F Books

I just recently purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my 8-year old niece who loves horses at that tender young age as much as I did and still do at 32. When I was a kid, I must have read The Island Stallion about 20 times. It was my favorite in the Farley series, and I dreamed to the moon about beautiful red stallions and hidden island paradises every time I re-visited the book. A complete adventure delight for any horse loving child. Who didn't want their very own "Flame" after finishing this story? I still have my own battered copy from all those years ago. The cover on the new one is different, but it still evokes that feeling of wild magic as much now as it did 25 years ago!

I received this book for Christmas many years ago and remember how exciting it was, I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter! My own daughter is now 10 years old and I've been reading some of my old books to her. Some of them haven't really stood the test of time, being not quite exciting enough for her to want to read them on her own. The Island Stallion was just as exciting for her as it was for me though. She loved the part where they were exploring the hidden tunnels and kept asking why on earth hadn't they made a movie of this book! Walter Farley's writing truly brings this book to life where you can just imagine what Azul Island must be like. This book has hooked my daughter on the Black Stallion series even more than the original book that started it all and now every time we go to a horse show she adds to her collection. I recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery adventure type book and I have to say that I enjoyed reading it even as an adult.

I am searching for the early printings of the Black Stallion series. My uncle, James Schucker was the illustrator of some of those books, and I would like to obtain copies of some of them. Please contact me: Barbara Schucker Marquardt: barbmarq@comcast.net

When I was a kid, I was poking around in my parents' library one day when I found this book. I was overwhelmed when I read it. It had secret passages, skeletons, Spanish conquistadors and the most beautiful horse in the world living free and wild. What's not to like? I think I must have re-read the book a dozen times.

This is the book, in other words, that turned me into a reader. It was so captivating that I fell in love with not just this book but with reading itself. Someday soon I'll read it again and I know I'll be thrilled again.

I don't think it is possible or very useful to try to bring critical judgement to a book like this. It is sheer romanticism of the sort guaranteed to thrill a boy or girl. In its own way, it is perfect.

I loved this book as much if not more than the BLACK STALLION. I loved it so much that I could not bear to read the titles featuring 'BLACK STALLION MEETS FLAME" where my two favorite horses would be pitted against each other. It was an unfair pairing.
Wonderful fantastic adventure book. One of my all-time favorite horse stories right up there with KING OF THE WIND, and all the other WALTER FARLEY stories.

James does a fabulous job with loads of newly released information to make it very clear that Lee Harvey Oswald wasn't just a patsy, but could have been a hero a few weeks earlier. If anyone doubts the CIA's hand on this, they haven't been paying attention.

JFK and the Unspeakable is a gem of a book. Due to the obfuscation of the events of that sad day in November 1963 by our own government, we may never be able to put absolute names and faces to the forces that caused the death of our 35th President. But the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. James Douglass does a mighty fine job of painting the landscape and filling in the details of this dark period in a masterly fashion. When our own government stonewalls investigation into the killing of a president, keeping records sealed for half a century and then releasing them drip by redacted drip, is there any wonder that 75% of the population finds its intentions highly suspect? Douglass very clearly defines the motives that have shrouded this assassination discussion for so many years. And with the motive, method and opportunity of the clandestine forces to eliminate a sitting president so blatantly in place, it is a marvel of duplicity that they have painted "conspiracy theorists" into such a curious cul-de-sac. But finely written books such as Mr. Douglass's slowly prod this most obvious of viewpoints back into the mainstream of American conscience.

The disquieting question that arises after reading this book is - Where was America while this was happening? Why are we so somnolent when forces in our own government make a mockery of democracy and American ideals by killing popular peace-leaning leaders [JKF, RFK and MLK] and bringing us into war after phony war against the better judgement of reasonable people?

Where is America when the chips are down?

What an excellent book! Does not get bogged down in the relatively irrelevant details of the players on the ground in Dealy Plaza that awful day. By that I mean to say that Douglass is using a more "macro-view", if you will, regarding the Why of JFK's assassination. He is a committed pacifist and peace activist, as well as a Catholic theologian.
The book is meticulously researched and I found many excellent insights regarding the context of times in which these events transpired. It was well before my time, so I found that this book offered me a more complete picture of the political currents swirling around the US and the world at that time - while at the same time providing a balanced and insightful picture of JFK. Many writers, in my opinion, seem to want to deify or demonize the man. This book really humanized the historical character for me.
I have read many books on this subject, but found this one to be more satisfying and unique. "Satisfying" in the sense that the larger questions in my own mind were answered, at least as much as they are ever going to be. I'm sure that all of the really damning evidence is long destroyed and/or silenced. ( I hope that I am wrong....) "Unique" in that Douglass brings a fresh moral perspective to his political and historical analysis - whether one accepts all of his conlusions or not. Subsequent history bears out some of his conclusions, but dealing with and confronting totalitarian regimes and systems cannot always be wished away by hopes of peace - see the "Peace in our time" debacle in Munich in the late 1930's . Still it is a shame that Kennedy never got the chance to bring to fruition a number of his initiatives.
Finally, it offers the most credible answer to my mind about how and why so many people and gov't agencies particpated in the cover-up.
"Treason doth never prosper, for if it prosper who dare call it treason?", wrote William Shakespeare. How true. How many died in Indochina and elswhere because of that? How sad.

James Douglass presents a strong case that John Kennedy was assassinated by a CIA-controlled plot, and Lee Harvey Oswald was a 'patsy' that was set up to take the fall, aided by a CIA double. These are not new ideas, yet Douglass has careful references to document his thesis. This reader is not convinced. The contention that the shots came from the 'grassy knoll' rather than from the Book Depository are claimed by Douglass to be supported by the piece of JFK's skull that was dislodged by the fatal bullet. But, evidence shows that this bone particle came from the parietal portion of the head, and not the occipital as suggested by Douglass. As such, there is no way the bullet could have entered from any angle other than from the rear. Furthermore, the contention that the bullet entered the throat and exited the head would require a shot from the front and below, not from above as Douglass' conspiracy theory contends. There are other obvious flaws in the conspiracy argument, including eye witnesses with very shaky psychological pasts. Above all, how could it be that such a wide-ranging conspiracy involving even field agents of the CIA could have been kept a secret all these years? It is not a compelling rehash of the old evidence.

What is compelling, however, is the evil Douglass chronicles in his book that existed in the country in the early 60s. There was a deep hatred of JFK in the South and in Texas in particular. War mongering was at its height, and there is no doubt there was great rejoicing in the Pentagon and the CIA when his death was announced. This was the unspeakable that Douglass discusses in his book. In this matter he is right on. In that sense, as was discussed in the Dallas newspapers in those dark days in 1963 (I was living there at the time), we were all responsible in some way for his death by tolerating the intolerance, the outright hatred, and the talk of his demise. Furthermore, his book has the chilling effect of reminding us that we have learned nothing, absolutely nothing from that history. We have recreated over and over wars and insurgencies via the CIA or the Pentagon, and the ideals that Douglass' Kennedy represented have not found a place in the heart of the nation. For that reason, the book is well worth a read. Take in this reading, and whether or not you agree about the conspiracy, be prepared to be chilled by the animosity between JFK and the military-CIA leaders of his time.

This reviewer raptly read Mark Lane's Rush To Judgement, Jim Garrison's On the Trail of the Assassins: My Investigation and Prosecution of the Murder of President Kennedy, and Jim Mars' Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy when they were first published. This reviewer became jaded at the fictions published by the Warren Commission and the House Select Commission on Assassinations, and like America sings in Sister GoldenHair "I got so damn depressed" that I quit reading this stuff.

Since then, even more proof has piled up against the lies our "leaders" told us. JFK was 'turning towards Peace" and the "unspeakable" evil forces aligned against him and peace didn't like it. James W. Douglas has done an excellent, Must-Read compilation of that truth, especially important now that a similair scenario could be, like Carly crooned, "Comin Around Again" with a new president ("Yes we Can!" "Change we can believe in!") bucking an evermore entrenched Military-Industrial Complex - HalliBurton et. al. - that would prefer that we stay in Iraq for the next 100 years or so.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
George Santayana 1863-1952

Buy this book for you and all your intelligent friends and relatives and read it, so that we all can be on the same proverbial "Group W' bench with Arlo Alice's Restaurant: The Massacree Revisited (30th Anniversary Edition).

/TundraVision, "Hope springs eternal," Amazon Reviewer

"If he desired to know about automobiles, he would, without question, study diligently about automobiles. If his wife desired to be a gourmet cook, she'd certainly study the art of cooking, perhaps even attending a cooking class. Yet, it never seems as obvious to him that if he wants to live in love, he must spend at least as much time as the auto mechanic or the gourmet in studying love." ~ Leo Buscaglia from "Love"

I smile as I type these words--just having Buscaglia's book, "Love," open in front of me is enough to make me happy. :)

Seriously. This is hands down one of my favorite books. I've purchased at least 250 copies of it. We used to give it away to all of our partners at my last business [...] and I used to bring a copy with me to nearly every business lunch I had. (I'm a little wacky like that. :)

I have no doubt you'll fall in Love with "Love" as well. By the end of reading it, you'll wish you could give Leo Buscaglia--a former Professor of Love at USC--a big ol' hug.

This is an amzing book to read for all time . Regardless of time ,place & seasons - it is amazing . Leo Buscaglia is one of the brilliant author of all time , an amazing poet of love & an instrument of LIVING & GROWING with LOVE . He is exactly right when he said : IF LOVE IS THE ANSWER WHAT IS THE QUESTION? From the beginning , I learned & read all his books , I cannot stop thinking about what the good & important phrases I ahve learned from him . He inspired me to live , to love & to grow with highest respect of LOVING everyone without any expectation in return . He is one of the KEY of my good & honest relationship to all . His book & all his writing are inspiration of my whole being . I will never forget the person who introduced me to read his books since 1987 , from then on She became the greatest inspiration of my life .
Leo B. is amazing . He can moved everyone to understand LOVE as the reason of our existence . I compared him to DALAI LLAMA of Love & Spiritual inspiration of all seasons . Thank you LEO B. for bringing your words & wisdom into my life .

With highest respect to you & your writings ,

Noel F. Cruz
University of Cambridge Teaching Hospital
Cambridge , England

This book is one that everyone who is in a relationship..or has children.. should read and pass on to their friends.

This book has been in my library for years. I have given copies for gifts many times, I wish I knew how many. The information in this book is so very important for everyone and written in such a way that it can be easily read and understood by everyone. Should be required reading in every high school and university.
I have read other Buscaglia books and found them all to be well written and filled with beneficial content.
Thanks for the opportunity to review a winner.

Everyone should read,no make that study Leo's books. This book opened my eyes and softened my heart. Anyone who reads it with an open mind will find themselves transformed. I am someone who grew up VERY ANGRY. My anger caused me problems upon problems and was a contributing factor in the breakup of my first marriage. When I hit rock bottom and knew things had to change, it was then that I came across a worn, slightly abuse copy of a book at a second hand store. The Title on it was simply "LOVE". Don't misunderstand me, I am far from free from my anger. Yet, those who know me will tell you how much I have changed. I feel Leo books, DVD's (I have several), and tapes have been a major factor in that change. I recommend ALL items by Leo Buscaglia.

Leo talks not only about loving others, but loving yourself. Love your face, even if your nose doesn't quite match the rest of your face. Love yourself for who you are, no matter who that may be. It's the funny and odd things about us that sometimes makes us the most loveable. So, buy this book and, if your paying attention to what is said in it, learn to laugh, hug, cry (yes, even grown men can cry), and fall in love with this rollercoster we call life.

I was looking for something for my daughter's first birthday. These cards are great - durable, colorful and fun. Each one has something textured for them to touch and feel. I'll definitely be purchasing another volume.

We've used these cards with my 18 month old grandchildren since they were about a year old and they love them. We have "flash card time" and it amazes me every time how much they have learned with these cards. Very sturdy cards, great pictures, and they love the touch and feel aspect of it.

We got these for our son when he was about 9mths. He is now 20mths old and he still plays with them. We have two other sets. The cards are very sturdy and hold up to a lot.

I gave this to my nieces who turned one and they love these cards. The parents love them even more. They are educational and the kids love the touch and feel part. Great gift!

Once again, I have purchased a product without holding it in my hands first. I need to learn to shop in person, and give up the convenience of online stores. These cards are too flimsy for the age group they are targeted for, and I can see they will not last long in this home. They are an excellent idea, but not thought out thoroughly as they should be before being put into production. The colors are vibrant, but there aren't enough included in the set. They fold in half very easily. The "touch and feel" portion of many of the cards are lousy, like they came up with a few good ones and used "filler" on the rest of the cards. They aren't textured, but just colored differently in the "texture" slot. Close, but not good enough.

we have used this book and the method for more than 20 years - with children from infant to adult age! You actually start following this method 3 days before your departure. It truely works!
The first few pages explain how your body works, how caffein works, and how that can be used to overcome jet lag. The next 80 same pages you look up the individual time zones that apply to your trip. That's where you find the diet schedule for your personal trip. In the back you find several pages of food items and sample menues, that allow you to put your diet together according to your own tastes. Overcoming jet lag with this guide is EASY. No other supplements are neccessary!
I'm buying several books, so I can give it to our international visitors!

We have followed this Jet Lag diet for about 5 years now. We combine it with the NO-Jet Lag homeopathic remedy. We never have more than one day of slight jet lag. Interestingly, the airlines seem to use the jet lag diet strategy in the meals they serve on the plane--at least in business class.

Concise yet detailed book outlines a highly effective program to beat jet lag, no matter how many time zones you may be crossing, no matter what time of day or night you are traveling.

Basic theory behind the program is described well, but most of this nice, short book is a full how-to for every possible flight... time zones involved, direction of flight.

Reader simply looks up the schedule that best describes upcoming flight, and follows the instructions. But don't do this at the airport the day of the flight. Diet must be altered three days in advance of travel.

My family and I have been using this for 15 years, and we swear by it. The only time it hasn't worked for me is when I've tried to cheat the system (watched an in-flight movie when the book said I was supposed to be sleeping, that sort of thing).

Unfortunately, most airlines do all they can to keep passengers stuck in their departure time zone (ensuring days of jet lag for all), but this book shows how necessary it is to board the plane and get right into the arrival time zone. It does take a sense of discipline to follow the program while in flight. In general the flight is not particularly enjoyable if you're following the program and are therefore out of sync with all the other passengers, BUT if you are a business traveler or don't have the luxury of wasting several days, you will find that the short-lived discomfort is insignificant!

A highly useful book for the international business traveler... would make a nice gift for someone going off on a round-the-world or other long flight. (But give it well in advance of the travel)!

This scientifically proven "recipe" for smooth and successful adjustment when traveling between Time Zones may not work-- completely-- for all destinations, but it surely will work for 98 percent of the rest of your prospective travel plans.

I've had this little book in my hands since its first publishing and have given countless copies to others along the way. Professionals have been using it for years. From White House summits overseas to professional athletes competing abroad-- this little book has been their answer for enhancing the quality of their trips with optimum mental and physical performance.

For some years this little gem was "Hard to Find," but I never gave up trying to locate a copy. Now it's reprint can once again benefit everyone to be side effects free. It worked for me so well that I still follow the diet to maintain a healthy even weight. This little book is GREAT and one of my most very favorite. Go for it.

I have used the program detailed in this succint little book for 10 years now, beginning with a trip from Los Angeles to Thailand. After following the program and flying for what seemed like days, I arrived at midnight. The following morning I was fully functional and alert at 10 am and suffered no symptoms. I recently used the program for a trip to London and back with no appreciable jet lag. The book explains in very simple terms how our body clocks work, and how modern studies have learned how to reset them quickly and easily with a minimum of deleterious effect. One starts the program from 1 to 3 days prior to travel, and much of the book is filled with detailed instructions for each time zone interval. It does take discipline to adhere to the program while on the plane, but with a little effort it can be done and the result is definately worth it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who travels by air. It will make your journey far more enjoyable and you will have more time to enjoy your stay instead of recovering from jet lag for days. A must read for business travelers as well.

Save your money, buy a Hallmark Card or a bag of fortune cookies, either of which will dig as deep as this book.

GREAT book! Puts a different spin on personal growth that is very understandable and yet fun to read. Everyone should read this one.

Frank has the style to teach you how to move forward with your dreams step by step. It is a wonderful compliment to his first endeavors in Stack the Logs. Thank you Frank for sharing your insights.

I love the surfing terms in Frank Lunn's book, "Carpe Aqualis! Seize the Wave." Two chapters in particular -- "Your Competition is Not Other Surfers, Its Only You" and "Go Big or Go Home! To Be Great, You Have to be Willing to Wipe Out!" -- are gems.

This book is about your personal success journey. It's both fun and serious at the same time. Frank's surfing skills will revolutionize your business and personal life. Read it today and get ready for your big wave. It's coming.

Barbara Keddy, President, www.BeGreatMarketing.com

Frank Lunn, a very successful young man in every way has written a wonderful book in Carpe Aqualis! It is an excellent, strategy- and information-packed book on riding the waves to success. And, Frank is living proof that it works.I met Frank at a private infopreneur's meeting in Philadelphia late last year and he gave me a copy of his book. I was completely engaged by this young man and father who has lived every word he's written, achieved remarkable success and maintains a wonderfully warm, presence for every person he meets. I enjoyed him so much that I invited him to be an Associate on my team at Your Spiritual Home and he accepted!It's an excellent book and I highly recommend you buy it. Give it to young people just starting out and shortcut their journeys to success as well!

The good thing about this book is that it gets just to the point. Unlike other books, which tells every detail of this and that drawing tool, this book instructs you how to make nice and stunning graphics in a short time. With only a beginners knowledge of CorelDraw I started up following Shane Hunts carefully written instructions and succeded in making some spectacular images for my Website - graphics that I could never have done myself, without the help from a professional designer: Metallic looking 3D objects and so on... I found it relatively easy to learn tricks from examples and then adjusting it for my own purpose.

There is only one thing I would ask for in a new edition: A little more on Web-graphics. I can recommend a couple of other books with almost the same approach as this one: "The CorelDraw Wow Book", by Linnea Dayton, Shane Hunt and Sharon Steuer and "Corel Studio Techniques", by David Huss & Gary Priester. They are also great.

Prior to reading Shane's book I had pretty much given up on being able to learn the program...I was stunned to see how easy he made it to create stunning images in coreldraw...I learned techniques I truely did not feel capable of learning prior to reading his book and enjoyed the process...His enclosed cd alone was worth the price of the book ...He does not guard his techniques ...he shares them openly and wants you do know all he knows...very well organized and writen and simply turned my graphics life around!

So many computer related books written in the last several year look like they've been thrown together. They're full of typos or the content is just incorrrect or incomplete. It's apparent that a lot of time and effort went into this book. The book is full of great examples, the insruction are complete and it's interesting to read. I was a relative novice with CorelDraw and this book allowed me to create some great designs quickly. It showed me tricks that I probably would have never figured out on my own.

Highly recomended!

I've even had a Corel novice use the book with no problems. She liked it MUCH better than another one in the standard style. It's an easy to use book written in a fun and useful style. Look at the many positive reviews..

Somewhere in this long list of raves you will find my first review of this book. I gave it four stars. That was very high praise from me...back then when I had just finished the book and thought 5 stars was fawning. Now I know I was wrong. I finally put another book in the space CorelDRAW f/x was supposed to occupy on my shelf. It sits by my computer while I work, and frequently comes with me when I need lunchtime or waitingroom reading. I use this book constantly. I can't let my first review stand any longer. If you have any doubts about this book forget them IT IS WELL WORTH MANY TIMES THE PRICE! I intend to add the new version to my computer desk and book bag when I upgrade to CorelDRAW 9. And probably 10 and 11 and...

A great quick guide on drug information, perhaps, the best one. Full monographs of almost all of the drugs, including interactions. Much necessary to the pharmacists and other health professionals.

Excellent, concise, just the facts, ma'am, and easy to look up just what you need. Why wade through the Physicians Desk Reference when this handy gem has all that you really desire in drug information, presented efficiently by pharmacists. Boils it down to the facts. 2-3 pages per medication, in table form often. Once you buy this book, you'll ditch the PDR. Guaranteed.

this is a great resource. as a pharmacist, I use this quite often for basic questions.

The charts in the back are very comprehensive and useful; the drug monographs are very up-to-date and accurate.

Lexi-Comp's Drug Information Handbook is the bomb. No nagging adds like the PDR; just the facts, ma'am. More eye friendly than previous editions, and still packed with about a gillion tables in the appendix. Drug names are now in red. This is the cat's meow; I probably use it once a day in patient care. Shipping and price are much better through Amazon than through the publisher.

This book is a nice journal about the events of Episode l through Padme's (a queen in disguise) eyes. The book keeps you interested from beginning to end and! leaves you wanting more. It's a very quick read, and I've read it several times and still like the story. The pages are photo quality, with faded images of events in the background of each page. The text is a larger print and is very easily read. I wish they had journals by Padme from Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Queen Amidala is a brave young lady who must rise up to an evil Phantom to save her people, in this book it has pictures of most of her costumes and lots of fun reading for children 9-13.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first bought this book. I can say now that reading it was a most pleasurable experience. Jude Watson has done an admirable job with this journal. It is the deep introspections of a young girl, told shrewdly with a great deal of empathy, not only for Amidala, but for all the characters that she interacts with. The journal displays Amidala's keen insight, and sharp mind, and examines her motives and decisions with great sensitivity. It tells us a little about her background, and her relationships with the people around her. At the end, I felt as though I had discovered a real person.

Though Luke's journal was my personal favorite of the Journal books, this one was definitely the best written. It was better than Anakin's especially, since this one truly got into the mind of Queen Amidala, whereas Anakin's wasn't as good at bringing out his character (what little he had) or anyone elses. This one however, not only lets us get to know Amidala, but also brings out the other characters in a way that made Episode 1 seem much more interesting than it actually was. It was fascinating to find out more about Amidala,(I didn't previously realize she was only fourteen, in the movie she seemed older!) who I found a very intriguing character in the movie, though I was confused about where and when she was Amidala/Padme. This book answered my questions about that also, tying everything together in a satisfying knot. Also, I found Anakin's character much more interesting in this book than even in his own journal. In the movie especially he irritated me, because he just seemed too cute and sweet, but here he is much more likable. This book would be good for any Star Wars fan, especially those twelve and under.

Relive the movie "Star Wars: Episode I" through the eyes of the newly elected Queen Amidala. This young teen begins this journal before the movie began. Readers see the training Amidala went through in preparation for her future post. In the book we find out WHY Amidala puts lipstick on her upper-lip fully, yet only a slash on her lower-lip. We see the defenses that were made by the guards, such as a decoy, but never dreamed would ever have to be used. (Oh come on, you did not HONESTLY think those handmaidens were there for LOOKS, did you?)

**** Not as magnificent as Princess Leia's journal, but just as enlightening! In the movie, Queen Amidala had to keep her face blank so her adversaries could not read her. In this book, we see all the thoughts, fears, and strategies that went on behind the royal mask. In fact, this book made Amidala's character more impressive than the movie did. It can also be used as a quick refresher before you flock to see "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" in the Summer of 2002! Very good reading! ****

I bought this book in 2001 after hearing Crystal's story on Oprah. Oh how she inspired me. I too struggle with weight loss issues. My personal life has also had its challenges. Crystal is someone everyone can relate to. She is witty and funny and smart. She wrote about experiences that all overweight people can experience (shopping and being told we don't carry your size). She made me believe that I could do this. It's second only to my bible that i refer to for inspiration.

Thanks

Good for you Crystal for losing 167 pounds. I don't blame you for writing about it either, something this dramatic needs to be shared. What I really liked about this book was that it did not pressure the reader into losing weight. Diets these days are very stick: don't eat this, you must eat this, that and nothing else. Crystal shows us that you can lose weight your own way and it's up to you to set the pace.

I would like to give this book 3 1/2 stars but there aren't any 1/2's so I have written it. I really enjoyed her story and how she worked thru her struggles. It was a little unorganized but still enjoyable.

This book allows one to understand that the challenges of temptation for those struggling with weight loss is normal.

Some people kick themselves for backsliding on the diet trail. But this is verifivation that you still can continue and get over those mental humps.

This is chrystals everyday challenges that gets her through the storm. She begins to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I admire her because she experimented and found a method that was good for her. She teaches that there is no "blueprint" available for everyone.

If this book taught me anything it was the power of jeeping a journal. It will help you see where the problem lies and how to get through; and it will enable you to identify what is causing you to stifle your plans. It may be mental, physical or spiritual.

I use this book strictly for motivation. It's nice to read the words of someone who has been there.

I'd like to see her now! I hope she has kept up the good work.

"The Me I Knew I Could Be" is Crystal Phillips' journey from 292 lb (size 26) to 138 lb (size 6). I believe Crystal's obesity and binge eating would probably fall into the worst case category so I couldn't identify with Crystal's struggles, but I was inspired by her committed plan to lose weight. Apparently, the 292 lb was a result of her continuous binge eating (4 steaks, entire peach cobbler, and much more in one setting) causes my emotional issues (anxiety induced by grandfather, death of her brother, volatile marriage, and insecurity) she refused to deal with. Instead of just waking up one morning stating "I'm going to lose weight", Crystal learns the real reason she binged and began to deal with it. She uses typical weight loss techniques that can be found in any book, but what sets this story apart is her true story (complete with journal entries) that describes how she worked through the emotional problems to stop the emotional eating. At times, Crystal discusses how she came to a crossroad had to make the decision on whether or not to emotionally eat - sometimes she did, most times she didn't. When she did emotionally eat, she didn't give up but got refocused. Never does she say she's cured of binge-eating but offers ways to prevent to urge, i.e., after a big family gathering give leftovers away or only buy the smallest portion of a snack item. Her story is very honest.

Included in this book: recipes, before-after photos from her workshop participants, several exercises, and much more. The one unique item I found is the contents for a Survival Kit - a bag packed with healthy food and water that prevented Crystal from stopping at fast food restaurants.