Write Great Fiction Revision And Self-Editing

Product Description
Don’t let the revision process intimidate you any longer. Discover how to successfully transform your first draft into a polished final draft readers won’t be able to forget.

In Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell draws on his experience as a novelist and instructor to provide specific revision tips geared toward the first read-through, as well as targeted self-editing instruction focusing on the individual elements of a novel like plot, structure, characters, theme, voice, style, setting, and endings. You’ll learn how to:

* Write a cleaner first draft right out of the gate using Bell’s plotting principles
* Get the most out of revision and self-editing techniques by honing your skills with detailed exercises
* Systematically revise a completed draft using the ultimate revision checklist that talks you through the core story elementsWhether you’re in the process of writing a novel, have a finished draft you don’t know what to do with, or have a rejected manuscript you don’t know how to fix, Revision & Self-Editing gives you the guidance you need to write and revise like a pro.

About the Author
James Scott Bell is the author of the Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure and a contributing editor to Writer’s Digest magazine. He is also the author of more than fifteen novels currently teaches fiction writing courses at Pepperdine University and is a regular speaker at writers conferences. www.jamesscottbell.com

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic

Product Description
It’s the hip-hop of hocus-pocus.

Forget about David Copperfield, cruise ship illusionists, and birthday party magicians. They’re so twentieth century. Think cutting-edge magickers like David Blaine and Criss Angel. People starting out in magic today want something edgier, grittier, quick, visual, and maybe a little dangerous. This guide will teach you how to do it!
What makes The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Street Magic different from other books is the type of tricks and the thematic presentations that readers will actually learn. Out of the literally thousands of tricks that could have been included, only those that have the greatest impact, both visually and psychologically, appear in this book. It includes:
—75 to 100 tricks
—200 illustrations, from how-to shots to photos of street magicians at work
—Contains something for all levels, from easy-to-accomplish tricks for complete beginners to more challenging sleight-of-hand for those who seriously want to pursue the art of legerdemain

About the Author
Tom Ogden began his professional career as a magician over 35 years ago, and his magic has taken him to more than 90 countries on all seven continents. His national television work has included “The World’s Greatest Magic,” “The Great Magic of Las Vegas,” and “Magic and Beyond,” as well as numerous commercials. Ogden is the author of four books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Ghosts and Hauntings and 200 Years of the American Circus.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Amazon.com Audiobook Review
"Those who don't know how to fight worry, die young." This ominous advice begins Dale Carnegie's bestseller, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, an eight-part treatise on the follies of worrying. Like other Carnegie books, this one is packed with good old-fashioned common sense, illustrated with examples drawn from research on historical figures and interviews with business leaders. Somehow, even the most simple advice--such as Carnegie's four-step method of problem solving--is presented in a way that makes you want to write it down and post it on the employee bulletin board. Narrated by the resonant and engaging voice of Andrew McMillan and loaded with relevant real-life examples, this unabridged audiobook maintains interest throughout. (Running time: 10.5 hours, eight cassettes) --Sharon Griggins --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Learn how to break the worry habit -- Now and forever!

With Dale Carnegie's timeless advice in hand, more than six million people have learned how to eliminate debilitating fear and worry from their lives and to embrace a worry-free future. In this classic work, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Carnegie offers a set of practical formulas that you can put to work today. It is a book packed with lessons that will last a lifetime and make that lifetime happier!

DISCOVER HOW TO:

* Eliminate fifty percent of business worries immediately
* Reduce financial worries
* Avoid fatigue -- and keep looking young
* Add one hour a day to your waking life
* Find yourself and be yourself -- remember there is no one else on earth like you!

Fascinating to read and easy to apply, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living deals with fundamental emotions and life-changing ideas. There's no need to live with worry and anxiety that keep you from enjoying a full, active life!

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
How This Book Was Written

-- and Why

In 1909, I was one of the unhappiest lads in New York. I was selling motor trucks for a living. I didn't know what made a motor truck run. That wasn't all: I didn't want to know. I despised my job. I despised living in a cheap furnished room on West Fifty-sixth Street -- a room infested with cockroaches. I still remember that I had a bunch of neckties hanging on the walls; and when I reached out of a morning to get a fresh necktie, the cockroaches scattered in all directions. I despised having to eat in cheap, dirty restaurants that were also probably infested with cockroaches.

I came home to my lonely room each night with a sick headache -- a headache bred and fed by disappointment, worry, bitterness, and rebellion. I was rebelling because the dreams I had nourished back in my college days had turned into nightmares. Was this life? Was this the vital adventure to which I had looked forward so eagerly? Was this all life would ever mean to me -- working at a job I despised, living with cockroaches, eating vile food -- and with no hope for the future?...I longed for leisure to read, and to write the books I had dreamed of writing back in my college days.

I knew I had everything to gain and nothing to lose by giving up the job I despised. I wasn't interested in making a lot of money, but I was interested in making a lot of living. In short, I had come to the Rubicon -- to that moment of decision which faces most young people when they start out in life. So I made my decision -- and that decision completely altered my future. It has made the rest of my life happy and rewarding beyond my most Utopian aspirations.

My decision was this: I would give up the work I loathed; and, since I had spent four years studying in the State Teachers College at Warrensburg, Missouri, preparing to teach, I would make my living teaching adult classes in night schools. Then I would have my days free to read books, prepare lectures, write novels and short stories. I wanted "to live to write and write to live."

What subject should I teach to adults at night? As I looked back and evaluated my own college training, I saw that the training and experience I had had in public speaking had been of more practical value to me in business -- and in life -- than everything else I had studied in college all put together. Why? Because it had wiped out my timidity and lack of self-confidence and given me the courage and assurance to deal with people. It had also made clear that leadership usually gravitates to the man who can get up and say what he thinks.

I applied for a position teaching public speaking in the night extension courses both at Columbia University and New York University, but these universities decided they could struggle along somehow without my help.

I was disappointed then -- but now I thank God that they did turn me down, because I started teaching in YMCA night schools, where I had to show concrete results and show them quickly. What a challenge that was! These adults didn't come to my classes because they wanted college credits or social prestige. They came for one reason only: they wanted to solve their problems. They wanted to be able to stand up on their feet and say a few words at a business meeting without fainting from fright. Salesmen wanted to be able to call on a tough customer without having to walk around the block three times to get up courage. They wanted to develop poise and self-confidence. They wanted to get ahead in business. They wanted to have more money for their families. And since they were paying their tuition on an installment basis -- and they stopped paying if they didn't get results -- and since I was being paid, not a salary, but a percentage of the profits, I had to be practical if I wanted to eat.

I felt at the time that I was teaching under a handicap, but I realize now that I was getting priceless training. I had to motivate my students. I had to help them solve their problems. I had to make each session so inspiring that they wanted to continue coming.

It was exciting work. I loved it. I was astounded at how quickly these businessmen developed self-confidence and how quickly many of them secured promotions and increased pay. The classes were succeeding far beyond my most optimistic hopes. Within three seasons, the YMCAs, which had refused to pay me five dollars a night in salary, were paying me thirty dollars a night on a percentage basis. At first, I taught only public speaking, but, as the years went by, I saw that these adults also needed the ability to win friends and influence people. Since I couldn't find an adequate textbook on human relations, I wrote one myself. It was written -- no, it wasn't written in the usual way. It grew and evolved out of the experiences of the adults in these classes. I called it How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Since it was written solely as a textbook for my own adult classes, and since I had written four other books that no one had ever heard of, I never dreamed that it would have a large sale: I am probably one of the most astonished authors now living.

As the years went by, I realized that another one of the biggest problems of these adults was worry. A large majority of my students were businessmen -- executives, salesmen, engineers, accountants: a cross section of all the trades and professions -- and most of them had problems! There were women in the classes -- businesswomen and housewives. They, too, had problems! Clearly, what I needed was a textbook on how to conquer worry -- so again I tried to find one. I went to New York's great public library at Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street and discovered to my astonishment that this library had only twenty-two books listed under the title WORRY. I also noticed, to my amusement, that it had one hundred eighty-nine books listed under WORMS. Almost nine times as many books about worms as about worry! Astounding, isn't it? Since worry is one of the biggest problems facing mankind, you would think, wouldn't you, that every high school and college in the land would give a course on "How to Stop Worrying"? Yet, if there is even one course on that subject in any college in the land, I have never heard of it. No wonder David Seabury said in his book How to Worry Successfully: "We come to maturity with as little preparation for the pressures of experience as a bookworm asked to do a ballet."

The result? More than half of our hospital beds are occupied by people with nervous and emotional troubles.

I looked over these twenty-two books on worry reposing on the shelves of the New York Public Library. In addition, I purchased all the books on worry I could find; yet I couldn't discover even one that I could use as a text in my course for adults. So I resolved to write one myself.

I began preparing myself to write this book seven years ago. How? By reading what the philosophers of all ages have said about worry. I also read hundreds of biographies, all the way from Confucius to Churchill. I also interviewed scores of prominent people in many walks of life, such as Jack Dempsey, General Omar Bradley, General Mark Clark, Henry Ford, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Dorothy Dix. But that was only a beginning.

I also did something else that was far more important than the interviews and the reading. I worked for five years in a laboratory for conquering worry -- a laboratory conducted in our own adult classes. As far as I know, it was the first and only laboratory of its kind in the world. This is what we did. We gave students a set of rules on how to stop worrying and asked them to apply these rules in their own lives and then talk to the class on the results they had obtained. Others reported on techniques they had used in the past.

As a result of this experience, I presume I have listened to more talks on "How I Conquered Worry" than has any other individual who ever walked this earth. In addition, I read hundreds of other talks on "How I Conquered Worry" -- talks that were sent to me by mail -- talks that had won prizes in our classes that are held throughout the world. So this book didn't come out of an ivory tower. Neither is it an academic preachment on how worry might be conquered. Instead, I have tried to write a fast-moving, concise, documented report on how worry has been conquered by thousands of adults. One thing is certain: this book is practical. You can set your teeth in it.

"Science," said the French philosopher Valéry, "is a collection of successful recipes." That is what this book is: a collection of successful and time-tested recipes to rid our lives of worry. However, let me warn you: you won't find anything new in it, but you will find much that is not generally applied. And when it comes to that, you and I don't need to be told anything new. We already know enough to lead perfect lives. We have all read the golden rule and the Sermon on the Mount. Our trouble is not ignorance, but inaction. The purpose of this book is to restate, illustrate, streamline, air-condition, and glorify a lot of ancient and basic truths -- and kick you in the shins and make you do something about applying them.

You didn't pick up this book to read about how it was written. You are looking for action. All right, let's go. Please read Parts One and Two of this book -- and if by that time you don't feel that you have acquired a new power and a new inspiration to stop worry and enjoy life -- then toss this book away. It is no good for you.

Dale Carnegie

Copyright 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948 by Dale Carnegie. Copyright renewed.

Copyright © 1984 by Donna Dale Carnegie and Dorothy Carnegie

A Potty for Me!: A Lift-the-Flap Instruction Manual

From School Library Journal
PreS–A pleasant and fairly innocuous addition to an already crowded field, this rhymed book with reinforced pages uses color cartoon illustrations of a child of indeterminate gender who tries, with mixed results, to use the potty. The upbeat text employs expressions like That's okay! and Yeah! I really did it! If you already own Lara Jones's I Love My Potty (Scholastic, 2002) or Harriet Ziefert's Max's Potty and Sara's Potty (both DK, 1999; o.p.), you probably have enough on the subject. But if you need a new title (and remember, there's only so much that's possible in a book of this type), this one will serve its purpose.–Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
Mommy got me a brand new potty!

But I'm not ready yet!

I want to run and play.

Uh-oh, I peed in my pants.

But Mommy says, "That's okay!"

Children will love following along and lifting the flaps to see the child play, sit on thepotty, eat, sit on the potty, sleep, and then sit on the potty...until finally there is success.

Written from a child's point of view, this new potty-training book will help children join in the final refrain, "I'm so proud of me!"

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens

Amazon.com
Based on his father's bestselling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Sean Covey applies the same principles to teens, using a vivacious, entertaining style. To keep it fun, Covey writes, he "stuffed it full of cartoons, clever ideas, great quotes, and incredible stories about real teens from all over the world... along with a few other surprises." Did he ever! Flip open to any page and become instantly absorbed in real-life stories of teens who have overcome obstacles to succeed, and step-by-step guides to shifting paradigms, building equity in "relationship bank accounts," creating action plans, and much more.

As a self-acknowledged guinea pig for many of his dad's theories, Sean Covey is a living example of someone who has taken each of the seven habits to heart: be proactive; begin with the end in mind; put first things first; think win-win; seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize; and sharpen the saw. He includes a comical section titled "The 7 Habits of Highly Defective Teens," which includes some, shall we say, counterproductive practices: put first things last; don't cooperate; seek first to talk, then pretend to listen; wear yourself out... Covey's humorous and up-front style is just light enough to be acceptable to wary teenagers, and down-and-dirty enough to really make a difference. (Ages 13 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From AudioFile
In a sparkling production, Covey answers questions from a professional announcer and introduces short testimonials from real teenagers about how they implemented each of the seven habits. Snappy music is used as background and transitions, and the tone of the entire program is hip and contemporary. Being based on a time-proven set of principles helps the effort, and the author uses many of his father's anecdotes and analogies. His own charm and authority come through in spite of the hot-dog antics of the professional announcer. The production is remarkable for its freshness and provides two hours of upbeat help for any teenager who wants it. T.W. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review
Jack Canfield and Kimberly Kirbergercoauthors of Chicken Soup for the Teenage SoulA true gift for the teenage soul.

Jordan McLaughlinteenagerIf The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens doesn't help you, then you must have a perfect life already.

Kristi YamaguchiU.S. Olympic Figure Skating Gold MedalistAn intensive training program for youth to grow and become winners in the competition of life.

Stephen R. Coveyauthor of The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective PeopleUnlike my book on the 7 Habits, this book by my son Sean speaks directly to teens in an entertaining and visually appealing style (and Sean, I never thought you listened to a word I said). As prejudiced as this may sound, this is a remarkable book, a must-read!

Steve YoungQuarterback, San Francisco 49'ersThis book is a touchdown.

Dr. Laura C. Schlessingerauthor of Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives This book has many positive, inspirational, and motivational strategies to help teenagers live up to their potential.

Review
Steve Young Quarterback, San Francisco 49'ers This book is a touchdown.

Product Description
Being a teenager is both wonderful and challenging. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, author Sean Covey applies the timeless principles of the 7 Habits to teens and the tough issues and life-changing decisions they face. In an entertaining style, Covey provides a step-by-step guide to help teens improve self-image, build friendships, resist peer pressure, achieve their goals, get along with their parents, and much more. In addition, this book is stuffed with cartoons, clever ideas, great quotes, and incredible stories about real teens from all over the world. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens will engage teenagers unlike any other book.

An indispensable book for teens, as well as parents, grandparents, and any adult who influences young people, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is destined to become the last word on surviving and thriving as a teen and beyond.

About the Author
Sean Covey was born in Belfast, Ireland, and raised in Provo, Utah; he has lived in South Africa, Boston, and Dallas. He is currently Vice President of Retail Stores at Franklin Covey Co., one of the world's leading time and life leadership authorities. He graduated with honors from BYU with a degree in English and later earned his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. As the starting quarterback for BYU, he led his team to two bowl games and was twice selected the ESPN Most Valuable Player. Before joining Franklin Covey, he worked at Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, Trammell Crow Ventures, and the Walt Disney Company. He is a popular speaker to youth and adult groups and is the author of Fourth Down and Life to Go.

Sean's favorite activities include going to movies, working out, riding his dirt bike, hanging out with his family, eating (anything in large quantities), and writing poor poetry. Sean and his wife, Rebecca Thatcher, are the parents of four children.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Get in the Habit

They make you or break you

Welcome! My name is Sean and I wrote this book, I don't know how you got it. Maybe your mom gave it to you to shape you up. Or maybe you bought it with your own money because the title caught your eye. Regardless of how it landed in your hands, I'm really glad it did. Now you just need to read it.

A lot of teens read books, but I wasn't one of them. (I did read several Cliffs Notes book summaries, however.) So if you're like me, you may be ready to shelve this book. But before you do that, hear me out. If you promise to read this book, I'll promise to make it an adventure. In fact, to keep it fun, I've stuffed it full of cartoons, clever ideas, great quotes, and incredible stories about real teens from all over the world...along with a few other surprises. So will you give it a try?

Okay? Okay!

Now, back to the book. This book is based on another book that my dad, Stephen R. Covey, wrote several years ago entitled The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Surprisingly, that book has become one of the bestselling books of all time. He owes a lot of the credit for its success to me and my brothersand sisters, however. You see, we were his guinea pigs. He tried out all of his psycho experiments on us, and that's why my brothers and sisters have major emotional problems (just kidding, siblings). Luckily, I escaped uninjured.

So why did I write this book? I wrote it because life for teens is no longer a playground. It's a jungle out there. And if I've done my job right, this book can be like a compass to help you navigate through it. In addition, unlike my dad's book, which was written for old people (and can get really boring at times), this book was written especially for teens and is always interesting.

Although I'm a retired teenager, I remember what it was like to be one. I could have sworn I was riding an emotional roller coaster most of the time. Looking back, I'm actually amazed that I survived. Barely. I'll never forget the time in seventh grade when I first fell in love with a girl named Nicole. I told my friend Clar to tell her that I liked her (I was too scared to speak directly to girls so I used interpreters). Clar completed his mission and returned and reported.

"Hey, Sean, I told Nicole that you liked her."

"What'd she say!?" I giggled.

"She said, 'Ooohhh, Sean. He's fat!'"

Clar laughed. I was devastated. I felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out again. I vowed to hate girls for life. Luckily my hormones prevailed and I began liking girls again.

I suspect that some of the struggles that teens have shared with me are also familiar to you:

"There's too much to do and not enough time. I've got school, homework, job, friends, parties, and family on top of everything else. I'm totally stressed out. Help!"

"How can I feel good about myself when I don't match up? Everywhere I look I am reminded that someone else is smarter or prettier, or more popular I can't help but think, 'If I only had her hair, her clothes, her personality, her boyfriend, then I'd be happy.'"

"I feel as if my life is out of control."

"My family is a disaster. If I could only get my parents off my back I might be able to live my life. It seems they're constantly nagging, and I can't ever seem to satisfy them."

"I know I'm not living the way I should. I'm into everything -- drugs, drinking, sex, you name it. But when I'm with my friends, I give in and just do what everyone else is doing."

"I've started another diet. I think it's my fifth one this year I really do want to change, but I just don't have the discipline to stick with it. Each time I start a new diet I have hope. But it's usually only a short time before I blow it. And then I feel awful."

"I'm not doing too well in school right now. If I don't get my grades up I'll never get into college."

"I'm moody and get depressed often and I don't know what to do about it."

These problems are real, and you can't turn off real life. So I won't try. Instead, I'll give you a set of tools to help you deal with real life. What are they? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens or, said another way, the seven characteristics that happy and successful teens the world over have in common.

By now, you're probably wondering what these habits are so I might as well end the suspense. Here they are, followed by a brief explanation:

Habit 1: Be ProactiveTake responsibility for your life.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in MindDefine your mission and goals in life.

Habit 3: Put First Things FirstPrioritize, and do the most important things first.

Habit 4: Think Win-WinHave an everyone-can-win attitude.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be UnderstoodListen to people sincerely.

Habit 6: SynergizeWork together to achieve more.

Habit 7: Sharpen the SawRenew yourself regularly.

As the above diagram shows, the habits build upon each other. Habits 1, 2, and 3 deal with self-mastery. We call it the "private victory." Habits 4, 5, and 6 deal with relationships and teamwork. We call it the "public victory." You've got to get your personal act together before you can be a good team player. That's why the private victory comes before the public victory. The last habit, Habit 7, is the habit of renewal. It feeds all of the other six habits.

The habits seem rather simple, don't they? But just wait till you see how powerful they can be! One great way to understand what the 7 Habits are is to understand what they are not. So here are the opposites, or:

The 7 Habits of Highly Defective Teens

Habit 1: ReactBlame all of your problems on your parents, your stupid teachers or professors, your lousy neighborhood, your boy- or girlfriend, the government, or something or somebody else. Be a victim. Take no responsibility for your life. Act like an animal. If you're hungry, eat. If someone yells at you, yell back. If you feel like doing something you know is wrong, just do it.

Habit 2: Begin with No End in MindDon't have a plan. Avoid goals at all costs. And never think about tomorrow. Why worry about the consequences of your actions? Live for the moment. Sleep around, get wasted, and party on, for tomorrow we die.

Habit 3: Put First Things LastWhatever is most important in your life, don't do it until you have spent sufficient time watching reruns, talking endlessly on the phone, surfing the Net, and lounging around. Always put off your homework until tomorrow. Make sure that things that don't matter always come before things that do.

Habit 4: Think Win-LoseSee life as a vicious competition. Your classmate is out to get you, so you'd better get him or her first. Don't let anyone else succeed at anything because, remember, if they win, you lose. If it looks like you're going to lose, however, make sure you drag that sucker down with you.

Habit 5: Seek First to Talk, Then Pretend to ListenYou were born with a mouth, so use it. Make sure you talk a lot. Always express your side of the story first. Once you're sure everyone understands your views, then pretend to listen by nodding and saying "uh-huh." Or, if you really want their opinion, give it to them.

Habit 6: Don't CooperateLet's face it, other people are weird because they're different from you. So why try to get along with them? Teamwork is for the dogs. Since you always have the best ideas, you are better off doing everything by yourself. Be your own island.

Habit 7: Wear Yourself OutBe so busy with life that you never take time to renew or improve yourself. Never study. Don't learn anything new. Avoid exercise like the plague. And, for heaven's sake, stay away from good books, nature, or anything else that may inspire you.

As you can see, the habits listed above are recipes for disaster. Yet many of us indulge in them...regularly (me included). And, given this, it's no wonder that life can really stink at times.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE HABITS?

Habits are things we do repeatedly. But most of the time we are hardly aware that we have them. They're on autopilot.

Some habits are good, such as:

* Exercising regularly
* Planning ahead
* Showing respect for others

Some are bad, like:

* Thinking negatively
* Feeling inferior
* Blaming others

And some don't really matter, including:

* Taking showers at night
* Eating yogurt with a fork
* Reading magazines from back to front

Depending on what they are, our habits will either make us or break us. We become what we repeatedly do. As writer Samuel Smiles put it:

Sow a thought, and you reap an act;Sow an act, and you reap a habit;Sow a habit, and you reap a character;Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

Luckily, you are stronger than your habits. Therefore, you can change them. For example, try folding your arms. Now try folding them in the opposite way. How does this feel? Pretty strange, doesn't it? But if you folded them in the opposite way for thirty days in a row, it wouldn't feel so strange. You wouldn't even have to think about it. You'd get in the habit.

At any time you can look yourself in the mirror and say, "Hey, I don't like that about myself," and you can exchange a bad habit for a better one. It's not always easy, but it's always possible.

Not every idea in this book will work for you. But you don't have to be perfect to see results, either. Just living some of the habits some of the time can help you experience changes in your life you never thought possible.

The 7 Habits can help you:

* Get control of your life
* Improve your relationships with your friends
* Make smarter decisions
* Get along with your parents
* Overcome addiction
* Define your values and what matters most to you
* Get more done in less time ...

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised and Updated

Los Angeles Times
"A book to read and re-read!"

-- Los Angeles Times
"A book to read and re-read!" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

The good news is that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self–esteem, and other "black holes" of depression can be cured without drugs. In Feeling Good, eminent psychiatrist, David D. Burns, M.D., outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life. Now, in this updated edition, Dr. Burns adds an All–New Consumer's Guide To Anti–depressant Drugs as well as a new introduction to help answer your questions about the many options available for treating depression.

– Recognise what causes your mood swings

– Nip negative feelings in the bud

– Deal with guilt

– Handle hostility and criticism

– Overcome addiction to love and approval

– Build self–esteem

– Feel good everyday


About the Author

David D. Burns, M.D., a clinical psychiatrist, conveys his ideas with warmth, compassion, understanding, and humor unmatched by any other writer in the self-help field. His bestselling Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy has sold more than three million copies to date. In a recent national survey of mental health professionals, Feeling Good was rated number one—from a list of more than one thousand—as the most frequently recommended self-help book on depression. His Feeling Good Handbook was rated number two in the same survey.

Dr. Burns's entertaining teaching style has made him a popular lecturer for general audiences and mental health professionals throughout the country as well as a frequent guest on national radio and television programs. He has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Contribution to Psychology Through the Media Award from the Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology. A magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Amherst College, Dr. Burns received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine. He is currently clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine and is certified by the National Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.


Excerpted from Feeling Good : The New Mood Therapy by David D Burns, Aaron T. Beck. Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved

Chapter One

A Breakthrough In the Treatment of Mood Disorders

Depression has been called the world's number one public health problem. In fact, depression is so widespread it is considered the common cold of psychiatric disturbances. But there is a grim difference between depression and a cold. Depression can kill you. The suicide rate, studies indicate, has been on a shocking increase in recent years, even among children and adolescents. This escalating death rate has occurred in spite of the billions of antidepressant drugs and tranquilizers that have been dispensed during the past several decades.

This might sound fairly gloomy. Before you get even more depressed, let me tell you the good news. Depression is an illness and not a necessary part of healthy living. What's more important--you can overcome it by learning some simple methods for mood elevation. A group of psychiatrists and psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has reported a significant breakthrough in the treatment and prevention of mood disorders. Dissatisfied with traditional methods for treating depression because they found them to be slow and ineffective, these doctors developed and systematically tested an entirely new and remarkably successful approach to depression and other emotional disorders. A series of recent studies confirms that these techniques reduce the symptoms of depression much more rapidly than conventional psychotherapy or drug therapy. The name of this revolutionary treatment is "cognitive therapy."

I have been centrally involved in the development of cognitive therapy, and this book is the first to describe these methods to the general public. The systematic application and scientific evaluation of this approach in treating clinical depression traces its origins to the innovative work of Drs. Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck, who began to refine their unique approach to mood transformation in the mid-1950's and early 1960's.* Their pioneering efforts began to emerge into prominence in the past decade because of the research that many mental-health professionals have undertaken to refine and evaluate cognitive therapy methods at academic institutions in the United States and abroad.

Cognitive therapy is a fast-acting technology of mood modification that you can learn to apply on your own. It can help you eliminate the symptoms and experience personal growth so you can minimize future upsets and cope with depression more effectively in the future.

The simple, effective mood-control techniques of cognitive therapy provide:

Rapid Symptomatic Improvement: In milder depressions, relief from your symptoms can often be observed in as short a time as twelve weeks.

Understanding: A clear explanation of why you get moody and what you can do to change your moods. You will learn what causes your powerful feelings; how to distinguish "normal" from "abnormal" emotions; and how to diagnose and assess the severity of your upsets.

Self-control: You will learn how to apply safe and effective coping strategies that will make you feel better whenever you are upset. I will guide you as you develop a practical, realistic, step-by-step self-help plan. As you apply it, your moods can come under greater voluntary control.

Prevention and Personal Growth: Genuine and long-lasting prophylaxis (prevention) of future mood swings can effectively be based on a reassessment of some basic values and attitudes which lie at the core of your tendency toward painful depressions. I will show you how to challenge and reevaluate certain assumptions about the basis for human worth.

The problem-solving and coping techniques you learn will encompass every crisis in modem life, from minor irritations to major emotional collapse. These will include realistic problems, such as divorce, death, or failure, as well as those vague, chronic problems that seem to have no obvious external cause, such as low self-confidence, frustration, guilt, or apathy.

The question may now occur to you, "Is this just another self-help pop psychology?" Actually, cognitive therapy is one of the first forms of psychotherapy which has been shown to be effective through rigorous scientific research under the critical scrutiny of the academic community. This therapy is unique in having professional evaluation and validation at the highest academic levels. It is not just another self-help fad but a major development that has become an important part of the mainstrem of modem psychiatric research and practice. Cognitive therapy's academic foundation. has enhanced its impact and should give it staying power for years to come. But don't be turned off by the professional status that cognitive therapy has acquired. Unlike much traditional psychotherapy, it is not occult and anti-intuitive. It is practical and based on common sense, and you can make it work for you.

The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your "cognitions," or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way you look at things--your perceptions, mental attitudes, and beliefs. It includes the way you interpret things--what you say. about something or someone to yourself. You feel the way you do right now because of the thoughts you are thinking at this moment.

Let me illustrate this. How have you been feeling as you read this? You might have been thinking, "Cognitive therapy sounds too good to be true. It would never work for me." If your thoughts run along these lines, you are feeling skeptical or even discouraged. What causes you. to feel that way? Your thoughts. You create those feelings by the dialogue you are having with yourself about this book!

Conversely, you may have felt a sudden uplift in mood because you thought, "Hey, this sounds like something which might finally help me." Your emotional reaction is generated not by the sentences you are reading but by the way you are thinking. The moment you have a certain thought and believe it, you will experience an immediate emotional response. Your thought actually creates the emotion.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands

From Publishers Weekly
Opening with a cute story from when she was seven and photographed her parents having sex, stand-up comedian Handler goes on to discuss the virtues of the one-night stand, which amount to having sex early enough so you're not months into a relationship before you discover he's into "anal beads and duct tape." She discusses her quest for sex with a "black man," which doesn't work out because the date she finds on ChocolateSingles.com has a penis so large, she "would have had to be the size of the Lincoln Tunnel to accommodate that thing." After him, there's a "little midget," but she sobers up before sleeping with him. Next come a number of would-be partners with penises too small to consider. Finally, there's a guy Handler does sleep with, only an embarrassing incident involving a "giant skid mark" prevents her from seeing him again. By the end, Handler considers settling down with one man, which might actually net her more sex than these mostly unconsummated one-night stands. Anyone who laughs at the mere mention of vaginas and penises may find Handler's book almost as much fun as getting drunk and waking up in some stranger's bed.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"Offbeat and laugh-out-loud-funny essays... smart, funny, and quick read." (Library Journal Review )

"Where have I been all of Chelsea Handler's life? I had no idea how funny, how brilliant she is.she is too clever for words." (Liz Smith New York Post )

In a word: hilarious. In two: absolutely hilarious. These are some of the funniest stories I have ever read and they''re also some of the most unexpectedly heartfelt." (Laura Zigman, author of Animal Husbandry, Dating Big Bird, and Her )

"Chelsea Handler is a terrific comedian and a hilarious writer." (Jay Leno )

"This book is no-holds-barred hilarious." (Jennifer Weiner, author of In Her Shoes and Little Earthquakes )

"[Chelsea] just might be funnier than David Sedaris." (Dallas Observer )

"Prime reading material for anyone looking to laugh their hiney off." (About.com )

Product Description
In this raucous collection of true-life stories, actress and comedian Chelsea Handler recounts her time spent in the social trenches with that wild, strange, irresistible, and often gratifying beast: the one-night stand.You've either done it or know someone who has: the one-night stand, the familiar outcome of a night spent at a bar, sometimes the sole payoff for your friend's irritating wedding, or the only relief from a disastrous vacation. Often embarrassing and uncomfortable, occasionally outlandish, but most times just a necessary and irresistible evil, the one-night stand is a social rite as old as sex itself and as common as a bar stool.Enter Chelsea Handler. Gorgeous, sharp, and anything but shy, Chelsea loves men and lots of them. My Horizontal Life chronicles her romp through the different bedrooms of a variety of suitors, a no-holds-barred account of what can happen between a man and a sometimes very intoxicated, outgoing woman during one night of passion. From her short fling with a Vegas stripper to her even shorter dalliance with a well-endowed little person, from her uncomfortable tryst with a cruise ship performer to her misguided rebound with a man who likes to play leather dress-up, Chelsea recalls the highs and lows of her one-night stands with hilarious honesty. Encouraged by her motley collection of friends (aka: her partners in crime) but challenged by her family members (who at times find themselves a surprise part of the encounter), Chelsea hits bottom and bounces back, unafraid to share the gritty details. My Horizontal Life is one guilty pleasure you won't be ashamed to talk about in the morning.


About the Author
Chelsea Handler was born in Livingston, New Jersey, and has toured the country doing stand-up. Now settled in Los Angeles, she can be seen at the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory, and as one of the stars on Oxygen's Girls Behaving Badly. Chelsea has guest-starred on programs such as Spy TV, My Wife and Kids, The Bernie Mac Show, and The Practice. Her stand-up will soon be televised on VH1's Love Lounge, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and HBO's broadcast of the Aspen Comedy Festival.

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits

Product Description
What would it mean to discover that everything from the DNA of life, to the future of our world, is based upon a simple Reality Code—one that we can change and upgrade by choice? New revelations in physics and biology suggest that we’re about to find out!
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that our universe works like a Consciousness Computer. Rather than the number codes of typical software, our Consciousness Computer uses a language that we all have, yet are only beginning to understand. Life’s reality code is based in the language of human emotion and focused belief. Knowing that belief is our reality-maker, the way we think of ourselves and our world is now more important than ever!
For us to change the beliefs that have led to war, disease, and the failed careers and relationships of our past we need a reason to see things differently. Our ancestors used miracles to change what they believed. Today we use science. The Spontaneous Healing of Belief offers us both: the miracles that open the door to a powerful new way of seeing the world, and the science that tells us why the miracles are possible, revealing: why we are not limited by the “laws” of physics and biology as we know them today
Once we become aware of the paradigm-shattering discoveries and true-life miracles, we must think of ourselves differently. And that difference is where the spontaneous healing of belief begins.


About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Gregg Braden has been a featured guest at international conferences and media specials, exploring the role of spirituality in technology. A former senior computer systems designer (Martin Marietta Aerospace), computer geologist (Phillips Petroleum), and technical operations supervisor (Cisco Systems), Braden is now considered a leading authority on bridging the wisdom of our past with the science, technology, and peace of our future.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Amazon.com
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.

For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.

Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
The premise of this facile piece of pop sociology has built-in appeal: little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. Gladwell's thesis that ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" remains a metaphor as he follows the growth of "word-of-mouth epidemics" triggered with the help of three pivotal types. These are Connectors, sociable personalities who bring people together; Mavens, who like to pass along knowledge; and Salesmen, adept at persuading the unenlightened. (Paul Revere, for example, was a Maven and a Connector). Gladwell's applications of his "tipping point" concept to current phenomena--such as the drop in violent crime in New York, the rebirth of Hush Puppies suede shoes as a suburban mall favorite, teenage suicide patterns and the efficiency of small work units--may arouse controversy. For example, many parents may be alarmed at his advice on drugs: since teenagers' experimentation with drugs, including cocaine, seldom leads to hardcore use, he contends, "We have to stop fighting this kind of experimentation. We have to accept it and even embrace it." While it offers a smorgasbord of intriguing snippets summarizing research on topics such as conversational patterns, infants' crib talk, judging other people's character, cheating habits in schoolchildren, memory sharing among families or couples, and the dehumanizing effects of prisons, this volume betrays its roots as a series of articles for the New Yorker, where Gladwell is a staff writer: his trendy material feels bloated and insubstantial in book form. Agent, Tina Bennett of Janklow & Nesbit. Major ad/promo. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
This genial book by New Yorker contributor Gladwell considers the elements needed to make a particular idea take hold. The "tipping point" (not a new phrase) occurs when something that began small (e.g., a few funky kids in New York's East Village wearing Hush Puppies) turns into something very large indeed (millions of Hush Puppies are sold). It depends on three rules: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. Episodes subjected to this paradigm here include Paul Revere's ride, the creation of the children's TV program Sesame Street, and the influence of subway shooter Bernie Goetz. The book has something of a pieced-together feel (reflecting, perhaps, the author's experience writing shorter pieces) and is definitely not the stuff of deep sociological thought. It is, however, an entertaining read that promises to be well publicized. Recommended for public libraries.
-Ellen Gilbert, Rutgers Univ. Lib., New Brunswick, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

New York Times, 2/28/00
"Malcolm Gladwell proposes a fascinating and possibly useful theory in "The Tipping Point"...what makes his book so appealing is the way he approaches his subject...he follows his precept of his subtitle and explores the little things that make a big difference..." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile
Why is it that fashion trends change the way we dress? Why do various TV shows, movies, and books become so popular? Malcolm Gladwell provides a diagram of our society, along with an analysis of the strategies people apply to influence and mold its direction. Gladwell describes the personality types that create trends and those that influence others by "spreading the word." History takes on a whole new perspective as he describes events of early America that specifically follow his theories of "selling the public on an idea" and "social epidemics." Feedback from market mavericks further substantiates Gladwell's viewpoints. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From Booklist
Gladwell, a New Yorker staff writer, offers an incisive and piquant theory of social dynamics that is bound to provoke a paradigm shift in our understanding of mass behavioral change. Defining such dramatic turnarounds as the abrupt drop in crime on New York's subways, or the unexpected popularity of a novel, as epidemics, Gladwell searches for catalysts that precipitate the "tipping point," or critical mass, that generates those events. What he finds, after analyzing a number of fascinating psychological studies, is that tipping points are attributable to minor alterations in the environment, such as the eradication of graffiti, and the actions of a surprisingly small number of people, who fit the profiles of personality types that he terms connectors, mavens, and salesmen. As he applies his strikingly counterintuitive hypotheses to everything from the "stickiness," or popularity, of certain children's television shows to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Gladwell reveals that our cherished belief in the autonomy of the self is based in great part on wishful thinking. Donna Seaman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Lisbeth Schorr, Harvard Project on Effective Interventions, and author of Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to Rebuild America
"...Gladwell manages to make sense of a tantalizing array of research findings." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

-Jeffrey Toobin, author of A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal that Nearly Brought Down a President
"The Tipping Point is one of those rare books that changes the way you think about, well, everything. A combination of lucid explanation with vivid (and often funny) real-world examples, the book sets out to explain nothing less than why human beings behave the way they do. And, astonishingly, Malcolm Gladwell had the smarts and panache to pull it off." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

--Commissioner William J. Bratton
"The Primary reason for the historic and rapid declines in crime and disorder in the subways and on the streets of New York City in the early 1990s was police activity. Police focused their activities on controlling illegal behavior to such an extent that they changed that behavior. Malcolm Gladwell's book and its theories, particularly the 'Power of Context,' clearly describes how crime and disorder were rapidly 'tipped.' It is a vital and 'must read' addition to the on-going debate about what really causes crime and disorder and how best to deal with it." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

--George Stephanopoulos
"Hip and hopeful, The Tipping Point, is like the idea it describes: concise, elegant but packed with social power. A book for anyone who cares about how society works and how we can make it better." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

--Michael Lewis Author of Liar's Poker and The New New Thing
"What someone once said about the great Edmund Wilson is as true of Malcolm Gladwell: he gives ideas the quality of action. Here he's written a wonderful page turner about a fascinating idea that should effect the way every thinking person thinks about the world around him." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Chicago Tribune, 3/26/00
"...a fascinating account...valuable..." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

US Magazine, 3/27/00
"Anyone interested in fads should read THE TIPPING POINT..." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Seattle Times, 3/24/00
"...a terrifically rewarding read..." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Time Out New York, 3/2-9/00
"...brimming with new theories on the science of manipulation..." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

Book Info
Author looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. An intellectual adventure story and a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message-that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world. Two cassettes read by Malcolm Gladwell. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

About the Author
Malcolm Gladwell is a former business and science writer at the Washington Post. He is currently a staff writer for The New Yorker.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Product Description

Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book nonetheless compellingly advocates for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how those assets might be acquired so that the jobs can eventually be shed. --Howard Rothman
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #163 in Books
Published on: 2000-04-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
207 pages
Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book nonetheless compellingly advocates for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how those assets might be acquired so that the jobs can eventually be shed. --Howard Rothman

From AudioFile
Attitude towards risk determines acquisition of wealth, according to Kiyosaki, a financial lecturer and millionaire. Fear of risk keeps you in the house-and-bills "rat trap," unable to escape. Short fore- and afterwords by the Hawaiian-born Kiyosaki frame a serviceable reading by British actor Hoye. Sounding American, Hoye makes little attempt to add zip to this economics discourse. Reading from a script, his narration is unmemorable, but it successfully conveys the intended monetary advice. The random musical bridges do not correspond to sections or chapters. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

--Zig Ziglar, world-renowned author and lecturer
"To get over the top financially, you must read RICH DAD, POOR DAD. It's common sense and market savvy for your financial future."
Customer Reviews

This book is typical "get rich quick by flipping properties" garbage
This book is every "get rich quick flipping properties" late night infomercial cliche boiled down and committed to paper.

I literally burst out laughing in chapter six when he says he and his wife had "more than one million dollars in cash" and just one paragraph later says that he had to borrow $2,000 from "a friend for 90 days for $200" in order to make a down payment.

A "millionaire" has to borrow $2,000 from a FRIEND at 10% for 3 months?????? Right...

Rich Dad Poor Dad
Excellent book. This book should be read two to three times. Re - read this book at least once a year.

Great Book!
I am not very good at getting all the way through a book even if it is interesting! This was a very easy listen and the author makes a lot of sense in an easy to understand way.

Very helpful for those who own their own business and/or are in direct sales.

NLP Workbook: A Practical Guide to Achieving the Results You Want by Joseph O'Connor

Product Description

The author includes exercises to help create rapport with others; influencing skills; understanding and using body language; how to think about and achieve the results you want and more.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #189145 in Books
Published on: 2001-09-25
Binding: Paperback
294 pages
Editorial Reviews

Download Description
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is based on the idea that the human mind is a sort of computer ?

Download Description
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is based on the idea that the human mind is a sort of computer ?
Customer Reviews

Fantastic, Lucid, Finally a tangible NLP Book
Joseph Oconnor is brilliant. His writing is clear, he gets across the ideas and basic absolute fundamental essentials of NLP that many other books take too long or use too complex descriptions are simply aren't clear. Oconnor's writing, and complete understanding of NLP for that matter, is so incredibly well communicated. If NLP is the deep structure to become communicated to the reader through the surface structure of the book, Oconnor uses no generalizations, deletions, nor distortions! Finally a clear NLP book that's fairly advanced. 'Disclaimer": I'm "fairly" new -- 3 years into - to NLP and have been trying to connect with the "Fathers" of it -- bandler, grinder, and a bunch of other gurus, and I got bits and pieces from all those works, but oconnor seems to neatly tie it all together with tremendously lucid writing.

Lack details
An update on the recent development on NLP. This book covers many up-to-date ideas on NLP. However this book provides very little detials on how to make use of those ideas/techniques to allow this book be regarded as a useful self-help resource.

The Law of Success in 16 Lessons: Vol. VIII From Ralston Society

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #3172092 in Books
Published on: 1947

Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman

Product Description

Did you ever wonder why cheap wine tastes better in fancy glasses? Why sales of Macintosh computers soared when Apple introduced the colorful iMac? New research on emotion and cognition has shown that attractive things really do work better, as Donald Norman amply demonstrates in this fascinating book, which has garnered acclaim everywhere from Scientific American to The New Yorker. Emotional Design articulates the profound influence of the feelings that objects evoke, from our willingness to spend thousands of dollars on Gucci bags and Rolex watches, to the impact of emotion on the everyday objects of tomorrow.

Norman draws on a wealth of examples and the latest scientific insights to present a bold exploration of the objects in our everyday world. Emotional Design will appeal not only to designers and manufacturers but also to managers, psychologists, and general readers who love to think about their stuff.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #26454 in Books
Published on: 2005-05-10
Released on: 2005-05-10
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
257 pages
Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Techno author Norman, a professor of computer science and cofounder of a consulting firm that promotes human-centered products, extends the range of his earlier work, The Design of Everyday Things, to include the role emotion plays in consumer purchases. According to Norman, human decision making is dependent on both conscious cognition and affect (conscious or subconscious emotion). This combination is why, for example, a beautiful set of old mechanical drawing instruments greatly appealed to Norman and a colleague: they evoked nostalgia (emotion), even though they both knew the tools were not practical to use (cognition). Human reaction to design exists on three levels: visceral (appearance), behavioral (how the item performs) and reflective. The reflective dimension is what the product evokes in the user in terms of self-image or individual satisfaction. Norman's analysis of the design elements in products such as automobiles, watches and computers will pique the interest of many readers, not just those in the design or technology fields. He explores how music and sound both contribute negatively or positively to the design of electronic equipment, like the ring of a cell phone or beeps ("Engineers wanted to signal that some operation had been done.... The result is that all of our equipment beeps at us"). Norman's theories about how robots (referred to here as emotional machines) will interact with humans and the important jobs they will perform are intriguing, but weigh down an already complex text.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Computer science professor Norman also advises design firms. He brings his background in academics and business to bear on the emotional valence surrounding objects of daily use, be they kitchen utensils, automobiles, or a football coach's headset. Norman's analysis of people's emotional reactions to material objects is a delightful process, replete with surprises for readers who have rarely paused to consider why they like or loathe their belongings. He breaks down emotional reactions into three parts, labeled "visceral," "behavioral," and "reflective," asserting that "a successful design has to excel at all levels." Norman's examples of items ranging from bottles to hand tools fulfill this dictum, although he feels that designers do not often take emotion into account when formulating what an object should look like. With household robots on the horizon, Norman implores designers to redeem their mistakes in designing personal computers. His readers will take away insights galore about why shoppers say, "I want that." Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Daniel Bobrow, Research Fellow, Palo Alto Research Center
"Amazing.... Norman does a wonderful job making these ideas come alive."
Customer Reviews

An interesting view about how products can change our lives
Don Norman with this books exposes a review based on how products can make us feel better, and how they can influence our daily life in different contexts of use. If you're lookin' for a tutorial about "how make an emotional product", this is not the choice. Nevertheless, you'll never find it eather. Norman only puts a name to a phenomenon that already exists, but in a entertaining way that offer to the reader a new form to understand the design of products. It is worth it to read this, absolutely recommended.

Jakob Nielsen's Other Half
This book breaks down 3 categories of things we look at when we're deciding whether or not we like things, and then proceeds to show how one can analyze everyday things in those terms. I wouldn't say it's enlightening, but it does give you categories and terms for expressing things you already knew on some level. Don Norman's writing style is warm, and personal, and the book is easy to read. I've seen his name next to Jakob Nielsen's plenty of times but had no idea who he was or what he was about, so it gives a little insight into who Don Norman is as well, and why he and Jakob make good partners.

Author Ego
This book is uninspiring and boring. The author has a huge ego and does not translate his ideas effectively. The book is a long boring read and not anything new to those in design.

Face It: Recognizing and Conquering the Hidden Fear That Drives All Conflict at Work by Art Horn

Product Description

Worriers, controllers, attention-seekers, victims, fakes: these are all typical profiles of professionals who let different types of fear keep them from achieving professional success.

And fear has an even more destructive effect: It is the root of conflict, which can undermine the productivity of teams and entire organizations.

Face It identifies several basic behavioral profiles, and helps readers assess their own behaviors as well as those of coworkers. The book explains how the behaviors develop, and offers practical techniques for replacing fear and mistrust with mutual respect and rebuilding the sense of shared commitment to common goals.

Like a session with a good personal coach, Face It will give readers new strength to face their fears, and help them work more productively as individuals and with colleagues. Conquering their demons will allow them to establish a pattern of improved performance, self-esteem, and personal freedom.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1124847 in Books
Published on: 2004-06
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
240 pages
Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The primary reason people don't succeed at work is fear, according to Horn, an executive consultant and coach in Toronto. This fear creates different personalities, including worriers, control freaks, fakes, attention-seekers, victims and prisoners. Using examples from his own practice, Horn explains how to diagnose these profiles. He asks people what they're thinking as they continue to exhibit certain behavior, even if the particular demeanor is hurting them professionally. Often, the individuals recall something from their childhood that explains why they act in a certain way. Once people are aware of the reasons for their behavior, they can slowly begin to change. The author addresses individuals wanting to modify their behavior as well as people who interact with "problem types." As Horn explains, "If someone does not readily admit to the negative effects of their behavior, and you need the behavior to change, then don't go to the topic of motive. Stay on the topic of behavior." Horn's style is friendly and clear, and the real-life anecdotes and dialogues ably support the author's thesis. However, some readers may find the book slows down when Horn discusses his "transcendence model" and how to understand the needs of the "self." As a result, the book will most benefit readers who are already comfortable with psychological approaches to work situations.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Library Journal
"Horn's distinctive focus on the psychological reasons for certain workplace behaviors is especially useful.

Review

Library Journal: "Horn’s distinctive focus on the psychological reasons for certain workplace behaviors is especially useful. Recommended for all collections."
Customer Reviews

Invaluable Wake Up Call
If this book can tell you something about yourself, then it is invaluable to you. It is highly original. It is exceptionally well written with a flowing style. The six fear based behaviour types provides a powerful self assessment device. This is the first step to understanding others. I think I'm now getting the message. Thanks Art Horn!

Helpful and interesting
Having read and reread this book I feel confident in recommending it to anyone interested in learning to deal with with workplace conflict and cohabitation.
The author persuasively and logically argues that most workplace conflict is driven by fears that we may not even be aware of. Using the practical strategies put forth in the book has allowed me to gain greater understanding of where fears come from and how to cope with them. This book would be a valuable tool for anyone interested in turning discord into harmony, both at home and at work.
The final section of the book suffers slightly from what felt to me like a shift in tone and emphasis. This part of the book seemed to be where the author became concerned with sharing his own personal worldview and therefore might be less useful for the hardcore business reader looking for workplace strategies to implement. That being said, I found this portion of the book to be interesting and enlightening to read simply as a human being and not as a "business person".
Highly recommended.

Right and wrong thinking, and their results;: The undreamed-of possibilities which man may achieve through his own mental control, by Aaron Martin Cra

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #5027693 in Books
Published on: 1921
Binding: Unknown Binding
360 pages

50 Ways To Prevent and Manage Stress by M. Sara Rosenthal

Product Description


50 workable solutions for alleviating stress and related disorders

This quick and easy volume features 50 solutions you can use to alleviate the effects of stress and related disorders. 50 Ways to Prevent and Manage Stress includes information on the health toll of stress, work and home adjustments that can help reduce stress, body work, diet and herbal relief, exercise, counseling, and creative outlets.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1378984 in Books
Published on: 2001-09-10
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
160 pages
Editorial Reviews

Download Description
This quick and easy volume features 50 solutions you can use to alleviate the effects of stress and related disorders. 50 Ways to Prevent and Manage Stress includes information on the health toll of stress, work and home adjustments that can help reduce stress, body work, diet and herbal relief, exercise, counseling, and creative outlets.

About the Author
M. Sara Rosenthal, M.S., is a medical journalist and educator and the author of many acclaimed health books. She is an associate of the Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto, a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in health promotion.

Download Description
This quick and easy volume features 50 solutions you can use to alleviate the effects of stress and related disorders. 50 Ways to Prevent and Manage Stress includes information on the health toll of stress, work and home adjustments that can help reduce stress, body work, diet and herbal relief, exercise, counseling, and creative outlets.

How Great Decisions Get Made by Don Maruska

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #312553 in Books
Published on: 2006-02-28
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
228 pages
Editorial Reviews

BookPage
"A blessing for anyone who hates meetings (who doesn't)- the art of team decision making"

Lauren Brown, President, Promega Biosciences, Inc. and 2003 Socially Responsible Entrepreneur Award Winner
"Don Maruska's insights and practical guidance helped our business through a critical transition phase."

Mike Pool, California State Director, U.S. Bureau of Land Management
"The ten-step process works!This approach is building lasting value for our organization,the resources we manage, and the public we serve."
Customer Reviews

Brad veiw
I found Don's book to be insightful and practical. Don has a way of clearly communicating both the "why do this" and the "how to do this." His examples help illuminate how to apply his ideas to real world situations. The Putting into Practice sections eliminate the guesswork when it comes to applying the process details with groups. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get effective progress towards making collaborative decisions that last.

Maruska 10 Steps to a Great Decision -- Great Book

Don Maruska does a great job laying out his 10 steps to a great decision. Don's decision model is based on the assumption that there are two divergent groups or view points that need to come together for an important decision.

Don also includes examples, suggestions, and tips from his past experience for each of the steps. This is very helpful and provides further coaching into the decision process.

Each step builds upon the last step to insure all the participants, best options, right information, and optimal choices are effective, efficient, and have long term success.

Lastly, the book has a broader application since Don's 10 step methodology could be used for a series of decisions that form the basis of strategic planning, business planning, data modeling, or customer service improvement considerations.

I would highly recommend this book to any person, group, or business that is contemplating an important, emotional, or difficult decision. With Don's 10 step methodology, you will be more likely to be successful, save time, save money, and have lasting support for decisions.

Checklists for Life: 104 Lists to Help You Get Organized, Save Time, and Unclutter Your Life by Kirsten Lagatree

Product Description

A Handbook For An Organized Life

If you've ever wished for a class in Coping 101, or a guide to living more efficiently and with less stress, this book is for you! Over 100 sensible checklists offer quick tips and expert advice to make your life easier at work, at home, and through all of life's ups and downs.

Arranged by subject, from Personal Safety to Home Maintenance to Social Life, these lists will help you know what to ask, what to do, and what to have on hand in any situation.

What to do when your wallet is stolen
How to stock a bar
Questions to ask when hiring a contractor
What to keep in your medicine cabinet
Frequently overlooked tax deductions
How to be friends with your computer
The best and worse places to hide valuables
What to keep in a safe deposit box
Six steps of bare minimum housework
How to organize your file cabinet
How to cure your dying houseplants
Tips for writing an effective complaint letter
Tipping: who and how much
A countdown to moving day
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #220075 in Books
Published on: 1999-11-30
Released on: 1999-11-30
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
320 pages
Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
At some point in our lives, we all wish life had come with an instruction manual; a little something to help us navigate the labyrinth of this complex world with a touch of grace and dignity. Is it so much to ask? Luckily for us, Kirsten M. Lagatree has risen to the challenge. Checklists for Life offers 104 lists that can help you with all those nagging little uncertainties, from organizing your closet to choosing a lawyer. "Show me a successful person," asserts Lagatree, "and I'll show you a list-maker.... Lists ensure that the job gets done correctly and completely--and with the added finesse that springs from an uncluttered mind."

Categorized into personal safety, getting organized, stocking up, home maintenance, housework, flowers and plants, social life, correspondence, death, children, moving, travel, health, the law, your money, professional life, your computer, and your car, many of the lists in this book consist, as she points out, of commonsense advice. Others, though, are less obvious. For instance, her advice on extras to pack when you go abroad (electricity converters, adapters, pre-addressed envelopes and Benadryl, just to name a few) and choosing realtors (Do they insist on a buyer/broker contract? Do they use a computer to help find homes?) are clearly the product of experience. While all the lists are highly helpful--the checklist for organizing your workspace alone is worth the price of the book--the best seem to be those for less common events, such as buying and moving to a new home or preparing for court. Lagatree has clearly done her research on these topics and her advice will save you time, money, and a great deal of stress. --Laszlo Simonyi

Inside Flap Copy
A Handbook For An Organized Life

If you've ever wished for a class in Coping 101, or a guide to living more efficiently and with less stress, this book is for you! Over 100 sensible checklists offer quick tips and expert advice to make your life easier at work, at home, and through all of life's ups and downs.

Arranged by subject, from Personal Safety to Home Maintenance to Social Life, these lists will help you know what to ask, what to do, and what to have on hand in any situation.

What to do when your wallet is stolen
How to stock a bar
Questions to ask when hiring a contractor
What to keep in your medicine cabinet
Frequently overlooked tax deductions
How to be friends with your computer
The best and worse places to hide valuables
What to keep in a safe deposit box
Six steps of bare minimum housework
How to organize your file cabinet
How to cure your dying houseplants
Tips for writing an effective complaint letter
Tipping: who and how much
A countdown to moving day

About the Author
Kirsten M. Lagatree is the bestselling author of Feng Shui and Feng Shui at Work, and the co-author of The Home Office Solution. She lives and makes lists in the New York area.
Customer Reviews

Informative
For anyone who is young or inexperienced at everyday life to dos, this book can guide the way! I found it to be extremely informative. It helped me to get my life in order.

put this book in a drawer
keep this book. read it a little at a time. some good thoughts but too much to consume in one reading. Wished that I had gotten it from the library (with extensions) than having bought it. Oh, well, I love Amazon.

I RETURNED this book
This book is terrible. The lists are disappointingly incomplete and inconsequential. For example:

A list on tipping includes tips for restroom attendants, but it omits tips for valet parking. In my life, I have used valet parking significantly more often than a restroom attendant.

A list of common foreign phrases omits pronunciations. How useful is that? Knowing the spelling of a phrase does one no good during conversation should the pronunciation of a phrase be very different from its spelling.

Basically, if one had been raised by kindly wolves in the forest, and recently dropped into modern society, this book might be marginally useful. But anyone with a modicum of planning or forethought would have outgrown this trite little waste of words and paper by age 10.

Use Your Head Author: Tony Buzan

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1306197 in Books
Published on: 2003-05-08
Binding: Paperback
168 pages
Customer Reviews

Open Your Mind and Learn from the Best
Often villified because he breaks new ground continually, this book encouraged me to attend one of his seminars. I have to admit I found Mind Mapping difficult until then. After the seminar, with just a little practise, I found the technique is unbeatable. How else can you attend seminars/lectures, and come out with complete notes that cover everything you need. This book gives a broad overview of all his techniques and lets you experiment to find the ones you like. Once you have an overview then get the more specific titles, like Mind Mapping etc.

If you are at all interested in improving yourself this book is a must! Be Warned his techniques are not little tricks that can be applied instantly to make a little improvement. They are something you need to learn and practise, but when you do, they will change your life forever!

The Most Misleading Book on the Brain/Learning Ever!
I have been interested in study techniques and improving my mind for some time. There are great books out there on reading technique, memory, note taking, communication etc, and the best of them use accurate explanations about how the mind works. This book is most definitely not one of them!

I made some great improvements in my learning abilities after reading books such as "Your Memory, and How to improve it" by Higbee, or "Reading Flexibly" by McWhorter. Then came the Buzan guru promise of being a superlearner, or a powerbrain mind mapper, in order to unleash the alleged 99% of my intelligence that I was not using.

The first chapter gave a story about a student who used mind mapping to get into Cambridge. Fine (but just imagine the countless students that swallowed the hype and failed their exams due to mind mapping)! Then there was an explanation of how he did it; He knew how his brain worked, and he used it properly. OK! However, the following chapter on how the brain works is so innacurate that it can only be described as misinformation. The left/right brain speculation and holographic theory of the mind are so feable they will only be useful as rhetoric for selling more books.

The section on reading takes a step backwards from even the most mediocre texts on reading. He emphasizes speed and clouds issues of comprehension (which are essential for good reading). As you may have heard from some speed readers, they can read at over 1000wpm. So can I, but unlike them, I do not fool myself and claim that my comprehension will increase.

The section on memory is basic 1960s psychology about the forgetting rate, and some very limited information about mnemonics. He does not even mention the method of loci (probably the oldest and most powerful techniques).

The chapter on mind mapping and study (MMOST) leads the reader up the garden path at every turn. Mind mapping as a graphic technique does not even use labeled links between concepts. Concept mapping does, and it leads to meaningful learning. Once again, Buzan opens a trapdoor for us to fall through. The study technique section (MMOST) is standard study technique, (except that the author evangelizes and raises expectation so high that anticlimax is guaranteed).

At the end of the book, the promises to lead the world to a vision of mental literacy are nothing more than sales pitch and cult building. If he did ever manage to teach the world to mind map, he would also be teaching the most innacurate information about the brain known to pseudoscience. He would also be training those people in self-delusion.

Get ANY other book on learning or study techniques, and you will be better off.

ATB
DRayt

Highly recommended
Tony Buzan is smart - in two ways. Firstly, he is a good marketer. But full credit to him. He manages to achieve this while still sharing infinitely valuable tools for 'expanding' your mind. But secondly, he is at the forefront of the study of mnemonics (that's how to remember stuff). Use Your Head, the first in the 'BBC Mind Set' series is simply an overview of all the areas into which you can specialise by purchasing his other titles. I read his 'Use you Mind' title prior to reading this and I kid you not, from being a klutz when it came to remembering lists and faces, after 5 days I was remembering lists over 100 randomly ordered words. I could repeat them backwards, forwards, around the dinner table I got my family to test me by asking me what word number, for example, 86 in the list was and I could recall perfectly. They called me a freak. And the coolest thing about it was that it is simple. Like really simple. I guess that my advantage was that I was passionate about improving my memory and therefore incessantly practiced. But like I said - 5 days it took me! So I am a fan. I'm currently on page 98 of 'Use Your Head' and have already managed to improve my reading speed, today(!), from 250 words per minute to 470 words per minute. I'm now on the section about mind mapping, and have actually got his specialist mind mapping book, called funnily enough, 'The Mind Map Book' sitting on my desk ready to be read and practiced next. I'm already a top student in my studies, but I seriously cannot wait to get back to school to put all of this to use because I feel like my brain is actually working for the first time.
If you have to choose one book in his series, I would suggest 'Use Your Mind' (all about remembering), but that's just me. I promise you that if you approach it with the enthusiasm that I did and are willing to harass your friends and family into testing you, then you will see exactly what I mean. It's groundbreaking. And if you choose to ignore, that's cool, your loss.

Power of Concentration: How to Acquire It by Eustace Miles

Product Description

1907. One of the main reasons which led Mr. Miles to write this book was that so many of his health pupils asked him how they could improve their powers of concentration and memory. He then collected various notes on the subject and has almost completed a book. The more he studied, the more he came to see that merely to concentrate was not enough. Most of the pupils wanted to concentrate for the sake of financial or athletic or other ephemeral success and seemed to regard such success as a final goal.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1074315 in Books
Published on: 2003-08
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
216 pages