5 comments about All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville.

1. This is one of the best books I've read. Kept me laughing whole way through.I'm not your "typical reader" but this book I could read. Janice is such a delightful, charming Weight Loss Coach. I admire her style and just found this book to be so enjoyable. Janice Taylor, is so down to earth, and REAL, about weight loss. It's the kind of book you could read more than once. I ordered several of them and gave them to all my friends for their birthdays!! Now I just have to get them signed by Janice herself!!! Congrats to Janice for such a superb book. I commend you!! From Holly V. Long Island



2. I am in the middle of this book and I can't put it down. I am enjoying it so much, I just ordered her first book as well.



3. This is a must-read for those who want a fresh, new perspective on weight-loss and "permanent fat removal"! I recommend it all who are looking for a new way to love ones self.



4. Janice Taylor is simply delightful! She is cheerful, creative, and super-spirited about her work...and all of this comes across in her writing. There is no way to look at, listen to, or read Janice Taylor and be unhappy. No way! I am not on a personal quest for weight loss but "All is Forgiven", I have discovered, encompasses so much more - it's about renewing your outlook on life, your journey and, most of all, your esteem. It is the type of book that I like to take a little bite out of everyday - just for a boost of inspiration or a little yummy food for thought. The art work (graphics as well as Janice's artwork, present throughout the book) is an added boon. Even if I'm not reading, it's fun to just peruse the pictures, marvel at Janice's art, and enjoy how beautifully formatted the book is. If you are battling with your weight however, as many of us are, this book is a MUST READ before you even THINK about starting another diet! Everything about "All is Forgiven" will make you feel good, and better about what might have seemed an impossible journey to "Sveltsville." Sometimes you simply need a change of perspective :-)



5. I love this book. Janice is inspiring and funny and the artwork is wonderful. Very cool! This book has kept me motivated as I am doing my own "permanent fat removal." It's working. Her approach is unique and completely different from "diet" books. It is inspiring and offers a new way of looking at the whole "body image" thing. I get so caught up in the fun and cool way she has of thinking about food and removing fat permanently that I am losing weight without the struggle. It is a wonderful way to think about caring for yourself. I highly recommend this book!

5 comments about Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success.

1. When I saw this book at the bookstore, I just had to pick it up and it didn't disappoint. I believe the reason I am not where I want to be is because I was afraid of failing and making a fool of myself. This book teaches I never will get where I want to go unless I fail along the way! Make no mistake, this is not about accepting, expecting, or dealing failure but learning and growing from it. It's OK to fall once in a while just don't stay down. That's the theme here. In Chapter 13, I loved the short letter in the story about the mother who wrote to her daughter the following words when the daughter wanted to return home because she was lonely:
   
   "Two men looked from prison bars, One saw mud, the other stars."
   
   Simple yet the message is clear. Which one would you rather focus on?



2. This was an ok book but it got to be the same thing that you may have read else where in motivational books. Some have said this is the same as others of his.



3. Mr Maxwell is nothing if not prolific in writing about leadership. This book is arguably one of his most important, not for what it says about leadership, but rather one of the most critical culture setting behaviors a leader can practice. How do we turn a mistake into a learning opportunity rather than a failure doomed to be repeated. I liked this book for its step by step approach to addressing mistakes and turning them into positive learning outcomes. this is a typical Maxwell effort lots of quotes and easy reading with a simple formula.
   
   This is a must read for those of us who like to beat ourselves up for our last mistake.
   
   And remember: Forgive yourself for making a mistake, get over it and learn from it!



4. John Maxwell is a former parish pastor and currently the head of the INJOY Group, an organization dedicated to raising the leadership skills of church workers and business people. As Maxwell writes in the introduction, his (many) books fall into four categories: books on Relationships; books intended to Equip; books addressing Attitude; and books on Leadership. This book is intended to influence the Attitude of the reader. Specifically, Maxwell seeks to shift the paradigm from which the reader operates--from one that views failure negatively (fearing it, taking it personally, feeling defined by failure), to a paradigm that views failure positively (embracing it as a necessary step to success, something that is distinguished from the person, something that we can learn from). In short, Maxwell argues that failure is a necessary ingredient to personal and professional growth.
   
   Maxwell's book is divided into 16 chapters, each lays out a "step" to redefining failure. The chapters (and corresponding steps) can be summed up as follows:
   
   1. Successful people differ from most people in that the successful people have a healthier, balanced look at failure.
   
   2. Failure is not black-and-white, but rather nuanced.
   
   3. Failure should not be taken personally.
   
   4. Doing the thing you fear ultimately reduces anxiety.
   
   5. Don't make excuses; take responsibility for failure.
   
   6. Don't define yourself by a failure.
   
   7. Stop agonizing over the past; look toward a bright future.
   
   8. Any significant change in your circumstances begins with you.
   
   9. Showing love and kindness toward others reduces anxiety and puts things in perspective.
   
   10. Try to see what positive things can be learned from a failure
   
   11. Success after success after success isn't necessarily good; it might show that you're not pushing yourself. Try exploring new territories.
   
   12. You can learn valuable lessons from failure and adversity. Don't ignore these lessons.
   
   13. We all have character flaws; figure out what yours is to minimize failure incidents.
   
   14. Sometimes we fail even though we do just about everything right; failure doesn't mean starting over from scratch, but could mean tweaking successful characteristics.
   
   15. When you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again.
   
   The final chapter shows how the previous 15 steps play out in the life story of Dave Anderson (of Famous Dave's, Rain Forest Café, and other business ventures).
   
   Each chapter is approximately 12 pages long and alternate between explaining a concept and providing anecdote. Chapters end with critical thinking questions and a one-phrase summary of previous chapters (to keep them fresh).
   
   This is the third time I've read "Failing Forward," and with each read, my appreciation of the book grows. The first time I read it, I found Maxwell to be repetitive and the anecdotes missing their intended mark. The second reading, I found it more helpful. This third time, I found "Failing Forward" highly insightful and empowering. Many of Maxwell's points have stuck with me and are being utilized in my current position.
   
   The tone in which the book is written is conversational and is generally respectful of the reader (although the book contains occasional bad jokes and stories that really don't advance the argument--such as the multi-page story of how John Maxwell almost killed golf legend Arnold Palmer), and keeps pedagogy in mind.
   
   If I would've written a review after he first reading, "Failing Forward" would've received two stars; second reading would've earned it three-and-a-half; now, after this third reading, I believe it deserves the full five-star rating. It has achieved its purpose and been paradigm shifting even as it is empowering. It will remain on my bookshelf so I can see what my view of this deceptive book is after yet another reading.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. The idea behind this book is very original and relevant. We all make mistakes and the exploration of how to learn from those and improve ourselves is a noble task. Maxwell begins well with insightful thoughts on what failure is and is not, how success is born out of failure and how to reframe our perception of our failures. Then the book quickly turns to largely extraneous stories and weak supporting points. The book drags on in this vein for some time. It is not until near the end that things pick back up again. The book ends on a strong note, with practical suggestions of how to "fail forward." This book is worth reading, though be prepared to do some skimming in the middle sections.

5 comments about If..., Volume 2: (500 New Questions for the Game of Life).

1. This book is great...I use it all the time to start conversations between me and my friends. These always turn out to be the most meaningful. I have learned so much about myself and others from this book. Check out the first one too!



2. Well, IF you're one of those people who likes to question everything (like me) then this book is FOR you. It's an interesting game to play alone or with friends, and makes you question your own morale and ideals. It's great. A+ and INTERESTING to boot.



3. This is the second book in the "If" series of questions. By now the answers should be easier but "If 2" provokes 500 more questions to contemplate each one a little deeper in theory than those contained in book one. Another great conversation piece and get-to-know-you type book.



4. Similar to If.
   Great book to share with someone special when trying to get to know each other better. Some questions will be a quick question and answer and others will turn into an hour conversation.



5. Thought this might be fun for some kind of date game or parties. Weak stuff.

5 comments about Recovery of Your Inner Child: The Highly Acclaimed Method for Liberating Your Inner Self.

1. If you are trying to find out where to begin your search for your inner child this is a good place to start. There are a number of excercises written in plain english that you can do alone, or share with your therapist.



2. This book has Art Therapy exercises and dialog exercises with your inner child (who can be playful, vulnerable, angry, etc). For instance you might be instructed to ask your inner child a question by writing it with your dominant hand. Then you answer the question with your nondominant hand (e.g. for many of us our left hand that we don't usually write with). There are also exercises that involve your internalized Parent (nuruturing, protective, critical, etc.)

   The exercises seem to be a blend of Art Therapy, Transactional Analysis and Gestault Experiments. As such the exercises can be somewhat risky since they bring up intense feelings. I wouldn't use some of these except under a therapist's supervision.

   However, this book seem VERY useful for adding to the tools of a practicing therapist.




3. This is one of the best books I've read on how to discover your inner child. It has many excercises to use to "talk" to your inner child. It showed me how to have a first hand experience with my inner child...and to actually feel the emotions. By writting and drawing with my non-dominant hand, I could actually have conversations with my inner child. I learned a lot about who my inner child was, the way she was feeling and how to make her feel happier and safer! The book stirs up many emotions that were buried for years, thus, helping me become healthier! One of the best self-help tools I have ever used!!



4. In response to other reviews here, I would agree that the emotions which can come up under the aegis of these methods might be too intense for readers with absolutely no grounding in self examination at all. People who need therapy first and foremost will not get therapy just by reading this - or any other book - and they should get a good referral and go do that. But those who are indeed ready, willing and able to undertake their own self examination will find so much that is useful and eye opening here, it seems a shame to dissuade anyone from working with this book and these methods. Therapists and their clients should welcome this as an opportunity to dive more deeply, quickly and thoroughly into the healing process. Capacchione's work is really brilliant.
   
   I have previously worked with her Visioning book and really love that and have reviewed it as well. It can be said perhaps that just as that book shows us how to look to our future, the Inner Child work developed here shows us how to understand our past. Under careful guidance, the reader is walked through and encouraged to interact with an array of internal figures who compete to shape our reality, whether we realize it or not. The reader gets an opportunity to examine past patterns and see how this is related to conflicting internal needs for support, protection, vulnerability, self expression, survival and so on. The reader then re-directs this internal pantheon to a more harmonious, healing and supportive dynamic, allowing one to release old material and perhaps to discern with fresh eyes how such old patterns may be playing out in the present. It is so much better to see things for how they really are, rather than through the veil of past dramas which continually reassert themselves through our unconscious until we are able to heal ourselves from these burdens. This book gives one the opportunity to put that old material to rest, to truly love oneself rather than looking to the outside world to supply what we can truly only find from within and to move into a new phase of renewal, creativity and healthy relationship.
   
   I can not say enough to praise this and other books by Capacchione.



5. Once I began working with this book, I purchased it as a gift for a friend of mine. If I could afford to, I would buy one for everyone I loved. There is much healing as a result of connecting with our Inner Child, in a creative, fun, entertaining, self-loving way. This book, is that way... I continue to enjoy working with it. I ALWAYS feel genuinely connected to my True Self when I do the exercises.

5 comments about Goodbye to Shy.

1. Another new bestseller which I highly recommend - The Exclusive Layguide: When Dating and Having Sex with Incredibly Hot Women is No Longer Mirage Even If You Don't Look Like a Model or Don't Make a Fortune



2. I wasn't too impressed with this book. I did like her 92 secrets and felt this book just fell short. It's not a bad book; but not a really good read.



3. I bought "Goodbye to Shy' audiobook and listened in my car while driving. Listening to her was like being with a really nice friend who understands you and doesn't judge you and is always ready to laugh with you, not AT you and is the best at giving great advice. I wish I could give her a hug!
   She opened my eyes on a lot of things. e.g. I've heard before that people considered me conceited for avoiding them, and I was just shy...I had no idea they did not understand it. Now I do know that shy people are often mistaken for snobs. I am more outgoing now that I listened to Leil Lowndes' "Goodbye to Shy". I wish I had this book years ago.



4. This is an excellent step by step guide to getting over your shyness. Each chapter focuses on a particular step that shys can use. Then at the end of each chapter, it is summarized in a little gray box called a "Shy Buster." The book is very well written and will be especially helpful to people who are very shy.



5. I almost didn't buy this awesome book because the cover is so lame. It looks like some 1950's book I'd find in my mother's closet. But then I read the reviews and bought it anyway. I'm so glad I did. I can sincerely say it's the most helpful book I've ever read.
   
   Liel Lowndes gives 82 "Shy Busters" which are specific techniques to fight shyness. Her insights into shyness are incredible because she went through the same pain. Sometimes I felt like it was ME talking. It was so refreshing to read something that wasn't written by some "holier than thou" psychologist who thinks we're "sick." No matter how much they are trained, they can never REALLY understand how horrible it is to be shy. But this author does. I can feel her pain as I read the book because it's exactly what I'm going through.
   
   I am only halfway way through the book and have completed only about a dozen of the ShyBusters she used to gain confidence in dealing with people. But already I feel that horrible tension and nervousness shedding away. I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to tackle the rest of the ShyBusters and say "Good-bye" to being shy.

5 comments about Focusing.

1. This book is certainly not what I expected. It's quite "dated"-- I got the impression that the technique described in the book was a fad in the 80s. I'll just say it did not help me learn how to actually "focus"...



2. A wonderful technique for those who have read enough books and are ready to take on the adventure of reading their own inner world.



3. I have applied the idea of felt sense a few times and found it very interesting and helpful. I learned to be more in tune with my feelings, even though it's really through bodily sensations.



4. This approach seems very Gestaltian. I found this book by reading "Toward a Psychology of Awakening." I found the method is effective until the last step or two. Focusers seem to believe that these felt shifts are easy and can happen any time you focus correctly. I do not believe this pattern fits all people. These 'felt shifts' seem to happen later, with more awareness of the bodily manifestations of my mind. And I cannot force anything to happen when I want it to, but it does happen in its own way, spontaneously. It's like what Fritz Perls emphasized, with enough awareness, the organism automatically heals itself.



5. How interesting that this book is still relevant though it was written so long ago! The Focusing method is really great for everyone--whether you are trying to clear some mental space and focus on your issues, or if you are a therapist and want to try it as a healing modality.

5 comments about The Three "Only" Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence, and Imagination.

1. In "The Three Only Things," Robert Moss illustrates how the daily practice of paying attention to dreams, coincidences, and imagination is immensely beneficial to us all, from the average person to the world leader. According to Robert, these vital personal resources so frequently trivialized in modern culture are our best allies; observing them changes our lives and our world for the better. If readers want to learn more from Robert about his very effective and simple dreaming techniques, I recommend the DVD series, "The Way of the Dreamer with Robert Moss", available through Amazon.



2. Yet another great book by Robert Moss. One of those "think outside the box" books. The historical information this author shares helps the reader "believe"...tap, tap, tap away!



3. I must said... this one is the best book by Robert Moss. You can read a kind of resume "Conscious Dreaming", plus added and valuable chapter about coincidence (waking dream, synchronicity.. whatever you named it)and imagination. This book reveal how to manage both of your inner and outer life. Know your dream, learn it, discover hidden aspect from your inner life.. make it usefull tool for your life. How to be personal fortune teller ? See your probable future with easy game you can play in or outside your house. Try to know what outer world, the nature, cosmic power want to tell you....Step by step train your imagination power. See and fell unlimited power that create your personal world. Made your own adjustment. Read this book, try the techniques... it works !!! If you're astral projector, inner traveler... dream reentry technique works for you. If you like divination, connect to nature... easy game at 'coincidence' works for you. If you like to manage your future, set it with your mind power... build imagination technique works for you.



4. The Three "Only" Things invites us to remember what we all knew as children -- how to dream, imagine, and inquire. Robert Moss reminds us how much fun it was to play games and daydream, and provides compelling reasons for why as individuals and as a culture, we MUST re-engage this part of our psyche. This book offers compelling anecdotes, historical insight, and un-common sense wisdom that speaks directly to the depths of our collective consciousness. It is a pleasure to read, and even more fun to apply!



5. I really enjoyed this book and the ways you were taught to work with the night dreams ,coincidence and imagination. Everything in our day to day life has meaning and when we start paying attention and connecting it, the questions and problems in our lives seem to be easier to solve.

5 comments about Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl.

1. If you love everything French, you must get this book. The author lived ten years in France, is married to a Frenchman and has French/American children. I cannot think of a better combination for a woman to share in a very detailed way all the secrets of chic French.



2. This book will make you want to move to France. Very educational and
   entertaining.



3. Entre Nous begins by the author describing the first French girl that she was in contact with. She dressed well, was intelligent, had style, was sensual, and she felt comfortable in her own body. She didn't really gossip, and she kept her secrets until she knew her for many years.
   The author goes on to tell you how to cook, shop, play, work, and love: like a French girl.
   
   There are many tips in between, like: "Borrow a page from the French girl's book: Self Possession." Or, Le Film, Le livre (the book) and French Girls We Love. All of those little tidbits contained some great recommendations, and there were other fun side notes like: who gets vous (formal) and who gets tu.(informal)
   
   Ollivier has created a book that brings out some our defensive qualities. "I love Farmers Markets! I don't wear sweatpants!" I'm sure that not every French girl loves to read, nor does every French girl accept her husbands indiscretions. Maybe not every French man chooses to cheat, either!
   You can't write a book about an entire culture and be correct about all of it. Besides, maybe one of the reasons that the French girls have a strong sense of self is because their cultures and traditions have been handed through many generations. Their country has existed for such a long time, whereas, our country is still very new compared to theirs.
   
   Either way, Ollivier ends her book going back to California, so if you are worried that she chooses "them, over us," she must love America as well. She also ended the book with a list with "What the French girl loves about us."
   
   So, don't worry. Put the defenses away. It's a fun, well written book, with some great ideas on how to be a self possessed, strong, stylish woman in general. She gives some good advice. I've read it more than once because it's that enjoyable!
   
   Recommended!



4. Of course this book is full of superlatives and portrays French gals in that better-than-ourselves version. Just as we know that not all Brazilians look fabulous in bikinis and dance samba with grace, we also know that not all French are graced with fashion sense and the Amelie impish grin.
   
   What I enjoyed about this book is that it reminded me there is that better version of me, a more poetic side that I can tap into. So ignore the hard-to-believe parts, especially those that tout French women as hostesses who know exactly how to consider every party details while looking amazing and flitting about the room with brilliant words on their tongues. No way.



5. This book is incredibly TEDIOUS. Maybe because I ready after How to be imposibly french wich is great!.
   
   
   I find the little quotes and film notes more interesting than the book itself. But very distracting.

5 comments about How to Get Ideas.

1. HOW TO GET IDEAS is an easy-to-read book that is loaded with wonderful nuggets for anyone who depends on fresh ideas to build his business. As a 30-plus year advertising industry veteran, I must confess I was a little surprised about HOW MUCH I got out of the book. I found the "Five-Step Method for Producing Ideas" an effective process for encouraging idea generation. Suggestions like "rephrase a difficult problem", "look for analogies" and "let your unconscious work on the problem", help provide structure to the usually unstructured task of ideation. Underdog Advertising



2. "Albert Einstein said his best ideas came to him while he was shaving," Jack Foster writes in "How to Get Ideas" (2nd ed.). When I read that line, what could I do? I put the book down for a moment and went to shave.
   
   That's about the only time I stopped reading though, and you won't be able to put it down either. For boosting creativity, this book is a lifesaver.
   
   Foster's advice is simple -- have fun, think like a child again, open your mind to new possibilities -- but not necessarily obvious. Most of us do the same old things and think in the same old ways. Foster aims to help us spot these unhelpful patterns, then break out with easy-to-follow tips and stimulating exercises.
   
   And anecdotes. Foster draws on decades of experience as a top creative hand in major advertising agencies, where he encountered guys and gals driven by curiosity -- people who found out how much a ten-gallon hat will hold (three-quarters of a gallon) and how many times per day an African elephant will defecate (16). Illustrating how to solve a problem by stepping around it, Foster tells the story of the woman who solved the slow-elevator problem in her building -- by mounting mirrors in the lobby. (How did she do it? See P. 134.)
   
   You'll discover how to overcome the fears that keep you from thinking creatively ... easy ways to gather information ... combining unrelated facts for new ideas ... the five steps for getting great new ideas ... and how to put them to work for YOU.
   
   You'll finish reading "How to Get Ideas" in an hour or two. But you'll benefit from its advice for the rest of your life.



3. 
   This is a really good book. It was entertaining to read while also educational. The first edition came out in 1996 I think, and this edition just came out earlier this month. The new edition has two new chapters, 5 and 8, which were added because readers thought the information they contain was missing from the first edition.
   
   The book is split into two parts. The first part covers 10 ways you can "search for ideas." And it is by the far the longer of the two parts. The second part explains the five steps of how to get ideas:
   
   1. Define the problem
   2. Gather the information
   3. Search for the idea
   4. Forget about it
   5. Put the idea into action
   
   Theoretically, I suppose, the book could have been set up so the second part was actually the first. And the first part could have been relegated to the end. I say this because the first part is really just an expansion of the "third step" of the five steps.
   
   I enjoyed the humor, the quotes, and the stories included in the author's discussion regarding 10 ways to search for ideas. And thus it made perfect sense to me why he put that material at the front of the book. I read the book to see if it would have some practical use to my SCORE clients who are wanta-be entrepreneurs and small business owners. I think there is a practical use, and I recommend that my clients and similarly situated people read this book. It will help them create their business plans and revamp those plans as time passes. 5 stars!



4. I tend to be skeptical of titles suggesting easy answers to broad problems, but darned if this one doesn't really deliver! Foster's guidelines often fall into the category of "That's pretty obvious, why didn't I think of it?". And therein lies its real beauty: his suggestions are practical, accessible, workable, and often downright ingenious. And not at all limited to his field of advertising.
   Furthermore, the book is a delightfully entertaining read. That man can write!



5. This book is a great book to read, the best thing it includes are quotes of famous people, which are mainly funny. Personally I do not believe that this book provided me with any new ways or measures of thinking to get more ideas, it's more of a different theories of people on how to think!!!!
   
   If you are interested in having a good read buy this book, but don't put your hopes up high......

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul: Stories of Canine Companionship, Comedy and Courage (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. Bought this for my doggy-loving husband for Christmas. He travels a lot, so he says it will be perfect airplane reading material! He's already read a few of the stories and loved them.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I love the stories and many of them bring me to tears. They're all great & really show the unconditional love of our dogs.



3. This book is for you! Typical Chicken Soup fare but on the plus side, dogs are the lead characters. Lots of tearjerkers, heart warmers and amusing anecdotes. The format makes for perfect short reads (bathroom, waiting for appointments, lunch breaks). I recommend it highly.



4. Haven't had time to read a book in quite some time. I made time for this one. If your a dog lover, you can't go without reading this book. LOVED IT.
   Purchaed 3 copies and gave two away.



5. We love dogs especially and we used to have a beautiful black lab but she's gone to heaven now! Our children got this lab for their stepfather years ago for Father's Day and of all the pets we have had over the years; this one was extra special to us! The book is great but the hubby cannot read much of it right now as he misses lady a lot. But, from what I've seen, I like it and believe others will too! I am a big fan of the Chicken Soup books and have always been impressed with their books and this one is no exception!