5 comments about The Pocket Stylist: Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look.

1. This is an excellent book with a wealth of information you need to find your style or to improve upon it. Kendall Farr helps you determine your body type, discusses what specific styles best suit you, names the labels and stores where you can acquire said clothing, and leads you by the hand in shopping for clothes. She gives very detailed information about fabrics, stitching, care of clothing, how to select hoosiery, even how to pluck your eyebrows and choose the proper bra. This is a book you will want to refer to often. If you can only buy one book on style, then this would be the one. The only flaws I could find with this book is that there is no index which would have been very useful. Also, I sometimes felt that she forgot that many of us are buying our clothing at the mall and chain stores than we are on 5th Avenue. However, her emphasis on practicality makes up for this tiny flaw.



2. Fantastic book, glad I finally ordered it, but what happened to the earlier 100 reviews?



3. I got this from the library and really liked it. At my age (43) I already know what looks good on me, though I'd never really thought about *why* something looks good with my particular body type. It's very helpful shopping to keep that in mind. Also I thought her advice about thinking in terms of silhouette was interesting and useful. This would be a particularly great book for a younger woman just learning about clothes.



4. If you have anything to do with the fashion industry-- retail, designing, publishing, student (especially)-- or are a serious amateur (your friends ask for your advice, you mentally make over strangers), this book is indispensable. If you don't fall into any of those catagories but want to look your very best only a small section will apply to you (once you've ascertained your body type). But it will be money well spent. There is no way you won't succeed following Kendall Farr's specific advice. Then, being the divine fashionista that you are, you will share the other information with your dear friends!



5. Sensible, down to earth, practical. Fun, tongue in cheek, self-revealing.
   
   This little book does what 10 of the usual books labor over and does it painlessly. It is a little ambitious in places (must I have everything tailored?)but breaks down the process of being well dressed into manageable chunks.
   
   It is NOT about name-dropping and celebrity gossip. If you want teenage type twittering skip this. This book is about trying to get the best look possible within the limitations of a everyday life. Everyone, okay, everygirl I've shown this to asked where they could get a copy. And it makes a good companion to the fashionista books, as it will help you decide whether to follow a trend or run away as fast as your heels will allow.

5 comments about How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less.

1. Nicholas is a genius. This book is outstanding and the information is easy to follow. I work in sales and I can tell you that I have tried many of his methods. They work and I am making more money. This should be a required read for all politicians, salespeople, management and entrepreneurs. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
   
   Chuck
   Denver, CO



2. When you meet someone, look 'em in the eye and give 'em a firm handshake because everyone knows that making a good first impression is important. Former fashion photographer Nicholas Boothman explains why - and a whole lot more - in this fascinating look at how people make connections. Like most people, you probably establish immediate rapport with certain individuals and don't seem to have anything in common with others. If you've wondered why, the author explains the components of communication and offers specific techniques you can employ to create connections quickly. The fun part is that after you've finished the book, you can try your newly acquired skills on just about anyone in any situation. Though some people are naturals, for most becoming a skilled conversationalist takes a lot of practice. getAbstract believes that almost everyone will find useful information and practical advice in Boothman's book. At the very least, he gives you plenty to discuss.



3. Great manuel for those who make their living selling but not excluded to everyone who just wants to interact in their daily lives. I found that I did many things naturally but this is a great refresher and a great way to hone my people skills....A MUST BUY!!!!!
   
   Bill-Ft. Worth,TX.



4. How To Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less is an excellent guide to establishing fast rapport with people. In a common sense, but not always obvious approach, the author spells out in simple terms the body language and meeting acknowledgment that will engage new acquaintances. This is a fast read. It gives the reader the potential to leverage a first impression with positive power.
   The author was recently interviewed on television. Expect a big demand for this book, of great help to salespeople, job interviewees, and anyone who needs to make a good impression, fast.



5. this book will only make people like you because you are pretending to be like them in all ways, this is not impressive i thought everyone knew that, dont make friends with people who are unlike you using this method or once you let ur true colors out they will realize u were just saying what they wanted to hear
   im really surprised u needed a book to tell you that "you are who you surround yourself with"

5 comments about The Astonishing Power of Emotions: Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide.

1. This book makes clear what our emotions really are! A must read to take control of your life and create a joyful experience. Thank you Abraham, Esther and Jerry.



2. just goes to show you how perfectly designed we all are. this book redefines your relationship to your emotions and teaches you how to see them as indicators...your navigational indicators that tell you how you're moving through this physical trail.
   
   i LOVED the insights i gained through reading this. it will absolutely redefine the way you interpret your emotions and respond to them. we all come with inner guidance. your own built-in emotional response system.
   
   everything you need to move through this life with ease is WITHIN YOU.
   
   life is perfectly orchestrated and so is everything about you!



3. I received my book and it was in very good condition, I couldnt understand why it took 3 weeks to receive it tho.



4. And I also tend to agree with it, the message that is, not necessarily all the things in the book. Superbly written and endearing. Not a fan of the whole channeling thing, but don't let that hinder the good insights within this book.
   
   Jane Stevens
   Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]



5. This is one of the most helpful as well as entertaining CD's to listen to, in order to understand the message. I have listened to it in my car over and over, and still get more understanding from it each time I listen. The book is very helpful in its examples, which even if you don't have that situation in your life at this time, you can see the way "life" works in each example. I had purchased The Secret and enjoyed it as well, but it just didn't have in it what this book does--which is the "real" secret to underatanding just HOW we create our experiences, which is the real dilemma, isn't it? If you understand just how we are doing what we do, then we can undo them and begin to enjoy life much more fully. I have family members who have also purchased this book and love its message. I highly recommend it to those of you who want to know the real secret of creating your own experience.

5 comments about Boundaries in Dating.

1. This is the most amazing book. These guys combine so much practical wisdom, so much insight into relationships. The idea that I should be sharing my opinions, preferences, likes--whether in music, politics, clothing, whatever ... the idea that I should be sharing this directly with someone as part of defining my boundaries is simply revolutionary to me.
   
   
   Somewhere along the way, I started holding back on my opinions and preferences when meeting new people. That creates two problems: one, people do not get to see or get to know who I am, what I really like, what I don't like. So I am stifling myself, keeping folks at a distance. Two, others who want to find me (who like my preferences, etc. or who simply want to know me better) can get this information more quickly when I share it early on. There's so many other insights here about wisely choosing partners, about assuming responsibility for your relationships.
   
   I'm going to read more of these guys' books.
   
   One note--I delayed reading this book because of the Christianity. When I finally picked it up and gave it fair reading, I saw that the Christianity is extremely ecumenical and open. The authors quote passages from the Bible in ways that reinforce common sense and common insights from psychology and psychotherapy and relationships. No guilt or judgmental thing going on ... If you're not Christian, I think you still might like this book.
   
   I am eager to begin to practice some of this stuff.



2. Not much to say. Haven't flipped through the book yet, but it appears to be in good condition.



3. I am a big fan of the material in this book. I think it is one of the best resources available today for understanding the give and take of intimate relationships, and where each of you begins and ends. I've seen too many people settle or lose their own identity because they didn't understand what was happening in their relationship.



4. I found this book very helpful and have purchased several copies for friends in need.



5. Although the book is very well written and very useful, a bible reference after every thought is really unneccessary. Unless advertising on a christian site.

5 comments about If..., (Questions For The Game of Life).

1. This book has a few interesting questions, but for the most part, it was all things I had heard before.... just not what I was hoping for!



2. The IF books are amazing. They're excellent icebreakers for all ages, great for spicing up holiday get-togethers with family, PERFECT for first dates or getting to know people, and wonderful resources for interviewing guests, celebrities, job applicants, etc!
   
   I HIGHLY recommend the entire series... Just make sure you keep the IF3 & IF4 books set aside for separate situations. IF3 is GREAT for getting laid... NOT Great for learning about your grandparents' habits in the bedroom... & IF4 is perfect for grandparents... NOT perfect for getting someone hot & horny... LOL. Trust me on this!



3. Okay...like another reviewer stated, if you are looking for serious, thought provoking questions, get a different book. Perhaps philosophy.
   
   Not everyone will appreciate the questions, and some are just plain silly, but it's a lot of fun if your electric goes out, camping, or a party that's jut not taking off.
   
   I liked it!
   xox
   MEF



4. This book is a lot of fun, at times it might get a bit repetitive, but overall it's amazing.... sharing the questions with friends or just on your own, I keep it at work, and when I have to travel in the car or other I take it with me and discuss with everyone and it makes great conversation and of course it always goes deeper than the question itself... when I first got it I kept it in my purse and just pulled it out at any moment.



5. This is a little hardcover book that asks questions all beginning with If. Such as If you could remove one hereditary characteristic from your family, what would it be? or If you could "unknow" one thing you know, what would it be? Theres about 129 pages with about 4 questions per page.
   
   The paper is a little flimsy. Some of the questions seem a like there were written at 3:00 a.m. after 8 cups of coffee, but on the whole this book poses some good questions you could discuss, use as ice breakers at a party (in home sales, office), open a classroom discussion, get students ideas for writing assignments.
   
   Now some of the questions are not G rated or PG rated, so don't take this to a high school, throw it down and say pick a question to write about - you may get some very upset parents giving you a call.

5 comments about The Zen of Zombie: Better Living Through the Undead.

1. This book was hilarious from start to finish. What sells me the most on this book is the way Scott Kenemore so effortlessly blends over the top humor with what would pass for actual self-help shlock ready to be inhaled by the aimless. Even better is the way that the language runs the gamut from pedantic to needs-soap-in-his-mouth foul. The content carries itself (the mere idea of zombie emulation as a means to self efficacy? come on!), but the execution is flawless. Zombie fans will enjoy this, but really anyone should.



2. The Zen of Zombie was laugh out loud funny! Kept me interested throughout. Cant wait to get my hands on Scott Kenemore's next one!



3. 
   This book is really funny in a lot of ways. There is a lot in it that could actually be in a self help book. You find yourself thinking "yeah that is a useful trait" and then stop yourself because the author is talking about ZOMBIES!
   
   Also, there is a part that is in french that cracked me up.



4. Really, really funny. It's a send-up of self-help books that is 1. funny and 2. weirdly accomplishes its not-goal. By making you think of memorable and weird zombie, you actually spend brain energy thinking about what an ACTUAL self-help book might have you think about. E.g. thinking of eating brains, you wind up thinking about protein intake in your diet. Etc.
   
   Recommended. Now I'm off to eat some brains to boost my protein intake.



5. Among the many jokes and clever send-ups of self-help books one might even find a useful strategy for happiness and success.

5 comments about Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct.

1. This is an excellent book on courtesy in our everyday interactions. I think if everyone practiced Forni's 25 suggestions, both public and private life would go more smoothly.



2. I read *Choosing Civility* because I found that the pressure of living in a crowded city was beginning to make me a bit misanthropic towards my fellow humankind, which led to me becoming a bit less civil in my behavior in this crowded world. I wanted a refresher on how to treat my fellow man in a manner that I wished to be treated myself. I also read this book because I saw that the pressures and pace of the modern world was beginning to break down our civilization.
   
   *Choosing Civility* definitely delivered on my first need, it made me more conscious of the little things that lead to better interactions with people; little things like ensuring that I respect the personal space of others in a conversation, being inclusive of everyone in a group such as my coworkers, refraining from idle complaining, and respecting other people's time. After reading this book, I found myself noticing moments where I was being uncivil in small ways and allowing me the opportunity to correct these behaviors.
   
   Where the book falls short, at least for my needs, but not necessarily for everyone, is in how to deal with and accept the uncivil behavior of others. Before reading this book, I was aware of a general incivility in our everyday lives; but, after reading this book, I became painfully aware of how bad the problem was and the book didn't prepare me properly for those times when I felt the victim of uncivil actions and how to remain civil myself at the moments.
   
   >>>>>>><<<<<<<
   
   A Guide to my Book Rating System:
   
   1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
   2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
   3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
   4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
   5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.



3. I love this book of tenderly nuanced advice written in beautiful prose and will reread it often to remind myself how absolutely necessary civility is in our lives. Professor Forni does Johns Hopkins proud!



4. After discussing why we don't treat each other as well as we should and why we should treat each other better, Massimo offers 25 rules to help us implement his advice. He gets very specific about the ways we can treat each other better, every day.
   
   I like this book for two reasons. One, because it puts the accountability where it belongs: on me. I can't improve my relations with other people by expecting them to change. I can't do it by labeling them, criticizing them or judging them. All I can do is change what I do and how I do it.
   
   Two because it offer specific suggestions on how to be more civil. It's useful and can be implemented right now.
   
   The better we treat each other, the better our world becomes. This book is a step to helping us all get there.



5. Professor Forni's concise, readable book addresses the topic of how people behave toward each other in daily life. It considers "manners," but goes well beyond Emily Post etiquette about which fork to use at a dinner party. If the "25 rules of considerate conduct" were adopted by us all, the world would be a much more civilized place.

5 comments about Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual.

1. The book seems to focus on excepting things that you have the ability to change to improve your life. If you really want ot improve your life, make the changes that are neccessary.
   
   Missing tile syndrome... Please.



2. This is a great book! I have purchased several copies and have passed them to some unhappy people (ie: Mother-in-law). Explains how to understand how to be happy.



3. There are some thought-provoking areas which could be helpful. However, the book contained more intellectualization rather than insight, and at times, served as a platform for the author to showcase his achievements and knowledge. Prager makes several bold statements and generalizations regarding religion, relationships, and life in general, which I did not agree with. Especially with his opinion that ALL men are constantly battling their insatiable lust to be with other women. But like I mentioned, some of the concepts and perspectives are helpful. I just take what is useful and disregard the rest.



4. Current events make that happy mindset a bit harder to find. Dennis Prager agrees that happy is not easy nor even necessarily fun to achieve. His bestseller "Happiness is a Serious Problem" contains timeless wisdom; it is no less relevant today than when it was published 10 years ago.
   
   This "Human Nature Repair Manual" can be used in an aphorism-a-day sort of way but has none of the saccharine qualities found in that sort of self-help book. Prager himself notes "...the chapters of the book can be read in any order. Each...is largely a self-contained unit." The advice within is practical, spiritual but non-denominational, and written in the same, sane, soothing voice that Prager brings to his radio show.
   
   No sense paraphrasing that which works so well, so consider these bits of wisdom as you contemplate whether or not to order this book:
   
   "[T]he Buddhist teaching is of universal importance. If we understand expectations to mean certitude that something will happen, that we can take the good we have for granted...then expectations lead to unhappiness....and undermine the most important source of happiness-- gratitude."
   
   "...[I]deally, we should awaken every day and be as happy about our good health as if we had just received the wonderful news that a [suspicious] lump was diagnosed as benign."
   
   Need a guidebook for gratitude? Seeking sufficiency in life? This is your book.



5. Dennis Prager has synthesized the true essence of happiness. Myself, going through a lot of soul searching as a real estate broker and the tremendous difficulty of that found this book to be just what Dr. Prager ordered. In short, our happiness is not based on our surroundings, happiness is a choice, a decision, and a blessing. Be happier - read this book!

5 comments about Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time.

1. I had to read this book through work, and I have to say it made a powerful change in my company. If you are tired of having the same conversations over and over with employees or your spouse then this book will teach you that the conversation IS the realationship. Fierce conversations are REAL. They are not mean are rude, they are robust, intense, strong, powerful, passionate, eager, and unbridled. they are meant for confronting reality, understanding why a problem exists, and discovering the solution. The book guides you with 7 principles:
   
   #1 You must interrogate reality. Discover the truth first.
   #2 Make the conversation real. Take off your mask and speak the truth with tact.
   #3 Be here. Focus on the conversation at hand, focus on it. No fading away!
   #4 Tackle your toughest challenge today. Stop procrastinating. What can you solve that will bring you the most value, today?
   #5 Obey your instincts. You know in your heart what is right.
   #6 Take responsibility for your emotional wake. You must understand how you in your position emotionally effects people.
   #7 Let silence do the heavy lifting. Slow down your speaking, take time for quiet gaps and to think about what to say next.
   
   This is a powerful book that can change your life, your family, or your organization.



2. Fierce Conversations is a must read for anyone. Period!
   Nothing else to say. It has fantastic information on communication and understanding. Two levels beyond talking ...and helps readers improve their level of interaction to reach win win results.



3. I have read many business books, and this one is in a class all itself. It's contents apply to personal and business relationships of all types. Real world experience that is well written, humorous, effective, and easy to implement. I highly recommend this book for anyone that maintains a relationship of any kind with any other person.



4. I did not consciously choose this book. A friend regards this book highly, couldn't find it in her library, ordered another and then found her original. I became the beneficiary...happily, I might add. And that's because this book so succinctly and smartly puts forth what a life of quality looks like. For instance, Scott says, "Each of us must first answer the question 'Where am I going?' before we can address the question 'Who is going with me?' It is essential not to get those out of order." She then goes on to say, "You will bring into your life whatever it is that you have the most clarity about."
   While I did find this to resonate as true, the book goes beyond being a mere motivational speech. It is a handbook for those who are charged with responsibility or compelled to align the movements of masses so that some higher-order ideal is realized. How that is done practically is "one conversation at a time." Scott shows how to, as Shakespeare would say, "screw your courage to the sticking place" so that this clarity can consistently see the light of day. She has some interesting processes, guidelines and touchstones. My favorite take-away is to ask yourself, when analyzing a situation, "what are your pretending not to know?"



5. Fierce Conversations is a life-changing book. It brings to stark consciousness the weak, limp, lukewarm, and inhibited manner in which we converse with each other today. It reveals a style of "conversation" which we all have with others that simply is not working. The author encourages us to "come out from behind ourselves" and let people...in conversation...get to know the real us. It eschews the vapid, dead, superficial, lifeless way we talk to each other, and the abysmal results that ensue in our lives together. The book is filled with simple strategies for the reader to make his or her conversation more meaningful, more moving, and more memorable. For those who thirst for honest, heartfelt, intimate conversation, the book is a spiritual fountain of many waters. The "Fierce" in the title of the book does not mean violent, demeaning, or angry but instead brave, pure, un-prepackaged and watered down to meaninglessness, etc. It is well worth the money and is watered with many illustrations in people's work, business, and personal life.

4 comments about Fearless Love: The Answer to the Problem of Human Existence.

1. Gary explains Course In Miracles principles in easy-to-understand layman's terms, and more importantly, what these principles mean to us as students of the course and spiritual seekers. In this 2-CD set, he goes through helpful techniques of putting the Holy Spirit in charge, a guided prayer of merging with your source, and a helpful review of forgiveness, one of the Course In Miracle's main concepts and techniques for giving up separateness and experiencing oneness with our creator.
   
   The principles, once explained, are relatively easy to understand, especially if you've had any background with Eastern concepts of non-dualism, such as those taught in Hinduism, Buddhism, or Taoism. Understand, yes, but they are not so easy to do. This is why Gary's teaching is helpful here. He understands how these principles work, and can show us how they work in our day-to-day lives, rather than them remaining concepts in a book that can be at times intimidating in its size and scope.
   
   Gary is a popularizer of the course, and every time I have heard him speak (on CDs, live appearances, or his podcast on iTunes) he remains true to course principles and doesn't try to water them down or interpret them in ways that would be more new age-friendly, or get him an appearance on Oprah. The course has been described as uncompromising, and can put quite a few people off because of this.
   
   Gary has been able to remain as funny, accessible, and human as possible, while still understanding and practicing these concepts as directed by the course. This is what makes him valuable as a teacher. He is a lot like us - average in many ways. However, his application of course principles and the results he gets, added to his ability to communicate his experiences in everyday terms elevates his teaching from above average to the inspirational.
   
   Above all, he wants us to taste and experience the course first-hand for ourselves, and not leave it up on the shelf. In the process of doing this, his presentation is often upbeat and practical. I find myself filled with renewed hope after listening to this CD set.



2. Gary reinforces the practical approach this spiritual path has to offer. So more repetition from our buddy The G-Man - but there's no such thing as too much repetition when it comes to hearing right minded ideas - so it's all good - as we need the repetition to keep us focused and motivated on the task at hand - or at least I do.
   
   In addition, Gary shares some new personal forgiveness lessons, including his divorce process, and talks about how animals, including pets, fit into the grand scheme of things.
   
   Of course, the importance of practicing true forgiveness is stressed in all of Gary's recordings and Fearless Love is no exception, since it is the one thing that will get us Home, as Pursah reminds us all in Your Immortal Reality "...there is no substitute for practicing forgiveness, and that's the spiritual 'life in the fast lane' that our brother J was teaching by both word and example 2000 years ago."
   
   Gary also guides us through the True Prayer meditation on this program very similar to that on his Secrets of the Immortal series, helping us to remember where we really are.
   
   Anything coming from Arten and Pursah through Gary, in addition to Gary's humor, will always get 5 stars from me. Giddy up! God Is
   
   Go to my profile for a link to my Disappearance of the Universe blog.



3. I have spent many happy hours of dawning insight thanks to Gary Renard's books and CDs. Gary is a very sincere spiritual guy who has a wicked and hilarious sense of humor. In the course of his spiritual seeking, Gary was astonishingly introduced to A Course in Miracles by two ascended masters. With their prompting and assistance, he made the study of A Course in Miracles the primary vehicle for his own spiritual understanding and unfoldment. In an effort to help us with our spiritual understanding and unfoldment Gary distills the most important principles of A Course in Miracles in this CD set.
   A Course in Miracles could be characterized as the Vedanta of the West. It is spirituality in it's most refined state - nondual; though its main message looks a little dual:
   God is the only truth (and everything else is illusion).
   Gary conveys the metaphysics and mysticism of A Course in Miracles with ease & humor. He indicates that it is our own experience of God that will have true meaning for us. He gives three simple practices to help this experience unfold within each of us through the process of undoing the ego.
   While A Course in Miracles can be described as a difficult text that requires you to master its inner vocabulary, Gary clarifies it's priciples and brings them right down to Earth for us.



4. I have a great hunger for this material and have actively sought out everything I can find. These two CDs give a very practical direction and brief aid to understand the foundational principles in The Course in Miracles. I listen to these repeatedly as a mantra for my mind. Fearless Love is great and helps my joy and peace grow more everyday. Thank you Gary Renard.