OK, I think the book appears to cover the ground I want to find out about. The problem is I haven't yet made enough out of my inventions to afford to buy this book, that will tell me how to make money out of my inventions.

I am being slightly flippant, but I am trying to make a serious point. Bootstrapping always is and always was the problem for all inventors trying to license their technology. You need some capital before you can protect your ideas sufficiently well that you can make money from the licenses to it. Patent protection is enormously expensive for the individual.

If you start out as in inventor, you almost by definition start with no capital. If you start with capital, chances are you are only a part time inventor. So, who is the book pitched at and does it tell the reader how to solve the bootstrapping problem?

If the book has the answer to this one question, then I'd say it is a good buy. If not, then it won't help. I won't know the answer until I see a copy.

What can I say? This guy is the guy behind Furby. My kids no longer even play with that revised Cabbage Patch upgrade!

But, if he can make a fortune, why can't I?

Okay, I'm not gonna tell you what my ideas are, but I will say I also used Michael levine's Guerila PR: Wired. Why am I telling you this?

Simple! I lost a bet with my ex-wife. I thought about getting my lawyer's advice, but he had to "suddenly leave town."

Anyway, I think Levy has some good ideas, so I really suggest using it. You might want an apartment near the u.S. Patent Office, though. And near your banker.

This is the best book on invention marketing that I have ever read. It is compulsively readable; deliciously explored. Levy's writing is energetic, down-to-earth, and just plain fascinating reading.   His vast, firsthand knowledge of the process is awesome. This book is of interest and help to more than just inventors.
 

If you are inventing toys this book is perfect in that it has comments from people on both sides of the licensor/ licensee line. IT has clear instructions and references when given. The authors next book was better, so unless you are inventing toys, I would go with the newer book rather than this one.

This book is titled as a "Companion" and it lives up to that name. It is a collection of wide ranging topics related to inventing and marketing an invention. He covers a lot about the patent and copyright processes and then covers how to market your invention with a short chapter on how to get a prototype made.
A large part of the books 400+ pages are forms examples and lists of helpful organizations listed by state. The resource lists are for everything from Inventors Organizations to patent search Internet sites and University Innovation Centers. Going through the list can help with ideas on how to get help solving a problem.
This book is copyrighted in 1995 so at least some of the patent search and application data is out of date. There has been one major change in the patent laws since then, several changes in the fee schedule presented, and large changes in the Internet patent search addresses. I have not read Levy's new "Compete Idiot's Guide...." but I suspect that it is an update of this book.

This book is titled as a "Companion" and it lives up to that name. It is a collection of wide ranging topics related to inventing and marketing an invention. He covers a lot about the patent and copyright processes and then covers how to market your invention with a short chapter on how to get a prototype made.

A large part of the books 400+ pages are forms examples and lists of helpful organizations listed by state. The resource lists are for everything from Inventors Organizations to patent search Internet sites and University Innovation Centers. Going through the list can help with ideas on how to get help solving a problem.

This book is copyrighted in 1995 so at least some of the patent search and application data is out of date. There has been one major change in the patent laws since then, several changes in the fee schedule presented, and large changes in the Internet patent search addresses. I have not read Levy's new "Compete Idiot's Guide...." but I suspect that it is an update of this book.

I liked this book. Has good intructions and resources generally, plus the usual fluff of forms and inventors councils. His product report is worth reading as his other books. Perhaps best from the library, but a good book to buy for reference. For a good way on what to invent, I would choose Mosley's "Marketing your invention" and for processes to avoid failure bringing ot market Robert G. Cooper's "Winning at new products" Levy has had one big winner, the game Adverteasing, but is a good author overall. His advice should be taken into account with other invention books for an overall picture.