1 comments about The Gospel According to Dogs: What Our Four-Legged Saints Can Teach Us.

1. You've just got to smile at this brainstorm by the godfather of the "Gospel According to ..." genre, Robert L. Short. Bob's the guy who published the original "The Gospel According to Peanuts" in the mid 1960s -- and wound up selling more than 10 million copies as this somewhat shocking idea (at the time) got people chuckling and nodding their heads.
   
   Well, like me -- and millions of other Americans -- Bob's a dog lover and devotes this delightful little book to his affection for humor, faith and our faithful furry friends.
   
   Just as we've come to expect from his 2 different "Peanuts" books, Bob illustrates this volume with plenty of comics that are sure to provoke at least a broad smile. And, frankly, that's precisely what Bob's about in these books -- trying to recapture some of the joy that's supposed to be at the core of our faith. That's what C.S. Lewis preached, at his best, didn't he? And that's what our gospel proclaims -- good news.
   
   Among other things I didn't know before reading this little book is that Martin Luther -- the Reformation-era Martin Luther -- loved dogs.
   
   While this small yellow paperback looks like a little gift or novelty book -- I have a sneaking suspicion that a cool small-group series could be built around this book.

5 comments about Silence: How to Find Inner Peace in a Busy World.

1. I have been attempting to read this book but haven't gotten very far. It has delightful pictures and the words are nice, however I can't tell yet if it is repetitive in content. It is different than I expected. I do think there is potential for it to be a book one would want to read when relaxation is a goal.



2. It took me several turns of heart before I bought this book, and all because this book costs SGD 60.27 at Kinokuniya Singapore. It was clinged wrapped at first and I had the service people opened it for me. The cover was a simple jacket of gold with the words "silence" in striking gold. The subtitle and the author's name appear in white. As silent as the subject of the book, the cover design is simple and freeing - full of space. I was struck (as with all coffee table book) by the quality of printing, the paper quality and the quality of the pictures. I discover at the point of writing this review that the book was printed and bound by a printer in Singapore. It was typeset and laid out in graphic style, not like the normal print of a book.
   
   The author writes about silence as observed by different traditions and religions. I find, however, after reading the whole book, that the slant is somewhat towards Buddhism (not that this bothers me). Pictures of Buddhist monks featured in many instances in the book. What erks me is the deliberate large print of some of the words in each page of the book. I guess the author was trying to highlight words that are associated with silence, peace and love but where I first thought that the large print made the typesetting graphical, after a while I got distracted on occasions by the jarring big and bold words. I was also distracted by sentences and quotes that are set in landscape format and in faint font all over the book.
   
   In all fairness, I did enjoy the book and I could resonate with some words of wisdom that the author wrote. For example, "Silence is what frees us to listen well, to live with authenticity and discover wholeness within ourselves." "The joy of silence teaches us to be more generous, caring and sensitive." Having myself experienced the rewards and joys of keeping silent moments in each day, I found myself nodding with approval and consensus with the author that indeed it is in silence that we learn about ourselves, and if we respond to change ourselves first, then love will be manifested through us and love will reach other people.
   
   This book, costly no doubt, is one worthwhile keepsake and a beautiful one to line my bookshelf. Looking at the pictures in the book give me different perspectives of silence and how simple objects can be viewed creatively so one sees God alive in them.



3. I found Silence to be a wonderful part of my meditation and self-calming efforts in this all too tense and busy world. It is a beautiful book in its writing and its wonderful pictures. I was instantly calmed when I read the first section, and looked forward to reading more each night before sleep. I am buying copies to gift to my tense friends and family. I plan to reread my copy often. I would highly recommend this peaceful and beautifully written book to anyone seeking calmness and peace in their lives.



4. Christina Feldman rocks my world
   I haven't actually read this one, but so far, she is the most interesting speaker on meditation and buddhism and all that enlightenment stuff that I have ever heard, keep rockin Christina!



5. I am loving this book! I borrowed it from my local library and started taking so many notes that I decided I'd better buy my own copy! Her insights are wonderful and true. The only reason I'm only giving it 4 out of 5 stars is because I am disappointed w/ the photographs (out of date, out of focus, color is off, not inspirational like photography books of late and HD photography), but again, the text IS inspirational. I've ordered the book in used condition, which makes it VERY affordable, as the words are what I want to be able to read and re-read. I read her insights through a Christian lens, with no problem. God wants us to live each precious moment, mindfully. This book is a guide towards living that way. It is repetitive, but not in a tiresome way...we often don't "get it" the first "read" anyway, so the more oftentimes she may reiterate thoughts, the deeper the idea of our need to live in moments of "silence" burrows its way into our psyche. "Used" you can buy it for as little as $5. If you like the idea of learning more about the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude, you will love this book.

5 comments about The Cosmic Ordering Service: A Guide to Realizing Your Dreams.

1. This book was a tremendous disappointment. While the author shares her many successes utilizing the "cosmic ordering service" she fails to outline exactly how to do it. She claims that to place an order you merely send your request out to the universe and your order is delivered. It does not matter whether you believe in the cosmic ordering service or not, you can expect fulfillment. If this were so,everyone would win the lottery. I have nothing against simple and agree that most requests are complicated by emotional debris, negative feelings, guilt and a sense of personal unworthiness. However, there is more to manifestation than merely sending out the request.
   
   There are many fine books on manifestation. I would suggest the classic Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder, any of the Abraham Hicks materials, Lynn Grabhorn's Excuse Me Your Life is Waiting or even the Attractor Factor by Joe Vitale. Each of these provides an easy and practical blueprint for manifestation and each is quite readable.



2. Barbel Mohr is of the opinion that you can order anything you want from the cosmic ordering service and have it delivered be it the man/woman of your dreams, the job of your dreams or even a castle to live in. All you have to do is formulate your wish, then let go of the outcome and finally be open for the delivery because the package may not look like what you ordered but it is. At least that's what she claims.
   I think positive thinking works. I think following her approach works to make you happy (being aware of your wants and needs, formulating them and then letting go of the outcome) but I think that's very hard to do and in some cases impossible. Nonetheless it's an entertaining book to read, it has many good ideas in it and I would definitely recommend it to anybody who is open to the idea that his or her destiny is in his/her hands rather than somebody else's hand.



3. This book is written from a very lighthearted perspective, which is fun to read. Oh, there are other LOA books out there- Vianna Stibal, Neville Goddard, and many others, and they are fine. This one is fun to read if only for the energy in it. Gosh I enjoyed reading this. I do her exercises, and others as well, and my results are getting better and better. Hardest part for me has been remembering to ask.ThetaHealing is Vianna's product, if that's of interest.



4. I really enjoyed the book. The author takes a light hearted approach to manifesting your desires. Someone looking to be more control in their life might find this book to be a less intense method as it is written to encourage people to have fun with the concepts of manifestation. I would recommend it to everyone.



5. This book is absolutely fantastic!! I have used the principles many times and it does work. It can change your life. I love how the author explains it in simple terms. Terms that work and are fun to use. It doesn't have to be complicated to send out an order to the universe. Have fun with this book and try it out, you will be plesantly surprised.

5 comments about Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential.

1. I finished reading Caroline Myss' book and actually forced myself to finish the last several pages. Though I did sit down and do a 'Wheel' of Archetypes, and learned more about myself I grew tired of her analysis of others' and their wheels. I got to the point, I didn't care any more. Previously I enjoyed her personal stories in 'Anatomy of Spirit' and in 'Invisible Acts of Power' though she repeated stories and it is best to avoid that pitfall. I am less inclined to buy any more of her books as I feel she is cashing in on her popularity. Time to step back and take a break. Liz-Roy Broerse



2. The material in this book is awesome - so much is offered for the reader to become well acquainted with archetypes and to chart one's own wheel.



3. This is the first audio I've heard from Caroline Myss. Her style is direct and no-nonsense and the content is enlightening. If you are looking for another tool through which to learn more about yourself, this cd set is a perfect introduction to contracts and archetypes.



4. This is a good book to have in your library if you currently don't have an archetype book. I can't say that I learned a lot, but I do think that it is a good reference to have available. This doesn't compare to Anatomy of the Spirit which I consider to be a classic. This isn't a book that you sit down and read right through although Caroline Myss does make an attempt to make the book more than a reference. I do like the way she give individual stories in the book to make it more personal and interesting.



5. The seller sent this order right out and was amazed at how quickly I received this book. It arrived in excellent condition. Will use this seller again!

No comments about The Evolution of God.

5 comments about Commentaries on Living I: Series One.

1. Krishnamurti writes simpler, more descriptive prose than Hemingway; he dispenses more nondual wisdom in more depth than a score of Zen masters combined; he dissects the armour of the personality more quickly, more gently, more accurately than any psychologist ever has. These are not exaggerations. These Commentaries are, along with his journals and notebook, the only major works in print (at least that I am aware of, and I am aware of most) that he actually wrote himself; the rest of his books are, of course, compilations of talks and conversations. Only a man of such surpassing conscious mastery could write so perfectly with so little effort; if there is any justice in the universe these books will stay in print for a thousand years.If you like Krishnamurti you need these.



2. This is probably the best of these three volumes. It is K. at his finest.



3. This collection of a bunch of very short commentaries misses its mark. The commentaries open up with Krishnamurti laying down a setting and/or background of the people concerned with the topics presented. Then, they just crumble away into short, mostly ambiguous, commentaries. If you aren't familiar with Krishnamurti's terminology & philosophy, these commentaries can be very confusing. If you are familiar with him, you'd probably agree that they flat-out aren't very good for the most part. I did brighten in finding some of his ideas expressed quickly & to the point, in ways not spoken in other works. But, for the most part, I thought the majority missed their mark.



4. I keep finding myself returning to this fairly straightforward and seemingly unsophisticated book. A series of topical vignettes by an Eastern teacher of wisdom--on the surface, just what the world DOESN'T need more of. In a society saturated by self-help would-be prophets and new-age dreck like Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra, you would think a guy like this wouldn't make waves...but he does. Big ones. His insights are so frustratingly simple they almost leave our minds going, "That's IT?" for we usually assume that enlightenment is a stairway we have to climb. Krishnamurti has an uncanny ability to puncture this and many other illusions. A mystic who can stand his own with the best, he's also one of the most straightforward, non-flowery, non-blissed out authors you will ever read. He's tangled with everyone from heads of state to quantum physicists like David Bohm, so the average reader is no match for his razor-sharp insight and effortless deflation of unsound ways of being. He very often says in one paragraph what Leo Tolstoy needs two 1000-page books to get at, diving straight to the heart of the human condition and the activities of the unconscious mind. Though probably not the best anthology of his work, it's certainly a good way to clear your head which works MUCH better than any kind of chemical aids :) His prose is spare, uncompromising, and incisive, trimming away the excess fat of so many useless attempts by smaller minds to fill their true emptiness with pointless questions. Along with Marcus Borg's "The God We Never Knew", this book has essentially been my substitute for "Bible study" for quite some time now. That which we seek, we are. That which we would try to find is illusion. That which IS is not a process of linear time or human effort, but can only be understood when the observer "is not". Though I come from a monotheistic background and find some of K's work a tad impersonal, I cannot turn from the truth he offers--and that truth points a way to Truth, even though, as K himself would say, "Truth is a pathless land".



5. Krishnamurti's message is intelligent, helpful and can cause a major shift in our approach to life. If you are interested in meditation, mysticism, self-knowledge, or just a yearning to find something new and different, then read Krishnamurti.
   I give this book 4 stars only because it might not be the best introduction to Krishnamurti

2 comments about Shamanic Experience: A Practical Guide to Psychic Powers.

1. This extremely well-written and researched Book was the first I'd found in over 25 attempts that put it all together for me. I wish I had found it first! The core of Shamanic thinking and acting that Mr. Meadows describes; the insight into how various world cultures approached their unique yet similar Shamanic Work; and the synthesis of these approaches into a basic, working instruction book for Shamanic actions, blew away the mystery and brought my understanding right to where I wanted it to be. This is an excellent starting point for people called to Shamanism, or those who only want to understand it more. Mr. Meadows strips away the "primitive, cave-man" veneer of the highly misunderstood and/or largely unknown Shamanic Practice and reveals it to be the most personal, beautiful and vibrant Way there is to know, meet and work with the Spirit World. I cannot recommend it highly enough as that jump-off point. After that, readers and trainees may want to investigate further the way their own Cultures' Shamans worked. But even if not, one can use this book alone to begin the most extraordinary Journey one can take: to oneself, one's ancestors, and one's own Spirit Guides, Protectors and Helpers. Thank you, Mr. Meadows, for this seminal Work.



2. this book is only a conglomerate of informations from other books about yoga, taoism, alpha waves of brain, gemstones, castaneda's books and some shamanic books and only quite small part of book are infos that author acquire not from other books but from some real shamans. So this book is not vey authentic and is not worth 2$... It only may be usefull ,perhaps, for someone who didn't yet read other book about shamanism, yoga, taoism, esoterica...

5 comments about Ruth Montgomery Writes Again!: Deceased Author Writes from Beyond the Grave And Launches GoodAgainstEvil.com Book Series (Goodagainstevil.com).

1. I waited with bated breath for the release of this book, as I have read and re-read all of RM's books since childhood.
   Imagine my disappointment to find this tome nothing more than a poorly conceived and thinly disguighed version of modern-day snake oil.
   The sibling authors don't even get into anything "The Guides" have to say until well into the second half of the book. Until then, you have to suffer through the story of thier lives--they troubled childhood with their alcholic father, their various failed relationships, money problems and litagation problems. (Hmmm, could they need money, by any chance?)
   So what do the guides finally reveal as the solution to the world's troubles? Hold a concert! The authors put out a call to the likes of Bono, Elton John and Bob Geldolf. In fact, and entire chapter is devoted to Bono himself. Bono! (Hmmm, could the authors be adoring fans? Ya think?)
   The tip off that this book (and I use the term loosely) is "The Guides" telling the authors of a Guatamalan holy man name John or Johnson of Hijo de Juan (which they spelled wrong) who holds the knowledge of the healing qualities of the plants in the rain forest. The authors put out a call to the readers to help them find this man. Now, think about it. IF "THE GUIDES" HAVE ACCESS TO ALL KNOWLEDGE ON THE OTHER SIDE, WOULDN'T THEY KNOW WHERE TO FIND THIS GUY?!?
   Save your money. Re-read Ruth Montgomery's books.



2. In a past Amazon review I predicted that when Sylvia Brown kicked off, someone would be "channeling" her for big bucks, but Ruth Montgomery works too to validate the event coming to pass, and actually Montgomery works even better since she did exactly this years ago by claiming to channel Arthur Ford once he "graduated into higher realms."
   
   I borrowed a copy of this book (thanks, Diana!) and read it and frankly found it to be both boring (200-plus pages of the authors' biography--what rude audacity) and one of the corniest things I've ever seen. Some people can't accept that the charlatan Ruth Montgomery is dead and so this ridiculous bit of hucksterism lets them pad reality a little and not only have Montgomery still with them but now have her from an even more enlightened state, the great beyond, reunited with Arthur Ford, Bob, Savonarola, and all the rest of her cheerful cast of characters which she simply called "Lily". I admire the chutzpah of the "Macomber family" for cashing in like this and turning the tables on the late, lying Mrs. Montgomery, but is it truly worth the money to (eventually) read Montgomery's warmed-over 40-year-old claims about death, rebirth, the beyond, the future of the planet, all with some "New New Age" spin tossed in?
   
   Highlights:
   
   Bono can save mankind! Wow, bet Ruth never saw that coming!
   
   The Macomber siblings have had a tough life, which they go into ad nauseam and augment with "cheery" messages of how their ESP and contacts with the beyond got them through it.
   
   Ruth Montgomery wants us all to support the elimination of poverty in the Third World.
   
   The rain forest can heal the people of planet earth.
   
   Ruth is overjoyed to be dead! Why death is nothing to worry about at all! Seems like just yesterday she was on the other side before she was ever Ruth!
   
   Plus there are messages about climate changes, politics, crime, poverty, spiritual enlightenment, trusting God, and the erasing of karma added to get the right tone for its audience, and voila, there's the book for you.
   
   Oh, but lest I forget, Ruth Montgomery was less the "Diana Sawyer of her day" as she is billed, than a sort of C-list White House reporter for a few newspapers back in the 1950's. Come on!
   
   I mean, boy oh boy did I hate this book! Was it all a big fat lie? Was it not only stuffed with shallow spirituality, but horrifically badly written? Was it basically the autobiography of its authors passed off as messages from the beyond? Why am I phrasing this in the form of questions? If the Macombers want to know, they can just ask Ruth!
   
   And woe is me there will be sequels, of course...
   
   Of course!



3. I placed my order then read the reviews. Immediately I wished I had not ordered this book. I was tempted to return the book without opening it and I'm glad I didn't. When the book came I found myself relating and enjoying the book immensely. Some criticism was it's a story about the Macomber family, which is true. I don't know of any book of this sort that the family story telling how they were, what happened and what they are like now has been left out. The material given to them through the Guides is relevant to situations in my life, example, their father's disease had a purpose and what the purpose was; letting the mother live her life and concentrate on your own....just to name two. I believe this family is sincere and their description of how the automatic writing proceeded validated my own experience although my topics are only about me and my family.



4. I've read most of Ruth's books with delight and thought that this would answer so many more questions. I'm a therapist so almost gave up when I had 200 pages of author's personal family issues and challenges to plough through. Hard work. Too embarrassed to recommend it to ANYONE, I've hidden it away.
   Maria



5. I predict that this book will end up on the remainder tables of your local book stores very quickly.
   
   If you are interested in the writings of Ruth Montgomery, read what is already published.
   
   If (and I strongly stress the word IF) Ms. Montgomery was going to write again, I sincerely doubt that she would be going on endlessly about this family, Bono, and other pointless matters that do little or nothing (actually, NOTHING) to increase knowledge of other-worldly matters on this earthly plane. If anything, these writings seem to dissuade intelligent readers from such ideas.
   
   Many years ago, I read all of Ruth Montgomery's books and found them enjoyable and comforting. Ruth Montgomery Writes Again leaves me hopping mad at what I preceive to be a mega-deception and a ploy for self-aggrandizement.
   
   Stuff and nonsense. Save your money.

5 comments about The Secrets of Life: (Revised and Updated!).

1. This book is a compilation of short observations based on the core of Wilde's philosophy. The thoughts and ideas are drawn from his books, articles, unpublished writings, newspaper interviews and excerpts from TV/radio shows.
   
   Wilde believes that life was mean to be enjoyed and his writings are dedicated to the rapid and complete liberation of the individual from negative thoughts and emotions and the daily grind. The main themes revolve around how to remain balanced and detached, how to increase one's perception, act powerfully, concentrate on what is real and believe in oneself.
   
   In the short entries of mostly one page each that are not arranged alphabetically, Wilde holds forth on subjects like dedication, perseverance, opportunity, dimensions, concentration, relationships, time, energy, opposites, sacrifice, confidence, serenity, service, creativity, and, with a refreshing libertarian approach, on stuff like government and politics.
   
   His humorous and engaging style inspires optimism. In isolation, however, not all of these thoughts always make sense: some appear as truisms and some may be wide open to interpretation without a context. But even when one disagrees with him, his ideas often raise a smile. The Secrets Of Life is enhanced by beautiful black and white illustrations by Stephen Smith. It is a handy inspirational guide to his thoughts that I recommend to those who are already fans of Wilde.
   
   His popular books like Affirmations, The Force and The Quickening provide a wider understanding and proper context of the insights that he manages to convey with so much wit and elegance and would be more suitable for those readers wishing to investigate his work for the first time.



2. This book is highly recommended. If your life is complicated, you are out of balance, you haven't developed a perception, you are attached, you concentrate on what isn't really important, you don't act powerful, you don't believe in yourself, then you need to get this book.
   
   Stuart Wilde will assist you in developing a perception, uncomplicating your life, get in balance, become detached, act powerful, concentrate on what's really important and learn to believe in yourself.



3. I love Stuart Wilde and, perhaps, I expected more from this book...Or at least an ORGANIZED book.
   
   Each bit of wisdom is...well, wise. However, I don't like snippets of information. That's my personal preference so it should reflect on the value of Stuart's work.
   
   By snippets, I mean having a page heading such as "On Abundance" and going into a short paragraph (sometimes just one sentence) on the topic. Then, onto the next page with a different "snippet" not having anything to do with the prior one.
   
   Maybe the book would have been better if it were organized in sections such as "Abundance," "Health," "World Affairs," etc.
   
   Anyway, I don't regret getting the book and found it to be a wise purchase. I just wish it was more in-depth with each "snippet" and better organized by topic rather than randomly thrown together.



4. I love Stuart's work. He takes a light approach and yet he gets down to real serious stuff. Very helpful and fun as anything! He doesn't pull any punches. He's funny, yet deep, real, and if you read any of his books and do some thinking about what he writes, then apply some of this real-life, spiritual, amazing wisdom to your own amazing life, you'll be better for it.



5. I find Stuart Wilde to be a matter-of-fact writer and he explains his thoughts and theories in plain language.
   It's the first book I have read of his and I think it's great! Simple messages on each page that just make you go "oh yea!"
   I'll definitely look into getting other books of his.

4 comments about Creating the Good Life :Applying Aristotle's Wisdom to Find Meaning and Happiness.

1. Perhaps you're now asking the same question I once did: "Given the fact that he lived almost 2,400 years ago, what could Aristotle possibly have to say that is directly relevant to me?" In fact, a great deal. So many of us today -- especially those at mid-life -- are engaged in a search to find meaning and happiness. We often ask, as Peggy Lee once did, "Is that all there is?" The purpose of this book is show how Aristotle is an effective guide on that search, and how he can help each of us find our own practical answer to a critically important question, "What's next?"
   
   In an interview to appear in the July/August (2005) issue of Chamber Executive magazine, O'Toole observes that "Aristotle was the most practical of all great philosophers. His audience was the business and political leadership of his day. He offered them wisdom they could apply in their own lives -- practical advice on matters ranging from ethical business practices to effective philanthropy. Aristotle even describes 'virtuous non-retirement' -- the lifelong commitment to engage in leisure work which is characterized by pursuit of the 'highest good' of individual excellence and the 'complete good' of community service. He offers practical tests to help us determine how much wealth we need to support us while we engage in those activities."
   
   O'Toole goes on to say, "So my challenge was not making Aristotle relevant to today's successful professionals and managers; instead, I faced the nearly impossible task of making his difficult language clear to modern readers [begin italics] without dumbing it down [end italics]. I had to find a way to explore the depth and complexity of Aristotle in a way that makes sense in an age of sound bites and blogs. After all, who ever heard of a [begin italics] serious [end italics] self-help book? But that's what I set out to write."
   
   As O'Toole explains in this book, Aristotle struggled with many of the same difficult circumstances (more than two centuries ago) which most of us face in 2005: "...in his career as a teacher and a consultant to leaders of ancient Athens, Aristotle thought long and hard about what it means to live a good life and how much it takes to finance it. His thoughts on this matter are particularly applicable today, given the baby boom generation's anxiety over insufficient retirement savings and shaky investments: Aristotle shows how we can find happiness at almost any level of income. Moreover, he argues that the ability to find true contentment correlates only tangentially with the amount of money one has cached away. Unlike so many of today's `life advisors,' Aristotle integrates financial planning with the broader task of life planning."
   
   Throughout human history, there has been a constant challenge to get lifestyle and quality of life in appropriate balance. As O'Toole notes, "Aristotelian ethics concern moral decisions related to how we should allocate the limited time of our lives. We must each plan how we will allocate our energies among such activities as earning, learning, playing, being with friends and family, and participating in the community. As we make these choices, Aristotle warns, we will fail to achieve 'the chief good' -- that is, we will fail to be happy -- if we pursue the wrong ends."
   
   If the pursuit of philosophy is to serve as a practical guide to action, and I believe it is, then the wisdom which Aristotle gained from his own experiences will guide and inform our own pursuit and achievement of "the chief good": personal happiness. In the Foreword to one of O'Toole's previously published books, The Executive's Compass, Lodwrick M. Cook (former chairman and CEO of Atlantic Richfield Company) explains O'Toole's use of the central metaphor: "The beauty of the compass is that it provides a framework for the executive to create order out of the growing chaos of cultural diversity and conflict of values. Like a real compass, [O'Toole's 'value compass'] helps us to find where we are, where others are, where we want to go, and how to get there. Like the Aspen experience itself, O'Toole's compass is aimed at developing executive judgment by expanding our understanding of the interrelationships of fundamental values."
   
   Cook's comments are also relevant to Creating the Good Life. For those now struggling to define and then create the good life for themselves, whatever their current circumstances may be, Aristotle's wisdom can indeed serve as a "compass." In this volume, O'Toole prepares his reader to use it effectively.



2. The book is a recast of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics which was summarized ih Mortimer Adler's Time of Our Lives. What James O'Toole does well is to weave his personal story and struggles with these issues in a language and context of today. I found this personal view refreshing and move Aristotle's theory to a very practical level. The book is clearly aimed at baby boomers, like himself, who are struggling with meaning and unfulfilled career aspirations. Personally, O'Toole's writing got me to think more about the question of whether all vices are "fun and exciting" and all virtue is "boring". The book is easy to ready and allows one to access easily Aristotle's important writings. I recommend it for anyone struggling with these issues.
   
   P.B.
   Boston, MA



3. This book starts out with a strong review of Aristotle's ethics the application of these ethics to life in the 21st century. The writing is clear and easy to follow, even if you have no background in philosophy.
   
   The second half of the book is weak. The book profiles people that the author believes have clearly failed or succeeded at finding happiness as Aristotle would define it. Unfortunately, almost all of the examples cited are wealthy, white men in their 50s, 60s and 70s. The book would have been much stronger if the author had profiled a broader range of people.



4. This is a book where the author tells about his own expirience on self therapy in order to accept the fact that he isn't as good as he would like to be in his professional area (despite he thinks he is teaching how to run a good life - i.e. finding hapiness despite you don't have the recognition that you would like in your professional area). Perhaps it can be helpful for someone who doesen't have a grate consciousness about him/herself and/or face the same problem of the author.