Book Description
In this profoundly affecting memoir from the internationally renowned author of The Caged Virgin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells her astonishing life story, from her traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya, to her intellectual awakening and activism in the Netherlands, and her current life under armed guard in the West.
One of today's most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines following an Islamist's murder of her colleague, Theo van Gogh, with whom she made the movie Submission.
Infidel is the eagerly awaited story of the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished -- and sometimes reviled -- political superstar and champion of free speech. With a gimlet eye and measured, often ironic, voice, Hirsi Ali recounts the evolution of her beliefs, her ironclad will, and her extraordinary resolve to fight injustice done in the name of religion. Raised in a strict Muslim family and extended clan, Hirsi Ali survived civil war, female mutilation, brutal beatings, adolescence as a devout believer during the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and life in four troubled, unstable countries largely ruled by despots. In her early twenties, she escaped from a forced marriage and sought asylum in the Netherlands, where she earned a college degree in political science, tried to help her tragically depressed sister adjust to the West, and fought for the rights of Muslim immigrant women and the reform of Islam as a member of Parliament. Even though she is under constant threat -- demonized by reactionary Islamists and politicians, disowned by her father, and expelled from her family and clan -- she refuses to be silenced.
Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright little girl evolved out of dutiful obedience to become an outspoken, pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no story could be timelier or more significant.
Customer Reviews:
One Brave Woman.......2007-10-09
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a rare and remarkable woman, someone who has achieved success, and a measure of fame, despite the odds that origin and circumstance stacked against her. Her intimate autobiography, Infidel, explains how she became a determined feminist because of, not despite, her upbringing in a Muslim culture in which women have few rights and little value compared to the males in their world.
Born into a family situation in which her father took several wives, although each maintained a separate household, Ali did not see much of her father for long periods and was raised by her more religiously tolerant grandmother and mother. Even as a girl, she found herself questioning authority and some of the basic tenants of her religion while still striving to do the things that were expected of her. Ali learned exactly what those expectations were. Circumcised as a young girl and educated by radical imams, she soon learned that by so much as uncovering her hair in public she would be solely responsible for whatever reaction she received from any male she encountered. She learned that the Koran was to be taken literally as the direct word of Allah and that it could never be questioned even when it seemed to justify the beating and killing of women by husbands, brothers or fathers who believed them to have disgraced the honor of the family or clan.
She tried very hard to internalize all that she was taught, but Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born with a questioning mind and could never reconcile herself to the fact that she felt much of what she was taught to be unjust. And when she saw an opportunity to escape and make a new life for herself she took it. While in Germany to arrange for the paperwork to join her new husband in Canada, the result of an arranged marriage set up by her father, she took the opportunity to flee to Holland where she sought and received refugee status.
What Ali accomplished in Holland is the most amazing part of her story. She learned the Dutch language so well that she was able to support herself as a translator rather than having to depend on the Dutch welfare system. She went to university and received a degree. She was granted Dutch citizenship. And, most amazing of all, she was elected to the Dutch parliament.
Never afraid to speak her mind despite the danger of doing so, Ali spoke loudly about the plight of Muslim women forced into arranged marriages who suffered beatings and, on occasion, honor killings at the hands of either their new husbands or their own family. When Dutch film director, Theo van Gough, who collaborated with her on a film documentary about the abuse of Muslim women within the confines of their religion was murdered on the street, she was forced into hiding, almost had her Dutch citizenship stripped from her, and eventually moved to the United States for her own safety.
Ali states her beliefs and goals very simply: "...the Quran is an act of man, not of God. We should be free to interpret it; we should be permitted to apply it to the modern era in a different way, instead of performing painful contortions to try to recreate the circumstances of a horrible distant past. My intention (is) to liberate Muslim minds, so that Muslim women - and Muslim men, too - might be freer. Men, too, are forced to obey inhumane laws."
Is this really a crime for which she and others should be killed?
We Really Aren't That Different...........2007-10-08
Thank goodness there are women like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and thank goodness she has a voice. I think she should receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her courage in speaking out about the abuses committed against Muslim women; I hope it doesn't cost her her life.
I couldn't help but notice the similarities between hard-core Islamic fundamentalism--- the duty to convert classmates and save them from Hell; the severely authoritarian treatment of young girls, to the extent that they do not even feel like persons; the fetish of virginity and extremely prevalent circumcision of female children (Ali refers to this as being "branded" by an owner); the enforced child-like dependency of women ("because I was born a woman, I could never become an adult"); women being conditioned to put themselves last; women who have to declare whether they are virgins or not when they get married; practitioners feeling superior to unbelievers, etc.--- and the same kind of Christian fundamentalism we find here in the U.S. The same things happen here; it's just a matter of degree and different costumes for the women.
Hirsi Ali's tale is a bildungsroman of exceptional courage by a woman who stands up to not only her family and her clan and her religion and people who are trying to kill her, but who also is consequently at risk of death for being an apostate.
She is very grateful to the Dutch culture that took her in when she escaped and provided her with money, housing, and education, and she points out the difference between Dutch girls who are raised to be self-reliant and Muslim girls who are raised to be docile and submissive, and how this inhibits their transition (and the transition of their children) to modernity.
I was particularly interested in her discussion of Muslim schools, which she says "suppress the critical faculties" and "... neglect subjects that conflict with Islamic teachings, such as evolution and sexuality", because our own Christian schools do exactly the same thing. And now, we have voucher programs that are supporting religious indoctrination by directing taxpayer money from diverse populations into Christian-only endeavors. I believe we could learn something here, from the situation Ali described in the Netherlands. Ali, as a member of the Dutch Parliament, tried to abolish laws that permitted the establishment of religious schools, and she feels that when countries take in people from backward and abusive cultures (in her words, "We froze the moral outlook of billions of people into the mind-set of the Arab desert in the seventh century"), that allowing them to carry on their culture off to the side somewhere and not strongly encouraging their integration into the mainstream is a mistake. She says that the message of her book is that "... we in the West would be wrong to prolong the pain of that transition unnecessarily, by elevating cultures full of bigotry and hatred toward women to the stature of respectable alternative ways of life".
Hirsi Ali speaks of the need for a Muslim Enlightenment, something that would address "...the relationship between our faith and the behavior of our men", and she wishes for the liberation of Muslim women. On a Dutch TV show, she explained that "... Islam was like a mental cage. At first, when you open the door, the caged bird stays inside; it is frightened. It has internalized its imprisonment. It takes time for the bird to escape, even after someone has opened the doors to its cage."
Surely if Muslim women say "I may no longer submit" (the last line of Ali's movie Submission), their revolt will benefit us all. And perhaps a Muslim Enlightenment could lead to a Christian Enlightenment, and indeed to a dialogue about the divisiveness of all religion. Surely people will see that brutalizing and limiting women, who are the caretakers of children, will affect their treatment of those children, and surely men can realize that the love of a woman, freely given, is immeasurably more valuable than her coerced compliance.
Vivid and Brilliant Work.......2007-10-07
This was one of the best books I have ever read. It is enriching and enlightening to us Westerners who mistakenly believe that Islam is a religion of peace hijacked by a handful of extremists. It's understandable how so many people believe that, trying to extend an olive branch and maintain peace. Unfortunately, it's just not true. And that's what the primary message of this book is. The great issue of our time is how to adapt Islam into the global system with the least possible bloodshed.
Fascinating story....but read about peaceful Muslims also.......2007-10-02
InfidelThis is a fascinating story by a courageous woman and gives us valuable insight into life in many Middle Eastern countries. I highly recommend it. At the same time I have visited other Muslim countries and have women friends who have a totally different life with freedom and choices, so I would recommend reading other books about women and Islam. Many of our Muslim friends are working for peace, tolerance and interfaith dialog here in the US and in other countries.
YOu GO ,GIRL.......2007-10-02
College Club reviewed your autobiography and you put us to shame-your accomplishments despite yourcultural restrictions...searching for a God of Love-You did find yourself- AND courageous enough to take a stand - God does love you and blesses you You have opened the door for many women and more WILL follow. May you continue your crusade for women;s rights
Book Description
This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne Lamott's hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.
Customer Reviews:
Loved it!.......2007-10-11
Not much else to say! I walked into a bookstore at an airport looking for a good read, and the owner suspected I'd enjoy this book. She was correct! I highly recommend it!
Read, Roll Eyes, Continue.......2007-10-11
I work at a bookstore, and this book has been flying out. I picked up a copy to see why. You've gotta admit, it's funny in parts. I don't expect it to have any "weight." But if you can keep moving over the speed bumps of neurotic self-indulgence, you can definitely get a few laughs. I'd say it's a quick and enjoyable read, unless you're expecting something with more meat on its bones. Borrow it from a friend: there are plenty of copies out there.
BRAVO Elizabeth!.......2007-10-10
I thoroughly enjoyed this book start to finish and plan to pass it on to my daughter and nieces. It was very disheartening to read the "slams" this author got from other women. I admire Ms. Gilbert; you don't get to where she is by being a slacker. That woman is well-educated and very disciplined. Writing a book is damn hard work and if any of the naysayers ever attempted one like this they would be eating their words. It also takes sheer guts to step out of the box like she did and brave foreign countries (alone, no less).
Don't knock it until you've tried it! (and succeeded)!
Exhibit "A".......2007-10-10
To those who can find mostly fault in this book and little good, I have included in this post a small but absolutely beautifully written passage from Ms. Gilbert's work that totally made me want to read the rest of EPL. It appears early on in the book, after her husband has finally signed the divorce papers after a protracted, hostile standoff, and she has arrived in Rome. To me it doesn't read like someone who is all about "ME" but rather someone who is aware enough to get to the heart of emotions that afflict all of us at one time or another.
"Depression and Loneliness track me down after ten days in Italy. I am walking through the Villa Borghese one evening after a happy day spent in school, and the sun is setting gold over St. Peter's Basilica. I am feeling contented in this romantic scene, even if I am all by myself, while everyone else in the park is either fondling a lover or playing with a laughing child. But I stop to lean against a balustrade and watch the sunset, and I get to thinking a little too much, and then my thinking turns to brooding, and that's when they catch up with me.
They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives, and the flank me--Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right. They don't need to show me their badges. I know these guys very well. We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now. Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk. This is no place they belong.
I say to them, "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"
Depression, always the wise guy, says, "What--you're not happy to see us?"
"Go away," I tell him.
Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says, "I'm sorry, ma'am. But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling. It's my assignment."
"Id really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.
Then they frisk me. They empty my pockets of any joy I had been carrying there. Depression even confiscates my identity; but he always does that. Then Loneliness starts interrogating me, which I dread because it always goes on for hours. He's polite but relentless, and he always trips me up eventually. He asks if I have any reason to be happy that I know of. He asks why I am all by myself tonight, yet again. He asks (though we've been through this line of questioning hundreds of times already) why I can't keep a relationship going, why I ruined my marriage, why I messed things up with David, why I messed things up with every man I've ever been with. He asks me where I was the night I turned thirty, and why things have gone so sour since then. He asks why I can't get my act together, and why I'm not at home living in a nice house and raising nice children like any respectable woman my age should be. He asks why, exactly, I think I deserve a vacation in Rome when I've made such a rubble of my life. He asks me why I think that running away to Italy like a college kid will make me happy. He asks where I think I'll end up in my old age, if I keep living this way.
I walk back home, hoping to shake them, but they keep following me, these two goons. Depression has a firm hand on my shoulder and Loneliness harangues me with his interrogation. I don't even bother eating dinner; I don't want them watching me. I don't what to let them up the stairs to my apartment, either, but I know Depression, and he's got a billy club, so there's no stopping him from coming in if he decides that he wants to.
"It's not fair for you to come here," I tell Depression. "I paid you off already. I served my time backing New York."
But he just gives me that dark smile, settles into my favorite chair, puts his feet on my table and lights a cigar, filling the place with his awful smoke. Loneliness watches a sighs, then climbs into my bed and pulls the covers over himself, fully dressed, shoes and all. He's going to make me sleep with him again tonight, I just know it.
I loved this book.......2007-10-10
truly one of the best books I have ever read
so inspiring .. couldn't put it down didn't want it to end
Book Description
Every little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2007-10-03
This book is the best christian book that I've ever read. It really hit home with me and I could relate to all the things it talked about. I truly believe all teenage and young adult girls should read this book!
Practice discernment with this book.......2007-09-29
The Eldredges have a penchant for writing pop culture into their books rather than stating what is Biblical. Much of their Scriptural quotations are deliberately picked and chosen to back up their personal opinions and experiences. Any true student of the Bible would be able to discern the poor exegesis right away. They read into the Scriptures their personal biases, rather than gleaning from the Scriptures what was truly meant.
Aside from that, contrary to what Eldredge has written, every woman's greatest longing and desire is not "to be a beauty." Every woman's (and man's) greatest need is to know that they are God's -- valued and accepted by Him. Sadly, many women have found that their only source of validation, from the time they were little girls, came from their external appearance. When they wore pretty dresses, had cute ribbons in their hair and looked pretty, they were complimented. This taught and reinforced for them that their value comes from their beauty. It then follows that many women long to 'unveil beauty' (as Eldredge writes) because that's the only way they know validation. Women, this is not what we should be teaching our younger women nor should this be what we believe. What we are all seeking is to be valued, and we can be valued by God simply because we belong to Him -- not because of how we look or what we've done. Our identity comes from Christ. And our purpose in life is not to be a beauty, to be rescued and romanced or join a man in his adventures -- rather, it is to follow God on the adventures He has us go on. We are not called to just be sidekicks to the hero, we are also called to be heroines. God's call is for both men and women to be 'fishers' of men and women. God's commission is for both men and women to make disciples of all nations. This means both men and women are to go on great adventures with God. Don't settle for a lesser role than God intended for you.
As a final note, we all know and understand from Prov 31:30 that "beauty if fleeting". A woman's greatest call is to be "a woman who fears the Lord." This is what we ought to pursue with passion.
I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my friends. But if you want to see what all the hype is about, I just wanted to encourage you to practice discernment in reading this book. Take their words with a grain of salt. Remember that it is THEIR words and opinions, not biblical words from the Lord.
Validates the importance of womanhood and beauty.......2007-09-29
Being an aesthete, I always considered myself trivial in my need for beauty. I couldn't imagine why it was so important to me, but I figured it must be a dysfunction and I felt shallow for it. I also had trouble with femininity in general because what was feminine was not valued in my childhood home or in the media. That was until I read Captivating. Eldredge did an excellent job breaking down what is critical and powerful about beauty and womanhood, in a way that was impacting and memorable. I consider it a must-read for women.
Wonderful Book Revealing Those Times We Were Broken As Women.......2007-09-25
I had to read this after I read Wild At Heart--This book pointed out so many times, places in my life when I was broken. When my spirit was crushed, when I missed getting something that I truly needed for my life--and it also gave me the strength to say, "Hey, that's okay -- I'm okay -- I'm beautiful." Thank you -- John and Stasi -- for your ministry and honesty!
Who is the source of your validation????.......2007-09-18
WOW! This book not only gets to the heart of what I often feel it reminds me that the only antidote to feeling alone, unlovable, unwanted and... is to find my answers in my Savior, Fiance, and Lord. It gives real life examples from the authors' lives as well as other people. The Eldredges cover a lot of territory in these 200+ pages. They touch on issues of identity, Spiritual warfare, wounds from dysfunctional birth families and many other areas. This book only skims the surface in many areas as its main purpose is to help women see more clearly who God intended us to be in a general sense and for us as women to understand the role God designed men to play in our lives and us to play in theirs. I think this book could also help men to get a deeper glimpse at the things that we as women often keep buried between ourselves and hopefully God because we feel that the men just don't get it.
Maybe they do, maybe they don't but one of the points in the book is that we need to look to God, our Creator, for the true answer to our nagging questions regarding our worth as a man or a woman. The following quotes illustrate some of what the authors have to say on this topic.
"A man's deepest question is, `Do I have what it takes?'.... A woman's is, `Am I lovely?'....We can't wait until we feel safe to love and invite.... God calls us to trust Him and offer our true selves.... He wants us to entice, allure and invite others to Jesus by reflecting his glory in our lives. He will give no guarantee that others will respond well.... God's invitation is to bring our sorrow to Him. To keep our hearts open and alive, and find refuge and healing in His love."
This book also reminds the reader that God is ultimately the source of validation and fulfillment that we try so hard to find elsewhere. If our focus is on Him and the relationship He desires with us and built us to desire with Him then many of those feelings will be eliminated.
There is so much more to this book and it has created a hunger and thirst in me to pursue the more intimate relationship with my Lord that I have been neglecting. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly. I can't even begin to put down here all the gems and wealth the authors have managed to fit into this short span of pages. Read Captivating to get the full picture of what these authors have to say and how it can be applied to your own life.
Book Description
With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself.
The woman who brought us When Harry Met Sally . . . , Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Bewitched, and the author of best sellers Heartburn, Scribble Scribble, and Crazy Salad, discusses everything—from how much she hates her purse to how much time she spends attempting to stop the clock: the hair dye, the treadmill, the lotions and creams that promise to slow the aging process but never do. Oh, and she can’t stand the way her neck looks. But her dermatologist tells her there’s no quick fix for that.
Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. She recounts her anything-but-glamorous days as a White House intern during the JFK years (“I am probably the only young woman who ever worked in the Kennedy White House that the President did not make a pass at”) and shares how she fell in and out of love with Bill Clinton—from a distance, of course. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age.
Utterly courageous, wickedly funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a book of wisdom, advice, and laugh-out-loud moments, a scrumptious, irresistible treat.
Customer Reviews:
Really Funny.......2007-10-05
I love the book. If I didn't laugh out loud while reading, I at least chuckled and giggled. The short essays are bright & witty.
Great read, slightly depressing ........2007-09-25
This book was funny and easy to read for anyone over 50 , if you're any younger you wont get half the jokes . It did get a little depressing towards the end , but some may just call it realistic ( about getting old and death ) .
Not the fun read I expected.......2007-09-25
Maybe it's just me, but I expected so much more from this book. I thought it would be wittier, more original, and use humor to inspire middle aged women like me. Instead I found it to be a negative read and it just brought me down. Sorry, no recommendation from me on this one.
Waste of Time.......2007-09-25
I really feel cheated out of several hours of time and the cost of the book. Instead of funny and insightful, it was whiny and shallow. I should have read the reviews at Amazon instead of seeing her on Oprah and thinking the bookI Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman would be worth my time and money.
I Feel Bad About My Neck..........2007-09-25
Quick and easy read. Entertaining and insightful of how we feel but haven't put our thoughts into book form. Nora did for us.
Book Description
What’s going on in a man’s mind? From their early days, every woman has struggled to understand why males behave the way they do. Even long-married women who think they understand men have only scratched the surface. Beneath a man’s rugged exterior is an even more rugged, unmapped terrain. What bestselling author Shaunti Feldhahn’s research reveals about the inner lives of men will open women’s eyes to what the men in their lifeâboyfriends, brothers, husbands, and sonsâare really thinking and feeling. Men want to be understood, but they’re afraid to âfreak outâ the women they love by confessing what is happening inside their heads. This book will guide women in how to provide the loving support that modern men want and need.
The Truth About His Inner Life
He Desperately Wants You to Know
What's going on in there? Ever been totally confused by something your man has said or done? Want to understand his secret desires and fears, his daily battles that you know nothing about?
In a woman-to-woman conversation you’ll never forget, Shaunti Feldhahn takes you beneath the surface into the inner lives of men. This book is about the things we just don’t âget’ about guys. With findings from a groundbreaking national survey and personal interviews of over one thousand men, For Women Only is full of eye-opening revelations you need to not only understand the man in your life, but to support and love him in the way he needs to be loved. Grounded in biblical hope, you will discover how to love your man for who he really isânot who you think he is.
Story Behind the Book
I had no idea how clueless I was about men until I interviewed a bunch of them for my last novel. Initially, I just wanted a little insight so I could write my main (male) character. But pretty soon I found myself astonished, over and over again blurting out, âThat’s what you’re thinking?â So I did more interviews. After the novel hit shelves, dozens of women told me they also had been astonished by what I included. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who needed more insight on this!
To lay the groundwork for this nonfiction book, I wrote out the half-dozen things from these interviews that had most surprised meâthings that appeared to be universal to most menâthat women desperately needed to know. I conducted a professional national survey of men to test my findings. Yepâthe survey substantiated every single one. These findings are fascinatingâand they have already changed my life and marriage. I can’t wait to share them!
Customer Reviews:
Revolutionary.......2007-10-11
To begin with, I was blown away by this book. What an impact such a small volume has made in my relationship with my dear fiance' as well as with my brothers and father. So, why is this book so good? Firstly, it is written with the idea of informing about the way men think. How many of us are totally confused about men? Yeah, most of us. And men don't talk a lot about their "feelings" so it is very difficult to get an honest answer. This book is an absolute blessing in that measure. It shows why men have trouble being romantic, why they need women's respect so much and (possibly the most revolutionary chapter) why they want SO MUCH sex.
I will not explain, b/c the book does that, but I will say that once I read the book my eyes were completely opened to why my fiance' reacts the way he does to my actions. And I began changing my actions and... well I will just say that although Caleb and I have always had an incredible relationship, this just made things even more beautiful.
To the reviewer who complained that the book made wives too subservient I would answer, firstly, read her book "For Men Only". Both books are interested in teaching wives and husbands to better serve eachother. Secondly, women are not at all put down in this book. Rather wives are shown to be the one factor in their husbands' lives that really makes the crucial difference between men feeling like a success or a failure. This book really is empowering to women because it is basically like, "You can make the crucial difference... Oh yeah, here's how."
While some points in this book may not be accurate for all men (I am blessed with a man who is the "King of Romance" as my mom says, and who will always talk about his feelings) it really has something for every relationship. If you are working to cultivate a blessed, beautiful marriage, you will find this book to be of great value.
Great things come in small packages.......2007-08-31
I have read a lot of books trying to understand my fellow homosapiens and this did not most terrific job. I relate to my brothers, coworkers, leaders, and men I've dated so much better. I judge less and I find that I'm less insecure around men now.
Shaunti Feldhahn is not just an author, she is an EXCELLENT communicator........2007-08-20
For Women Only is the result of a survey of 400 men across the country who responded to a questionaire about their relationships. This book points out seven areas in which women have a surface understanding of men's needs or desires and delves into each subject in a way that leaves the reader grasping what that statement really means.
For example, the first point is that "men need respect". That seems obvious enough, but Feldhahn brings this into perspective with her survey result that 74% of the men would rather feel "alone & unloved" instead of "inadequate & disrespected", if they had to choose one of the two options. She then elaborates on this with several follow-up examples of ways women can either demonstrate respect or show a lack of respect. Some of which we don't usually connect with showing disrespect. On page 24, she quotes Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, "In a relationship conflict, crying is often a woman's response to feeling unloved, and anger is often a man's response to feeling disrespected."
I would highly recommend this book to any woman who is serious about wanting to improve her relationship with her husband. The author has a way of transforming something you think you know into something you can apply to your everyday life, which isn't always an easy task.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK.......2007-08-20
MOST INFORMATIVE. FIND THINGS U MIGHT THINK YOU KNOW AND IF YOU DONT DO A LOT OF RESEARCH ON RELATIONSHIPS THIS IS SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY WOULD NEVER NO OR UNDERSTAND IF YOU DONT READ THE BOOK
Extremely Helpful and Practical!.......2007-08-14
Realizing that there is always room for improvement, my wife and I have made it a practice over our almost 25 years of marriage to read marriage articles and books regularly. Nothing that we know of comes close to the helpful and pracitical insight we have received from "For Women Only" and it's companion book, "For Men Only". We strongly recommend it to every married couple. These two books, along with "Sheet MUsic" by Kevin Leman and "The Book of Romance" by Tommy Nelson are at the top of our list.
Amazon.com
Are you just another AFC ("average frustrated chump") trying to meet an HB ("hot babe")? How would you like to "full-close" with a Penthouse Pet of the Year? The answers, my friend, are in Neil Strauss's entertaining book The Game. Strauss was a self-described chick repellant--complete with large, bumpy nose, small, beady eyes, glasses, balding head, and, worst of all, painful shyness around women. He felt like "half a man." That is, until a book editor asked him to investigate the community of pickup artists. Strauss's life was transformed. He spent two years bedding some fine chiquitas and studying with some of the North America's most suave gents--including the best of them all, the God of the pickup "community," a man named Mystery.
Mystery is an aspiring Toronto magician who charges $2,250 for a weekend pickup workshop. He is not much to look at: a cross between a vampire and a computer geek. But by using high-powered marketing techniques he's turned seduction into an effortless craft--even inventing his own vocabulary. His technique sounds like a car salesman's tip sheet: his main rule is FMAC--find, meet, attract, close. He employs the "three-second rule"--always approach a woman within three seconds of first seeing her in order to avoid getting shy. Other tricks: Intrigue a beautiful woman by pretending to be unaffected by her charm; also, never hit on a woman right away. Start with a disarming, innocent remark, like "Do you think magic spells work?" or "Oh my god, did you see those two girls fighting outside?" And finally, the most important characteristic of the pickup artist--smile.
After two years, Strauss ends up becoming almost as successful as Mystery, but he comes to an important realization. His techniques were actually off-putting to the woman he ended up falling in love with. And they never prepared him for actually having a relationship. After a while, he ran out of one-liners and had to have a real conversation. Still, The Game is a great read that may help some AFCs come out of their shells. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
Hidden somewhere, in nearly every major city in the world, is an underground seduction lair. And in these lairs, men trade the most devastatingly effective techniques ever invented to charm women. This is not fiction. These men really exist. They live together in houses known as Projects. And Neil Strauss, the bestselling author, spent two years living among them, using the pseudonym Style to protect his real-life identity. The result is one of the most explosive and controversial books of the year -- guaranteed to change the lives of men and transform the way women understand the opposite sex forever.
On his journey from AFC (average frustrated chump) to PUA (pick-up artist) to PUG (pick-up guru), Strauss not only shares scores of original seduction techniques but also has unforgettable encounters with the likes of Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Heidi Fleiss, and Courtney Love. And then things really start to get strange -- and passions lead to betrayals lead to violence.
The Game is the story of one man's transformation from frog to prince -- to prisoner in the most unforgettable book of the year.
Customer Reviews:
Got so much more out of it than I could ever have imagined!.......2007-10-10
I was a depressed wreck before reading your book. Now I am a dating success. Another bestseller that I highly recommend- The Exclusive Layguide: When Dating and Having Sex with Incredibly Hot Women is No Longer Mirage Even If You Don't Look Like a Model or Don't Make a Fortune Both books are well worth the money!
Amazing Book!.......2007-10-10
It's 1:15 AM and I just finished this book. And I LOVED every page of it. I rarely read books if ever, but I read this one in two days.
A Fantastic Entertaining read!.......2007-10-08
This was one of the most fascinating and entertaining books I've ever read. Besides getting an inside look at the society of pick-up artists, I gained some interesting insight into human psychology. It's written in a wonderful narrative, story style which made it hard to put down.
It is a must read, whether you're interested in learning about how to pick up women or you're just wanting to read a great true story.
I highly recommend it!
Not a pickup guide - but worth the read.......2007-10-06
I recently purchased this book after reading the many favorable reviews on Amazon.com.
First off, this isn't a "how to pick up girls" book, though the process is covered in some depth. Instead, it is a story of a man's search for himself and purpose in life by learning the techniques of the master pickup artists. Sound shallow? I thought so too until I began to read some more.
What starts as an innocent enough goal (to be more successful with women) ends up becoming an obsession for the author, who is short, balding, and not generally considered to be attractive. Neil Strauss (who goes by the name "Style") makes the slow but steady transition from AFC (average, frustrated chump) to mPUA (master pickup artist).
As a single man in his late 20's, I can easily identify with the author's initial challenges. Approaching a beautiful woman is an intimidating prospect, especially for men with low self-esteem - nevermind that they have no idea what to say. However, under the wings of the mPUA Mystery, Style comes into his own and seems to have no problem picking up any woman he sets his eyes on.
Along his journey, the reader is introduced to a variety of strange characters, from pickup wannabees to psychotic women.
The book is great for anyone - men or women, who would like a glimpse of the pickup community.
One of the best.......2007-10-05
I've read a bunch of these books on how to meet women and usually I don't bother to write a review - they are so bad. I read The Mystery Method: How to Get Beautiful Women Into Bed and thought it was good. In hindsight it would have been better to read The Game first. It just seems like the books fit better together that way and you should definitely read both. The story in this book is what makes it worth while. Forget the advice; you'll get all that from TMM and more but this book is the story and that makes it all the better, as you get to see the techniques in use. Perhaps the best point in the book is "Juggler was right; humor is the best way to get women." That is an interesting point because while both books talk about confidence and humor and while Juggler and some other guys have it, most of the other guys, including the author himself, don't really develop it - they just rely on all kinds of lines and schemes to impress women. To that end along with this book you must read God Is a Woman: Dating Disasters, which is by a comedian and which does include lots of in-depth pointers on building real confidence and humor. Without a doubt, these are the three books to read on women and I truly appreciate these guys putting their embarrassing moments out there for the rest of us to learn from.
Book Description
Once again, Dr. Laura Schlessinger strikes an important nerve in our culture. Jumping off her million–copy bestseller The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, which received an incredible response from readers worldwide, in THE PROPER CARE AND FEEDING OF MARRIAGE, Dr. Laura exposes the sensitive and loving truth that it is necessary to appreciate the the polarity between masculine and feminine in order to produce and sustain a wonderfully satisfying marriage. Both husbands and wives have power in their relationships, and each needs to realize this in order to ensure for themselves the personal satisfaction they yearn for. Using real–life examples from her call–in radio show, and giving us real–life solutions, Dr. Laura focuses on the typical mistakes made by men and women in their relationships, and shows us how marriages can come back from the brink of disaster and divorce.
Customer Reviews:
VERY condescending - poorly written.......2007-10-08
I don't know who edited this book but they did a poor job. While reading it, I kept thinking that my 7th Grade English teacher would NOT approve of that sentence!
It doesn't help any that Dr. Laura is a bully and can be a b**** on the radio. I just find no value in brow-beating people on national radio just to make yourself look intelligent or knowledgeable.
Personally, I don't think Dr. Laura has any moral authority to speak on this subject and she obviously does not have the writing abiltiy either.
The Proper Care and Feeding of a Marriage.......2007-09-16
Dr. Laura, you are amazing! I've been married 25 years to a wonderful man. We have been the best of parents, but have only just begun to be the best of friends and lovers! Thank-you so much for your timeless wisdom. I have already purchased "The Proper Care and Feeding of a Husband" and "The Proper Care and Feeding of a Marriage" for our married daughter and son-in-law. I have been recommending your book to everyone! May God continue to do His work of reconciliation with the help of books like yours. Sincerely, Lydia Sherrin
What a bunch of nonsense!.......2007-07-29
Please save your money and do not buy this drivel. Most of this book is a direct and harsh attack on feminists, and feminism in general. Guess what, Dr. Laura? It's 2007, not 1957. She has no practical or specific suggestions for improving a marriage, just general "smile and be pretty, open your legs and don't complain".
Proper Care & Feeding of Marriage Review.......2007-07-28
As with all Dr. Laura products I was very pleased with this purchase. Her books are so much more than meets the eye. She has a gift for showing how deep and wide even the smallest of things affect yourself and those around you. I would recommend this book to any married couple.
Dr Laura.......2007-07-16
Dr Laura gives down to earth excellent recommendations. It is just that most of us are too selfish to follow them. The recommendations are simple common sense solutions to marriage problems that we in our selfishness try to make into difficult solutions. Instead of thinking of our children's welfare we are only concerned with our own. We have our priorities in the wrong place. We need to grow up and become responsible adults.
Amazon.com
It's not all about the jeans; flattening the tummy helps fight "Toxic Fat"--the disease-inducing weight Dr. Pamela Peeke teaches women how to conquer in Body-for-LIFE for Women. Her firm belief is, most women already know what they're supposed to do: eat a balanced diet, ditch junk food, exercise, think positively. Peeke strives to show her "girlfriends" how to accomplish these tasks, customizing plans for young and old. Clients' stories (including a 95-year-old who worked herself out of a wheelchair and into a martial arts class, and a 14-year old who replaced 90 lbs. of fat with a healthy load of self-confidence) lend credence to Peeke's 12-week weight reduction plan; so do the wowsie before-and-after pictures. Gender-specific scientific evidence supports Peeke's premise that women's bodies require different care than men's. But she doesn't stop there.
Amazon.com Interview
Read our interview with Pam Peeke. | |
Peeke digs deeper for her audience, defining four hormonal milestones of a woman's life (menarche to beyond menopause) and customizing a physical and mental transformation plan to suit each. Easing off on strict calorie and weight guidelines, she focuses instead on serious fat reduction, muscle improvement, and practical suggestions for self-care. A handful of charts and formulae help readers assess their progress; sample exercises and fitness logs help, too. But for Peeke, weight reduction pales to bolstering a woman's self-worth through nurturing healthier habits. The only rough pill to swallow is Peeke's two-page list of smart foods: it lacks suggestions for turning acceptable proteins, carbohydrates and fats into palatable daily meals.--Liane Thomas
Book Description
The bestselling Body-for-LifeG program is now tailored just for women-to help them achieve dramatic weight loss and body-changing fitness in just 12 weeks!The #1 New York Times bestseller Body-for-Life helped millions of people the world over to build stronger bodies and enjoy a higher quality of life. Now Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., bestselling author of Fight Fat After Forty, adapts the unique insights of the Body-for-Life program to the specific hormonal, metabolic, and physiological requirements of women so they can achieve the same life-transforming results.Dr. Peeke draws on cutting-edge research as she fashions a 12-week eating, exercise, and emotional health program, specially tailored to women. Among the book's highlights: o Stunning new before-and-after photographs with testimonials o Over 100 black-and-white photographs demonstrating the exercises o A QA section that anticipates and answers questions the reader might have Dr. Peeke's appearances on Oprah, Larry King Live, Dateline, Primetime, Today Show, CNN Headline News, and other shows illustrate how inspirational she can be-and never more than in this book, motivating and instructing readers to make the changes that will produce a lifetime of mind and body fitness.
Customer Reviews:
It works.......2007-08-14
Diets are boring; working out is worse. Then you find you have to do something because your doctor is on your case. This plan actually works. I was introduced to it by a trainer at a gym and I have not just my own progress to monitor but also a bunch of other over-the-hill types in the same boat as me. We're stronger, slimmer, and walk proud. It gives step by step instructions on weight lifting how-tos, power bars, the usual what-to-eat/what-not-to-eat, multi-vitamins - absolutely everything. Besides being a good read, it motivates the reader into action.
Original BFL is Better.......2007-08-08
I like the original BFL book- this one has too much unneeded information, plus it is not very clear on the actual plan!
The Original is Better........2007-07-12
Having long been a fan of Bill Phillips and devotee of Body For Life, I was intrigued by the idea of Body For Life For Women and bought a copy as a gift for my wife. Day One: I received the book in the mail. Day Two: My wife and I each read the book and discussed it. Day Three: I returned the book by mail. Why? Two reasons. First, the material about the four phases of a woman's life, although interesting, was quite useless to her exercise and nutrition program, and the rest of the material didn't offer more than that found in the original Body For Life. Second, we found the book not as well organized, presented, and illustrated as the original and it included many unnecessary charts and tables. Simply put, my wife decided she will stick with the Phillips original because it's complete and so much better.
Seriously?.......2007-07-10
Are you kidding me? Let me start by saying that I have not read the entire book- but I don't need to!! Ladies- don't sell yourself short...why would you NOT follow the original BFL plan? Eat clean and balanced, train hard, believe in yourself...it's that simple. The very IDEA of "BFL book for women" suggests that women cannot/will not succeed with the original plan....ridiculous. Get Bill Phillips book instead and go get 'em girl!!
Negative Subliminal Messages... beware.......2007-07-07
Why bother with this when you can get the real meat of the program in Bill Phillip's Body For Life minus the negative subliminal messages?
Something I notice with women authors, ESPECIALLY when they write about women's health.. is they tend to predetermine what you will experience at what age.. ie, power of suggestion like "when you are past 40, your body won't digest as well as it did before" "When you get older, your bones start to become brittle" "When you get past 40 you tend to not have as much energy" YES.. she actually says this in her book!!!
PLEASE!!! Woman.. why are you trying to reiterate the negative media about women and their health?
AND....what really makes me mad is that she's using the good name of Body for Life to promote these subliminal messages!! You don't find any of that mess in the BFL book.
I, myself, am over 40 and I have experienced none of what she said I "should be" experiencing.. my energy level, health, physical and mental stamina are all there just as much as they were when I was 20... I never expected them not to be. If you start believing these messages you will start to give up.. because you think you're "supposed to at this age". In the long run, it's all up to you what you decide to believe and experience and what suggestions you let into your mind. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, beware of bad messages wrapped up in a "positive" looking package.
Book Description
This is not another one–size fits all program with strict rules and baffling instructions. One of the leading voices for holistic living, Mariel Hemingway's Healthy Living from the Inside Out is an accessible, down–to–earth guide that shows us what our bodies and minds truly need and how to make the best decisions for our daily lives. Dividing the program into four foundational areas, we can isolate the issues we all face and start making the necessary changes.
Food: What we eat and drink affects every part of our lives, from our energy level to our body shape. First by distinguishing what foods make us feel and act our best, we can then learn how to integrate a flavorful yet super nutritious diet into of our regular life.
Exercise: Exercise not just to stay in shape but to stay connected to ourselves. By putting the emphasis on quality not quantity, we learn to nurture ourselves, stay grounded, and transform our mental, emotional, and physical state a little bit each day.
Home: Too often where we live echoes the clutter and chaos of the outside world. Learn how to make our homes a place where we can rest, recharge, and refocus, a haven for the balanced life we (and our families) seek.
Silence: In our super noisy world, bringing quiet reflection into our lives slows down the rush, helps us learn the empowering skill of observation, and ultimately can guide us into healthier habits and behaviors.
Customer Reviews:
Useful Guide to Healthy Living.......2007-09-16
I enjoyed this book so much, I bought it for my friends as gifts and they've all really loved it. Being in my early forties with children, it is nice to have a book that helps you slow down and live a more peaceful and healthy lifestyle.
Great Book.......2007-07-25
This book is a wonderful book to read, talks about the women body and living healthy. I own RC Duct Cleaning an Air Duct Cleaning Company and I am always concerned with my health as well as that of people around me so I would definately recommend this book.
Healthy Living: Stop and Tune In to YOU.......2007-06-09
I recently had Mariel on my LifeBites Radio show. This book is a great reminder that all of us need to slow down and look inside. I think she does a great job of breaking it down into four areas - Eating, Exercise, Being Quiet and Home Environment. All of these areas affect how you live your life. I also appreciated her ability to be candid about her struggles in life. She doesn't claim to have all the answers, but inspires you to look inside.
Disappointed.......2007-05-28
I purchased this item and sent 2 as gifts after seeing Mariel on television talking about the book. It was not what I thought, filled with buddha images. Being a Christian it was sent to Christians with no knowledge these were in the book.
Healthy Tips.......2007-05-18
I picked up this book because I read a number of good reviews here and was intrigued. There are some good tips here undeniably but I was bored reading this book. Many of these things I've heard or read before. One of the bigger turn offs for me was her "candor" about her obsessiveness whether with food or exercise. I'm sorry I couldn't really get into this book.
Book 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.
Customer Reviews:
TOO FUNNY!!!.......2007-10-01
So I noticed a lot of people bashing this book for Chelsea being a pill-poppin tramp who only loves vodka and sex... and she WAS, but I found this book hilarious!!! I am in my late 20's and found this book to be extremely funny, witty and courageous (because Lord knows I wouldn't write about my past sex life for all my family and friends to read!)
I laughed nearly the entire book - especially about the S&M guy who wanted to be "smacked". HAHA!
Good job Chelsea! You continue to make me laugh and I'll def pick up another one of your books! See you on E!
Hilarious, fast read.......2007-09-20
One of the funniest, laugh out loud books ive ever read. It's become a favorite gift to give to my girlfriends!
The title really IS misleading.......2007-09-06
This book really is about Chelsea's "near misses". Instead of gloriously detailed sex-capades, her writings were more about her trying to weasel out of sex related situations. Reading it, I had a hard time believing that her character was even having sex at all. There was all this fluff concerning wild and crazy conversations/situations that would ultimately lead up to the 'come back to my room?' moment, which would then be quickly followed with her chickening out and having to find a less than tactful means of escape. I was left thinking that her character would be the type to walk around shouting 'I'm a slut! Come on boys!', when in reality all she would do is kiss. Not very promiscuous. The entire book was impersonal and, at times, had struggled to remain witty. It was surprising to find that by the last five or six pages, Chelsea actually began to write in a more biographical style where you began to feel some sort of raw emotion from her, which had been refreshing after two-hundred pages of emptiness. I don't regret having read it, I'm just a little sad with the money wasted purchasing it.
Let's here it for Chelsea Handler!.......2007-08-30
While I am a fan of Chelsea's stand up I found reading it and hearing it in the voice of hers I'm familiar with even more entertaining. Not all the jokes I've heard live on her show have the kind of punch that the material in this laugh out loud book does. It's a great book if you want to have a really good time and also have the freedom to put it down after each chapter/story. You can use this book as your light pick me up reading between deeper, darker, heavier reading.
Just so we're clear this book will teach you nothing about sex. It is in no way "erotic". Chelsea is merely offering up her sex life as comic material that is truly unique!
Fragments Of My Life A Sex Fiction.......2007-08-29
Love Your Book Chelsea Handler!!!
Lets get together for a drink!!!!
Henry Joseph Rychlicki Author of
Fragments Of My Life A Sex Fiction By Henry Joseph Rychlicki
Books:
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
- Irish Fiction, The Penguin Book of (Penguin Books)
- It's Not My Fault: The No-Excuse Plan for Overcoming Life's Obstacles
- Juice Fasting and Detoxification: Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great : The Fastest Way to Restore Your Health
- Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (p.s. so does May.) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
- Knock 'em Dead 2007: The Ultimate Job Search Guide (Knock 'em Dead)
- Letter to a Christian Nation
- Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
- Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living
- Love Is Never Painless: Three Novellas
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme
- Microeconomics: Principles and Tools
- Mensa Challenge Your Brain Math & Logic Puzzles
- Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality
- Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines Business & Investment Opportunities Yearbook
- West Federal Taxation 2006: Business Entities, Professional Version
- Panel Data Econometrics: Methods-of-Moments and Limited Dependent Variables
- Beowulf and Beyond
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women and Islam
The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion
While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within
