5 comments about Self-Coaching: How to Heal Anxiety and Depression.

1. I suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder ("the worry disease") with underlying depression which fuels the worry because i was convinced that I couldn't handle life if something bad happened. Everyone has an internal dialogue going on in their head all day long and the reason why people are anxious or depressed is they have thoughts about something scary or sad all day long. This book shows what fuels those thoughts (insecurity and eroded self-trust) and how to change your child-reflex (how you react to situations that make you anxious and depressed) and this isn't written by someone who just got out of college. Dr. Luciani has had years of experience and knows what he is talking about. And if you don't understand something he is more than happy to answer your questions personally in his "Ask Dr. Joe" forum on his website www.self-coaching.net



2. I have social phobia and I've been on a hunt for the past few years for a natural treatment. I've tried herbs and supplements and nothing has worked. The last straw came when the supposed miracle supplement for anxiety-sufferers (magnesium) did nothing for me. Having read this book once before and not thinking anything of it, I decided I had no choice so I reread the book. I've learned that although the ideas in this book are great aids, they just won't work for someone in my position.
   
   Self-coaching is simple. You've lived for years with negative thoughts that cause your anxiety. All you have to do is change them. First, you must seperate your thoughts into fact or fiction. Most often, you'll find that your anxious thoughts are silly. Then you must change your thoughts into something positive. This will change your mood completely. People with anxiety problems live in their mind rather than living in the moment. They process and think and process and think until their anxiety becomes hellish.
   
   Self-coaching will and does work. Some may find it hard to believe but if you truly think about it, your anxiety is all in your mind. If you're having an anxious thought and you put on some music and sing along, you eventually lose that anxious thought because you're living in the moment. People with general anxiety will find the ideas in this book to be helpful.
   
   Unfortunately, for someone like me who gets anxious "in the moment", self-coaching will not work. I get extremely anxious around other people. Whereas self-coaching may help when you're walking through a busy mall or anticipating a public speech, it doesn't work when, say, someone comes up to you and begins talking to you. Self-coaching does help when you're anticipating something anxious but it certainly doesn't work when something anxiety-worthy comes out of the blue.
   
   I will use self-coaching in addition to medication. I do think this book is well written, motivating, and easy to understand but, unfortunately, it won't work for everyone.



3. I read this book trying to understand some of the reasons I have so much fear in certain situations and, hopefully to overcome it. Did it work? Well, yes and no.
   
   I read something profound in this book that told me I was the producer of anxiety. That it wasn't an illness that came and attacked me as a virus does, but that I generate it with my thoughts, which in turns produces imbalanced chemistry within my system. This clicked with me on so many levels and just knowing that helped me. It gave me encouragement.
   
   There were some other really great insights in this book also. It's very well written and gives the reader a lot of hope that better days will come if you try hard enough. And I believe Dr. Luciani when he says it.
   
   However, I am uncertain that there is a true "heart" to this book. If I had to summarize the main point of this book it would be this: You have the power to talk yourself and motivate yourself out of anxiety with the right thought patterns. Is the advice deep enough for a real meaningful change? I think it has the potential to be. Automatic negative thoughts are a huge problem for those of insecurity an low self-confidence, so the advice really is effective here.
   
   Is this book helpful to those who are struggling with anxiety and depression? I would say emphatically "yes" and you should really read it. There is only good to be gotten from it. Will it be the ultimate solution to abolishing your severe anxiety/depression? I doubt it. But it could a great stepping stone to doing so.
   
   I would give this book three and a half stars if I could - but since it only lets me use whole stars, I will tip the scale over to four. My summation of the book is this: It really is a worthwhile read with some effective advice.



4. this book is pretty much all filler. the "Dr" that wrote it seems to like to repeat things over and over. the techniques are garbage... period. the book is basically about talking to yourself repeatedly till you forget your problems. what is that? the book should be called "Sweep your problems under a rug". got news for ya folks... life sucks sometimes and the last thing ya wanna do is dismiss problems. you gotta face them head on and just deal with the pain... it WILL pass, and if you cant and you become suicidal... books are not going to help, real doctors will.



5. My one little problem was simply a personal bias against touchy feeling. If self-therapy is something you're interested in, also try this book linked below. It gives you a practical solution for accomplishing this stuff for yourself. At the very least you'll understand what you need to do.
   
   Tao Cycle Therapy: Natural Happiness via Self Directed Cure for Chronic Anxiety & Depression [Updated 2008 3nd Edition]
   
   I hope that helps,
   Jane Stevens

2 comments about Be Happy: Remember to Live, Love, Laugh and Learn (Gift of Inspiration, 12).

1. If you are considering this book, do yourself a favor: Google for your quotes; you'll get a lot more for your unspent money. In part, the Acknowledgements section states: "Some...may be imperfectly worded or attributed." What is the point of a quotation book that (1) doesn't get the quote correct, and (2) doesn't get the author correct? This is a QUOTE book, not an opinion book or a paraphrase book, so one might think that the correct quote and author would matter, but I guess not. If Danny Boy couldn't verify a quote or source, could he have used a replacement quote ... like one of the tens of thousands that I can get for free from several dozen websites? This guy has found a short road to publication, and it's paved with laziness, carelessness, and lack of responsibility. His publishers should also be held responsible, but, hey, why should we let a little thing like accuracy stand in the way of greed.



2. Oh GOD!!!!! Why?? WHY?!?!?!?!?! I wish I could just off myself, real easy like. No mess, no clean up, no relatives breaking into my studio apartment only to find my nude clay-like corpse sprawled out on the floor with empty food containers from Wendy's crushed beneath the weight of my, then, bloated mortal coil. What's the point of going on? Really, what IS the point?!?!?! Just as I was lurching through another uninspiring, energy draining, soul crushing day on this God forsaken hell planet, I entered a nearby Jamba Juice to purchase a Fat Burning fruit smoothie, when I looked to my left and found this little treasure trove of revivifying quips and quotes. WOW!!!!!! What a Life saver!!!!! I really DID buy a 12 gauge shotgun that I was going to use to do an instantaneous color scheme change on my studio apartment's ceiling but when I read Leo Buscaglia's quote, namely "Don't be afraid of a little poop"......well, the shear genius of that idea pierced my mind like a diamond bullet, and it got me to realize, "Hey, Life's just a bowl of cherries so don't mind the pits" (pg. 78, 3rd paragraph). I've never turned back. As for my shotgun.........well, let's just say I use it to hunt deer. Better them than me. HA HA HA HA God Bless.

5 comments about The Women's Book of Empowerment.

1. Many books of affirmations speak to creating the life you want - but few address the issues women face like The Woman's Book of Empowerment.
   Written by author Charlene Proctor, the book's meditations reinforce seven spiritual lessons introduced in Proctor's Let Your Goddess Grow!, also newly released. Written in present tense and with a brightly positive sense of completion, the affirmations describe what we intend - rather than what is. The idea, Proctor writes, is to focus on living consciously and powerfully, co-creating the future with our Higher Power.
   "A positive, affirmative statement is a declaration to the universe that you choose to take the upper hand and never accept anything less than what you deserve," Proctor writes in her introduction. "Affirmations are always made in the present tense, and they train the mind to stay in the present moment. They help you arrest the impulse to self-doubt and give you more energy to focus your attention on a life filled with prosperity, love, good health, and happiness."
   Affirmations cover virtually every aspect of life, from simple boredom and laziness to "legal action against me" and a variety of workplace crises, many specific to women. Proctor also reiterates that every challenge comes with the opportunity to gain wisdom and insight.



2. Every day we have an opportunity to choose our attitude and focus our intentions in the present moment. Because of this choice, our own personal lives and all that we see in this world originate within the mind...Changing our perception of worldly experiences is he only way to separate the concept of failure from our vocabulary and substitute a language of success and learning. ~Charlene M. Proctor
   
   Charlene M. Proctor has created a tiny book with a lot of powerful affirmations. The main topics include:
   
   Insight
   Balance
   Resiliency
   Your Authentic Self
   Abundance
   Corporate Soul/Work
   The Goddess in You
   
   Within this beautiful little book you will find solutions for everything from boredom and loneliness to facing destructive patterns in your life. You can find affirmations to manage the daily complexity of your life or create an entire new future by finding out who you truly are and stepping into a new environment.
   
   Example of affirmation: "Repeating Same Patterns"
   
   I keep experiencing the same events in my life because I have not learned a lesson at the deep level of the soul. I am committed to changing my behavior, attitude, and negative belief systems. I learn from past mistakes. Life is a self-educational process and I am a perceptive individual. I watch others as they model what I need to learn . I love all my talents as well as my imperfections because that is what makes me the beloved person I am.
   
   Most of the affirmations encourage you to look at life in a more positive way and encourage a change in your thinking patterns so you can eventually start to move out of negative patterns of behavior.
   
   Lots of the affirmations solve life problems like a crying baby, unemployment, exercise hurdles, lost pets, regrets, insomnia and taking care of aging parents.
   
   As you look through this book you will realize how much you have survived in your short time on this earth and that alone can be empowering.
   
   Probably the most useful way to use this book is to buy two books. One to keep on your bookshelf for when you want to look up topics and one for cutting out affirmations and posting them around in places where you can read them daily. This book would be perfect as a set of cards. I hope the author will consider that option in the near future. You can make your own cards or laminate various topics. I think some of these affirmations can change your life. It can take years to start thinking differently and sometimes life can be a slow walk out of disempowering situations all while you have your eyes on heaven.
   
   If you are looking forward to a more peaceful and positive lifestyle, then this book can help you achieve those dreams. Sometimes it is about taking control of your life, but sometimes it is just letting go of the past.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



3. The book wasn't quite what I expected. It was nice but I wanted it to be a bit more specific on helping me for the day not quite so dreamy or wistful.



4. Very motivational and interesting book, I would have liked a bit more on the affirmations (as to explain more deeply) but overall a good book to have.



5. Great inspiration in this small book. Read a quote each day on life in all areas.

1 comments about Complete Confidence Updated Edition: A Handbook.

1. Having been a huge fan of Complete Confidence the first edition, I snapped this up, too. I was not disappointed. Although there are some important enhancements, the message is the same: you can take control of the negative feelings that hold you back in life. And the revolutionary part is that Dr. Hankin actually tells you how, with concrete steps, you may do so. I really cannot begin to say how much the information in this book has helped me. I strongly recommend it.

5 comments about The Right Words at the Right Time Volume 2: Your Turn!.

1. "Volume 2" is a sequel to Marlo Thomas' 2002 New York Times Best Selling "The Right Words at the Right Time." Thomas' best seller featured famous, successful people who wrote about the words that changed their lives.
   
   Thomas in "Volume 2" features 101 people from all walks of life (including a prisoner) who, as in the first book, share their stories about the words that changed their lives. These stories were solicited by Parade Magazine from its readers who championed Thomas' first book.
   
   These books were written to show how the right words can transform as they challenge us at a crossroads, helping us through times of sorrow, and calling us to action.
   
   While there are many inspiring stories, I did not find this book as inspirational as the first. Nevertheless, Thomas does well in prompting each of us to think about those words that came to us at the "right time," and in reminding us that we, too, can play a critical role in another's life - when they need the "Right Words at the Right Time."



2. Excellent book! It's a good feeling book, and knowing that the proceeds support St. Jude's Hospital makes it even better.



3. This book is a MUST HAVE follow up to the original title; The Right Words at the Right Time. This time around Marlo Thomas has collected stories from every day people like you and me that are touching and heartfelt. They are meant to both inspire and encourage, and they do just that. I highly recommend this book as well as the original.



4. Lovely book. Not only did I enjoy it, but helped support a hospital I feel very strongly about. A good balance to all the terrible things happening in the world. A view of the other side.



5. If you're over 50, white and wealthy, this book is for you. If you are someone who has dealt with many of life's hardships, please do not look to this book for inspiration. It is such fluff, I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in it. Nothing profound lies within, it is poorly re-written and, seems to me, a quick way for Thomas to make some money and keep her name out there.
   
   Written by a wealthy older white person, for other wealthy older white people.
   
   P.S. I am white.

5 comments about Lifescripts: What to Say to Get What You Want in Life's Toughest Situations.

1. After taking a seminar recently, I decided to order
   this book. The instructor had the book at the seminar
   for a much higher price so I wrote down the name of
   the book and the publisher so I could see if Amazon's
   price was better. Naturally, it was so I bought it.
   There is really good information in here for dealing
   with all types of business world situations. A very helpful
   aid to have in the office.



2. Everyone is faced with tough conversations at work and this book provides practical guides for dealing with bosses, peers, and subordinates. I see where these scripts can easily be adapted to personal conversations as well. The book is organized in a very readable format. Not only are the topics easy to find, but the twists and turns of a specific dialog are diagramed so you can follow the path to the desired outcome. It even gives tips on timing. I especially liked that several strategies were described to combat different types of emotional responses that may be encountered. Most books I've read give general advice on handling difficult verbal situations, but this book gives word for word scripts that can actually be used in the real world. It's like gaining the insight of someone else's experience.



3. This book is good to have and has a lot of great references to go by especially if you are in a supervisor or managers position..highly recommended.



4. Pollan and Levine have done an outstanding job assembling a wide variety of human relations challenges and dilemmas. My first action in assessing the book was to go directly to those scenarios in which I have had considerable training and experience. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the verbiage and the decision charts were spot on. One of the book's strengths is that each scenario is properly framed. The reader is fully educated on strategy and key concerns for handling the situation. The accompanying decision chart then becomes the road map for the situation. The ideal reader of this book is the new college graduate entering into his or her first professional position. There is simply a tremendous quantity of practical wisdom on human relations and office politics that I wish I had at that stage in my career. Additionally, the book is an excellent resource for the seasoned professional. It will reinforce and fine-tune many approaches already in use. Because it is relatively thorough, it will provide juicy tidbits and insights on some situations that perhaps the reader simply never identified. I highly recommend this excellent book for anyone concerned with ongoing professional and personal success.



5. Not sure if i purchased an outdated copy, but the scenerios in this book are not scenerios that would happen to anyone in this day of age...Maybe I purchased an outdated copy? Not happy at all!

5 comments about Maximum Self-Esteem: The Handbook for Reclaiming Your Sense of Self-Worth.

1. I did not find this book useful at all. In general it lacked process. It was happy to point out common low self-esteem behavior (though some of what it called low self-esteem was opposite of what I consider unrelated, or almost opposite to low self-esteem) and was clear to point out why believing these behaviors were detrimental. The exercises and affirmations, however, that were supposed to help you weren't well defined enough or didn't have enough process for them to be helpful.
   
   For example, they wanted you to write down the people you met in a day, then decide if you found their approval important. Then decide if you found their approval important for a "practical" reason. Someone with low self-esteem will very naturally and sub-consciously expend the definition of "practice" in a way that would make the exercise almost useless.
   
   Many of their affirmations were so far from what someone with low self-esteem would think or so badly worded that internally I spent more time denying it, than affirming it, so it actually re-enforced my bad habits, not discouraged them. There was no encouragement to start with weaker statements or how to convince yourself of the affirmations that you just couldn't agree with. I felt like the book was saying "here's what low self-esteem people believe, here is what high self-esteem people believe" but had very little actual help to get from point A to point B.



2. I teach domestic violence classes, in a shelter, and this book has been a good source for my classes to help the women.



3. I picked this book up and was very happy that I did. I read the Part One all the way through and then started to pick and choose areas that I needed to work on, as Jerry Minchinton suggested. I read the chapters that I needed help on throughly, like the chapter on Needing Approval. I have modified and picked through the affirmations and used what I need. Some of the chapters I skimmed and skipped the negative qualities of the attribute, and went on to the positive discussion and the affirmations. I found that for myself this is just what I needed and am very happy with this book and re-read sections as needed.



4. I bought this book as part of therapy, and I've actually changed my life. Not due entirely to the book, but largely due to my therapy sessions with it. I highly recommend to people who are hesitant about buying self-help books or dissatisfied with previous experiences. It's very straight-forward, never insulting to your intelligence, and presents ideas in ways that actually lead to application. That is, once you read this book, you will find yourself really improving with hardly any effort. Some people have started telling me I'm TOO confident.



5. This book has really boosted my self-esteem and made me motivated to do things and look at things differently. I was depressed and in a new environment and needed to start a new life. This book made me feel good about myself and look at things in a positive light. I am truly excited about my life now.

3 comments about Toxic Criticism.

1. There are several books on dealing with Criticism on the market. I prefer Garner's Criticism Management or Weisinger's Power of Positive Criticism. Both of these offer useful tips and more practical advice. This text has a lot of 'feel good' advice with limited practical value. Yes, it would be nice if we could all not harbor negative thoughts about criticism or if believing in ourselves would eliminate the sting of criticism; but this is just not very practical. Even the very best leaders are impacted by criticism---and I am sure they strongly believe in themselves and their self-worth. It is not that this is a bad text; it is just that others seem to have more practical suggestions for dealing with criticism--giving and receiving.



2. This book delivers what it promises--it has already changed my response to two separate incidents of criticism that threw me off track recently. I like Maisel's tone, which conveys compassion but at the same time gently pushes the reader to face some hard truths and take responsibility and control. The exercises have helped me zero in on my weakest areas and see how I might take criticism--and give it--in a more constructive way. I would recommend Toxic Criticism to anyone hurting from the sting of criticism, whether it came from another person or is self-inflicted.



3. There's a lot of material to work with regarding dealing with criticism from different aspects. The author has obviously studied criticism thoroughly in regard to one's psychological makeup and the effects upon it. If anything it's a bit complicated. So if you're looking for some "easy to learn" techniques, then perhaps another book would be more to your liking, if there is one out there, but then it would be more limited in it's use.

5 comments about Teens Can Make It Happen: Nine Steps for Success.

1. Bought this one from the Bargain Bin! My daughter loves it! Mr. Graham has the ability to pull her in and make her think and then she even enjoys what she is learning about herself and her friends.
   
   Highly recommend it for your kids!



2. I am a high school English teacher and I found the book to be very helpful and motivational for high school students who need to be pointed in the right direction. So many kids need to have a vision and clear goals for themselves and this book helps to guide them in the right direction as well as making the proper choices.



3. I liked this book because the author clearly respects the teens he is addressing. Too often these days references to teens are negative. Or teens life plans are pigeon-holed by an author's implicit assumption that "What do you want to be when you grow up?" has only one answer. From my coaching practice, I have seen that many teens are Renaissance Souls (people who have too many interests to pick just one.) To limit advice to how to pick the one right career path or college or job is to leave them hanging and frustrated. Fortunately Graham's advice does not fall into that trap.



4. My motivational book is Teens Can Make it Happen, by Stedman Graham. The book is to tell people how to use their life meaningful and not to waste it. This book really wants the reader to think about what goals and accomplishments you want to achieve. This book is a turn around because it really helps you know what you need to do to get your life on the right track. In Teens Can Make it Happen there are 9 steps that you take to knowing and achieving your goals. People should read this book because it will inspire them to reach their goals according what to what they want to do for the rest of their life. This is a great book.



5. I am a parent who bought this book for my daughter when she was in Middle school and just beginning to "find herself". Unlike so many other kids, she has been so focused on her goals and and dreams that she has had no time or inclination to be on drugs or alcohol. She excelled in Band, English, Music, Spanish and was a member of the International Baccalaureate program. She is now away at college with a job as a Resident Assistant in her dorm. I just found this book as I was cleaning her closet and it is filled with notes as she planned her life and goals. It says she plans to one day have her doctorate degree and be married and working. I believe this book made her think, and obviously, plan, what she wants out of life. I am going to buy another for my friend's son!

5 comments about Character Is Destiny: The Value of Personal Ethics in Everyday Life.

1. +++++
   
   This slim book by professor of ethics and philosophy Russell Gough is like a self-help guide for the soul, showing how we can lead better lives simply by being better people. Gough elaborates:
   
   "This book offers what I call mirroring, rather than a finger-pointing, approach. In one-to-one, conversational fashion, its primary goal is to encourage each of us to think about improving our personal lives...in terms of our own personal character...Each chapter of this book is designed to emphasize a given aspect of the all-important nature of personal character [and are] designed to encourage practical self-reflection and enduring personal growth."
   
   What is character? Character, as used in this book, is "what you are in your essence, the sum total of your habits, your personal assortment of virtues [or goods] and vices [or bads]." The title of this book, "Character is Destiny," is an actual quotation uttered by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.
   
   In fact, each chapter of this book is titled by an actual quotation from a person of great character. These quotes "capture the force and point of each chapter." You'll find that these quotations or chapter titles "are definitely well-worth committing to memory and...living by."
   
   Each of these quotations or chapter titles comes from the following people:
   
   (1) Heraclitus (Greek philosopher)
   (2) Socrates (Greek philosopher)
   (3) Dwight Moody (American evangelist)
   (4) Anne Frank (German-Jewish teen who was forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust and subsequently died at age fifteen in a concentration camp)
   (5) Ralph Waldo Emerson (American poet and essayist)
   (6) Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
   (7) Paul (the Apostle)
   (8) Albert Schweitzer (German theologian, musician, and missionary)
   (9) Jean Paul Richter (German humorist)
   (10) The author (ethics & philosophy professor and author)
   (11) An anonymous person (thought to be Charles Reade, English novelist)
   
   You'll find that each chapter is easy-to-read and written with great conviction and eloquence. There is not reams and reams of theory to sort through. This book is written in real English for real people on perhaps the most important subject of all--character.
   
   There is an appendix (not labeled as such) to this book that, in my opinion, is very important. Here, Gough states the following:
   
   "In this book, I have focused on the vast majority of times in our daily lives when we have a pretty clear idea of the ethical line separating the right thing to do from the wrong thing to do. Thus, our discussion has been one not of knowing the right thing to do but of having the character to do the right thing."
   
   But what of those rare situations where there is NOT a clear ethical line where we "truly [don't] know what is most ethically appropriate to do." These are called ethical dilemmas. I was glad to see that the author gives us insight into handling these difficult situations.
   
   Who is this book written for? I would say for high school students, college and university students, and adults: in other words, for everyone. (I disagree with the second part of the last sentence of the Amazon editorial review above.)
   
   Finally, I liked the idea that the author stated that he was not perfect ethically. Thus, this is not a book written by a preachy person who thinks he's a saint or thinks that he lives on Mount Olympus.
   
   In conclusion, this is a well-written, easy-to-read book that speaks directly to the moral crisis of our time!!
   
   (first published 1998; forward; preface; introduction; 14 chapters; appendix; main narrative 160 pages; notes)
   
   +++++



2. Ethics means you should start with an open mind and listen to those you trust. Then, you make your own decisions. What is right for one may not be the situation for you. You must be able to dream and to hold to your dreams. That is most important, as the dreams tell us what is happening in our subconscious mind. It's hard, but you have to be able to accept criticism and grow from the hurtful comments of others. A great rule of thumb when someone does something intentionally to harm you or your psyche is to "consider the source," and go from there. If you value that person and his opinion, it might be choice to try his advice; if not, smile and say "thank you."
   
   Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," was a failure to himself and his family because he embraced "a corrupt vrsion of the American dream which defines success as money, status and celebrity. Like that conman in "Born Yesterday," written by Garson Kanin. Both plays were written in the 1940s and showed capitalism at its worst.
   
   A good moral code is basically a set of values and principles which guide one's behavior. To be perfect, it should be based on religious training of a lifetime starting with the Ten Commandments of the Bible. Jesus led an exemplary life for his time and place. Today's world is filled with evil. New Orleans, deemed the most sinful city (along with Las Vegas), felt God's wrath with Katrina. The Bible promised we would not be destroyed by floods in the story of Noah and the Ark. Knoxville is teetering on the brink of being almost as sinful with so much emphasis on liquor. It, too, is in store for some form of God's wrath -- in what form, I'm not sure. But I predict that the walls will come crumbling down on Gay Street someday. A moral compass is useful for questions of right and wrong.
   
   The hardest choices rise to the top because the questions which could have been solved with simple rules are delegated to others. Such is our city government, as the mayor isn't facile enough to follow through on his promises to the common folk. This is a town of "studies and plans" going on for years, with no follow through. It takes outsiders to come in and corrupt the whole town. Drinking, drugging, carousing on the downtown streets openly by people who were not born here will be the downfall of a town, not the city it could have been. I have never been good at judging character; thus, I have been let down by some I trusted. But then, I am not a leader; nor a follower be -- I tend to take the road least taken. I believe in causes and was told recently that I came home for a reason. Whether I succeed or fail is still up in the air, and I have made an impact -- something I could never have achieved had I stayed here all of my life. We see in the photographs of the Civil War how Abraham Lincoln changed from the confident President to one of toil and pain etched "ever deeper" in his face. He cared deeply and the price he paid was his life.



3. This book can probably be read in just a day, but the truths it emphasizes will be valuable for life.



4. We are using this book to discuss character and how to develop it in our Bible class. While the book is not written from a religious point of view, the principles in this book are congruent with Biblical principles. This is a truly wonderful book that I encourage others to read.



5. I really went into this book with an open mind and was let down. McCain is out of touch. These stories are not his own, but are just a retelling of the good works of others. In his introduction he shows how out of touch he is by telling a story about how he and his family drove through a bad neighborhood in Mexico and that somehow taught him a lot about human nature.