When Words Matter Most: Thoughtful Words and Deeds to Express Just the Right Thing at Just the Right Time [Hardcover]

Robyn Freedman Spizman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 1996

This book explores the art of finding the right words and actions at the right time--an invaluable handbook for expressing compassion, kindness, caring, and congratulations to friends and family, neighbors and colleagues, and anyone else who touches your life. Spizman focuses on how to use words wisely and well in both difficult and joyful times, allaying the common fear people have of appearing foolish or inadequate when they want their words to make a difference.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

This book explores the art of finding the right words and actions at the right time--an invaluable handbook for expressing compassion, kindness, caring, and congratulations to friends and family, neighbors and colleagues, and anyone else who touches your life. Spizman focuses on how to use words wisely and well in both difficult and joyful times, allaying the common fear people have of appearing foolish or inadequate when they want their words to make a difference.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (September 17, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517704064
• ISBN-13: 978-0517704066
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #181,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much poetry, December 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: When Words Matter Most: Thoughtful Words and Deeds to Express Just the Right Thing at Just the Right Time (Hardcover)

I did find this book helpful to some degree, but a good portion of the book is made up of poems to use. Poetry is OK sometimes, but many of the ones in the book were rather corny. I can't see myself using poems every time I want to convey my feelings. It would have been more helpful if there were more sample letters in the book.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, December 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: When Words Matter Most: Thoughtful Words and Deeds to Express Just the Right Thing at Just the Right Time (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking it would help with my holiday letter writing and a letter I wished to write for a friend who recently married. I was very disappointed in the sparse selection of sample letters and the overabundance of poems and gift ideas. It's not something I'll reach for often.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not as great as I thought, September 16, 2004

By 

Tsang (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When Words Matter Most: Thoughtful Words and Deeds to Express Just the Right Thing at Just the Right Time (Hardcover)

From the review I thought this would be a great book to have, but I find it lacking and thin. Many of the suggestion were repeated [...]. I thought this book is more about ideas of words to write, and indeed it has some, but not a lot to choose from.