5 comments about The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom.

1. This is probably one of the best, if not the best book I've read in a long time. Henri Nouwen's journey through anguish and depression--straight from the heart and every single chapter illuminating!! His words helped me to change the way I look at others, myself and God. I highly recommend this profound book!



2. A friend of mine has recently "relapsed" into depression and so I have sent this link as a resoure for his reference, which I believe will help. I'm sharing here since I want to arm more people against not the agony, but the decapacitating debilitation, of depression.
   
   While struggling to walk out of my depression, I gained immense strength once I had received Henri Nouwen's The Inner Voice Of Love as my companion.
   
   As a popular spiritual author and Catholic priest, he was supported not only by his spiritual training but also by personal guides who accompanied him every day throughout his months of anguish --- and so I can understand why he had only had 8 months of anguish :)
   
   I am truly grateful that we can now have his book and CD as our companion.
   
   He was someone who truly understood the Past (the triggers, grief, guilt, unforegiveness, regrets, disappointments, rejections, exhaustion ), the Present ( the love & agony, shamefulness & authenticity, helplessness & generousity, despair & conviction, fear & courage, worthlessness & worthiness, tears & humor ) and the Future ( Freedom, Clarity, Purity/Nothingness, Power & Serenity, Centredness/Wholeness, Grace & Compassion ) of "Being" in and through the depression.



3. I read one or two as meditations in the morning. They are so insightful you can feel the anguish.



4. As a product of a profoundly legalistic upbringing (20 years at a very condemnational fundamentalist Christian university in SC), with tremendous wounds that remained hidden and denied for 45 years, I was given this book by my godly and wise counselors during the most significant crisis of my life. To the legalists who read this review, I just want to offer that there is no other way to freedom in Christ than Truth. It is the Truth that will set you free. And if you find this book offensive, I can assure you, you are not free. Please set aside your preconceived notions about the "acceptable" ways God chooses to heal His children and RUN to get this life-changing, prayer-bathed, wisdom-filled and HEALING book. Although I ADORE The Bible and have experienced firsthand its power to heal, strengthen and bless throughout my lifetime, God personally used THIS book to speak to me at a time when nothing else could speak to my specific pain. (Yes, He does use unexpected people, events and means to get through to His hurting kids ... just read the book of Judges if you don't believe me.)
   
   The five-star rating that I give this book would go on into infinity if it were an option. For all you sufferers out there, if you choose one "secular" book to get you through the valleys and dungeons of life, let it be this one!



5. This is a collector's item and a must read for everyone who gives (and want to give) themselves the permission to open, and feel, and bleed "all over the place" (if you have to) - to really live. It invites you to God's place inside you.
   
   I love it.

5 comments about He Comes Next: The Thinking Woman's Guide to Pleasuring a Man.

1. As a woman known to walk the aisles of bookstores, amused by the endless self-help sex books, I found this book to be utterly refreshing. In my humble opinion, great sex is not found in the pages of the Kama Sutra, in a hundred different sexual positions or in the guidance of former porn stars. But this remarkable book somehow captures the essence of being spectacularly sexual, inherently erotic and madly in love with your partner. I hope that women stop to realize just how important sexuality is to men (and should be to them). If you want to start researching the subject, this book is where you should start. Ian's wife is a LUCKY woman.
   - Samantha, 43



2. I have the same thing to say about this book as I did his companion piece, "She Comes First": I LOVE the cover. Using a piece of fruit to represent male genitalia is wonderful, and so well done. Not as pretty as the papaya used in the female version, though. What's between the covers works just as well. It is an insiders version of what constitutes male pleasure, and enables women to participate in that life as well. If one bought both of these books, all it would take to complete a couple's sexual pleasure library would be the new title, Was that an earthquake? The Sensuous Couple's (Flip Over) Guide to Seismic Oral Sex. This is a flip over book that has everything you need to know about cunnilingus in Book One, then flip it over, and you have everything you need to know about fellatio in Book Two. It's like having two books in one.



3. This book is wonderful, It's not a step by step, "how to" guide, but rather a look in to the male brain. It's fantastic that this book was actually written by a man as apposed to a woman. Great read, very easy. I couldn't put the book down. I finished faster than I have finished any book, in a very long time.
   *Oh just a footnote here: Ian, the author of this book, is a very sexy man.



4. I bought Passionista as well as He Comes Next, thinking they would have different content, but they're almost exactly the same, nearly verbatim.
   They're interesting, not really as helpful as She Comes First. Reading one is sufficient.



5. We bought the set she comes first and he comes next each of us read the one about the opposite sex. After 14 years of marraige talk about fabulous
   things to learn. Wow just like being with new people again. I have loaned them out to others and have since bought this for friends who's sex lives are struggling. Would recomened to all people.

5 comments about Calling in "The One": 7 Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life.

1. You don't just read this book - this book gives you a step by step practice to open your life to love. I think I've personally sold 30 of copies of this book just because I can't stand seeing my otherwise successful single friends over 30 languish, feeling alone and unlovable. I've seen amazing transformations - from alone to alter-bound in a couple of months after finishing this book. I've given it to my massage therapist who ended up moving in with her formerly unavailable boyfriend. My love-addicted gay friend is now happily engaged. I could go on and on... Anyone who doesn't understand why they never go out on dates, why there are "no good men/women out there," or why their relationships never work out, needs this book!



2. this book is fantastic. i bought it at the suggestion of the bodhi tree bookstore sale person who said it was the most popular relationship book in the store. orignially i bought it for a friend who had asked me to recommend a book about relationships. but as i paged through it at home i realize i wanted to buy it for myself, too. i am single and i do want to meet 'the one'- but i am not at the place where i'd buy a book about finding him. but this book is not really about finding the one as it is about becoming that which you seek to find. if you are looking for love you need to be love- and you need to love yourself fully and completely. if you are looking for security you need to find security in yourself first rather than look for someone who can make you feel secure. if you are looking for trust you need to trust yourself first before you can trust anyone else. it's all very basic psychological stuff- but even the most psychologically savy can learn a thing or two from this book. especially when it's your blind spots that are causing you to not be open to love. even freud couldn't see his own blind spots.
   
   this book does take a commitment though. the 1 star reviewer who said it was too demanding and too psychologically hard to bear was right in a sense. but the point of the book is to show you that the reason you haven't met mister or miss right isn't because you just don't have any luck- it's because there are blocks in your psyche that are deep issues that need to be dealt with in order for you to be fully open to love. that is not easy work. in our fast-food/short-cut culture where people are learning speed reading so they can get through a book in 10 minutes- this book could feel like getting stuck behind grandpa driving in the fast lane. but there is a point to the intensity of the lessons and the necessity of a commitment to doing the lessons each day for 7 weeks.
   
   it is inevitable that those who read this book are going to perceive it in their own way as a result of experiences in their own lives. so someone who hates it has their whole history backing them up for hating it. i would say check it out and see for yourself. of all the relationship books out there- this is the one that makes you take the most responsibility for yourself and requires you to truly know yourself. in my opinion that is the only way one can find 'the one' and be able to create a healthy, lasting relationship with him or her. you may meet 'the one' before you truly know yourself- but those relationships are typically the ones that don't last and end in divorce. relationships are not easy. they take work. if you want to do the work in order to reap the rewards- read this book.
   
   (as a side note- i have recommended this book to 6 people now and they each had their own reactions to it. they all have had resistance come up in some form or another to doing the lessons or committing to the reading each day. some were not ready for the work- others were. it's all about where you are at right now in this moment. also- this book is written for women- but i would recommend it for men, too. incidentally i recommended it to my ex and he and i are doing the lessons together. the author recommends you get a friend to support you on your journey and highly recommend it as well.)



3. I intially picked this book up as a guide to bring love into my life but got so much more. The exercises, which are necessary for the success of the book, are enormously empowering, healing, comforting, inspiring, revealing, and fun. This is the only dating/self-discovery book that I have found that has the reader feeling like they are actually participating in changing/(bringing love) into their life and seeing/feeling immediate results. It differs from many other well written books in that although others are well written; they lack the specific tools for the reader to feel like they can actually control their lives. I could not wait to read this book every day. Life changing!



4. This is an amazing book that not only tells you of the magic of creating the love of your life, but also shows you how to manifest it as well. With concrete exercises and examples, with stories that illustrate them, and with spiritual and inspirational wisdom to help you along the way, this is book that will help make your dreams of love and partnership come true.
   
   Michael Z, Author, The Wisdom of the Rooms A Year of Weekly Reflections



5. I have been using this book for over a week and I am really enjoying the exercises and journaling! I find this book to be incredibly eye opening and inspiring! I am getting alot out of this,it is worth every penny! I feel it is increasing my confidence and helping me to make better relationship choices! We all have unhealthy patterns or "types" we need to break away from and this book is helping me to put everything in clearer perspective!

5 comments about Love Yourself, Heal Your Life Workbook (Insight Guide).

1. I bought the whole "Heal Your Life" series, including this workbook. Its selfhelp, an interactive guide to start or continue your healing journey. In this one she tells her story and how she over came her past. My story is similiar, as I am sure most people that buy this book will say. It's a hard read (too many tiggers), but if you are serious about healing your past it's a great tool to have.



2. This workbook is filled with awareness exercises that can help a person immensely with their healing process. The exercises are designed to find limiting beliefs so you can create affirmations to clear the past and welcome the future you want. You can also do the exercises more than once and find new insights. I require this book for all my Heal Your Life training students.



3. Don't buy this book, if you already have main text. It is not worth it.
   All the same info and work sheets are in main text. This is just a duplication.



4. This book took over a month to get to me, should have refused it. Will never order from them again. And Amazon did NOTHING!!!!!!Very disappointed on the service I received from both Amazon and seller.



5. This workbook has totally changed my way of thinking, and therefore has altered my life in such a way that is positive and I am so glad I happened upon the Oprah show in which she was speaking about her book, I recommend it to anyone who has stress in their life. Or just want to be able to get through the day to day 'stuff' that surrounds our society these days!!

5 comments about Tantric Secrets for Men: What Every Woman Will Want Her Man to Know about Enhancing Sexual Ecstasy.

1. The best book, period, for men who want to learn the essence of Tantra without all the attached Eastern mysticism. The techniques and their benefits are broken down into simple, easy to read steps and significance. I found this a great addition to "The Multi-Orgasmic Man." Whether you're looking to last longer in bed, bring more pleasure to your partner, and bring a heightened sense of love and spirituality to your relationship, I found this helpful for all of these things.



2. The various media put out so much "bad" information w.r.t sexuality and relationships. As a teacher it breaks my heart to see our kids respond to all the bad roll models that are forever in the news. This book is a wonderful presentation of good information for "mature adult" relationships. It's a handbook for men on how to communicate the love they feel to the woman in their life. As a woman I was literally dumbfounded that this Australian man could write so clearly and concisely about my fears, desires and experiences. And he had information for my partner on how to lovingly support me both in and out of the bedroom. I encourage reading this as a couple. As a Mom of two adult children and a teen, I feel the best I can do as a parent is to share good information which will hopefully lead to good decisions. I fully intend to share this with my son in anticipation of his wedding, with my daughter to help her clarify what she wants in a relationship and likewise with my teen as he moves into adulthood.
   I am basically an over 50 conservative girl-next-door. I am not comfortable with the "selling of sex" that can be associated with some of the tantric literature and media. But I honestly believe that everyone should consider at least the first 4 chapters of this book. I can't help wondering how different all of our lives would have been if our fathers had had this information.



3. I didn't really have a clue about Tantric sex and was always intrigued. What happens and how do you actually do it? Well, this great book answered all these questions. It gave me a good, solid foundation about tantric and also about how to please a woman. I highly recommended this read. I also liked and woudl recommend: Sex Machine: A Man's Guide to What Really Pleases a Woman in Bed.



4. As usual the new books sent by amazon.com are neatly packed and parcelled.
   For me atleast there is an old charm about reading new crisp book without
   any creases, wrinkles and the peculiar smell which makes a lot of
   difference to me.
   
   Now coming to the book i must say the author virtually leads you by hand
   while explaining all the intricacy of Super Sex. He makes you feel SEX IS
   NOT DIRTY BUT IT IS VITAL PART OF LIFE. You just cannot go wrong. All you
   have to do is practice and more practice if you truly want to experience
   not only MALE ORGASM but MALE MULTIPLE ORGASM and in the process also
   help your wife/girlfriend experience a true orgasm as well as multiple
   orgasm. (ofcourse some men and women may never experience true orgasm)
   It looks like a far fetched story but it isn't the case once you read the
   book. The achilles heel of the men the world over is PREMATURE EJACULATION
   and this problem is nicely solved by giving practical hints and also
   reasons for why male go through this experience. The younger and older
   generation both will feel this book is an answer to their prayers and if
   many of them give it an honest try will truely feel like STUDS. I honestly
   feel that if every male practicess what is written there then their
   relationships with their spouses will become more intimate and the
   divorce rate in the world would certainly plummet down.
   While the fundamentals of sex is Asian in nature and Indian in particular
   the book nevertheless aims not only to the western audience but male
   population of the world in general. The book is truely informative and
   enlightening as well and a MUST READ FOR ALL THE MALE POPULATION OF THE
   WORLD AND A MUST GIFT ITEM FOR ALL FEMALES OF THE WORLD TO GIVE IT TO
   THEIR HUSBANDS/BOYFRIENDS.
   The short coming is a glaring mistake on page 218 which could have been
   avoided. It is printed GENTLY ENTER THE YONI WITH THE RING AND FOREFINGER
   JOINED TOGETHER,RATHER THAN THE INDEX FINGER, WHICH IS MORE RIGID AND
   LESS FLEXIBLE THAN THE OTHER TWO. This is wrong because index and
   forefinger mean the same finger next to thumb. What should have been
   printed is RINGFINGER AND MIDDLE FINGER OR MIDDLE FINGER AND INDEX FINGER
   because ring finger and index finger together cannot be inserted in the
   yoni. Hope in the next printing this error is removed. Cheers! :o)



5. I have 5 other book on Tantric and by far this is the best one.

No comments about Love Your Life: Living Happy, Healthy, and Whole.

5 comments about Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions (Plus).

1. I bought this book for one of my counseling courses. It is very powerful for any reader.



2. This is a spiritual look into the world of addiction. Religious matters do come into play. Good book for research or group discussion in church settings. Good insight into the struggle many suffer from and good for methods of self help.



3. I guess I was hoping for a book that contained more intuitive insight instead of the simple rehashing of religious doctrine. There is more to spirituality than Judeo-Christian myth. It seems that most "Christians" believe that the only way out of addiction is through religious dogma.



4. This book is helpful to me. I become aware of the fact that all people have addictions (I only thought this before, I have never read anything on addictions that confirmed it until this book.) Though I am not finished reading it yet, I plan to read it again to absorb every bit of help from it. GOD is GREAT and He has gifted different people with different gifts and Gerald May seems gifted in knowing the grace of GOD.



5. This is an excellent book and should be read by anyone having an addiction and searching for the Lord's help to overcome it. Bravo to the author....

5 comments about The Manual: A True Bad Boy Explains How Men Think, Date, and Mate--and What Women Can Do to Come Out on Top.

1. I should have bought this book 20 years ago - or as soon as Steve finished writing it. Excellent. Crisp, dynamic language, to the point contents, and techniques that do work at answering the question: "what is that man thinking?" Learn to tell a fun guy playing hard-to-get from a more dangerous player. My game has improved, and I recommend this book to every woman.The Manual: A True Bad Boy Explains How Men Think, Date, and Mate--and What Women Can Do to Come Out on Top



2. Should have read this sooner - ps. I read some of the one star reviewers and they are ANGRY!!! Lighten the %&/% up. Why so angry!? This book is about being fun and healthy and honest and quick on your feet - not bored sick lonely and miserable. To be the best version of yourself inside AND out. Isn't that what your grandma wants? What's the point of infinite population if no one is face-to-face social? This book is debunking bad scenarios we've all been through and promoting new fun creative ones. It's a revelation. Also one reviewer said the book lost it at 60% through. Some of the most helpful for me personally was the last few chapters on dealing with the pain of a major breakup (I was married for 6 years). And so much character-bashing in the reviews. Geez! Just go try something new! I just want to see that people admit to learning something from eachother and not whine whine whine. How many people will stand up in public and speak their mind despite ridicule? Balls. I learned so much - Thank You Steve for putting yourself out there and makin' your mama proud



3. I read the bulk of this book the other day at B&N. Like many, I was attracted to the funny comments on the cover.
   
   I'm not a "bad boy" but in my early 20s went from a nice guy/wimp (yes, I was scared of women in H.S.) to an average, somewhat typical male (I don't believe these "bad boys" such as the Author and Mystery are
   typical guys. They wouldn't write successful books if they were). They're on one end of the spectrum just as I was on the other end in H.S.
   
   My change to a relatively confident guy in college/grad school was not a conscious decision but women who would not have looked at me twice in H.S. were all of a sudden interested. I found it strange as I was less of a nice guy (still not a bad guy) and just a tad on the dominant (rather than the submissive) side now. For me, the biggest change was that women dated me AND wanted to KEEP dating me. Somehow, I was in the driver's seat and my looks were still strictly average. Indeed, I still had an innocent, boyish look although I was no longer overly innocent. I never consciously manipulated women but they somehow knew I was not the same guy I had been. Indeed, one woman who I had known (and dated) in H.S. saw me in college and swore I was three inches taller --- I was the same height.
   
   Back to the book. "Successful" men are successful because women continue to sleep with confident "bad boys." They don't sleep with nice guys half as often. So, don't blame the bad boys, blame the women who are attracted to them and sleep with them. Indeed, don't blame men. If they are too nice, their Saturdays and lives will likely be lonely. Reading how he and other "bad boys" consiously manipulate women was fascinating. I guess I was/am naive. I didn't want to notch my belt with supermodels I slept with, I wanted to sleep with an average to good looking woman and have a relationship with her. And I wanted her respect. And I didn't have it until I stopped putting the P**** on a pedestal.
   
   Women who make the same mistake over and over and continue to be attracted to "bad boys" are not very bright. Evolutionary hormones, yes. But at least I learned from experience and was not lonely (and no longer felt walked on) after I learned my lesson. To those who still fall for the "bad boys" read the book. To other women (and men) read the book because it says as much about some women as it say about some men.
   
   By the way, these books (or TV shows) are, in my opinion, something of a fad. Another 10 years and new books on the subject will not be on book shelves. And nothing will have changed.



4. I enjoyed this book. Didn't totally agree with all the content, but the author offered some great insight into the way men think and act and why they do what they do. Very interesting.



5. Okay. For the record most of the Manual is pretty fun to read, and actually gives some pointers that a lot of women could use. Strangely daft women who are desperate and find men to be such a tricky elusive species maybe, but some women nonetheless.
   
   Santagati is of course a rarity..he's got the rugged middle aged Marlboro man good looks that suited him well when he was a 20something model and was making us all swoon over GAP ads back in the 80s. So maybe he can call the shots with his lady... but the average Joe in his sansabelts and pudgy backside is going to get kicked in the neck for telling his lady to wear something sexier. The push up bra, the high heel, the tight skirt. Come on Steve, we're not all wired like that...And some of us don't want men to respond to us in THAT way...like those who have gone to school for decades and have big jobs and run companies and families and real estate empires? Yea, them. The breadwinners. So, we'll pinch our toes and IPEX if and when we want to thank you very much...
   
   But this is not news. Men are visual and they like to imagine you naked. No! Really?
   
   My favorite line from the book is the one about cooking him dinner...don't make him something that will give you bad breath or gas...
   
   good advice Steve. All in all, no harm done, but it does have the air of a kinda pushy bossman feel about it. I was left wondering...What have you done for ME lately?

5 comments about If I'm So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?: Ten Strategies That Will Change Your Love Life Forever.

1. If you have ever wondered why you're single, this is the book for you. It surpassed my expectations and is something I'll be recommending to friends. The book deals with the complexities in personal relationships and causes you to analyze your own behavior and confront some of your issues. It is LESS about men and their behavior and more about you: Which is the way to find healthy love by having happiness begin with you. Some great topics it covers are: examining your hidden ambivalence, how to say no when you're in the wrong relationship, how to detect and avoid men who aren't going to commit, and the best part: how to identify and say no to "BTN's", which are better than nothing relationships. A pivatol point in the book was when she discussed how you can be with a really great guy, but there might be one thing missing. And if it's something big then you have to walk away rather than settle for someone who is "almost" Mr. Right. I think many people settle and this book will show you how not to.



2. I enjoyed this book because it forced me to take a long, hard look at myself and what I have been doing to get in my own way. If you are serious about changing old patterns get this book.



3. I found this book too be a little depressing and misguiding. The author gives many examples and discussions of realtionships that went wrong which may be helpful in deciding to get out of a relationship but doesn't do much to help find a good one. The viewpoint is definitely biased towards the female side of what intimacy should be like which I feel is unfair to men and not helpful. Men are men, thank goodness. The author also prescribes to the idea that no one will love you unless you love yourself, that you have to get past your fears of intimacy before you will find the right person and that commitment phobes are people with "issues" (as opposed to being just your standard every day jerk). In general the book is unmotivating and not real world.



4. This book was recommended by a psychologist I met while traveling in southeast Asia. Even though the title is a strong, the book is amazing. It is an easy read and really helps you look at yourself. This book does NOT put the blame of being single on others or your environment. Each chapter focuses your issues/hangups with relationships. You will need a small notebook or a few sheets of paper to do the exercises at the end of each chapter.
   
   In addition to looking at your issues/hangups, it also helps you realize what you are looking for in a partner and reflecting on past relationships.
   
   Now that I have finished reading it and have talked about it with my friends, they want to buy it too.



5. I've picked up 4 or 5 other books on dating (can read my other reviews for a few). Most of them focus on how to contort yourself into this or that person to lure a man into your commitment "lair"... or at least that is how it feels reading those books.
   
   How refreshing it was to finally come across a book that suggests that the desire for a committed relationship is nothing to be ashamed of...and even better, how to spot and avoid commitmentphobes and better than nothing (BTN) relationships.... all things that drain your time and energy from finding someone you can share your life with. It also does a fabulous job helping you unearth all of the other ways you may be undermining your success in your search...such as hidden ambivalence and internal dialogues(there are no ways to meet people, there are no good ones, etc) that only serve to lower your odds.
   
   I had to laugh when she said "don't expect dating to be fun". It IS like a job interview! Pace yourself, have a plan, and keep at it! All great advice...

1 comments about Get a Life That Doesn't Suck: 10 Surefire Ways to Live Life and Love the Ride.

1. Just reading this book brought me great joy!
   
   Michelle's concepts are explained in straight forward every-day talk with frankness and a whole lot of humor. The book is intelligent, compassionate and confirmed many things I've discovered as I've journeyed on my own life's path. DeAngelis provides meaningful tools in every chapter. Unlike many "self-help" books I've read, she also provides real-life examples and scenarios for each tool, instead of leaving the reader wondering "how does this really work?" Part One's JQ Quiz and the 2nd JQ Quiz (phone a friend!) are eye opening and thought provoking and certainly "suck" you in to find more out about The 10 Life-Changing Ahas in Part Two. I loved this book. Reading it, I felt like I was having a lunch conversation with the author and she was just laying it all out in simple no-bull terms without patronizing me. She's given me a new angle and new perspective on how to handle my own challenges, but even more, how to deal with the people around me who believe their lives TRULY SUCK every minute of every day. Easy to read, easy to comprehend, easy to start living a life that doesn't suck. I recommend reading and keeping a copy for your own bookshelf as a reminder of how great life can be, and buying a copy for every whiner in your life!!