5 comments about Just Do It: How One Couple Turned Off the TV and Turned On Their Sex Lives for 101 Days (No Excuses!).

1. Whoa...I just finished this book and I am floored.
   
   I discovered this book after seeing a segment on Fox News and then watching the clip on the TODAY Show, followed by reading the posted excerpt there. I was admittedly...intrigued.
   
   Being married for just wee bit longer than the Browns (we've been together off-and-on for 27 years, married for 15), I totally related to the situation Doug describes, which on all honesty most long-married (or long-matched) couples face. In my case, the hubby and I are married and 40-ish. Although we have no children, but devote enormous amounts of time to our careers (I'm a teacher, he's a surgical tech--in addition studying to become a surgical nurse), our scenario is similar(attention-wise).
   
   Reading this book has underlined some drifting apart between us both, a circumstance I had noted during my summer hiatus. But now my husband has pledged to "just read it" every day, after which (I am hoping) will open up some dialogue at the least, but ultimately reawaken that elusive, alchemical "thing" that brought and held us together all these years, at the most.
   
   Although there is SOME weird use of similies/metaphors and just a tad too many references about going back East that nearly jolt you out of the addictively-immersive factor of the story, the poignancy nearly sweeps it all away into the rosy bliss that is True Love, of which Sex is a significant part. In a great many ways, this book reminds me a bit of the "The Princess Bride", because...
   
   "This is true love...you think this happens every day?"



2. This book sparked a lot of great conversations. It was sweet, thoughtful and made me laugh out loud. It's a great beach read and as I spend time on my vacation, I see people reading it all over the place. I love books that make people think about their lives, ask others about their lives and consider the possiblities. Doug and Annie have given us a true gift.



3. Just Do It is a delight from beginning to end. Douglas Brown is a masterful writer with a wry sense of humor that permiates the narrative. The is a memoir recounting one engaging young couple's 101 day sex marathon. But it is so much more than tally sheet of daily couplings between the sheets or on an exercise ball or at an alpine ashram. It is the story of rediscovery, of heightened sensitivity to the needs (not merely sexual) one's spouse, of deepening awareness of presence, of finding where home truly is. Repeated conjugal sex is the focus of the book, but it never drifts into gratuitous eroticism or even mild pornography. Brown is too good a writer completely in control of his material to permit that.
   If, as Brown's research claims, the average married couple working two careers and rearing children has sex only 36 times per year, and that often a quick thrust and grunt after the late news and before the first sentences of a Lenno/Letterman monologue then this book should be at the top of summer reading lists for one whale of a lot of forty-something marrieds.



4. I bought this book because I felt it might be good for a few laughs about a couple who decided to have sex for 100 days but what I found was so much more.
   
   Do not buy this book if you think that it is going to be some wild crazy play-by-play of their sexual romps. Do buy this book though if you would like to see a real-life couple who faces the same challenges we all do with careers, kids, mortgages, bills and the every day assault from life that decide for 100 days to refocus their attention on one another. While it is true that they centered that around sex for 100 days, in the end what they found was that they touched more, they laughed more, they loved one another more deeply, and they learn an amazing relationship lesson of giving and listening to one another - both sexually and nonsexual.
   
   I was enthralled with both as you watch them change their whole concept of sex and their relationship by changing their own concept of personal responsibility of equally contributing to both their sex life and marriage. I found Douglas Brown's intimate declarations of his feelings for his wife very moving and touching and felt that by just proclaiming to her how much he still found her attractive and desirable created even more of a bond between them. I felt that it helped her to come to trust him on a higher level then before they began their "marathon". Women struggle so much more with their bodies and to hear the man who they love proclaim such expressions of desire, respect and love goes way beyond in touching a woman's heart then just an occasional special night out on the town. I think that he came to trust her more also, as she stayed committed to their 100 days of sex and worked very hard at making it exciting and enriching.
   
   The book is very entertaining but if you can also see the hidden message of how just refocusing on one another 100 days helped them to "stay" in love with another then you fully grasp the true meaning behind the book "Just Do It".



5. this book was as tame as a rated G movie. if i wanted to read about kids and cutesy inside jokes i'd talk to my coworkers. overrated basically.

5 comments about The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night.

1. I highly recommend this book! Not only for the amazing tips Elizabeth Pantley provides, but for the encouragement & affirmation she also gives!
   
   I implemented her program only three days ago, which by the way is very flexible to your own child's needs, and I am already seeing results! My 8mo. old took a two hour nap this morning!! I know things may vary, but going from to 15 minutes here, and 15 minutes there, I am truly thankful!!
   
   With this book you will no longer beat yourself up or wonder if you are doing things "the right way." She so lovingly encourages you every step. She also provides an extremely helpful nap & night time logs. Along with the logs she includes a step-by-step plan of attack, if you will, for how you will progress in the program!
   
   There were answers for everything: how to transition your baby from a family bed to their own bed. This was something I wondered about for months - and her ideas are so basic, so thoughtful, and simple!
   
   I also love the pictures that are shown in the book. She used "test mommies" when writing this book, and throughout her book she uses their quotes or pictures as an almost guide to help one read through. I found the quotes extremely encouraging!
   
   I can go on and on about this book! If you are thinking about this book it is because you are as sleep deprived as I was - THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU!!



2. This book is a much more gentle way to have your baby get on a sleep schedule at night. I didn't want my son to "cry it out" and this book offered suggestions and methods to avoid just that. It is realistic (doesn't promise your 4-month old will sleep 12 hours straight) and helpful.



3. I have a 6 month old daughter that has never slept more than 1.5 hours at anytime and never on her own. She had terrible acid reflux that went undiagnosed until she was 3 months old and the Dr's kept telling me she was "colicky". Laying down pained her so I did what any compassionate parent does, I walked her to sleep and held her for naps and at night she slept on her side curled up into me so she could nurse as it was the only thing that soothed her (she won't take a paci). She wakes up 5-8 times each night and can't soothe herself, so nurses, sometimes waking up for 1 hour or more. After 6 long months of this, I am back to work and need my sleep more than ever, so at my Dr's advice (and multiple other peoples), I bought Dr. Ferber's book. I was not comfortable having my little girl cry and was not comfortable with the system and happen to run accross this book. I figured it could not hurt to try and last resort, I may need to let her "cry it out". Parents in the same situation: PLEASE TRY THIS FIRST, IT WORKED FOR US IMMEDIATELY!!
   I cringe thinking that I would have set her in her crib and just left her to cry when all I had to do is lay her in 1/2 asleep (usually she wakes up and cries for us to pick her up) and talk to her in a soothing voice while touching, kissing and reassuring her. It took her 45 minutes to fall asleep and when she finally did, each time she woke up, she was able to soothe herself as she fell asleep there. She still woke up 3 times between 8-7pm to eat, but this was the FIRST night! I know it sounds so common sense, but what this book gave us was confidence to stick to the plan and take baby steps. I know we have a long road ahead of us, but this was MAJOR progress for our little one - remember, she had NEVER let us put her in her crib and with these little changes and a new mindframe, it worked! PLEASE try this method first and if it doesn't work for you, move on to the next. We as parents love our children and all of them are different, so yes it may or may not work, but it is a GREAT place to start!



4. Well, there's a good chance that you can find portions that relate to your baby too. I'm actually reading this book at the 4 month point... almost 2 months after I started to systematically and logically come to many of the same conclusions as this author (and of course borrowing ideas from other books that I've read). I'm not sure if I would have understood her many practical points just by reading them but they are certainly dead on when compared with my months of studious logging, suspicions, and experiments. Unless you have the time to hide out in a cabin with your baby and spouse for almost two months as I did, you may never be sufficiently isolated from social commitments to see the patterns that the author describes succinctly. With the holidays upon us and the baby's needs evolving, this book is a good source of reminders on how to stay focused on the baby and her needs -- which will in turn keep the whole family happy!



5. My friends are amazed that I can walk into the room of my sleeping 7 month old and put up his clothes and he never wakes up. This is because we set him up on the right foundation from the beginning. Every mom and dad should read this book and realize the potential that even a 6-7 week old baby has regarding there sleep habits.
   This is now the only gift that I give to mom's at baby showers and if anyone ever ask for any ideas on sleepy I refer them to this book. Thank you Mrs. Pantley for sharing such wonderful tips and ideas and making me realize that I am doing the best possible job that I can. BZ of AL

5 comments about Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.

1. This is a book written by two teen boys who have excelled in so many ways and challenge their teen readers to do the same by taking work seriously and accepting that challenge as a blessing! I gave this to my graduating grandson. I wish every graduate could have a copy!



2. I bought the book for my son, but read it myself and it was very good. I am totally against the self esteem movement. These guys have pinpointed one of the major problems with that movement (low expectations). Now I just need to push my son to finish reading it, but he's too busy doing hard things.



3. I bought this book for my 15 year old grandson, and of course I previewed it to make sure I knew the book would be a positive influence. I can only say I wish I'd had this book to give to my son 25 years ago. Shoot! I wish someone had told me I COULD choose to do hard things that would set the precedent for my entire life.
   The book is written (with help, I suspect-but maybe not) by teens for teens, but is not dumbed-down. I pray adults who see the enuii in our kids will use this book to encourage and help to inspire them to Do Hard Things. You can download the FREE (Did I say FREE??) study guide on the Rebelution website, and the blog gives me hope for the future leaders of this nation and this world. Do the Hard Thing--buy this for your teen and then encourage him/her to read it. Then give our kids the tools they need to practice and see the principles are true! They CAN do those things they never dreamed they could...



4. We are using this book as our study guide with a group of 13-18 year olds. Written by teenagers, it addresses their thinking directly without pandering or talking over or down to them. The Study Guide, available for free on the website, had very good questions to lead small groups. The book and the study guide make very good base materials to lead small groups.



5. This is a great book that really challenges the way you think and the way you live. This is a book that causes you to get up and do something. In a world of low expectations, I'm OK you're OK, whatever, I don't know I don't care, and endless mindnumbing entertainment with the click of a mouse.... this is indeed a refreshing book. Read it as a family or with 2 other friends and DO HARD THINGS together.

5 comments about The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists.

1. This is one of the best books I've ever read, both because Neil is an amazing author, but also because of the science it talks about. I've learned more about human sociology and psychology since reading the book than at any other time in my life. As mystery says so often, this isn't about picking up girls, but becoming better men. As a result, women are attracted but to get their you have to become a better person.
   
   The stories in the book are hilarious, exciting, and make you want to read the book in one sitting.



2. After watching a few episodes of the reality TV show The Pickup Artist, I decided to buy this book. I bought this one instead of Mystery's Method because Strauss wrote Jenna Jameson's autobiography which is in my mind excellent credentials. Still, my expectations were not really that high and I anticipated nothing more than a book filled with pickup lines or some sort of humorous dating guide. But The Game is much more than that. For starters, it reads like a story and has a fascinating plot and a diverse range of characters. Mystery is by far the most interesting character, but most of the other pickup artists are also entertaining to read about. The book begins with the author meeting Mystery and being introduced to a world he did not know existed, a place where guys without handsome looks or fat wallets can pickup hot women through technique and seduction. Mr. Strauss sets off on a journey where he transforms himself from a geeky writer to become one of the most talented pickup artists in the business. One of my favorite messages in the book is, "Don't be yourself, be your best self." This means you don't have to change who you are to pickup women, but you have to be willing to maximize your potential. This book is a great read and one that I will read again many times.



3. I picked up this book along with Strauss' sequal how to book(s) "The Rules of the Game" with the intention of learning the secrets of the much discussed topic of this book, PUAs (otherwise known as Pickup Artists). What I got was something entirely different. This book is more or less Strauss' diary of events when he emersed himself into the PUA lifestyle. I was really suprised at the humor that Strauss directs at himself and his fellow nerdy PUAs who have turned socializing into something that seems more like computer programming. The terminology alone that these guys use really shows you what kind of life the majority of these guys lived before becoming PUAs (for the majority I envision nerdy computer programmers).
   The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because I did a little research on the internet after reading this book and one of the main characters named Extramask (who is actually now a comedian named Barry Kirkey) stated that Strauss never met him in person or went to the seminars with him like is described in the book. If that is true than all I can say is that I am deeply disappointed as Extramask a.k.a Barry, was one of the funniest people that I have ever read about and I would lose a lot of respect if Neil actually just wrote down what people told him about Barry.
   What's funny though is after reading this I don't think I would ever want to be a PUA. The majority of these guys are very superficial and are looking for superficial women to validate themselves. Still, I would recommend it to a friend, who would learn a thing or two about the community and get a good chuckle every chapter.



4. What a great read "The Game" is! I was enthralled, fascinated, repulsed, amused, embarrassed, nauseated and impressed - all at the same time!!
   
   Neil Strauss, writer and self-confessed loser in love takes on the challenge of transforming himself into not just a PUA (Pick Up Artist), but an MPUA (Master Pick Up Artist). Using the alias Style, Strauss sets out to learn the secrets of luring HB's (Hot Babes) into bed from the current masters of the game. There's Mystery, an illusionist-cum-pick up artist- genius, who teaches the Mystery Method of Seduction; there's David D'Angelo, who teaches the Cocky-Funny method; the legendary Steve P, an acknowledged master of the game, and a slew of other experts, who specialise in turning awkward, luckless nerds into chick magnets.
   
   As a woman reading this, I was fascinated by the whole subculture of PUA's, their websites, their field reports, their group houses and most of all, their special lingo. It is quite remarkable that they have evolved an extensive list of acronyms and terms which they use to talk to each other about "The Game". I had no idea that something like this existed and it never have occurred to me that men agonise to such an extreme extent over their abillity (or lack thereof) of attracting women. Are PUA methods creepy and flat-out manipulative? You bet they are!! No stone has been left unturned by these self-styled seduction gurus to find the ultimate way to charm a Hot Babe into bed. They have adapted principles of neurolinguistic programming, hypnosis, backhanded insults, cold shoulder tactics, blatant lying and other subversive forms of psychological manipulation to hunt down all willing females. I was blown away by this first-hand account of such an amazing, unknown till now, subculture.
   
   Neil Strauss aka Style, is a wonderful writer who is consistently amusing whilst giving a serious and truthful account of his two-year adventure as a loser in love turned Master PUA. I found his insights into women credible and insightful and he comes across as someone I would have loved to date myself! He is intelligent, articulate, funny and adorable! His descriptions of the current Pick Up Artist gurus and their army of adoring acolytes is hilarious and tragic-comic by turns.
   
   
   I highly recommend "The Game" to one and all. It is a marvellous insight into an underbelly of the singles/dating scene that I had no idea existed. I promise that reading it is the most fun you'll have with your clothes on this year!



5. I like the occasional humorous burst and the smart comments here and there, but honestly, the tricks that are used in this "auto-biography" are a little extreme. I grabbed this book based off of a friend's recommendation for it being a good read of a different flavor and often times offering a comical approach and a certain "wow" factor of the author's transformation to a pick-up artist. About sex my favorite book is Sex and the Perfect Lover: Tao, Tantra, and the Kama Sutra

5 comments about What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed.

1. The great is book and contains all info necessary for parents. More than 800 hundred pages with very well organized and presented info. My wife really liked. Content is provided month by month. Great price!



2. Bought book as gift, but returned it to Amazon. Person receiving book already had it. But Amazon's service was outstanding as usual.



3. Wonderful book, great insights. Definitely helps us being first time parents of a 3 month old!



4. We bought a whole host of books to help us be great parents to our first baby and this book was by far and away the best. It presents up-to-date research in a non-biased way. The explanations are detailed and interesting and not at all patronising.
   I've read other reviews that find some of the conclusions drawn in this book unacceptable, e.g. that breastfeeding is best for the baby (proven by scientific research), so the conclusion is that most mothers will choose (and be able) to breastfeed, so there is a lot of information about breastfeeding. But there is equally enough information to make an informed decision on whether or not to breastfeed and the benefits and drawbacks of both formula and breastfeeding are listed.
   I found the book to be open-minded and not too prescriptive. So, I read the information and chose to try some of the different methods mentioned. I didn't feel pushed to use or not use any of the methods, so for example, I used a mixture of formula and breast-feeding from 6 months to 1 year, which is one of the options presented in the book.
   The research is documented in such a way that you feel well-informed about any choice that you make.
   Those friends I know who have enjoyed this book are mostly intelligent, well educated and dedicated to providing the best care for their babies (the baby comes first!), without neglecting their own health or happiness and that of their husbands.



5. The what to expect series is a must have for ANY mother, not just a first timer.

No comments about Pure Romance Between the Sheets: Find Your Best Sexual Self and Enhance Your Intimate Relationship.

5 comments about The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer.

1. I don't agre with everything in this and I discovered most of the things on myown but I love how he describes babywearing as a good thing and gives several methods to treat colic--they work! My son's colic was because of garlic in my diet though--we've proven that multiple times contrary to what he believes



2. Do yourself a favor and buy this book if you are a parent of a newborn (up to three months) and would like to sleep through the night. My son was fussy and would cry in the early evening every night. I tried the methods described in this book (the 5 S's) and he would calm down right away. I found that swaddeling him at night with a snug swaddle (I use the kiddopotamus swaddle me blanket which worked like a charm- Kiddopotamus & Co 100% Cotton Knit SwaddleMe® Circle Bear - Small)and he was sleeping through the night at 2.5 months. This book is wonderful. I appreciated the author's perspective that you can not spoil an infant and embracing the idea of the "4th trimester" did the trick to calm him down. I recommend any new parent read this book before your baby is born. They say they don't make baby manuals, but after reading this book I have to say I disagree.



3. As a mother with a colicky baby...this book was a blessing. I highly recommend it and will be giving it to all new parents!



4. Now that we're expecting #2 and I'm back in the baby section, I happened across the listing for this book and felt compelled to write because this book really had a positive impact on us with our first. I learned early on in my first pregnancy that there is WAY TOO MUCH information out there and if you read long enough (books, blogs, mags, etc) you'll find both an author who agrees completely with you and an author who is at total odds with you. Sanity came for me when I allowed myself to remember that I am a fairly intelligent person and that I should trust more of my own judgement and instinct - even if this was our first child. Anyway, this book, to me, just made sense. The author talks about a "4th trimester" during which your newborn adjusts to his new surroundings. Compare the environment a newborn leaves when he's born: a loud, motion filled, warm and very snug home listening to Mom all day long - to what he's usually delivered in to (especially a first child): a quiet, still, very open environment. How would you react to such a drastic change! :) If nothing else, learn the way to properly swaddle - I promise you will be glad you did. And best wishes to your new bundle of joy!!



5. I ordered this 6 weeks ago and still haven't gotten it! I've sent a message to the seller but still nothing!

5 comments about The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate.

1. Worth doing the full read & then understanding the score that your spouse ends up with.



2. For those who are clueless, ,which includes just about everyone, this book does show that our differences need not thwart our caring for one another. It is carefully researched and presented, and it is helpful if one pays attention!!



3. I loved this book because it taught me so much about how to understand and communicate with my significant other in his own language. I would never have been able to identify it on my own, much less know how to respond even if I could identify it. I have given the book to several other couples who have put it to good use. Of course, you have to have a significant other before you can put these principles into practice. Want to know how I found my lover? I bought Baby Boomer Bachelorette: How to Have Sex at Least Once More Before You Die and went into action. Even though I am well over 50, it only took me six months to find and become engaged to my fiance. We are so happy and, if you want to feel the same way, buy both these books.



4. I could have saved myself much heart ache and pain if I had read this book 20 years ago. I could have spaired myself the pain I caused my wife by becoming withdrawn and angery by her lack of attention towards me. If you truely desire to save your marriage, you must read this book. It will work miracles if you and your spouse will take a few minutes each evening and read it together. If they are unwilling, then read it yourself. It can still save your marriage if just one of you is willing to read and understand it.



5. Talk about something running out of steam. Was this guy being paid by the word? There was some incredibly repetitive stuff, and somehow it got moreso as it went along. I also object to the frequent Bible references. Cite some other things. Sure, even people who do not share the Christian faith might agree that Jesus was a great teacher. However, he's not the only teacher. The only footnotes throughout were to offer chapter and verse.
   So, okay, there's decent ideas here. They could have been delivered more concisely. Additionally, why include a chapter about the five love languages and children? There's a whole additional book dedicated to that topic that the author is happy to sell. Not everyone is interested.
   Yes, I'll find a way to adapt a few applicable things I've learned in my reading. One wants an investment of time to be worthy. I'd have felt the read was a more rewarding experience had I the meat to read, not filler, and would have been done reading it and onward to something else enriching. Or spending the time putting some of these ideas to use.
   The questionaire at the end, useless in Kindle format. Miniscule text in low-contrast faded text. It cannot be read at all.
   Overall, a high price to have paid for something that should have merely been a Readers Digest article. The book editor did not earn the paycheck.

5 comments about Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons.

1. I loved this book. It is full of lessons, smiles, tears, and warm fuzzies. Share this book with someone you love.



2. I am almost finished reading this book and I have cried several times. It is funny how we take so many things for granted and how once our love ones are long gone to better lives we will remember all those little moments. This book reminds me that it is now that we have the chance of spending time with our children. It is now that we can tell our parents that we love them. If we wait until tomorrow we may not have the chance to express what we truly need to express to those that we love.



3. These warm and very humane stories telling of the interaction between father and son or daughter are thought provoking. How could Mr. Russert know when he wrote this book that the response would be so overwhelming? He couldn't, but he had his thumb on the pulse of so many of us who related to his first book and the flood gates opened. A terrific read.



4. Arrived, promptly, in great condition. Is a wonderful book! It made me laugh, cry, contemplate about "Fathers"! I couldn't put it down...



5. This is a very well written, easy to read book that I enjoyed very much. I highly recommend it and also Big Russ and Me.

5 comments about Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life.

1. Written with love by a son and father himself, Tim shows us that love is what makes you the man you become



2. Disappointed that I paid almost twice times the price of a book that is listed for $13.95



3. I loved reading "Big Russ And Me" What a wonderful relationship Tim Russert had with his father. He was fortunate to have grown up back when life was simple. Big Russ was quite a father and I am sure is very proud of his son, Tim. I am sure Tim's entire family is quite proud of him...Luke is so lucky to have had him for a father.I miss watching Tim on Meet The Press, I never missed a Sunday morning show...It is not the same without him!



4. After listening to the week of tributes to Tim Russert we had to purchase the book. The book is a wonderful tribute to his Father and all the Fathers that instilled the core value in the 40's and 50's born children. After my 63 years on this earth and raising 2 girls, I finally got it. Tim's Father said it all in one sentense. You will always be loved but your never entitled. No matter what age you are, your always going to have to work on gaining the respect and admiration from people you have known for years, as well as the people you meet today and want to have their friendship in the future. this book is a great lesson for young and old. Tim Russert was an honest and truely Great person. He will be missed but his wisdom in this book will be cherrished.



5. This was a wonderful story to follow. What a guy, and what a huge loss. He was a wonderful role model, and I loved the lightness and humor of his story.