Book Description
Unleashing your inner tigress isn't easy when you're a doormat by nature! Still, after escaping a wretched marriage to a cheating SOB, Dallas party planner Naomi Delacroix isn't about to let another man sweet-talk her into sheathing her protective claws. Not even hunky millionaire Royce Powell, who's hired her to arrange his mother's surprise party. Even if he does make her purr like a kitten with one heated glance…
Royce claims he's been in love with her ever since she threw a party for one of his friends six months ago. But if that's true, why is this incredibly eligible CEO currently taking applications for a wife? Despite herself, Naomi is tempted to fill one out. But can her inner tigress believe a man might change his stripes?
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely hysterical.......2007-09-25
After barely surviving her painful divorce to philandering Richard the Bastard with her sanity intact, Naomi Delacroix vows never to fall in love or get married again. On her way to an interview for a lucrative catering assignment, she is mugged and barely makes it to her meeting on time with wealthy entrepreneur Royce Powell due to a hold up in the lobby filled with green-clad women. Royce makes it clear that she's hired and wants her to work exclusively for his mother's surprise party (which is no surprise to mom). Naomi finds the bachelor sexy as hell, despite his on-going quest (and application process) for a wife. What she doesn't know right off is that Royce fell for her months ago when he saw her across a crowded room at a wedding reception she catered and has been trying to ask her out since. Adding fuel to her contempt for men, she suspects that her stepfather is stepping out on her mother. As Royce makes her face her fears and take a walk on the wild side, Naomi finds that her inner Tigress is liking the attention he gives her (especially the smoldering sex). But can she forgive the sins of the past and make a go at a future with a man who seems too good to be true?
Showalter has a gift for dialogue. The bantering between the two is absolutely hysterical, as were Naomi's constant inner dialogues as she tried unsuccessfully to talk herself out of a relationship with Royce. The chemistry between the two blazes off the pages, making them a believable duo. Though I found Royce just a little too patient, Showalter has created an endearing and sensual story that will resonate with the reader.
Animal Instincts by Gena Showalter.......2007-07-20
Naomi is a newly divorced event planner who has decided to unveal her inner tiger. She is tired to be used by men and now her life will be different... but then she meets Royce, a multimillionar hunk who says he loves her and wants to marry her. What a[...], isn't he?
Royce is the perfect man: rich, handsome, gentle, clever... you really can hate him, too perfect!
Naomi instead is not so perfect: average beautiful, no a success working girl, not very rich... you really can hate her, too imperfect!
Instead you have a chick lit romance light and funny, to read without stress. The plot line is "classical", cinderella meets prince charming, but the supporting characters are original, I like very much the parents of Naomi.
Exciting Read!.......2007-05-16
It's always nice to read a first person point of view romance since I have found that they are rare. And for them to be enjoyable and sometimes funny is even more rare to me. Gena Showalter is really a writer that causes me to read like crazy! I just can't seem to get enough. I read this book in about 3 days. This is a keeper.
ummm....it was okay. herione really bothered me.......2007-05-09
I really like Gena Showalter's paranormal books, and thought this one would show the same originality. I thought that the book was okay, but was not really impressed. The herione Naomi was a pain in my [...]. I was so tired of hearing her complain about not wanting to take a chance in love due to her divorce. I guess I have known to many people in her position, and her whole personality just seemed fake and put on. I was really bummed. The hero I loved. He was great...too bad he was paired with such a dud.
She's reading my mail..........2007-04-27
Okay, except for the incredibly rich and delicious man who would die without me. I'm not a party planner or divorced, for that matter. Otherwise, she's me. And what fun to read about all of our (come on, I'm not the only Naomi out there) girl insecurities then see one of us get her due? I couldn't put it down. Fantastic.
Average customer rating:
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Caternal Instincts: The Feline Guide to Mastering Motherhood
Kim Levin , and
Christine Montaquila
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Catrimony: The Feline Guide to Ruling the Relationship
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Cattitude: The Feline Guide to Being Fabulous
ASIN: 1584795700 |
Book Description
Christine Montaquila and Kim Levin's feline role models are back—and hitting a new milestone in their nine lives. In Cattitude, Montaquila and Levin's first cat-inspired book, their feline divas gave us girls the skinny on how to live large. In Catrimony, they continued their pseudo advice column with the 411 on relationships and marriage. And now, with Caternal Instincts, these savvy cats give us a few tips for raising our young with confidence, reinforcing the old bit of wisdom, “If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.”
Like the rest of the series, Caternal Instincts combines Levin's unique documentary-style photography with Montaquila's witty all-feline perspective. Their collection of newly minted momcats offer up practical life lessons for anyone who is, or is soon to be, a mother. Little wisdoms like “Buy stain-resistant everything,” “Realize snacks can work like sedatives,” and “Accept the fact that you'll never pee alone again” make this book an ideal addition to any cat lover's library. Caternal Instincts is a perfect gift for Mother's Day or baby showers, or for anyone who simply loves to get their favorite four-legged friends' perspective on life.
Customer Reviews:
a GIANT SLEEPER in the world of science.......2005-05-05
For those people who like to read and do a lot of reading, this is one of those books that you find quite by accident and wonder why you never read it in high school or college. The overall argument of the book lends profound insight into the study of animal behavior (ethology i believe) and answered so many questions I had about my personal daily observations. This book also attempts to make a link between animal behavior and human behavior. Those who believe that humans are not animals, but higher than animals may want to skip this title if you don't have the courage. Keep in mind however that it was Carl Sagan who called for an alliance between religion and science and Pope John Paul II who said "Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish...Such bridging ministries must be nurtured and encouraged."
Lastly, it's worth would be justified merely by the bibliography of books it provides throughout its pages. No doubt, this is a dying field of science (mostly thanks to religion's inability to adapt to the facts) in a country that is mentally decaying itself. That should not, however, diminish the importance of ardrey's work and his wonderful writing style. 5 stars, no doubt.
"If we can't think for ourselves, if we're unwilling to question authority, then we're just putty in the hands of those in power. But if they citizens are educated and form their own opinions, then those in power work for us." -Carl Sagan
-B
Ardrey's book is an eye-opener for those willing to see.......2001-01-24
My book is the 1966 edition by Atheneum. The theme is devoted to the right of an animal to its territory, and expresses the interesting fact that the possessor is usually the victor if and when confronted with an intruder. After reading Ardrey's work, I have watched with interest my 17 pound bundle of fluff, chase a much larger dog from our property. It was no contest. Just as the one knows his rights and the bounds within which they can be excercised, so too, does the other realize that, as an intruder, he has no right to contest that right. One needs to keep in mind that man is no less an animal than those studied by Ardrey who, although his writing is good, tends to be a bit tedious until he gets to the point of his discussion; namely, that man is no less territorial than lesser beasts. Within certain social groups this truth is more revelent than in others. Immigrants to the U.S. stake out their "turf," as they say, and woe be to the trespasser, not a few of whom have been killed. Readers who take seriously what Ardrey reveals should be able to point to areas on earth where his thesis is in full bloom, and is the cause of considerable consternation and death. I would rate the book five-star were it not that it takes awhile for the casual reader to appreicate what is being written. It is a work which every Secretary of State should read and discuss with the President and membes of his cabinet before allowing the United States to become actively involved in national affairs, which is not to suggest that the U.S. should remain aloof from affairs that deal with decency and terrirotial righteousness.
Clarifying and driven by examples. An overlooked classic!.......2000-07-28
I spent many a long hour reading philosophy on the nature of property, possession and place. Also, I have spent many an hour reading the history and politics of nations for their respective histories of territorial aspirations. The mystery and problems of the human connection to particular places still eluded me.
I picked up this book at a flea market and began reading. I learned more and gained more insight into the nature of Nature's territorial inhabitants than all my previous reading. Through carefully observed case studies of animals, conservative conclusions are drawn. Light on theory, and heavy on examples of particular territorial behaviours of our fellow creatures, `The Territorial Imperative' is must read for any person interested in the way of Nature and ourselves.
The Territorial Imperative.......2000-01-26
When I first read this book after being graduated from Boston University as a science major, I was stunned by the depth and perception of observation by the author. It, the book, has made a profound impact on my life and scientific beliefs.
"A worm, a god!".......1997-01-27
Who are human beings? What they are? How do we deal with the reality of what human beings are? Anyone who has ever put these and similar questions will read the book by Robert Ardrey with great interest. People are both biological and social beings, and these two natures are ineradicable in them. While human social life has become the subject of studies in the social sciences, human biology has become, to great degree, exclusively the subject of medicine. R.Ardrey's aim was to draw a bridge over the "no man's land" between the natural and social sciences, since in his own words, "no man or other animal lives as other as a whole thing." Attachment to a certain territory, which Ardrey has defined as the "territorial imperative", is a most deeply rooted feature of all living beings, from a worm to a human. R.Ardrey begins his book with the definition of this central notion: "A territory is an area of space, whether of water or earth or air, which an animal or group of animals defends as an exclusive preserve. The word is also used to describe the inward compulsion in animate beings to possess and defend such a space." Of course, the most inventive of animals - the human species - have extended their "territories" far beyond their appartments or garden plots to spheres of influence in business and politics, empoyment, etc. In the book by R.Ardrey a reader will find answers and clues to the question: "Why do things happen in human everyday life and history as they happen and not according to the precepts of the most enlightened minds?" His answers are more informative than many volumes of writings about "man and society". A human being is not good or bad, all of its features are products of nature and these features have strong and rooted biological foundations regardless of the value judgements, lamentations and appraisals of moralists. It is not possible either to understand the driving forces of an individual or a society, nor to put them into a more friendly shape unless first, these obvious things are taken into account. Thirty years have passed from the first publication of Ardrey's book, and these years have provided more evidence to support his basic assertions. Those readers who fear that this may be yet another unintelligible scientific book, laden with indecipherable jargon, may put their fears aside. Ardrey's book serves to show that it is possible to speak clearly and convincingly of human nature, that most profound and intricate thing.
Book Description
Eleanor Aquitaine Green, a savvy reporter and survivor of a painful divorce, discovers her true calling is crusading for the animals. Only days later, as if by divine providence, she lands a job in the animal rights movement. Before long, Eleanor realizes that her boss, Honor Vine, the president of People Against Animal Cruelty, is a burned out, aging tyrant stuck in a bygone era of the movement. Even worse, the movement Eleanor so admires is near death and is fractured with inner turmoil. A unifying issue is required and that issue, Eleanor believes, is the yearly slaughter of ten billion farm animals for human consumption. Convincing Americans to change their meateating ways borders on impossible, but it seems less difficult than working for her manipulative boss. An animal rights organization, however, is the perfect war room to wage such a battle, so Eleanor begins her crusade in the dysfunctional office. With the help of her brow beaten colleagues, Eleanor attempts to endure the daily batterings in order to gain some kindness for the animals. As a movement foot soldier, Eleanor campaigns against traps and wearing fur, she attempts to rescue a circus elephant, and also meets her other true love. But on the day that Honor is forced to pay for her abuse, both Honor and Eleanor are threatened by an unexpected outcome.
Download Description
Eleanor Aquitaine Green, a savvy reporter and survivor of a painful divorce, discovers her true calling is crusading for the animals. Only days later, as if by divine providence, she lands a job in the animal rights movement.
Before long, Eleanor realizes that her boss, Honor Vine, the president of People Against Animal Cruelty, is a burned out, aging tyrant stuck in a bygone era of the movement. Even worse, the movement Eleanor so admires is near death and is fractured with inner turmoil. A unifying issue is required and that issue, Eleanor believes, is the yearly slaughter of ten billion farm animals for human consumption. Convincing Americans to change their meateating ways borders on impossible, but it seems less difficult than working for her manipulative boss. An animal rights organization, however, is the perfect war room to wage such a battle, so Eleanor begins her crusade in the dysfunctional office. With the help of her brow beaten colleagues, Eleanor attempts to endure the daily batterings in order to gain some kindness for the animals. As a movement foot soldier, Eleanor campaigns against traps and wearing fur, she attempts to rescue a circus elephant, and also meets her other true love.
But on the day that Honor is forced to pay for her abuse, both Honor and Eleanor are threatened by an unexpected outcome.
Customer Reviews:
Bravelt reflects on some challenging issues.......2007-04-27
Animal Instinct is a page-turner. I progressed through the 232 pages in less than two days leaving me searching for another easy-to-read yet socially aware novel. It includes good social commentary, at times detracting from the story itself, that is worthy of reflection and consideration for all involved in animal protectionist movements.
The crossover between hinted details of campaigns and, at times purposively distorted representations that fit well within the story, provide somewhat of a primer to those in the abolitionist movement and the challenges on many levels socially as well as with welfarism based approaches. Animal Instinct also goes much further through highlighting many of the broader social/inter-personal challenges that permeate into animal organizations. These range from subtle comments on individual actions (implications to strict vegetarianism as opposed to veganism) through to direct illustrations of exploitative practices of many in the constructed hierarchies of the animal protectionist movements.
Alongside these references to what those involved in some level of animal protection will be aware, Animal Instinct includes detail - including facts and figures - of animal abuse for those who are newer to the issues. The impetus for inclusion of these is clear and at times this works well, yet at others it detracts from the story. This is perhaps the weakest aspect of the novel. I also found the conclusion a little fast in coming and short on detail... These are minor issues on the scale of things. Readability is very high.
Much of the inferences to the workings of animal protectionist organizations, whilst names are changed - with several real-life people melded together into specific individual characters and the timelines a little distorted - indicate many lessons we can draw from reading this novel. Those with more detailed inside knowledge of past campaigns will be able to decipher many of these multiple personalities, and also locate specific references to well-known (or less) individual traits.
Deborah Hayes' experiences and knowledge gained through working both as a journalist and for the organization Friends of Animals are clear - as indicated in her multiple real-life persona characters and many of the events in the book. This does not, however, afford reference to Animal Instinct as autobiographical - as some reviews provide - any substantive basis. Further, some reviews do little to fully consider the exposed exploitative nature of people within the animal protectionist movements to the point of both falsely stating them and clearly misrepresenting them. For me, this clearly highlights the painful lack of awareness of broader social issues and ills by many engaged in animal protection - something Animal Instinct touches on.
The direct (and often not-so-direct) references in Animal Instinct to real-world situations (if skewed a little time-wise) include the impacts of seminal works like Peter Singer's Animal Liberation, Tom Reagan's The Case for Animal Rights and Gary Francione's Rain Without Thunder in the context of the direct influences they have. This provides a means for everyone concerned with animal protection - whether long or short term - to learn and draw from.
To finish with, and indicative of another strength of Animal Instinct, Dorothy Hayes does attempt to place the exploitative practices of some in the animal protection movement within specific contexts. This does not appear to be as providing a means for justification of such actions, rather to understand - clearly indicating one of the many challenges we continually face in working towards holistic social change. Such change is necessary and essential for the liberation of all species. This is one aspect of the Animal Instinct - even if not fully realised by Dorothy Hayes herself - that is of immense value.
Bad Instincts.......2007-04-11
This book has been called "the Devil Wears Prada for vegans" numerous times, and what an apt comparison; "Animal Instinct" is just as poorly written and completely uninteresting---an embarrassment, in my opinion, to writers everywhere. Also like "The Devil Wears Prada," this book is a thinly-veiled attempt at revenge, and for what I am not certain. What both of these books make painfully clear: a "fictional" novel is no place for airing dirty laundry, unless, of course, one possesses the actual ability to write. Otherwise, Ms. Hayes might have kept this banal tale locked within the pages of a journal; this story is not interesting enough for mass consumption.
The Devil Wears Prada For Vegans.......2006-10-06
This novel is about a journalist who quits her job to go work for an
animal rights organization. The journalist soon discovers that her
boss is emotionally unstable and toxic. The novel is based on the
author's experience of quitting her own job to go work in an AR
organization. Names are changed and many of the characters are
amalgamations( but only slightly). The fictitious names she uses for
various groups are a bit tounge-in-cheek and are funny.
I would sum this book up as "The Devil Wears Prada for vegans".
The bulk of the story is about how the members of the "fictitious"
organization take abuse from their boss and work around her out of
their intense devotion to helping animals.
This is one aspect of the book I liked. While it painted the boss and
other heads of various fictitious AR orgs as being eccentric, it
painted the people who work for these organizations as heroic in
enduring what they endured, because of their intense love for animals.
It paints them as intensely decent super hard working people.
The main character who works closely with the fictitious
boss gets most of the abuse. Her soul searching about why
she stays involves detailed descriptions of various kinds
of animal abuse that stop just short of being educational.
I like the idea of someone picking up some beach reading
and getting a bit of an education into the current state
of animal welfare.
There are lots of references in the book to real life
AR victories, books and campaigns.
High literature it is not. It is the kind of thing to read
at the end of the day when you are too tired for other things.
You will have a lot of fun.
A must read.......2006-05-22
Animal Instinct, by Dorothy Hayes is well written with the magic of painting a picture so vivid that you feel you are there and part of the story. This is a novel you will not want to put down. Buy two copies and send one to a friend.
creative approach to tough topic.......2006-05-19
Animal Instinct is an entertaining insiders look at personalities and politics that surround an important issue often hidden in plain sight - the yearly slaughter of 10 billion farm animals for human consumption.
A good read for whatever side of the fence you're on.
Book Description
An Italian ethnobotanist explores the remarkable propensity of wild animals to seek out and use psychoactive substances.
• Throws out behaviorist theories that claim animals have no consciousness.
• Offers a completely new understanding of the role psychedelics play in the development of consciousness in all species.
• Reveals drug use to be a natural instinct.
From caffeine-dependent goats to nectar addicted ants, the animal kingdom offers amazing examples of wild animals and insects seeking out and consuming the psychoactive substances in their environments. Author Giorgio Samorini explores this little-known phenomenon and suggests that, far from being confined to humans, the desire to experience altered states of consciousness is a natural drive shared by all living beings and that animals engage in these behaviors deliberately. Rejecting the Western cultural assumption that using drugs is a negative action or the result of an illness, Samorini opens our eyes to the possibility that beings who consume psychedelics--whether humans or animals--contribute to the evolution of their species by creating entirely new patterns of behavior that eventually will be adopted by other members of that species. The author's fascinating accounts of mushroom-loving reindeer, intoxicated birds, and drunken elephants ensure that readers will never view the animal world in quite the same way again.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent addition to chemognosis information!.......2007-01-15
I had heard good things about this book, which apparently is pretty well unique in its field (not a surprise there). It's really more of a long academic paper in paperback book format, but it's worth the read.
The first part of the book is dedicated to defining what a drug is and what its inherent functions are. He also introduces us to the basic idea of animals deliberately seeking out specific plants (even carnivorous animals) to meet certain ends beyond nutrition-to aid in healing, or to alter the state of consciousness the animals are in.
The bulk of the book is composed of specific examples of animals drugging themselves. More well-known examples, such as cats getting high on catnip, or elephants seeking both natural and manmade alcohol, are cited. However, Samorini also discusses California robins gorging themselves on holly berries, caribou and reindeer devouring Amanita muscaria, and drunken slugs. It would seem that drug-induced altered states are found from insects to mammals, from the Arctic to the savannah, and are definitely not limited to the human animal.
The final chapter is where the author really shows off his ideas. These can be summarized thus: that animals do, indeed, intentionally drug themselves, and that the resultant altered states of consciousness are a part of evolution. While I agree with the first half of this, there's much evidence lacking in the second. We have yet to show a definite connection between animal intoxication, and the changes in a species' behavior, which he postulates. However, in Samorini's defense, this is such a niche area of research that only has a handful of people studying it that this particular book is pretty much the first one to focus exclusively on it, or so he says. I'm inclined to agree, as it's the only book I know of either on the topic or-for that matter-by this author.
Overall, I really enjoyed this brief but good read. While the final evidence isn't complete, this is understandable in light of the limited research available. However, it is a groundbreaking text, IMO, in the area of chemognosis, as it supports the idea that seeking altered states through drugs is natural, rather than an unhealthy human compulsion that inevitably leads to ruin. The inclusion of cases of animals being addicted to alcohol, caffeine and tobacco, right along with marijuana, datura and psilocybin mushrooms, is also useful for showing that intoxication doesn't discriminate on the basis of human choices.
this book rocks.......2006-08-17
please, this book is one of a kind, because where else are you going to find out exactly which animals get high on exactly which plant, shrooms, or berries. Not only does this make for cool conversation but it is golden information in terms of shamanism and zoology. I guess you have to be a certain kind of person to appreciate it.An animal lover, shaman, tripper, drug user or a combo of the above.
Rehashed mishmash.......2006-03-13
The author admits that this is largely a recap of Siegel's 1989 Intoxication. Like a skipping stone, Samorini only knicks the tops off of profound ideas. There's no depth of natural history or chemistry to be found in this short book. To make matters worse, the translation is horrid: the book abounds with typos and other errors that leave me wondering what the heck Samorini really meant.
Lucy in the sky with felines.......2003-12-17
a powerful, dazzling display of authority on subject matter that gives "animals" their rightful place among "humans" as proud and adept explorers of the more interesting entheogenic realms.
This work, without over doing it on the anthropomorphic side, renders our fellow animals in a positive light that suggests they, too, have their very own forms of consciousness.
Very enlightening, heady stuff!
Evolution by inebriation!.......2003-12-04
This humorous and entertaining book deals with the use of psychedelic substances by our 4-footed and 6-legged friends. The author, an ethnobotanist, provides amazing examples of animals and insects seeking out and consuming psycho-active substances in their environments.
Samorini suggests that the desire to experience altered states of consciousness is a natural drive shared by all living beings. This urge is not confined to humans because animals/insects deliberately engage in these behaviors. His theory is that beings that consume these substances contribute to the evolution of their species by creating new patterns of behavior that are eventually adopted by the other members of the species, in what he humorously terms "evolution by inebriation."
He deals with crazed cows who love locoweed (Astralagus), elephants, slugs and snails, felines and catnip, reindeer and caribou tripping on the Amanita mushroom, goats that have a liking for coffee and khat (Catha Edulis), birds that binge (robins and the pink pigeon of the Mauritian islands), koalas, baboons and rats, plus insects like the house fly (Amanita again), moths, bees and butterflies.
Samorini concludes with the observation that a distinction must be made between a drug phenomenon that is natural and a drug problem that is a cultural problem. This insightful book concludes with a bibliography and index.
Other interesting titles on this topic includes DMT: The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman, Moksha by Aldous Huxley, Magic Mushrooms In Religion And Alchemy by Clark Heinrich and Persephone's Quest by R. Gordon Wasson.
Customer Reviews:
The ONLY Dog Training Book that You will ever need!!!.......2002-08-19
I first found info on Kevin's dog training theory on the web ...
then I called him and made appointment for him to meet my so called "natural
born alpha" dog, who was classified as "dominant aggressive".Only after few
minutes of talking to Kevin I realized that ALL I was told to do by previous dog
trainers and animal behaviorist, was dead wrong, and nothing worked. After about
1/2 hour of seeing what he was able to do with my dog, using his theory on dog
training, I left my dog in his care to be train by him. I went back to see my
dog only after 5 days to find out what the progress was, and to my surprise
Kevin accomplished more in those 5 days than all the so called experts did in 2
years. I could see that my dog was happy and full of life, and when I looked
into his eyes they were finally sparkling, happy and filled with joy (for all of
you that have dog, you know what I am talking about)!!! So if you don't have
option of actually having him train your dog, I highly suggest reading his book,
which I also did just so I can keep up with my dog. If you have so called
"problem dog" or you just want to train your dog by your self, this is truly the
only book that you will ever need. This book explain everything from A-Z
on how to deal with your dog, how they think, and how you can use their
instincts to turn any dog around, and make him calm, loving friend. I seen
this theory work with my own two eyes, my dog ( that I was told to put down,
because he was classified as "unpredictable") was happily responding to Kevin's
every command, and following his every move. Kevin Behan is truly
the best dog trainer I know. Before you go to any trainer or if you are thinking
of putting your "vicious", "aggressive", or "problem" dog down, please read
Natural Dog Training book, it will defiantly open your eyes, and it will make
you realize that dogs are not the problem, but the way we train and treat our
dogs is.
The ONLY Dog Training Book that You will ever need!!!!.......2002-08-19
...Only after few
minutes of talking to Kevin I realized that ALL I was told to do by previous dog
trainers and animal behaviorist, was dead wrong, and nothing worked. After about
1/2 hour of seeing what he was able to do with my dog, using his theory on dog
training, I left my dog in his care to be train by him. I went back to see my
dog only after 5 days to find out what the progress was, and to my surprise
Kevin accomplished more in those 5 days than all the so called experts did in 2
years. I could see that my dog was happy and full of life, and when I looked
into his eyes they were finally sparkling, happy and filled with joy (for all of
you that have a dog, you know what I am talking about)!!! So if you don't have
option of actually having him train your dog, I highly suggest reading his book,
which I also did just so I can keep up with my dog. If you have so called
"problem dog" or you just want to train your dog by your self, this is truly the
only book that you will ever need. This book explain everything from A-Z
on how to deal with your dog, how they think, and how you can use their
instincts to turn any dog around, and make him calm, loving friend. I seen
this theory work with my own two eyes, my dog ( that I was told to put down,
because he was classified as "unpredictable") was happily responding to Kevin's
every command, and following his every move. Kevin Behan is truly
the best dog trainer I know. Before you go to any trainer or if you are thinking
of putting your "vicious", "aggressive",or "problem" dog down, please read
Natural Dog Training book, it will defiantly open your eyes, and it will make
you realize that dogs are not the problem, but the way we train and treat our
dogs is.
The Best Dog Book Ever Written.......2002-06-29
I read this book when it first came out. I was a dog trainer working in Manhattan. I was looking for a new way of doing things because I had this nagging suspicion that everything I had been taught about dogs and trainng was somehow off base. I read Kevin's book in one sitting and disagreed with almost everything he said, but I was determined to try his methods just to see if they had any value at all. The next day I began working with a pit-bull mix named Mickey, who had a problem with leash aggression. Within twenty minutes Mickey was cured of his aggressive problems on the leash. In fact, before I applied Kevin's method, the instant Mickey saw another dog coming toward him, he would go ballistic--lunging and growling, teeth bared. The only thing that prevented an all out attack on the other dog was the fact that I'm a fairly big guy and I had an iron grip on Mickey's leash.
After doing an exercise from Kevin's book three or four times Mickey's behavior changed so dramatically that as soon as he saw another dog coming toward us, he would actually look up at me and perform a perfect heel.
A week or so later I got a new client who owned a Jack Russell terrier. The experts at the Upper West Side training school he attended told his owner that he was untrainable because he wouldn't learn the down. They said (according to this client) that there was probably something wrong with the dog's breeding.
I took Mack (that was his name) into Central Park and applied one of Kevin Behan's techniques and within half an hour Mack was lying down on command and LOVING IT! In fact, the client later told me that whenever she went out for pizza at a little place on Columbus, she would tie Mack to a parking meter and go inside to order her pie. From inside the restaurant all she had to do was look at him, put her index finger in the air and then point it toward the ground and Mack would instantly lie down. And this was a dog that "could not be trained"!
I cannot praise this book highly enough. It's true that Kevin's prose style sometimes gets in the way. But when you apply the exercises he describes, and understand the underlying philosophy behind them (i.e., there's no such thing as an alpha dog), it's an amazing experience. Dog training becomes more than an enjoyable experience. In my case it actually changed my life.
A Classic Training Book.......2000-08-29
Have you ever wondered just how those really good dog trainers do the things they do. Most of them will write books and explain that if you just hold the leash this way and say "good dog" that way then you can train you dog to come when called and sit when you've got him on a collar and six foot leash.
Kevin Behan is a good dog trainer. In fact he's an expert. And he's one of those gifted people who actually has an understanding of what he's doing to such an extent that he can explain it to someone else. This book is not superb writing. He does tend to ramble, especially in the first few chapters but he's fluent enough to get the point across to those who are willing to learn.
Natural dog training refers to working with a dog on the level of his most powerful natural instinct, the prey instinct. The instinct to chase and bite a prey object. Instead of trying to deny the dog access to this instinct through punitive training methods Behan suggests showing the dog what to do with his instincts within the context of his domesticated situation. This involves only allowing the dog to have access to his drives through his owner instead of the dog deciding what he's going to do them. Once this harmonic connection is established the owner is able to mold (train) the dog's character to fit his lifestyle and domestication in general.
The chapters on training puppies are excellent and nothing like you will read elsewhere. Most people just want to get a puppy under control and because of a puppy's natural submissive nature they are usually successful at first. Things generally fall apart as the dog reaches sexual maturity. In a classic quote Behan states, "A dog owner can win a thousand straight battles with a puppy, then, years later, lose the war."
This book has depth. It is not a one trick method training book. It is about working with the true nature of the dog within the necessary context and contraints of domestication. This not only allows the dog to be more of what nature intended him to be but also fosters a deeper understanding on the dog owners part towards his dog. A more harmonious relationship with man's best friend is the result.
I can personally vouch for Kevin Behan's training philosophy as I have raised my two dogs, now going on six and seven years old respectfully, using the training methods from this book. For me, his methods have been 100% validated.
This book has one "trick" and teaches it over and over and o.......1999-07-28
Behan's book is currently out of print. Maybe I should say "mercifully." I found a copy on eBay. I enjoyed the first explanation of the central thesis (use the prey instinct to train you dog) for the first chapter. Then the second chapter was the same, and the third and so on. I desperately wanted to find out something PRACTICAL. Gentle reader.., go ahead and jump to page 100 when you open this book. You won't miss a thing. And Behan will tell you what you missed. How many times can you say "harmony" and "prey instinct?"
Book Description
There are two kinds of math: the hard kind and the easy kind. The easy kind, practiced by ants, shrimp, Welsh corgis—and us—is innate.
What innate calculating skills do we humans have? Leaving aside built-in mathematics, such as the visual system, ordinary people do just fine when faced with mathematical tasks in the course of the day. Yet when they are confronted with the same tasks presented as “math,” their accuracy often drops.
But if we have innate mathematical ability, why do we have to teach math and why do most of us find it so hard to learn? Are there tricks or strategies that the ordinary person can do to improve mathematical ability? Can we improve our math skills by learning from dogs, cats, and other creatures that “do math”? The answer to each of these questions is a qualified yes. All these examples of animal math suggest that if we want to do better in the formal kind of math, we should see how it arises from natural mathematics.
From NPR’s “Math Guy”—The Math Instinct will provide even the most number-phobic among us with confidence in our own mathematical abilities.
Customer Reviews:
Only Okay........2006-10-27
I thought there would be a little more substance to this book. I was glad to see the stories and references to some of the street math but I was more intrigued by the examples of babies and math.
I would recommend it to friends that are not that interested in math.
For those that want more depth to the discussion relating math to instinct I'd go elsewhere.
Has its faults, but a lot of interesting material.......2006-09-06
"The Math Instinct" is something of a hodge-podge, and I think it could be written better, but there is lots of really interesting material, and the reader can always skip chapters not of interest to him/her. I say the book isn't written that well, because Devlin doesn't do well enough with the more difficult concepts. I say it is a hodge podge because subjects such as the nautilus's shell have nothing to do with the rest of the book; in fact Devlin waits far too long to distinguish between computational skills of animals, such as their navigational skills, and the results of optimization through evolutionary trial and error (bee's hexagonal honeycomb) which has nothing to do with the animal brain's capacity for doing math.
Amazingly, a numerical sense has been found to exist in baby's only a few days old, as well as in rats, etc. Brazilian children who could not master arithmetic in school, do great when they need to employ math in the marketplace. When math is abstract and rule based, without making sense, it is hard to learn or apply. It actually uses a part of the brain devoted to language rather than a part used for "natural" math (which incidentally grew out of the area used to control digits). Devlin addresses teaching math, but surprisingly doesn't have much too say, emphasizing repetitive practice rather than a change in presentation. For example, for reasons Devlin gives, learning 7 x 8 = 56 is particularly hard, so why not teach 7 x 8 = 7 x 7 + 7, thereby giving the idea of multiplication as a quick way to do some kinds of addition, and taking advantage of the kind of techniques untutored Brazilian working kids use in the marketplace?
Animal Instinct and Human Psychology.......2006-07-27
Although the word "math" appears in the title, this book is mainly about instinct and psychology. About half the book contains discussions on how animals instinctively do certain things that have some foundation in math. The other half of the book looks at how humans perceive and behave in math-related situations - from infancy to adulthood. The book is very well-written, very clear and easy to read. Those who are math phobic have nothing to fear here; in fact, they would likely find this book very interesting in the sense that they would learn something fascinating about themselves. Other than for those who are math phobic, this book has something for psychology buffs as well as animal lovers. But most importantly, it should grace the shelves of math educators as well as those who are interested in the reasons and possible cures for innumeracy.
Intriguing Accounts of Animal and Street Math.......2006-03-05
This book offers a very readable overview for the non-specialist, with many fascinating details on how animals use their kinds of natural mathematics. It also discusses the findings of Brazilian researchers on how teenage street vendors who can't handle school math develop their own effective street math techniques. The author makes abundantly clear that many people can't deal with school math because it is presented as an abstract symbolic system. People can learn best, he argues, by applying math in concrete ways. Unfortunately, he stops short at the end of the book and simply enjoins us to practice because that is the way humans gain mastery over subjects. It would have been useful for him to spell out how such practice can best be done and to give examples. I recall an awful pre-calculus course that spent a full year trying to prove a set of theorems, leaving us students with no knowledge of how to apply calculus to scientific, financial, or other problems (this was the last exposure to math for most of the class). We would have learned much better by applying calculus to real problems, then perhaps concluding the year with a bit of theory. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy popular science literature or want to know more about animal math.
The Math inSTINKS.......2005-08-21
I was suckered by the description and this book fails to deliver....
The reason I gave two stars: some teenagers or true novices to the subject may find some of the stories interesting enough to turn them onto better works in the field.
There is NOTHING new in this book: Devlin desperately looks for a new angle to a Greek philosophical fight- which is not necessarily bad (see "the Anthropology of Art") BUT he doesn't take any new angle- he just searches and speculates - like a tired dog circling for a place to lie down.
The filler of the book is what anyone would expect- scientific research and 'interesting' tidbits about the physical world... once again, nothing new. Save your money.
Customer Reviews:
A must have!!.......2006-11-04
This is the only authorized biography book by Def Leppard. A must have for every Lep fan!
DEF LEPPARD'S ACCURATE HISTORY TOLD.......1999-04-18
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK BACK WHEN IT WAS FIRST RELEASED, AND I BELIEVE THAT I READ IT IN AS LITTLE AS 4 HOURS!!! THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE REVIEWED THIS BOOK ARE CORRECT IN SAYING THAT ONCE YOU PICK IT UP, YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO PUT IT DOWN AGAIN!
INFORMATIVE, FUNNY(EVEN DOWNRIGHT HYSTERICAL AT TIMES-THANKS PHIL AND STEVE!!!), PERSONAL AND EVER HONEST, THIS STORY BY DAVID FRICKE IS THE MOST THOROUGH AND CONSISTANTLY ACCURATE BIOGRAPHY THAT COULD'VE EVER BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BAND. AND THAT SAYS A LOT SEEING I HAVE BEEN A FAN SINCE 1980 AND HAVE READ PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM!!
DAVID FRICKE SPENT A WEEK WITH THE GUYS IN HOLLAND INTERVIEWING THEM AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM (LUCKY GUY!!!) AND THE READER CAN TELL FROM THE WAY THAT HE TELLS THEIR STORY. GREAT JOB DAVID!!! NEXT TIME CAN I BE YOUR ASSISTANT AND DO THE INTERVIEWING?! OK, OK, BACK TO REALITY!! LOL
AS FOR ROSS HALFIN'S PICTORIAL, WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS THANKS FOR THE AWESOME AND SOMETIMES INTIMATE PICS(JOE IN THE BATHTUB FOR EXAMPLE), THEY WERE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! I HAVE LOVED ROSS'S PICTURES OF THE BAND EVER SINCE THE EARLY 80'S IN CIRCUS AND HIT PARADER MAGAZINES AND HE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AS THE YEARS GO ON. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, ROSS!!!
THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR EVERY DEF LEPPARD FANS COLLECTION, NO MATTER THE PRICE IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK OR DEF LEPPARD FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME! I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THIS BAND!!!
AND IF YOU NEED A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN, EMAIL ME TOO! INTEREST RATES ARE AT AN ALL-TIME LOW RIGHT NOW! SORRY, NEED TO PLUG THE BUSINESS ANYTIME I GET THE CHANCE!!!
LORI
Animal Instinct, the best book I've ever read!.......1998-03-20
Def Leppard fans, you must purchase this book! It is by far the greatest book on this planet. It tells the complete story of Def Leppard, from their early days in a Sheffield spoon factory up to their fourth album, Hysteria. Author David Fricke has done an incredible job writing this book. It is clearly written and very informative. The photos, courtesy of Ross Halfin, are amazing. Once you pick this book up, you will not want to put it down. Your Def Leppard collection is not complete without Animal Instinct!!!
Excellent.......1998-01-02
By far, the best comprehensive book on Def Leppard! A must have for fans! I purchased the book approximately nine or ten years ago, and I love to look at it still!
Animal Instinct - The Best Rock Book Ever!.......1997-04-08
Animal Instinct is the best rock book I've ever read. It's filled with great photography courtesy of Ross Halfin, and the author, David Fricke of Rolling Stone Magazine, has done a superb writing job. Not only has he done exhaustive research, but he's injected the tragedy-ridden story of this band with healthy doses of good humor throughout.I've read this book over and over again, and it's still entertaining. The chapter on "The Terror Twins" (who are, of course, Steve Clark and Phil Collen) is absolutely hilarious. And Mr. Fricke's way with words in describing the birth of Def Leppard, the recording of Pyromania, Rick Allen's accident, the band's struggles to record Hysteria both with and without Mutt Lange, and everything in between, leaves you feeling as if you've lived through it along with them. There are other Def Leppard biographies, but there's not one to compare with Animal Instinct. If you're a Def Leppard fan and have not read this book, beg, borrow (but please don't steal my copy) or buy it for yourself. You must read it! And if you're not a Def Leppard fan, beware - once you read this book, you will be! - Laurie Compton
Average customer rating:
- Excellent, insightful self-help
|
Walk Like a Chameleon: Use Your Animal Instincts to Improve Your Relationships and Your Life
Gary S. Aumiller
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Happiness | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Personality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0452282497
Release Date: 2001-07-31 |
Book Description
When a coworker takes credit for a job you did, do you go on the attack, like a shark? Do you run away like a rabbit after an argument with your boyfriend?
There are eight instinctual survival personalities that are found in the animal kingdom: the Clinger (remora fish), the Blender (chameleon), the Caretaker (dolphin), the Combiner (dog), the Asserter (porcupine), the Competitor (fox), the Avoider (rabbit), and the Attacker (shark). By understanding the imprint nature has made on our personalities, Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D., believes we can improve our relationships and gear our lives toward greater success. In this one-of-a-kind guide you'll discover:
• In-depth profiles of every animal type-including positive and negative traits
• How to figure out which animal personality fits you
• Which animal type would be your ideal mate
• Quizzes for testing your primary survival strategy
• Tips on using your animal instincts to make positive changes
From avoiding someone of an animal type that could cause your emotional extinction to using your instinctual skills to impress your boss, Walk Like a Chameleon will show you how to tap into your unique animal qualities to improve your relationships and your life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, insightful self-help.......2001-08-08
The author uses a metaphor of animal patterns to talk about human patterns and it really works. It is strange but also refreshing to see how much of what you do may actually be a pattern because you are part of the animals. I was fascinated by seeing myself and friends and family, almost like he knew us. At the end he does the combinations of two people with the different patterns in a realtionship and that was really great. This book will really get you thinking.
Books:
- Are You My Mother?
- At Home in Mitford/A Light in the Window/These High, Green Hills/Out to Canaan/A New Song/A Common Life (The Mitford Years 1-6)
- Bartholomew and the Oobleck: (Caldecott Honor Book) (Classic Seuss)
- Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper
- Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment
- Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward
- Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times
- Christine Falls: A Novel
- Complete Home Bartender's Guide: 780 Recipes for the Perfect Drink
- Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Welcome to Oz: A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop
- Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood
- Crystallographic Computing 6: A Window on Modern Crystallography
- Memories of Midnight
- How to Be Lovely: The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life
- Power Juices, Super Drinks: Quick, Delicious Recipes to Prevent & Reverse Disease
- Loving Hands
- Greek Art and Archaeology, REPRINT
- Glass Throughout Time: The History and Technology of Glassmaking from the Ancient World to the Prese
- Hell Looks Different Now: One Corpsman's Journey Back to Vietnam
Playing With Fire
The Stone Prince (Hqn Books)
The Pleasure Slave
Jewel of Atlantis (Atlantis, Book 2)
Heart of the Dragon (Atlantis, Book 1)
