5 comments about Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace.

1. If you work a creative job or are pushing for change within a large company, this is an excellent book. This book was reccomended to me by our CEO as a management book I and thought I'd better grab a copy before I met with her. I bought it at a B&N in the real world, and ended up not leaving the parking lot for an hour because it was so fascinating. I'm very leery of management books, but this one is a beautifully non-linear and chaotic version of a management book. In other words, it's much like the real world. It can be read front to back, or grabbing chapters randomly. Either way, there's much that is inspiring and useful, especially if it's a book that's being embraced at a senior management level within your company. If not, it makes an excellent gift! I've returned to purchase 4-5 copies because I keep giving away mine to share the message with people in the company and in my team.



2. The author's story of how he survived corporate life is very inspiring, and told as it is in short vignettes, it's very easy to read. I recommend it for anyone involved in a less than ideal work situation.



3. I bought it for my staff and made it a mandatory read and we talk about it in our weekly staff meeting.



4. For those who were born living outside the box and coloring outside the lines..........this book was written for us. Humorous, accurate and great advice on how to survive and even thrive within a large company/corporation.
   
   I clearly understand the dynamics he writes about. I survived and even thrived for the last 10 of my 28 years in a large company. I wish I would have had this book back then. It would have helped me figure out how to fly below the radar even quicker than I did.



5. A fantastic read about maintaining & continuing to develop your personal creativity, while not allowing yourself to be stifled by corporate culture. This book has amazing & entertaining color illustrations depicting MacKenzie's personal experiences while working for 30 years at Hallmark Cards, not to mention being filled with extremely funny anecdotes. I found myself wondering several times while reading this book whether the author would have been able to continue to develop his creativity so well if he had not been so fortunate as to find himself with a plum job at Hallmark in the first place. Nonetheless, this book is well worth reading. I think that anyone, at any rung of the corporate ladder, could learn valuable survival & leadership tips from & relate well with Orbiting the Giant Hairball.

5 comments about The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size.

1. I'm an artist and very committed to eating right. Except for the part about writing daily, which could be condensed down to just a few pages but which caused me to renew my commitment to do so, this was just another uninformed book about dieting to lose weight. Even though this author claims to have a spiritual approach, she writes nothing about factory farming, from which 80% of our nation's meat comes. Factory farming is horrifying for the animals, atrocious for the environment, hard on the economy, bad for our health, and unfair to the workers. The author also writes nothing about the risks of GMOs and their political ramifications. She writes nothing about the ecological, holistic value of food and eating. This book propagates the narcissistic cycle of eating food-like substances that are harmful to the body and the environment, which leads to obsessing about the resulting pounds. Eat right for the planet and you'll eat right for your body.



2. I love this book! I think that I have read every diet book and tried every diet plan out there. And...this one works! I have always known that I am an emotional eater, but no one could ever show me how to stop being one. This book does! Through all of the writing exercises and thoughtful walking, I quickly saw what was causing me to overeat and solutions. All without an enormous therapy bill. While the author does make some food suggestions that I do not agree with (artificial sweetners, banning dessert forever, etc), quite frankly what diet book doesn't make some suggestions that don't work for you? Use the writing exercises, and decide what kind of diet works best for you, which in the end, is what the author says to do. A great find for any fed-up dieter!



3. There are some wonderful nuggets of wisdom in this book. The idea of clean-eating, clean-living and working through repressed emotions to avoid compulsive eating are not new, but they are eminently readable in Cameron's lovely prose.
   
   The only issues I had in this book is that there is a hint of disordered-eating mentality, such as when the author talks about having an isolated piece of pie and a cup of tea at a diner as a "relapse", endorsing artificially sweetened foods (artificial sweeteners do not help with weight loss, and may in fact trigger sugar cravings), and "saving calories" in order to have a "binge" of favorite comfort foods...these are not normal attitudes towards food.
   
   I would probably purchase this book in paperback (I first borrowed it from the library), if only to have on hand some inspirational reading when I want to explore the roots of my tendency towards compulsive eating. But I would not read it for nutritional advice.



4. "The Writing Diet" offers a creative approach to food and life issues, centering on paying attention to them by daily mindful journaling and this author's signature "Morning Pages". Cameron takes a leaf out of many different body management techniques, with numerous personal stories including her own. The general mood is gentle, uplifting and positive. I was able to minimize my tendency, when watching my eating habits, to regard every small tumble off the wagon as a catastrophic failure. My favorite motto from the book, to be pasted on the refrigerator, is "Eating Clean" -- which points toward a good way of eating rather than concentrating on deprivation like so many other dieting methods do.



5. If only it was as easy as writing your way to weight loss (typing does burn calories, right?!), then everybody would become a William Shakespeare overnight. But alas parting with that myth is such sweet sorrow. However, there is merit to the idea of getting your mind off of eating when you really don't need to by putting your thoughts down on paper. Gee, imagine that! The concept behind this book is a good one because it forces you to share thoughts with yourself that you may not even realize were there before. Being honest with yourself about how you choose to live your life, including the foods you stuff in your mouth, will open your eyes to a reflection of YOU that may have never manifested itself before. This book reaffirmed for me one of the major reasons I enjoy blogging so much--it's a creative release that allows me the chance to lay it all out there while taking my mind off of idle things that could drive me to eating that high-carb junk again. So maybe writing is a great way to weight loss after all!

5 comments about Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists.

1. I did not finish to read the book, however I already love it.
   It is a very well-documented and encouraging book for the ones who would like to live a creative life but think they are not able to. A lot of tips to help you find your creative way. The interviewed artists come from different fields and it is very interesting to know more about the way they work and organize their work/life. You learn that there is no magical recipe to become a successful artist (a part maybe of hard work)but that you have to experiment and try, and never give up...



2. By asking several artist's the same question, it shows there is no "right" way. Everyone comes to their art with their own style. Great idea's to jump start the muse. The imagery was beautiful.



3. I know a couple artists that submitted their work to this book and I was happy to see them included!
   I think any book that helps people with inspiration is great.
   
   I do think this book is a bit fluffy. At least for me. I was hoping for something different maybe. Something meatier ~ Thanks



4. Living the Creative Life is challenging me to look at creativity in many new ways. The approach taken from the viewpoint of many different artists in many different media shows the versitality of our innate creative spirit. The idea that all humans are creative if they allow that part of the whole person to flourish is not new to me, but the way this author discusses the creative spirit is fresh. The book is beautiful to look at and I love the format -- small size, lovely illustrations and great ideas for jump starting creativity.



5. It is hard to imagine anyone could read this book without stopping multiple times to experiment with some form of art explorations of their own. The author makes it seem natural and oh so inviting. The only drawback is the small print on busy pages. It is sometimes difficult to read the suggestions.

5 comments about Wreck This Journal.

1. I have had a wonderful time playing with this journal. When my grandson saw it, he thought it was totally awesome, so I bought one for him too. If you want to go wild with your journal, try this one!



2. This book was actually in the juvenile section of my local Barnes and Noble/Borders (I can't remember), and I bought this on a lark for my 9 year old daughter, hoping to get her creative juices flowing and stop her "I hate journaling" whininess (journaling is often a homeschool assignment) in its tracks. This book was AMAZINGLY successful.
   
   Okay, so it's not really about writing (although I think this book would be even better with some interesting writing prompts scattered throughout) but it is about thinking outside the box about books and communication and art. It's about using everyday, unconventional things around you to express yourself on paper.
   
   My 10 year old son watched my daughter for a day and then asked for a copy. The last 4 days they have been going to town on their books. Tonight, watching them smear dinner into the pages (which I covered with clear packing tape -- looks cool!) my 5 year old decided he wants one too.
   
   Oh, FYI, there is also one page that says, "Burn this page." We burned the page together, near the sink with a pile of wet paper towels nearby. But anyone buying this for a child might want to keep that in mind, and either remove the page or make it clear that the child is NOT to do that page without an adult helping.
   
   So all in all, we are all very happy with this book.
   
   5 stars.



3. I bought four of these, one for each member of the family, ages 9, 12, and 40somethings. We are having so much fun doing our journals together and comparing notes. My son is the best "wrecker" but my daughter has been very creative with hers as well. They are all turning out different and its so fun to see what each is doing or willing to do.



4. I purchased this book and had my fifth grade students "help" me wreck it at school! They absolutely loved it! They purchased every copy my local Barnes and Nobel had and then some. It was funny to see how enthusiastically they wrecked mine, but had trepidation with their own. It is an entirely different "creative" process than what one would consider "art", yet what fun! I highly recommend this journal for anyone yearning to be outside the box (or in this case, book!).



5. This 'journal' is hilarious! Perfect for times when you are feeling down, bored, depressed, or even happy and creative. It doesn't matter, it's perfect for however you are feeling. A wonderful gift book -- I've already bought several for my friends and they absolutely loved it! You will, too -- really!

5 comments about Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius.

1. This book woke me up from my indifference toward creative thinking. My colleague at work recommended the book, so I bought it and read it expecting nothing much. I assumed creativity was something you were or were not. I can't believe how creative I've become since reading this book. This book has literally changed the way I the way I think and the way I look at the world. When I told my colleague about how I've changed, all he said was "I told you so."



2. Author Michael Michalko delivers his best performance to date in this book. The book is filled with information on, and techniques for using, our creative processes. Many of the techniques are easy to learn, requiring only a little bit of practice to get used to them. Most of the book centers around: helping an individual generate many possible ideas about something, which will be critically evaluated at a later time; visualizing the problem and potential solutions; seeing from another's perspective, even the problem's in one case (quite effective sometimes); collaboration and creativity. This book already helped me deliver a 5 star essay on a very controversial subject. I followed its advice, producing as many ideas as possible in a short time, without rejecting any at first. Also, visualizing the data, as recommended, formed the basis for my later outline, which was complete enough that a rough draft was no work at all. So, for me, buying this book paid off already. I think anyone buying this will read it for a few minutes and then recognize they have a winner in their hands.



3. This is the best book on or about creative thinking I have ever read. I've recommended it to everyone I know who is interested in creating ideas and new ways to look at the world. Thanks.



4. This is something that is tickling my mind, after reading first few chapters of this book, I closed it, stood up, walked around my living room with my hands folded back. I looked outside the window and saw few kids playing the park and was forced to think something.
   
   We are first as kids made to learn few things and are forced to treat those things as basic and important that is not true (refer to Michael's blog about Thomas Edison's Greatest Blessings). Now after reading the book Thinkertoys and Creative Thinking, I feel like its not that I have to learn these new concepts but there is an entire process involved of first of all unlearning most of the stuffs from past and then relearning the new concepts.
   
   And when I say that I have to look at the kids I wonder what they are being tought in their schools only to find one day that they have to unlearn some of the concepts on which they are spending or rather wasting their time.
   
   Do read the book, as mentioned earlier it makes you smile after every chapter as you discover immense possibilities of what all can be achieved in your day to day life.



5. Mind-mapping helped considerably narrow down visual arts individual style to preferred media and suitable materials, saving me much wasted time, expense and creativity.

5 comments about Six Thinking Hats.

1. Six Thinking Hats was written by Edward de Bono. This is a great book to read not only if your a manager of a company and you want to make your meetings more productive but also an average person will be able to use de Bono's methods to make good decisions. This book is a great read for people who typically don't like to read, its easy to understand, it goes straight to the point, and at the end of it you'll be thinking "its that simple?" And yes it is that simple, de Bono doesnt try to confuse you but he just makes you understand that thinking in 6 different ways is better than one.
   
   This has been my first book that I've read from cover to cover since....elementary school and I enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to anyone especially people who are fed up of non productive meetings.



2. This is a short, easy-read book. Chapters are small with an introduction and summary to each colored hat.
   De Bono not only criticizes our way of thinking, but gives a solution for a more productive thinking. While most successful people believe that they are competent at thinking and make no efforts to improve; De Bono presents a brilliant new method to tackle any problem that can be present during a decision making process.
   His methodology is so simple that there are no theories, principles or models in the book. Overall this is an essential read for anybody interested in improving their thinking and facilitators running brainstorming sessions.
   I found this book very useful and the time I spend reading it worth while. The method in the book of using six ways of looking at something, the six thinking hats does work in real life and gives benefit. I sincerely recommended it.



3. Edward De Bono's Six Thinking Hats is a quick read.
   I thought it was redundant and could have been half
   as long. I Was bored at times. De Bono's Six Hat Method
   was intentionally designed to be simple. that is the beauty of it.
   The six thinking hats can very easilily be applied to a meeting
   in order to really get things moving and that is extremely valuable.
   i believe people should read this book, not because its a good book,
   but because what De Bono demonstrates is a very powerful toolway tool.
   -Rogelio Potash
   CPP



4. The Six Thinking Hats is an easy to learn and apply, but powerful method to group decision making. Edward De Bono's common sense approach is both refreshing and insightful.
   
   The Six Thinking Hats helps people use both their left and right brains efficiently by separating them into compartments (Thinking Hats). In other words, De Bono teaches how to achieve a strong Left Brain, Right Brain Crossover.
   
   Each of the hats uses part of the left, or the right brain.
   * The White Hat addresses facts and data -Left Brain
   * The Red Hat addresses emotions - Right Brain
   * The Black Hat addresses the weaknesses in ideas- Left Brain
   * The Yellow Hat is hopeful and positive - Right Brain
   * The Green Hat addresses creativity -Right Brain
   * The Blue Hat is concerned with control -Left Brain
   
   By separating thought patterns into compartments De Bono argues convincingly it is easier to come to rational conclusions for solving problems based on all aspects of the brain. In the Conclusion of the book he states:
   
   "The biggest enemy of thinking is complexity, for that leads to confusion. When thinking is clear and simple, it becomes more enjoyable and more effective. The Six Thinking Hats concept is very simple to understand. It is also very simple to use."
   
   Overall a fascinating and useful thinking tool for solving problems!
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



5. This book discusses six thinking hats. They each have a different color and they each stand for a different fundamental perspective or approach to a problem or issue.
   
   The book discusses how this construct can be used in group meetings where each person is assigned a role. For example, the positive viewpoint would be a person just pointing out all the positives. The other viewpoints include emotional viewpoint, the negative viewpoint, a viewpoint concerning rules of the process, etc.
   
   The reason I liked the book is that it goes into detail on why approaching a problem, an issue or an opportunity should be done by utilizing a multitude of viewpoints. This ensures better thinking.
   
   I thought the book was excellent and highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning to be a better overall critical thinker.

5 comments about The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life.

1. This is THE book to have when you curl up with a glass of wine. The last third was especially relevant to me. It not only encouraged me to be okay with my obstacles and failures, but also it caused me to actually appreciate and celebrate them. You don't have to define yourself as "creative" to get a great deal out of this book. There's something in it for everyone.



2. Twyla Tharp's "The Creative Habit" is at once inspirational and practical.
   This well-known dancer guides the reader through some brass tacks of the
   studio work ethic while allowing and encouraging the mind to soar.
   This is an honest, no-nonsense book for all artistic disciplines.



3. A refreshing and inspiring glimpse into the creative habits employed by a successful artist, generously shared in a well thought out, intelligent, down-to-earth practical way. Twyla shares her personal experiences and keen observational skills in a way generalizable to nearly any creative field. A pleasure to read and re-read. Practical, not just fluff. She shares behind-the-scenes step-by-step insights into the preparation for some of her more successful projects (Movin Out, etc). Puts to bed the idea that artists are supernatural beings who simply sit still and wait for bolts of lightning to strike them with inspiration. Reading this book is highly conducive to inspiration. I bought a second copy as a gift.



4. It's the kind of book I would want everyone to read. I want to buy a lot of copies and share them with a lot of people. I just loved it.



5. This is a great book for anyone who wants to cultivate the habits of good discipline that consistenly lead to creative ideas.

5 comments about How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

1. Some advice is timeless and Mr.Carnegie makes some major points. However, one really has to be open to change prior to picking up this book.



2. I highly recommend this book. I read it many years ago for the first time and it helped me a lot. Now I am reading it again!



3. Even if you think that you have made progress in overcoming worry as your life has progressed, this book will still help clear out some of the remaining pockets of worry in your life.
   
   My grandfather used this book in a Dale Carnegie course he took in the Fifties, and he gave it to me about 20 years ago. I read it at the time, and then looked at it only rarely after that.
   
   However, this is not a book that should be read once and then put on the shelf and forgotten. If you spend a few minutes daily reviewing concepts in the book, over time you will begin to apply the principles in the book at the outset of worry situations, and combat worry situations much more quickly and effectively than you did before. After a while, it almost seems as though you are learning how to play a type of chess against your worries...and winning more frequently.
   
   The book was written in the 1940s, but its examples and stories remain as relevant today as they were when the book was new.



4. In order to turn your life around and enjoy it you must stop stressing out. My parents had this book years ago in their book collection. I believe I read it years ago. With stress being the culprit that makes most of us unhappy these days I decided to get a copy of this book again. It's an excellent book on how to stop worrying and start enjoying your life again. The advise still stands today. It's a great book.
   It arrived in the time promised and was in fine condition.



5. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living focuses on the importance of ones attitude. It is as applicable today as when it was written. A good attitude is crucial in helping a person improve his or her life and relationships with others. Although we all know these principles, this book is a great reminder that by appreciating life we enjoy life.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

5 comments about The Artist's Way Workbook.

1. The Artist's Way Workbook is sort of a condensed version of the Artist's Way book. You can use the workbook without reading the book. I have read the book, love it, and would recommend reading it also. The Artist Way in all its forms is a solace for the creative side of everyone and is a fine tool for unblocking creativity.



2. For those whose life is so busy that is seems impossible to make it through the full text of the Artist's Way, this workbook is fantastic.



3. Don't pass this one up. Take the challenge and rehash those thought process downers, work them out with this book, and take a fresh path to seeing things differently. Enjoy!



4. I bought this as a supplement to the book because I was leading a class on it. It turns out the workbook is only a big version of places for people to do their exercises each week that are already part of the book. Unless you really want to have a generic journal where you write out the exercises, I recommend sticking with the book and then finding your own journal or place to do the exercises, as usually not all of them appeal to every one each week. But if you're wanting everything to match, then go ahead and buy it. Not necessary or helpful for my group, but I guess it could be for you or yours.



5. You do not need any other book as a companion to this workbook. It stands alone as a great resource. I have read a bunch of self help books on finding your true life's path. After about the third or fourth book they all seem to say the same thing. Get in touch with your good and bad emotions and use those emotions to help steer a course. What I liked about this workbook is it minimizes the theory and talk and gets right to the point of you doing practical exercises to discover what you really want in life. I only completed about 2/3rd of the workbook. I have spoken to other people who have used this workbook with great results. I have purchased a 2nd copy to walk through the exercises again. If you feel lost and at a dead end in your life's pursuit I think this workbook would be a great place to start.

5 comments about The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.

1. Not only will this book help you make the next move in your life, it will help with the down times as well. Very motivational.



2. I have read this book through and through. It is now being passed around by my co-workers as a must read for them.



3. First I want to say that I love this book. Second, I need to say that there might be better ways to attack procrastination.
   
   The first time I read this, everything in it spoke to my problem of procrastinating from writing. The voice in the book is no-nonsense and raises the stakes of completing your work. He speaks of resistance as an enemy that must be conquered at all costs. He describes how to think of yourself as a professional to put yourself at some remove from your work. He also throws together a mythology of creativeness that is almost Jungian (or from Blake). The voice is that of a hard boiled detective. Really I'm not doing justice to how wonderful these short essays are to read.
   
   However, after reading this book, I worked hard for a short while and again stopped. I can't blame the book for this.
   
   I would argue that this book tries to encourage one to work by raising the stakes. And let me tell you, this book is very inspirational. It will get you working. It will instill in you the idea that your work is important. As the title says, you must attack resistance.
   
   I have personally found that raising the stakes works only in the short term. As much as I love this book, it does nothing to lower my anxiety. Even though Pressfield makes clear that one has to be a professional and not wrap up ones self worth in their work, the overall message is the more resistance you feel, the more you must do this. And it is very very important you do this ("this" being anything you want to do but feel resistance toward doing).
   
   Another way of overcoming procrastination is to lower the stakes. Instead of thinking "I must do this", one can think "I choose to do this" or one can still survive and thrive even if your chosen mission goes uncompleted. If you increase your self esteem in other areas of your life, rather than focusing on that role of "creator", it frees you up to be pulled toward the job - rather than being pushed by the feeling that you "have to" do something. A sense of security is the best motivator for doing creative work.
   
   The War of Art may work for you. I fully recommend buying it. Yet if it doesn't work, you should look at other books on procrastination. What worked for me (and I have no interest in selling any particular book) is the book The Now Habit.



4. This is a great little book with alot of wisdom. I am very happy with my purchase. The transaction, shipping and date of arrival were excellent.



5. If you are in a certain part of your life right now, you'll find the book profound.