5 comments about The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression.

1. Finally, I found a book that might actually help me and some of my dearest loved ones. I adore this book; and would love to meet the author. This book is for every "artist" who struggles w/ the "blues" or depression, yet knows that traditional medicine and therapy won't help much. I'm going to revisit this review when I'm done w/the book (I'm only about 1/4 into it); but until then, I'll just say, I finally feel I'm on the right track. Even in just the first chapter, I knew, this book was for me. Even my husband picked it up and said, "Wow. This is so you!" (in a good way). I can't wait to share it w/ others that I know are troubled/plagued w/ similar issues. Hope this helps you in your search...



2. We all know the story of the brilliant yet tortured Van Gogh. His mind blowing creativity was only matched by bouts of deeply destructive depression. We've also become accustomed to hearing gossip about rock stars, artists, actors, and writers whose drug use, alcoholism, or suicide make the evening news. It seems the pairing of creativity and self destruction is a natural one.
   
   The Van Gogh Blues doesn't seek to break this stereotype. Instead, it looks to examine the reason why creative people tend to have such extreme highs and lows. The answer seems so obvious that most of us probably would never have thought of it.
   
   People who create tend to put all of their effort into their work. I do it myself, I can sit for hours and just type fully immersed in my own words and thoughts. Having such clarity of focus and such a single minded drive is fantastic.
   
   However, once the project is complete, the creating is done. Suddenly, there is no more purpose. The individual is suddenly lost without any sort of direction. I can relate. I always know it's time to get back to my writing when I start to get depressed. Over time, I've learned that I have to a project. I have to create.



3. Eric visited Rainmaker's Prayers blog during his virtual tour for his newly released book "The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression." Shinan asked some difficult questions and Eric gave some brilliant answers that we feel are important enough to share with the world. So I've included them in this customer review.
   
   
   
   Shinan Barclay : In the face of global warming/global cooling, Eric Maisel's book: "The Van Gogh Blues ," inspired me to compile an anthology entitled "Rainmaker's Prayers,Align with Global Harmony." How do I encourage clients and contributors to find and create meaning in their life?
   
   Eric Maisel: By helping them make the paradigm shift from finding meaning to making meaning. There is no meaning to find; it is not lost. There is only meaning to make; meaning is a choice. Once people really understand
   this distinction, they realize that they know enough already to make these choices and they can begin to stand behind their own meaning
   decisions.
   
   Shinan Barclay: With climate change and the extinction of thousands of species, many people feel hopeless and helpless. How do you encourage people to find meaning among the uncertainty and confusion of evironmental upheavals?
   
   Eric Maisel: By reminding them that they have a life to lead and they can lead it authentically or inauthentically. They are not in charge of the
   universe--no one is. They are in charge of only and precisely their own
   life. They can make their life a thing of moral beauty by their choices or they can watch more television. Until the world actually ends, we have
   the obligation to take charge of our life and aim it in the direction
   of our choosing; that is what "making ethics" means.
   
   Shinan Barclay: Some data says that major corporations control the media, i.e. television, newspapers and magazine, and that the American population is spoon-fed and numbed by "corporate propaganda." How can we create meaning in an inauthentic world?
   
   Eric: Only with great difficulty--but life is difficulty. There never was
   a guarantee that life would be easy. You think through what would
   amount to right action in this kind of environment--where you can make the
   most difference or any difference--and then you step in that
   direction, recognizing that you can't alter the world's configuration, All you can do is make yourself proud by your own efforts. You heroically
   try; that's it, period.
   
   Rainmaker's Prayers, Align with Global Harmony



4. With so many books being published about creativity, it may be repetitive to read about the same old reflections and the same suggestions to nurture your abilities. Eric Maisel has found a refreshing way to address creative people's issues. With the Van Gogh Blues, he presents his approach to deal with the anxiety and depression creative persons tend to feel at different points in their lives.
   
   While he doesn't shun the medical take on depression, he brings an existential understanding of the situation. This view expresses that a creator that repeatedly makes meaning, hold on to that meaning in his life (life's work meaning and meaningful day-to-day life)will have a better chance of dealing with an inclination to depression.
   
   Eric Maisel covers the field as to how meaning can be created using other's artists biographies, emails from contemporary creators and his experience as a creativity coach (which might be the coolest job in the world, I think). The book's question could be: As creatives, how can we create meaning in life? This way, the books appeals to more than only the depressed artists. To top it off, the author writes in a clear but not-dumbed-down way, ideal to the sophisticated, intellectual reader who appreciates good writing.
   
   Even for a person who constantly reads on creativity and life purpose, I found this book brings new ideas and a fresh take on what assails the creative person.



5. I am not fond of "self-help" books, which always become so quickly redundant, even when they make sense. This book, however, really hit home at a number of points regarding finding meaning in existence, supporting creativity, and understanding addiction from a different perspective (at least for me). I even went online and looked up creativity coaches in my area! For more of my rants, raves, and recommendations, please check out my book blog at allthepage.today.com

5 comments about The 7 Powers of Questions: Secrets to Successful Communication in Life and at Work.

1. This book is easy to read and full of great examples. I've started asking better questions already and I've noticed my job performance getting better. My wife read the book, too, and I think our marriage will benefit more and more as we communicate better -- all because of asking good questions.



2. I saw Dorothy Leeds at a book talk and was so impressed that I had to buy her book. I am very impressed at the breadth of occupations and life situations to which her writing applies. It is very practical information that almost anyone can use. I am in the field of education, and it will certainly help me to ask better questions as a teacher. You won't be disappointed.



3. I am a college senior job hunting right now and decided to get this book to improve my communication skills. I'm only through about half of this book and already love it. It has so much great information about improving communication. I have actually started using some of the information in the book...asking a lot more questions than I used to, and I have seen excellent results!



4. Great book that should be a part of every professionals library who is serious about their development. This book will prompt most to start asking more (and ultimately higher quality) questions. Many readers will make their 'questions' a new and powerful habit! For 14 bucks, what more can you ask for? Great job Dorothy!
   
   Bill Wiersma, Author, The Big AHA



5. this book is all about getting people to "open up" through the use of carefully designed questions. the reader will learn how to influence other people's behavior via questioning - and, importantly, listening. the author does a good job in demonstrating the value of "leading" people, through the deliberative process, to sound judgements and opinions. this book goes well beyond what the title promises. it will teach you how to control the direction of conversations with desired outcomes achieved. being a coach myself, i would have liked a few more actual examples included in the text.

5 comments about Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job.

1. This is an interesting little book. It identifies some basic personality disorders and then speculates on how one might deal with such folks to limit the damage that they might do.
   
   What is a personality disorder? The authors note that (page 4) "Personality disorders are long-standing disturbances in personality that usually begin in late adolescence and continue until adulthood." If the case is not too bad, such workers can be productive; if the disorder is pronounced, then real problems can occur in the workplace.
   
   The disorders include the following: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic, borderline, obsessive compulsive, avoidant, dependent, and passive aggressive.
   
   For each, the disorder is described and examples provided. There is also discussion of how one might deal with either superiors or coworkers or subordinates who have one or another of the disorders. Some suggestions appear useful, others seem a little weak.
   
   All in all, an interesting volume to read. See if you can identify any disorders in your workplace!



2. This book has really helped by putting a title to the different people I work with and for and where my frustration comes from. Also it has assisted me in dealing with the different disfunctions of personalities of the people with whom I spend most of my days with. I would recommend this book.



3. The book description gives a good, succinct overview of what's in the book so I am going to focus my review on how well the authors presented the material.
   
   The book is structured very well. The first two chapters give you the motivation for the book and an overview of the material to come respectively. Both of these set the stage well for the chapters to come. Chapters three through 12 are each dedicated to a different personality disorder, and they follow the same basic formula:
   
   * Illustration/anecdote giving an example of how a person with the particular disorder may behave
   * The official symptoms of the disorders
   * Suggestions for how to relate to a manager, co-worker, or subordinate who has the disorder
   
   The final chapter discusses anxiety, depression, addiction, and ADHD at a high level; however, each of these are worthy of separate dedicated book.
   
   I have no psychological training so not all of the material sunk in after the first reading. Some of the information is also a bit scary. However, I also feel much better equipped to handle toxic people in the workplace too. While it would be useful to anyone in the workforce, I would recommend it the most to those in management positions.



4. "Toxic Coworkers" was an easy read, and it delivers what the cover promises: "How to Deal with Dysfunctional People." Covering all the major players- all 10 of the personality disorders described by the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it is an excellent resource for identifying exactly what type of problematic personality you might be dealing with, allowing the reader to then focus their search for additional literature pertaining to the specific personality disorder at hand.
   
   Not only do the authors provide realistic and DO-ABLE solutions and strategies, their advice is organized by both which disorder you are dealing with, as well as the reader's relationship with the personality-disordered individual. (i.e. Boss/Administrator, Coworker, or Subordinate.) Additionally the book can be used as a guide for dealing with other toxic personalities in your life- a "parent" can substitute for the boss, a sibling or neighbor for "coworker", or a child for the "subordinate."
   
   If you already know which disorder you are up against, you can jump to the appropriate chapter and start learning right away. I was able to start implementing solutions for dealing with a personality-disordered relative the same day!
   
   This publisher needs to fire the editors of this book, as there were many small typos and grammatical errors, but don't judge the book on this alone. I am an educated adult with a background in scientific research, and found the authors to back up their ideas with solid information and strategies... that are already proving successful for me.
   
   As a side-note, if you are seeking information about sociopaths (Antisocial Personality Disorder), I highly recommend this book along with The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout. If you are seeking help in dealing with a Narcissistic personality, I again highly recommend both this book, along with Joan Lackhar's How to Talk to a Narcissist. Both Stout and Lackhar offer understandable insight and sound advice backed by strong research and building on both accepted literature from experts who have come before them the past 50 years, as well as more recently discovered data.



5. I knew my co-manager was "crazy" and now thanks to "Toxic Coworkers" I also know how to make the best of the situation. This book is well-organized and packed with useful information and advice. The layman language and insightful anecdotes used by the authors help make it easy to understand and interesting. I also feel that the book's usefulness goes beyond the authors' intent. I believe that most people have some of the traits that are found in people with Personality Disorders, just in lesser, more rational and more functional degrees; and that the same advice the authors give for dealing with toxics in the workplace could be applied when dealing with more "normal" types at work or anywhere. For instance, the authors' advice on emphasizing the positives in evaluations when dealing with certain personality disorders would seem to be a productive way to handle all employees, as well as students, but especially those with lower self-esteem. While the authors clearly accomplish their goal of writing a book that helps people deal with toxic disorders in their workplace, they have also created a great reference book for dealing with all people, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in improving his interactions with others.

5 comments about Black Swan: The Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery.

1. If you want a great guidebook on abandonment recovery, read Anderson's "Journey from Abandonment" (and see my review of it). I found this fable extremely depressing, and some of the hideous self-loathing the little girl goes through may have some psychological validity, but finding her sleeping on piles of rags while enjoying her own excrement crossed a line, of what I am not sure. My experience of being an abandoned child (by a mother with severe emotional problems and a father who was in denial and/or at work most of the time) made me into a superachiever and driven by fears of not being good enough in the eyes of others. I would have never let myself disintegrate the way the little girl did - although it is, yes, an allegory for one's inner self. I didn't identify with that part at all. The fear is the main thing that has sabotaged a good bit of my journey in relationships. Anderson is fabulous in her other work that explains the five stages of abandonment feelings, and also offers wonderful daily exercises that have transformed my life in just a few weeks. Maybe this book just isn't everyone's cup of tea - but I want those who are turned off of it or maybe would not give Anderson's work a chance because of it or some of these reviews - please read her other work. She is amazing.



2. I bought this for a woman I care deeply about. I knew she had some abandonment issues and thought it may help and want her to be happy and healthy even if she's not with me. I read through it briefly. I'm sure it helped me too and I don't have this type of issues. It's the only book I've read besides parts of The Message (bible by Eugene Peterson) were I felt strange afterwards. A weird kind of good headache. It's written about a girl named Amanda that meets with a black swan (therapist) that talks with her to teach her the 12 steps (lessons) that she is a stong person and can survive and be happy in the world all on her own. It helps you develop inner strengths (reaffirms power and control) that people, mainly women and children "belief" they don't have; was stolen. It is a short, easy read. It has a self guided mediation of the 12 steps in the back. I would suggest everyone read this book. It could radically change you life for the better.



3. Black Swan: The Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery
   
   I bought this book for a friend who is receiving counselling due to abandonment issues from childhood. I wasn't sure whether it would help or not. However, after the first few pages, my friend broke down in floods of tears, so it certainly went straight to the heart of her problem.
   
   She has told me that she finds the book very helpful, and intends following each step in the book to, hopefully, some kind of recovery. She said that she thought one would have to have suffered abandonment to fully relate to this book. She said that it walked her through each step and emotion that she had felt at the time of abandonment, and that the child in the book was just as she was at that time.
   
   She would give it full marks.



4. This is a book on abandonment that is put in a childs story. The reason this works is because the material comes through without the typical roadblocks we put up when reading academic stuff. Like music would, it gets inside you via your heart. I love this book and have purchased it 4 times and need to buy another...I keep giving them away. It is a lovely book. I can't tell you how wonderful this is.



5. Excellent book. I highly recommend the book. The book is written through a child's experience. It's a great way to illustrate the hurt, pain, one feels when abandoned. Reading the book brought back the experiences I felt when I was a child and my father abandoned us.
   
   The child in the book was able to learn from her painful experience, deal with the hurt and grow from it.
   
   I highly recommend the book. I think the book would also be a great tool for children old enough to understand it's contents.

5 comments about Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery.

1. This is one of my favorite reference books. Without getting all detailed about the contents, because the book description is accurate enough, I can say that this book has helped me many times in dealings with difficult people and also in analyzing my own behavior. I have never seen a personality profiling book so accurate before. I have never found an instance where I have not been able to classify someone as one of the 9 personality types with the correct "wing". Go get this book, if you are at all curious about how people work and what motivates them.



2. Don Riso is one of the key figures and innovators in the field of Enneagram studies. This is not the first of his books (and here he has partnered with Russ Hudson), nor is it the most recent, but it does represent refinement and improvement over his earlier works. There are several other authors who have written books on the Enneagram, but I don't think anyone else has done it as well. Riso is a highly articulate guy who doesn't sugar coat things, and reading his descriptions of personality types such as the average or unhealthy three is a bit unsettling. I'd say he has, for better or worse, great insight into human nature. A minor criticism is that I disagree with his classification of certain famous people, although in most cases he seems to get it right. Anyone interested in personality and human behavior in general will find this a fascinating read. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health



3. First of all, let me say that I don't think you will come across a more accurate and useful personality typology system than the Enneagram. It offers the reader much more as far as self-awareness and possibilities for personal growth than the Myers Briggs. In other words, it's a much more complete system. Why? Because not only do you get a description of your personality type, but you can understand how two people of the same type can be so incredibly different. Levels of development, wings and direction of integration and disintegration create a vast array of levels of functioning among members of the same type. If you don't know what those terms mean, I trust the other reviewers have covered them, or you just might want to read the book. It's not difficult to understand at all.
   
   I do have a small complaint: I felt that the authors made some generalizations without qualifying their information. For example, I clearly identified myself as a type 4 with a 5 wing. However, according to Riso and Hudson, part of the reason I am a four is because I was not nurtured by my parents. Not true at all. I have a very loving relationship with my parents. I felt abused by peers at school and certain teachers but never my parents. Riso and Hudson don't say "sometimes, 4's will have tenuous relationships with their parents"; they said something like "4's felt like their parents were not there for them and consequently, they had to construct and search for their identity". I would be surprised if every single 4 on the face of the earth had a bad relationship with his or her parents so I think it's slightly irresponsible to make such a blatant generalization without having research to back it up. Moreover, I found many generalizations like this throughout the book that didn't even pertain to my type. Sloppy research on the part of the authors.
   
   However, the authors do a very good job of explaining the types in great detail. I just wish they would have strayed away from some of the overgeneralizations.



4. I have several books by the same author(s) from 1987 on. This one, after 1987, is an excellent update and contains wonderful charts and scientific data and insights. Also good is the 2000 or so update of this one which has its own unique perspectives and charts. All are worth reading.



5. The author is sincere and direct to the point. To avoid every illusion, he warns his readers that the book is not "a typical self-help book" and therefore, does not "promise miracle." The fact that the author makes no presumption, makes it possible for him to be down to earth and therefore, convincing. The question whether Enneagram makes sense or not, is a question ones needs to answer after going through the book and after having understood his/her personality type. The only proof of Enneagram's accuracy is to have identified your own personality. And I think this is itself a miracle. The historical survey of Enneagram is objective. Personally, I found the book very useful. Discover your self by discovering the contents of this book. Spend your money for it and you will earn a lot because this book is very illuminating.

5 comments about Responsible Drinking: A Moderation Management Approach for Problem Drinkers.

1. How many people actually know what a standard drink is? Or, how much alcohol is safe to consume? Or what acceptable drinking behavior is? Very few. In our neo-puritan, abstinence-only society, there are few guidelines for sensible, pleasurable indulgence.
   
   Studies on abstinence-only sex education prove it a failure. Similarly, limited studies on abstinence-only treatment for drinking problems show it less effective than offering choice. Perhaps the message that one is "powerless over alcohol" undermines all efforts to exercise any form of reponsibility vis a vis drinking. It certainly provides a convenient excuse.
   
   If you have questions about drinking, but don't want alarmist dogma; if you believe human beings are capable of making responsible choices; buy this book!



2. AA is not for everyone, despite what you may hear. If the 12-step cookie cutter approach leaves a bad aftertaste, this book may help.
   
   It's true that one of the founders did drive drunk and kill someone. What one of the reviewers fails to mention is that it was after she had returned to A.A. and was practicing abstinence.
   
   A.A. does work. For about 5 percent of those try it, (according to AA's own studies), but there are alternatives for those not sold on the Big Book.



3. Anyone who has questioned or been surprised about the amount they drink will not feel alone after reading this book.



4. This book is an excellent tool for anyone concerned about their drinking habits, yet doesnt feel the need for AA.
   I believe it is beginning to help me make some lifestyle changes for the good.
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any doubts about their drinking or another family member or friend.



5. This is an extremely beneficial book for those who feel their alcohol consumption needs moderating. There are no judgement calls or hard sells, just honest, practical advice and alternatives for those who wish to implement them.

5 comments about The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal.

1. I have nothing against the idea of this journal, it's just frustrating to work with. As another reviewer mentioned, spiral-bound would have been a lot nicer. It is extremely difficult to write in due to the thickness and the binding. I am also left handed which never helps when trying to write in books. Instead, I bought myself a notebook that I love. It's much more pleasant to write in the morning, now. I'd save your money for something else that you would like.



2. The "How to" of Morning Pages, divided into 12 weekly sections and thoughtfully filled with exerpts from "The Artist's Way." The Artist is offered the perfect format for writing the Morning Pages at the beginning of their journey to recovery. Large pages, generously spaced lines and "right on" spiritual support for healing the artist child within.



3. My twenty-third and twenty-fourth copies. The first twenty-two are full and lined up in my book case. A magnificent tool for starting the day.



4. A necessary part in the first faze of your continuing journey of The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. Each page is filled with reminders, insights and beauty , supporting the very nature of your being.
   
   The Artist's Way Morning Pages Journal



5. Unlike other reviewers who felt the Morning Pages Journal should offer more than just bound blank pages, I think that it serves that purpose admirably well, and has the added benefit of the quotes from The Artist's Way.
   The only drawback (the reason I give a 3 rather than a 5) is that it ought to be spiral-bound: if you are writing pages as you are supposed to be (early AM, in bed) then you have to struggle to hold the pages down to write.
   This is an easy fix that I hope that the publishers will finally clue in to and remedy.

5 comments about The Procrastinator's Handbook: Mastering the Art of Doing It Now.

1. There are a number of procrastination books on the market, but this is by far the best for its simple solutions and practical insights. Like other books on the subject, the author deals with the psychological aspects of procrastination, but unlike other books, she keeps it simple, using real-life stories and examples. Highly recommended. NOTE: THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR OF "NEVER BE LATE AGAIN, 7 CURES FOR THE PUNCTUALLY CHALLENGED."



2. I started reading this book 4 months ago, but just finished it last week. For a book so small that doesn't say much.
   
   This book delivers on humor and very practical advice, but for me it just seemed to say things I already knew such as keeping a to-do list that breaks major tasks into mini-tasks. To be fair, there was other advice, but nothing that just made me sit up and transform my behavior.
   
   Having said that, I don't think it is a bad book and it wasn't unpleasant to read, but I really expected more. I chose a 3-star rating because while I felt better for a day or two after reading it, I didn't turn on that internal "switch".
   
   Unfortunately I have not read some of the other popular titles, so I have nothing I can recommend in place of this book - please keep that in mind when reading this review.



3. Procrastination is difficult to change as there are so many reasons to do it. This book addresses the variety of causes and how to overcome them. I really like the layout of the book which invites readers to dip in and sample. It deals with the different fears (of being rejected, of making the wrong decision, of change, of responsibility, etc.) that paralyze us and keep us from forward action.
   Each chapter ends with an exercise to do. If you try them out, you end up setting goals, uncluttering, analyzing our relationships, setting up a reward system for ourselves, and many more worthwhile activities.
   We all procrastinate to some degree. If yours bothers you enough to read this review, then you owe it to yourself to read this book.
   Sprinkled throughout the book are inspiring thoughts on the topic.
   "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Will Rodgers



4. It's quite disheartening to know that you have a problem, and then buy into a resource which many people swear by, such as this book, only to find out that it is completely useless. For me, this book started out badly in the very introduction and got worse and worse.
   
   In her introduction, Emmett describes procrastination as a "funny subject". What is so funny about having your professional and personal life go down the drain because you can't get it together? When I want to be helped, I want to be taken seriously. I don't want my hindrance to be labeled as "funny".
   
   The case studies seemed exaggerated, silly and a little condescending and one of them is plagarised. I know this because I read the exact same situation in an Ann Landers column about 25 years ago. I will never forget it because I read it out loud to my mom and we still bring up it from time to time -- the precise same words in the exact same order that Emmett uses in her book. This one citation made me wonder how many other case studies were made up.
   
   Then there is the section on making a list of 101 items that you need to get done. Why on earth should I LOOK for things to do if I can barely finish what's on my plate in front of me? This section should not have been Chapter 2, for heaven's sake. Save it for the end, when we've learned how to take care of what's important first.
   
   She mentions that there are some instances in which one should procrastinate, as in the case of writers who take weeks to write and rewrite and edit endlessly. She states that writers are doing themselves a favor by waiting to write closer to the deadline. Has this author never written a serious academic work which requires multiple drafts? Writing for scholarly journals or for publication and acceptance within the academic community is not a walk in the park. An exception should have been made here.
   
   The section on how to accomplish unpleasant tasks suggests doing it to music or finding something about the task that is pleasant. To concentrate fully on writing an important paper to music is reckless, and there is no pleasant part of it. So now what do I do?
   
   When I read a book, I do so with a pencil and paper to jot down ideas but in this case, I was jotting down what I hated about it. This book may be good for those who need to get their house, family and job in order and just basically need to get organized. I would not recommend it to someone like me who's procrastination is a serious disorder -- waiting until the last possible moment to get out of bed in the morning and then arriving late to work, knowing full well that people are waiting for and counting on you. Knowing that there are things to be done that are a matter of life and death for your career and still procrastinating anyway. Not being able to sleep at night thinking of everything you have to do, worrying about how it'll get done, and the next day at work --- continuing to procrastinate and find everything else to do except for work that needs to be done.
   
   I've been reading about The Now Habit by Neil Fiore and I think it may be better suited for me.



5. I found this audio book to be mildly helpful - mostly full of generic tips I've heard many times before, with too many stories to illustrate her points for my taste. I also bought "Getting things Done" by David Allen, which I found MUCH more useful.

5 comments about The Dominance Factor: How Knowing Your Dominant Eye, Ear, Brain, Hand, & Foot Can Improve Your Learning.

1. I purchased this book several months ago and I have been slowly integrating into my work with special Ed children. Lots of good, solidly backed information that fits so well with Occupational Therapy in the Classroom. However, this book is not friendly towards the right-brained readers like myself. I had to read the muscle-checking section 20 times before I figured it out, and I am still a little confused. Three other OTs and two PT also struggled with her descriptions. I think this will be the downfall of this otherwise wonderful book.



2. Dr. Carla Hannaford is at the forefront of mind/body/heart integration. We are fortunate to have her sharing her expertise in Smart Moves and the present book. Muscle checking, like Brain Gym exercises, are understandably difficult to master just from a book. For over 20 years, I've been sceptical about muscle checking, wondering if it was due more to subjective variations in the application of pressure. But I begin to see more validity to its use now. Knowing the dominance factors and the 32 dominance profiles is a great help to appreciating our individual differences. There are also many suggestions for integration. One needs to go beyond the simplistic right/left brain dominance theories and even the 8 or 9 multiple intelligences. Education worldwide needs such a revolution in integration through physical movements and the development of heart intelligence and all the senses.



3. This is the book that started me on a wonderful journey of exploration in the world of accelerated learning. With Dr. Hannaford's companion book, "Smart Moves" I was able to get a solid handle on this facet of learning. When I talk to groups, this is one topic that seems to hold their attention more than anything else.
   Brian E. Walsh PhD, author of Unleashing Your Brilliance



4. I really enjoyed this book as I had read Carla's book 'Smart Moves'. It is a very easy to read and understand book and makes it clear how children and adults learn, how their dominance patterns affect their learning, the impact of understanding of brain, foot, hand, eye and ear dominace on learning. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the brain and learning.



5. A great book! Changes the way you know yourself and others - examines the way each of us recieves information and processes it, and how we are effected by stress and learning situations. Gives a start to improving brain intergration, through exercies and recommended activites, depending on your individual profile.

5 comments about Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook.

1. This book was not very good if you are a visual person to learn how to do bondage like I am. It had a lot of information maybe ten hand drawings in the book. the book is full of ideas but trying to discern them by no pictures is very hard to do. I found another book to be better for me.The book is well written dont get me wrong but no pictures.



2. I have this book... on my wishlist. Based upon everyone's disappointment of lack of illustrations, I recommend a more comprehensive book to accompany this - The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Knots & Ropework. Much of what is illustrated in this book is completely applicable for any level bondage enthusiast and should fill in Wiseman's erroneous omissions.



3. I'd recommend this book as a good reference book, but the pictures are useless and impossible to follow. I sat around with a friend trying to decipher and follow the visuals + text (and neither of us were total beginners) and it was VERY difficult. I'd recommend getting the book because jay does know his stuff and u should totally have a thorough knowledge about bondage before u go out there and potentially hurt someone (and I've been hurt by inexperienced people) but get another book to complement the written material in this one. or look online for visual tutorials for the ties, but read this for the background + safety.



4. Good instructions with OK graphics. There are a lot of good ideas and fun things to try for both male and female. Not definitive on the subject, but a great addition to the library.



5. Jay does a fantastic job of doing what he says in the title and provides well formulated and thorough information in a reference style format. There are sections on safety information (which is very accurate~ I've worked in the medical field for 8 years), ropes, knots, emotional and physical effects of bondage, bondage methods, and much more. I love that he gives you basic step by step knots to "do the job" and reassures those of us who aren't boy scouts that extensive knotting skills are not required for BDSM. He even goes another step and recommends other books for further reading if you're looking for an addition to his handbook. His education shines through here and I'm excited about reading his other works on the subject. Thank you Jay!!