Book Description
Do you come away from contact with your parent with unbearable feelings of rage, low self-esteem and depression?
Is your parent hypercritical, manipulative, and/or controlling?
Do you feel unsafe when you are with your parent because of verbal abuse, negligence, or inappropriate behavior?
No matter how much you do for your parent, is it never enough?
No one should have to endure an abusive, unhealthy relationship that threatens his or her well-being -- even if that relationship is with a parent. In this ground-breaking book, Beverly Engel draws on her own personal experience, as well as the stories and letters of other adult children, to offer a complete guide to why, when and how to divorce a parent. Engel discusses good and bad reasons for taking this step, when to stop trying to reconcile, and how to prepare yourself emotionally for the actual divorce, including such alternatives as temporary separation. If you do decide that parental divorce; how to handle negative pressure from others; how to come to terms with your own grief and guilt; what to tell your own children, and how to deal with their relationships with their grandparents; how to cope with holidays; how to divorce a parent after his or her death; and what to do if you change your mind and want to reconcile.
Customer Reviews:
Divorcing a Parent: Free Yourself from the Past.......2006-11-10
This book is an excellent publication for anyone who has suffered mental and emotional abuse at the hands of a parent/parents. Every statement in the book was so true to form that it was scary to realize just how bad life really was. Knowing that other individuals have experienced the same abuse with the same threats and parental abuse was somewhat comforting to know that others have experienced these abuses and gone on to live better lives. Very highly recommended reading for anyone feeling abused by a parent(s).
Wishing I'd Seen This Four Years Ago!.......2006-05-11
While I made the decision to cut off contact with my parents and brother four years ago, it is only recently I've begun to find books that broach this topic, and do so from a perspective that it is a healthy and sometimes necessary choice. I have been drinking in these resources as a way of validating the path I've taken and also partly to ensure I've taken the proper steps so that it is a path of healing and starting over.
I recently finished Beverly Engel's Divorcing a Parent: Free Yourself from the Past and Live the Life You've Always Wanted. At the time this book was published, the concept of divorcing (as in terminating a relationship with) one's parents was an extremely radical and unpopular one.
Fifteen years later, it is a somewhat more acceptable idea than it used to be. But unfortunately many people in our society still believe choosing to limit or eliminate contact with toxic family members is taboo without wishing to understand why it is the best and sometimes only option.
America is Mom and apple pie; to divorce Mom is to desecrate what is American in some people's eyes, even if it is done for one's survival. I unfortunately have dealt with people on all levels of acquaintance who've made it their business to let me know they disapproved of my choice when they learned about it. As well-meaning as some of these critics were, it was still hurtful to be invalidated that way and I always felt stuck, not knowing how to respond to that without getting defensive.
That said I really do wish I'd found this book four years ago. Beverly Engel wrote Divorcing a Parent after having made the decision to divorce her own abusive mother a few years earlier, and counseling countless others who were struggling with this dilemma in their own lives. She took her personal experiences, anecdotes from various patients, and her expertise as a counselor, and rolled them into a very helpful guide towards making a rational decision about whether to divorce one's parents, and in some cases, entire families.
At the same time Engel's book is intelligent, in that it does not hold bias towards what the decision should be for the individual. She respects that some people may want or even need a relationship to continue, and therefore she explores all the options, including limiting contact, emotionally separating oneself, and even attempting reconciliation if someone changes their mind down the road. Engel also states that it is possible to divorce one parent and maintain a relationship with the other if one so wishes. But Engel remains reverent of the fact that the choice must be the individual's alone above all.
I also appreciated that Divorcing a Parent does NOT advocate remaining stuck in victim mode. In fact, Engel states that in choosing to alter or eliminate a relationship with one's parents, a person is also making a simultaneous commitment to grow up, shed the dysfunctional dependency on their parents, and not allow their past to determine who they are anymore.
Engel also points out that divorcing one's parent(s) is never an effective way of getting back at them, and should never be used to make them "pay" for their sins in the hopes that they will see things your way. Divorcing a parent should only be for the sake of healing and self-preservation, for one's own mental and emotional health, especially if the parent(s) have not acknowledged the past abuse or continue to perpetrate it at some level.
Divorcing a Parent does a wonderful job as well of guiding the reader through various exercises for releasing anger and working through grief. Engel describes options for both physically and emotionally detaching, including trying a trial separation, or formal rituals a person can perform to stand by their choice, such as writing a letter to one's parent(s) or drawing up a formal divorce decree for yourself if you decide to make the separation permanent.
It also addresses the guilt that almost inevitably comes about as a result of hearing criticism over the choices made, be it from others or within. I especially found it a relief when Engel provided suggestions for responding to subtle, "well-meaning" responses that can undermine a vulnerable person who is sharing about this part of their lives. It makes me wish I'd had these responses available to me so many times, and grateful I have them now in the event I hear them again.
Finally, Engel has sections at the end of the book addressed to various people who may be involved in the life of the reader, including friends, spouses, therapists, and even the parent of the reader. She poses questions and challenges to each of these parties without being preachy or condemning, rather instead choosing to shed light on possible reasons why someone may struggle with accepting or supporting someone else's decision to reduce or eliminate association with an abusive parent.
My one small criticism of Engel's work is that she advocates it's necessary try to find some good in an abusive parent as a method of moving forward. She states healing will not happen unless we do.
The reason this is bothersome for me is because I believe there are people who really are unredeemably evil and sociopathic, who are sadistic and deliberate in their abuse. History, psychology, and even some religious circles openly admit this.
My opinion is that yes, some people who abuse are good people and are just sick or hopelessly caught up in a cycle they don't realize they're in. Those are people for whom perhaps it's worth spending time and energy finding good in them. But there are yet others who operate on a permanent mean streak because they were born without a conscience. When this is blatantly obvious, I believe trying to see them in a sympathetic light is counterproductive.
I think in such cases it should be respected that it may simply be overly difficult if not impossible to try to find good in such persons. I don't agree that looking for the good in someone who did horrendous things to you is necessarily therapeutic either. I wish in a way that Engel had acknowledged this as a possibility and left a door open for an alternative way of working through this if it is a possibility for certain people.
Nevertheless, I still consider that to be a minor point of contention in light of how helpful and validating the rest of this book is. It's a resource I would definitely have turned to a long time ago if I'd known of it. I'd probably have still come to the same decision as I have, but reading this before or at the same time I did I believe would have made the transition easier, helped me through the emotional process, and possibly with less false guilt all these years. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking a better way of dealing with a dysfunctional family.
By the way, it is interesting to note that after Engel's book was published, her own mother read it and experienced a change of heart. Engel and her mother have since reconciled and reportedly enjoy a better relationship today; this later inspired Engel to write the book The Power of Apology. This is a rare outcome, and in that respect it is an especially heartwarming and happy ending.
Great book.......2005-09-01
This is a must read for everybody and anybody whose parents express love in 'interesting ways'. While reading this book, I knew the author was talking about the experiences which I and too many other people have.
We are always at fault for something, regardless of what it is. We are called 'mental' by our families for not liking that abuse! Meanwhile we try to be 'good' and not insult them back with something. During this silence we up making ourselves sick through that acting; we are emotionally and mentally better off without our parents.
If unhappy people can divorce from an unhealthy marriage, people who are unhappy with their families ought to be able to divorce their parents too.
Finding a supportive and healthy family of your own choosing is much better than attempting to ride things out with a family that chose you. Attempting to go through the motions of the `devoted child' is not worth it.
Help for the hardest decision you may ever have to make........2004-12-17
"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned"....Titus 3:10-11.
I have recommended this book several times in the course of my ministry work with adult children of abusive or controlling birth-families. The decision to divorce a parent is never easy and is never made hastily. It is usually a matter of mental, emotional, and often physical survival after the adult child has spent many years trying every other alternative to make the relationship work.
Painful though it is, there are birth-family relationships that are so destructive that the only thing you can do is get out. Only then can you begin your healing and recovery and eventually lead a peaceful and joyful life.
This book presents practical and sympathetic advice from someone who has been down that road- the author herself, who besides being a therapist, found it necessary to divorce her own abusive mother.
Besides its content, this book is interesting in a very unique way. After the author divorced her mother, she wrote this book. Her mother bought it and read it, apologized to the author and made an effort to change her destructive behavior, and they have now reconciled. The author then wrote a follow-up book called The Power of Apology.
Beverly Engel is a psychotherapist and recognized expert in the fields of relationships, women's issues, and abuse. She is the author of 14 books, and has been on Oprah, Ricki Lake, Sally Jesse Raphael, and other national talk shows. She found it necessary to divorce her mother, not because of past childhood abuse, but because of the CONTINUAL ABUSE SHE SUFFERED AS AN ADULT. No one should have to endure an abusive, unhealthy relationship that threatens her well-being, even if that relationship is with a parent.
Divorcing A Parent explains the right and wrong reasons for divorce. Some of the right reasons are: to break the cycle of abuse, when it's either you or them, when your parent is hypercritical, controlling, or manipulative, and when your parent continues to abuse you or continues to deny the truth.
We are taught how to confront our parent and what to expect, including our parent divorcing us when we stand up for ourselves. We learn that abusive people don't mellow with age, they usually just get worse.
The book teaches you how to prepare for the divorce, how to separate emotionally, and takes you through the process of letting go, mourning the loss of your parent, and completing the grieving process. We learn how to deal with pressure and criticism from our siblings and other relatives who want us to continue accepting the abuse.
There are also suggestions to the divorced parent, to mates, friends, and loved ones, and to therapists.
I believe that Divorcing A Parent is a must-read for adult children who need to free themselves from an abusive relationship with a parent.
"They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me. Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long. But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked"...Psalm 129:2-4
Healthy future for me now.......2004-01-21
Unbelievable!!! I have finally come to terms with the abuse and abandonment that my family has continued to show me for more than 15 years. I have completed the necessary steps indicated in the book and realize I am the only mentally healthy individual in my immediate family. Unfortunately, my sister is continuing the legacy that my Mother began with her daughter. It is absolutely sickening to witness. However, I was able to emotionally divorce myself from them just prior to them abandoning me for the last time. You see, their modus operandi WAS to cut me off for any decision I made in which they didn't approve. I emphasize "WAS" because I will no longer feel the pain of their disapproval. It simply doesn't matter anymore. I now know that I don't need to be punished for being the human being and individual that I am. Whether they like it or not. I can't recommend this book enough to those of you who are even contemplating this scenario. You must at least try to be at peace with who you are and that is... a wonderful human being.
Book Description
Drawing on many years of work in the field since the original publication of the book, Chandler has added numerous new stories, quotes, insights and recommendations on how to transform yourself from a fictional, limited, old personality to a fresh level of creative action. "It is a dream come true," says Chandler, "to have been given the chance by Career Press to reinvent Reinventing Yourself. I'll let the reader be the judge as to whether I succeeded at my mission of taking this book from good to great." "Reinventing Yourself is written forcefully, but with great humor, There won't be many books in the coming years that are met with as much enthusiasm as this book." -Colin Wilson, author of The Outsider and Alien Dawn "If you want a book that develops your hidden potential, look no further. Steve Chandler's Reinventing Yourself is it!" -Danny Cox, author of Seize the Day and There are No Limits :"If you put together the best of Anthony Robbins, Mark McCormack and Wayne Dyer, what you would have would be almost as good as Steve Chandler." -Dale Dauten, King Features Syndicate
Download Description
Steve Chandler opens this powerful book with the image of a cocoon. The cocoon of personality. The cocoon that traps us into negative or limited thinking about who we are and what we can become. Steve then gives us a choice: Either we can continue to think of ourselves as victims, or we can take ownership of our lives and extend our possibilities in limitless directions. Think of Elvis Presley, and how he just didn't sing the song, he owned it, poured his spirit into it. Or Michael Jordan, not just playing basketball, but defining his inner self as he soars to the basket. Within each of us is an inspiration - a spark of insight about the person we were meant to be. Reinventing yourself helps us to name that vision...to call it ours and to begin to make it happen. This eBook edition contains the complete 219 page text of the original hardcover editon.
Customer Reviews:
Beware of HAMILTONBOOKS audio cassette !.......2007-04-23
For anyone interested in purchasing this audio book, please be advised that I've recieved not just One but TWO damaged versions of "Reinvent Yourself" and have given up. I will probably buy the book from the local bookstore. I don't think it's HamiltonBooks fault, but they must have some sketchy products in their inventory, you never know what you'll get. Maybe that's why this item is sold by them for the low price of $3.95 plus shipping. Just a warning...
So completely practical........2007-03-05
This guy is awesome. So practical, so direct. No condescension, no preaching. Zero chaff. 100% content.
One (actual) example. I just pour out some hurt to my GF about my job. One client who is such a problem that if one our guys so much as *annoys* her, she could get a contract canceled that would get 4 of our guys laid off. An impossible to please person with a lot of power.
So I tell my GF. Cold person that she can be, she automatically *defends* this person, saying that we're just miffed that she has the power. Now, I'm thinking about the 4 families that would be knocked right out if this goes down (including mine), so I'm appalled that this is the first thing that comes out of her mouth (you know, before "gee hon, I'm sorry" or "why would anyone be that way?")
So as soon as she lets me out of the room, I go into the next room, and decide to try to somehow rise above this.
I pop in CD2 of this series, and I just want to *feel* angry, hurt, justified, etc. Well, Chandler won't let me, and he explains convincingly how are "aren't" (i.e., can't *identify* completely with) our feelings any more than we "are" a banged knee (and the pain associated with that), and why. He's 100% dead on. Now if he was in any way preachy, I'd have the opportunity to feel guilt, or get defensive (and thus avoid action). Not possible. He is so clear, and so right-on. I'm not feeling convicted. I am redirected. So uncommon.
So I go right back in the bedroom (why should *I* sleep on the couch?), stick some pillows between us, and get the night's sleep I need to face the week ahead (and the pending situation).
The girlfriend? Time to weigh my options. I have choices. We always do.
The book/audio? I highly recommend it.
Worth Listening To..........2006-09-18
Ok, so the audio version would maybe have been more lyrical if Steve had a different person read it, like someone with passion in their voice. (I still love ya Steve!) However, I do like books read to me by the author, since it is their wisdom they are sharing.
This audio series really woke me up again, like many of Steve's books. I sadly related myself to the "victim" mentality. When Steve gives examples of how "victims" handle situations, he was honestly reading my mind. It really got my attention.
Then he describes how "owners" think. Being a small business owner and wanting to succeed, I really had to stop and listen. I was shocked to hear how owners think in their heads. I then realized I had a choice; do I want to think like an 'owner' or a 'victim'?
Other points throughout the series really made me stand up and think. He describes a scene on the Today show where Matt Lauer is trying to get a row out of Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods, after hearing a negative comment from Fuzzy Zoeller. Earl never, ever is offended by the comments. He puts it back on Fuzzy, saying that Fuzzy has the problem. Victims are offended everyday, while Owners see that others have the problem. Wow!
If you truly want to change and get out of your victim mode and change your life, this is a valuable asset that is worth every penny. I like audio versions because I can listen to them over and over again, especially riding around in the car, which I have to do anyway. It's a valueable time where I can change my thinking and therefore change my life.
Thanks Steve!
Annie Bathgate
Absolutely LOVED IT!!!!.......2006-08-24
I'm now on my second read of this book. The first read was on an airplane and I feared my pen would run out of ink b/c I was underlining so much! I've read over 100 self help/motivational books, thinking that if I even get one great idea out of them it will have been worth it. But *this* book... I know that this book will/has absolutely change my thinking, which will in turn, absolutely change my life! Buy this book, don't even hesitate.
Wow! Life changing and phenomenal!.......2005-06-08
This book, along with Steve Chandler's other fantastic book, "100 Ways to Motivate Yourself," was intstrumental in helping me to change life over six years ago, and I've never been happier. This book changed the very way I viewed everything and that helped to set me on a course that I have not regretted to this day! Buy it! Read it! Live it! Great stuff!
Book Description
In this six-session ZondervanGroupware™ video curriculum, award-winning author John Ortberg teaches participants the skills essential to “running the marathon” in the Christian life.
Customer Reviews:
Very good Bible Study.......2007-09-22
I am using this book and video in an adult Bible study with 17 participants. It is a good study which shows you how to live and love like Jesus did. John Ortberg uses humor and touching stories to get his point across. Another thing that I like is that you are referred to scripture to see how Jesus faced the same problems that we face in our daily lives.
PLAN ON SPENDING MOST OF YOUR GROUP SESSION LOOKING UP VERSES.......2007-05-12
Our small group just started this lesson. The DVD messages are only about 15 monutes long. THe bulk of your small group time is spent looking up verses to discuss. There is also homework to do between meetings which is nice. BTW- You MUST get these books if you are doing the DVD study- the DVD references the book, and you really cannot do the study without this book.
The book is much better..........2007-02-03
When our small group decided to study together John Ortberg's "The Life You've Always Wanted," we couldn't decide whether to read the book or watch the DVD with companion study guide. So, we decided to do both.
Though there was understandable repetition between these two resources from the same author about the same topics, that was actually a good thing for us, as the principles were more fully embedded each week. Ortberg is a great teacher, so his teaching segments on the DVD were solid. In addition, the accompanying study guide provided a host of solid questions to use in response to the teaching time.
My greatest critique of the participant's guide in conjunction with the DVD was that it left me wanting more each week. Especially because we were reading the book at the same time, I was aware of how much more Ortberg had to say than he was able to include in 13 minutes of video teaching. And it was very common for our discussion to center around the text in the book that we had read earlier in the week more than the video that we had just watched.
I found this participant's guide to be fully functional and ultimately worthwhile. However, if I were to recommend "The Life You've Always Wanted," I would suggest that you just read the book. It provides much more content and the questions in the back still allow for groups to study it together. In any case, Ortberg has provided the church with a great contemporary resource about spiritual disciplines, regardless of which format you choose.
Just buy the book.......2007-01-12
I initially wrote a review for this product thinking I was reveiwing the Hardback book. I truly think this participants guide is unnecessary. The book itself has discussion questions and stuff in it. This is really just a lot of duplication (I personally would not buy again.) Save your money here and just buy the book.
Book Description
Les Brown is one of the most popular motivational speakers in the world today. In It's Not Over Until You Win!, Brown offers a powerful and inspirational plan to help people overcome any obstacle in their lives.
Les Brown himself has been through countless ups and downs, suffering through personal and career crises including the cancellation of his television show and the death of his beloved mother. In this unique audio program, Brown tells you how he rose from those depths and how you can, too. It's Not Over Until You Win! will demonstrate:
- How to cope with the loss of a loved one
- How to recover self-esteem when you lose your job
- How to keep away from self-destructive behavior
Filled with the passion and exuberance that will empower you to overcome any obstacle, It's Not Over Until You Win! captures the amazing spirit of Brown's electric speaking style in a sure-fire empowerment audiobook that will galvanize anyone to take their lives to a higher level of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Customer Reviews:
Words to live by..........2007-09-06
I have fallen in love with the energy that Les Brown delivers in his speeches. He puts heartfelt advice plain and simple without dancing around his meaning. I prefer his live talks because they demonstrate more of his personality and I think that's what I really relate to but I've listened to both of these discs several times since I've purchased them and look forward to buying more!
Quit Moaning and Groaning.......2007-05-08
I love to listen to motivational tapes and cd's. This one was a complete waste of time. All he did was moan and groan about his t.v. show getting canceled. Yes he did overcome, but this was a waste of time to me!
Unbelievably Motivating!.......2007-04-27
Mr. Brown drives home the point of overcoming obstacles! This book is truly an inspiration and his words make it plain and simple for anyone looking to take their lives to the next level. It should be required reading in Universities across the country as a rite of passage!
Wow I needed this,.......2007-01-08
Life can be so challenging, it feels great to see we are not alone and we can go for the best. This audio book will open your eyes on what is available to you. You just have to listen to it often!
Inspiring and Motivating.......2006-12-16
I just saw Les Brown live in person at a company sales meeting. He is a great speaker who deliver a dynamic and powerful message. His advice can be applied to all aspects of life. Seeing and hearing his message in person is a phenomenal experience, but if you can't do that I would recommend purchasing this product.
Book Description
The World-famous kissing coach answers all your burning questions on the romantic art of kissing.Now that his first book, The Art of Kissing, is an international best-seller, kissing expert William Cane receives thousands of questions every year on the subject of how to kiss--everything from "What's the best way to kiss someone for the first time?" to "How do I know if I'm doing it right?" to "What if my tongue is too short?" The result, eagerly awaited by kissing connoisseurs around the world, is The Art of Kissing Book of Questions and AnswersHere, everyone who loves to pucker up will find expert advice on: improving your technique, mastering the French kiss, the neck kiss and other favorites. Perfecting the most unusual, exciting, and romantic kisses, discovering what your kissing partner really wants--and exceeding their wildest fantasies, overcoming the shyness and fear of initiating that all-important first kiss, trying out popular kisses from around the world, including ten new kisses and more.Lovers everywhere will savor this playful guide to life's sweetest pleasure. So pucker up!
Customer Reviews:
Very limited appeal.......2007-05-01
This book COULD serve a purpose, but only for those who have not yet kissed and/or are under the age of 15 or so. For those, the general information contained in this book, while a bit old-fashioned and repetitive, could be of some use.
For others, however, it will accomplish little. Almost all of the "special" kisses contained in the book are either already widely practiced or self-explanatory and useless. "What is a surprise kiss?" "It's when you are surprised by a kiss." "What is a grudge kiss?" "Its when you kiss someone else after being cheated on." These are not new kisses, they're simply kisses grafted on to outside circumstances.
The advice tends to be constant repetition that boys should slow down, focus more on lip-only kissing, and try to be romantic. Girls should make it clear to the boys that they like that they are interested in kissing them.
Hopefully that saved you a few dollars.
kiss and tell.......2004-01-11
...(This book) is one of the best kissing books ever published. It's full of great kissing advice and for anyone interested in lip-to-lip romantic kissing, there just isn't a better book ...
a great practical guide.......2004-01-11
Here's a book that's great for experienced as well as new kissers. Anyone who cares about the romantic aspect of kissing will love it. The best thing about the book is that William Cane tells you how to do thirty different types of kisses. Most readers probably only know the french kiss so they'll learn a lot of new kissing techniques. The other benefit of the book is that it answers every question you could think of and is the most detailed treatment of the french kiss in print. After reading it you'll enjoy kissing more. Some other reviewers obviously didn't get the humor in the book but there's plenty of it, which is another big plus. A must read!
Boring.......2000-03-14
This book is very childish and the author often forgets that he's suppose to give us information on kissing. Sometimes, he just goes off into wild romance-style passages. I didn't buy the book for that. I want info, info and more info. There are some things that are interesting, but the author seems to have little to offer himself. He shares very little of his own experiences and constantly quotes anonymous school-girls throughout the lamo-book. I don't hate the book, it's just not informative enouph. The author constantly seems to take the woman's side in most issues. What I hated most about this book was that if your ever in a jam with something, lie to get out of it. What happened to honesty? If your going to be in a relationship and be a phony then you may as well not be in one.
Kisses please!.......2000-01-11
I did find a few useful kisses that look intresting...I can't wait to try the finger-kissing on my boyfriend.
Customer Reviews:
Could be a Short lesson in Manifesting !.......2006-06-10
I have ready many books on manifesting the desires and this one was little out of Focus as I am not sure why Author wanted to make this book as 250 page book where she could have reduced it to 50 pages , giving exact steps 'What need to be done' instead of giving whole theory of 'Metaphysics'.
I was little surprised to read , author mentioning about Altar and Rituals, which I never felt a part of metaphysics or in achieving your dreams.
She often mentions about 'Jeep Cherokee' which I thought , was useless as she gets because of Dealers Favour and Her Mom's Love, nothing spectacular about this. This is Total Coincidence !.
I am not facscinated by writing style as she 'keeps on and keeps on.' and reader may get confused 'What I really Need to do ?' thoughts.
There are better books in the market and this is one 'Sure to Avoid as it will confuse the heck out of you'. Examples are of Pure coincidence and nothing of Pure Metaphyical here and author stretches this book to 250+ pages.
Authour could have made this book better by telling 'What need to be done' and 'What happens when you do this ' as there are lot more books on this stuff everywhere but it seems that she missed the Whole Point...
Read 'Mind Magic' by marta instead. Avoid this book.
Jay
Thank You, Thank You, & Thank You !!!.......2006-02-22
After reading this book, I asked myself why I should ever read any other book to help me realize my dreams. This book should be called 'The A-Z Guide To Manifesting Your Dreams In Any Area of Life' It has it all - It's super-charged! And once again, THANKS to the author, Dr. Adrian Calabrese.
Best book on manifesting .......2005-06-23
I've read so many books on this subject and this by far has been the best. I've recently recommended this book to at least eight people whom have all read it and loved it. Once you start reading it you wont be able to put it down. All the people that I've told about it have thanked me for telling them about this book. I consider myself an experienced manifestor and I've learned so many new things and learned somethings that I've been doing that were incorrect. I loved the affirmations in the back of the book to use while you meditate. Read this book you'll be glad you did and if you practice what she teaches you can have everthing you've ever wanted.
Learn to BELIEVE again!.......2005-06-14
As owner of countless self-help books and tapes, I rank this book among the best. This book is actually a workshop that shows you how you can align the stars in your favor. Adrian brings together the best techniques of: Affirmations, meditation, visualization, and intuition. Toghether, it makes for a powerful book that you will want to keep nearby. Additionally, Adrian writes in such a way that she is having a conversation with the reader.
Compared to other books, you will want to keep reading this book because it opens your heart and soul to real possibilities.
I know this book works because I have benefited from the techniques. I use this now to rediscover the potential and excitement in my life.
If you're new to self-help this is a great place to begin. If you're a veteran reader like myself, you will make this a favorite. Read it and use it!
Best Manifesting Book..........2004-10-12
-
If you havnt read Creative Visualisation by Shakti Gawain,Power of Sunconcious Mind by Dr.Joseph Murphy or Spiritual Marketing by Dr.Joe Vitale,No problem read this Book.
This book is Full of Surprises & Jam packed with Lots of Information.
Visualisation,Meditation,Affirmation everything is there.
The Best part in this book is ' Angel Meditation ' & ' Spirit Guide Meditation '.
This Books Shows you Step By Step Process to Manifesting.
Go Get it because You will Believe It,When You Read it.
Book Description
With the same compassion and wisdom that powered his phenomenal bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Harold Kushner addresses a need that is universal and timeless -- the wish for a meaningful life.
Why is it that, after attaining many of our goals, we are left with a sense that something vital is missing? In his deeply inspiring bestseller, Rabbi Kushner shows us how to live as human beings are meant to. He guides us to a heightened sense of joy, purpose, and meaning, and helps us to redirect our energies toward goals that will bring us lasting happiness and true fulfillment.
Customer Reviews:
Kushner's pièce de résistance.......2007-08-29
Rabbi Harold Kushner is best known for his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, but this work is in my judgment his greatest contribution to the philosophy of the spiritual life, Kushner's pièce de résistance. Using my favorite Hebrew Bible text, Ecclesiastes, as a springboard, Rabbi Kushner writes about the "ultimate thirst of our souls": the need for "meaning," for "the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter." Rabbi Kushner offers readers his wisdom -- born out of years of study, struggle and life experience -- about how to live a life that matters.
READ this REVIEW.......2007-08-04
READ this BOOK! Rabbi Kushner hits on so many relevant and pertinent topics that you will be amazed how you see yourself in the anedotes and examples used to illustrate Kushner's point. Rabbi Kushner uses the Old Testament story of Ecclesiastes to illustrate how man's search for happiness is eternal and not unique. I could not believe how similar Ecclesiaste's view on life and search for happiness are so similar to my own. I found myself stopping on many occasions and telling my wife "READ THIS!"
I have been on a self-help book crusade for the past several months. Reading a bunch of these books have helped in finding some understanding to the search for happiness I have been after. After each book, I can say one or two of the points explained in the book have made sense and have some good practical applications to dealing with everyday situations that arise in my life. Kushner's book is by the far the best. He gives you straightforward and understandable examples of the negative behavior that conflict in man's search for happiness.
From the opening pages Kushner had me! He hits the nail on the head when he says the lines "If you ask anybody what is more imporant - work or family? - without a doubt they answer family. But then ask them how much time they spend away from family by putting work ahead of family and making work more important than family obligations." (paraphrased) He has many of these observations that help the reader get some insight into how destructive these behaviors are towards our supposed goal of happiness. I highly, highly recommend this book - READ this BOOK!
Life on life's terms..........2007-02-26
A great book and one the everyone should read at some time in their lives!
Thanks again for getting me the book so fast and in such good condition!
Gary
One of the best meaning-of-life books ever written!.......2006-12-12
A thoughtful, spiritual examination of why fame and fortune do not produce happiness, and why "average" and "successful" people often feel emptiness in their lives. Many brief anecdotes are used to illustrate the author's observations, which are linked to the book of Ecclesiastes.
Read by the author. You will read (or listen to) this more than once!
Classic.......2006-01-24
Kushner is a sage and this book is a classic. As always Kushner's knits together wonderful stories, quotes, and historical observations that are always on the mark and move his thoughts forward. The disease that plagues our age is overconsumption and Kushner invites the reader to step away from the table of materialism and instead search out the things that really matter.
Book Description
An expert in father-daughter relationships shows daughters how to forge a new path to communication with their fathers
Psychologist Linda Nielsen shows readers how every daughter can transform her relationship with her father--if she is willing to be the adult who does the emotional embracing rather than the angry, hurt little girl waiting for Daddy to embrace her. Based on her popular Fathers and Daughters course--the first in the country devoted to exploring father-daughter relationships--Nielsen shows every woman how to:
- Go first and initiate a better relationship
- Examine her expectations regarding her relationship with her father
- Cultivate self-reliance
- Get to know her father as a person
- Explore her mother's role in the relationship
- Stay connected, even through divorce
Customer Reviews:
Excellent teacher's book.......2007-09-18
The book is addressed to daughters who miss their fathers, physically, emotionally etc. But I gained a lot of insights on what daughters really expect and miss from fathers. Dr.Nielson takes the reader through a human development cycle on how much daughters can give their fathers in terms of love and opportunities to learn, grow and become better human beings, and contribute to family solidarity through empathy. Dr.Nielson advocates a "voluntarist" conception of love. A great departure from screaming "what's in it for me?" That is not to say that she discounts reciprocity in relationships.
The context addressed is set in the US culture of the post 1960 decades. However, the basic motivations are applicable universally. I have lived in the US among young people for over 12 years as a student and as a Univ Faculty. Now, in India I perceive the same problems and the message that parents have even more to learn through interaction with their children. The emphasis on daughters adds more emotional content and nuances to the discourse. I would observe that most of the problems and solutions discussed in the book apply equally well to sons.
There is an elemental message that runs through the book. It urges parents to come out of their pre-conceived roles, inhibitions and relate directly one to one with their children. It echoes TSElliot's view that a cultural role is only a formal outcome of fundamental motivations and rationale`. We will be better off looking for those fundamental rationale` instead of assuming roles and be mere consumers.
A Masterpiece!.......2007-08-20
The author understands the intricacies of modern, father-daughter relationships and helps a daughter to understand, and emotionally embrace, this person people call "father". The author takes a woman, who is desiring to have a relationship with her father, through an enlightening journey of discovery of her own feelings and thoughts, and those of her father. It is obvious that the author understands her subject matter and basic human nature. The insights that the author leads us to are nothing short of amazing! If you read this book and are unchanged, demand your money back and check with the morgue to see if you're still breathing.
excellent with real data to back it up.......2004-06-06
This book is the most insightful, rewarding book I have read in years. Dr. Nielsen unfolds and unlocks real information in a format that you can grasp and apply. It should be a required read for every female, even if she has a good relationship with her father or her father has passed. Pure unlightenment and understanding ~ that is what you walk away with after reading this book. It was very, very helpful to understand more completely the demeaning and demoralizing of divorced fathers. I believe this is a real issue in today's world and she addresses it head on. I would love to see a book by this title from Dr. Nielsen. What a gift to the world that book would be! I hope to see Dr. Nielsen on Oprah and Dr. Phil promoting her book very soon.
Enlightening and Awesome.......2004-05-28
Taking time out to read this book has been a blessing to my life and so many of my sisters. We are single mothers who have been divorced and raising girls on our own. The importance of relationships with our daughters and their fathers is essential and Dr. Nielsen did a wonderful job making the interactions realistic and meaningful. I would recommend this book to all of my african american sisters who often times need alittle help from the fathers of their daughters. Thank you Dr. Neilsen for your caring enough to give us sisters a hand at mending and reintiating father-daughter relationships. I can't wait to read more!
It's Never Too Late.......2004-05-18
A wonderful relationship with your father is truly one of life's greatest joys. But how can we find this if we don't already have it? Dr. Nielsen's book provides many practical and creative suggestions for doing just this. We did not choose our father or the life we had as a child. However, we can choose to change the way we interact with our dad once we are adults. Dr. Nielsen uses a variety of interesting techniques: short questionnairss to focus on specific problems; "Eye Opener" research summaries to provide perspective; and sample dialogues to help us get started talking with our dad. Dr. Nielsen's academic credentials give her the credibility to write this ground-breaking book. And her warm, encouraging voice and helpful ideas give us the courage to actually try to reconnect with our dad. I am recommending this book to all of my friends who are puzzled, angry, or disappointed with their father. It's never too early, or too late, to start.
Book Description
When Jim Donovan’s successful career in video and broadcast television led to a personal meltdown, he went through rehab, pulled himself up from the bottom, and started his life over. He then began giving seminars on “how to change your life” based on the simple yet effective ideas that had worked for him in his recovery. Don’t make big changes, Donovan suggests, just start slowly and move bit-by-bit toward your goal. In addition to goal-setting and goal-keeping, Donovan discusses writing personal affirmations that work, cultivating gratitude, disciplining the mind, and helping others to achieve their dreams. These easy-to-grasp concepts have helped thousands of people turn their lives around.
Customer Reviews:
A Rational Approach to Life Enhancing Changes.......2006-01-21
I loved this book. I love it so much, I want to give copies to my sisters, my friends and to get my husband to read it. The ideas seem so simple and straight forward, that when you read it, you say "of course, I can do that in my life."
Much of it covers identifying your goals, focusing on those and affirming that you can achieve them. I found it very rational and not just wishful thinking.
I really like the exercises included in some chapters. One exercise was to write a description of what would be a your perfect day. He explains the purpose of each exercise and ask questions/gives direction for carrying it out.
It's the type of book that can be sampled and parts re-read at intervals to reinforce your efforts for a happier life.
Personal Development 101.......2005-11-18
Handbook to a Happier Life is Personal Development 101. For those who haven't already steeped themselves in self-help books and courses, Donovan offers an easy entry to the idea that you can indeed create your own happiness by following some simple steps - 62 to be exact. "Developing a Positive Attitude," "Willingness," and "Energy Pickup" are among the bite-sized personal growth nuggets Donovan offers to simply change our lives for the better.
Each of the 62 nuggets is a 2-3 page chapter of personal stories (his and others) along with his thoughts about the topic. By answering the questions he poses, we can take each concept to a deeper level. The wisdom he shares with us is timeless and his questions are often provocative. For example, he writes, "I've been amazed at how often I have seen the effectiveness of ...[having consistency of purpose]. Why, for instance, do people age differently? What keeps some people going strong, while others seem to have given up on life...? I am convinced the difference lies in having a purpose. We need a reason to get out of bed in the morning. We need something outside ourselves to keep us going."
Although any of the 62 nuggets could potentially be life changing if applied, reading them all in one serving could be overwhelming. My suggestion for getting the most out of this book is to take just a few minutes each morning to read a chapter and then apply what you've read throughout the normal course of that day. In a mere two months, there's a good chance you'd live up to the promise of this book -- a happier life!
go for it!.......2005-07-15
Many self-help books leave you thinking...oh gee...I have to do all that? Jim Donovan's book, however, is very easy to read (as the other reviewers have said) and offers very simply suggestions that can be put into practice right away (getting into action, making decisions quickly are just two examples).
I interviewed Jim on my radio program, EverydayWealth Radio, and found him to be warm, sincere, and wanting to help others find the happiness he's achieved -- just as you would imagine from delving into this delightful book.
A simple to read manual for living to the fullest.......2003-04-18
Handbook to a Happier Life is a first rate, simple to read book. No stranger to self-help on a personal level, Jim Donovan helps the reader tap into the dormant power that lies within each of us that when properly used leads to personal fulfillment and joy. Handbook to a Happier Life is a user-manual for living. I highly recommend it
BEST HELPING BOOK!!!.......2001-07-16
I really loved this book, i recommend it for anyone who wants to put there goals into reality, this book has choice exercises to make you see things more clearer and what is really important, the exercises work and even when you finish this book you will be so modivated and willing to success, you will be happier! its great! get it I promise you will love it as much as I did
Amazon.com
"Sexual satisfaction, sexual safety, and sexual sanity are among life's greatest challenges," says David Reuben, M.D. "The more you know about sex, the more you can enjoy it." No less than 100 million readers learned to enjoy sex more with his original Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* *but Were Afraid to Ask. Now, 30 years later, this classic sex-information book has been updated, reflecting the dramatic changes in medical and psychological understanding of sexuality.
Reuben gives the answer to every sex question you ever wanted to know, and some you wouldn't think to ask. Did you know, for example, that porno stars are not as endowed as they look? Just as the camera adds 10 pounds to the look of a normal person's body weight, it can add a couple of inches to a normal penis. The stars also sometimes use vacuum pumps before--ahem!--big scenes. (We knew you needed to know this.) Reuben explains how to perform the "Three-Headed Turtle," why not to do the "Prince Albert," why Spanish fly is better left to farm animals, and how 20 minutes of aerobic exercise enhances a woman's ability to reach orgasm. His style is friendly and clever--you'll find yourself reading chapter after chapter just for the fun of it. --Joan Price
Book Description
You weren't afraid to ask for it-and now it's back, in an updated edition with more than 95% new material!With more 30 million copies in print in over fifty countries, this #1 bestselling classic is the most popular book on human sexuality of all time-and with good reason.Dr. David Reuben's frank, compassionate, often humorous language-backed with solid, up-to-the-minute medical and scientific research-puts readers at ease, allowing them to explore and improve their own sexuality in amazing new ways.In this extraordinary new edition, presented in an accessible QA format and revised to include today's hottest topics, Dr. Reuben sheds astounding new light on:* Sexual intercourse, masturbation and other sexual acts * Impotence, frigidity, and other sexual dysfunctions - their various causes and how they're treated * Birth control - all the forms on the market and how well they work * Sexually transmitted diseases - what they are and how to avoid them * Menopause - hot flashes, hormones, and how to thrive during this change of life * "September sex" - why we need it more as we age and how to enjoy sex despite certain physical constraints * Alternative lifestyles, infidelity, plastic surgery for the genitalia, and much more DO YOU KNOW....* There's a male equivalent to the hymen and a female form of the prostate gland? * Multiple orgasms are no myth-in a recent study, they stopped testing after the female participant had fifty orgasms in a row? * About the "Venus Butterfly," the "Three-Headed Turtle," and how to perform them? * Whether aphrodisiacs-like Spanish Fly, oysters, and ginseng-really work? * A small group of people are classified as Plushiephiliacs, that is, those who get sexually aroused by stuffed animals? * Whether certain insects can actually transmit the AIDS virus? * How sex can help prevent illnesses like arthritis and heart disease? AUTHORBIO: DR. DAVID REUBEN, a physician and surgeon with a specialty in psychiatry, graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine.He is the author of several bestselling books about sex, health, and nutrition, including Any Woman Can!, How to Get More Out of Sex, and The Save-Your-Life Diet, as well as hundreds of magazine articles.
Customer Reviews:
I wouldn't even give it the one star.......2006-10-14
My own opinion is that the book was meant to scare people away from ever having sex. It gives a first impression of being open-minded, but really, its message is to never have sex, because bad things might happen to you. Some of it seemed to be very close to urban myth territory. What I remember the most, though, were the fright stories about back-alley abortionists and women who died trying to abort an unwanted pregnancy. I don't remember much about the author's ideas about homosexuality, but for the most part I wouldn't take anything he had to say about sex seriously. Reading it again, it just seems to be a modern version of the moral hygiene pamphlets from the early part of the 20th century.
Information at your fingertips...if you can handle it........2006-07-26
Like some other reviewers, I was surprised by the negative comments made regarding this book and its author. I didn't read any anti-gay bias in the book. In fact, on page 144, the author emphatically states, "But as a physician and scientist, I cannot pass that kind of personal judgment. Therefore nothing in this chapter [titled "Homosexuality"] should be--or can be--interpreted as being against or in favor of homosexuality."
Are those the words of a homophobic? Or are a few of the reviewers here in need of a chill pill? Yes, he does state that some homosexuals have casual sex, without getting to know their partners. Heterosexuals do this as well. Denying that it happens is intellectually dishonest. Then again, some people will hear only what they want to hear, regardless of the facts.
He tackles conventional sexual subjects including puberty, masturbtion, menopause and menstruation with aplomb. He also tackles subjects that many wouldn't want information on, including BSDM and sexual perversion. I've also glanced through the "What's Happening to my Body?" books for boys and girls, and found them just as informative.
Oh, please.......2005-12-23
I read this book when it first came out 30 years ago. I decline to spend good money on the updated version because updated crap is still crap. It was a best-seller then because Dr. Reuben hit on a winning formula. Tittilating information (in the 60's, sex was just starting to be openly discussed), a chatty, non-clinical format that relaxed the nervous reader(most of us in those days)and a medical degree to give it respectability, Great except for one thing, Dr.Reuben knew nothing of his topics. He had no psychiatric training(California law allowed any MD to hang a psychiatrist shingle) My favorite idiocy was the notion that syphillis and gonorrhea could be eliminated by giving everyone mandatory injections of penicillin. Brushing aside the civil liberties issue, I can't think of a better way to develop a nice vicious drug-resistant strain of these diseases. The book is enjoyable only as a reminder of how gullible we were 30 years ago.
Hilariously mis-informed for the new set, tragic for the old.......2005-11-19
When I first found this book in the first edition form in college, I instantly took it home so my gay friends and I (also gay) could have a good laugh at what this guy thought about us and how we lived. We honestly thought that the gays he supposedley interviewed thought it was a great prank, not knowing it would become a best seller and become the 'bible' of sorts to straight people who learned about a taboo topic from this book (anyone remember the Wonder Years episode about this book?). After the laughter died down we realized that it was media like this that made our parents fear and loathe our kind, because it was the only voice talking, and is still talking through shows like Will and Grace and Queer as Folk that don't go a long way to disprove what he writes in this book. The best thing we can do is try to fight this ignorance and if we get asked to contribute to a book, be sure to take it seriously.
Disgusting Garbage.......2005-10-24
This book is the most dangerous piece of garbage I have ever seen. When I was 16, and coming out of the closet in 1985, I read this book.
Good thing I was raised correctly, and knew not to trust this nonsensical "expert" on what gay life is. Now, at 36 years old, my curiosity was piqued yet again, sort of like smelling bad milk, or gawking at a car accident.
If I was a person filled with hate, I would hate the opportunist that "wrote" this "book". However, I only hate the book.
If you're gay, coming out, or having any doubts about yourself, and you decide to read this book, please ignore it and trust yourself. You are more important that this piece of garbage.
Thank you.
Books:
- Dream Weaver
- Egg Money Quilts: 1930's Vintage Samplers
- Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)
- Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)
- Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers
- Eudora Welty : Complete Novels: The Robber Bridegroom, Delta Wedding, The Ponder Heart, Losing Battles, The Optimist's Daughter (Library of America)
- Everyday Pasta
- Forever a Hustler's Wife: A Novel (Nikki Turner Original)
- Frommer's Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call 2007 (Frommer's Cruises)
- Fuzzy Logic Get Fuzzy 2
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach
- My Brother's Road: An American's Fateful Journey to Armenia
- Futures Spread Trading: The Complete Guide
- History: Fiction or Science
- International Economics: Theory and Policy
- Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude: How to Find, Build and Keep a YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of SUC
- Labeling People
- Study Guide t/a Peters COLLEGE ACCOUNTING Chapters 1-15
- Energy, the State, and the Market: British Energy Policy since 1979
- This Place on Third Avenue: The New York Stories of John McNulty
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life
When You and Your Mother Can't Be Friends: Resolving the Most Complicated Relationship of Your Life
Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up's Guide to Getting over Narcissistic Parents
If You Had Controlling Parents: How to Make Peace with Your Past and Take Your Place in the World
Leaving Home: The Art of Separating From Your Difficult Family
Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
