Want To Know A Secret? (Trade Secrets 2001 - Katherine Lapworth, Alexandra Fraser, Meg Sanders, Annie Ashworth)

Member Name: queenofsheba

Product:	Trade Secrets 2001 - Katherine Lapworth, Alexandra Fraser, Meg Sanders, Annie Ashworth
Date:	26/04/02 (162 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great ideas for all the family

Disadvantages: none

I always tried to tune in when Trade Secrets was on the box and when the book to accompany the series finally came out, I was delighted to be able to get a copy, albeit a paperback version for my bookshelf. You see although I've seen quite a few of the programmes, when you're me, the tips are quickly forgotten, so it's far better to be able to have the book to close to hand to refer to.

Now although in the main there are just four ladies who put this book together, Meg Sanders, Annie Ashworth, Katherine Lapworth and Alexandra Fraser,although everybody who donated their expertise gets a credit in the column next to their own category; for instance, if you take look at say, Dentists, you will find the name Clare Baines from the British Dental Association. That being said the previously mentioned gang of four certainly deserve the credit for scouring the country collecting tried and tested tips and trade secrets from people who use them every day in over 150 trades and professions from accountants to wine merchants, to furniture repairers to bodyguards just to give a few examples. If you want to know how to do something it's probably in here as there are more than 5,000 hints and tips. In fact the subtitle of the book is 'Everything You Will Ever Need To Know About Anything', so there you go.


Not only do I find the book very useful for things like stain removal, cleaning or gardening tips, but it's also quite entertaining in parts, for instance one of the tips from a pest controller is: Keep foxes out of the garden by spreading lion dung around the edges. You don't have to collect it yourself, just ask at the local zoo! But more often than not, the ideas in here are much more useful and you end up thinking 'What a good idea', or 'I'll have to try that' or something similar maybe.


I should point out that it's not just for the ladies; the whole family can make use of this book.
As I said earlier, there are tips from over 150 professions so if your children need some idea on looking after their wee pets, or maybe you and your spouse want to do some decorating or car maintenance etc, there is a wealth of help and advice to suit you all.


Set out in alphabetical order, most of the tips are short and to the point, which makes sense as it makes room for a lot of information over the 350 or so pages. There aren't any pictures as such, just the odd line drawing which serve no use really other than to use as page markers when flicking through, or just to brighten up the pages a little and make it look a bit more appealing perhaps, who knows?


I bought my book for just £1 as a special offer when joining a book club, but I believe it costs around a whopping £16 for the hardback version and just £8 for the paperback version that I've got. I have to say that I certainly wouldn't have paid that much for it myself, but then again I am a tightwad! On the whole I'm very pleased with it and I'm sure I'll find very useful for years to come.

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