5 comments about Guide to Getting It On, 5th Edition.

1. I have been using this book since 1998 and I have been giving it as a gift to anyone interested in sex. This is well written, well researched book, and the authors know when to poke fun and when to be serious making it a balanced read.
   The best part about this book is you can read it cover to cover and gain insight into all aspects of sex including the social history or you can grab the index and read only the sections that apply to you and you won't feel like you're missing something.



2. This book is one of the best guides you can find for overall, general information about the sex act. It is very ambitious, and runs the gamut from top to bottom, left to right and every other direction. It's fun to read, and is a must for any sexually active couple. Couples may also like a more specific book about oral sex. The Sensuous Couple's (Flip Over) Guide to Seismic Oral Sex is highly recommended because it is a flip over book. One side is dedicated to cunnilingus; flip it over, and the other side is dedicated to fellatio. Both acts get equal treatment, and it is not necessarily heterosexually biased. Highly recommended.



3. Sorry, but I'm the author of this book, and they wouldn't print this note unless I gave the book a star rating.
   
   We've been wrestling with Amazon for the past year to have the current 5th edition of the GUIDE TO GETTING IT ON come up first when shoppers do a search. It still doesn't. Instead, the 3rd edition from 2001 comes up. Heck, the German edition comes up before the current 5th edition!
   
   I pride myself on making sure that you get the absolute latest information, and I put more work into each new edition than a lot of authors put into an entire new book. You are selling yourself short if you read anything other than the current 5th edition, which is light years better than the 4th edition.
   
   You might ask, what's changed about sex? There's a tremendous amount of new information about human sexuality that is coming out all of the time. We are constantly finding out that we've been wrong about certain things, plus there's new research findings to analyze and integrate. At any given time, I've got a "must read" stack of new publications about sexuality that is at least three feet high--from the latest in the Journal of Sexual Medicine to learning about new sex slang.
   
   If you are reading The Guide, I hope you'll make sure it is the latest edition--which for now is the 5th with a publication date of 2006. We did an updated 2nd printing of this edition in June of 2007.



4. By Dr. Paul Joannides - repost
   Sorry, but I'm the author of this book, and they wouldn't print this note unless I gave the book a star rating.
   
   We've been wrestling with Amazon for the past year to have the current 5th edition of the GUIDE TO GETTING IT ON come up first when shoppers do a search. It still doesn't. Instead, the 3rd edition from 2001 comes up. Heck, the German edition comes up before the current 5th edition!
   
   I pride myself on making sure that you get the absolute latest information, and I put more work into each new edition than a lot of authors put into an entire new book. You are selling yourself short if you read anything other than the current 5th edition, which is light years better than the 4th edition.
   
   You might ask, what's changed about sex? There's a tremendous amount of new information about human sexuality that is coming out all of the time. We are constantly finding out that we've been wrong about certain things, plus there's new research findings to analyze and integrate. At any given time, I've got a "must read" stack of new publications about sexuality that is at least three feet high--from the latest in the Journal of Sexual Medicine to learning about new sex slang.
   
   If you are reading The Guide, I hope you'll make sure it is the latest edition--which for now is the 5th with a publication date of 2006. We did an updated 2nd printing of this edition in June of 2007.



5. My therapist told me about this book and said it was not psycho babble, but edgy, funny, informative, and extremely helpful. Well, with that kind of reccomendation, I went to Amazon and found and bought it! It arrived quickly and that night I started reading, it is all the things my shrink said and more! Anyone wanting to put some spice in your sex life, for couples that are getting bored, and anyone else who is puzzled about their sex life, this is the one!!

5 comments about What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self.

1. Loved reading these letters and learning about the lives of those who wrote them! Excellent and inspiring!



2. We should all take the time to reflect on what we have learned through the years. And reminisce about how naive we once were. It took courage for these women to share their most vulnerable moment and I thank them for that. Their stories have helped me in accept the beauty of maturing and accepting who I have become. I have given this book as a gift to several girlfriends for their birthdays. I just wish I would have had the foresight to read a book like this when I was younger...but then again, I may not have really understood it.



3. I read this book and it was comforting and validating for me to know that so many famous women have experienced many of life's struggles that us everyday women are challenged with. Many of the letters give important insights and inspirational advice in an honest, approachable and down-to-earth manner. I will definately refer back to many of the letters in this book that struck a cord with me. Great advice for all women of all ages, in all walk of life.



4. some authors included in this work give you enough background to understand why they advise their younger selves the way they do. Other authors are just vague. It's nice to compare their experiences and roads to self-development to mine and for that reason it's a good read to keep on the shelf; besides the awesome women included in it.



5. Excellent book to help guide women that it's okay to make mistakes in your younger years.

5 comments about It's Not About Me: Rescue From the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy.

1. I never really got into this book. May have been me? I found it to be simplistic and slow, never really held my interest. I did finally finish the book, but to be honest, I didn't retain anything of a positive nature.



2. Somehow, I've managed to be a Christian for over a decade without ever reading a book by Max Lucado, though of course, I'm quite familiar with his name. I picked up this book because the subject matter sounded good. Unfortunately, Mr. Lucado's writing, which was full of jokes, often inappropriate, as well as his quoting of The Message Bible (which is not at all faithful to the Word of God), soon turned me away. In addition, he seemed to say the same thing a thousand times and to just be padding the book, which is still only 140 pages!
   
   Here's an example of the constant joking: "The moon is happy to do so! [to reflect the glory of the sun] You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won't hear ol' Cheeseface grumble." p 6 I feel the sunning and mooning bit is inappropriate in any context. The example of the moon reflecting the sun's glory was fine, but all of the other joking distracts from his message. And there were numerous other examples in the 27 pages I read of this constant joking.
   
   Are you familiar with Psalm 29, which begins (in the NKJV), "Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord Glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Well he quotes The Message Bible which begins the psalm, "Bravo, God, braco! Gods and all angels shout, "Encore!" In awe before the glory, in awe before God's visible power. Stand at attention! Dress your best to honor Him!" That is NOT the Word of God! And it doesn't even capture much of the meaning. How does worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness become about dressing our best to honor Him?????
   
   And those first 27 pages could have been condensed into 4 or 5 once you removed the joking and the constant repetitiveness. Each chapter really felt like a 1-page devotional desperately padded with fluff to make it into a whole chapter.
   
   Definitely pass on this book. Maybe other books by this author are more appropriate, but I don't expect to be reading any others to be finding out. I'm very disappointed.



3. this book is uplifting, and a nice reminder just who is in charge of our lives. it really is not about me, God is the center of all the choices I make and the reason I honor Him every day through my actions and words.



4. Here's a simple, sensible, and sound plan for re-programming your life. We've long acted as if our self-interest should shape our every decision. In this compelling missive, Max Lucado suggests, that is much like the flea in the elephant's ear taking pride and claiming credit for rattling the footbridge they just crossed. Following the clear message at the core of this book will lead to peace above all, and in all likelihood, to unimagined joy, an integrated and congruent life, and often, prosperity as well. What, or who, is at the center of your life, and why? With illustrations, personal stories, and much encouragement, Max Lucado asks those questions and supports the reader as he or she searches for answers.



5. "It's Not About Me" is a title with a simple purpose: to realize that life does not revolve around us. Instead, we are remember that God is our Maker and He has the right to do what He wants and we are to submit to His agenda for our lives.
   
   Some of the important points include:
   
   1. Our struggles can be used for God's glory.
   2. Our bodies belong to God and we should not abuse them.
   3. Our salvation depends on His grace instead of our self-effort.
   4. We are to reflect God's glory in our lives.
   5. We are to "promote" God instead of ourselves.
   
   Lucado writes in a clear style that gracefully challenges the reader to think outside of him/herself.
   
   A good read that will encourage you to be more God-centered and others-centered and less about being self-centered.
   
   Read and enjoy! Recommended.

5 comments about Men, Love & Sex: The Complete User's Guide for Women.

1. Every page of every section has something focused on the sex issue, overkill. Definitely not geared toward anyone already married. Although it has some very good tidbits of info, doesn't really fulfill what it promises.



2. I was disappointed, it is not very specific in regards to men, love or sex. I was hoping for a good book like, "What Men Want" by the three professional men. This book is just way too general, although he throws in an occasional statistic. Kind of funny, but light on specific and applicable information. I read it in one sitting. Go for the other book- it's excellent!



3. I found a few revelations in this book about what men want and need. I thought I already knew that, but I didn't. You'll have to read the book to find out what they are. Personally, I believe men and women would do a lot better with each other if they didn't think so much and just did what comes naturally. Romance, love and sex aren't really all that complicated. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you want to. I'm pretty sure there is one thing men want, and that is oral sex. Women not only want oral sex, but a large majority of them need it in order to orgasm. Here's a book that will answer that need for both men and women: Was that an earthquake? The Sensuous Couple's (Flip Over) Guide to Seismic Oral Sex. It's a fun flip over book, with everything you need to know about fellatio on one side and everything you need to know about cunnilingus on the other side.



4. I bought this book for my wife in order to help her understand the mind of a man. She doesn't seem to get it after 20 years of marriage. However, I read it first just to make sure that it applied to me. I was very pleased with the book. It was "on the money" overall. There were a couple of sections that didn't apply to me, but probably once did, e.g., the section on deciphering a man's pickup line.
   
   The material was presented in a very practical way, however, it didn't get into much depth. Depth may not be necessary as long as a woman can get a general idea of the mind of men. What I mean is that this book doesn't deal with psychology. It just gives you practical insight into how guys think.
   
   I did hope that the book would cover specific topics for married men. Most of the examples and illustrations seemed to involve boyfriend/girlfriend relationships in my opinion -- though I wasn't necessarily keeping count. It just felt that way to me.
   
   If you are looking for a book to give to your wife so that she could understand men better and therefore understand you, then I highly recommend this book. I was really anxious to read it when I first got it just to see how accurate it was from my own thinking and I was pleased that it really did describe me and my thinking patterns. I guess that means that I'm a typical guy. Whoa!
   
   Now hopefully my wife will read it. The ultimate goal is to improve our relationship. Not that we have a bad marriage or anything like that. There are many issues that persist that I feel could be resolved if my wife just understood how I think so that she would hopefully be able to communicate with me more effectively. I would like to do the same for her. Again. This was a very good book.



5. But I was disappointed. I'm in my early twenties and multiracial, if that may help you in understanding where I'm coming from. Though I'm young, I've been divorced and remarried within that time, so needless to say, I really wanted to understand men, the good and the bad. With this book, (which I bought hardcover because I didn't want to wait the extra few weeks for the paperback, what a waste) all I felt I got was excuses.
   
   I'm married to a very good man and this book, doesn't apply to him at all. However, it excused every bad thing I couldn't stand about my ex. Maybe I should've looked for a book written by a psychologist, not by a men's magazine editor. The thing is though, David Zinczenko, writes an excellent weekly column that I used to read via Yahoo. This is why I picked up his book in the first place. I figured it would be entertaining and informative, instead it lacked insight and offered no real advice to women. Who did you want to read this? Because the questions and answers went something like this to me.
   
   Q. Why does my husband/boyfriend never want to go over to dinner at my parents?
   
   A. Well most men don't like situations in which they might be uncomfortable, it's your job to be understanding because this is how a man is.
   
   What? Are you serious? That's the way a man is and that's just is. Caveman ooga booga, testosterone, penis, football, blah blahblah.
   Maybe the answers in this book were acceptable to most of you, (men I'm hoping), but for someone genuinely trying to understand a man, it fell way short.
   
   I was looking for more in depth answers, maybe based on some studies, psychological maybe, doctor approved maybe? For example, something interesting I've learned within the past year is that men need sex to feel attached to a woman, therefore it's in a woman's best interest in a relationship to make sure they have a healthy sex life because it's an emotional need as well as a physical need. Helpful, informative, creates understanding, not just breed frustration.
   
   I will say one new annoyance of mine in this journey in trying to understand men. One theme in this book and I've heard elsewhere in television, is the issue of masturbation. In general, it seems as though according to the "experts" women are not allowed to have any negative feelings regarding the frequency of their men's masturbation, no matter if it makes sense or not. According to these people it seems to me, I should just let him have his time, anytime of the day, whether we've had sex recently or not, shutup and just let it happen.
   
   I thought we were done with such blatant inequality in relationships. I want to see the female counterpart of this book and if it's just as biased, then I'm just alone in the world as a person who wants true understanding between the sexes.

5 comments about Five Simple Steps to Emotional Healing: The Last Self-Help Book You Will Ever Need.

1. I've been using energy tapping for several years. I went through two of Gary Craig's courses, then began buying books on the subject for further (and different) information. Gloria Arenson's book is simply the best. The reviews here cover most of what I was going to say, so I'll just add a paragraph.
   
   First, the author lays eveything out in a clear, friendly, useful way. Second, she gives helpful examples instead of miraculous case histories. Third, she makes difficult exercises palatable. For instance, I have a hard time sincerely declaring forgiveness for childhood abuse; it never feels honest. But Gloria Arenson, in this neat little book, gives the option of saying something like "My happiness and well-being are no longer dependent on my mother's approval," which is much easier for me to say than "I understand my mother did the best she could with what she knew, so I forgive her."
   
   Little things like this make Five Simple Steps unique. If you're interested in energy tapping, buy it! I ordered a copy for my husband so we can each brightline our own favorite information.



2. Having purchased and watched the DVDs from Gary Craig regarding the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), I was curious as to whether Ms. Arenson's book would bring any additional insights into applying it; it certainly did. I particularly liked the large number of real-world examples that she cites. If you are interested in a highly practical book about applying EFT to address all sorts of issues, I highly recommend this one.



3. After reading this book I finally feel confident enough to use EFT, or "Meridian Therapy" as the author prefers to call it, by myself! The book lays out the process in a very clear, concise and friendly manner. This is accomplished in the first 50 or so pages. (For instance, the locations of the tapping points are shown more clearly than I've seen anywhere else.)
   
   The rest of the book provides more in-depth examples and case studies, to assist in making it even more easy to understand the process.
   
   This book gives you more than the method; it also boosts your self-confidence so you more easily get started on the journey. Very strongly recommended!



4. I'd just like to echo the positive reviews. The author explains different types of Meridian therapies (I started with Gary Craig's EFT) and simplifies the process. It helped me to make sense out of the concepts and methods. Highly recommended and does not take long to read.



5. The idea is tapping the energy centers on our body balances/removes the negative energy around us.
   
   So, you think of the problem you'd like to get rid of, say an opposing affirmation you'd like to neutralize it with, then tap/rub the energy centers, and heal it away.
   
   Well, try it. I did, I felt better right away. It's a nice skill to learn. Teach it to your kids, to your friends, family, it's easy and so simple to do.
   
   To do it on animals, just imagine being your pet, and do the same process as your pet.
   
   Best with your healings!

5 comments about Secrets of Antigravity Propulsion: Tesla, UFOs, and Classified Aerospace Technology.

1. I admit this book covers a wide range of researches made on electrogravitics in the past. However, there are many experimental results and theories on gravity control, those are not mentioned in this book. In web sites, such as the You Tube, the readres could find furthermore interesting topics on electrogravitic experiments, whic were conducted at diffrent places in the world.



2. The secret history of antigravity experimentation from Tesla to the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber is covered in a survey of advanced gravity-control technologies under secret military development for decades. Numerous field-propulsion devices and technologies that have huge thrust-to-power ratios are surveyed in chapters which offer new science ideas and theories perfect for any new age library.



3. I'm not much for conspiracy theories, but... there is just way to much information here into subquantum kinetics and electrogravitic propulsion systems that work to be validly discounted. It is pretty conclusive that gravity has polarity, and our current physics paradigm is insufficient to explain the results achieved. Experiments by Tesla, Brown, Searl and others also show that generators can be constructed that produce energy vastly in excess of the energy required to operate them.
   
   These experiments date back 60+ years, but once they went "black" under US Military control, no further information was available, that is until the B-2 bomber was unveiled. It seems the US government embraces subquantum kinetics, but keeps it secret, even though it would solve our energy problems, pollution, and global warming.
   
   The book delves into the "actual" propulsion of the B-2 which corresponds perfectly with the known research and experiments into electrogravitic propulsion. At one point, Boeing, after completing classified propulsion work for the government, felt it would be of fantastic benefit for use in commercial aviation. They applied for declassification, but of course, were denied.
   
   The author even tried to submit data to NASA on shuttle propulsion, but NASA appears to be nothing more than a puppet organization for military PR to the public, since the military already has their own covert space program in place.
   
   This is an excellent book, but unless you understand college physics and higher math, it will be very hard to follow.



4. 
   The book "anti-gravity propulsion" from Paul LaViolette is a very dense and extremely well documented work on new technologies that offer brilliant perspectives for solving the world energy crisis, though being totally unknown in the public because of security classification. A must-read for any scientifically oriented person with an opening to paradigm-changing perspectives.



5. Although the title is slightly misleading - yes, Tesla is mentioned a few times but his work is not explored in much depth - this is a very informative book. It is more or less a history book written by a scientist. It explores the work of T. Townsend Brown in some depth and examines The Searl Effect in some detail. Perhaps unfortunately, quite a bit of the information in this book is speculation because black ops projects are, by their very nature, extremely secretive.
   
   I must give credit where credit is due, however, because it is a very thought provoking book. One of the nice things about this book is that the appendices are well designed. Several patents are mentioned throughout the text and they are all listed in one of the appendices for easy reference and if you know where to look on the Internet you can download and study them yourself.

5 comments about The Angry Heart: Overcoming Borderline and Addictive Disorders : An Interactive Self-Help Guide.

1. As a mental health therapist who specializes in treating BPD, I use this book in my BPD Group Therapy. The women may not recognize their own behaviors in themselves, but they can see their behaviors in others. The excerises are great and when done in a group setting, they offer support and validation from other members.
   
   Although other research or treatments are not mentioned, it is a tool that can work well for some BPD people. I have found it helpful and so have the women who have used the book. I do use DBT at times along with the book, but for the most part, the book is the foundation of the Group.
   
   D.B., M.A., LPC, WY



2. I really love this book and it's a huge help for my recovery. I especially like that you can contact the authors and get feedback about your exercises and recovery. The exercises and journal entries are painful, but the authors explain that in order to fully recover, you have to practice "extinction." I highly recommend this book to anyone with Borderline Personality or other similar disorders.



3. I read this book to better understand my now ex-boyfriend. It helped me to not take personally his actions and gave me understanding and empathy. It will help a loved one of BPD to listen and react in ways that can help facilitate the journey to recovery. Although the book could not save our relationship, I am hopeful because he is now reading this book. The book offers steps to recovery through detailed exercises. The authors covered every area to guide the person with BPD to recovery. Awesome book!



4. This book is an excellent guide for understanding borderline personality disorder and addictive behaviors. It clearly outlines the recovery steps someone with these disorders must take to live their life again. This book is very helpful to read as a family member of someone with bpd, as it gives you insight into how to have a relationship with someone recovering from borderline and other addictive behaviors. The book is well written and easy to read with practical advise.



5. Every therapist who treats people with borderline personality disorder should use this book. It's an organized way to move through steps necessary for the recovery process. Would also work great in a group therapy setting with an "AA" type approach. I would recommend this to anyone recovering from this disorder.

5 comments about The Interpretation of Dreams (Oxford World's Classics).

1. Freud's book must be read by anyone who studies dreams, because it contains about 220 dreams and valuable information about the dreamers' life experiences related to their dreams. But, his wish fulfillment theory of dreams is definitely wrong both concerning its origin and its consequences, as explained below.
   
   Freud began to interpret his patients' spontaneously reported dreams by likening them to daydreams and psychotic hallucinations. Everyone knows that daydreams are produced for fulfilling wishes in an imaginary way, and psychologists know that most psychotic hallucinations constitute imaginary fulfillments of wishes frustrated in the waking state. But, likening waking-state products to sleep-state products does not look realistic, because the waking state is a time for fulfilling wishes, whereas the sleep state is known to realize resting and self-restoration rather than realizing new successes and gains. So, Freud's first step in dream interpretation was most probably wrong.
   
   Nevertheless Freud became convinced that dreams meant wish fulfillments because of two dreams that he misinterpreted, as explained below.
   
   Pepi's dream: Medical student Pepi H. was late to wake up one morning, and the landlady called through the door: "Wake up, Herr Pepi! It's time to go to the hospital!" He dreamed that he was lying in bed in a room in the hospital, and there was a card over the bed on which was written: "Pepi H., medical student, age 22." He went on sleeping, thinking that he was already in the hospital.
   
   It is evident that Pepi had, in the disabling state of half-sleep, the incompatible wishes of staying in bed and going to the hospital. Both of these wishes were fulfilled by the image of him in bed in the hospital. This cannot be considered a true dream because of several reasons: (1) Pepi was in a state between sleep and wakefulness; (2) both of his wishes belonged to the waking state instead of being activated in the sleep state; (3) his two wishes frustrated each other; and (4) therefore the image of him in bed in the hospital, which fulfilled both of his wishes in an imaginary way, looks more like a psychotic hallucination than a true dream.
   
   On the other hand, the image of the card on the bed, which was apparently produced after he fell asleep, can be considered a true dream element seeking to terminate the failure to go to the hospital by conveying the following message: "You are not a patient, and you are not a child; you are a medical student of age 22! So, get up and do what you have to do!" The last part of this message was only implied.
   
   We see that, after baselessly likening dreams to psychotic hallucinations, Freud had the bad luck of encountering a mental product that was half hallucination and half dream and took it for a true dream. Below is a dream that is similar to Pepi's dream.
   
   A man who had been driving all night was desperately trying to stay awake and to keep the car on the road, or rather to keep the road in front of the car, as he later remembered. The car jolted twice with no apparent reason, and he woke up in a cornfield. We understand that the image of the road in front of the car had become a hallucination caused by the wish and the failure to keep the road in front of the car in the disabling state of half-sleep. It is also possible that this hallucination was then replaced by a "sleep-preserving" dream when sleep prevailed. Thus, a hallucination was produced in the state of half-sleep and was then transformed into a dream when sleep took over, just like it happened to Pepi.
   
   Freud's dream "Irma's injection" (Freud 1900). This dream of Freud's about a hysterical patient of his gave to him the final conviction that dreams meant wish fulfillments. He had it 9 months before he delivered his lecture The Etiology of Hysteria, in which he exposed his seduction theory of hysteria, according to which this disorder is caused by sexual abuse suffered in childhood. This means that the thoughts expressed in this dream were produced in conformity with the seduction theory. But when he published the interpretation of this dream in his book on dreams, he had already switched to the fantasy theory of hysteria, which said that this disorder was caused by repressed unacceptable fantasies, or wishes, of sexual nature. Thus, the dream's thoughts were based on the seduction theory of hysteria, whereas its interpretation presented by Feud in his book was based on the fantasy theory. But despite this discrepancy, Freud produced an interpretation that is correct to a great extent. He misinterpreted only the part of the dream that explained the cause of hysteria and the part that said that hysteria was incurable, as shown below.
   
   The dream is about Freud's failure to cure his patient Irma. Many psychologists believe that Irma represented Freud's patient Emma Eckstein and others like her, whom he had failed to cure. Freud recognized correctly the subject of the dream as the presentation of several causes of his failure to cure Irma. For example, Irma did not cooperate with Freud and did not believe his interpretations, which must have been based on the seduction theory, and physicians ignorant of hysteria influenced the therapy negatively. Freud interpreted these parts of the dream correctly, including even the part that accused Freud of believing a physician's wrong diagnosis without examining the patient himself. He had to say, "the material was, one might say, impartial." We can say that the dream expressed the truth, as it was known to the dreamer, as Jung believed. The accusations directed to the physicians were realistic external attributions of Freud's failure. Freud interpreted them as "revenge on other doctors" and "derision of physicians who are ignorant of hysteria." The dream accused physicians of ignoring that hysteria was caused by sexual abuse, as explained below, whereas Freud implied that they ignored its cause explained by the fantasy theory.
   
   The dream explained the cause of her illness as sexual violation and declared that it was incurable because it was impossible to undo the violation. This is the part that Freud misinterpreted, knowingly or by mistake, which in reality carried the following message: "Physicians thought that hysteria could be cured by physical, physiological intervention, but this is absurd, because hysteria is caused by sexual violation which cannot be undone. You all directly know that your colleague who was staying with her gave her an injection. Injections of that sort should not be made so thoughtlessly. That was a dirty injection, and you know very well what it was." The negative idea that hysteria could not be cured by physical/physiological intervention is expressed in the dream through an absurdity (this being one of the means of expressing negative ideas in dreams): Someone suggested in the dream that dysentery would intervene and Irma would be cured. This absurd thought exposed the physicians' ignorance, but also the fact that sexual violation could not be undone and therefore hysteria could not be cured. This dream shows clearly why Freud chose to lie about the cause of hysteria and switched from the seduction theory to the fantasy theory of it. Evidently, he had thought that the only means of curing hysterical patients was to deny that the sexual abuse had happened. That was the only means of "undoing" the abuse which was said by his dream to be impossible.
   
   Freud's overall interpretation of the dream was that it "represented a particular state of affairs as I should have wished it to be. Thus its content was the fulfillment of a wish and its motive was a wish." So, Freud became convinced that dreams meant wish fulfillments by summarizing the meaning of Irma's dream taking into consideration only what he liked in the dream and ignoring, for example, the accusations directed to him by the dream and the fact the dream said that the real cause of hysteria was being sexually abused.
   
   Freud's final belief about the meaning of dreams is this: "A dream is a (disguised) fulfillment of a (suppressed or repressed) wish."
   
   One of the arguments that Freud used to support his wish fulfillment theory was that the mind could do nothing but fulfilling wishes, and because realistic wish fulfillment was impossible during the sleep state, it was done in the form of perception. This argument is obviously wrong, because the mind does plenty of preparatory work before it can actually fulfill a wish, and much of such work can be non-pleasurable. Ignoring these facts, Freud interpreted everything in a dream as an actual wish fulfillment, as exemplified by his misinterpretation of his Irma dream, which presented, for example, several non-pleasurable causes of his failure to cure Irma. I have shown elsewhere that a complete dream contains three types of thought (expressed in Freud's terminology): the frustration of a wish, the causes of the frustration, and the means of fulfilling it. Irma dream was about Freud's failure to cure her but did not present a means of fulfilling it and said instead that curing her was impossible, this being his honest opinion.
   
   Freud's idea of the disguised fulfillment of suppressed or repressed wishes had one more source. He wrote in his letter of January 3, 1899 to Fliess: "I now understand why in spite of all my efforts I have not yet finished the dream book . . . . I shall be able to present the psychic process in dreams in such a way that it also includes the process in the formation of hysterical symptoms." How Freud "discovered" that psychic process is explained below.
   
   Freud's friend Fliess claimed that hysteria could be cured by a surgical operation performed on the nose of the patient. Freud believed him, and Fliess performed an operation on Emma's nose on February 20, 1895. On March 6, 1895, a second operation was performed by another friend of Freud, and half-a-meter of gauze was removed from Emma's nose. The gauze had been accidentally left in by Fliess and had caused excessive bleeding that had nearly killed her. Nose-bleeding continued even after the second operation and was probably a consequence of the two operations. But Freud wrote to Fliess about Emma on May 4, 1896: "She became restless during the night because of an unconscious wish to entice me to go there, and since I did not come, she renewed the bleeding, as an unfailing means of rearousing my affection." And he wrote to him on February 19, 1899: "It is not only dreams that are fulfillments of wishes, but hysterical attacks as well. This is true of hysterical symptoms, but it probably applies to every product of neurosis."
   
   We see that Freud's wish fulfillment theory of dreams and symptoms was a consequence of baseless generalizations, misinterpretations of some dreams, invalid arguments, and the wrong and wishful interpretation of a physiological phenomenon. Thus, Freud's theory is untenable as far as its origin is concerned. It is equally without proof concerning its consequences, as explained below.
   
   Freud believed that every event that a dreamer could associate with the images of his or her dream in the waking state was part of the meaning of the dream. And he interpreted all that material as wish fulfillment by using devices such as displacement, inversion, and other types of disguising to make the dream fit his theory. It is evident that any event can be interpreted in any way one wishes by using such devices. Even this procedure shows that Fred's theory is wrong.
   
   Freud's theory is refuted also by the difficulty he experienced in explaining the emergence of anxiety in dreams and his total failure to interpret the so-called "incest dreams." He wrote in a footnote added to a later edition of his book on dreams that anxiety was experienced in dreams by consciousness when an unacceptable wish was fulfilled without being sufficiently disguised. But if this were true, "incest dreams" interpreted as wish fulfillments would be dreams of highest anxiety, which is not the case. They are found revolting in the waking state by being interpreted wrongly as wish fulfillments. I explained elsewhere that "incest dreams" mean that sex partners must intimately know, love, and respect each other. The wish fulfillment theory has not been useful in psychotherapy either.
   
   However, to repeat, Freud's book must be read by anyone who studies dreams, because it contains about 220 dreams and valuable information about the dreamers' life experiences related to their dreams. The book also contains some of Freud's own dreams, of which the correct interpretations tell much about his life experiences and the true geneses of his theories. Moreover, the book exposes the importance of unconscious thinking, although Freud misinterpreted the contents of the unconscious and the aims of its products, as I further explained elsewhere.
   
   Cognitive-Behavioral Cybernetics of Symptoms, Dreams, Lateralization: Theory, Interpretation, Therapy
   
   Theory Construction and Testing in Physics and Psychology



2. I just got my 2007 edition copy of "Interpretation of Dreams" in the mail so I haven't had a chance to read it. So this rating is only on the particular edition that is published by NuVision. They did not include an index or any information about who translated this version. Also, the table of contents is nearly worthless; no detail what-so-ever about the chapters, not even titles of the chapters, just Chapter 1 etc. and a page number. Even though you may think a newer publication is better, this one is much much worse and more expensive. Go with the 1980 publication. I'm returning the book to Amazon (who gets 5 stars for customer service!)



3. This is a new translation (2006) of Freud's Interpretation of Dreams. I hope someone qualified might soon comment on the merits or significance of this new translation. Meanwhile, the Editorial Review information offered for this book comes from an earlier edition of a different translation of Freud's work, FWIW. And the second paragraph in the editorial review prelim is entirely inappropriate--it's for another book altogether.
   
   I give Freud's book (not the translation) a low rating because it is misleading. It's not about the interpretation of dreams in general, but more specifically it's, covertly of course, about Freud's own dreams. More basically, it's about "infantile memories" he claimed dreams concealed. (For more explanation of this point, one could consult "If Freud's Theory Be True..." in Psychological Reports (1992, 70, 611-620), which would explain how Freud himself tells us his book is not about what it appears to be about.



4. i did a report on this book about 11 years ago. i am still excited by the book although it is not the original more like a summary. i still enjoyed reading.



5. Naturally, I required this book for my comparison of Freud and Adler's dream analysis theories. Freud was one of a kind!

5 comments about Becoming a Millionaire God's Way: Getting Money to You, Not from You.

1. Becoming a Millionaire God's Way: Getting Money to You, Not from YouJust what I needed to understand to move to the next level of millionaire status God's way



2. To label this book as inspiring and fantastic would be an understatement. It is simply phenomenal and challenges the reader to develop a different mentality regarding prosperity. I have never in my wildest dreams imagined that the God of the universe, in whose image we are created, would rather His children live in mediocrity and suffer throughout life. It always seemed contrary to me. Although we do encounter tribulation, it is never meant to be a life long struggle.
   
   He discuses several points but not limited to the following: Money is good for the good that it can do; and we are to be good stewards of the money that God allows us to receive and not simply squander it all away, although Anderson maintains that God would love to have us enjoy the wealth. He also maintains that we must give in order to partake in increase.
   
   This book resonated with the very depths of my soul, as if God Himself was speaking through each page. What strengthens his book further is the fact that he includes copious amounts of scriptural references for validation. If you are looking for a refreshing idea regarding prosperity, then this book is for you. I only wish I could have given more stars.



3. This book was a life changing experiance for me. I learn how finacianlly ililerate I was and that there is a better life avalible for anyone who wants to take the oppertunity to learn about it. It opened a lot of doors from me and showed a new ways of thinking. The author wrote it in such a pleasent way that it was hard to put it down. He used examples that I could apply to my everyday life and helped me get control of my finacial situations. I recommend this book for everyone looking to get control back as well.



4. Becoming a Millionaire God's Way: Getting Money to You, Not from You
   This is an excellent study on becoming finacially literate. Thomas Anderson explains the importance of where and how we use money.
   I know Thomas Anderson well, and know that his advise works, because that is how he did it himself.
   I highly recommend any of Thomas Anderson's books, I have read several, and find them all helpful in improving my life.



5. This is one of those books that is potentially life changing. I am impressed with the way the author ties money management to biblical principles. I feel I received an education in both religion and the handling of money. I am using many of the principles in this book, and can already see them at work making positive changes in my life.

5 comments about How to Love Yourself.

1. I play this CD at night and it helps me fall asleep knowing that I love myself and tomorrow will be a new day.



2. This is just a CD made from a motivational speaking engagement. I found the content lame and typical of any run-of-the-mill motivational speaker. No real insight and with bunch of hokey ideas like the 'The Secret'. I believe 'healthy' optimism is important. But some of these all-you-need-is-to-want-it type of teaching just encourages the I-want-it-now-without-hardwork culture this country is becoming.



3. One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel
   
   I love myself..I love myself...Louise Hay is a master at sharing with us..how to do just that...when I am sharing with others...my past..I let them know..it was teachers like Louis Hay..that helped me love myself...I love myself..say it 200 0r 300 times a day...



4. How to Love Yourself For those who never learned or have forgotten how to love themselves, Louise Hay provides some very practical considerations and guidance. I listen to this and other of her CD's regularly, and I am realizing their positive impact on how I think and belive, which in turn has had a positive impact on what I experience in my life.



5. I never thought that I would give a one star review to a Louise Hay product as I love her work. But this 23 minutes CD is a total waste of money. It is interesting to note that many of the reviewers don't even review the CD, they talk about her other CD's. Here is why...
   
   The description of this CD bears NO RESEMBLANCE TO WHAT YOU HEAR. I bought the AUDIBLE/ITUNES VERSION which is apparently the same as this one. This is NOT one of those great live Louise Hay lectures you were hoping to hear. I just picked up a copy at ITUNES and there is no lecture portion. It is about 18 minutes of hokey "love yourself" SONGS, yes someone SINGING about loving yourself. The piano then continues for about 2 minutes while Hay rattles off a few affirmations. Next is a very short meditation you could have dreamed up yourself. Go to a beach and listen to the waves and feel your toes in the sand. Imagine that the water is the ocean of abundance with plenty enough for everyone. See that you have a container to scoop up some. Look at what you are using to scoop it. This says something about your spiritual state. After stating several more times that there is enough for everyone, she suggests you forget the container and build a pipeline from the ocean to your home. We then hear another terrible song. This time it is done with a laughable calypso beat.
   
   I was stunned that she would produce something this bad. If you are in the market for a short lecture that touches on issues of self love, try her "Dissolving Barriers" it is live and with the exception of some minor feedback a much better purchase. If you don't believe me and want to hear part of the first song for yourself, preview this product on ITUNES before you buy it. Also check out the review on Amazon's partner Audible.com. I bought several of her products there. I've listened to this and Dissolving Barriers. I hope none of the others are this bad.