The Best Time to Do Everything by Kaplan, Michael (2004) Paperback

by Michael Kaplan

Compressed into one slim but surprisingly informative and intensely researched volume, The Best Time to Do Everything is an irresistible guide to the essentials of living. The Best Time to Do Everything is really just that-a guide to the best time to do everything in life. From buying shoes to cleaning a murder scene, each entry is built around the well-informed advice of an expert in that particular Donald Trump on the best time to haggle, Johnny Ramone on the best time to learn to play guitar, Bill Maher on the best time for a political conversation, the Car Talk guys on the best time to repair your car. Not all of the advice comes from celebrities, but all of it does come from people who know their stuff. Incredibly useful (best time to buy life insurance, best time to look for a job, best time to purge and organize), entertaining (best time to start a high-fashion modeling career, best time to approach a celebrity, best time to cheat on your diet), and outrageous (best time to get punched in the face, best time for a coup, best time to have sex with 209 strangers), The Best Time to Do Everything is educational, practical, and wholly addictive.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Michael Kaplan is a writer and filmmaker. He holds an undergraduate and Master's degrees in History from Harvard University. He finished graduate studies at the University of Oxford.

He is the co-author alongside his mother, Ellen Kaplan, of the Bozo Sapiens Why to Err Is Human and Chances Are... Adventures in Probability.
He is currenlt a managing partner of Prospero, (a communications company with government and corporate clients in North America, Europe and Asia).

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered when is the best time to place a sports bet, deliver a baby, sue for millions, buy life insurance, or snag a tough restaurant reservation? Wonder no more, this book has the answers.

This book is based on interviews with experts in each of the fields. The best time to go to the emergency room is Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning. The best time to get comped at a casino is when you make your reservations; don't wait until you arrive. According to Bill O'Reilly, the best time to rattle an interview subject is when he is about to give you a canned response.

If you want to serve on a jury, the best days are Monday or Tuesday. Early January is usually very heavy, due to the Christmas holidays layoff. The best time to turn state's evidence is just before you are going to get whacked. When do you reveal a potentially disturbing fetish to your lover? After you have had sex three times. That way, the other person knows that you can still enjoy regular sex. When is the best time to pick up someone in a bar? After you have already gotten one phone number that night. You will be extra sure of yourself, and you won't worry as much about being shot down.

There really is a best time to be dragged through the gossip columns; it's when you are young and desperate to prove yourself (there is no bad publicity). The best time to get drunk with a client is when he is Japanese; it's no sin to get drunk with clients. Summer is the best time to come out of the closet. You can take a week off from work, spend three days explaining things to your family, and take long weekend mini-vacation the rest of the time.

This is a very interesting book of the type that can be picked up and read at any point. If you want to live your life cooler, smarter and better, you could do a lot worse than start right here.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, fun little read, but helpful if you want to know the best time to plan a wedding, take an uppercut to the chin, make it big on the stock market, break up, book a vacation, etc., etc. Makes for nice bite-size chunks when you're on public transportation.

[Kathleenrkenney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does just what it says: tells you the best time to do different things, from going to the DMV (midweek, morning) to waxing your eyebrows (after a shower) to asking for a raise (after you complete something that merits one and Wednesday afternoon).

[Amy J · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting read. i don't agree with all of the recommendations but there are some really random, funny things in here. fun to skim or read all the way through.

[A. Lori Prince · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tips were interesting and may be helpful, but they were not written in common category order.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Books like this make me twitchy. I don't like being told what to do.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turning this concept into a book is somewhat forced, though you're sure to glean something useful in a cursory reading.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok. There were a few pearls in here, but overall, not a ton of new information.