5 comments about NLP: The New Technology of Achievement.

1. Unlike some books and cd's about NLP, this cd does not promote it as some kind of magical cure all. NLP is presented for what it is, a useful and practical means of changing the way we think and associate things in our brains. Its our internal feedback and associations that feeds our fears and limits our thinking. NLP, is one way of overwriting the circuits in our brains with new and more helpful circuits. This is a no Bull, practical program.



2. This book has it all, as a new NLP enquirer, I loved this book because it gave me the basics all in one book...Must have starter book for beginers or the curious.



3. I like this book. It's easier to follow than my first venture into NLP, which was Anthony Robbins's 'Ultimate Power.' It's not that UP is a bad book--it's very inspirational to be honest--but I think what Robbbins is giving you in UP is how NLP worked for him.
   
   This book is structured better, offers many more exercises, and generally is a more enjoyable read (the more you reflect on your behavioral patterns, the more you understand yourself, and the more you appreciate this book). Also, it doesn't offer the absurd advice on nutrition that Robbins's book does.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks NLP might be for them.



4. I am giving this book two stars- but I begrudge it the second one. It has to be two because it DOES contain the information I bought it for. But I wish I could in good conscience give it one single star- or fewer- because on nearly every page, there's something that makes me want to reach through the book and slap the writers.
   
   I don't enjoy books that effuse with frothy enthusiasm so trillingly that it undercuts the information it's supposed to deliver. And I don't enjoy books where the authors seem to be addressing me and my curiosity about the topic in a sugary voice as if I am a Kindergartner.
   
   So I am not enjoying this book. At all.
   
   I wish that before I'd purchased this book I'd seen the dedication page. It reads: "Dedicated to the joyful heart and soaring spirit of every child reaching for a greater world, especially in yourself."
   
   Now, friends- I sincerely hope your heart is joyful and that your spirit soars. But that sugary prose in the dedication would have tipped me off about what was ahead- and I'd have run for the hills. To get to the information, you have to deal with the authors achingly precious hopes for this book to change your life.
   
   Ever have a cappucino that was all foam with only a little sip of coffee at the bottom of the cup? Remember how you raised the paper cup to your lips and there wasn't anything to swig? Remember the sense that you'd just been ripped off?
   
   Yeah. It's a lot like that.
   
   If you like non-fiction delivered to you like a bed-time story, maybe you'll like this book. But if not-- don't buy this book. Run very fast to the next selection.
   
   If I can stop even one person from buying this book, it was worth my time to write this review.



5. This is a great book on how to improve your performance in any area of your life. I've only just started applying some of the ideas and already I notice that I am able to focus better when I study and dragging myself out of bed in the morning is not as difficult as it once was.

5 comments about Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, & Distress Tolerance (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook).

1. A huge amount of information presented in a systematic way. I bought two workbooks. The other by Scott Spradlin. Both have their strong points. Spradlins is simple and clear and an excellent first choice. It provides a selection of methods which would be useful to anyone. This volume has significantly more detail and much more indepth discussions. While it might be a bit overwhelming, it has so much information that it cannot help but be useful. My only complaint is that the book frequently uses examples that include self mutilation. For this reason I would not give it to anyone who has not thought of cutting as an option.



2. I've been in therapy off and on my whole life and I have never gotten to the root of my problem until this book. It's easy to read and offers actual problem solving exercises you can do in minutes. I bought one for a relative for her birthday and another one for a friend that is in a month long in-patient program. It's been life changing for me!



3. Its an easy read but hard to understand at first. I suggest reading it through once before trying the lessons. The publisher must have rushed this book through I found three errors that should have been caught. One reference to a chart (wrong page). Gender shift (female becomes male in example). Number in the middle of a word. These aren't game breakers but the publisher needs to use a fact checker and spell check to have a great workbook. But the information is important and expressed well i would recommend this book.



4. I have found this workbook to be an invaluable resource in working with clients that struggle with distress tolerance. Not only useful for BPD clients, but also clients with addictions and other self harming behaviors. Everyone that I have used this with has found it to be extremely helpful.



5. If you manage enough creative people, you will need to know what coaching and therapy is available to help them. This book is a must because the method is so powerful.

5 comments about Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust.

1. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. It is a true story of belief and trust in God living in extreme dark, difficult and frightenting times.



2. Because of the book we went to Rwanda and to Kibuye. Rwanda has made a huge impression on us. For a lot of people Rwanda is only a synonymous for the 1994 genocide and still many believe it is a country unsafe to travel due to the war. But Rwanda is so much more. I will not dwell too much into a genocide discussion, as it is something that we foreigners can not understand in all painful details, though sometimes is so easy to judge. But Immaculee is trying to explain what happened and what Rwandan people have gone through.
   
   I will definitely pass this book onto many.



3. An amazing and harrowing tale of Faith, Hope and Forgiveness. A story of survival in the midst of unspeakable horror and acts of inhumanity beyond comprehension. I bought several copies to pass on. I would quantify this book as a must read.



4. This book was recommended by my doctor who is an avid reader. I was afraid to read it at first. I thought it might really make me sad because it is about the Rwandan Holocaust. It was totally amazing! The story is true and is one of the most inspiring I have ever encountered. Immaculee's faithfulness and her trust in God during the most painful of experiences gave my spiritual life a giant shot in the arm!
   I could not put the book down-read it and grow in grace!



5. It was difficult for me to put the book down and I finished it quickly even though I had already seen the author interviewed on three different EWTN TV shows. What an inspiration to overcome evil with good! It reminded me of some of the miracle stories of prisoners of war in Vietnam. Her descriptions of the country and the events left me feeling like I had visited the country in person and gave me a much clearer understanding of the situation in Rwanda. Most important of all it is continuing to help me to forgive others (with God's help) in every circumstance.
   
   Bobbie Lewis

5 comments about The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens.

1. I read this book before I gave it to my thirteen year old son. Because I was told that if gave great insight on the the way that some teenagers think as they go through growing pains. It also was helpful to my child to see that there was someone else who had similar issues and experiences. This book also gave detailed characteristics that a negagtive/unsuccessful teen would have and the positive characteristics that a successful teen should posses. I recommed this book to every parent and there teens to use as a steping stone for opening the means of communication into character building.
   
   Claudette



2. I discovered this book by accident. I found the 365 days version with excerpts and jokingly said to my Mum that I should get it. She was serious that I should and bought it for me. I was intrigued...
   
   That quite possibly changed by life (not dramatically mind you but kept me on the right track). It took me ages to find the full version, but I bought (it wasn't cheap!) and read it straight away (and was a bit rude considering I was staying at someones house as a guest and hid in my room for hours reading!).
   
   It was the first "self help" book I have read and I'd say the best. It is SO easy to read and has lots of pictures and things so it's not just pages and pages of writing.
   
   I have read this book many times and even though I haven't read it for a year or so I can still remember half of the 7 habits and some of my Personal Mission Statement I wrote.
   But anyway, the book is great, easy to read and the stuff makes sense, really quickly - you don't have to sit and think about it for ages, you get it straight away - and you WILL remember it.
   I haven't even bothered reading his father's book - I've seen it in stores and been put off by the pages full of writing.
   
   Give this book a go - even if it is the only "self Help" book you EVER read it won't disappoint you (I have found others just don't match up).
   Give it to your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews or even your adult relatives and friends. Apart from the references to school aduts can still get a lot out of it!
   
   ENJOY!



3. I cringe every time I see this book. I was forced to teach it to a 9th grade advisory class and we all hated every painful minute of it (despite my "give it a chance" attitude--I really did try!). It's a very boring read to begin with, and is filled with unrealistic advice. The worst one I can remember is that he says something along the lines of "success comes from you, not from who you know, the latter of which is a common belief and downfall of many". EXCUSE ME? Are you going to tell me that YOUR success (Sean) has NOTHING to do with your dad's? Come the (insert expletive here) on!
   Teens need guidance that empathizes with them, tells them how to deal with realistic situations, rather than preach at them and tell them that scheduling their lives will make all the difference.
   Please, schools across the country, stop forcing this on our students. This is not the solution to our so-called 'troubled youths'--this book does NOT speak to them (read other reviews here if you don't believe me!)



4. Like many of the reviewers on here, I too was one of the unfortunate teens who had this book thrust upon them in high school. I was always a negativist at heart, so I am naturally critical of self-help programs and feel-good books like this one. But since I was going through a rough patch in my life, I decided to give it an honest chance. Plus, it was given to us at no charge, which I did appreciate.
   
   Unfortunately, this book is only helpful to one of two different types of teens, neither category of which I happened to fall into. First are the type of individuals who are already happy-go-lucky, self-confident, and have already fully developed a sense of identity. Teens who are depressed, have a bad family situation, have financial troubles, or have issues with self-image should forget this book even exists. The second type of rare teenage breed who might actually benefit from this book is the one who has the dedication and the energy to uproot his or her entire life in order to live it according to Sean Covey's strict specifications.
   
   Personally, I found the book to be so overly enthusiastic that it actually sickened me. Covey seems to assume every teenager is of the same mold. He doesn't account for some very important variables which often contribute to teenage stress and hardship (i.e., moving to a new location, domestic violence, the death of a loved one, mental illness, etc.) and the issues he does address are often glossed over in a goofy, unrealistic manner. It's plain to see that Covey, despite his "I-used-to-be-just-like-you" attitude, didn't have too many problems growing up. Perhaps he should have let someone more qualified write this book.
   
   Even the people who might enjoy this text will be turned off by its blatant profiteering. There are copious references to a companion planner that you are supposed to buy, as if all other day planners are somehow incompatible.
   
   My advice for troubled teens: burn this book and keep listening to angry music and playing violent video games. It is far more therapeutic than reading "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens".



5. This is a very good book for middle and high school age kids. It gives them a direction and a way to plan how they live and interact with other teens and adults. I'd also recommend getting the companion workbook The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Workbook [[ASIN:1929494173 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Workbook. It helps cement the concepts covered in the book

5 comments about The Power of Intention.

1. Wayne Dyers books have been a mainstay for me all these years. His books help one to clarify fuzzy thinkin and make positive changes. Along with Deepak Chopra and Esther Hicks and of course The One Command by Asara Lovejoy.



2. Interesting read and application of the force of intention in the universe. Dyer explains this force as an energy that you can reach for and gives true stories on how you can connect and how to use them in your daily life.. This resembles to me The Law of Attraction, the universal law that says through your energy and thoughts you attract what you want. A good book on this subject and how to apply it is Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook Both books achieve the goal of creating the life you want.



3. I just finished reading this book which was given to me by a friend. I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I think there are some very obvious techniques, and certainly not all of this information is new (The Secret, The AMazing Power of Deliberate Intent, A New Earth, ect, but this is very concise about how to train your mind to relanguage things. By relanguage things, I mean to look for the positive, or at least an appeasing explanation for things to snap you out of bad feelings, stress, anger, whatever. One of my favorite stories is of a grandfather talking to his grandson telling him" I have two wolves barking insode of me. The first wolf is filled with anger, hatred, bitterness, and mostly revenge. The second wolf is filled with love, kindness, compassion, and mostly forgiveness." The grandson asks "Which wolf do you think will win?" To which the grandfather responds 'Whichever one I feed". THere are many nuggets throughout and you can focus on one area of your life at a time or just determine a new way of being who you are, or at least who you were meant to be.



4. There are two serious flaws in this book. The first is related to language. Words are either not defined or they are use differently than ordinary English usage. Even the word "intention" is used somewhat strangely. What exactly is this "source"? The second flaw has to do with knowing. Mr. Dyer makes many bold assertions but that's all they are - assertions. What is the basis? How does he know what he knows? Quoting from a few spiritual thinkers is not a basis for knowing. Therefore, these ideas are without a epistemological base. It appears that Mr. Dyer has sensed the presence of God and that there is eternity written in his heart. But his knowledge of God is vague and incomplete and thus appears in strange ways. It reminds me of Paul on Mars Hill commenting on the statue of the unknown God. For those who wish to read more along this line thinking I would recommend the book "Eternity in Their Hearts".



5. This book changed my whole attitude and way of thinking. It's one I will refer back to when I find myself out of balance. A+

5 comments about A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive.

1. This is a moving story of a child's efforts to survive extraordinary torturous and prolonged child abuse at the hands of his evil unrelenting mother. Sadly his fathers and siblings stood by and let it happen. Starved, beaten, humiliated and unloved this child survived the hellish and horrendous childhood of one's worst nightmare.
   
   This is the first book of a trilogy that exposes the worst of abuse through the eyes of the abused. I recommend that it be read by parents, teachers, social workers, and all who are in a position to recognize, intervene, and prevent child abuse.
   
   Thank you Dave for revealing your story and doing your part to protect children from abuse.



2. I read this book about ten years ago, after my first child had turned one and as I read it I found myself picturing my child as David. I connected with him in that way- like a real loving mother should have.
   I've never forgot the horror that he went through and still cannot believe that it's true. I was happy to read that he finally escaped his terrible monster of a mother, but then saddened deeply to read that his brother was his mother's next victim.
   This story is truly one of brutal courage and not for the faint of heart. I was truly touched by David and he lives in my heart to this day.



3. A Child Called "It" is the story of the childhood of Dave Pelzer. Do to his mother's drinking problem, he suffers severe punishments, which he refers to as "games." Some of the "games" are deadly, frightening, and down right malicious. She grinds down her second son's self esteem by forcing him to wear the same clothes to school day after day.
   His world turns upside down when he was only four years old, when the abuse began. Unlike most abusive parents, Dave's mother focuses on him and his other brothers are left unharmed. It isn't until after he is rescued that his mother turns on his younger brother, Russell.**
   Thanks to some staff at his school, he is rescued from his mother. The years he spends in foster care are written about in his book, The Lost Boy.
   **Russell is not his brother's real name. In his books, he changes his brother's names.



4. I just finished reading A Child Called It and The Lost Boy. I knew this book was embellished after just reading a few pages into it. How can anyone seriously believe this account to be solid truth? It is so sad that someone can make so much money from telling a false story as if it were fact. It is even sadder that we buy into it and allow it to happen. I am sorry I did, I should have read the negative reviews. I trusted a family member. This book lacks the ring of truth as soon as Dave begins listing the abuse he recieved from the hands of his alcoholic mother. He recounts vividly all that she did to him, but never once explains why. The strange part is that for the first few years of his life, his family was perfect. They had a lovely home, went on family trips, had picnics in the park, daddy was a hero fireman, mother cooked delicious meals, decorated the house with hundreds of lights at Christmas, they got loads of presents from Santa, and most importantly Mother hugged David and loved him. Suddenly, almost overnight, she changed into a monster and began beating him, starving him, stabbing him and burning him. She laid on the sofa all day, drinking and watching her shows. The father sounds like he was abused by her too as he was not able to stand up to her and allowed David to be abused and drank along with her. David was the only one of the kids that was chosen to be abused, she treated all the other children well and they also turned on David. The family ignored him and made him sleep on a cot in the basement with no blanket. He was not allowed to eat meals with them and then not allowed to eat at all(not even from the garbage). He was starved, made to wear old ripped up clothes to school and not allowed to bathe(except for the days that his mother tried to drown him in the tub). His brothers and their friends would walk into the bathroom and see him laying there in the water and look at him with disgust. No one thought to say anyhing and when caught stealing at school some food from kid's lunches, he got in trouble even though he must have looked like a holocaust victim? No one wondered why he was wandering the neighborhood knocking on random doors asking for food? The entire town and school system were scared of his alcoholic mother so much so that no one dared to cross her. Even the cop that rescued him near the end was shaking and looking over his shoulder until they crossed the city limits? And he had never even met her, had only spoken with her on the phone. This mother was powerful. When Dave decided to embellish his abuse story he could have at least made it more believable!! The timeline even contradicts itself. Child abuse is not funny, and I am not making fun of it. I just don't believe Mr. Pelzer's account. I do think he was abused, just not like he portrays. He decided to make it sensational in order to sell more books. What he does though is make it sad for real abuse victims. He supposedly tries to get a message across, but fails miserably. There is no real inspiration here, only his inspiration to make money. He portays himself a hero. Any child would have done the same in his situation, survive. The will to survive is usually strong in victimized children. Many do grow up to inspire others, they glean depth from their situation and are able to make something good come from something bad. Dave Pelzer fails to do that. Even as an adult he fails to inspire me with his words. His journey is only incredible in the telling, not in it's depth. He seems to have gained nothing from his suffering. I find it hard to believe that people go to listen to him as an inspirational speaker. I hope his speech is better than his books. If my child were given this book to read in class I would have to object. It is no different than watching a spot from MTV for an hour. A waste of time, both.



5. This was a very real study of emotions in the mind of a very young child.I wanted to know how this story would end. I felt that since it was the author's life story,he made it to adulthood,but at what cost?
   I was so haunted by the actions of the parents ,I wanted to take some kind of action to see that these parents were punished for the damage that they had done to him.In my mind I wrapped my love around him to try and ease the hurt in his heart,mind and soul.

5 comments about Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most.

1. This book is well written, easy to read, and full of very good, "real life" examples. Many of the concepts presented seem like common sense... yet at the same time they generate "ah ha" moments. Personally, I think this book could be life altering if put into practice- both professionally and personally.



2. In Difficult Conversations, the authors Stone, Patton and Heen set out to de-mystify the problems we get into in our daily conversations.
   
   I found this book both enlightening and difficult. Enlightening because of the simple concepts and principles one should adopt when handling difficult conversations. For example, classifying all conversations into:
   * The "What Happened ?" Conversation
   * The Feelings Conversation
   * The Identity Conversation
   
   All of these made sense and will be very useful for me from now on. There were also plenty of examples to illustrate. And that's where I found this book difficult. For me, there were too many examples and sub sections of sub sections - I had to go back a number of times to make the various connections.
   
   Having said that, conversations are a difficult topic to write about. Once a spoken sentence is put onto a page, it can be interpreted in a number of ways. I would have liked to have seen more "big picture" frameworks and diagrams to keep me on track and connected to the author's current point or topic.
   
   Recommended for serious students of communication.
   
   Bob Selden, author What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers



3. This book offers incredibly helpful information about dealing with those conversations we all dread having--the ones that are typically the most important and potentially life-altering. The authors were part of the Harvard Negotiation Project(and helped with the Iran Hostage Crisis, among other major negotiations). I found this to be the most helpful, insightful, and cogent presentation of how we screw up the very conversations in which we want to be at our best--and how to overcome our tendency to be operating from our reptilian brain during our body's physiological "fight or flight" response to stress. This hit home for me in so many areas. I have a degree in psychology (with an emphasis on neuropsych),and an MBA, and over 25 years professional sales experience. I have been through many communications trainings, and I have read most of the books of this ilk out there, including Getting to Yes and Crucial Conversations, which are both excellent books as well. I highly recommend this book.



4. I had to fire someone. I read this book. It made having the conversation easier and more civil.



5. I think the book would have probably suited me a little better because the CD seemed to drag a little here and there, but overall the content was great!

5 comments about When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes.

1. I purchased this book to read something different. It lives up to the billing. It is a reference book, a how to book and a no excuse book. Many of the topics, some readers will be familiar with. Then there are the things you know nothing about. Cody explains things to the point a fifth grader will understand.



2. Having read Cody's "98.6" book, I was eagerly looking forward to this book. I'll say up front that this book's writing style isn't as good as 98.6 but it's a great value that I recommend.
   
   Cody's strength is his experience and blunt comments that really try to get the message through. The book is vast in its coverage (450 pages) so you really get a great value for your dollar. I really like how the book covers non-obvious topics and gives you historical examples/studies where people learned the hard way to help reinforce the point.
   
   Cody's weaknesses are that he comes across as more condescending than in 98.6 and often seems to repeat himself far too much. I sometimes think that Cody believes we are all scared little creatures psychologically incapable of surviving without his 80 page "yes-you-can" lecture. I don't mind some encouragement here, but it should definitely be scaled back as it isn't one of his strengths and shouldn't require so much text. And as for the repetitiveness, for example, by to 20th time you read about how worthless our government is, you feel like saying "I get it, Cody, preaching to the choir." There are indeed too many political, personal, and off-topic concepts in this book. Stick the meat of what the title advertises. Cut off the fat from this book and you'd probably arrive at about 300 pages of solid and wonderful content.
   
   Enjoyed the coverage about water, food, sanitation, body temperature, etc. Well done and informative. The self defensive chapter was hugely disappointing. It seemed more suited for daily urban survival at the local bar and not for catastrophe survival. I agree with Cody that food and water are often greatly overlooked by the Gold/Guns crowd, but to have hardly any advice about firearms seems bizarre. I am not recommending to have guns out of fear but out of reality. Imagine if someone with a gun comes for your supplies or loved ones and the only thing you know how to do is close combat fighting. Guess who will control the situation? And know that guns were confiscated illegally by law enforcement during Hurricane Katrina from law abiding people.
   
   Yes, there are times where it seems Cody may not have listened to his editors or earlier reviewers based on my comments above and a lack of 'polish' on the text. And yes, the cutesy drawings are out of place. However, despite my minor complaints, for a very low price you get such a wide range of very useful information. At minimum the book will make you think in more depth about the subject at large. Most likely though you will learn a amazing amount of survival information. Either way Cody may have helped saved your life someday.



3. Mr. Lundin has shared his considerable knowledge on a number of important issues relating to staying alive and well when "All Hell breaks loose."
   the importance of redundant systems for water and fire are mentioned. the disposal of dead bodies is mentioned; a topic that we all hope we never have to do, but in such situations as Katrina, we could be called to do that to prevent the spread of disease and the possibilities of further deaths.
   He also treats the subject of self defense seriously, though it gets somewhat shorter shrift than some other subjects. Looting by human predators is an issue that we will likely have to face in disasters and many survival/preparation books ignore that possibility.
   It is important to have means of defense and an adequate supply of ammunition. In the LA riots the first thing the authorities did was prohibit sales of ammunition since firearms already had a waiting period.
   (Which means you should have the basics, depending on your area of .22 rifle, shotgun, and defense caliber pistol with adequate ammunition already in your possession.) For obvious reasons, ammuntion capacity and quickness of reloading, your pistols should be semi=automatic as should the .22 rifle. Lundin doesn't deal with the defense in depth, perhaps because that may not be his biggest expertise, since he interviews defense experts rather than mining his own expertise. This is not a problem as no can know everything, the positive is that he gets it on defense.
   Improvised foods such as rats and dogs are mentioned, abhorrent yes, but it's amazing how serious hunger will open your mind on some subjects.
   Good book, very helpful, I've read several of this genre since the government began to push this issue and this is one of the best.



4. I had high expectations for this book and perhaps that's why I am a little disappointed. I thought it lacked organization and editing and perhaps was a little heavy on the funky side.
   
   * Replace some of the cartoons with more specific sketches
   
   * Rate measures as to their effectiveness and difficulty
   
   * Serve as a foundation
   
   There were a lot of nuggets and reminders. One was that a .22LR is a lightweight rifle suitable for most small game and certainly effective in stopping another human that wants to cause harm if properly used. Ammunition is cheap and lightweight. It is all useless without practice.
   
   The section on hygiene was great.
   
   More guidance on threat assessment would be helpful as what's needed depends on the prospective challenges, goals and characteristics of the area. What are the worst case scenarios, would you need to leave the place where you normally live or live in-place without outside support and stuff like utilities. Are the natives friendly? What's the prevailing weather? What are the reader's goals - personal survival, family survival, help neighbors and family.
   
   Perhaps the real answer is a bundle of smaller books including a pocket guide to handling medical problems and a survival guide to pack with the gear.
   
   Fun reading but time invested is not adequately rewarded.



5. the book has a lot of good points, not in the manner i would have written it but you cannot argue their is a lot of great information in it that could really help your family in a time of distress

5 comments about He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys (The Newly Expanded Edition).

1. A fun, antidotal, book chalked full of all the masculine cliches that we smart women wish were not true. But, as my momma said (long before this book existed) there would be boys like this. Cute and entertaining, light and charming a fun book to give to a girlfriend as a gag gift. However, if you have even a trace of common sense, most of these chapters will be leaving you with a rather deja vu perspective.
   
   Although, if you are picking up this book because you think you cannot find Mr. Right on your own, STOP, and do not pick up this book or any other book. As a matter of fact, burn all those relationship books on your night-stand (preferably some place safe), invest in a sexy outfit, go out on the town and use your "COMMON SENSE..." And, for god-sake, be your self!!!! That is the sexiest quality any of us woman have...



2. So I found this book in the lounge where I work and flipped through during lunch. If you get past the myriad of typos, the flawed/non-existent logic, and the fact it's not funny, there's pretty much nothing left but a nice looking cover.
   
   Still, even though I don't think of myself as an idiot, I took the book to heart. So days later when I ended up in the ER and had a very gorgeous doctor who seemed wildly attentive considering I only had a sprained ankle (he asked me for my number) and he didn't call, I assumed, "Hey, he's just not into me." and went about my life.
   
   Flash forward six months later, I get a call from a number I don't recognize. I let it go to voice mail purgatory only to discover it's my "He's just not into you" Doctor saying, "I've been waiting the required six months before I could call you. I practiced calling you every day."
   
   Hmmm, you think he's just not into me? or maybe this worked out because I played by the "rules". who knows? It's all hooey.



3. This book makes women see problems were there are none. I was accused of so many selfish things and there was no truth to it. This is written by a lousy television show writer. What does that tell you? I don't need George Lucas writing me books about hyperspace or religion. I don't need Sex and the City to tell me about relationships. Women and men need to think instead of going to television for answers.



4. I don't go out of my way to read books about how we should and shouldn't act in the world, especially in the relationship genre because you end up either blowing it or seeing something that isn't there. This, however, is a good self help as to why and how we end up in the messes that we tend to be in.
   
   Unfortunately, much of who we are will not show themselves until a situation presents itself. For example, you will not know if the person likes your friends until you introduce him to your friends. It's a sad world we live in to know that meeting your family and friends is a true litmus test, not just of them but of the potential party before you. Most of the time friends and family will be receptive, but I cannot tell you how many potential and even established boyfriends I have had who have broken it off after meeting my friends and family because they don't like them. All I can say is that that's terrible. They will disappoint you then and they will disappoint you in other situations as well. That's why he's not that into you.
   
   Most of this is self explanitory: If he's not that into you, he won't call or go out of his way to include your being in his world. There is no 100% garantee that following this or any other self help guide will get the desired results. It uses trendy language that those who watch a lot of SITC will understand. The 90s had The Rules, then HJNTIY was the book for the 2000s. There will be something else next decade that will start a few new catch phrases.



5. This book was great. It was witty and funny, and sad at the same time. Are women really this desperate? So many of the letters in this book reminded me of friends of mine who use every excuse in the book (literally) to defend their relationships with loser guys. It's nice that someone is finally telling it like it is!

5 comments about The Magic of Thinking Big.

1. The Magic Of Thinking Big is coming up on its 50 year anniversary, but the wisdom in its pages resonates timelessly. A lot of what is contained in this book is what some would call common sense. If you were blessed with an environment that treated this information as common sense, you are lucky. For the rest of us that read this material, we will have our thinking altered drastically. I have become aware of a gap between what is taught in textbooks and a lot of what one experiences in "the real world." That information is contained in this book. In school attitude is often touted, but seldom taught. In fact, my first thought after finishing this was "why is this stuff not taught in schools?" I know of no other book that will ease the transition from awkward adolescence to the dog-eat-dog world of adulthood better than The Magic Of Thinking Big. Oh, what could have been if I'd been handed this book when I was 12 or 13. You may have to adapt some of the dated examples and tips on dress to your situation, but by and large these principles will help you live a better life. I recommend this book to anyone who is sick of the status quo, wants to move up the corporate ladder, or just wants some understanding in how the world works. One of the most helpful books I have ever read, period.
   
   Also, a lot of people have contrasted this book to Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends... For what it's worth, I feel that each book has its place and that different personalities will relate to one book better than the other. For my part, I found Magic Of Thinking Big more helpful and easier to read than Carnegie's book. That's not to demean How To Win Friends... because I know people who have been drastically changed by that book, too. Both books have proven helpful to many people. That doesn't mean that one is better or worse than the other, they're just like vanilla and chocolate ice cream; two different flavors of the same stuff.



2. Second only to the Bible in changing my life from the inside out. Schwartz taught me how to smile- literally.



3. This excellent book on audio could be helpful to everybody who wants something more out of life. It's great listening in the car while commuting - I've listened to each of the 4 CDs about 5 times now, and will listen to it regularly for as long as I have it. If you REALLY want to improve yourself, you should buy it and listen to it. If you just want to be an average person, then don't buy it.



4. The Magic of Thinking BIG by David J. Schwartz is a well-respected self-development classic. Written in the 1950's it still makes good common sense today. The practical things in life don't change much with time - like the basic principles for achieving success and living up to your full potential.
   
   My copy of The Magic of Thinking Big has yellowed pages, sticky notes all over it, pink highlighted sentences on almost every page and yet, every time I take it down from shelf it's like opening a new wealth of information. I even remember exactly when and where I bought it. To me, that says a lot about the importance this book has had on my personal and professional self-development life.
   
   In fact, I listened to the CD last night to help get me ready for writing this review and I took four pages of notes. One thing I've found with the classic self-development materials, every time I read or listen to them for the second, fifth or even tenth time I found something new I'd never read or heard before.
   
   A really good empowering book/tape/CD/DVD should be read, listened to, watched and appreciated more than once. Every time we revisit a classic, we are in a different emotional and physical place than the first or second time we read, listened or watched it. It's like as we grow and evolve, so do the materials in the book.
   
   That's how I felt about listening to The Magic of Thinking BIG by David J. Schwartz last night. I heard things I swear weren't there before. The words in the book hadn't changed, I had. The human mind is a powerful success and self-development tool and that's exactly the powerful premise of this book.
   
   According to David J. Schwartz, it's really quite simple - if you want more out of your life, than think bigger. What makes this book a self-development/success classic? The success principles that have proven workable and viable for over fifty years and, are still true today: To make it big in life, you can't settle for small thinking.
   
   Your life today is a reflection of how BIG you're allowing yourself to think, dream and plan. Dr. Schwartz guides you through The Magic of Thinking Big but the rest is up to you.
   
   I highly recommend this book for your success/self-development library. I wish for you that your copy becomes dog-eared and yellowed. When you take to heart the concepts in this book, your life will be BIGGER than ever.



5. For a book that is nearly 50 years old, the formula behind David J. Schwartz's "The Magic of Thinking Big" is great for any person who is struggling to get over the frustrations of being stuck in a rut and wanting to step up to the plate and take a chance.
   
   Schwartz's words are not new. You can hear very similar themes from authors past and present, like Dale Carnegie, Brian Tracy, and Tony Robbins. But if the words aren't resonating from other authors, the delivery in "The Magic of Thinking Big" gives you simple and easy steps to follow to get you to think big things, and then do big things.