Book Description
You've probably seen it before: a human brain dramatically lit from the side, the camera circling it like a helicopter shot of Stonehenge, and a modulated baritone voice exalting the brain's elegant design in reverent tones.
To which this book says: Pure nonsense. In a work at once deeply learned and wonderfully accessible, the neuroscientist David Linden counters the widespread assumption that the brain is a paragon of design--and in its place gives us a compelling explanation of how the brain's serendipitous evolution has resulted in nothing short of our humanity. A guide to the strange and often illogical world of neural function, The Accidental Mind shows how the brain is not an optimized, general-purpose problem-solving machine, but rather a weird agglomeration of ad-hoc solutions that have been piled on through millions of years of evolutionary history. Moreover, Linden tells us how the constraints of evolved brain design have ultimately led to almost every transcendent human foible: our long childhoods, our extensive memory capacity, our search for love and long-term relationships, our need to create compelling narrative, and, ultimately, the universal cultural impulse to create both religious and scientific explanations. With forays into evolutionary biology, this analysis of mental function answers some of our most common questions about how we've come to be who we are.
Customer Reviews:
Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain.......2007-08-08
David Linden's "The Accidental Mind" is a neat little book. He has two main purposes: (a) to write a readable introduction on brain science, accessible to nonspecialists; (b) to make the case that (page 6) `. . .the brain is an inelegant and inefficient agglomeration of stuff, which nonetheless works surprisingly well." As to the first point, this volume is a far cry from the magnificent work, Michael Gazzaniga's The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition. However, if one is not well steeped in knowledge and understanding of the neurosciences, Gazzaniga's edited work is close to impenetrable. This book is well and crisply written, explaining simply how neurons work the structure of the brain, how the brain develops, and so on.
As to the second point? He asserts that, quoting Francois Jacob (Page 6), "'Evolution is a tinkerer, not an engineer." That is, evolution operates on organisms as they are and then the process of change takes advantage of the material already existent to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Thus, the human brain is mounted on older, more primitive structures, in an ill fitting complex. As he says (page 21): "The brain is built like an ice cream cone (and you are the top scoop): Through evolutionary time, as higher functions were added, a new scoop was placed on top, but the lower scoops were left largely unchanged."
Thereafter, he speaks of the structure of the brain, how the fully mature human brain develops (with both nature and nurture having roles to play), how the brain is associated with all manner of emotions, learning, religion, and so on.
The Ninth chapter has a title that speaks directly to Linden's first theme--"The Unintelligent Design of the Brain." Here, he slyly critiques advocates of the "Intelligent Design" perspective by noting that the brain is hardly an exemplar of some great design. As noted already, he sees the brain as inefficient and "jury-rigged."
This is a book that provides plenty of insight into how neuroscientists study the structure and function of the brain--and presents some of the exciting possibilities for future research.
In sum, this is a work that ought to be attended to by those interested in the brain sciences, but who cannot readily read the technical literature.
Entertaining?.......2007-07-30
This is a great book for readers who are interested in an overview of the anatomical and physiological functions of the brain. If you have had any previous A+P, this book may give you flashbacks (and does a good job of explaining how those feelings were "created.") You may even recognise many of the examples and case studies right from classic lectures.
If you are approaching "The Accidental Mind" as pure entertainment, enjoy. If you are looking for juicier or more in depth case studies, keep browsing.
A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science.......2007-07-18
The addition of this review is to fill in one gap in particular. Dr. Linden is the first scientific author I have read in quite a while that wasn't flip with schools of thought. He has distilled research with varied hypothesis and has enough respect for his field and the reader to frankly state when "We just don't know." My only regret is that Dr. Linden didn't make this book the "larger tomb" he mentions when wrapping up the research that didn't make it into the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is mystified by belief and dreams.
A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain.......2007-07-04
Why do we sleep? What is love? What is happening when we dream? These questions seem so basic to our human experience, and yet the average person in at a complete loss to explain even the most common of our daily experiences. This is where the Accidental Mind comes in. Linden's book offers a refreshingly different perspective on the brain. After reading this book, you will have a much better understanding of how your brain shapes your experience, it's limitations, and what is going on "behind the curtain." Intelligence, gender identity, sexuality, are all covered with an eye to how these factors play out in the architecture of the brain.
This book also provides a great deal of information on the biological basis for issues that are being debated in our culture, which many people will find enlightening and necessary for making informed comments.
If you are considering picking up this book, read Chapter 7 on sleep, available for free from Linden's website:
[...]
While the book may sometimes goes into great detail on the biology, most readers will find plenty of compelling information in these pages. People who enjoy this book and are interested in some of the practical insights that new research is providing about humans, how we work, and practical advice for improving our lives should check out The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt.
Happy reading!
For your thinking and reading friends...........2007-05-31
I found The Accidental Mind a well written, humorous and thought-provoking introduction to neuroscience and to some profound ideas about evolution and other topics. It's the kind of book that makes you interrupt your partner's reading every five minutes with "Hey, listen to this...." If Dr. Linden lectures as entertainingly and interestingly as he writes, his classes at Johns Hopkins University must be in great demand.
Average customer rating:
- Worth Reading and Doing
- MIND OVER MOOD
- Mind over mood
- Great Book!
- This Book Can Change Your Life
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Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think
Dennis Greenberger , and
Christine Padesky
Manufacturer: The Guilford Press
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Similar Items:
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Clinician's Guide to Mind Over Mood
-
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised and Updated
-
The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook
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Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life (Workbook Workbook)
-
The Feeling Good Handbook (Plume)
ASIN: 0898621283 |
Book Description
Developed by two master clinicians with extensive experience in cognitive therapy treatment and training, this popular workbook shows readers how to improve their lives using cognitive therapy--one of the most effective and widely practiced forms of psychotherapy. The book is designed to be used alone or in conjunction with professional treatment. Step-by-step worksheets teach specific skills that have helped thousands of people conquer depression, panic attacks, anxiety, anger, guilt, shame, low self-esteem, eating disorders, substance abuse and relationship problems. Readers learn to use mood questionnaires to identify, rate, and track changes in feelings; change the thoughts that contribute to problems; follow step-by-step strategies to improve moods; and take action to improve daily living and relationships. The book's large-size format and lay-flat binding facilitate reading and writing ease.
Customer Reviews:
Worth Reading and Doing.......2007-08-04
The principles it expounds are sound and the practices it prescribes are effective and beneficial. In a nutshell: it works.
That said, we are fortunate to have a better alternative for an individual who wishes to self-treat, without the assistance of a therapist. The magisterial book, _The Feeling Good Handbook_, by David D. Burns is one of those once-in-a-lifetime works which has no peer.
Both books share the same perspective on changing how you feel. As other reviewers have mentioned, _Mind Over Mood_'s basic tool is called a "thought record." You are instructed to change the way you think by writing down your thoughts and feelings in the thought record. You then identify the evidence for and against your thoughts. You conclude by writing a more balanced view of things.
The primary method of the thought record is looking at the evidence which supports or conflicts with your thoughts.
The basic tool of Burns's book is called a "daily mood log." This tool bears some resemblance to the thought record but there are subtle differences. Whereas Greenberger and Padesky have you critique your thoughts solely in terms of the evidence for and against them, Burns provides you with a more varied toolbox. He has identified a list of ways that we systematically distort our thinking. For example, we might get down on ourselves or others by using the words "should," or "must," or "ought." I might feel bad when I tell myself that "I should have turned left instead of right when I got off the highway." A more balanced thought would be, "I would have preferred that I had turned left and I can accept myself for having turned right." When I develop the habit of examining my thoughts and replacing them with more balanced thoughts, my mood brightens.
I currently am following Greenberger and Padesky's method in that I have done at least one of their thought records daily for 60 days. I haven't done one of Burns's daily mood logs for a few years. But I found Burns's mood logs to be a better method for improving my mood and I plan on rereading Burns's book soon.
_Mind Over Mood_ is an excellent book. I recommend you read it and practice it. If you could only buy one book, I would recommend you buy Burns's book. But most of us have the ability to buy more than one book and _Mind Over Mood_ is certainly worth studying.
MIND OVER MOOD.......2007-06-27
I love this book! It is a great resource and very easy to follow. It has helped me tremendously. Teresa
Mind over mood.......2007-05-13
I am currently working with the book in conjunction with CBT (Cognitive behaviour Therapy) I was reccommended the book by my therapist. I am finding the book extremely helpful . I think everyone should have a copy whether they are working on themselves with a professional or not. I am learning new life skills. Excellent stuff
Great Book!.......2007-05-13
My Psychologist recommended this book to me. I ordered it the next day and received it within the week. It has helped me tremendously. I would recommend it to anyone who suffers from depression or any other mood disorder. I would also suggest that a loved one of someone described above read this book also.
This Book Can Change Your Life.......2007-04-10
After years of therapy that helped a little, this book finally transformed my life. Instead of just learning to deal with my crazy anxieties, I was finally able to eliminate them. I am now a firm believer in cognitive behavioral therapy. This book provides easy exercises that work - to teach you how to change your life by changing your thoughts, one at a time.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone and will continue to do so.
Amazon.com
Sex should be "an experience to be relished from beginning to end," says Lou Paget in How to Be a Great Lover: Girlfriend-to-Girlfriend Totally Explicit Techniques That Will Blow His Mind. Paget (a woman) aims "to empower you as a woman, heighten the intimacy of your romantic relationship, and enable you and your partner to enjoy yourselves in intense new ways." She lives up to that promise with this friendly, titillating, educational, and explicit guide to enlivening your sex life and keeping your man coming back for more. Is he a bad kisser? Learn an easy strategy to get him to kiss you just the way you like it. Does he object to using a condom? Use your mouth to put it on him (a six-step process, complete with illustrations). You'll find information you might not find anywhere else, such as dozens of explicit manual and oral techniques (many illustrated) that will drive him crazy, a comparison of different brands of lubricant for different uses (along with sexy ways to apply it), techniques for anal stimulation, and a guide to sex toys. This book is fun to read, and will certainly open up the sensuality in your relationship. --Joan Price
Book Description
One of America's most popular sexperts offers a fun, refreshingly modern, totally explicit guide to mastering a man's body.
No matter what age we are or how much experience we have, we all want to be great lovers. Most of the sex guides for women, however, have been prudish, esoteric, or incomplete. The ultimate sexual instruction book for women,
How to Be a Great Lover gives you the down and dirty details that you really want to know on exactly what men like and why, and shares the proven erotic techniques that make for incredible sex you'll both enjoy.
Acclaimed sex expert Lou Paget draws on the real-life experience of the hundreds of men and women who have attended her workshops and presents their secrets and tricks in an elegant, no-nonsense style. Lou has found that in the bedroom (or closet, or kitchen), knowledge equals confidence, and confidence will make you feel empowered, heighten the intimacy of your relationship, and enable you and your partner to enjoy yourselves in a variety of intense, new ways. Whether you are starting a new relationship, have run out of creative ideas, or want to light his fire all over again,
How to Be a Great Lover has enough spicy tips and surprises to excite both of you and leave him begging for more.
From kissing techniques, ways to create the right atmosphere, and a lesson on safe sex--including the "Italian Method" of putting a condom on a man with your mouth--to twenty different manual techniques and the secrets of great oral sex, Lou covers all the basics and more. She offers innovative positions for intercourse, tantalizing moves you can do with a pearl necklace, and a beginner's guide to anal stimulation, as well as a catalogue of sex toys and how to use them. With more than ninety step-by-step illustrations that will show you how to drive him wild,
How to Be a Great Lover provides proven, sure-fire techniques that will make you a master of the bedroom.
Customer Reviews:
Great book with diagrams & steps to help you improve........2007-09-18
This book is definitely one of the best books I've read for those who want to improve their relationships. It's not only a book about how to do things, step by step & with pictures, it also gives you a perspective that you don't expect. This book is for those of us who aren't experts in the bedroom or want to add variety in their sex life. I would recommend it to women everywhere.
So good I passed it on to my girlfriend - her boyfriend is VERY happy.......2007-08-23
This is a great book! Fun and easy to follow. I have gotten compliments and I've even shared it with a friend who's boyfriend has also commented on the improvements/excitement the book has created.
Great information.......2007-06-27
All I can say is it definately has some good information in it for someone who wants to know but is too scared or shy to ask.
Excellent!.......2007-06-14
Every woman should get this book. Enough said.
Just buy it! You only live once.......2007-03-16
I'm glad i got this book.
I waste money on so many stupid things in a day, why not check this out?
You might know most of the info, but you'll feel way more confident.
Amazon.com
Why do fools fall in love? Why does a man's annual salary, on average, increase $600 with each inch of his height? When a crack dealer guns down a rival, how is he just like Alexander Hamilton, whose face is on the ten-dollar bill? How do optical illusions function as windows on the human soul? Cheerful, cheeky, occasionally outrageous MIT psychologist Steven Pinker answers all of the above and more in his marvelously fun, awesomely informative survey of modern brain science. Pinker argues that Darwin plus canny computer programs are the key to understanding ourselves--but he also throws in apt references to Star Trek, Star Wars, The Far Side, history, literature, W. C. Fields, Mozart, Marilyn Monroe, surrealism, experimental psychology, and Moulay Ismail the Bloodthirsty and his 888 children. If How the Mind Works were a rock show, tickets would be scalped for $100. This book deserved its spot as Number One on bestseller lists. It belongs on a short shelf alongside such classics as Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life, by Daniel C. Dennett, and The Moral Animal: Why We Are the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology, by Robert Wright. Pinker's startling ideas pop out as dramatically as those hidden pictures in a Magic Eye 3D stereogram poster, which he also explains in brilliantly lucid prose.
Book Description
In this extraordinary bestseller, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, The Language Instinct. He explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and ponder the mysteries of life. And he does it with the wit that prompted Mark Ridley to write in the New York Times Book Review, "No other science writer makes me laugh so much. . . . [Pinker] deserves the superlatives that are lavished on him." The arguments in the book are as bold as its title. Pinker rehabilitates some unfashionable ideas, such as that the mind is a computer and that human nature was shaped by natural selection, and challenges fashionable ones, such as that passionate emotions are irrational, that parents socialize their children, and that nature is good and modern society corrupting.
Customer Reviews:
That Is The Point.......2007-10-09
The use of the word mind has been and continues to be an albatross for the human understanding of the science of the human brain. I think Pinker uses the word mind to help people relieve their mystical understanding of this word and allow them to see the material reality of the incredible organ we call a brain and some still refer to as a mind. I think that is great. Of course the misunderstanding will continue, one review even pointed to Noam Chomsky as a hero, while he champions ignorance and the so called mysteries of the mind. Personally mention of his name causes a reflexive response that makes me vomit. Excuse me. Nim Chimpsky is the antithesis to human understanding of the brain and mentioning him in the same light as people with insight is indefensible, but enlightening in that it shows how important this book is to help bridge the gap between illusion and fact. Nim is the perfect example of the ignorance that is not only accepted, but respected in our society. He says something similar to: We can't understand the mind it will forever be mysterious. The idiot of course wrote a scathing criticism of B.F. Skinner(a true personal hero). Skinner provided actual scientific evidence to allow us to understand the way the brain works and allow us to understand human behavior. Nim Chimpsky of course continues to stand by his worldview. The mind is incomprehensible and so is human behavior. He even provided a plethora of irrational arguments that reinforce his worldview and make sure evidence will not ruin the mysteries of his world, arguments that only a conditioned brain could formulate. Irony. He even made groundbreaking contributions to linguistics a science anagolous to alchemey. The man is a cancer, but enough of that. The idea is to show the importance of this book. It providies actual evidence of it's finding in an entertaining manner. It avoids the ignorant rhetorical devices of unfairly respected members of pseudo-science like Nim Chimpsky. I recommend this book to anyone that prefers understanding things to living in mystery.
You'd best have some background knowledge.......2007-08-29
I first read sections of this book a year ago and was initially somewhat disappointed that it did not focus on how the mind works via the neurobiological or the physiological approach. This book rarely mentions specific brain structures or neurotransmitters. Rather, it is a look at the brain via the computational theory of mind - via the perspective that the brain is an informational processing organ that is best analyzed via the selection pressures that influenced the reactions that the brain makes to stimuli. For those who are more interested in specific neurobiological approaches, one is advised to read "Synaptic Self" (LeDoux) or "The Quest for Consciousness : A Neurobiological Approach." However, I recently re-read it a week ago and finally appreciated its significance.
Pinker's book is very rewarding for the person who likes to analyze complex adaptive systems via means of general principles rather than of specific facts. As a result, he comments a lot on comparisons between the human mind and both animal minds and "computer minds." This approach is an excellent approach for generating hypotheses and explanations for human behavior, even though it does not analyze the specific neurological processes that are intermediate between stimuli and response. His approach is especially relevant when it comes to the study of family values and sex, when it comes to the chapter on family values, since it helps explain the idiosyncrasies associated with complex adaptive systems that must replicate by means of sex.
Pinker's book does go off numerous off tangents. He has commentary on the "Standard Social Science Model", he goes off into hypotheses into the reasons why biological organisms have sex, and he touches on implications of cognitive science. Those are interesting, although they do add to the length of the book.
The book isn't exactly perfect from my perspective. It would be nice if he wrote a little about the parts of the brain that underly mental representations and mental images.
By the way - as for those who are unfamiliar with the definition of a "complex adaptive system" - read Murray Gell-Mann's "Quark and the Jaguar."
Enjoyable Science.......2007-04-11
Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works" is the best science book that I have read in my life (aging boomer). He has an excellent command of the available research in the field and is able to present it in an engaging style. The scientific understanding of the mind has progressed significantly in the last 30 years and this books serves as an excellent summary of and guide to the understanding of these developments. I learned a lot by reading it and I enjoyed it too. What more can one expect from a book or say about it? Buy it, read it, enjoy it and learn!
Could have/should have been much better.......2007-01-26
This is a book by a noted expert in a fascinating area which both could have and should have been much better.
Generally, reading Steven Pinker at one the same time reminds one both of Josephus, the First Century Jewish historian and the comedian Dennis Miller. Pinker is like Josephus because like Josephus Pinker is unnecessarily discursive and Pinker is like Dennis Miller because one comes away from the experience of listening to him thinking that the guy was more interested in showing you that he knew of lot of stuff rather than actually trying to inform you about a lot of stuff.
Here are a couple of for instances:
In discussing intelligence generally, Pinker segues into a long discussion about Frank Drake and the famous Drake equation for positing the existence of intelligent life off the planet. In praising Congress for zero funding the Search for Intelligence Life (SETI), Pinker noted that Drake's equation unnecessary factored in the inevitable quality of the emergence of intelligent life. Not only was Pinker's observance an incorrect rendition of Drake's formula but it was also quite to the point of why Congress zero funded the program.
Congress zero funded the program (like the Supercolliding Superconductor) because Congress was too sheepish to go to its constituents and tell them that like military prowess, scientific research runs to the heart of a nation's strength. In other words, Congress thought like the midevil Chinese when they dismantled the Emporer's fleet.
In discussing family values, Pinker noted the old saw that people were more at risk of homocide from their relatives than strangers. Then, when he went on to try and prove his point, he did so by semantically re-categorizing spouses and significant others as "non blood relations." Throughout his discussion, it seemed as if Pinker was more intent on seeming clever than providing actual, on the ground analysis.
And indeed, these limitations aren't necessarily critical because Josephus is great history reading and Dennis Miller at least has the potential to be entertaining. Even Pinker himself, writing in this same, style, produced a great book when he wrote "The Blank Slate."
But Josephus and Miller and Blank Slate are different because in this book, a book which purports to describe the actual workings of the human mind, there is a need for the author to be clear, cogent and to the point.
How DOES the mind work? How did it evolutionarily come to be? What are its evolutionary objectives? What systems does it use to carry out those objectives? Are there ways in which it can be decieved? How? Why?
Like the articulation of a scientific theory is improved by it's elegance, books expositing on scientific matters must needs themselves be elegant.
And so, for those truly interested in this topic, I would recommend the following list of books:
1) "The Selfish Gene" -- Richard Dawkins' 1976 book remains a classic exposition on contemporary gene theory and it's implications for human life;
2) "The Red Queen" -- Matt Ridley produced a wonderful, up to the date book detailing sexual mating and its implications;
3) "Before the Dawn" -- Nicholas Wade's 2006 book likewise provides up to the date research and insight not only the fact of human evolution but the fact that human evolution is still continuing apace even today and how;
4) "Phantoms in the Brain" -- V.S. Ramashandran has produced a wonderful, highly readable book about the different ways in which human cognition can falter;
5) "A Brief Introduction to Consciousness" -- Again, V.S. Ramashandran plums the depths of human consciousness and in so doing produced a highly readable and eloquent survey of the mind;
6) "Consciousness Explained" -- Dan Dennett's exposition on the workings of the brain easily rivals and exceeds that presented by Pinker. True, Dennett may ultimately be proved to be wrong but at least he presents a cohesive and credible theory of cognition;
7) "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" -- Again, Dan Dennett is wonderful at bringing complicated concepts to life with his unique brand of brilliant insight;
8) "How We Love" -- Helen Fisher's book on human attraction and mating practices places an appropriate literary focus on humanity's actual genetic focus, namely: reproduction;
9) "The Origins of Virtue" -- Again Matt Ridley has tackled a significant topic rendering it both accessible and relevant. Why do people cooperate? Because it's in their self interest to do so and Ridley's book shows one how; and finally
10) "Religion Explained" -- Pascal Boyer takes a nettlesome problem and uses actual scientific method to arrive at a solution. Like Dennett, Boyer's findings may ultimately be either wrong or just incomplete but again like good science is supposed to it provides an explanation and not just mere pedantic puffery.
By no means should this review be construed as a screed against Pinker. As stated, his Blank Slate was a remarkable master work and underscored the importance of academic tolerance. However, it's because Pinker is capable of such quality that he can legitimately be expected to have produced better.
In other words, an eagle is most striking in flight among the clouds...not standing on the ground in a field of turkeys.
Get to the point!.......2006-11-09
This was another Pinker book I couldn't finish. If he was a taxi-driver he would take you from Brooklyn to New York via San Francisco. Sometimes even his asides have asides! Perhaps like pulp fiction writers he gets paid by the word.
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Memories Are Made of This: How Memory Works in Humans and Animals (Maps of the Mind)
Rusiko Bourtchouladze
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
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The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers
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Memory and Emotion: The Making of Lasting Memories (Maps of the Mind)
ASIN: 0231120214 |
Book Description
Memory enables us to make experience meaningful and to form coherent identities for ourselves and intelligible perceptions of others. Indeed, our ability to imagine, anticipate, and create the future is directly commensurate with our ability to retrieve and recollect past experiences.
But for all its vital importance in human cognition, for all that it seems so ordinary and obvious, memory remains in many ways as complex and mysterious today as it seemed to ancient philosophers. We need only to think about the "tip-of-the-tongue" experience to wonder how memories are formed, where they reside in our brains, and why some are retained, while others are forgotten. What is the difference between long- and short-term memory? Can memory be strengthened? Memories Are Made of This is an account of current memory science that offers answers to these and a host of other questions, comprehensively distilling much diverse and
rigorous science. It delves into the biology of memory functions and researches into the
mechanics and genetics of memory and the importance of emotions, particularly those resulting from trauma, in the memory process. Of special focus are investigations of cognition in other species. Are we the only animals who remember and forget? If not, are there commonalties in the memories of different species? The book also surveys our understanding of the effects of injury and disease on memory and concludes with an assessment of emerging pharmacological efforts to preserve and protect our memories and, in turn, ourselves.
Amazon.com
Instant gratification junkies seeking self-awareness are bound to find the title of Ariel and Shya Kane's book extremely attractive. And seductive it is: who wouldn't like to discover enlightenment in a moment? The key, explain the Kanes, is getting to the moment: being fully present in the here and now without trying to manipulate or change what you see. According to the Kanes, "all problems are a projection towards the future of possible realities based on the past." Consequently, inhibitors to living life directly include the inability to let go of one's history--to forgive people and events from the past--as well as resistance to the circumstances of one's life, and repetitive, mechanical thoughts and behaviors. The essence of transformation is "a non-judgmental witnessing, viewing, or seeing of yourself and how you interact with your life," which stands in direct opposition to therapy's approach of working on one's history to bring about change. Here, awareness of a prejudice or pattern of behavior is--simply and immediately--enough to transform it.
Principles of awareness, self-realization, and enlightenment, of course, are nothing new, and the Kanes are careful to point this out. Some readers may wonder, then, why the Kanes refer to themselves as pioneers of a "revolutionary new technology," and whether Instantaneous Transformation(R) really requires a trademark. Nevertheless, Working on Yourself Doesn't Work is warm, anecdotal, and conversationally written, and includes general suggestions and pointers for the reader rather than rules to memorize. All in all, it is a gentle and potentially powerful invitation to enter a new and liberating state of mind. --Svenja Soldovieri
Book Description
Working On Yourself Doesn't Work reveals a revolutionary new approach that will allow you to reach a state of awareness and "centeredness" that in the past was rarely, if ever, achieved. This book contains the keys to transform your life. It is a radical departure from the concept of working on yourself to bring about change. There are no gimmicks to learn, no rules to live by, or preset paths to follow. The Kanes' Instantaneous Transformation technology is about a change of states, a shifting of realities -- which will produce a quantum shift in your life. By reading this book, you will discover-- How to remain centered in stressful or challenging circumstances, A more honest, true and natural way of being that will allow you to be increasingly effective and satisfied in all aspects of your life, How to have relationships that are more loving, exciting and supportive, How to dissolve mechanical habits that rob you of spontaneity, joy and creativity.
"The clarity and focus I have attained by being exposed to the Kanes and their way of seeing makes the difference between life and death when leading my men down a smoke-filled hallway, searching for people trapped by fire. I feel extremely fortunate to have met them."
Lieutenant Mike Donlon
New York City Fire Department."
"What the Kanes have to offer is so very simple and yet so very profound. In the garden of all the flowers for personal transformation, and I have sampled many, this is the Rose. With great love and respect, the Kanes offer keys to awareness like no one else I have ever met. Their work is truly remarkable." Johnnie M. Jackson, Jr.Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Olin Corporation
Customer Reviews:
Life really can be this simple. WOW!!!!!! YEN Florida.......2007-03-27
I am a professional female that has felt out of place since I was 13. I have seen therapists and searched for something to fix myself my whole life. I have read many self help books and done The Landmark Forum. In 1998 I landed in an AA room and was taught the 12 Steps of recovery. I read the BIG BOOK and thought the stories were exaggerated since I couldn't relate to them. I stopped drinking and took the suggested steps; taking a "fearless moral inventory" of myself by identifying my so called defects of character. As I grew in recovery, I was to take a daily inventory of myself which constantly reinforced that there was always something wrong with me that needed fixing. I now have 7 years of uninterrupted sobriety and recently I had the pleasure of reading the book "Working on Yourself Doesn't Work" and WOW!!! Did I get it...
See in AA we strive to live a day at a time but to be able to live a moment at a time was not something I had ever considered (I mean who can live in the moment there is so much to plan for?). It wasn't by doing the 12 steps that I learned I was living my life based on exaggerated truths made up as a child. These ideas ranged from "don't let anyone ever tell you what to do "to" don't ever depend on any man". These ideas never supported me in my life. They in fact have hindered every relationship I ever had whereby I never married or had children.
Now that I am aware of those ideas thru reading this book, I have never looked back or thought about them again. I have quit trying to work on myself. I have accepted my life and everything about it.
My life is so easy today. I have actually been able to save a relationship that I unconsciously have been sabotaging for the last 3 years. I saw clearly why I was afraid of success. Since I now have the insights, I choose not to go back to the past and judge myself or others for anything that happened. I also choose not to spend time in a place that doesn't exist yet. I can just concentrate on the fabulous moment and how it feels to be here right now. Talk about freedom from the bondage of self. My shackles have been taken off permanently. Thank you to Ariel and Shya for sharing their incredible experiences with the world and most importantly for the ease in which they do it.
disappointing.......2007-03-12
I orded this too quickly and should have looked closer at the inside, and the reviews. Its just another of many "God is who you want him to be, find your own way..nirvana, happy place yada yada written to sell, not to help books..I have to say that if God is who you want him to be?? then how could HE be God? Must be YOU thats God..anyway the book was disgustingly typical.
Classic guide book to living in the moment.......2007-03-09
There have been many insightful and helpful books written over time on the subject of living in the moment and only one that stands out for me as the best...and this book is it. It's the best in my opinion because the tools and ideas presented truly work in creating a life where lasting satisfaction and fulfillment can happen. It is definitely possible to live in the moment, day in day out, where the bumps on your life's road do not need to throw you off your path. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in living a life they dream of...it's possible for you because it's happened and continues to happen for me in my own life.
The Best Book I Know.......2006-11-15
The title of this book may seem enigmatic, but it is the foundation of having a wonderful life. The reader may wonder, If I don't work on myself, won't I become complacent? Not at all! The reason that working on yourself doesn't work, the Kanes explain, is that it presupposes that there is something wrong with you. But, as their second principle states, you can only be exactly as you are in any given moment. As long as you imagine you are messed up and in need of repair you resist the way that your life is showing up. This leads to the first principle: anything that you resist persists and grows stronger. If you want to see a behavior stick around, resistance - the adding of oppositional energy - will do the trick.
Although working on yourself doesn't work, there is much you can discover about your mechanical ways of operating that can improve the quality of your life. Through awareness - defined by the Kanes as the non-judgmental seeing of anything - your experience of living can shift without your having to do anything else. This is encompassed by the Kanes' third principle: anything you see exactly as it is will complete itself.
Does it sound all too simple? It is, and it works. This is why I recommend this book, more than any other, to the people in my life. After years of searching for well being - attending workshops, reading numerous books, and even staying on a farm to find a better way of living - Working on Yourself Doesn't Work is the only thing that I have found that does work. Read again and again, the book makes life easy, magical, and effortless.
Internal Light!.......2006-10-29
"Working on yourself doesn't work"- I have read this book over and over again for nearly two years. The interesting title initially got my attention, but ten minutes into reading it, I knew I had found a treasure!
There are many books out there that lift your spirits, but not often have I found something written with such clarity and wisdom. Beauty and simplicity shine through the core concept - Transformation. In reading this book I came to realize nothing produces happiness like the deep satisfication which comes from within: If I am true to myself, and not judging what I see, I can simply be me and be there for others. Powerful!I highly recommend anyone who is interesed in having a great life to read this book!
Book Description
It is common knowledge that televised political ads are meant to appeal to voters' emotions, yet little is known about how or if these tactics actually work. Ted Brader's innovative book is the first scientific study to examine the effects that these emotional appeals in political advertising have on voter decision-making.
At the heart of this book are ingenious experiments, conducted by Brader during an election, with truly eye-opening results that upset conventional wisdom. They show, for example, that simply changing the music or imagery of ads while retaining the same text provokes completely different responses. He reveals that politically informed citizens are more easily manipulated by emotional appeals than less-involved citizens and that positive "enthusiasm ads" are in fact more polarizing than negative "fear ads." Black-and-white video images are ten times more likely to signal an appeal to fear or anger than one of enthusiasm or pride, and the emotional appeal triumphs over the logical appeal in nearly three-quarters of all political ads.
Brader backs up these surprising findings with an unprecedented survey of emotional appeals in contemporary political campaigns. Politicians do set out to campaign for the hearts and minds of voters, and, for better or for worse, it is primarily through hearts that minds are won. Campaigning for Hearts and Minds will be indispensable for anyone wishing to understand how American politics is influenced by advertising today.
Customer Reviews:
Telling exploration of emotion and political campaigns.......2007-08-18
This is an excellent book. The general audience may find the statistical discussion somewhat slow going, but this is not a turgidly written academic tome. At the same time, it is a solid academic work. His takeoff point (page 2): ". . .the motivational and persuasive power of campaign advertising depends considerably on whether an ad appeals to fear or enthusiasm." He contends that emotional appeals built into campaign ads makes them more effective--the mixture of a political message plus emotion can be powerful if crafted well.
His experiments make it clear that mixing emotions (whether enthusiasm or fear) with a political message has impacts--whether those effects be simple reactions to ads or stimulating interest in the campaign or motivating viewers to want to get out and vote on election day.
This is all, according to the author, counter to much standard political science research that, in the near past, argued that media had only "minimal effects." Brader's work, and that of others, surely suggests that this judgment is much overstated. Media can, indeed, have measurable political effects. This book is one addition to that important correction of the old standard wisdom in the study of politics.
The book is also worth looking at because of its notice of the relevance of psychology and the neurosciences for understanding why emotional elements in political ads can have such an effect. This demonstrates powerfully the importance of cross-disciplinary research.
Final judgment? For those interested in the effects of emotion on politics, this is yet another nice addition to the library.
Interesting book.......2007-08-06
Although it has to do mainly with the US political reality, there are interesting views useful for those from other countries.
It could be a little thinner if the author didn't reiterate some points more than twice, but it's an interesting and fun read.
Academic insights meet practical application.......2006-02-27
Ted Brader's "Campaigning for Hearts and Minds: How Emotional Appeals in Political Ads Work" drives yet another nail into the coffin of academic wisdom that voters are either rational decision-makers or complacent habit-following creatures by providing compelling evidence for the role of emotions in political campaigns. Building off of George Marcus, Russell Neuman and Michael MacKuens' model of "Affective Intelligence", Ted Brader applies the rarely employed experimental method to "everyday people" during a Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign to explicate the process and outcome of their viewing televised political advertisements of differing emotional content and tone. Brader then carries out a content analysis of 1,565 political advertisements from the 2004 election to provide insights as to how the emotions of enthusiasm and fear are used to influence potential voters. His often counter-intuitive experimental findings on how subtle visual and audio cues affect voters' emotions, especially those of informed and interested voters, makes this book required reading for those interested in the "real world" of politics and campaigning. His content analysis findings reinforce his experimental findings by illustrating how political advertisements are used in political campaigns across the United States. In sum, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in learning how emotions influence politics by substantially advancing our understanding of how emotions drive our political thoughts, decisions, and actions.
Book Description
Having studied how boys and girls develop differently, Michael Gurian turns his attention to adult men in this entertaining, informative, and groundbreaking book on the male brain. Following two decades of neurobiological research, What Could He Be Thinking? answers the questions women and the world are asking about husbands, fathers, boyfriends, and coworkers. Mixing neurobiology with Gurian's very readable style, anecdotes from everyday life, and a new vision of the male psyche, the book will satisfy the tremendous curiosity women and our culture have about the roots of male behavior.Women know intuitively that men are different from them. What women are now just coming to realize is that the men they are married to, having sex with, working with, parenting with, and trying to fathom, act and think in very male ways, not only because they are socialized to do so, but because they are built to--neurobiologically.The new field of brain science has revealed wonderful secrets about a man's mind. In this book, women who are eager to understand the men in their lives can discover the new brain science in an entertaining way, as they get answers to the prime question every woman asks at some time in her life: What could he be thinking?The book provides fascinating information about the male brain, male habits, male tendencies, and the nuances of men's actions and thoughts. It is a provacative, exciting vision into the minds of men.
Customer Reviews:
Anecdotes R Us!.......2007-03-30
It does not bother me when a self-help book presents itself as such and simply offers advice to its readers. But it bothers me greatly when a "pop" psychology book pretends to base its conclusions on "scientific" evidence when in reality its conclusions are based on nothing more than flimsy anecdotes.
If you are the sort of reader that thinks anecdotal "evidence" is sufficient, then you'll probably like this book on "How a Man's Mind Really Works" (the subtitle). But you will be fooled into thinking you're learning something new.
Here is a sample of the sort of "evidence" the author provides (or does not provide):
1. "Over the past twenty years I have been researching male and female biology . . ." (p. 270). What, where, and when has he published? Nothing of his "research" is cited, either here or in any other book I own on sex differences. The author wants the veneer of scientific cover but fails to provide anything of substance for his assertions.
2. As a reference for his assertions regarding "The Biology of Commitment," he cites only Janet Evanovich's novel,"Two for the Dough." If that doesn't make you LOL, you are not acquainted with the amazing Stephanie Plum (who has not yet added "biological research" to her list of accomplishments). I've never before seen a supposedly non-fiction book cite fictional characters as evidence for its assertions! Have you? What does this tell you about the author's attitude toward his readers?
3. The author writes, "Supporting anecdotes and stories from individuals who have lived out biological trends are crucial, I believe, to the understanding of the male brain. When we put hard sciences together with soft, then combine these sciences with diverse life stories, we can investigate the mysteries of a subject--in our case, the male mind--with greater confidence." (p. xix)
What does "individuals who have lived out biological trends" mean? [individuals who are alive? who were alive?]. The fact is that the "hard science" in this book is minimal: the brain structures and functions the author mentions have been known for the past 30 years. His new "evidence" consists of stories that illustrate his preconceptions. There is just enough of the male stereotype to provoke an "AHA!" reaction in some readers. But what percentage of men do NOT fit any particular stereotype? Alas, the author never raises and thus does not answer such a profound question. He's too busy with his "neurobiological research," I guess.
4. The author's sole "credentials" consist of being the author of prior pop psychology books. His educational background is not provided. Although he refers to himself as a "family therapist," he provides no evidence that he is licensed to practice. He is not a member of the American Psychological Association.
If you are looking for a well-written book that contains actual scientific evidence of male-female differences, I suggest Simon Baron-Cohen's "The Essential Difference."
Good for SOME who fit the stereotype, worthless to those who don't.......2006-10-16
It's obvious that there are men who behave in a stereotypical way. Hog the remote, can't see that the house needs to be cleaned, better at physical activities with their children and not so good at emotional needs. OK, they exist. The problem is, they're NOT all men.
Mr. Gurian's fault isn't that he fails to offer good advice to some. It's that he's trying offer advice to all using a biological argument. It's right there in the title - not "some," not "many," no qualifier at all, just "How a Man's Mind Really Works." Pretty arrogant actually - and marginalizing to those who clearly don't fit the author's stereotypes.
As a man, I found myself defying most of Gurian's stereotypes, even when compared to the women in my life. Funny thing that . . . my girlfriend can be a slob at times. She had servants as a child. Hmm, could it be that she was affected by her environment? I cry at movies that my girlfriend has no reaction to. I grew up with an emotional father who worked as a social worker. Again, wouldn't it make sense that my environment helped form who I was?
There has been a backlash against feminist and egalitarian theories about the sexes being alike. While the extremes went too far (men and women are clearly not identical), the backlash is just as severe and just as misguided.
Mr. Gurian's book contributes nothing when it comes to understanding the full scope of men's behavior and emotional development. But then again, if you have one of those traditional men in your life, by all means, read this book. You'll probably find something useful here. Just don't use this book as proof that all men are alike.
Why be so narrow minded.......2005-09-26
In previous reviews I see narrow mindedness. There is no clear indicator that men and women are different based upon nature or nurture. That argument will rage on for years. But regardless of how one gets to where they are, information on how the "computer" operates is helpful.
Guirian offers interesting information in this book that can lead to a-ha moments in people's lives. I have known many folks who took offense at John Grey's books on Mars & Venus. While this book may seem to go down the same worn pathway, there is new information here.
One last thing to keep in mind, people learn in different ways; this book represents one way of getting the information out there for people to consider. The great thing about books is if you don't agree with it, you can throw it away (or maybe give it to a friend to try). However, if like me, you find this book helps, it will really open up some avenues.
Great Insight Into TENDANCIES of Men and Women's Brain Chemistry.......2005-09-15
After completing this book yesterday, I found it to be TREMENDOUSLY insightful as to why I feel certain ways about things, and why my wife may feel completely differently about the same area.
I also find it AMAZING that MOST of the negative reviews below for this book state things like "This doesn't represent me at all. I am a woman and my behavior leans toward what Gurian states is usually Male Behavior"
Gurian states OVER AND OVER THROUGHOUT THE BOOK that there are exceptions to each of these scenarios and that THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES. There are certainly women who are more spatial thinkers, and men who are verbal. But just because there are exceptions DOES NOT preclude the theory for being correct MOST of the time in MOST situations.
I think BOTH MEN AND WOMEN can find MANY things to relate to in regard to these situations and why they might feel a certain way or a certain frustration with those of the opposite sex through this book. I hope others who read it will read the book twice, and focus on the MAIN THEORIES, and not discount the book if they are an exception in ONE AREA!
Great Book!
Why do lemmings believe this rubbish?.......2005-07-01
Humans are social beings and in general want to agree with
social trends and dogma.When one dominating 'know it all'
'with all the answers' comes along,humans will flock to the
bookstore and obsorb anything out there like a sponge.Sad isn't
it.Are we losing our inner being and strength to the point where we have to rely on quirky off the wall 'experts' whom think to know every brain cell we have? I agree with the other
one star reviewers.The book is sexist and will cause even more
trouble in male/female relationships.As for bridge brains.The
truth is in a six billion population on this earth we find
indivduals,a lost species,this explains the 'bridge brain'.What
the truth is,we all have our own brain,not some pre fab gender
specific gray matter forced between our ears by non other
than Micheal Gurian.I also agree with the reviewer who said it's nore than an agenda.I read the book thinking I'm reading
the words of a controll freak bent on causing as much dismay
between the sexes in order to bring up the sales.If I were a
man I'd be insulted by his thinking about men.Simply put,he
wants to make mass sales,make men and women at odds with
each other and have his narrow minded sexist institute controll
the educational and relationship so he can believe he's king of
this planet.As an individual we have power which people like this try to despertly take from us so they can mass market a
dangerous and damaging lie.
Customer Reviews:
Another good book from the Exporatorium.......2007-02-12
Most of the Exploratorium books that I have purchased have been activity-based, so they're great for grown-ups (teachers, parents, etc.) who want to lead kids in discovery as well as for the kids who want to try things out for themselves. As a science instructor for elementary-aged students (pre-K through 5th grade), there are several of the activities in this book that I am going to use for my kids, but it seems well suited for the kids themselves because it also gives a lot of basic background information on everything from static to DNA. This particular book from Exploratorium is a bit different from the others because of its extra background information and would be a great book for an elementary-aged child who loves science and wants more information, as well as hands-on activities to explore.
I've been voted "Coolest Grandad"!.......2007-01-10
I am well over 13 years of age! -- I am approaching my 75th birthday. I bought Exploratopia for one of my grandsons and all grandchildren (who have reached the 'use of reason' thought Grandad's present to Aaron the best of all.
Not only is it a book of discovery -- every discovery gives you an experiment that you can to to illustrate what you have just read.
Thank ytou very much!
Bill M
Average customer rating:
- Distinguishing Creating from Creativity
- Pragmatic, demystification, just slightly marred
- I'm more lost than when I started
- Great ideas, though not a totally reader-friendly book!
- Getting the results you want
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Creating: A practical guide to the creative process and how to use it to create anything - a work of art, a relationship, a career or a better life.
Robert Fritz
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Creativity
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
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The Managerial Moment of Truth: The Essential Step in Helping People Improve Performance
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Corporate Tides: The Inescapable Laws of Organizational Structure
ASIN: 0449908011
Release Date: 1993-03-31 |
Book Description
Whether you wish to create a work of art, a novel, a thriving business, nourishing relationships, or a deeply satisfying life, Robert Fritz, composer, artist, writer, and entrepreneur, reveals the guiding principles that can empower you to reach your goals.
Customer Reviews:
Distinguishing Creating from Creativity.......2007-08-03
While some reviewers may have hoped for help on overcoming creative blocks, it seems they miss the point.
Robert Fritz makes a big distinction between creating and creativity. To create, you have to care about bringing something into reality that doesn't exist. As Fritz says, "Creating is in the realm of the noninevitable."
Creativity, in contrast, refers to the unusual and inventive, and Fritz argues that:
"Creating sometimes includes creativity, but most often it does not. As you master the creative process, the unusual becomes usual, and so it will seem less creative. You may be creating, then, and not have creativity. Likewise, you can have creativity but not be creating."
I had this discussion with a software engineer working on a major user interface introduction. Fritz would have him first determine what he loves enough to create, what are its qualities, and what is the "result" he wants to create. It's not about being infinitely creative, his engineers are already doing too much of that. It's about creating around a single design point versus maintaining too many open possibilities.
Another part of the book I really liked was "First Person/Third Person." Fritz makes the distinction between people who see their creations as part of their identity (meaning they are apt to "advocate a specific position") and those who remain separate from, while still passionate about, their creations (people "more apt to seek accuracy") as they encounter reality.
In "The Worldview," Fritz carries this theme further, quoting Robert Frost in saying: "The artist must not select a universal and then find particulars to fit it."
In the end, Fritz argues for pure emotion ("you want what you want") along with a rigorous process ("the creative process is made up of many steps in a particular sequence"). He believes that if you're frustrated in creating something, it's nothing more than not knowing what you want and/or inexperience in the creation process!
Pragmatic, demystification, just slightly marred.......2004-02-13
This book sets out to demystify creating, to pragmatically assist the reader in learning ideas and processes that can be applied to creating works of art, craft, business, et cetera. It's well worth reading for that pragmatic purpose. The first chapter sample, available on "look inside" on this web site, gives a good sample of Fritz' approach, uncluttered by the flaws noted in later sections of the book. He emphasized some steps and aspects of process that I wasn't so starkly aware of. I've created effective cartoons, articles, essays, songs, clothing designs, gardens, et cetera, but this book could help in becoming much more productive.
Some sections of the book launch into an attack on cultural assumptions. Bravo. Most of it was valid in supporting his approach to creating. However, I was uncomfortable with some of his extreme statements about certain disciplines and cultural traditions. He seemed to dismiss all of psychotherapy, and take some cheap shots, for instance, rather than limiting his comments to self-indulgent and deluded approaches. He overgeneralized and thus misrepresented other cultural traditions, ideas, and disciplines. For example:
"While meditation and psychotherapy may have replaced tranquilizing and recreational drugs, all of them presume you are entitled to feel good, even if you need to dull your senses and color reality to find happiness, self-love and fulfillment." p122 Fawcett edition, 1991
On the contrary, I would argue, going through a course of therapy based on Alice Miller's (sample title: Thou Shalt Not be Aware) views might allow and traumatized individual to function in life without enduring constant shaming, flashbacks, and emotional paralysis. It can be important to examine emotions, and feel good at times. Also the meditation I have personal experience of, mindfulness and insight meditation, as described by Chogyam Trungpa (sample title: Meditation in Action) and others are not about brainwashing oneself or dulling the senses. In fact, mindfulness meditation is likely to lead to some of the same insights and awareness Fritz describes in his discussion of the mind, separation, and so on. Fritz would do better if he didn't dismiss everyone else's work. Yes, it's true that people can get too focused on transient emotions and fixing the self. However, meditation and psychotherapy do still have something to offer, keeping in mind the 80/20 rule -- most of everything is crap, so buyer beware.
Ironically, right after Fritz' section on the lack of necessity to choose a right worldview, he launches into what is obviously his worldview. Oh, he has a disclaimer, and he's not dogmatic at that particular moment, but still, throughout the book, he does argue for his views of how things work, what will be if you follow his process. My suggestion: just ignore his adamant, paternalistic ranting, see through it, and go for his basic ideas, which are useful even though he has an obnoxious personality and a bit of a ham-fisted way of throwing around generalizations.
If you want to create something, this book can challenge you in a useful way.
I'm more lost than when I started.......2001-06-09
I have to admit, I was pretty excited to read this. However, after finishing it, I am fairly neutral to the application of Fritz' theories. I was expecting a book on methods of relieving creative block and getting into the creative mindset. While the book does accomplish this to some extent, most of it takes you through many of Fritz' anti-philosophical/self-help theories. This is fine for a book about that sort of thing, and I agree with what he says (for the most part) but I fail to make the connections he is trying so hard to show the reader. Maybe I just need time to absorb, and test his theories in real life. Oh, and if he plugged his "Technologies for Creating" workshops (registered trademark) one more time, I was going to throw the book out of my car window. Anyway, I will re-review this book after I have some time to put into practice some of his theories. Who knows, maybe there is a connection between painting a picture and the Holocaust. (see section on identity)
Great ideas, though not a totally reader-friendly book!.......2001-03-01
I had to give it five stars because it did such a job stimulating me with its new ideas about creating. At times it's slow to pore over. You're excited at the stuff you're learning, but the prose feels a bit tedious, so it's like being chin-deep in water and wanting to race ashore for something great. But this book's concepts, about the structure of creating, are so mind-blowing to us "creatives" that it's a must to sit and take it a swallow at a time. Fritz's challenging ideas allowed me to expand my thinking about myself, to see myself not as a writer but as a creating person (one of whose creating modes is writing). My promotion of my written materials is an act of creating. So is the plan I'm putting together for my life. Wow!
Getting the results you want.......2000-03-28
I bought this book because creating always felt like a white-hot, hit or miss, lightning flash, that also felt dangerous and fearful, like having to step off a cliff into thin air. Author of The Path of Least Resistance, Robert Fritz, in Creating, says thin air is good. And -- gulp -- he's right. For Fritz, creating is an ordinary and understandable skill we can learn -- and we can, he says, learn to do it better and more often. He's right about that, too. He says creating is getting the results we want in any area of our lives -- work projects, art work, career, relationships, community. It is a process with form and shape. It's not problem-solving, or reaching for the unusual, or about inventiveness or "creative ability." Anyone can do it. And he outlines nine stages of the process, from conception to living with what you create. Creating ranges far, around and through the subject, offering practical approaches and even a warm-up guide, and he deals with hindrances like the discrepancies between "Ideal-Belief-Reality" that get in the way. If this book helps you surface what he calls "invisible beliefs" that get in the way of what you want in life, it's worth three times the price. Fritz argues creating is not discovery. Some people take his seminar to discover what really matters to them, but as he says, that idea "presumes that what matters somehow already exists (p. 118)." Creating brings into existence something that did not exist before, makes something from nothing. This book is broader and deeper than the typical how-to-create book -- it doesn't talk about brainstorming or problem-solving or creativity. It describes how to become aware of the process and some of its pitfalls, and how to do it in a way that helps you get the results you want. I have no problem with a point of view that our ideas can help or hinder us in getting what we want. For those who do, this book may open their eyes.
Books:
- The Argonautika: The Story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece (Hellenistic Culture and Society)
- The Blue Day Book
- The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, Revised Edition: The Way to Physical Perfection (Body Sculpting Bible)
- The Complete Book of Massage
- The Cure for All Diseases
- The Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook
- The Last Legion: A Novel
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
- The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition
- The Oxford Picture Dictionary: English-Spanish Edition
Books Index
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- Crackpot: A Novel
- Geometry Workbook For Dummies
- Happy Birthday to You!
- Light-Emitting Diodes
- Indoor Air Quality Handbook
- Commodore Vanderbilt
- Economic Growth and Distribution in China
- Electric Power Purchasing Handbook
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature
Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts
The Art Spirit
Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research
