Update Announcements by Craig Stark 16 November 2012

I have two sons who work for Home Depot. This outcome does not seem accidental to me. Early on Home Depot positioned itself clearly as a do-it-yourself resource, and when all three of my sons were growing up, they watched me first hand live a do-it-yourself life - teaching myself how to design and build furniture, starting and running a small business and even teaching them skills that would enable them to help me on large projects and installations. Since I also doubled as a stay-at-home dad, they often accompanied me on errands, which almost daily included a stop at Home Depot. I have one son who doesn't work for Home Depot, but he's living in a house he purchased and extensively renovated last year. Another do-it-yourselfer, that is, and he talks fondly now of flipping houses someday. And - it's probably just a matter of time before he submits his application to you know who!

BookThink has been another do-it-yourself project, conceived to be used, in fact, by do-it-yourself booksellers - namely, you. You arrive here daily, by the thousands, looking for resources to help you grow your own small businesses. Even though you are my competitors, it's important to me that you come away from BookThink with at least some information that will help you succeed. Otherwise there would be no point. And healthy competition lifts us all up in any case.

The do-it-yourself - or self-help - movement has a long tradition in America, so long that it reaches back to our very founding. What were the original settlers if not the ultimate do-it-yourselfers? I like to think that the movement's first "bible" was Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography - a testament to how success can be achieved by all who work hard, live within their means, and take charge of their own lives. But the first deliberately focused self-help book was published in 1859, fast becoming one of the best selling books of the 19th century. Don't know what it is? Read today's feature article - Part II of "BookThink and the Mind of Man" - for the answer to this and why it matters.

BookThink's forum is up and running again. Until a few home page issues are worked out, you can get to it by clicking this link.

And we need some of you to register and post! Let's build this back.

Also, BookThink's complete Gold Edition is now available in PDF format. All 59 Gold Editions have been recently updated (and in some cases expanded) and combined into a PDF format e-book. A table of contents presents clickable report titles, and the entire document is searchable by keywords. The PDF format ensures 100% compatibility with all computers, tablets and smartphones, and it's easier than ever to take the Gold Edition with you on scouting trips. Purchase it here for $59.99.

Click here to see several sample pages. (And yes, we're working on converting and updating 50/50 and QMR as well.)

Important: If you have previously purchased a complete Gold Edition package, this e-book is available to you at no charge. Email me at editor@bookthink.com for your copy. Also, if you have purchased any Gold Edition issues either singly or in groups at any time, we will subtract those purchases from the price of the e-book. Again, email me at editor@bookthink.com and we will research your purchases and forward a discounted invoice reflecting them.

Finally, I don't mention this often, but the entire BookThink output of Gold Editions, 50/50's and QMR's is available to purchase as a complete package here. Again, if you have previously purchased any issues, we will subtract these from the total, and once you purchase them, you will be entitled to any future updates at no additional cost.