.) But for this guide, she tracked down people who are, and asked their advice on everyday tasks. So former White House social secretary Letitia Baldrige explains how to shake hands; make-up guru Bobbi Brown teaches how to apply lipstick; New York Times Company chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. gives tips on reading a newspaper; and three-time U.S. Open winner Jennifer Capriati instructs readers on hitting a tennis ball. For better or for worse, Ettus seems to have allowed each contributor to insert some personality into his or her offering. Accordingly, the explanation on how to make a bed, from Tracey R. Henderson, the Holiday Inn Select Executive Housekeeper of the Year 2003, ends with a hokey "Show someone else the job you’ve done so that they can pat you on the back," while the lesson on tying a bow tie, from Tucker Carlson, co-host of CNN’s Crossfire and an avid bow tie enthusiast, concludes, "Consider whether you really want to do this…. When you wear a bow tie, people will make assumptions about you." The result is a guide that’s alternately lighthearted and serious, a coffee-table book of the most practical sort.

From AudioFile
This book can change the way you live your life. A talented cast of readers dispenses advice with just the appropriate tone. Individual articles such as "How to Listen," "How to Paint a Room," and "How to do Laundry" capture the recognizable voices of experts like Larry King, Bob Vila, and Heloise. This is a book that can be enjoyed in one session or used as a reference when one needs just the right advice on how to do everything one should know how to do.

From Booklist
Let's face it: most of us are never going to be in a position to get advice from Arthur Sulzberger, Bob Vila, Donald Trump, Larry King, Howie Mandel, and Suze Orman, now are we? That's why we need this book. These experts and 94 more show you how to read a newspaper (New York Times publisher Sulzberger), tell a joke (comedian Mandel), save money (financial guru Orman), and, well, pretty much anything else you can think of. Not sure how to tie your necktie? It's in here. Can't quite get the hang of just hanging out? Dr. Dean Ornish has some advice on relaxing. Some of the advice here is practical (making a bed, ironing a shirt, doing laundry), and some of it is of a more abstract nature (delivering bad news, making an educated guess, remembering names). The authors call the book "Cliff Notes to life," and that about sums it up. It's more fun than Cliff Notes, though.

Book Description
The simplest things are the hardest to master. From brewing your morning cup of coffee and reading the newspaper to apologizing or remembering names, it’s the small stuff that makes up day-to-day life. The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do provides unparalleled insights into how to do them better—more resourcefully, more effectively, and more efficiently—in 100 brief how-to essays by 100 of the world’s leading experts, including:

• Interpersonal skills like how to Tell a Story by Ira Glass and Listen by Larry King

• Etiquette essentials like how to Shake Hands by Letitia Baldrige, Set a Formal Table by Peggy Post, and Give and Receive a Compliment by Ms. Demeanor, Mary Mitchell

• Home pointers such as how to Paint a Room by Bob Vila, Remove a Stain by Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean, and Do Laundry by Heloise

• Beauty basics that include how to Apply Lipstick by Bobbi Brown and Wash Your Hair by Frederic Fekkai

• Cooking tips such as how to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies by Mrs. Fields, Barbecue by Bobby Flay, and Make Eggs by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

• Health hints like how to Breathe by Bikram Choudhury and Do Push-ups and Sit-ups by Kathy Smith

• Athletic advice including how to Hit a Tennis Ball by Jennifer Capriati, Swing a Golf Club by Jim McLean, and Swim by Summer Sanders

Some of these experts are household names, others are industry leaders—all are at the very top of their professions. From Holiday Inn’s housekeeper of the year (Make a Bed), the head groundskeeper of Fenway Park (Mow a Lawn), and the mayor of Buffalo (Shovel Snow) to the CEOs of Harry Winston (Buy a Diamond) and Thomas Pink (Tie a Windsor Knot), they are the authorities on their subjects. The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do brings together the best of the best, offering the world’s most valuable advice. With this book in hand, life will indeed be better.

From the Inside Flap
The simplest things are the hardest to master. From brewing your morning cup of coffee and reading the newspaper to apologizing or remembering names, it's the small stuff that makes up day-to-day life. The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do provides unparalleled insights into how to do them better—more resourcefully, more effectively, and more efficiently—in 100 brief how-to essays by 100 of the world's leading experts, including:

• Interpersonal skills like how to Tell a Story by Ira Glass and Listen by Larry King

• Etiquette essentials like how to Shake Hands by Letitia Baldrige, Set a Formal Table by Peggy Post, and Give and Receive a Compliment by Ms. Demeanor, Mary Mitchell

• Home pointers such as how to Paint a Room by Bob Vila, Remove a Stain by Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean, and Do Laundry by Heloise

• Beauty basics that include how to Apply Lipstick by Bobbi Brown and Wash Your Hair by Frederic Fekkai

• Cooking tips such as how to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies by Mrs. Fields, Barbecue by Bobby Flay, and Make Eggs by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

• Health hints like how to Breathe by Bikram Choudhury and Do Push-ups and Sit-ups by Kathy Smith

• Athletic advice including how to Hit a Tennis Ball by Jennifer Capriati, Swing a Golf Club by Jim McLean, and Swim by Summer Sanders

Some of these experts are household names, others are industry leaders—all are at the very top of their professions. From Holiday Inn's housekeeper of the year (Make a Bed), the head groundskeeper of Fenway Park (Mow a Lawn), and the mayor of Buffalo (Shovel Snow) to the CEOs of Harry Winston (Buy a Diamond) and Thomas Pink (Tie a Windsor Knot), they are the authorities on their subjects. The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do brings together the best of the best, offering the world's most valuable advice. With this book in hand, life will indeed be better.

About the Author
SAMANTHA ETTUS is founder and president of the talent and brand-management firm Ettus Media Management (EMM), which develops and hones personality-driven brands. Her syndicated column, “Celebrity Assets,” appears in newspapers throughout the country. She is a sought-after speaker and has appeared in a number of national media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ESPN, the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today, among others. Samantha holds a BA and an MBA from Harvard University, and lives in New York City.

Disc 1 - How to:

Sleep,
Make a Bed,
Do Pushups and Situps,
Jog,
Eat Right,
Make Eggs,
Brew Coffee,
Read a Newspaper,
Wash your Hair,
Care for Your Skin,
Shave,
Apply Lipstick,
Wash your Hands,
Shine your Shoes,
Tie a Bow Tie,
Tie a Windsor knot

Disc 2 - How to:

Tie a Scarf,
Drive a Stick Shift,
Manage your Time,
Organize,
Handle a Job Interview,
Ask for a Raise or Promotion,
Give and Receive a Compliment,
Negotiate,
Shake Hands,
Make Conversation,
Remember Names,
Read Body Language,
Listen,
Improve your Vocabulary,
Speed-Read,
Make an Educated Guess,
Tell a Story

Disc 3 - How to:
Conduct a Background Investigation,
Deliver Bad News,
Apologize,
Speak in Public,
Balance your Checkbook,
Save Money,
Understand your Pet,
Care for a Houseplant,
Prepare for a Disaster,
Shovel Snow,
Remove a Stain,
Do Laundry,
Iron a Shirt,
Sew a Button,
Pick Produce,
Buy Fish,
Paint a Room

Disc 4 - How to:

Hang a Picture,
Write a Personal Note,
Make Tea,
Read Aloud,
Relax,
Wash a Car,
Change a Tire,
Change your Oil,
Mow a Lawn,
Fly a Flag,
Garden,
Swing a Golf Club,
Swim,
Hit a Tennis Ball,
Give a Massage,
Make a Martini,
Barbecue

Disc 5 - How to:

Build a Fire,
Tell a Joke,
Be a Gracious Host,
Be a Good Houseguest,
Arrange Flowers,
Set a Formal Table,
Uncork a Wine Bottle,
Taste Wine,
Use Chopsticks,
Make a Toast
Breathe, (lol)
Stay Warm,
Have Good Posture,
Have a Great Smile,
Flirt,
Ask Someone Out,
Kiss

Disc 6 - How to:

Buy a Diamond,
Plan a Wedding,
Change a Diaper,
Hold a Baby,
Relocate,
House-Train a Puppy,
Create a Family Tree,
Decorate a Christmas Tree,
Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies,
Give a Gift,
Wrap a Present,
Smile For the Camera,
Take a Picture,
Learn a Foreign Language,
Plan a Trip,
Pack for a Trip