5 comments about The Grandmother Book: A Book About You for Your Grandchild.

1. This is cute, but as soon as I received it and thumbed through it, I realized it was inappropriate for my mom, who hasn't been with "grandpa" for a long time. It has several pages for "first date with grandpa", "first kiss with grandpa", etc, which would have been awkward, since they're divorced...



2. I gave this to my mother so that she could fill it out for my son. She and I both absolutely loved it. I can't wait for her to complete it and for my son to get it back as a gift from his grandmother, detailing her many life experiences. The price was cheaper than any of my local book stores.



3. After seeing this book on "The View", I decided that I was going to buy it for my mother, mother-in-law, and stepmom. After seeing their reaction, I knew this book was golden. My mother-in-law has said this has been her favorite mother's day present in years. She spent the whole next weekend digging through photo albums and writing in the book. I decided to give this book to my own grandmother and grandmother-in-law as well. What a great way to pass on family history!



4. I bought it after reading all the great reviews, but it was a bit too "cutesy"; didn't seem like language that most people would use. It does have a lot of space to write and some good questions, but no better than any other book. I would pass on this one, and get one of the many other good choices out there.



5. The Grandmother Book is unique because it asks the grandparent to reveal her personality and achievements in a fun and interesting manner. I have bought many copies to give as holiday presents for grandparents who appear old but are young in spirit and heart.

5 comments about Boundaries in Dating.

1. This book definitely keeps things in perspective. As a twentysomething, we get caught up in emotions and the physical not really seeing the whole picture. Boundaries in Dating is a great tool and reference when determining if the potential mate is someone to move forward with or run far from! A "Must Read" for you and/or great info to share with others.



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



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



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



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

5 comments about The Manning Brides: Marriage Of Inconvenience\Stand-In Wife.

1. I just finished the second book of the two published here together. I really love the way Debbie Macomber writes- romantic without being nasty. Relationships are at the heart of her books. And this is what makes these two stories fun to read. We can all relate to the characters here- they are well developed and entertaining. I could relate to the problems of both of the Manning brides. How wonderful to address those of us who delayed getting married until our 30's due to careers and such. And who does not love a happy ending and true love?
   
   While I think the dialogs between the men was a bit of a stretch (I mean, I don't know any 2 straight men who will turn off an important football game to discuss their feelings about romance).... it all worked in the end. Not quite as much fun as a trip down Blossom street, but very worthwhile summer reading.



2. Deb Macomber's second book is this breathtaking series, The Manning Brides, once again goes to prove why the crown of contemporary romance sits so snuggly upon her head and why it's not an easy one to take off. We were first introduced to this series with her bestseller: The Manning Sisters: The Cowboy's LadyThe Sheriff Takes A Wife (MIRA) Anyone familiar with this series knows the two story format and that holds true for book two.
   
   The first tale is Marriage of Convenience and those who've read The Manning Sisters will recognize the brothers. In this first tale we have Rich who is asked by his friend Jamie to be the "donor" of a child she desperately wants. Well, he agrees (since they've been good friends for years) and finally realizes that Jamie is the perfect woman for him.
   
   The second tale is Stand-In Wife and like the first story this time we read about Rich's brother Paul. Paul has lost his wife and is left grieving while trying to raise three young children. Leah Baker has also suffered the heart-ache of loss and does her best to help. Well, she finally takes the plunge and (after quitting her job) moves in with Paul who slowly begins to love once more.
   
   Both tales have Deb Macomber's trademark stamped on them and why we read her to begin with. In both cases the characters are well-developed with a quality of humor while keeping the romantic chemistry light at first/steamy toward the end. All in all we're given an adequate romance with characters willing to give love a second chance.
   
   I also liked to highly recommend reading "Fates by Georgiou Tino" A great book that is all the rage.



3. If you love Debbie Macomber books, you will love this one. I love this feel-good kind of reading right before bedtime!



4. This book was ok. I have read later books by Debbie and I like them so much better. I liked the book but her current books are a much better read.



5. Ms. Macomber always delivers a good stories with an interesting setting, good subplots, well defined characters and a happy resolution. The reader is never disappointed in her story line. Once again, she has written a miniseries about weddings. This time, it is the Manning Men who marry, and not without a few laughs and a few twists and turns as they make their way to the altar!! A Macomber novel is a joy to read and worth the wait!!!

5 comments about Naughty Tricks and Sexy Tips: A Couple's Guide to Uninhibited Erotic Pleasure.

1. It teaches you to feel comfortable with your partner and allows you to write your feelings down. I haven't finished the book yet but so far it's worth the buck. I also recommend Sex and the Perfect Lover: Tao, Tantra, and the Kama Sutra



2. I was very disappointed in this a lot we already new. You can get more out of a Cosmopolitan Magazine. Save your money for that.



3. I have used many of the tricks and tips enumerated in this book, and have found each of them to be fun and, for the most part, useful. The fact that it is a couple's guide is good, because both my significant other and I benefited from the advice. Another book we enjoyed, which is chocked full of information, is The Sensuous Couple's (Flip Over) Guide to Seismic Oral Sex. One side is all you need to know about cunnilingus. Flip it over and the other side is all you need to know about fellatio. Female orgasm is a subject that cannot be discussed too often, as far as I'm concerned. Naughty Tricks certainly helped in that area. Here is another book that gives a simple technique that enables women to reach orgasm during intercourse: Five Minutes to Orgasm Every Time You Make Love: Female Orgasm Made Simple. Buy one or all of these books, and you will be fully informed on sex for the sensuous couple.



4. The title is very misleading. This book is about perversion of every sort. This author suggests that any sex is great as long as someone gets his kicks, but it implies that it is a book for couples who want to add a little sizzle to their relationship. The copy I bought is in the city dump. Don't waste your money.
   I could not even give this a 1 star, this is a negative 5



5. This book is okay....some parts are very repetitive, and it seems like there wasn't an editor because there are outright grammatical and syntax errors. There are some good ideas in here though, so it wasn't a complete waste.

5 comments about Helping Your Kids Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way.

1. Very useful and the book revealed lots of common mistakes tat easily overlooked. I gave the book to my boyfriend as gift as he is experiencing the nightmares wif his ex n son..



2. This is very useful tool for parents experiencing divorce as well as for therapist working with children. I would highly recommend it.



3. This book is a 'must have' for couples going through a divorce who want their children to adjust as well as possible. It is well written, easy to understand, and has tons of examples. It helped a difficult situation become a little bit easier.



4. Divorce is not a pleasant experience and it affects the entire family. Mature grown-ups can become the ugliest, nastiest, most bitter creatures around. And despite how much they may put on a good face in front of their kids, kids see through all the subterfuge. They are much better at reading the non-verbal communications than any of us would imagine.
   
   Neuman's book is a sensible, positive, and down-right amazing approach to dealing with the most critical individuals involved in this process: our kids. His Sandcastle's program has had excellent success for years. Neuman addresses what is developmentally appropriate for each age group, helping the reader understand quickly the unique communication needs from the littlest people in our lives to our teens. Understanding this helps parents establish appropriate communication modalities and connect with their kids through this incredibly challenging time.
   
   Make no mistake about it: this is not a book that addresses reconciliation. This is a compassionate, straight-forward book that guides you on the path to helping your children heal effectively and grow into healthy young people.



5. This book is great and gives you the help you need when you need it. Even if you think you have all the answers this offers some great tips on things to say to your child that they need to hear.

5 comments about The Art of Mingling: Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room.

1. People fear walking into a room and starting a conversation. They don't know how to begin.....Jeanne Martinent ABCs for beginning conversations really makes you start thinking about opening lines with someone. Best of all, they are simple.
   
   Jeanne provides very helpful ideas about how to break away from someone at a networking event. Breaking away is something people fear for they do not want the other person to believe they are being rude. She describes in detail techniques that she has tested herself. Practical information for anyone.
   
   Kathy Condon, Author of the book "It Doesn't Hurt to Ask: It is all about communication."



2. I am only half way through this book, but already it has proven itself to be a charming and clever little resource. I almost returned the book thinking that I really didn't need it but for the price, it has a wealth of information, techniques and real-life anecdotes and Jeanne Martinet's writing is both witty and conversational.
   This book could really be for anyone, if one uses the techniques and examples with a little bit of creativity. I am a college student striding both business and social worlds -- when put into context I can see myself using Jeanne's techniques both at a networking event as much as I can a social-mixer. Expand the techniques a little further and they can be used in events where you might not know anyone (in line, in a new class, waiting at the bus stop, etc.). The only thing Jeanne has yet to emphasise in the book (and perhaps this is a good thing) is the effect on mingling and making friends -- this is not a book to teach you to be irresistable to men or how to win a lot of friends (many of which books I find unrealistic, especially since Jeanne's more practical book and those 'other' books emphasise the same thing: confidence and fearlessness), Jeanne instead reminds the reader that the art of mingling is merely to have fun, survive tough social situations and maybe even have an entertaining conversation with which to share with friends the next day. All in all this book seems great both for wallflowers who often feel tounge tied, and party-people who just want to seem that much more clever, alike.



3. I liked the introduction, in which the author talked about her friends asking her how she had managed to talk to everyone at the event they had just been at, while they had failed to mingle. She does give a few useful tips in the book, but don't buy this book if mingling is not, for you, an end in itself, as it is for the author. If, for example, you want to improve your mingling skills in order to make friends, this book won't help at all. The book might help you learn to meet everyone in a room, spending 30 seconds or one minute on each person, but the sorts of things she suggests you say to people made me cringe. Her system will help you meet people who are the most confident and who are fellow mingling lovers, but if you want to put people at ease so that you can discover who might be someone with whom you might like to create a friendship, her suggestions will prove counterproductive. If you want to mingle to make friends (or at least not to destroy any hope of making a friend or two) read the excellent book by Don Gabor, How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends. Finally, The Art of Mingling actually makes the author sound rather shallow, silly and even narcissistic (and believe me, I have nothing against finding ways to get away from the party bore with bad breath who has you cornered, etc). Disappointing, unless, for you, mingling is an end in itself.



4. this book was decent. it did have some funny stuff in it. but, i think being funny always helps ease situations where your uncomfortable in mingling. its worth it for some of the tips it gave. but, some or outdated/corny that you would look stupid nowdays if you used them. so, dont take everything verbatum



5. Sure, the techniques are all proven; even the most dedicated introvert has learned most of these by college. If you're a fairly average person looking to improve your game, this isn't the place to go; you'll find nothing new. In fact, you'll find everything to be almost insultingly basic.
   
   If you truly have a challenging time with almost any group social situation -- and I'm not putting anyone down here, that describes some of my friends, but it's not the average person or even the person one standard deviation below average -- then you'll find this book has those tips that you find everyone else in the room knows, and you wondered how you missed them.

5 comments about Women Men Love, Women Men Leave: What Makes Men Want to Commit?.

1. After a painful break-up I was left with many questions. And this book has answered them all. Things I/he said/done that puzzeled me, have now found meaning and understanding. I might even say I was clueless about men until I read this book. I understand now that what I thought was a good relationship was anything but, thanks to this book. The first part (women men leave) gave me a lot of insight into my behavior and his reaction to that. I found myself in some greater or lesser extent in each portrait of common women behavior that can end a relationship.The authors explain in structured and simple way what men want from relationships and how they behave. Another helpful book that I highly recommend is How to Snag a Guy and Keep Him Hooked: 99 Ways to Make Him Ache for You If you want to spare yourself a lot of heartbreaks in the future read both books!



2. Especially if you are like me- the professional "Commitmentphobe Trainer" you know, the guy says he doesn't want to ever get married, breaks up with you, marries next girl he dates, happily every after- for him anyway.



3. I tried to read through the whole book- really, I did- but it felt like I was continually getting a shot to the stomach just for being a woman. I asked my fiance to take a look at this book. He laughed and said he had met guys like this in college; really smart guys who had trouble getting a date and who blamed it on the women. (And yes, he IS a jock- he also studies Bio Technology. *grin*...) He suggested I throw it out, but I'm going to take the book next to a female therapist (Dr. of Psychology) I know, and see what she says.



4. I've read many dating books, the last being How To Be Wanted: Use the Law of Attraction to Date the Man You Most Desire and Live the Life You Deserve and wanted to find others that could give me a different perspective. This one certaily did. It's a bit dryer than the Romy Miller book, but it was very helpful in all aspects. I say, keep your eyes and mind open. This book proves that point.



5. A very insightful book that makes sense of the male thinking and
   enlightens you into understanding their behavior. A light and easygoing
   book which is hard to put down.

5 comments about Parenting the Strong-Willed Child: The Clinically Proven Five-Week Program for Parents of Two- to Six-Year-Olds [Revised and Updated Edition].

1. I'm usually skeptical about books that promise "X number of weeks to a better something-or-other" but I bought this book out of desperation when NOTHING seemed to be helping my 2-year-old's out-of-control behavior. Biting, hitting, kicking, throwing things -- you name it, he did it, and usually gleefully. Our inconsistent methods to address his behavior went nowhere.
   
   
   After just doing "Week 1" of the program in this book, which is "attending" to your child's play (essentially narrating what your child does in play), his behavior showed a dramatic improvement. The other techniques described are fantastically effective, and I finally learned a good and consistent way to do time-outs with my 2-year-old. His behavior after only a few weeks is so markedly different that I'm constantly amazed. He rarely hits and never bites now, and he usually stops all other naughty behaviors with only a warning about a time-out; if not, the time-outs actually work instead of being just a waste of time. (Note to other parents: when we started, I felt like I was putting my son in time-out all the time -- that's gone down to a couple of times each week.) And it's even fairly easy now to get him to do things he doesn't necessarily want to do (wash hands, eat lunch, get out of the bath, leave the playground, etc.) -- just by talking to him (no time-out threats needed)!
   
   But best of all, I feel like our time together is so much happier and more rewarding. He loves the attention and praise -- I thought I was doing this before, but clearly wasn't doing it enough. I love that there's a way to discipline that's calm and matter-of-fact. There's less shouting and anger and a whole lot more peace and laughter.



2. Practical method that really works. First half of the book is a good introduction to simple child psychology that most parents are not familiar with. second half of the book is a step by step program that really works. After reading this book, I discovered, that parents too need to learn how to become better parents.



3. I am part way through the book and have seen positive results already with my extremely strong-willed 3.5 year old boy. I was at wits end so it is wonderful to find some help! I would highly recommend this book if you are struggling to raise a strong-willed child.



4. I bought this book a few weeks back and my husband and I are working through the steps with our 2.5 year old son. Our son has been strong willed since, well, before birth. Even he let his opinion be known and we've struggled through many challenges with him from the very beginning.
   
   We'd been able to cope with most everything he threw at us until the last 6 months. As I sit here, I am 35 weeks pregnant, and with the pregnancy fatigue my son has had more freedom than he ever has. We've tried everything with him, but it was definatly to the point of, "Oh, he's not doing anything wrong! Let me just sit here and enjoy it a second... being very quiet so as not to disturb him." I couldn't bring myself to play with him or engage him much just because I used all my energy on discipline.
   
   We are currently stalled on week 2 in this book (we had a bug go around the house and desided to wait until we're all back to "normal" before continuing). The changes, already, have been amazing. Just in the first two days my son stopped screeching at me. Apparently, he'd gotten so used to only hearing me reprimand him that every time I opened my mouth he felt the need to drown me out with this awful noise (I would liken it to nails on a chalk board). Now, because I can talk to him the noise level in our house has dropped, he's hearing me and responding to what I say (answering questions and even Following Directions!), his speech has improved because he's putting effort into communicating properly with us, plus, we can bring him out in public. I'm not saying he's a perfect little angel anywhere we bring him, but I've heard the sermons at church for the first time in 2 years. I can take him to do my grocery shopping while my husband is working so that we can do something fun as a family when my husband is home. We even brought him to the mall last night and he left the play areas without fighting us (yes, we had to physically go get him, but that's alot better than dragging him out kicking and screaming.) Oh, and we got dinner at the mall (granted it was a food court) but he sat next to me in the booth through the whole meal, eating his food and talking to us. Did I mention that his average major melt down has gone from 40 minutes of kicking and screaming (and generally making me want to cry/pull my hair out) to 10? Yes, they're still 10 very intense minutes, but hey. 10 is so much better than 40.
   
   I'm so pleased with this book, I could go on gushing for a good long while yet. I am so excited to continue on with the progress our family is making.



5. I highly recommend this book to any parent who has a strong willed child. It is very easy to read. It helps the parent understand how to act and discipline a strong willed child. I never really thought much about positive and negative reinforcement, but every parent needs to know about it...strong willed child or not. In my family this book has proven to be priceless.

5 comments about Material World: A Global Family Portrait.

1. This book is absolutely a wake-up call for many people out there who think they don't have enough! Beautifully put together. Outstanding.



2. I thoroughly have enjoyed this book, looking at the people from around the world and their possessions and realizing how different I live from another. It was amazing to see each family so proud, of either how little they have or how much they have, and to have all that they own on display (from in the dead of winter to floating on a boat!).



3. This book was created from pictures taken in the early 90's, so it is s bit dated, especially in the more developed nations. Things like computers and other tech is obviously missing. I know that many destitute Africans now even have cell phones, not shown here. Otherwise, this is a great book and is very educational. After reading it, I got to wondering what my possesions on the street would look like...



4. This is a fascinating look at how people all over the world live. My children have enjoyed thumbing through it, & our realtor gives it out as gifts to his clients! A unique project indeed.



5. This is a great book and it came in two days - way earlier than we anticipated! Good shape , great product!

5 comments about How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It.

1. Unlike Steven Stosny's other book, Love Without Hurt: Turn Your Resentful, Angry, or Emotionally Abusive Relationship into a Compassionate, Loving One, which seemed to encourage victim mentality thinking, How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It is very positive, and contains genuinely new insights that make you think. This book helps both man and woman understand the other better, and makes it possible for ordinary couples to find their way through difficult issues in their marriage in clever, pain-free ways. It explains why talking is such torture for so many husbands, and it also explains how many husbands inadvertently make their wife feel scared, etc. A really fascinating, very human book with a lot of good ideas and information that can help in the real world. See also Michele Weiner-Davis's Getting Through to the Man You Love: The No-Nonsense, No-Nagging Guide for Women.



2. This is the best insight into male-female patterns I have ever read. Dr. Love hits the nail on the head with common mistakes people make when interacting with each other in their relationships. This is a must read for any age when dealing with the opposite sex. It opened my eyes!!! Now if I could only get my husband to read it!



3. Thank goodness somebody finally made it clear what real communication between couples is. That it is not always talking, talking, talking until you are worn out. Once you learn from this book how to UNDERSTAND each other, then take it a step further, and show each other how you feel. The Sensuous Couple's (Flip Over) Guide to Seismic Oral Sex will create more communication than you ever thought possible, and you won't be doing any talking. Give both books a try, and bring you and your husband closer than ever.



4. This is another one of those books that holds women ultimately responsible for the success or failure of relationships.
   
   The premise is that women want to talk and men don't. That may be true. But the answer provided by this book? Men need to be accommodated and women should accommodate them! Gee - what a novel concept! Who would have thought!? Truly groundbreaking!
   
   Then there is the whole "women are motivated by fear and men are motivated by shame" thing - which is pure stereotyping - and manages to make women responsible for both their own and men's failings by implying that women evoke the shame response in men whereas women's fear response is due to their own weaknesses. (We need men to protect us from, uh, ... other men?)
   
   This book trades on women's willingness to accommodate others, and it also plays on men's terror of being thought effeminate. (Asking your man to communicate with you is really asking him to be a woman! Horrors! We'll be asking them to clean the toilet next!)
   I for one am sick of these "Men and Women are From Different Planets" type books. We aren't. Isn't it time we expored our similarities?



5. Must read for every couple, really helpful. Valuable insights into the sensitivities and behavior of your partner and yourself. Practical advice to make your relationship better. Even my husband connected to the ideas and is reading the book, happily, after initially being very skeptical.