“Fell in love with this book in the first chapter. Worth it! Great information!”
“Love this book…it’s a fantastic planning tool for anyone planning family and other types of reunions. To have a successful event, all one has to do is follow the guidelines/suggestions to a “t” in this book…”
“Doing a reunion? You could use this book!!!”
“I have the third edition, and it was my most cherished guide for our last two reunions. I wanted to update with the promised internet possibilities and capabilities.for our future reunions The 4th edition did not disappoint…”
Other reviews from Amazon.com
Read our great reviews below:
Writer’s Digest Review
11th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards
Evaluation Sheet of The Reunion Planner: The Step-By-Step Guide Designed to Make your Reunion a Social and Financial Success!
This is an impressive undertaking, on a “hot” topic that should have wide appeal. Overall, the presentation is clear and attractive. I especially like the cover, where the title “pops” in bright orange letters. You’ve also got a couple of nice endorsements on the back, though the use of white letters for identifying these almost loses them completely. The use of charts and photos inside is also quite effective. I like your step-by-step approach and the way your book applies to a wide variety of reunions, from family to military.
Your writing is clear and straightforward. It is an overall extremely useful and nicely presented book that should get a lot of sales mileage given the booming interest in reunions.
Library Journal Review
reviewed by Cheryl La Guardia
I’m usually skeptical about programs that say they’re step-by-step guides to anything, having seen too many resources take quantum leaps between steps and leave you hanging in the void. This package is an exception. Everything you need to put together a successful high school, family, or military reunion is in this book/disc combo.
The book, written by Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett, clearly and succinctly outlines a planning time line (what to do a year before the event, nine months before, etc.), how to get organized, checklists and resources (e.g., Find People on the Internet), and invaluable insider tips you might otherwise overlook (fundraising ideas, creating a family history book, applying a theme, etc.). The “Questions for the Catering Manager” section alone is practically worth the price, but there’s much more here: tips on negotiating points with reunion locales, detailed budget estimates, illustrations and sample letters, even a section on how to deal with participants’ procrastination and indecision. The book will be an ongoing reference source as planning proceeds.
The companion disc is an easy-to-use database management and tracking program with an enormous information storage and reporting capacity. “Easy to use” and “database management program” are usually mutually exclusive terms in my lexicon, but this program is fill-in-the blank easy. The depth and breadth of information the system prompts, organizes, stores, and reports should cover the smallest detail your event is likely to need. Information entries include room for multiple addresses and phone numbers, up to eight guests per person entry, e-mail, table numbers, multiple meal preferences, a full budgeting facility for expenses and revenues, a statistics reporting section, label/name tag/badge printing capabilities, a to-do roster for tracking activities online, and more. Report options include all invitees, those paid, those unpaid, respondents, individuals located/not located, individuals attending/not attending, individuals from out of town, budget data, a to-do report, and items (souvenirs) paid for. You can, of course, connect directly from the disc to the Reunion Planner web site, which is a marketing tie-in but also an expanded resource for updated planning tips with a discussion forum and spotlighted articles on successful reunions.
The Bottom Line: Anyone planning a reunion should get their hands on The Reunion Planner as soon as possible; it will save you enormous amounts of time and effort and ensure a successful event. A wonderful resource, enthusiastically recommended for all library collections and individuals with reunions in mind. Libraries need two copies-one for reference and one to circulate.
Reunions Magazine Review #2
Reunion book and software revision
3rd Edition of The Reunion Planner Book and Software Version 4
Since 1992, Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett, authors of The Reunion Planner book and software, have helped planners with their class, family and military reunions. A revised 3rd edition of the book is available with newly enhanced PC-compatible software, now available on CD.
New features include biography reports, enhanced search capability, enhanced data import and export features, better statistics reporting, new report sort-by capability, completely updated documentation and more. There is also the ability to include up to eight guests per member; up to eight items can be purchased and up to six meal choices per guest can be ordered. Many new name tag formats are also included.
Continued conveniences include data entry information for each guest, including space for three phone numbers and an email address and calculation for estimated and actual budgets. You can generate to-do lists for committee members, and choose from many report options. Book and software, regularly $49.95, are now on sale for $39.95 [ends April 30]; compatible with Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP. Contact Goodman Lauren Publishing, 800-899-6978; www.reunionplanner.com
Reunions Magazine Review
reviewed by Julie Olson Backus
The Reunion Planner by Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett (1999, 2nd Ed. Goodman Lauren Publishing).
Many enthusiastic individuals have volunteered to assist or spearhead class or family reunions and then realized they had a monster by the tail. The management of database, registrations, and information for a family tree or an updated membership booklet is time consuming and overwhelming if delegated to slips of paper.
The second edition of The Reunion Planner by Linda Hoffman and Neal Barnett is an easy-to-read guide that could make the first reunion a success or an annual event even better. I have been involved in planning family reunions for over 500 people every five years since 1980. If a professional planner is not in your budget or plans, this book can provide tips and strategies for registration, events, and especially time management!
The Reunion Planner is organized by time. It begins with one year, then tasks are outlined for every three months until the day of the reunion. It’s filled with checklists and practical tips, including a lengthy list of recommended search websites. Particularly interesting is the site: www.555-1212.com that can even take you backwards from an old phone number.
Obtaining funds, particularly for family reunions, is always a challenge. The book includes a number of unusual tips for raising money including printing advertising business cards from family members in the reunion mailing – it can raise money and provide inexpensive advertising.
If you’re organizing a class reunion, this book and CD excel. The sample provided is related to a class reunion and is not set up for a family reunion, however, it can be customized. The CD ROM provides a database that’s ready to fill in – addresses, phone, registration, amounts and more. It is easy to use and provides very useful items like nametags and address labels. The book refers to parts of the CD, however, specific references to parts of the CD are needed to make it really useable by the “computer challenged.” There are few hints, and no questions and answers section about the software or direct references to the menu of the software in the book. There is a help menu on the CD with lots of background information, but if you cannot get to the program, there is no written documentation to help you.
Finally, the book is fun to read with little tidbits and ideas gathered from “real” reunions that will probably generate more clever ideas designed to get the people there. Isn’t that what reunions are all about?