5 comments about Shame Off You: Overthrowing the Tyrant Within.

1. When a counselor at my church recommended I read this book, I wasn't sure why because I didn't think I had any "shame" issues. I was amazed after the author explains what shame really is, and how we all have some level of shame in our lives. For me, this book has given me a new found freedom in life and in my walk with God. Filled with sound Christian doctrine and uplifting scripture. His insights are deep and well-researched, and he covers a wide spectrum of the causes of our shame. He leaves the reader feeling very educated on shame, but also very encouraged and equipped on how to proceed in throwing OFF our shame.



2. What a wonderful gift! Allen shares some of the most intimate moments in his Christian life - his relationship with God. This book is full of good news for anyone who suffers from low self-esteem. It is uplifting and soothing to the injured soul. I highly reccomend it!!



3. My wife and I attended the church for that Alan is pastor when we lived in Winston-Salem, and count him and his family as our friends. This book, like others that Alan has written, will significantly change your life for the better. As Christians, Alan reminds us that we are convicted of our sin, but not condemned for it. For too long, most Christians have been shamed too much and loved too little, as Christ loves us.
   
   Buy this book, and share it with your friends who also suffer from shame-based identities. You will be glad you did.
   
   Aneil Mishra



4. 15 years ago a counselor asked me what my shame was. I had NO clue what he was talking about... until now. I didn't have "shame"...I thought. There is nothing in this book that isn't applicable to everyone in some way. I wish I could have read this BEFORE I had children, and before I ruined some relationships. Maybe you don't have any shame, but others around you may be driven by shame.



5. Very few books have the ability to truly change your life. This book is one of them. Each chapter serves as an independent lesson that supports a unified theme. I suggest this book for parents, children, leaders, teachers, bosses, employees, that means just about everyone.

No comments about Life Is Good.

1 comments about Build Your Self Esteem.

1. These CD's are an easy listen filled with wonderfully phrased, motivational words. Glenn's Australian accent is a pleasure to listen to. Places on the CD have music as well that accompanies the voice. I LOVE these CD's and own most of them. If you live in the states you may hear an occassional terminology that is not common in the U.S. (Example, in the weight series he uses a weight measurement of a 'stone' which is a British term that represents 14 pounds). This happen rarely and certainly does not detract from the message presented in any of Glenn's CD's. You can't really listen to these in the car as they are a little hypnotic so be sure you are in a stress free mind set and location when you listen to any of therse CD's. I felt they were worth every penny.

5 comments about I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Daily Affirmations By Stuart Smalley.

1. When Stuart Smalley first came out I didn't quite see the appeal. Now with 5 years in The Program, I finally get the joke. I have lent this book to a lot of folks in my home group and we all agree that it's pretty impossible not to laugh out loud while reading it. What a funny, smart insightful man. Seriously one of the funniest books I've ever read, though I might not have "gotten it" without my familiarity with 12 step programs.



2. I have read all of Al Franken's books up to this point with the exception of this one. I had been a fan of Franken since his days of Saturday Night Live, particularly his Stuart Smalley character. This book further demonstrates the depth and intelligence of his humor.

   The book is very similar to the movie based on it (Stuart Saves His Family). Having already seen the movie, I was anticipating certain events in the book once I started reading. Despite my previous knowledge, I found the book to be laugh out loud funny. The humor of the Stuart Smalley character is based in him trying to help out others, yet being a mess himself as is demonstrated by his membership in several support groups.

   Even people passing through my home who picked this book up from my coffee table and read a few pages have enjoyed what they read. It is not hard to get the joke. This is a easy, but fun read.




3. I think it really would have helped. This book is supposed to be daily affirmations, but basically is Stuart's year long diary. He is a member of several 12 step programs, and has really learned a lot from them, and has made friends who also attend them. One thing he hasn't learned from these meetings is leave his extremely dysfunctional family alone and quit trying to solve their problems for them. What I like about his book:
   Let go of the result.
   If you're scared to do something, go ahead and do it, and you'll wish you'd done it a lot sooner.
   
   What I thought was improbable:
   Stuart taking multiple plane flights to visit his family.
   Stuart going to bed for weeks at a time with Oreos, Hydrox, etc.
   Stuart never has any day-to-day problems that the rest of us have.
   His friends always have plenty of time on their hands to try to get him to get out of his bed and open up his door.
   Andrea losing 140 lbs in about 10 months.
   
   But other than that, this book has a lot to say. Franken is quite knowledgeable about codependency. It's worth reading, but you must have a sense of humour.



4. I bought the book as a gift for a friend, and was thoroughly satisfied with it. It is really funny and I was really happy with my purchase.



5. I found myself laughing out loud when I read this book. I love Stuart and the way he handles his family and life in general - a very good read!

5 comments about The Anxiety Disease: New Hope for the Millions Who Suffer from Anxiety.

1. This book is AMAZING!!! Although some of the chapters are a little (okay, a LOT) outdated, mainly the one about medications...I skipped through it...I would recommend this book to ANYONE struggling with panic attacks or ANYONE struggling with UNDERSTANDING someone with panic attacks!!! If you think someone in your life is nuts for freaking out over something tiny pick up this book it could explain A LOT!!!



2. This book was suggested to me by a social worker, and I was somewhat skeptical of it coming from him; but I read it nevertheless.. Let me say, that this book provides insights and methods not often understood by many in the medical field. In saying that, I mean that it is very rare to come across someone that can relate to someone that suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and panic attacks the way that this author does.. A must read if you or someone in your immediate family suffers from one of these problems.



3. I developed Panic disorder in 1978. I have collected
   over 20 books on Panic and anxiety disorders. This
   book, in my opinion, was the best. BUY IT !!!



4. This is the second book I have purchased. The first was 20 years ago as I was experiencing these symptoms, and now to send to my 21 year old daughter, who has recently moved,and is now going through the same thing. I found it to be spot on to our symptoms, and feel as if it helped me regain my sanity! I recommend it to anyone who feels as if they are "losing it" and can't explain why.



5. This is a book I read twenty years ago that helped me so much to understand my panic disorder. I remembered it and purchased it recently for someone who was going through a similar ordeal. Learning about a problem is half the solution, and it did that for me.

5 comments about Getting in Touch with Your Inner Bitch, 3E.

1. This is a really fun read, but to be honest I preferred her Inner Bitch Guide to Relationships. Whenever I get confused in a relationship, I draw a hot bath and read a chapter or two out of that book. It always reminds me who I am. This book is a good addition to it though, but I think I had already tapped into my inner bitch before I read it.



2. Funny book and makes a good point but you get it after one chapter... it was slightly repetitive.



3. You have nothing to lose but your wimpiness....
   For eons females have been demeaned and it is often with words that refer to our weakness, i.e. pussies, wimps,etc.
   Since feminism, women are embracing the idea that it is possible to be a bitch in a positive, empowering way. As a therapist, I have encouraged girls and women to think of rough, arrogant females as Bitches with a capital B, or in a negative way because rough arrogance isn't liberation.
   But accepting the word bitch as a positive may mean that because you stand up for yourself, or get angry at what you should and when you should brings you this epithet, then own it. That way, we can be proud of being strong, even if it is threatening to some. In my opinion the people who are threatened by it are people, more males, who only feel powerful by expecting and keeping females weak.
   Getting in touch with your inner bitch helps you find your voice and your stronger self.



4. I am shocked to see people who seem to be professionals in the social services area giving this book a rating higher than a single star. This sexist garbage is bound to lead any woman that follows it's adolescent advice to have friction with any normal person she comes into contact with. What the author ignores is that many men also have problems asserting themselves. Far more useful for humanity are self-help books that help people of both genders with their assertiveness deficiencies. Turning the whole area into yet another feminist battleground shows the author to have ulterior motives that go beyond just helping women - it's a demeaning attack on men at the same time, and will be vigorously opposed by all those fighting for true equality. No woman, or man for that matter, who follows the advice of this book will end up a happy person, more likely they'll end up one of those kinds of people that all normal men and women like to avoid - the [...]. This book conflicts with all the basic tenets of human spirituality and goodness, and one day will be looked back on as one of the many women's self-help books that helped retard women's spirituality. Don't waste your money on this book, at least not until it becomes cheaper than toilet paper.



5. This is a guideline for every female who feels a little lost in terms of dealing with life. I read and loved the first edition, giving it as presents to all my female friends, and now I am giving this new edition. This is NOT a guide on bullying those about a woman, but a guide for a woman taking charge of her own life. Significant quotes from role models, excellent cartoon depictions, and a breezy style charge with the authority every woman needs to be the best her she can.

5 comments about How to Be Your Own Best Friend.

1. I first bought this book after my divorce in 1975. It changed my life. It gave me permission to be good to ME. It convinced me that I deserved to be treated with respect by my friends and especially myself. I was able to say no to things I didn't want to do, and it showed me how to do it without being rude or obnoxcious. I could finally say "I picked up the pizza last time. How about someone else doing it this time?" and not feel guilty. I highly recommend it to anyone who said "Yes" when they really meant "No". I bought it for my step-daughter when she got divorced this year and she also said she got a lot out of it too.



2. Love this book. Quick read, but very profound.



3. I purchased these book copies for a friend, so can't rate the book contents. However, delivery and ease of purchasing is a Perfect 10! Thank you so much for your excellent customer service. I so appreciate it in these days when such service is hard to find! Keep up the great work! :)



4. This book has really help me understand myself. I read it at least once a week and it has help me understand how I feel and gives me guidance on how to change.



5. I thought about buying this book for awhile before I actually purchased it and I can't say I was completely impressed like I thought I would be.

5 comments about Compassion and Self Hate: An Alternative to Despair.

1. You might find the first 167 pages a worthwhile read in the proper state of mind: 1) You haven't really thought that you hate yourself (you'll find that you do); or 2) You've been reading so many self-help books filled with tests and procedures that you forgot what you're reading them for (because you're trying to accept yourself).
   
   The three stars are for Dr. Rubin's compassionate essays on our creative means for self-inflicted suffering, which run through page 129. I found fascinating his conclusion that we routinely punish ourselves for not measuring up, or as he suggests, for falling from "privileged positions." His blending of anecdote, diagnosis, and remedy makes for a warm, even invigorating, read.
   
   He clumps all mental illness into a single diagnosis, concluding that everything is based on a privileged position -- an illusion of grandeur. Whether this is true or not, the simplicity of his message helps me remember that I'm coming to grips with my human, flawed self and that I'm not trying to become a 'normal' person.
   
   Unfortunately, his generalization leaves room for only a generalized strategy: Admit, recognize, block, analyze, and finally realize. It takes him roughly forty pages to offer a cursory explanation. If he spent the rest of the book detailing a practical technique for applying his strategy for different kinds of self-hate, this book would have become a five-star classic. He didn't.
   
   Instead, he presented a 40-page diatribe entitled "Compassionate Psychophilosopy" that is wrought with hyperbole, demands, and inconsistencies, all written as a first person reflection of the perfectly compassionate self. It is the antitheses of the previous chapters; offering impossibilities of self-reliance that no person could ever attain. The astute reader can draw a few nuggets of wisdom from this and even kind of understand what he may have meant to say.
   
   Finally, he ends with the 70-page "On Human Terms" rant. He offers what amount to little more than a laundry list of complaints about the societal 'them' that has done this evil to us. He paints a rather depressing, superficial and over-generalized examination of the conflict between self and them. This is the kind of tripe I get from my buddy after a few drinks. Not particularly helpful in determining why we cling to--or where we get--these societal expectations.
   
   Bottom line is that there are much better books out there (this was published in 1975). For depression, check out "Feeling Good: A New Mood Therapy" by Dr. Burns. For perfectionism, try "Never Good Enough" by Dr. Basco. For a non-judgmental examination of your actual self, try "The New Personality Self-Portrait" by Oldham and Morris. For analysis of self, try "Self Matters" by Dr. McGraw. These are all vastly superior books--each worth about eight or nine stars based on what this book has received.



2. This book is a real treasure. If you are stuck in your personal development, relationship, career, or any other area of life this book will lend some great insights into some of the many possible causes for your unhappiness, and very practical things to practice that will change how you feel about yourself and your life. Written by someone who clearly has been there himself, this book describes clearly the need for a compassionate outlook on our world, beginning with ourselves and our own lives. The author illustrates the glaring truth that we cannot become truly compassionate toward others until and unless we demonstrate that same compassionate spirit toward ourselves.



3. Many aspects of this book are helpful, such as the messages about the sources and identification of overly self-critical attitudes. Where I had a problem was the advocating of unconditional self-acceptance, which seems to imply the abandonment of responsibility to self and others and negates the striving for self-improvement. It is one thing to try one's best, fail, and accept that this does not make you a failure meriting self-loathing. It is quite another to say that you should love yourself and accept yourself even if you never try in the first place to improve your weaknesses. Over-all, I felt it was not as helpful as other books.



4. One of my top 5 all time books in the Spirituality - Philosphy - Self-Help catagory.
   
   Right up there with, Love Is Letting Go of Fear, "Big Book" Alcoholics Anonymous, The Road Less Traveled, and Man's Search For Meaning.
   
   JC



5. I went through a very destructive period of self-hate many years ago; somehow I managed to survive and even cure myself. I can validate what Rubin writes from my own personal experience. It is a brilliant and very helpful book, and it is well-written--that's not always the case with a book by an M.D. or a psychologist.
   
   I cannot recommend this book highly enough--and I really believe that everyone should read it.

5 comments about The Value in the Valley: A Black Woman's Guide Through Life's Dilemmas.

1. I saw a lot of me in reading this book. It really helped me to realize somethings about myself and why I do the things that I do. It was great. I would recommend it to anyone who needs clarity on themselves and their lives.



2. I am a big fan of motivational and self-help books. I have read many in my lifetime. Mostly good, some so-so. It is important to read a book relevant to what one is going through at that time to get the full scope of things from the book we read I believe. Iyanla's books are one of them and one of my favourite authors. The first book I got from Iyanla's collection was "Yesterday I Cried" and that had helped me through the ditch I was going through at that time. A friend of mine recommended a book of hers "One day My Soul Just Opened Up" which at that time I had already knew about her and went on to search on amazon her other publications and purchased the whole series of her books. Yeh - crazy me! But hey, she's good! I like her approach in the way she writes and conveys her message. It's real. I can relate to her. I have almost the whole collection of her books that she has published and reading them one by one as I go through my life's ups and downs. For the past few months I've been going through many valleys, I started reading "The Value In The Valley" which has given me many insights into my own valleys that I am going through and have gone through and approach life and my valleys in a different light. I have just purchased the Audio CD version of it to listen while I drive or at home. Can't wait to get it and the rest of the motivational goodies I just got from other authors. :) Thumbs up to this book as well as Iyanla's other books. Thank you Iyanla for all the insights your book has given me. :)



3. Yes, I already gave it five stars, because I read one of her other books "Tapping The Power Within...." When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I was in a afterschool class, and the instructor gave us each a copy of "Acts of Faith." The title of the book was very powerful to me, and I tried to read it then, but I was not ready. See, thats the thing about most self help books like these, you must be READY to read them. I actually got "Tapping the Power Within..." last month from my counselor, thats when I realized I still had two of her other books. My aunt also bought me one of her books when I was of the age 14, because I was going through a tough time. The book was called "Don't Give it Away." Which I am now in my THIRD YEAR OF COLLEGE... YAYY ME, and I passed the book down to my sister. (Also, I wanted to leave this portion of my message for a poster on here named Tigress "JD": Do not feel stupid for buying a collection of her books. Actually, I had just did the same thing. I am about to buy more of her books).Its quite hard choosing which books to read. I am currently reading the "Acts fo Faith" day by day, and I have finished reading "Tapping The Power Within" Which is helping me a lot. The following books I already have purchased was already shipped to me is "Faith in the Valley," "Living Through the Meantime," (which I started to read, but I was not sure if I was ready, after reading a couple of pages through)"One Day My Soul Just Opened Up (which I am debating with "Living Through the Meantime"), and "Yesterday I Cried." So I have about seven of her books. I am going to purchase more right now. I hope you all remain strong, and I hope the books will help you all a lot. (sorry for all the typos its 3:12am in the morning in NYC and I could not help it, but to get back online and purchase some more books, plus I cannot fall asleep).



4. This book is great not only for black women, but for all women. It helps one to understand life better, and to love ones self better.



5. This is a Phenomenal book! It's a great book for all women of color to read. Each chapter alerted all of my emotions and thoughts. I am learning everyday how to attack any negative energy surrounding me and follow the gift of intution. Learning to love yourself in the midst of everything.

5 comments about Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds from Now.

1. I can't begin to describe my difficulties of growing into the body I am going to have as a woman, but I don't have to because Jessica did it for it for me. There are very few ways to describe how it feels to read "Do I look fat in this?" except to say it's freeing. As I turned the pages I would eat up every word & little by little i could breathe easier.
   Jessica is the start of something amazing that i want to be a part of!!
   
   "She wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to change tp truely see her" - Naomi Wolf



2. If you're tired of dieting, this may be the book for you. Jess's book is a breakthrough experience for anyone who has struggled with self-appearance and self-esteem....and isn't that most of us. She believes that by focusing on what others tell you are your shortcomings-- you miss opportunities to feel connected, sexy and powerful. Whether you're a size 2 , 12 or 22 or beyond-- you can benefit from Jess's words of wisdom. The motivational speaker, author and self-described "actionist" versus Activist...writes in plain English and tosses in some great motivational quotes from famous people and some fun facts about self approval and more. Twelve chapters plus an afterword are included..and the chapters are fun to read-- get this even if you don't have the time to read it-- just scan it and you'll benefit -- I promise...ANyway the chapters range from Decoding the Language of Fat...to the Famous or should I say infamous question most women ask daily "Do I look Fat in This? to "I Feel Fat" to If I were Thinner, He'd Love me" to Thunder Thighs Run in my Family to Ch 6-- I'd be so happy if I looked like a Celebrity to 7) Once I lose some weight..... to 8) All of my Friends are not and I'm not...9) But I'm jsut trying to be healthy to 11) [...] 12) Sorry I don't speak that language. Quizes, roleplaying experiences and fun quizes are interspersed with TAKE ACTION steps...Probably the most important thought though is that YOU CAN"T FEEL FAT -- because fat is not a feeling-- and if you read that section alone (I don't want to steal her thunder with her response to this) ...you'll benefit greatly...AN amazing lady and a fun, easy-to-read book that's great for girls above 12, teens, college chicks and women of any age...great to get this before the holiday parties start! Fun birthday gift...



3. I loved Jessica Weiner's books A Very Hungry Girl and Do I Look Fat In This. Therefore, when I saw she had a "new" book out, I immediately ordered it from Amazon without paying attention to details. Please be aware that if you already own Do I Look Fat In This, you do not need to order Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds From Now; this is the same book with a different title and a new forward. So now I own two copies of this book with different covers, but I don't mind so much because it is filled with wonderful information for not-slim women like me. Guess I must have needed to re-read it, huh?



4. This is a helpful book that is broken up into small chapters that are easy to read.It made me laugh,and get a better understanding of people who are never satisfied with their weight.



5. Jessica is wonderful! This book is encouraging and inspiring to anyone like myself who has been struggling with their weight for a long time. She encourages us to be healthy, but her definition of healthy includes accepting and loving your body and rejecting the media messages about what healthy should look like. Reading this book was like a refreshing talk with a close friend.