5 comments about Approval Addiction: Overcoming Your Need to Please Everyone.

1. Joyce Meyer did a great job on writing this bestseller. Approval Addiction is another one of Joyce's masterpieces. I saw a lot of me in this book, and she stepped on all of my toes....(even though I didn't want to hear it). The good thing is that she uses references (via scriptures from the Holy Bible) to explain how approval addiction can be harmful not only to you, but to other relationships. NOW, I understand that I need to change my behavior. Thank you, Lord, for having people like Joyce Meyer for keeping it real.



2. You can't please all the people all the time, and this Christianity-based book will help you realize that truth.



3. I enjoy self-help, self-exploring books. However, it is disturbing yet another self help book reads more on being the right type of Christian then being a better you, regardless of your faith!
   I am a Christian. A person of faith with an open mind. I believe that the diversity amoung people are to be celebrated rather than feared and I won't tell people what God wants them to believe.
   I do belive that it is rare indeed when one person can tell another what God thinks about any controversial issue.
   This book would have saved me a lot of "here we go again", er, time, if Ms. Myers could have written it with out all the Christian Right B--- S---!



4. This book is an absolute eye opener! Joyce Meyer is an amazing woman with powerful wisedom from God that applys to everday life. She's a perfect example of how God works in your life and with a relationship and faith and trust he'll do amazing things. PLEASE DON'T BOTHER AND READ the 1-2 star reviews, it'll just make you angry. There are some people that are hurt and want to blame god for their problems and are hateful towards Christians and look for ways to try and hurt us. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do. It'll be one of those books that I'll always reread from time to time. Just see what God can do in your life too! Enjoy!



5. This is a very good book and I got for a great price.Joyce really helps out alot of people.

5 comments about The Confidence Plan: How to Build a Stronger You.

1. I got this book because even though I am quite confident in the work place I tend towards lacking it at times in my personal life. The book is simple to follow, doesn't spend lots of time having you "analyze" your past but focuses on where you want to be and where you are. It has simple exercises to nudge you towards your goal of having greater confidence in whatever area of your life you find it lacking. I highly recommend.



2. I had high expectations for this book, based on the reviews that I had read on amazon. The author has done a great job in ensuring that most, if not all, of his chapters are backed up by research and studies. I found that this gives his advice context and also greater credibility. Another great feature of this book is the number of exercises that Ursiny provides for the reader, both throughout the book and also the extra section at the end. This helps to ensure that the reader is able to put into practice the advice and tips that the author recommends.
   
   There were a few things that I did not like about the book though. Firstly, despite being over 300 pages long, I felt that most of the chapters did not go into enough detail. Each chapter is almost like an introduction to a topic that is not followed by a more indepth analysis or discussion of the points. The author seems to skim over a number of different topics and I felt that every chapter of the book could have had a lot more substance. Secondly, I felt that the book lost some credibility with what seemed to be constant references to God and religion. It is clear that Ursiny is passionate about his religion - something that I do not criticize - but it undermines the credibility of the arguments and points for those who are not religious.
   
   I think that a lot of people will be able to get a lot out of this book. I do not feel that this is the best confidence book that I have read, but it is well written and is an enjoyable read.



3. This is one of the best books I've bought in a long time, and I buy a lot of books! Tim Ursiny has a really interesting perspective on how to build confidence. This book is not full of the obvious or "common sense" stuff, but instead is really much more in depth. There are exercises after each chapter that you figure out just how to relate the lesson to your life. This book isn't just for someone that is struggling with confidence, but for someone that really wants to take a healthy level of confidence to the next level!



4. This book talks on all the types and definitions on confidence. If you want to write an exam on confidence, get this book. I could not read more than half of this stuff! :-(....For me it was too much of theory.



5. it tells you somethings that you can do which are really helpful. The tips that you get from it are not all necessary

5 comments about Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers.

1. I was very disappointed with this book. The author continually tells the reader to be kind and gentle with children, and then recommends "alternatives to spanking" that are simply other types of punishments: time out, removal of privileges, and the like. She simply doesn't get it that children are human beings who behave as well as they are treated, and who will behave well when treated with love and respect. Would the author respond well if her partner tried to control her in these ways? There are many better choices - see the book titles listed at The Natural Child Project and La Leche League websites.



2. This book is a good reference guide. A good quick read.



3. The advice is broken up into topic sections which is very helpful, and then within those sections are simple, direct, one page intorductions to a problem/solution followed by one page of suggested tips. I LOVE this format and find it so very useful; more so than reading through 400 pages of bla, bla, bla and psycho-babble to get to that nugget of info that will help get to the core of the problem one is facing that day. Some of the solutions are pretty obvious and simple, some are new and enlightening. I think that any reader will be reminded of the simple tools we may have forgotten, or will discover new ideas and ways of approaching our children that will benefit all.



4. I had started some really bad habits, when my son was trying to express him self and become independant. Although I encouraged his independence and gave him as much positive feedback as i could I was going about it all wrong.
   
   Reading this book helped me to see things more from his point of veiw as a male.
   
   Boys are such senitive creatures and if you are not sensitive towards their feelings it's going to make thim feel withdrawn. I was starting to see this in our relationship and wanted to fix the problem before we grew apart.
   
   The information in this book has helped me in many ways.



5. I purchased this book after reading the great reviews. I am extremely disappointed. This book is simply a laundry list of anything that a parent/teacher could possibly do to give children better self-esteem. Each tip is dedicated two pages. It wasn't what I thought it would be and would not be easy to refer back to any particular item.

5 comments about How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends.

1. I knew I was purchasing an abridged CD, but what I didn't know was this CD is only 40 minutes long? It looks like it is a #1 of others. Not happy paying for a CD that is abridged at only 40 minutes. How long is the unabridged. Is there an unabridged out there. How long is it, and how much is it.



2. This book is a great book. The tips and techniques are very sensible and they work. I've been reaching out to more people this year and amazed at how easy it makes it to initiate and form connections with others simply by offering greetings and small talk. This book gives anyone the tips needed to start developing a richer social life and interpersonal skills to stimulate and enhance connections with all sorts of people.



3. I am surprised by some of the reviews suggesting that this book is not very good. I have read at least ten books of this type and this one is by far the best. Don't be deceived by its simplicity and easy to read form: it contains a lot of information including many important subtleties that other books lack, including many books twice as long. The book does exactly what it says in the title: it takes the reader through the process of how to start conversations and make friends. It doesn't make blanket statements like other books do, that in the real world could be disastrous. He explains, in simple but true and useful terms, how conversations start, why some ways of starting a conversation are more risky than others, how to continue a conversation, and so on. The one useful tip that I got from another book rather than this one was the idea of preparing a pithy, witty introductory statement about yourself. (That was from How to Work a Room, Revised Edition: Your Essential Guide to Savvy Socializing) How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends is thoughtful, gentle, and actually teaches you step-by-step how to do what it says in the title. Highly recommended.



4. I found this book to one of the more insightful of the few others on the same/similar subject I had purchased.



5. The easiest way to get to know people is through conversation. Don Gabor outlines the basics of engaging in conversation, and provides tips and techniques to help you overcome initial shyness, ease your way into good conversations and, thereby enhance your business and social life. He applies plenty of practical troubleshooting advice to many typical conversational scenarios, and points out some potential roadblocks that can impede good conversation. Before you even open your mouth, you need to become aware of your body language and that of others. Gabor suggests ways to build up your sensitivity to nonverbal communication so you can apply various conversational techniques, such as "active listening" and scoping for "hot button" topics to start, build up and maintain a dialogue. getAbstract recommends this primer as a quick boost to help you reach out and connect with people in all settings.

1 comments about The Self-Esteem Trap: Raising Confident and Compassionate Kids in an Age of Self-Importance.

1. The author emphasizes that we need to instill a
   sense of values without being overly self-conscious
   or critical. Our children should not be taught to
   be too risk averse or afraid to face the future.
   
   Problems of low self-esteem can be dealt with via
   interdependence and collaborative efforts. Our
   conscience should be grounded in virtue and trust
   to do what is right. Our early childhood identities
   are affirmed and not necessarily changeable.
   
   The primary emotions deal with the following:
   
   o generosity toward others
   o discipline and self-control
   o patience
   o concentration
   o wisdom
   
   There are different types of parental control.
   Laiseez-faire parents act only if the situation
   is unavoidable. They tend to be "laid back"
   in their overall approach to raising children.
   
   Helicopter parents don't want the child to feel
   uncomfortable so they tend to be detached to
   some extent. Nevertheless, children need to
   acquire skills to deal with adversity as part
   of life. Excessive parental control or problem solving
   produces children unable to cope or make real
   decisions.
   
   Parents should encourage empathy, role-reversal
   strategies, creativity, idealism and non-materialism.
   A child needs to affirm his/her identity early on.
   Parents should instill the notion of a conscience
   to do what is right and to give back to others and
   the community at large. Overall, the work is excellent
   in instructing parents on coping with child-rearing.

5 comments about Overcoming Fears.

1. she is an angel on earth her books fill my shelves this cd will make you see life from a different light, it will show you the light within she makes you feel calm just listening to her voice, the affimations, truely work helps you feel better about your life,
   a book the calling of your true self also made me look at life in a new way both uplifting and inspiring helps you understand what we can change with our thoughts by sending them out



2. What ever you do don't listen to this while you drive! It will put you right to sleep. It did not speak to me at all. This was not useful. I prefered the what the bleep do we know.



3. I found this to be somewhat of a duplicate of some of her other works.



4. Thank you for sending the CD so promptly. I really appreciate the price.
   Sincerely,
   
   Lynn



5. I listen to this CD at least once a week, especially when old issues come up. It's always astounding to me how the media and even friends and family can perpetuate the Fear Factor, but like Louise would probably say, When an issue arises, it's there to be released. Thought is power and we can create a safe place in the world by changing our thoughts (which then change our actions). We can create our world. We are safe, secure and protected by love at all times. Blessed be!

5 comments about Should I Stay Or Go? : How Controlled Separation (CS) Can Save Your Marriage.

1. Excellent book and innovative concept. Very good case studies; one or two that will likely apply to the reader's own situation. The title misleads just a bit in that I thought the book was going to help me then-and-there as to whether I should stay or go. It deals more with the task of separating and the rules that go along with it, so that you CAN decide whether to stay or go. I found that this book was excellent as a second-read, behind "Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay." Would absolutely recommend both books for that delicate situation of being in a shaky, unresolved marriage.



2. I really liked the book. It was easy to read and had a lot of useful information. I liked the different relationship examples. Although not one of them were exactly us...there were a few similarities in many of the relationships we could relate to. We did use the contract format, made our own revisions and agreements (although we decided we didn't need a formal signed agreement, we at least covered the points we needed and included a small blurb about the finances as well).
   A great way to help make decisions in a rational way!



3. In the heat of a break up, this book gives practical advice on how to discern what is the best route to take. It was recommended on a chat sight for divorcing couples and I would highly recommend it to people who are still within a disfunctional relationship.



4. Thid wonderful book helps one recognize and intergrate emotional, intellectual and financial consideraions and to rationally consider options.



5. I found this book to be an excellent resource for dealing with my own personal seperation. It gives excellent advice that has already help settle down all the turbulent emotions and is allowing for calmer minds on both sides. Very well written, easy to follow and very real world advice.

5 comments about The Highly Sensitive Person's Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World (Step-By-Step Guides).

1. Dr. Zeff has given me the skills I need to manage my sensitivity. His book includes relaxation techniques, getting proper nutrition and exercise for the sensitive person as well as the importance of having adequate "downtime." He shows how to align the mind, body and soul for inner-peace. He also includes practical information for coping at work and in relationships for the HSP. I now realize that I have a choice in life and don't have to be swept away by the currents of our stressed out culture. Thank you Dr. Zeff!



2. Although this may not be the major work on this topic, this author writes plainly and could even be seen to provide comfort for individuals dealing with high sensitivity. Many students entering adolescence, especially young men, cannot succeed in our large, demanding, overcrowded classrooms and this is the book to give them. Maybe even sit down with them and help them to understand that the combination of what they can control (their diet, amount of intense TV, video games they consume) and what they cannot (school lighting, crowded classrooms, demanding teachers) there is a balance in which they can find success. Highly recommended for parents and teens w/ ADD/ADHD.



3. I was hoping to find "new, practical coping strategies" as quoted by Elaine Aron. This was just recycled holistic/new-age fodder. Granted, some of the suggestions are worthwhile, but I doubt there's anyone who hasn't heard of them many times before. Well, maybe, if people are taking the advice to avoid media like the plague!
   
   As another reviewer mentioned, this book encourages a victim mentality. "Ooo, I'm so sensitive," doesn't work in the real world. We can't all get special treatment (this isn't a disability; ADA doesn't apply to HSP's), and we can't just up and move necessarily, or befriend every jerk. Barney's, "I love you; you love me...." just doesn't work with all people!
   
   I know what I need to do to take care of myself, and I imagine most HSP's have figured this out by trial and error.
   
   I give it a big DUH.



4. People who are highly sensitive get a bum rap. They are blamed for their "OVER-sensitivity". As someone married to a highly sensitive person, I have been one of the blamers. Ted Zeff has produced a work that welcomes the highly sensitive person as a valued member of the human race, with priceless gifts to share with those of us who are less sensitive. This book contributes to the full appreciation of the great diversity that makes up our human family.



5. Extremely insightful information to help those who are highly sensitive and provide tools for self-adjusting and coping. Also excellent resource for family, friends, colleagues to understand these unique people and improve relationships.

5 comments about The BOOK OF VIRTUES.

1. This book was well received for Christmas by our daughter and son-in-law. May they enjoy it for years to come, now that they have a new little family...Excellent service, by the way, from PAM, at EQUALITYBOOKS. I'll do business there again in the future.



2. I am 54 years old and was raised in a way that the poetry and stories mean something to me because of the era in which I was raised. Purity was prized, discipline by spanking was administered and appreciated in time because the alternative was much worse, which created self-discipline in most things. Honesty, responsibility, compassion, courage and faith have been lost in the last twenty years with the "me" generations getting everything they want with instant gratification. The children of today are about to come crashing down hard with the realities of life without virtues. It isn't easy. Nothing is free, and Bennett has compiled a tasteful way of learning some of the lessons without experiencing them personally, which I can tell you, my generation has experienced in spades. Sure, he could have put other stories in that could have expressed it differently, but these were the stories that moved him most, and when we write our "Book of Virtues" we can add the stories that mean the most to us. Reading the "American Book of Poetry" is where it started. Keep up the reading. Keep up the digging and striving for the virtues listed in the book. America needs people of virtue, people of honesty, even people of faith, because right now, the selfish "Gen-X" generation and their children are about to get our nation blown up by the very arrogance the British had that said we know better because of who we are and what we know. Sadly, they know nothing. They have no true hardship or challenges that forge the steel in their spines. Most can't even throw a punch, because violence has been bred out of them. Well, wake up, people, the world is violent, the world is harsh and tough, and without the virtues of self-discipline, faith and courage, they won't have the perseverance to survive.



3. Every parent and grandparent, every mentor, every Sunday school teacher, every educator should a copy of this book. This should be taught to our children.



4. The Book of Virtues by Wm J Bennentt is a collection of fiction and non-fiction stories, each with a moral attached. Before you run back to the crime flicks and sexy, steamy fare on TV, take another look. You know how good it feels to take a cool shower on a hot day? Well .....Virtues by Bennett is a mini-bath for the soul. I like the fact that these tales are not just for children; after all, we big kids need reminders to love our neighbors,do good. do the RIGHT thing, etc. And don't let the author's rather conservative views scare you off! These stories just hold timeless truths you've known since you were little. You've just forgotten.
   
   Diane A Schute New to New Jersey



5. This book makes the point that virtue in both public and private affairs is becoming rare today. Vice does seem to be in its ascendancy. "Old fashioned" virtues such as faithfulness, loyalty and purity are mocked today, but vices like greed and selfishness seem to be promoted everywhere.
   
   Maybe we have taken Aquinas' deadly sins and turned them into our virtues. We all know the old list: sloth, gluttony, envy, and so on. For example, modern advertising has institutionalized the sin of covetousness.
   
   Therefore, it is very refreshing to find a book that unashamedly promotes virtue. William Bennett has put together a plethora of stories, poems, and adages that promote virtue. Many of the stories that the over-50s would have grown up with, but that many young people today would never have heard of, are put together in this great collection.
   
   10 virtues are covered: self-discipline; responsibility; compassion; friendship; work; courage; perseverance; loyalty; honesty; and faith. For each one there are a number of stories, essays and poems included, and these hit home the moral of each particular virtue. In the section on courage, for example, one finds such classics as Jack and the Beanstalk, David and Goliath, Chicken Little, Ulysses and Cyclops, Hansel and Gretel, William Tell, and the "Liberty or Death" speech of Patrick Henry.
   
   This volume serves not just as a guide to great works of moral education, but also to the great works of literature. The range of authors and sources is very impressive: Plato, the Brothers Grimm, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, the Bible, Robert Frost, C.S. Lewis, Abraham Lincoln, Longfellow, and so on.
   
   When reading these great stories, we improve our cultural literacy, and we refine our moral senses. Having been exposed to great writers, to great literature, and to great moral truths is a powerful combination. Young people as well as old will be motivated and inspired to live a more virtuous life after reading or re-reading these moral stories. In this age that promotes vice and that mocks virtue, an anthology such as this serves as a needed corrective.

5 comments about Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them : When Loving Hurts and You Don't Know Why.

1. Very enlightening read. Would recommend this book to any woman who has had one or more dysfunctional relationships with controlling men.



2. I found this book insightful, and it offered revealing case studies on "men who hate women, and they woman who loved them." Yet, I found Dr. Forward's hypothesis that all abusive men are misogynists overly simplified. It is as if she tried to pack as much "evidence" as she could into her "catchy" theory. The book was certainly revolutionary when it came out 22 years ago, but current research and understanding suggest that the nature of abusive men and their relationships is considerably more complex. It is perhaps a good book for "beginners" working with this theme, but if greater depth and understanding is desired, I would recommend "Why Does He do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men", by Lundy Bancroft



3. I am a M/33/5'8" :-).
   
   I understood why girls change their words every moment, why no one cares a person like me with multiple talents, a person who really cares for her and everyone else around.
   
   I understood i am not arrogant, i am not insane but all my friends are cheating me by taking advantage of my enthusiams and attempts to control them .
   
   I understood why those girls like jerks but insult me before everyone.
   
   I controlled my tendency to help others despite that makes me look like a slave.
   
   This book might help everyone in different ways. It may help a frog to keep distance from scorpion. This will help a scorpion understand why a frog would help it. It will help another frog to understand why frogs prefer scorpions to him!!



4. This book amazed me. I was expecting this book to completely demonize a lot of the abusive men and abusive parents. It showed me nobody is above the human condition on how they REACT to certain treatment given by the emotional horrors of psychological abuse. Although there have been huge troubled spots in my relationship and I suspected something was not right about the way I was talked to, reading this book helped justify my claims and feelings. Nowhere near the abusive level of some of the couples but enough for me to see why I wasn't at my potential in my own relationship of where I wanted to be with myself and him. I had a tough self-journey of actually releasing the anger I never got to express before until now. I feel so much better and this book is a great reading tool for any type of relationship even if you are perfectly healthy. For the rough patches as a couple, this book will help guide you as to what not to tolerate and how to stand up for yourself when you feel something is wrong. It doesn't mean you are bad and it doesn't mean the verbal abuser is evil. It means you must take responsibility for your actions whether you are the messenger or on the receiving end. You have to read it to understand it!



5. If you need this book, and are aware of it, the subject content won't surprise you. I found it a tedious read with too many examples... which are aplenty online.