Book Description
Over 500,000 copies sold! Couples will explore how to clarify role expectations, establish a healthy sexual relationship, handle finances, and acquire a solid understanding of how to develop a biblical relationship.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2007-09-10
This is an essential resource for anyone assisting couples as they prepare for marriage. Covers topics on expectations, love, communication and conflict resolution. I would also recommend his related resources: After You Say I Do and his book for re-marrieds.
Good and Bad.......2007-08-16
I have liked this overall, but sometimes it feels like there are sooooo many questions!!! I would definitely suggest breaking up the chapters, some of the questions are a little more involved then I expected
ok.......2007-01-16
Not quite as informational as I was hoping. Good for very young newlyweds.
A must "DO" Before You Say "I DO".......2007-01-11
I am currently working through this book in my pre-marital counselling class. It provides you with a lot of insight into yourself while sharing the same with your partner. This should be required reading in High School before we go on and mess up our lives because we think we know it all.
Very helpful!.......2006-06-01
I greatly appreciate Norman Wright. I have been using his materials in pre-marital counselling for many years. He is very practical, very easy to follow, and very biblical in his approach.
Harlan Betz, author of "Setting the Stage for Eternity"
Book Description
Thought-provoking questions that challenge and inspire couples to build a lasting, intimate relationship.
When Susan Piver's husband, Duncan, proposed, her first impulse was to break up with him. "How does one enter into marriage knowing that almost half of all couples these days get divorced?" she thought in a panic. "Suppose he wants to live somewhere I hate? What if I wish we had ten times more money than he wishes for, or he wants to spend more time with his family than I do?"
One by one, she and Duncan answered these questions and many more, alternately delighted, appalled, infuriated, and mystified by the other's responses. In exploring each area of uncertainty, Piver learned something about her husband-to-be, herself, and their relationship. Focusing on key areas of married life, such as home, money, work, sex, community and friends, family, and spirituality, her list of questions became the basis for this book.
The Hard Questions should be required reading for engaged couples, newlyweds, and those in long-term relationships. It is a simple yet profound tool that will challenge and inspire couples to gain a deeper understanding of each other and build a lasting, intimate relationship.
"This book of hard questions and exercises for couples is innovative and exciting." --Andrew Weil, M.D.
"Susan Piver is a deeply intuitive and innovative thinker. She has both tenderness and acuity regarding what concerns us. I could not recommend her more highly." --Julia Cameron
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-06-26
I have read many of the comments and I would disagree with those that 'say' this is not a 'good book'. This is probably one of the best 'pre-marriage' books because the average couple has not discussed every topic in this book i.e. 'Where will you spend your holidays?". Believe it or not, this has spoiled many a new couple's marital bliss and they appear as deers in the headlight behind the question.
For those that think it was a waste of time, then pass the book on to your friends who did not have as much knowledge about getting to know someone, especially those that spent their courtship in bed vs getting to really know their potential spouse!
What a waste of time!.......2007-04-10
I picked up this book from the library for my fiance and I to read together, and it was extremely disappointing. I totally agree with other reviewers who write that the questions included in the book are not as stimulating as the author thinks them to be.
The questions in this book are things that, really, should have come up in conversation by now if you are in any kind of serious adult relationship. Plus, they are too specific and not open-ended enough to truly stimulate any kind of conversation. Most of the questions can be answered with a single-word answer. The relatively open-ended questions are usually follwed by numerous suggestions by the author. ("What surrounds the house? Neighbors? Trees? Shopes and museums? The ocean? A gated community? Acres of underdeveloped land?") It's as if the author is instructing an activity for a group of kindergarteners, as if she doesn't trust us to come up with any good ideas of our own.
Speaking of the author, she introduces each chapter (though they are very self-explanatory) with a lengthy explanatory section that is over-the-top spiritualized and poeticized. It's really annoying.
Really, it's just not a good book!
From a Wedding Consultant.......2007-04-06
As a wedding consultant, I like to give this book to couples as I first meet with them. Most of them are surprised at the gift, but this is a great book for making sure that the couple has discussed some of the things that are going to come up in their marriage.
I like how the book brings up questions that the couple might not have thought about or thought through. The questions are an easy way to open discussions without finger-pointing.
After all. . . the wedding is a day, the marriage is a lifetime.
The Hard Questions: 100 Essential Questions to Ask Before You Say "I Do".......2007-01-09
Great book!
Worst relationship book ever.......2006-08-11
I agree with the last reviewer, the questions in this book are ones that maybe you would ask someone in the first month or so of dating but after that if you have any type of conversation skills you would have already found out the answers to 99% of the questions. Don't waste your money.
Book Description
More than 700,000 people have used the bestselling marriage preparation manual Before You Say “I Do.â€Â®  Now Norm Wright shares a companion devotional for those who are about to be married. This unique tool features passages that can be studied individually and then discussed and also contains more than 60 insightful devotions that couples can complete together.
Couples will explore how to clarify role expectations, establish a healthy sexual relationship, handle finances, and much more. Thoughtful questions, soul–searching statements, and ample journaling space help couples define a successful, loving union.
Engaged couples will acquire a solid understanding of how to develop a biblical relationship based on Jesus Christ and prayerfully trust Him to be the cornerstone of their lifelong bond.
Customer Reviews:
Fun thing to do together!.......2007-08-16
My Fiance and I have really enjoyed doing this together and we plan on keeping it up even after we get married!!
It's ok..........2006-11-23
I know, I put 4 stars because I like it, but it could use some work.
A couple of the chapters seemed like repeats. There was one chapter called "I Promise" which talks about vows, and another chapter called "Vows" which talks about promises. One chapter I loved and it talks about how your significant other makes you feel "chosen". It was great to discuss something which you don't necessarily think about daily, and perhaps take for granted.
My boyfriend and I are in the middle of a 9 month separation and realized the importance of growing together spiritually despite being so far apart. This book has been excellent in helping to keep the communication going about our relationship and expectations for the future. There are virtually no decent "dating devotionals" geared towards our needs, but this book does just fine.
Good book to do together during your engagement period.......2006-05-15
"Before You Say I Do Devotional" is a devotional book focused completely on couples who are going through the engagement period. Each devotional is approximately 2 pages long, making it easy to do one every day.
Most of the devotionals are quite good, focusing on different areas such as roles, gratitude, infatuation versus romance, and commitment. Each devotional ends with questions to answer that are used to help get the communication going.
There were a few devotionals in here that I either just plain didn't agree with or just didn't get anything out of, but that should be expected.
Other than that, I would definitely recommend this book to all the engaged Christian couples out there. I think this book makes for a good point to start the daily devotional discipline in your marriage, but this book won't do on it's own. 4 out of 5 stars.
A collection of meditations for Christian couples.......2003-07-16
Before You Say "I Do": Building a Spiritual Foundation for Your Life Together by family communication and marriage expert H. Norman Wright is a collection of meditations for Christian couples contemplating the holy physical and spiritual union of marriage. Wright deftly addresses several key issues that couples must discuss and consider, including role expectations, joint finances, the difficulty of balancing family and career, establishing a healthy sexual relationship, and more. A solid foundation of prayer, trust in Jesus Christ, and the wherewithal to do God's will and honor one's beloved partner in life underscore the message of this thoughtful, thought-provoking, and highly recommended guidebook.
Book Description
Prominent liberals support a whole litany of policies and principles: progressive taxes, affirmative action, greater regulation of corporations, raising the inheritance tax, strict environmental regulations, children’s rights, consumer rights, and more. But do they actually live by these beliefs? Peter Schweizer decided to investigate the private lives of politicians like the Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, the Kennedys, and Ralph Nader; commentators Michael Moore, Al Franken, Noam Chomsky, and Cornel West; entertainers or philanthropists Barbra Streisand and George Soros. Using publicly-available real estate records, IRS returns, court depositions, and their own published statements, he sought to examine whether they lived by the principles they so forcefully advocate.
What he found was a long list of contradictions. Many of these proponents of organized labor had developed various methods to sidestep paying union wages or avoid employing unions altogether. They were also adept at avoiding taxes; invested heavily in corporations they had denounced; took advantage of foreign tax credits to use non-American labor overseas; espoused environmental causes while opposing those that might affect their own property rights; hid their investments in trusts to avoid paying estate tax; denounced oil companies but quietly owned them.
Schweizer’s conclusion is simple: liberalism in the end forces its adherents to become hypocrites. They adopt one pose in public, but when it comes to what matters most in their own lives–their property, their privacy, and their children--they jettison their liberal principles and adopt conservative ones. If these ideas don’t work for the very individuals who promote them, Schweizer asks, how can they work for the country?
Customer Reviews:
So true............2007-09-26
I find it odd that a Dummycrat can state lies and hyperbole with no statistical back up and half the country believes them. When a Republican/Conservative states facts, with all kinds of research data, they are called liars. This book certainly points out all kinds of hypocrisy on the left, WITH documented proof. I certainly liked the book, would highly recommend it to anyone that can actually think. The title tells it all, too bad the people covered in it have no shame. Two faced, split tongue, talking out of both sides of their mouths, such are just some of the problems of the elite left.
Great Read.......2007-09-19
Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy
Well researched and funny!
I also recommend Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies: Issue by Issue Responses to the Most Common Claims of the Left from A to Z
It's Fine, But..........2007-09-09
"Do as I Say..." is a book that makes a lot of leftists squirm. Within the pages, a lot of their heros are exposed for their hypocrisy. While some facts might get disputed, there's no question that people like Noam Chomsky, Barbra Streisand, Hillary Clinton, Cornel West et al. are money-grubbing opportunists. While they bash the rest of us for being obssessed with wealth, they maneuver for ever more money. Chomsky sharply raised his speaking fees after 9/11; Hillary took advantage of investors in Whitewater; West negotiated his move to Princeton like a corporate CEO. And that's just the beginning of their hypocrisy.
The response on these pages and elsewhere has generally been, "Conservatives do the same things!". Granted, but conservatives don't turn around and call everyone else polluters, racists, fascists and greedy. Conservatives don't get wealthy, find romantic love and make business decisions and then tell millions of impressionable young people to live poor, avoid wealth and stay single. If people like Noam Chomsky want to get rich and live in lilly-white neighborhoods, that's fine. It's a free country. But why do they insist on blasting everyone who does the same thing and encouraging people to do the exact opposite?
The book's enjoyable in that sense. Think of it as Fahrenheit 9/11 for conservatives, only better researched. it's a fun assault on the "blacklist" of big fat liberal targets. But it's not exactly surprising or illuminating. Or really, in the end, useful. I felt kind of dirty reading it.
First, I'm sure most of the people targeted would say, "Well, our ways of acquiring wealth are the way the system works! We're trying to change the system from within!". They're wrong (on both counts) and his point would be better made if he contrasted these people against more responsible leftists like Jimmy Carter.
Second, a lot of this crosses me as Michael Mooresque nitpicking. Many of these people are very wealthy and he seems to be picking out a few investments which they may not even be aware of as example of their excess. The more damning charges are living in exclusive all-white neighborhoods, avoiding unions and telling people to do what they themselves can't or won't. Moreover, A lot of these guys have been targeted by better books or movies. The repulsive Kennedy clan was ripped to pieces by Collier and Horowitz's book. Moore has been the target of Manufacturing Dissent (from the left) and Michael Moore Hates America (from the right). Hillary has all kinds of anti- books out there. There's the anti-Chomsky reader and website to counter the nonsense of Noam. And does anyone really take Barbra Streisand or Al Franken seriously? I hope not.
(As an academic, I must add that Chomsky and West taking money from entities they hate doesn't surprise or impress me. Most academics would take money from just about *anyone* if it meant continuing their research.)
Third, this is all irrelevant. To me, these people's hypocrisy is less interesting than the stupid and destructive policies they advocate. I'd much rather spend my time responding to Chomsky's river of lies than to worry about what he's doing with his millions. That Hillary sent her daughter to private school does not really address her willfull condemning of poor Americans to a broken Soviet-style education system.
Yes, as he says in the epilogue, it illustrates their lack of faith in their ideals. But a conservative cheating on his wife doesn't disprove family values. A Republican smoking a joint doesn't invalidate the War on Drugs. Ideals are very hard to follow - that's why we call people who do follow them ... idealists.
Quite frankly, this is mud-slinging. Ok, the mud is mostly accurate. Ok, it's fun. So what? Does it invalidate their views?
Interesting, funny and partially FICTION.......2007-08-21
First of all, ad hominem arguments have a place when people are being asked to follow and fund and vote for someone. So, I think there is a place for this information.
But the more I search the internet the more I find that the author made up the facts - to some extent at least.
Al Franken wrote this letter to the National REview:
I do not rail against audiences for not employing more minorities. What Schweizer was referring to is a joke I tell when I give speeches at a lot of corporate events. The joke is: "First of all I want to congratulate (name of company) for not giving into that whole affirmative action nonsense."
There was a "non-white" student who helped research Lies and the Lying Liars. I was never executive producer of SNL, but when I served as producer for the 1985-6 season, we hired Danitra Vance, who was both a writer and a cast member and was African American. (Danitra has since passed, although National Review did not give it the attention it gave to Belushi's death, because, I assume, she was black.)
One of my researcher/producers on my Air America show is black. When we first started, the second researcher I hired was black. He left to finish Yale Law School. Our archivist is black.
In his book Schweizer makes up some statistic that I've hired something like a 107 people during my career and only one has been black. First of all, it appears that Schweizer came up with his number by rather creatively manipulating the definition of who I've hired. For example, he counts the writers of my projects. Well, I am a writer, often the sole writer, on all my projects. So he counts me several times. And, yes, I admit it. I am always white.
Also, he includes the producers of my projects, almost all of which I produce. Since the projects I produce are those for which I am a writer, he counts me twice for each of those. And again, when I produce, I am always white.
For some reason, Schweizer doesn't include Sanaa Lathan, a cast member of my sit com Lateline, nor Lenny Garner who directed an episode of that show. Sanaa is now a movie star, but not because of Lateline. Schweizer doesn't include any of the skilled crew of that show or any of the other projects that I've been involved in.
I thank you for the opportunity to correct the record, particularly since Doubleday refuses to do so for the paperback version of Schweizer's book.
Your pal,
Al Franken
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The facts on Pelosi may not be totally fair and accurate, either. More as I find more...
Mildly amusing portraits of some of your favorite liberal hypocrites........2007-08-06
It is one of those covers that is certainly difficult to ignore. There they are--so many of the people I dislike so intensely. I'll wager that the cover alone sold tons of books. Let's see there's Teddy Kennedy, Michael Moore, Barbara Streisand and the Clintons. And let's not forget Nancy Pelosi, Al Franken and Ralph Nader. Every so often I allow myself to get sucked in to one of these books. And invariably I wind up very annoyed with myself and very disappointed because usually there is not a whole lot of substance in these kinds of books. Such is the case with "Do As I Say (Not As I Do)". I cannot deny that author Peter Schweitzer has the goods on most of these folks. And I agree that they are the worst kind of hypocrites. Yet very little of what was revealed in this book was that much of a surprise to me.
Having said that I cannot deny that I was outraged by some of the things I came across in "Do As I Say (Not As I Do)". Liberals are always lecturing the rest of us about how wonderful our public school system is in this country. They frown upon middle class folks who opt to send their kids to private schools. Yet very few of our esteemed legislators are willing to send their own kids to public schools. You would think that the teacher unions just might be a bit annoyed when they discover that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul are major investors in an outfit called Beacon Education Management. This is a firm that manages charter schools in 5 states and the District of Columbia that directly compete with the public school system. In fact, Paul Pelosi is listed as an officer of this company! And yet we hear nary a word of criticism from the NEA, the AFT or from all of those liberals in the media. Seems people like Nancy Pelosi are never taken to task for their self-serving actions.
Perhaps you have heard of the Cape Wind project in Massachusetts. Several years ago a man named Jim Gordon proposed putting a wind farm in Nantucket Sound. This would be a source of clean, renewable energy that the liberals have been clamoring for for decades. However, folks like Ted Kennedy and his rich liberal buddies who reside on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket have used their considerable resources and influence to scuttle this project. Their behavior has been despicable! And what can you say about Hillary? When you read about how many "working families" that she is supposed to champion were cheated in the Whitewater affair then you just might think twice about considering her as a serious candidate for President.
In the end I found "Do As I Say (Not As I Do)" to be OK and nothing more.
Given the lifestyles of most of the folks portrayed in this book none of this comes as much of a surprise. For the most part these are elitists who talk a lot but refuse to "walk the walk". This is why it is so refreshing when you look at a man like former President Jimmy Carter who has lived such an exemplary life since he left the White House over 25 years ago. Much to my surprise one extremely influential liberal who is not profiled in "Do As I Say (Not As I Do)" is Al Gore. To me Gore is the biggest hypocrite of them all. While he has been preaching at the rest of us for decades about global warming and the need for energy conservation and new sources of renewable energy Gore lives in a home that consumes 20 times the energy of the average American home. Disgraceful! Now many conservatives will probably get a big kick out of Peter Schweizer's book. But just remember that there are just as many books out there pointing out the hypocrisy of conservatives. In the final analysis there are just so many more important topics worthy of your time.
Book Description
"I don't love you anymore." These simple words have the power to send the listener into shock, denial, and desperation. The obvious response is to ask oneself, "What can I do to win my partner back?" In I Don't Love You Anymore, Dr. David Clarke provides just the battle plan needed.
Contrary to what many relationship "experts" recommend-weak, passive plans that involve begging or romancing a spouse back-Clarke offers an approach that he calls guerilla love, which essentially turns the tables on the wandering spouse. He outlines the biblical view of marriage and instructs readers on:
- Drawing healthy boundaries.
- Five things he really means when he says, "I don't love you anymore."
- The most popular "exit lies" and how to see through them.
- Classic symptoms of a person who is having an affair.
Most important, Clarke empowers and equips readers to make the best, most God-honoring, attempt at saving a marriage.
Customer Reviews:
The best and most helpful advice.......2007-08-21
I threw my husband out of the house when I found out he was having an affair with a woman at work. I was devastated, but he would not stop seeing this woman and was staying away from home for days at a time without any contact at all with me or our two small children. I told him he had to stop the affair or the marriage was over. He lied and said he did, but I found out shortly after I reconciled with him that he was still seeing her. After he left the second time, I struggled mightily with my decision and wavered between staying strong and falling apart whenever he'd call me. In short, whenever I became passive and sweet and forgiving, thinking he was having a change of heart, he'd invariably stomp all over me. He froze our bank accounts, came into the house without my knowledge and destroyed things, and ran up debts of almost $75,000. Once I got a lawyer, got tough, and said, "No more," and followed through with it, he backed off and began to treat me with more respect. I did end up divorcing him, but even with our struggles, the children and I are much happier now. Their father has ignored them for almost five years, but periodically he will call me up in the middle of the night, crying and leaving messages on the voice mail, begging to be forgiven. Ladies, do NOT make the mistakes I did. If he's determined to destroy your marriage, PLEASE do what you have to do to protect yourself and your kids. He won't do anything to help you, I guarantee it. If he suspects at all that because you still love him and are grieving the loss of your family, you'll do anything for him (like I did), you're finished. Please read this book, and as much as it hurts, face reality. Maybe he'll change, and maybe he won't, but enabling him and allowing him to repeatedly hurt and humiliate you will NOT bring him back.
great if you are new to the marriage failing.......2007-08-17
I read this book when my husband had already moved out and is living with another women. For me, this book was too late but if you are in a place where your life partner is about to leave or has just left....this book is great. I am a Therapist and I highly recomend this book.
Must Reading for Every Spouse who has Heard These Words.......2006-01-13
This book is excellent and must reading for every spouse who has heard the words, "I don't love you anymore." As I read the book, I didn't want to believe the author about what was really going on in my marriage, that my husband was emotionally detached from me and that drastic action would need to be taken if the marriage had a chance of being saved. This is about tough love, not changing for them so that you are "acceptable" to them. I did that (tried to be the wife he wanted me to be) but it didn't work anyway. They were just excuses he gave me of why he was so unhappy.
You will not regret reading this book and implementing what Dr. Clarke says to do. If you have heard the above words, please get this book as soon as you can and follow it. There is a chance your marriage may be saved. I know how painful this time is--I was married for 20 years to my husband when this happened and could not imagine life without him--but take it from me that this is necessary.
YIKES!!!!.......2005-08-19
This book fails to address the fact that there are ALWAYS 2 people in any dynamic, and only puts the blame on the offending partner, instead of looking at WHY it happened. Shaming someone does not help anyone grow. I do not believe this interpretation of the author's belief about what the Bible says.
I loved his other book "A Marriage Made in God's Eyes," but I found this book almost in direct contradiction to that one. I DO NOT recommend this book.
If you are serious about regaining respect in your marriage.......2005-04-28
If you are even considering buying this book then you must be at a very dark and confusing time in your life. At least I was when I bought it. Reading this book really put things into perspective and reassured me there was hope no matter what the outcome would be. It's a very matter of fact approach but that is what's necessary when you are going through hard times. Let's just say I was in the finale stage of the book's suggestions and had given up all hope when things turned around for me. I am a firm believer in keeping family together...if it's worth holding on to. Stay strong, and don't lose sight of your needs.
Book Description
This book provides students and novice clinicians with nuts-and-bolts advice about the process of doing therapy, starting with the first contact with a new patient. Suzanne Bender, a junior clinician, and Edward Messner, a seasoned practitioner and supervisor, provide a unique, combined perspective on how therapy is conducted, what works and what doesn't work in treatment, and how to take care of oneself as a clinician. Organized around the treatment of one fictitious patient, with other case examples brought in as needed, the book speaks directly to the questions, concerns, and insecurities that beginning therapists typically face. Written with candor and empathy, it offers authoritative guidance for understanding and resolving common clinical dilemmas.
Customer Reviews:
Liked it!.......2007-06-27
I really liked this book. It's easy to read and really helpfull for a psychologist who is starting his or her career.
What you wish you'd asked about.......2007-05-31
This book gives good dialogue type examples for many common situations encountered in therapy. There were many things one may not have even considered - like calling out the name of a client you've not yet met to identify them in the waiting room instead of announcing your presence so they can identify themselves to you. Who would have thought about preserving confidentiality in the way you first identify your new client? It makes sense, but it may not have occurred to you. The book is that way throughout. Lots of good sense, some concrete examples on implementing them, and situations you may not even have thought to ask about and how to handle them.
I wish I had this book when I was in psychiatric training!.......2007-01-02
Becoming a Therapist is the only book I have seen that covers this topic in a clinically relevant and non-intimidating way. It's extremely readable and covers the perfect range of topics from the first phone call to termination. We use this book in an introduction to therapy course for first year psychiatric residents. The book is universally praised by them (and the only book they all buy). I believe that this book is particularly well-suited for the beginning therapist and teachers of beginning therapists. I loved this book and recommend it highly!
Not Informative.......2006-09-09
I assumed this book would contain more detailed reasons about what therapists should say and why. What I read was mostly very simple and boring dialouges between therapist and patient, but these are just examples that repeat themselves throughout the book. I painfully made it halfway through the book before I decided to completely give up on any interesting sentence that I might come across. I think it's one of the worst books and a waste of time and money.
Neurotic and Stilted.......2006-08-21
The author gives herself away when she says she wrote down everything her advisors told her and that she was so nervous about starting therapy that she had to write a book. Even her language is stilted, though well-meaning. It appears she initially had difficulties about setting boundaries for her patients--scheduling times, being late, etc. She also explains how to deal with patient who are not prompt with their payments. (Do you really need to read a book on how to handle such simple transactions?) However, when she gets to the therapy part, it's way too simple. Although she admits as much in her book, her handling of an example psychotic patient is ridiculous at best. She basically asks the psychotic person if she's hearing voices, seeing things, or having ideas of reference. The example patient totally complies with the questions. This is NOT how it happens. Maybe with children, but not adults. The adults are smart enough by this point to try to hide their psychosis because they're afraid of being labeled as crazy. While the patient may look totally paranoid and not say anything, there's no way he/she is readily going to tell you what's bothering him/her. Her oversimplification is preposterous. Had she used a more challenging patient, I would have had a little more respect. Also I did not like her having her patients filling out questionnaires. The whole point of therapy is for the patient to talk about his/her life and for the therapist to get a sense of how the patient relates to various members of his/her family. Questionnaires are not time-saving procedures. All in all, I'd skip this book.
Book Description
A unique approach featuring fun-filled dates to help seriously dating and engaged couples strengthen their relationship. Couples will soon discover whether or not to go to the next level of commitment, and will spend quality time together now while preparing for a great marriage in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Buy it!.......2007-04-14
If you are thinking of or planning on getting married this book is fantastic. My husband and I got it about 6 months before we got engaged and went through the 10 dates. It is a great conversation starter and just plain fun to plan dates (especially dates that focus on your relationship rather than wedding planning which can be consuming!).
Good Topics that need to be talked about.......2006-11-02
I liked this book and it was good for my boyfriend and I to go through at different times during our relationship. The book brought up important topics that need to be discussed before you make the committment of marriage. The book brought up some very touchy subjects between us and also started some heated discussions but it ultimately brought us closer together which is what we needed. We don't have everything figured out of course but we are steps closer to having a good solid foundation to our relationship which will carry over to our marriage.
Great Tool for Opening Up Communication in Fun Environments!.......2003-10-11
My fiance and I are currently reading through "10 Great Dates Before You Say 'I Do'" and we both are learning a lot about our communication styles and issues that need to be discussed before our wedding day. We are in a couple's bible study group and have used one of the dates as a group in order to have realistic expectations, hopes, and dreams. This book is a great way to share your ideas and realize some fun and interesting facts about your partner. The book set-up is great because it actually sets you up to go on a date. First you read the chapter (my fiance and I usually read it aloud together), then after the chapter it tells you to go to a specific location that is ideal for discussing the chapter (of course, this is optional but always fun!). At the back of the book are worksheets that both you and your significant other fill out and then together on the date you discuss your answers in regards to the topic and chaper that you read. A great way to open up communication... At the end there are bonus dates that encourage you to continue practicing what you have learned throughout the week. A great tool! One of my favorite things to do as I prepare for marriage...
Book Description
A professor emeritus at Stanford Universitys business school identified one consistent trait among successful MBA graduates: great conversational skills. Now, Susan RoAne, best selling author of How to Work a Room and The Secrets of Savvy Networking, shows how people can vastly improve their conversational skills and acquire the necessary verbal tools and techniques to advance their careers and personal lives.
Customer Reviews:
Packed with good ideas.......2007-08-30
A very pleasant book to read, filled with many good tips.
For instance, I plan to implement the "ice melter" by wearing an interesting or funny tie to get the conversation going.
Also good were the suggested ways to introduce yourself to folks that you may have met before (but you're not sure.) I liked also the suggested way to introduce people to others (include information on each party.)
A very good, practical read. Highly recommend!
All It Takes Is Practice.......2007-04-11
This is a good guidebook in learning how to easily converse with strangers by focusing on them and not us, another variant on helping others before we can help ourselves. Well organized, very readable, and humorous throughout, the material illuminates how and why we can expand our interests and horizons to become interesting to others and, no less important, to ourselves.
I also recommend her `How To Work A Room' as a companion book. Both are good investments in continuous self improvement.How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Savvy Socializing in Person and Online
Trashcan filler.......2006-08-14
This book might be the worst book I have read in years. Susan Roane has filled 240 pages with more or less obvious information like OAR approach. Observe, Ask a Question, Reveal your Thought. I don't wanna spend much time on reviewing this book, but I'll tell you: If you expect something that analyzes, refers to any scientific papers (or any stuidies at all) or puts any psychological aspects in the mix, then forget this book.
Practical Tips for Improving Your Social Skills.......2006-05-06
Those trying to network and build business or social relationships would benefit from reading Susan RoAne's book, What Do I Say Next?. Inside are hundreds of practical tips to help you converse well with others, and Susan's engaging style makes it enjoyable to read.
Reading this book will help you to successfully communicate in any environment. Each situation calls for different tactics, and here Susan gives you them all -- from talking with CEOs to visiting with elderly people in a nursing home. Especially helpful are the lists she provides. Who couldn't use a 20-bullet list of sure-fire ways to start a conversation anywhere?
After reading Susan's book, you'll have the confidence and skill it takes to start conversations with people you meet. Meaningful communication builds solid relationships, which in turn expands your network. And a powerful network of contacts is one of the most valuable assets an entrepreneur can own.
Many fine ideas!.......2005-11-10
Heard WHAT DO I SAY NEXT? . . . written and read by
Susan RoAne, its subtitle proves to be an apt description of what
the book is all about: TALKING YOUR WAY TO BUSINESS AND
SOCIAL SUCCESS.
There are many fine ideas presented here, all designed to make
communication just a little bit easier . . . many of them I've heard
before, yet even those I've too often forgotten.
I guarantee that by listening to or reading RoAne's work, you'll get
at least one tip that you can begin applying in a work and/or
home situation . . . to cite a few for your consideration:
Prepare for conversations by talking to yourself first. Make sure
your conversations are positive.
Always have a 7-9 second introduction for yourself.
Put your nametag on your right side. This makes it more visible
when you shake hands.
Make nametags large enough so all can read the names.
[if you forget somebody's name] Stick out your hand when you say
your name. People respond in kind 90% of the time.
Never ask, "Do you remember me?"
Conversations should have a non-compete clause.
People who say they are brutally honest are usually more
brutal than honest.
Book Description
Couples will find a wealth of ideas for enriching their future together in this updated classic. Includes resolving conflicts, setting goals, handling finances, and building healthy in–law relationships.
Customer Reviews:
Old Edition.......2006-02-28
This seller is supplying an out-of-date 1979 edition. Its' fine for personal use, but make sure you get the NEW edition (with a green cover) if you're doing a group study.
Finding the right book!.......2001-04-17
My husband and I have been married for just over a year now and have been on the look out for good books on communication and good marriage skills in a Christian environment. Too many books nowadays do not focus on God in the marriage which was important to us. This book 'After you say 'I do''was perfect for us. We don't like books which are too lengthy and are just talk, so we were pleased to find that this book has a mixture of stories, questions and anecdotes. The best things about this book are the number of different questions it asks, designed for both of you to answer and compare answers. It made us talk to each other about things which we may have not considered before. A well worth while book for all those couples who wish to cement their marriage and build foundations around God and each other!
Book Description
Written by a pastor who has counseled hundreds of couples, Before You Say "I Do" poses important questions for every bride and groom-as well as questions for parents, friends, future in-laws, lawyers, and clergy. Perhaps the most useful marriage preparation book available, each chapter focuses on a specific issue, encouraging couples to discuss such subjects as life histories and experiences, hopes and dreams, and views on love, children, religion, and work.
Customer Reviews:
Buy It.......2007-02-21
The cool thing about this book is that it isn't corny. After we went through it, I realized that I knew the answers to most of the questions but it was good to revisit them and then be able to say Okay.... I am ready to get married. Plus your partner will be nicely surprised to know how much he has been sharing, you actually remembered about him.
Good Questions - Often Overlooked!.......2007-01-07
As a part-time minister who helps couples design and compose their own wedding ceremonies, I found this book helpful - as a 'tickler' to me in my interviewing and working with couples as well as a book to recommend to couples who are thinking about getting married. In my day job, as a therapist, I see too many couples who did not take the time to ask themselves and each other some of these important questions before deciding to marry.
This book can be helpful if given without judgment in the spirit of friendship and support.
Get it...Do it.......2006-02-18
If I had read and answered the questions in this book before I got married the first time, I most likely would have not married my first wife and it would have saved us a lot of heart ache. This second time around, not married yet, I am going through all the questions of this book and they are very poignant and practical. Every couple contemplating marriage needs to buy this, read it, answer all the questions together. It will give them a better picture of the realities they will be facing as a married couple and it will cause them to reflect and ponder the real issues perhaps causing the poor thinking due to infatuation to subside. I highly recommend it.
A Good Beginning Point for Serious Couples.......2005-09-10
This has been a great tool in getting my boyfriend and I to talk through different issues before marriage. Some of the questions we've skipped over simply because we knew the answers already. Others we've asked before, but it's always good to get a refresher! Other questions were ones we've never thought of before, which are exciting to ask.
I would recommend this book for any couple who is seriously thinking about marriage because it gives a bunch of ideas for you and your special someone to talk about to get to know one another better. It's also a good tool to help determine whether you guys are really right for one another. There is also a section of questions to ask family and friends, which is nice.
Still good stuff!!!.......2005-04-07
I received the book through Amazon's Marketplace, at a reduced price. The sender the very courteous and the book was sent in a timely manner and in very good shape. Thanks Larry! I've already glanced through the book and, wow!....I'm impresssed with the content. I'm looking forward to sharing those questions with my new-found friend. Yes, I'm liking him in that way :).
Thanks Amazon...and thanks again Larry. Kudos to you.
Camilla
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- Blood Revenge: Family Honor, Mediation and Outcasting
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- Business Communication: Process and Product (with InfoTrac®)
- Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Revised Edition: Birth to Age 5 (Shelov, Caring for your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5)
- Celebrate the Feasts of the Old Testament in Your Own Home or Church
- Chicken Soup for Every Mom's Soul: 101 New Stories of Love and Inspiration for Moms of all Ages (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
- Chicken Soup for Every Mom's Soul: 101 New Stories of Love and Inspiration for Moms of all Ages (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
Books Index
Books Home
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Marriage
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook : How to Really Get to Know the Person You're Going to Marry
Before You Say "I Do"® Devotional: Building a Spiritual Foundation for Your Life Together
The Premarital Counseling Handbook
101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged (Wright, H. Norman & Gary J. Oliver)
Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before (and After) You Marry
