Gunn's Golden Rules and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading Gunn's Golden Rules on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work [Hardcover]

Tim Gunn , Ada Calhoun
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)

List Price: $23.99
Price: $17.44 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $6.55 (27%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it tomorrow, May 23? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $10.93  
Hardcover $17.44  
Paperback $11.66  
Unknown Binding --  
Image
Save on Popular Books This Summer
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more.

Book Description

September 7, 2010
On the runway of life, Tim Gunn is the perfect life coach.

 

You’ve watched him mentor talented designers on the hit television show Project Runway. Now the inimitable Tim Gunn shares his personal secrets for “making it work”—in your career, relationships, and life. Filled with delightfully dishy stories of fashion’s greatest divas, behind-the-scenes glimpses of Runway’s biggest drama queens, and never-before-revealed insights into Tim’s private life, Gunn’s Golden Rules is like no other how-to book you’ve ever read.

 

In the world according to Tim, there are no shortcuts to success. Hard work, creativity, and skill are just the beginning. By following eighteen tried-and-true principles, you can apply Tim’s rules to anything you set your mind to. You’ll learn why Tim frowns on displays of bad behavior, like the vitriolic outburst by Martha Stewart’s daughter about her mother’s name-brand merchandise. You’ll discover the downfalls of divadom as he describes Vogue’s André Leon Talley being hand-fed grapes and Anna Wintour being carried downstairs by her bodyguards. And you’ll get Tim’s view on the backstabbing by one designer on Project Runway and how it brilliantly backfired.

 

Then there are his down-to-earth guidelines for making life better—for yourself and others—in small and large ways, especially in an age that favors comfort over politeness, ease over style. Texting at the dinner table? Wearing shorts to the theater? Not in Tim’s book. Living a well-mannered life of integrity and character is hard work, he admits, but the rewards are many: being a good friend, being glamorous and attractive, and being a success— much like Tim himself!

 

He is never one to mince words. But Tim Gunn is always warm, witty, wise, and wonderfully supportive— just the mentor you need to design a happy, creative, and fulfilling life that will never go out of style.


Frequently Bought Together

Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work + Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (Tim Gunn's Guide to Style) + Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible
Price for all three: $51.41

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Review

“There is a reason Tim Gunn is so beloved. Who else are you going to take advice from if not the consummate gentleman? Tim is the best—and he knows what he’s talking about!”

—Heidi Klum

About the Author

Beloved pop culture icon Tim Gunn is best known as co-host of the twelve-time Emmy-nominated reality show Project Runway. He also hosted two seasons of his own Bravo makeover series, Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Gallery; First Edition edition (September 7, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439176566
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439176566
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #226,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

I really like Tim so much.....we need MORE Tim Gunns in this world. Mom  |  44 reviewers made a similar statement
The book has a conversational style that makes for an easy, enjoyable read. Jean Marie  |  29 reviewers made a similar statement
I've always adored Tim Gunn and this book made me love him even more! Frequent Buyer  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 58 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Tim Gunn is The Real Deal September 10, 2010
Format:Hardcover
Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work is a real jewel. For those of you who have seen Tim Gunn on Project Runaway, on talk shows like Bonnie Hunt or in other venues, his voice comes out strongly in the book. Gunn radiates warmth and a genuine spirit--seemingly an oxymoron in the cut-throat fashion world.

Which just proves that nice guys can finish first--that you need not be nasty, mean or impolite to climb to the top in any profession. With 18 rules, this book shows you how you can succeed in life--while being nice.

Gunn doesn't believe in luck to succeed--he believes in hard work, skill, dedication and creatively. One of his phrases that he uses on Project Runaway in in life is: "Make it work". He says: "You should use what you have on hand to transform your situation." In other words, if you wait until everything is perfect before proceeding, it ain't gonna happen!

He believes in politeness and in being kind to others. This book, he writes, is a "manifesto for kindness, generosity and integrity."

What I like about this book most is that, unlike so many recently published, Gunn emphasizes hard work, perseverance and creatively to reach goals--not magical thinking. Obviously, not all of us will reach the level of success that Gunn has. Bit the book is motivational, fun (the dishing--delightful!) and a guide to good living.

I also like the fact that he tells us that the world owes us nothing. There are far too many people who feel, for whatever reason, that they are entitled. Gunn does NOT like these people....These are usually the same people who are rude to waiters and other people (something Gunn rails against. Yes! I used to wait tables and couldn't stand people who were rude just because.)

Highly recommend.

While this is not a fashion/lifestyle book, you may be interested in it because you are a fan of Tim Gunn. If so, I recommend

Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style. As an interior designer, I would also like to recommend Harmonious Environment to add some style and beauty to your home!

Love the book!
Was this review helpful to you?
45 of 49 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Why I really enjoyed this book September 10, 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As stated in the product summary, this is book is part memoir, part observations about life.

I am not a big TV watcher, but I got hooked on watching Project Runway around 5 years ago. Part of the reason was Tim Gunn. There is something so fundamentally decent and kind about that man, and you cannot help but feel affection towards him.

I am usually a fiction reader, but I picked up this book and started reading it and couldn't put it down. It's not simply clever commentary on fashion and etiquette but also replete with Tim's observations about such subjects as varied as child rearing, schooling, and therapy.

And did I mention it's laugh-out-loud funny? I must've woke my husband up a dozen times with my outbursts. One of the parts that really had me cackling were Tim's descriptions of eating (from foreign foods that have animals that are still alive and crawl off your plate) to the topic of vegetarianism.

If you are a fan of Tim Gunn, I don't have to sell you on this book - you'll probably be interested in reading it. And yes, he does dish on some of the designers as well as the judges. But I do believe that anyone could benefit from reading this - his decency, his honestly, and his integrity shine through every page. For those of you who are familiar with Tim Gunn, and for those of you who aren't, here's just a brief quote from the book that so well catches his wit and personality:

"I hold doors open for women, and I also hold them for men. When I'm at Macy's, I don't let the door slam behind me when I walk through. It has nothing to do with gender. I would hold a door open for anyone.

Would I hold the door for a dog? Okay, may not, because a dog shouldn't be at Macy's."

Recommended.
Was this review helpful to you?
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars I oh so wanted to like this book, but... July 5, 2011
By JayBee
Format:Hardcover
I have long enjoyed Project Runway and Mr. Gunn's ease and respectfulness towards others when dispensing advice and support. I agree with many of his etiquette "do's and don'ts", but I also feel that obsessively pointing out the bad or simply annoying behavior of others is in itself a "don't." I had higher expectations for the quality of this book. It felt more "gossipy" than insightful. The book quickly dissolves into bitter tangents, and I had difficulty following the original observations he attempts to make. In the end he comes across as antisocial instead of an authority on how to "make it work."

If you are looking for gossip and dish, this book will meet your expectations. If you are expecting anything more sophisticated and articulate, you may be disappointed.
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
i love tim gunn hes so funny. I have read this book and planning to buy his others. Loved it!
Published 21 days ago by Karen
4.0 out of 5 stars A Look Inside The Heart of An Icon
Why did I rate Gunn's Golden Rules highly? Because it was a fun read with more than a touch of humor. It was also honest, and that's rare. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Victoria
4.0 out of 5 stars Relevant AND dishy
I grew up reading Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette for fun. By the time I was 10, I could set a formal table correctly, odd duck that I was. Read more
Published 1 month ago by CynthiaC54
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!
I actually had to read this book for one of my fashion classes and I can say it is a great book, a view of the fashion world from Tim Gunn's perspective. Read more
Published 2 months ago by kassandra
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun slightly gossipy read.
I love Tim, he's the best friend we wish we had and he could tell you how to dress wonderfully. It's a quick read and you will enjoy it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Love Labs
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Love Tim and loved this book! Everyone should read it.....the world would be a better place.
Not to mention, what a great way to learn more about Tim. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Yvonne
5.0 out of 5 stars I hope I can grow up to be Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn is an amazing man who just gets it all! He is thoughtful, classy, and classic and when you read the stories of what he went through growing up, you shiver to think what... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Melissa Wayne
5.0 out of 5 stars Huge fan!
I've always adored Tim Gunn and this book made me love him even more! It was an easy read and very entertaining while learning so much about his life.
Published 3 months ago by Frequent Buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Tim Gunn
Tim is adorable! His book has me laughing out loud and he brings light to the simple everyday things that we forget to do but shouldn't
Published 3 months ago by vnp
4.0 out of 5 stars Mostly great
As an Australian I have not had exposure to Tim Gunn on most of his shows except Guide to Style. But I'm interested in him and the balance he brought to that show between, life,... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Joanna Nicol
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews


Forums

Topic From this Discussion
Hardcover vs. Kindle Be the first to reply
Have something you'd like to share about this product?
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions




Look for Similar Items by Category