Book Description
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.
In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
Customer Reviews:
The Secret.......2007-10-11
This is an eye opener...a must read. I find myself referring back to the book to absorb as much as I can. Who would have known? Get this one for your library, it's a wonderful investment!
The Secret Refined.......2007-10-10
On Page 55 in The Secret, you will read about the difference between taking inspired action (which feels effortless), versus acting to "make something happen"(which feels like a struggle). Life is described here as a flowing river, and you can either go with the flow of the Universe . . . or against it. I love this metaphor, but it is not original with The Secret (or the author of this section, Bob Doyle). In 2004 I read an entire book on this very metaphor by Steven Lane Taylor. It's called Row, Row, Row Your Boat: A Guide For Living Life In The Divine Flow. I think it greatly refines the concepts in The Secret, and I recommend it as a follow-up to this book. It is especially helpful if you want to know how "God" fits into the picture.
Whatever...duh.......2007-10-10
Est, the program, Mary Ann Williamson... got your money yet?
This one will too.
Life isn't that simple, is it?
A steaming pile..........2007-10-09
I'm just adding this review to try to bring down the rating. Seriously, how did this steaming pile of .... rate 3 1/2 stars? If I could rate it a negative, I would. Not only is "The Secret" worthless, it's actively harmful.
Totally disappointed.......2007-10-09
The cover of the book was torn seriously.
I couldn't believe how the Amazon dealt with the item so poorly.
I'm so disappointed at your service.
Book Description
You may not be aware of it, but a very powerful force is at work in your life.
It's called the Law of Attraction and right now it is attracting people, jobs, situations and relationships in your life - not all of them good!
If your life feels as if it has turned south and taken on the characteristics of a bad soap opera, it's time to pick up this book.
Customer Reviews:
Law of Attraction.......2007-10-11
This is one of the most powerful tools I have come across in the personal development realm. Michael Losier is concise, to the point and makes it easy to follow the principles laid out. If you want to get to another level in your life whether, business, financial, relationship or other, this and Understanding: Train of Thought are the books for you.
Skip this one - there are much better books out there!.......2007-10-10
I've been listening to this guy drone on for about the last hour and I just can't take it any more. I am listing mine right back in the Used Copies for sale section. This guy obviously likes to make lists, enjoys lists, and finds lists fascinating. I do not.
He can't just make a strong point about something and move on, instead he has to support his conclusions with a detailed list of every possible thing associated with that point. I counted 17 items in mercilessly detailed list of how to train your mind to think about the LOA when he could have made the same point in a single, well-worded sentence. It's like he needed to flesh out the book so he decided to stretch out every idea to it's ultimate conclusion instead of giving you genuinely useful information and techniques. I think the LOA is fantastic, but I don't think this is a very good resource to learn about it. I just found it repetitive and annoying.
Synchronicity at Play.......2007-10-08
"Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want & Less of What You Don't" by Michael J. Losier is a fascinating book that demonstrates how SYNCHRONICITY is evidence of the law of attraction. The Law of Attraction responds to your vibration. Your vibration is your feelings, so therefore be joyful, optimistic, compassionate, and content. This facilitates life transformation by means of the power of the law of attraction.
The Law of Attraction explains how it is important for us to discern what our ideal financial situation is, to compose desire statements, overcome negative vibrations, and bring the law of attraction alive by means of creating a vibrational bubble as well as allowing statements.
The Law of Attraction is a most recommended book since it is easy to understand, provides an inspirational process, and an increased understanding of why you don't have what you want yet in order to transform your life.
Two of the most powerful transformational books that I also recommend are;
The Secret
Nexus: A Neo Novel
Abundance is mine!.......2007-10-06
I LOVE this book. I watched The Secret and flipped through book... BUT nothing beats the Law of Attraction book. Fast and easy read, plain english, makes sense, well written. BEST OF ALL: are the worksheets that he provides a link to for you to print out. PRINT OUT THE WORKSHEETS AND THE MAGIC COMES ALIVE!!! I have printed out all the worksheets and fill out the abundance worksheet every night. I've been attracting what I want ever since. Buy this book and DO the worksheets. Best book I've bought in years... money spent has come back to me ten-fold+!
the book was as described by the seller.......2007-10-03
I am very satisfied with this transaction. The book was as described and expected. Thanks
Book Description
Success is simple, and scientifically reproducible, if you know the 5 Laws
Simpleology proves that success and happiness are easier to achieve than most people think they are. In fact, people can almost guarantee their own success simply by following a few simple rules. These "5 Laws of Simpleology" aren't new; they've been around forever. Throughout history, these 5 laws have helped the world's greatest minds amass fortunes and forge new paths. But until now, no one has committed them to paper in so simple and straightforward a style as Mark Joyner has here. Applicable to any challenge or goal and irrefutably commonsense, these 5 laws form the basis for almost any successful person or endeavor. Simpleology explains the 5 laws in detail and shows readers how to apply them to every aspect of their lives.
Mark Joyner (Auckland, New Zealand) is a leading authority on Internet marketing. The former CEO of Aesop Marketing Corp., he is the author of four previous books, including The Irresistible Offer (0-471-73894-8) and The Great Formula (0-471-77823-0), both from Wiley.
Customer Reviews:
A Different Way to Look at Things.......2007-10-05
I "read" Simnpleology in my car by listening to the CD version. I found it motivating and thought it provided a different way of looking at most things in life. It is accompanied by a free web site and several free tools. There is also a companion course (also free) that helps you put what you have heard into practice.
Excellent information & well written.......2007-10-02
Overall an enjoyable read. Delivers what is promised. Geeks will probably enjoy it the most.
How To Achieve Success.......2007-09-29
What do you do if you have a few sensible but very commonplace platitudes on setting and
achieving goals and you're writing a book? Worse what do you do if your "five laws", the
very heart of your "simple science for getting what you want" could easily fit on one or
two pages? Say you've already tried short one-sentence paragraphs that you double or triple
space, added some cartoons, and you've still only filled about a dozen pages?
First Law: You don't take the shortest or straightest path. Put your laws at the back of the book. Make 'em wait for the closing so you don't have to include any detailed real world examples of how to attain that "dream home" or "superhot lover."
Second Law: Write chapters that could be related to the topic. Google "A List of Fallacious Arguments" or dig up your old Philosophy 101 textbook out of the garage. Tell your readers you're "going to throw them a lifeline."
Third Law: Focus your attention on something "real world." Create a strawman who disagrees with your politics. He's a victim of "groupthink" and a user of "ad hominem attacks". And because everyone reading your book wants your political opinions, keep giving them these examples. If anyone wonders why your examples are virtually always negative examples, you can "appeal to authority". Accuse them of labeling you.
Fourth Law: Focus your energy. Although this law could easily have been included into the Third Law, it would deprive you of a law. Basically repeat some more slightly relevant ideas. Repeat them.
Fifth Law: Big Finish. Tell them stuff that - unless they're 13-years-old - they already know about straight lines, clear goals, focused attention and energy. And end with something like "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." That could be a pillar of your science alone!
Done.
Almost.
Advise them to spam email their friends and coworkers to buy the book, and then to tell
their friends to buy and...
That should be the Sixth Law!
way to simple.......2007-09-27
Simpleology is the truth. Written by a simple mind. Keep it simple and just don't bother reading.
Don't Let Your Past Control Your Future.......2007-09-17
When all your present decisions are based upon your past experiences, your future has already occurred - is one context for the lessons presented in this easy-to-read, self-help book by Mark Joyner. Before exposing the reader to the laws of Simpleology - straight lines, clear vision, focused attention, focused energy, and the inescapability of action/reaction - that are advertised to `get you what you want', Joyner discusses how the invisible walls created by our defective hardware and other programming anomalies contain us within our past.
Covering everything from beliefs to brainware and language to logic, we are shown how our historically based, propaganda influenced, and language controlled model of the world limits the possibilities we see in situations and in other people. The solution is a "disposable reality" that fits our purpose (what we want) in any given moment. Simple to say, but not easy to do, the author admits, hence the importance of the five laws of Simpleology to help us stay the course. This book is recommended for readers looking for simple solutions in a complex world. Dennis DeWilde, Author of "The Performance Connection"
Product Description
James Arthur Ray presents a proven step-by-step method for creating true prosperity and harmony in life, based upon timeless laws and principles. With penetrating insights and straightforward concepts, James gives you the tools necessary to tap into your own spiritual power center. A simple book that is by no means simplistic, combining fun stories and powerful anecdotes, The Science of Success gives you the power and the wisdom to create the life of your dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Action is Key.......2007-10-10
I enjoyed this advice because unlike the mindless lazy wishing and narcissistic bent of 'The Secret' pap, this book illustrates how important action is in attaining dreams.
I also appreciate that James stresses how riches don't mean anyhting compared to souls and our true selves.
He himself has said the bulk of his words were heavily edited for The Secret video.
He makes great points and this is a highly valuable work.
The Science of Success.......2007-10-08
I have read and re-read this book over 10 times in the last 8 years! Excellent style for the text of the science of success. If you are tired of "feeling" your way to success James Ray breaks down the steps and mental disciplines needed to achieve your desires. I recommend this book to everyone wanting more out of their life.
More than worth the read.......2007-10-08
Looking for a great book, then you have found it here. This book is a must have if you are looking for ways to improve your life. Easy to read and understand, up to you to apply. Read it again and again. Sharing it is also a great idea.
Less than One Star would be better.......2007-10-06
Here we have yet another one of those dreary, drudging works which offers HOPE to the confused and the lacking. I found a relative of mine reading this item and asked to borrow it. After going through it, I came to the conclusion that this information is infantile to say the least. It is written to appeal to wide-eyed yearners who feel left out of the excitement and pleasures that life today seems to contain. Unfortunately for the yearners, there is absolutely NOTHING to be found between the covers of this book which will help them to reach their dreams in ANY way. Like eager kindergarten children, the hopeful readers will make serious attempts to follow various "Super Laws" ( Thou Shalt's and Thou Shalt Not's ) and the only glimmer of "success" they will ever experience from this exercise will be "success" in terms of how fantatically they adhere to these idiotic "Laws". "See mom! I'm following all the Laws!", "That's nice, Jimmy!"
The author claims to have researched "successful" individuals and is now providing the readers of his book with the "inside dope", the "standard formula" on how all these famous people managed to accomplish what they did in their lives. According to the author, its all so easy! All anyone needs to do is be aware of these various "Super Laws" responsible for the success of others, and then follow them! Success then becomes inevitable.
Well, this is simplistic in the extreme. No one can get inside another's thoughts or feelings, or even hope to grasp what the emotional/physical/psychological environment happened to be at any given time for another individual when that person managed to succeed at anything! The imbecility of copying the behavior of so-called "successful" people is exactly the same rubbish constantly pushed by the "You Can Have The Moon" types like Tony Robbins with their ridiculous concepts of "Just model what a successful person does and you'll succeed too" claptrap. This book is written with the same illogic.
I ask you to consider the following:
First;
If this author, Tony Robbins, and others of the same ilk were correct in terms of how they insist that people "succeed" in life ( model the successful and be successful too ), then where is the proof that it works in today's world? How many people have attended seminars, bought books and cassette tapes, and religiously adhered to the "modeling" principles and mysterious "laws" set before them? And out of this massive, teeming group of yearning believers, how many have actually SUCCEEDED? How many "overworld" types are there today who have every dream coming true, and who have openly stated that they must thank this or that book or seminar or cassette tape instructional set for getting them to the sublime state they now exist in?
Second:
Have you ever heard of the saying which goes; "What you see is what you get"? In other words, what has this author GOT? What do you see in him? Have you done any sort of research on HIM as a successful person before deciding to put your trust in what he claims will bring success to you if you purchase his book? Does he have the world in his hip pocket? Is he wealthy? And if he isn't, why not?! After all, he has uncovered and revealed the "Super Laws" of success in the Universe!!! If ANYONE should be succeeding at every turn and in the greatest ways possible, it should be THIS AUTHOR!!!!! But IS he doing so? If he has ANY significant wealth and material ease, did it come to him by following these "Super Laws" of the Universe, or did it come like wealth came to Tony Robbins? That is, did it come from SELLING HOPE and from nothing else? Where do you suppose someone like Robbins be without his Snake Oil maneuvers of offering hope to the hopeless?
Folks, this sort of sucker bait, snake oil routine has been going on in one form or another for literally centuries all across the Western world. People keep buying into it, and the only "success" it provides is to the SELLERS, not the buyers. Generation after generation, there is always a certain portion of the populace who never wake up and who are always willing to put their trust and belief in these empty promises of astounding achievement though the following of "LAWS" of some sort or another. Well, here's a "LAW" that will certainly bring magnificent success -
SELL HOPE THOUGH INFORMATION CLAIMING TO REVEAL MYSTERIOUS, ALL-POWERFUL "UNIVERSAL LAWS" !
Do this one thing and YOU too can succeed, make millions, and achieve your fondest material dreams!
Best Book I've Read in a Long Time.......2007-09-10
I like the concepts shared in the book so much, I bought several more copies to give to friends. I also bought and read the books of the people that he talked about in his book. It has been a chain reaction of books. I highly reccomend read it.
Amazon.com
Money maven Suze Orman's latest book, Women & Money addresses the complicated (and often dysfunctional) relationship women have with personal finance. Orman's direct, non-condescending style is perfect for this subject matter--she begins with the premise that "Women can invest, save, and handle debt as well and skillfully as any man" and then tackles the important question--"So why don't they?" Designed to educate and inspire, Women & Money also offers a "Save Yourself Plan," a five-month program that "delivers genuine long-term financial security." Want to know more? Watch a video message from Suze below, and take a gander at the first chapter of Women & Money--you'll be "controlling your destiny" in no time. --Daphne Durham
An Exclusive Video Message from Suze Orman
Watch the video
|
Read the First Chapter of Women & Money
For Women Only
I never thought I'd write a book about money just for women. I never thought it was necessary. So then why am I doing just that in my eighth book? And why now? Let me explain. All my previous books were written with the belief that gender is not a factor on any level in mastering the nuts and bolts of smart financial management. Women can invest, save, and handle debt just as well and skillfully as any man. I still believe that--why would anyone think differently? So imagine my surprise when I learned that some of the people closest to me in my life were in the dark about their own finances. Clueless. Or, in some cases, willfully resisting doing what they knew needed to be done. I'm talking about smart, competent, accomplished women who present a face to the world that is pure confidence and capability. Do you mean to tell me that I, Suze Orman, who make my living solving the financial problems of total strangers, couldn't spot the trouble brewing so close to home? I don't think I'm blind; I just think that these women became very, very good at hiding their troubles from me.Why not? They had years of practice hiding them from themselves.
Read more from Chapter 1...
Book Description
Why is it that women, who are so competent in all other areas of their lives, cannot find the same competence when it comes to matters of money?
Suze Orman investigates the complicated, dysfunctional relationship women have with money in this groundbreaking new book. With her signature mix of insight, compassion, and soul-deep recognition, she equips women with the financial knowledge and emotional awareness to overcome the blocks that have kept them from making more out of the money they make. At the center of the book is The Save Yourself Plan—a streamlined, five-month program that delivers genuine long-term financial security. But what’s at stake is far bigger than money itself:
It’s about every woman’s sense of who she is and what she deserves, and why it all begins with the decision to save yourself.
Join the Movement to Save Yourself with this Unprecedented Offer to Readers of Women & Money:
Suze Orman believes that having an account of your own is the cornerstone of long-term financial security, and so she has begun a national movement called
Save Yourself to turn this wish—that every woman have an account in her own name—into a reality. She is joined in this crusade by the financial brokerage firm TD Ameritrade, which has come up with an extraordinary offer for readers of WOMEN & MONEY. Follow Suze’s
Save Yourself Plan and open an account in your name with TD Ameritrade. Commit to an automatic deposit of at least $50 per month for twelve consecutive months, and TD Ameritrade will provide the incentive in the form of a $100 deposit into your account in the thirteenth month. In other words, you save $600 or more over the course of a year, and TD Ameritrade will reward that effort with a $100 bonus. Learn more inside the book or at
www.saveyourself.com.
Offer valid for one new TD AMERITRADE account (non-retirement) opened between 2/27/07 and 3/31/08, and funded by 12 monthly consecutive automatic electronic deposits of $50 or more. First $50 must be deposited within 30 days of opening account. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident aged 18 or older. See
www.saveyourself.com for obligations and limitations and to accept this offer. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where TD AMERITRADE is not authorized to do business. Random House, Inc., does not endorse, is not associated with, and has no responsibility for the TD AMERITRADE offer. TD AMERITRADE, Random House, Inc., and Suze Orman are separate and not affiliated, and each of them is not responsible for the services and information provided by the other(s). TD AMERITRADE, Inc., member NASD/SIPC.
Customer Reviews:
Great gift!.......2007-10-01
Bought this for a good friend who was widowed a year ago and had not been involved in finances during the marriage. She is digging herself out of some financial challenges and she said the book made her feel really good about her progress. Highly recommend!!
Suze is Five Stars.............2007-09-21
I've listened to Suze Orman on TV and I bought this book for my wife who doesn't want to manage her portfolio. She still won't manage her portfolio, but she's getting smarter about investments.
Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money.......2007-09-20
Suze Orman Shares Investing Common Sense with Her Book Women & Money ~ Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny
By Lisa Manyon [...]
Money is a topic you either embrace or avoid. Orman's book delivers straight talk on investing for women and building individual wealth.
Personally I've always know just enough about investing to put some money away each month and I rely on financial advisors to steer me in the right direction.
Suze shares a candid look at her life and how she got to where she is now. Plus she offers a no nonsense approach to making sure women begin to really think about taking care of their own business.
With an uplifting vein of optimism about what is possible throughout the book, Orman successfully illustrates traits and tactics to help women thoughtfully approach investing.
Orman's 8 qualities of wealthy women have been shared on national talk shows and cannot be stressed enough.
Qualities 1 and 2 are harmony and balance. These are said to be the most important qualities because they are the foundation for all other qualities.
Quality 3 is courage. Orman writes that "Courage gives harmony expression. When your thoughts and feelings are one, courage helps you manifest them in the form of words and actions."
Quality 4 is generosity. Orman points out that woman tap into this almost too quickly. We tend to be overly generous with our time, support, love and money. The true measure of generosity, according to Orman, is being able to allow money to come into your hands and out through your heart.
This was a concept I can relate to. Orman challenges women to look at why and what they give and how it makes them feel. She also offers six rules for giving (but, you'll have to grab a copy of the book to find out what these are).
Quality number 5 is happiness. According to Orman when you find the courage to live your life in harmony and balance, you understand and practice generosity, happiness will spontaneously appear.
And perhaps the most important point she shares about happiness is this; "Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity for true wealth."
Quality number 6 comes in the form of wisdom. Who doesn't want to be wiser?
According to Orman, wisdom is more than intellectual and not directly related to education. Wisdom is an express result of tapping into your core beliefs to make the right decisions for yourself.
The 7th quality is cleanliness and is all about the importance of order and organization. A laundry list of situations that subtract from your wealth status include;
- Not knowing where your money is
- Not having a systematized filing system for important documents
- Pulling crumpled bills and receipts out of your purse
- Maintaining a vehicle that looks like a garbage can
- Having closets that are filled with junk and clutter.
I am sure most of us can relate to at least one area we need to work on. I have to admit, as organized as I am, I could relate to a couple of those scenarios. Orman's philosophy really makes sense and I've corrected my personal problem areas. My first order of business was donating clothing I had not used or worn in the past year to charity.
The final quality is beauty. Orman ties all the qualities together by noting beauty is what you achieve when all the qualities are combined.
To some it may seem strange that the qualities of wealthy women are included in a book on investing. However, if you personally don't possess the qualities it will not be as easy for you to achieve your wealth potential.
In addition to the foundational building blocks Orman shares solid advice on choosing the right investor, the importance of having one personal savings account in your name only and discusses investment options in layman's terms so anyone can get started right way.
Very Informative, every woman should read this........2007-09-10
I learned a lot from this book, this book has been very inspirational for me, I feel more in control of my financial future.
Women & Money.......2007-09-08
Suze is an easy read. She doesn't talk down, but she doesn't overwhelm. She offers sound, practical advice that only requires an attitude of resolve. Ladies, you can do it with this advice. It's helping me get better focused, and teaching me practical tips that I wouldn't have known, otherwise. Very, very easy read. Entertaining as well as educational.
Book Description
Have you ever wondered why some relationships are wonderful and others are just catastrophic and tragic? Why do we get along with some people and with others just seem to constantly engage in bitter fighting? In this fascinating and helpful book, internationally renowned psychic
Sylvia Browne examines why we form our relationships with certain individuals . . . for better or for worse. From the lifelong connection of a loving marriage to the short and bitter agony of a brief encounter leading to divorce and heartache, she reveals why we have joyful and happy relationships on the one hand and chaotic, hateful and painful ones on the other.
Sylvia takes us on a remarkable excursion that covers all the different types of relationships we’ll encounter in life. From our childhood experiences to our golden years, she helps us see why we form both good and bad unions, and she also explores how our themes and charts of life can interact with others in both positive and negative ways—creating either lifelong love or friendship or a situation doomed for disaster. Sylvia enables us to come to a true understanding of why we have certain compulsions and attractions for some people while being totally repulsed by others. By utilizing Sylvia’s marvelous insights, we can all learn how to cultivate our relationships (and sift the wheat from the chaff) in order to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
Customer Reviews:
It was just okay........2007-10-04
Sylvia's books these days seem to be more full of, "fluff," than anything else. There is no more original content. This book seems to be more of her ramblings about the people she knows or meets in her life. There is of course a purpose and you need to read through all the, "fluff," to get to the point. I guess if she just flat out told you the point there would be 200 blank pages to fill.
I dont love this one as much as her other books.......2007-10-03
While I always get a good feeling of having learned something after reading her books, this one left me hanging. I was waiting for more.
Enlightening Book on Spiritual Relationships.......2007-09-05
As Sylvia Browne asserts many books have been written on having a better sex life, staying married or how to have a friendly divorce. This is one of the few books available on spiritual meaning of relationships in our lives.
Sylvia shows how to bring spiritual understanding to our relationships - that our relationships have a deeper meaning. The people in our life have been selected by our soul before our birth for our spiritual development. So each person in our life teaches us something and we in turn teach them something. Even people we meet casually such as the grocery store clerk, bank teller or the person delivering our mail all are part of spiritual connections in our lives.
Connection with family and close friends is often taken for granted but these relationships are particularly conducive for our growth. Browne even contends that the annoying co-worker or boss can teach us important lessons for our soul growth. The best part of the book is the exploration of the 47 life themes, which have a higher and lower expression.
The book has a warm tone because Sylvia shares her own relationship challenges. This book is worth reading just for the Life Themes and fans of Sylvia Browne will be most satisfied with this book, since it gives a lot of depth to her ideas previously stated elsewhere.
(***If you're interested in other books about relationships check out "Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential" by Caroline Myss or "Nexus: A Neo Novel" by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh***)
No one knows more about yourself than you do.......2007-08-19
Who are these people giving this book 4 and 5 stars and do they really know about Sylvia Browne? Even the few bad reviews are from fans who claim to "love" her and sound rather apologetic for giving her anything but the highest praise. What's going on? Someone please tell me, did I just enter the Twilight Zone...?
I have always been fascinated with Sylvia Browne because she is probably the most famous psychic of any first-world country. So, I decided to read this book with an open mind. But I wasn't at all happy with it. It seems shoddy, choppy and thrown together quickly. And Sylvia doesn't offer up anything (in the way of literary references) to back up her claims. I suppose some could say that this is based on "blind faith." But should faith also be deaf, dumb and stupid?
For years, I have watched Sylvia on the Montel Show and she always arrogantly seems so cocky when she doles out her "readings." For example, someone could tell her that such and such happened to them and Sylvia will quickly reply, "oh I know" as if she really does know. But if she knew, why didn't she volunteer this info up front, first? I have also noticed that she almost always exclusively only gives detailed info about past lives, the "after world," and other deceased "spirits." But Sylvia Browne is never overly explicit or detailed when she is talking about the here and now. Why is that? Also, one more thing I have noticed about Sylvia; she always seems incredibly cold, condescending, downright rude, pushy, bored, and incredibly belittling when she gives her "readings." Shouldn't a spiritual advisor be welcoming, loving, warm and inviting? Has Sylvia ever comforted any of the grieving parents on Montel or has she ever given any of them a gratis reading after the show when the cameras weren't rolling? No she has not. That is a fact. I can remember a lady once kept pressing her with specific questions on the show, and Sylvia became very aggravated and said something to the effect of, "this is what I 'see' and that's that." Talk about being a wolf in wolf's clothing. Maybe that's better because she would be easier to spot? You'd think so, but people still adore her and worship her and follow her advice to the letter.
When is the last time a corporation also referred to their organization as a church? Sylvia Browne does it. But her "corporation" and "church" are more like a cult because it's all about money and profit; not about adding some happiness and spirituality into someone's life (free of charge.) And if in fact she is a leader of a church, why should she charge her parishioners that want to seek her out for advice? At best, this is an oxymoron: Sylvia Browne Corp./Church. Does Sylvia Browne/the Sylvia Browne Corp. pay taxes? Or is she tax-exempt? This is a very valid question.
I decided to do a little research after reading "Spiritual Connections" by Sylvia because I wanted to see if she really was all she was cracked up to be; after all, maybe I am just being super-critical and Sylvia is honest and totally caring and loving? I began my search on Wikipedia.
From there, I found an incredibly informative site, StopSylviaBrowne. I spent more than 3 straight hours on that site reading everything I could about Sylvia. I have never seen a site so professionally laid out that included facts to back up everything the Webmaster stated. Everything that I initially felt about Sylvia was confirmed (and more.) I have since learned that Sylvia Browne is a convicted felon that preys on vulnerable people because these are the ones that are most likely to pay exorbitant moneys for "help", buy her books, go to her events and recommend her. I have also found out that her first husband has totally discredited her and her son (who also claims to be a psychic.) And, I have found out that Sylvia was caught in numerous half-truths, made-up stories and downright lies. The most notable being her higher-education; she has stated that she has a Masters Degree in English. There is zero proof that Sylvia has a Masters Degree in English from any accredited institution.
If you simply think that Sylvia is total entertainment and you watch her on TV or read her books once in a while then that's fine in and of it self. I suppose there's no harm in that. But if you're about to shell out the hundreds of dollars for one of her "telephone readings" or the thousands of dollars for one of her "in-person meetings" then I strongly recommend that you do some research on her first because I don't want you to be taken advantage of. One more thing that Sylvia's followers should keep in mind is that no one knows more about yourself than you do!
Utterly !.......2007-08-09
After reading "Spiritual Connections," I was totally and utterly amazed by Sylvia's profound spiritual insights and fascinating perspectives (especially through her invisible spirit guide Francine, who seems to have come into Sylvia's life in three or five contradictory ways, depending on which Browne tome you read). Her astounding proven accuracy as a psychic, totally verifiable, has convinced me that Sylvia's the real deal, a veritable Goddess on Earth with disturbingly long talons, and she's well worth the mad money she charges for her phone consults! Forget your so-called hifalutin' "science," forget those overeducated quacks with PhDs and researchers with their fancy protocols and let Sylvia be your guide. Humans just want proof, proof, proof. Surrender your power to her, open heart and wallet. No less an authority on psychic matters than Montel endorses her, as do her true believers, so she must be the real deal. By all means, buy this book NOW! Buy a spare, just in case! Get an extra for a friend!
Average customer rating:
- Funny and profound
- Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith
- Not her best, but still brilliant
- No thank you, no good.
- She's the Best
|
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
Anne Lamott
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Authors
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Religious
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Christian Living
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Women's Issues
| Christian Living
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Lamott, Anne
| ( L )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
-
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
-
Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith
-
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
-
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
ASIN: 1594489424
Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Amazon.com
Through Anne Lamott's many books (including six novels, her bestselling parenting memoir, Operating Instructions, and her popular guide to writing, Bird by Bird) the subject she keeps returning to is her faith, her deeply personal--"erratic," she says--journey in Christianity. Her latest book, Grace (Eventually), is her third collection of her "thoughts on faith," and she took the time to answer a few of our questions.
Questions for Anne Lamott
Amazon.com: This is your third book on faith. How has your perspective changed since you wrote your first one?
Lamott: I wrote my first book on faith when Bill Clinton was president, and I was in a much better mood. I wrote Plan B during the run-up to war in Iraq, and the ensuing catastrophe, so I was very angry, but trying to reconcile that pain and hostility to Jesus's insistence that we are made of love, to love, and be loved, to forgive and be forgiven. Some days went better than others. Also, my son Sam was in his early teens, and that was a LOT easier than when he turned 16 and 17, his ages when I was writing the pieces in Grace (Eventually).
In general, I think Grace (Eventually) is a less angry book. I like how I'm aging, except that my back hurts more often, my knees crack like twigs when I squat, and my memory fails more frequently, in more public and therefore humiliating ways. But I think I complain less. As my best friend said when she was dying, and I was obsessing about my butt, "You just don't have that kind of time."
Amazon.com: What does grace mean for you? How can we better communicate it to each other?
Lamott: Grace is that extra bit of help when you think you are really doomed; also, not coincidentally, when you have finally run out of good ideas on how to proceed, and on how better to control the people or circumstances that are frustrating or defeating you. I experience Grace as a cool ribbon of fresh air when I feel spiritually claustrophobic. Sometimes I experience it as water-wings, something holding me up when I am afraid that I'm going down, or the tide is carrying me away. I know that Grace meets us whereever we are, but does not leave us where it found us. Sometimes it is so small--a couple of seconds relief here, several extra inches there. I wish it were big and obvious, like sky-writing. Oh, well. Grace is not something I DO, or can chase down; but it is something I can receive, when I stop trying to be in charge.
We communicate grace to one another by holding space for people when they are hurt or terrified, instead of trying to fix them, or manage their emotions for them. We offer ourselves as silent companionship, or gentle listening when someone feels very alone. We get people glasses of water when they are thirsty.
Amazon.com: Many of the essays in Grace (Eventually) first appeared in Salon, the online magazine, and that's the way that many readers first found you. How do you see the Internet changing the way people read and write?
Lamott: The Internet makes everything so immediate and spontaneous, which I totally love--UNLESS it has to do with the immediacy of people's negative response to me. Several of the Salon pieces in Grace--for instance, the story about the horrible fight with my son, and the piece about turning the other cheek while being ripped off by The Carpet Guy--generated a couple hundred letters, many of them extremely hostile. Perhaps "spewy" would be a better description. I also sometimes get knee-jerk responses to my mentions of Jesus in my Salon pieces that seem to lump me in the same tradition as Jerry Falwell. But for the most part, I love the populism and egalitarian nature of the Internet: everyone counts the same.
Amazon.com: What stories do people tell you, when they've read your books or know you are a writer?
Lamott: People tell me how relieved they are that I try to tell the truth about how hard it can be to be a mother, or a daughter, or an American in these times. They tell me stories about how awful their own teenagers can be, or how awful they themselves behaved towards their kids or parents; how hard it was to finally be able to adore their mothers, or to forgive their fathers. They tell me their sobriety dates. They whisper to me that they are Christians, too.
Also, they ask if I am able to read their manuscripts, and the name of my agent, and my e-mail address. They ask if we are going to survive the current political difficulties--and I promise them we are. They ask how old my son is now--17 and a half--and how he is doing, which is fantastically, after some of the hard months I wrote about in Grace.
Amazon.com:What lessons do you think you can pass on to others: to your readers, to your son? What lessons does it seem like people have to learn for themselves?
Lamott: All I have to offer is my own truth, my own experience, strength and hope. I can pass on the tool of a God Box, and how for 20 years I have been putting tiny notes in mine and promising God I will keep my sticky fingers off the controls until I hear God's wisdom: sometimes I get an answer because the phone rings, or the mail comes, but at any rate, during every single terrible problem and tragedy, I have been given enough guidance and stamina and even humor to bear up, and be transformed, for the good. I always tell Sam that if you want to make God laugh, tell Her your plans. I tell Sam that if he listens to his best thinking, he will suffer: and to listen to his heart instead, to listen in the silence, and to seek wise counsel.
Amazon.com: You've written nearly a dozen books (including an incredibly popular guide to writing): does writing get any easier? Does it get harder?
Lamott: In a very important way, writing gets easier, because I've been doing it full time now for thirty-plus years, and just as you would get better and better if you practiced your scales on a piano, I've gotten better, and can try harder and harder pieces. But writing is always hard. It does not come naturally to me at all. I sit down at the same time every day, which lets my subconscious realize it's time to get to work. I give myself very short assignments, and let myself write really terrible first drafts. But I grapple with the exact same problems every writer does, which is having equal proportions of self-loathing and grandiosity. I sort of live by the Nike ads: Just Do It. So I sit down. I show up. I do it by pre-arrangement with myself, because I know I'll feel sad and terrible if I shirk on that days writing. I do it as a debt of honor, to myself, and to whatever it is that has given me this gift of being able to tell stories, and to make people laugh. Laughter is carbonated holiness. Other people's good writing is medicine for me, and I hope mine is too, for my readers.
Book Description
The sharp, funny, and heartfelt follow-up to her bestselling Plan B, Anne Lamott's newest collection is a personal exploration of the faith and grace all around us.
In Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Lamott examines the ways we're caught in life's most daunting predicaments: love, mothering, work, politics, and maybe toughest of all, evolving from who we are to who we were meant to be. This is a complicated process for most of us, and Lamott turns her wit and honesty inward to describe her own intimate, bumpy, and unconventional road to grace and faith.
"I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kinds of things," she writes in one of her essays, "that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in silence, in the dark."
Whether she's writing about her unsuccessful efforts to get her money back from an obstinate carpet salesman, grappling with the tectonic shifts in her relationship with her son as he matures, trying to maintain her faith and humor during politically challenging times, or helping a close friend die with dignity, Lamott seeks out both the divinity and the humanity in herself and everything around her. Throughout these essays, she writes of her struggle to find the essence of her faith, which she uncovers in the unlikeliest places. By turns insightful and hilarious, pointed and poignant, Grace (Eventually) is Anne Lamott at her perceptive and irreverent best.
Customer Reviews:
Funny and profound.......2007-08-12
Anne Lamott is honest and engaging. This book is a beautiful testament to a real life lived in faith and hope in the midst of inevitable disappointments and hardships.
Grace (Eventually) thoughts on Faith.......2007-08-08
I bought this book thinking I would get an inspiritial read. Instead I found that the title totally misrepresented the book. This is nothing but a self-centered, self-indulgent, whiny bunch of writings from a drug user/alcoholic, over age hippy, feeling (what?). Certainaly not faith!
Title should read "Poor Me, I can't Think Straight"
Not her best, but still brilliant.......2007-08-01
One of the most popular voices in contemporary spirituality, Anne Lamott has a remarkable gift at handling serious and unfunny topics - religion, motherhood, eating disorders, death - in a witty and disarming way.
Lamott's new book, "Grace Eventually: Further Thoughts On Faith," is a collection of essays, many of which Lamott wrote as a columnist for Salon.com. If you haven't read anything by Lamott before, the best places to start would be "Traveling Mercies" (her bestselling memoir), and "Bird by Bird," (one of the best guide to writing anywhere, another bestseller). But the two things you should know before reading Anne Lamott is that 1) she is an incredible prose artist, quirky and profound, with a style that seems all her own. And 2) she is almost completely neurotic.
"Grace Eventually," is a special book in that Lamott's description of ordinary events make them feel sacred. She is a writer with an ability to make the reader pay attention, feel present, and tune in to the story taking place around them. Although she refers to Jesus consistently, there is little that seems orthodox about Lamott's spiritual journey, and perhaps that is one of the reasons she has such a wide readership.
You'd have to be made out of granite not to find something that moves you in this unique collection of essays. You would also need to adhere to Lamott's precise and strident political positions not to find at least one portion of this book infuriating. Either way, "Grace Eventually" is a provocative and unique read, and any avid reader owes it to themselves to become familiar with one of the country's top writers.
No thank you, no good........2007-07-25
I read another one of Anne's books. The first one I did not like much, and really did not want to read this one, but when you already own it, you feel you must with 16 dollars into the book. It was some repeating of stories I really did not like in the first place, there were a few highlights or good moments, but not enough. I still feel bad for her, but most times I was like "get over it." Now I loved Donald Miller's book, which was along the same mindset, but he seemed deep or maybe just a man. Sorry Anne, you are twice if not more the writer that I am, but I was just not into the book.
She's the Best.......2007-07-25
Her words are equivalent to the phrase "A sight for sore eyes." My copy now has so many underlines and dog ears that I just don't know where to start with quotable quotes--
"IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE FINALLY CRACKED OPEN A WINDOW THAT HAD BEEN JAMMED."
"...taught me a willingness to help clean up the mess we've made is a crucial part of adult living; that our scary, selfish, damging behavior litters the planet."
"...we get mad at each other, over and over, then we apologize, become friends again: I see how each time this is redemption. How amazing it is to share that."
"Joy is the best makeup."
"Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine."
I use this like a Bible when I need to be called to a higher place. It soothes me, calms me down, and calls me to a (much) higher place. Buy this, Bird By Bird, and the other two from this series. They are GIFTS.
Amazon.com
With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow," "mind like water," and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance.
Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-do's clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organized, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru," suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech saber known as the cell phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.)
As whole-life-organizing systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk, The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket"
That's where the processing and prioritizing begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's commonsense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment; Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belabored, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to soccer moms (who we all know are more organized than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy
Book Description
In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to:
€ Apply the "do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it" rule to get your in-box to empty
€ Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations
€ Plan projects as well as get them unstuck
€ Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed
€ Feel fine about what you're not doing
From core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down.
Download Description
"""The personal productivity guru"" (Fast Company) delivers powerful methods that vastly increase your efficiency and creative results-at work and in life In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to: Apply the ""do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it"" rule to get your in-box to empty Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations Plan projects as well as get them unstuck Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed Feel fine about what you're not doing From core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down."
Customer Reviews:
If you are not already naturally organized, then his process would be excruciating torture to you........2007-10-10
#1 if you are not already naturally organized, then I can only expect you will toss this book in the rubbish bin because his process would be excruciating torture to you. It is an in-depth, deep clean.
If you are already naturally organized and yet feel you are not truly maximizing the effort you are putting into it, then this is well worth the time to read.
I easily related to this book and took away a few productive processes. It is over all a helpful book on organizing beyond the ubiquitous to do list. He has clear steps to get stalled projects moving forward. Hammering the point that the frustrations you face in getting things done are in actuality your lack of dealing with the hard question of what is the next physical action I need to take with this to deal with it. That may very well be toss it in the rubbish or Make a phone call...
Unfortunately, more often than not his example of the next action step is make a call... I started to cringe half way through the book whenever he wrote "Finally, when it's time to actually do an action, LIKE MAKING A CALL..." Towards the end of the book I was saying out loud and laughing "What is our next action step... Oh, of course make a call!"
That one criticism aside, I am trying his tickler file concept and do find it useful. I have implemented his mind sweep to organizing myself before the week so as to be prepared to face all of the inevitable interruptions and schedule changes with ease while accomplishing my weekly objectives. Although, in my case frequently the next action step is "turn off the phone, IM and email" so that I can work.
It's That Next Step that Matters..........2007-10-09
David Allen's concise and useful guide is built largely on the idea that, while people "think" in terms of entire projects, human action can only be practically applied to one aspect of a project at any one time.
In order to be effective, and work intelligently,we must first diligently construct our catalog of things that "need" doing and then proceed to priortize them in terms of their relative importance. This is only list making, however the act of breaking each project down, in order of importance, into discrete action steps is a more complex intellectual process, and is where we often fail. It is not a complex concept, but even the very intelligent lose sight of it under the pressures of life and work.
I found it interesting that many of the key points emphasized by Allen were articulated by Earl Nightingale, a famous radio commentator, decades ago. They are no less true today. The difficulty is forming and maintaining the habit structure that enables us to be masters of work, rather than slaves to unfinished business.
Bob Moffit
Retired Executive & Industry Consultant
If you have deadlines, you need this book.......2007-10-03
I have an associate who can't meet deadlines. I give him a deadline and set it two weeks before the project is needed. Doesn't matter. He won't make it. So I bought him this book. "No more projects until you read this," I told him.
He read it. He's not missed a project deadline yet.
People who have their own businesses, generally have deadlines and projects. Things have to be done by a certain time. If nothing else, we have to have our income tax in by midnight April 15 in the U.S.
But many people put things off and that creates stress. Stress for the person who procrastinates and stress for those who depend on him or her. We all need a time management system.
This book will help you to clear out your clutter. It will help you to know how to handle a project, to break it up and work at it in a way that's effective for you.
Highly recommended.
Read the full version first, use abridged audio for review.......2007-10-01
While the abridged audio CD version of Getting Things Done makes a perfect refresher tool for those who read the full book originally, too much detail and background is missing for this to be someone's first introduction to the GTD method of time management. Unfortunately, the unabridged audio won't be widely available until 2008.
Overall, the GTD system has a lot to offer. It's "open source" and "platform-independent," meaning you can use as much or as little of it as you want and adapt it to whatever organizational system you already like or are forced to use by circumstance--Outlook, FranklinCovey, 3x5s, whatever. Yes, it pretty much comes down to making a to-do list, but GTD's approach adds the subtle differences that make the lists actually effective reminders and trackers, rather than an overwhelming mess o' stuff to get done. If you've ever written something down on a list and then never looked at it again, give GTD a try.
This book will change your life.......2007-10-01
I first bought this book about 6 months ago, and it has improved my life incredibly. Even if you don't follow every one of his suggestions, or choose not to employ David Allen's GTD system, at the very least you'll gain a much greater understanding of stress-free productivity, effective workplaces, and the bottlenecks that prevent people from achieving their full productive potential.
It certainly took longer to set up my system than the "2 days" Allen continuously mentions in the book, but even while you're setting up and fine-tuning your personal system, you begin to get a sense of that "stress-free productivity". Now, my system is running smoothly, and I've been able to control my numerous projects with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Most importantly, having a system in place will enable you to focus on your greater goals. I work in two startup companies, but I've always had a dream of being involved in local politics; now I'm also helping coordinate a grassroots political campaign in addition to my 9-5 commitments. You may want to spend more time with your family or significant other, go golfing, start a new business venture or take up a new hobby. This book can give you the system and the structure to allow you to pursue whatever life goals you have, and I consider it an invaluable life resource. I've recommended it to many of my friends and family, and they've experienced similar results.
Average customer rating:
- The Secret and Seven Habits of Highly Successful People
- Be Your Own Dr. Phil
- It's hard to argue with real truths
- Very inspiring
- great book, great service
|
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R. Covey
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Motivational
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Success
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Covey, Stephen R.
| Authors, A-Z
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Covey, Stephen R.
| Authors, A-Z
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Industrial Psychology
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
How to Win Friends & Influence People
-
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
-
The 8th Habit
-
The One Minute Manager
-
Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
Accessories:
-
RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
-
Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
ASIN: 0743269519
Release Date: 2004-11-09 |
Amazon.com
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.
Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more.
This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. --Joan Price
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Anyone who thinks the audiocassette adaptation of Stephen Covey's bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is a shortcut to reading the book has another thing coming. As a preview, the cassette is worth every one of its 90 minutes; as a substitute for the original, it will only leave you wishing for the rest. There's a reason 7 Habits has sold more than 5 million copies and been translated into 32 languages. Serious work has obviously gone into it, and serious change can likely come out of it--but only with constant discipline and steadfast commitment. As the densely packed tape makes immediately clear, this is no quick fix for what's ailing us in our personal and professional lives.
The tape opens to the silky-smooth, overtrained voice of the female narrator, who's responsible for tying together audio clips from actual Covey seminars. Leaving aside the occasional attempts at promoting Covey and his institute, her script does a first-rate job of making sense of Covey's own intense, analogy-rich style of explaining his habits. There's nothing simple about his approach to becoming an effective person. The first three habits alone--which have to do with personal responsibility, leadership, and self-management--could take years to master. Yet the last four are unattainable, the narrator insists, if you can't acquire the personal security--the "inner core," says Covey--that presumably comes from a mastery of the foundation.
Throughout our lessons, Covey's presence is both learned and thoroughly appealing. He drops references to the likes of Socrates, T.S. Eliot, and Robert Frost with the aplomb of an English professor. And his knack for mixing everyday stories with abstract concepts manages to clarify difficult issues while respecting our intelligence. You could argue that the cassette is nothing more than a clever marketing tool for selling another few million copies of the book. But, even at that, it's worth the investment in time and concentration: in the end, we're moved to learn more about integrating all seven habits in our struggle to become better and, yes, more effective people. (Running time: 1.5 hours, one cassette) --Ann Senechal
Book Description
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity -- principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.
Customer Reviews:
The Secret and Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.......2007-10-09
STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS PART OF My ORDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOULD LOVE TO RECEIVE IT.
Be Your Own Dr. Phil.......2007-10-08
Despite the high buzzword content, I loved this book and found it very informative for getting one's life in order. Habit 1 hit me right off the bat -- be proactive. We are responsible for our own happiness; we either make our own decisions about how to live our lives and to pursue our own happiness (being proactive), or we let others make those decisions for us. This is most certainly true. Recommended for anyone who is just starting a career, turning 30, going through a midlife crisis, or just feels like they need more direction in their life.
It's hard to argue with real truths.......2007-10-06
I received this book and the audiobook cds from a past employer as one of those condescending, "we believe in enriching our people" gifts to every manager, while unfortunately every principle was broken and twisted regularly. Ironically, this book helped me see that where I was may not have been the best choice for me and my goals. And to think, I may never have known...
It's true that it's almost impossible to argue with the principles Covey lays out. He makes them real with his examples, and he helps the reader to understand how he or she can apply them to absolutely any life, not necessarily the upper-management type I had this book pegged to be for.
If you're really interested in learning about yourself and seriously challenging yourself, I give this book my highest recommendation. It is the hardest work you will ever do to examine yourself, but you will come out a far better and more mature person for it.
Very inspiring.......2007-10-02
Certainly a great book to read! It points out a lot of common but very important issues in our lives, which I bet everyone's dealing with everyday, and provides solutions to them (soft skills). The book's written in a vivid and engaging manner, with many anecdotes and author's own experinces. I can tell my life has changed after reading this book!
great book, great service.......2007-09-26
the book was a great price and when i thought i was eligible for the free shipping but wasn't the customer service was great and helped me correct my order! and they were fast!
Book Description
Beginning with the million-copy bestsellers First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham jump-started the strengths movement that is now sweeping the work world, from business to government to education. Now that the movement is in full swing, Buckingham's new book answers the ultimate question: How can you actually apply your strengths for maximum success at work?
Research data show that most people do not come close to making full use of their assets at work -- in fact, only 17 percent of the workforce believe they use all of their strengths on the job. Go Put Your Strengths to Work aims to change that through a six-step, six-week experience that will reveal the hidden dimensions of your strengths. Buckingham shows you how to seize control of your assets and rewrite your job description under the nose of your boss. You will learn:
• Why your strengths aren't "what you are good at" and your weaknesses aren't "what you are bad at."
• How to use the four telltale signs to identify your strengths.
• The simple steps you can take each week to push your time at work toward those activities that strengthen you and away from those that don't.
• How to talk to your boss and your colleagues about your strengths without sounding like you're bragging and about your weaknesses without sounding like you're whining.
• The fifteen-minute weekly ritual that will keep you on your strengths path your entire career.
With structured exercises that will become part of your regular workweek and proven tactics from people who have successfully applied the book's lessons, Go Put Your Strengths to Work will arm you with a radically different approach to your work life. As part of the book's program you'll take an online Strengths Engagement Track, a focused and powerful gauge that has proven to be the best way to measure the level of engagement of your strengths or your team's strengths. You can also download the first two segments of the renowned companion film series Trombone Player Wanted.
Go Put Your Strengths to Work will open up exciting uncharted territory for you and your organization. Join the strengths movement and thrive.
Customer Reviews:
Worth the read.......2007-10-10
I read this over a brief vacation during the summer. Ive found it has enhanced my abilities dealing with people both at work and my personal life. I plan on reading it again when my busy work schedule permits it.
How to take charge of your work.......2007-10-03
Marcus Buckingham is passionate about helping you identify your unique strengths and unleash their power. As you read and work your way through the program in this book, you will become convinced that growing through your strengths is the ticket to your future happiness, effectiveness and success. He refutes the approach of improvement by fixing mistakes as a dead end that cannot help you discover how you can be exceptional. The book constantly refers you to its associated Web site for materials that will help you work through the exercises. Buckingham wants you to act rather than just read a theoretical tract. Nothing presented in this book will help you without action and implementation. However, if you take up the challenge, you will become empowered as you take charge of your work through your strengths. We recommend this book because it contains just a few simple ideas that could change your life.
Follow-up book, much overlap with earlier books.......2007-09-30
Marcus Buckingham discusses six steps to identifying and putting your strengths to work:
1. Convince yourself that exercising your strengths is more fun and productive that spending your time shoring up your weaknesses.
2. Identify specific activities that exercise your strengths. For example, mine include
a. Determine true value
b. Learn and apply new and useful skills, knowledge
c. Creative problem solving
3. Build your job towards your strengths.
4. Stop / reduce time spent shoring up your weaknesses
5. Build a strong team by enabling each member to exercise their strengths towards delivering business value
6. Make a habit of ensuring that each person's activities around you are aligned with their strengths (including yourself :-)
The book could have been much shorter - the concept was repeated multiple times. More specifics on step 3 would also have been more useful.
Excellent book and great team activity!.......2007-09-13
I manage a team of Sales Professionals and found this book to be a great tool to help them stay focused on the positive aspects of their job. I really like the message and appreciate the fact that it does not immediately say that if you are not happy right now, you need a new job. It points them back to their current position and helps them be more productive and utilize their strengths where they are at.
While he also wants to sell you other stuff, the book is a good way to build your own positive deviance.......2007-09-13
If you really look at what is holding you back, from really using your best qualities and talents, you will almost surely find that most of it are the images and thoughts you hold between your ears. You are so sure about what could go wrong, or about what you HAVE to do, or about what is just not possible, that you just don't even try to step out.
Well, to say it simply, stop it! This book provides you with a six step process to help you build on your strengths rather than chasing and fixing mistakes. It is based on the ideas you will find in the business philosophies of Appreciative Inquiry and Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS). The core idea in these movements is that you can't build on your strengths if all you see are your weaknesses. If you want to be a master of something, you have to study those who do it well, not focus on the mistakes of those who aren't very skilled. The term they often use is "positive deviance". That is, that area of performance that deviates ABOVE the norm. The goal is to learn how to create more positive deviance.
In the first step, Buckingham focuses you on giving up belief in three myths: 1) As you grow your personality changes. 2) You will grow in your areas of greatest weakness. 3) A good team member does whatever it takes to help the team. He says that the truths are: 1) As you grow you become more of who you already are. 2) You will grow in your areas of greatest strength. 3) A good team member deliberately volunteers his strengths to the team most of the time.
As he discusses each of these he asks you to examine what you are getting out of believing in these myths. What would it cost you to stop believing in it? Then think carefully about the benefits you would gain by believing the truth. If you sincerely do this, you will likely be shocked and then energized.
The purpose of this book is to help you take charge of your life and especially your work life. You will make it more rewarding, says the author, by centering your work on your strengths rather than just doing whatever comes to you as an assignment. It is a six step process. The first, as I noted above, is to bust the myths. Step 2 is to get clear about your strengths. Three is to free your strengths. Four helps you see and stop your weaknesses (not focus on fixing them). Five coaches you on how to speak up and get your boss supporting your strengths. Six is about keeping the process alive by building strong habits.
Now, Marcus Buckingham is a big-time, high-priced consultant. The book sends you to his website to use some free materials there (but also offers you others to purchase). Underneath this is the desire to sell your company consulting and seminar services with associated materials. It is interesting stuff, but the sheer "salesiness" of it detracts from it a bit for me.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson
Books:
- The Sight (Warriors: Power of Three, Book 1)
- The Soul of a Lion: The Life of Dietrich Von Hildebrand
- The Spirit of Black Hawk: A Mystery of Africans and Indians
- The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)
- The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion
- The Wizard and the Warrior: Leading with Passion and Power
- The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World
- To Inherit the Earth: The Landless Movement and the Struggle for a New Brazil
- Torment In Art
- Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Labyrinth of Solitude: The Other Mexico, Return to the Labyrinth of Solitude, Mexico and the Uni
- Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic
- Death Waxed Over
- Federal Rules of Evidence, 2006-2007
- History: Fiction or Science
- Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation
- History: Fiction or Science
- Early Italian Painting 1290-1470: The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection
- Drawing Conclusions on Henry Ford
- Eritrea Business & Investment Opportunities Yearbook
The Secret (Extended Edition)
You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management
The Science of Success: How to Attract Prosperity and Create Harmonic Wealth Through Proven Principles
Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham
