Works Books

Very useful as a Therapist and written in terms anyone can relate to.

I finally decided to buy this book after receiving many copied pages from my therapist. The small chapters are light reads and they have helped me in more ways than I can count.

A wonderful little book.

This book has the possibility to change your life in a very dramatic and positive manner. It is simple, concise and to the point. The author is well qualified and speaks to your very soul if you allow her. It may be a good idea to make an investment in this book.

Author's language is so clear and understandable. She makes things so simple.
She takes the most important questions and gives the answers without making complicated.
I got a lot more help from this book than I got from my therapist I have seen for 1,5 years.
This book has changed my life.
Although I red it twice already I still read it.
Everyone can learn something from this book.
Thanks to Susanna McMahon for writting such a book.

It's a great, wise, simple, highly readable book.

Still, I cannot give it 5 stars because I found it at times a little simplistic -- probably a function of the book's restricitve format that keeps each chapter very short, and therefore generic and thus a little shallow. It's good reading for people who don't have time for big volumes and intellectually challenging explantions -- but at a price.

Things in life are often more ccomplicated than this book suggests. However, the priamry principle that it promotes (the crucial and necessary need for Self-Esteem that's not based on external factors) is very true. Kudos to the author for making it so clear. Any effort aiming to expose and undo the harm of most people's upbringing -- which overemphasizes high achievement and competitivenss while neglecting spiritual development -- is a valuable contribution to our culture.

I appreciated the author's effort to avoid references to God (she allows atheistic readers to replace the concept of God with the notion of Goodness) -- but then, alas, she forgot that rule in the last chapter. That last chapter was also rather disappointing in content, the weakest of all -- just a pep talk with no concrete advice.

Throughtout the book, the author ascribes the often harmful "Model of Doing" to the Western culture, and the more benficial "Model of Being" to the East -- but that is a simplification too. Anyone familiar with high-driving, competitive, and sometimes cruel Asian societies knows that the East is in the grips of the "Model of Doing" just as we are in the West. (One can also think of some western saints, like St.Francis, who were very much into a "Model of Being".)

Also, I am concerend that the author's often repeated advice to "take care of yourself first" will be interpreted by many people as a permission to be selfish and self-centerted. She certainly understands the difference (and attempts to explain it at one point) -- but in her apparent effort not to undermine any reader's Self-Esteem, she stops short of telling her readers that having no compassion for others, and never giving of yourself is not a way to live. She just says "accept yourslef as you are". Then why change for the better?

This book will be of only marginal value to people who are well read in psychology, but it will be very useful and eye-opening to an average person trying to come to terms with the pain of living. It's like Psychology 101 -- a basic course for everyone, but it doesn't have enough depth to satisfy those who need to probe for deeper reasons and solutions. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it as a first step towards mastering "the art of living".

Jennifer hits the Real Estate nail right on the head with this book. If I ever had thoughts of writing a Real Estate book I don't think I'll be able to now as Jennifer has already put everything I've learned to be true about this business in this book. This should be required reading for every Realtor.

Steve Stoddard
Suburban Realty, Inc.
Manchester, NH
www.SteveStoddard.com

I am a new agent and found this book very helpful. It is an easy read, with very down-to-earth advice about how to start your business.

I read many books written on the topic of how to be successful in real estate. This book was by far the most practical, helpful and fun! The style is engaging and easy to read. Many of the other books had a very negative approach to the business and (in my mind) had a creepy air to them. This book was different. I honestly loved Jennifer's approach to the business of real estate. Her approach is positive, client centered and respectful. She defined how you can be successful in RE and still hold your head up high! If you want to have a successful career that focuses on helping people instead of the negative stereotypes associated with the profession of realtor, this is the book for you. I definitely recommend it.

As a green bean real estate agent who just passed her exams, I was going through an "oh no, what am I doing????" phase when I read this book! (Brian Buffini's websites list of top books to read). WOW. SO GLAD I PICKED IT UP! The gut honest input to multiple situations was so appreciated and actually helped restore my excitement and enthusiasm for this next step in my life. I'm a "take the high-road" girl and reading how you provide ethical-do-the-right-thing-always-extraordinary customer service resonated deeply with me. Thanks for sharing the personal ouches as well as the professional ones. I'll read this book again and again--and can't wait to get started in my new career!

As I read the first couple of chapters, I started to wonder if Jennifer had been somehow monitoring my progress in real estate sales! I got into it for the same reasons she did, made most of the same mistakes, and came up with some of the same solutions. Somehow I muddled through my rookie year and became successful. But if I'd read her book then, I would have made fewer mistakes (and wasted less money on just-sold postcards!). Even experienced (and extroverted) agents can benefit from the creative ideas in Jennifer's book. I am glad I found it now, and I heartily recommend it.

I bought the book because I have to return my library copy and there's so much I want to highlight! I don't know about you, but the real information you need from the doctor to start basal and bolus injections or pumping insulin is minimal or sketchy at best. There are so many factors influencing just where to start and where to go from there that a physician just can't spend that kind of time with you. Maybe it's very inconvenient or impossible to get to an endocrinologist or go to classes. This book will give you the information you need to avoid doing more harm than good! Formulas are there for titrating your bolus/bolus/pump insulin based on weight, based on your personal rate of absorption, what to do when things go wrong, all the what, where, whens and hows you need to know to get your blood sugars under control. There are also plenty of websites mentioned to follow up on any further research. It really is a MUST HAVE book!

Great book for someone beginning insulin injections. Gives all the details that you need to know to control your glucose levels.

I was diagnosed with type one this year and in order to help me, my doctor gave me some of his medical book's to read however, this was quite challenging for me putting all the medical terminology together in order to understand my diabetes. This book takes the medical language and translates it into everyday practical advice. I am on my second reading of this book and every time I read it I learn something new. This is a good book to mark up or highlight because of the information that is present. I would recommend this book for any body with type 1 who wants to improve there control or who have just been diagnosed.

This book is a very practical guide to insulin use that is a must-read for anybody trying to maximize their blood sugar control. We got it from the library first, but then realized we'd be coming back to it repeatedly and needed to have our own copy. Highly recommended!

I ordered this book after reading the good reviews on it and I found it to be an excellent read. My 5 year old daughter is Type 1 diagnosed a year ago. I read as much as I can on diabetes and found this book answered those little nagging questions I have always had. We have a great endo but they can only give you so much information at each appointment. I think alot of learning about handling ones diabetes is trial and error and Gary Scheiner brought that up in the book along with ways to try to figure out what works for you. I highly recommend this book!

In his observation of the organizing principle of the Tanakh, whereby Westerman concludes (Elements of an Old Testament Theology, 1982) that the general theme of Torah being the deeds of God, and Nevi'im (The Prophets) being the words of God, he rightly describes Ketuvim (The Writings) under which Psalms fall, as the people's responses, or I should say, God-inspired people responses; covering the entire range of expressions of human emotions; fear, desperation, faith, hope, compassion, love, submission, indignation, repentance, sorrow, joy, and praise; the reality of life in a fallen world. Spurgeon laboriously and masterfully unearths these jewels from the rich treasure chests of David that the readers may enjoy, adore, cherish, worship, and love God in the display of his grace, power and glory through these expressions with solid theology, Christology and soteriology in mind because in some of the Psalms; Psalms 2, 8, 22, 45, 102, and 110, for examples, they undoubtedly speak of vision about the Lord Jesus Christ. If the readers are familiar with the format JC Ryle used in "Expository Thoughts on the Gospel," Spurgeon implements a similar one. He begins with introducing the theme of each Psalms, then continues with verse-by-verse exposition that attempts to bring the readers as close as possible to the affections, the state of mind and the vision of the Psalmist when he wrote that particular verse. In the next section called "Explanatory notes and quaint sayings", he includes commentary for each verse, though may not be exhaustive but definitely extensive, from other theologians; mostly the Reformers and the Puritans. The last part called "Hints to Preachers" consists of outlines to aid ministers for preaching purposes. Here are some samples to show the style of exposition the readers would be benefited from, intended to wet their appetite and to support my recommendation:

"Proud hearts breed proud looks and stiff knees. It is an admirable arrangement that the heart is often written on the countenance...A brazen face and a broken heart never go together... there is much more to be learned from the motions of the muscles of the face than from the words of the lips. Honesty shines in the face, but villainy peeps out at the eyes. See the effect of pride; it kept the man from seeking God. It is hard to pray with a stiff neck and an unbending knee. `God is not in all his thoughts' he thought much but he had no thoughts for God. Amid heaps of chaff there was not a grain of wheat. The only place where God is not is in the thoughts of the wicked. This is a damning accusation; for where the God of heaven is not, the Lord of hell is reigning and raging; and if God be not in our thoughts, our thoughts will bring us to perdition" (on Ps 10:4).

"This prayer evinces a humble sense of personal ignorance, great teachableness of spirit, and cheerful obedience of heart... A path is here desired which shall be open, honest, straightforward, in opposition to the way of the cunning which is intricate, tortuous, dangerous. Good men seldom succeed in fine speculations and doubtful courses; plain simplicity is the best spirit for an heir of heaven: let us leave shifty tricks and political expediences to the citizens of the world, the New Jerusalem owns plain men for its citizens" (on Ps 27:11).

"The unusual strength which overleaps the bound of threescore and ten only lands the aged man in a region where life is a weariness and a woe. The strength of old age, its very prime and pride, are but labor and sorrow; what must its weakness be? What panting for breath! What toiling to move! What a failing of the senses! What a crushing sense of weakness!... Such as is old age. Yet mellowed by hallowed experience, and solaced by immortal hopes, the latter days of aged Christians are not so much to be pitied as envied. The sun is setting and the heat of the day is over, but sweet is the calm and cool of the eventide; and the fair day melts away, not into a dark and dreary night, but into a glorious, unclouded eternal day. The mortal fades to make room for the immortal; the old man falls asleep to wake up in the region of perennial youth" (on Ps 90:10).

"It is impossible that any ill should happen to the man who is beloved of the Lord; the most crushing calamities can only shorten his journey and hasten him to his reward. Ill to him is no ill, but only good in a mysterious form. Losses enrich him, sickness is his medicine, reproach is his honor, death is his gain. No evil in the strict sense of the word can happen to him, for everything is overruled for good" (on Ps 91:10).

"A survey of the solar system has a tendency has a tendency to moderate the pride of man and to promote humility. Pride is one of the distinguishing characteristics of puny man and has been one of the chief causes of all the contentions, wars, devastations, systems of slavery, and ambitious projects which have desolated and demoralized our sinful world. Yet there is no disposition more incongruous to the character and circumstance of man. Perhaps there are no rational beings throughout the universe among whom pride would appear more unseemly or incompatible than in man, considering the situation in which he is placed. He is exposed to numerous degradations and calamities, to the rage of storms and tempests, the devastations of earthquakes and volcanoes, the fury of whirlwinds, and the tempestuous billows of the ocean, to the ravages of the sword, famine, pestilence, and numerous diseases; and at length he must sink into the grave and his body must become the companion of worms! The most dignified and haughty of the sons of men are liable to these and similar degradations as well as the meanest of the human family. Yet, in such circumstances, man, that puny worm of the dust, whose knowledge is so limited, and whose follies as so numerous and glaring, has the effrontery to strut in all the haughtiness of pride, and to glory in his shame.

When other arguments and motives produce little effect on certain minds, no considerations seem likely to have a more powerful tendency to counteract this deplorable propensity in human beings, than those which are borrowed from the objects connected with astronomy. They show us what an insignificant being, what a mere atom, indeed, man appears amidst the immensity of creation!

Though he is an object of the paternal care and mercy of the Most High, yet he is but as a grain of sand to the whole earth, when compared to the countless myriads of beings [in the universe]" (on Ps 8:3-4, quoting Dr. Dick).

"Communion with God in secret is a heaven upon earth. What food can compare with the hidden manna? Some persons have excellent banquet in their closets. That bread which the saints eat in secret, how pleasant is it! Ah! What stranger can imagine the joy, the melody, which even the secret tears of the saints cause! Believers find rich mines of silver and gold in solitary places; they fetch up precious jewels out of secret holes, out of the bottom of the ocean, where are no inhabitants... Saints have often sweet joy and refreshment in secret; they have meat to eat, which the world knows not of... They that know what it is to enjoy God in secret, would not leave it or lose it, to be kings or commanders over the whole world" (on Ps 63:6, quoting George Swinnock).

Can't go wrong with Spurgeon. I bought these volumes for a deeper study of the Psalms, and so far they have been amazing. There's more for each psalm that I can really get in to, but that which I do has been all that I could hope for: reinforcing lower view of self next to high view of God; the only kind of perspective that brings any real sense of hope and encouragement.

Spurgeon is still the best. This 3 volume set is essential for a deep and meaningful study of the Psalms. Great for teaching and preaching research. I'm happy to have purchased it and I recommend it highly.

While Spurgeon's magnum opus is neither technical nor devotional it can meet either of those needs. It is inconceivable that anyone would have an interest in the Psalms and not have these volumes on the shelves.

This is a great commentary series on the Psalms and has the same feel as Spurgeon's sermons. Great resource for any teacher and pastor to prepare in study for the Psalms. Very detailed, which I can't say the same for other commentaries done during this same time period.

The price once again shows how many people have lost interest in both commentaries and our past church saints.

If you are going to be going through the Psalms in your own study or teaching you should definitely have this at your disposal.

besides the Bible. Page by Page, Young Cajun Priest Fr Romaro has Answered All Key attacks/questions about the Catholic Church. He Cites Early Church Fathers, after Citing each Question/Attack. Cites Definitive Bible Verses, And Reasoning, And Sometimes Recent Church Leaders. An Ideal Methodology. Fr Romero Adds a Basic Chart of the Many Different Protestant Denominations That Began 1500 Years after Jesus. Major Surprises Page by Page. Cannot put down. And This Book by Fr Romero is the First Such Book. Other Authors are Following. Very Highest Recommendation.

Fr. Romero has written an excellent resource that should be on every apologist's bookshelf. Each topic begins with a statement of Catholic teaching, then each major objection is handled individually, and finally the writings of the early Fathers of the Church end the chapter. The footnotes alone are worth the price of the book!

Using the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, writings of the early Church Fathers, and a number of other references, new and old, Father Mario Romero has compiled a wonderful defense of the Catholic faith in "Unabridged Christianity." Having read a number of apologetics (including many of the newer references used in this book), I've found that Protestants will accept few sources outside of the Bible. It appears that Father Romero had this idea in mind when writing his book. He takes a number of the primary complaints, disagreements, or falsifications of the faith from Protestants, divides them into chapters, and then answers each one with solid Biblical references. He also educates the reader on the proper translation of certain words that seem to be problematic for those outside of the Catholic faith. At the end of each chapter, he lists writings of the early Church fathers to show how the Catholic Church has been doing things the same way for two thousand years. Also at the end of each chapter are endnotes (some of which take up almost as much space as their respective chapters).

The topics covered range from Mary to Purgatory to "statue worship." He also defends transubstantiation, which always gets my friends of other faiths riled up. He covers marriage annulments, which do not always get a lot of attention from apologists.

All of this is done in a very straight-forward, plain talking manner that is neither offensive to Protestants nor is it egotistical sounding. I've come across a few apologists who are very headstrong with their defense of the faith which, while not necessarily wrong, might turn off Protestants from studying further. Father Romero's writing style is more like a "sit down over a cup of coffee" than an out-and-out religious debate.

I highly recommend this book. It's an enjoyable read that won't weigh you down with a lot of philosophical jargon or lose you with lots of "big words." I also recommend a number of the books that Father Romero uses as references, particularly the Karl Keating and Scott Hahn books. Another excellent apologetic is "Why Do Catholics Do That?" by Kevin Orlin Johnson. His writing style is very much like Father Romero's, with a little more humor spread throughout his book. Check these titles out if you are a budding apologist like myself.

If you're a Catholic you MUST own this book and read it so that you can defend your faith. If you're a non-Catholic Christian, you must read it to learn about your heritage. When I was a protestant, I one day wondered, "Just what am I protesting against? Why should I assume that the Catholic Church is wrong without looking into the matter myself?" It's been my experience that most people don't really know what they believe or why they believe it, much less what or why anyone else believes. If you are an "Anti-Catholic" protestant who thinks that the Roman Catholic Church is the [..] of Babylon' then, with all due respect, PARK YOUR PRIDE, remove the chip from your shoulder, get comfy and open your mind and heart and read this book. Of course, before you do, offer a prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance. God Bless all of you on your journey.

This book is a very practical guide to what Catholics believe. It is written is practical style, setting forth in each chapter a basic tenant of Catholic faith, followed by a series of Protestant objections and Catholic Responses to each objection. This format makes the book easy to follow and a great source for quick research or for group study discussions. As a protestant, I am trying to educate myself on what Catholics genuinely believe, and I've concluded that the best source for that information is not from Protestant critics but from those who are themselves Catholic. The author, a Catholic priest whose ministry emphasizes teaching about what it means to be Catholic, quotes from much Scripture in this book and provides citations and footnotes to numerous Church documents to support the points made.

For purposes of gaining a better understanding of what the Catholic Church teaches, I highly recommend this book. It is also beneficial for developing a mutual sharing of faith between Protestants and Catholics so that each can better understand what they have in common as well as their actual differences. From that point, a more meaningful, productive and spiritual conversation may follow.

This gentle story, told in simple rhyme, shows animals in a stable getting ready for a special guest. The block-print art, rich in earth-tones, gives a humble and loving feel to the scene. Each animal does what it can to prepare the stable, and when Mary and Joseph arrive, the animals stand in hushed anticipation. The final page shows all the animals gathered around the new baby Jesus, saying, "Welcome, welcome to our house!" A perfect read-aloud for little ones.

My toddler class loved this book. They loved the repetition and every time I'd read the line "Who is coming to our house?" they'd yell Jesus!! It is a great story told from the animals' perspective and a wonderful addition to any preschooler's library!

A wonderful little board book for the little ones. Nice size for them to handle! The Christmas story from the viewpoint of the stable animals is special. The colors are eye catching. Highly recommended!

This book is a favorite for my two pre-school-aged children. We read it year-round.

The rhymes of the tale are engaging. (I love the oft repeated line: "Someone, someone," says Mouse.)

My only quibble with the book is the art work. It is not to my taste, though I think that that is more a matter of personal preference than anything else.

I am SO SICK of this book. I have to read it over and over and over again all day long. My daughter (17 months) will pull it from the bottom of a pile of books and bring it to me to read. On the final page she pats the baby's face and says "Baby. Baby." It's a very sweet little book and worth getting; your child will love it.

This book ought to be available in every library, and made available to any and every one! It is a total jewel of a book. I would really be interested to meet the author.

Chinmoy uses new age jargon to mask the fact that he is uninformed about the subtleties of the subject matter. He is neither a philosopher nor is he spiritually adept. He uses his PR skill to lure unsuspecting youth to his cult. Don't buy his books.

Great book for Great Source of Enlightenment!
You wish you have read this book 20 years ago!

Sri Chinmoy is a living fountain of inspiration for the world. He writes from the heart in an elegant and lucid manner. His poetry communicates to our own hearts to stimulate the peace, harmony and love which are so simply already there. His rich Indian background and life accomplishments dramatically impower his messages.

It took me a long time to arrive at the place where I inevitably had to find this book. I find it to be the most succinct, beautiful, practical, and accurate work on the spiritual life that I have ever read. Long and bumpy is the path to arrive at this book, Wings of Joy. First I went through Catholicism; its rigid literalistic theology, though, leaves something missing for the thinking person. Then, Buddhism, with its deep meditation and striving for enlightenment. But there is something big missing there too: its rejection of the world is too non-intuitive, and does not make sense in trying to live a harmonious unified life. Then other independent religious thinkers, like Osho, whose books are wonderful and inspiring, but who demands that we tear down everything we have learnt from any institution (parents, church, state, etc.), in order to achieve the freedom that is our birthright. This may be the right way, but its radicalness can leave one feeling rudderless (in a bad way). It all leads to Sri Chinmoy, who, seemingly with direct access to God and the soul, has written a work that transcends them all. He does not reject religion, but says that they all contain truth: "each religion is right, absolutely right, in its own way, but when we cry for the highest truth, love of God becomes our only religion." Have you ever seen a more perfect statement. He does not reject the body or the world. He says the body needs the soul to illuminate it, and the soul needs the body to manifest the soul. So logical, so true, so inspired. Love is the answer, as it should be; not some detached enlightenment. There is not only one path, as too many religions demand. In short, this is the man, and this is the book. May you love it and each other

I have dealt with depression and lack of motivation for many years. Whenever I feel like I need a pick-me-up, I whip out this book and start thumbing through it. It has loads of ideas on things to do in your life. I recommend it to anyone and everyone who feels a little hopeless or bored sometimes. GREAT book!

I wish I had bought two...my husband got his for Christmas from me and he hasn't even looked at it yet. I have looked at it and love it. I may snatch it from him...

I bought this book about 5 years ago and have had so much fun reading it. I know I'll never get to do all of the "wishes" but I do check them off as I complete them. I would love to see how many I can achieve in the next 40+ years. It's a great book when you're bored to just pick up and open to any page. My kids have fun looking at it with me too. This is one of the greatest books I've ever opened!

This book made me realize two things when I received it in 1997. First, I need to remember how many things I have accomplished in my life. Second, what an accomplishment or "wish" is to one person is not to me. I define my own success.

I have been keeping for sometime a notebook in which I write things that I want to do in my life from sailing, visiting Italy, and writing a magazine article to eating less fried foods, and stop worrying for once. I have about 500 entries and its a great feeling when I can slash them off after they are completed. I bought Kipfer's 14,000 Things to be Happy About and I liked the lists of things she mentions that make you happy since it was so diverse and amusing. When I saw The Wish list, I thought perfect for me because it was just lists of wishes like that of my notebook. I like this book a lot because its simply ideas and wishes that I would never have thought about. From simple wishes such as join a health food co-op, learn to play the piano, stand up for a friend to the challenging, have dinner with former governers, hike the Appalachian, sit next to Jack Nicholsen at a Lakers game, this book has tons of ideas. I have added many entries from it and have never failed to be entertained by Kipfer's ideas. This is a small thick book that would fit well in a stocking, on your desk, and in good reading spots such as an office or even a bathroom. I love to pull it out and pencil off or circle entries that I have done or wish to do.

I have got the book on my hands before i was expecting.( outside USA)
In this case i knew the book.
I had bad experience buying books through other book Sellers and after had bought them i was informed that they were not available . I've got really disappointed.
When i buy a book i wanna make sure the book seller has it available.

If you are looking for a concise and practical guide to business writing, then you've found the right book. It is organized well allowing you to zoom in on the specific advise you are looking for (e.g., memos, letters, emails, reports). The chapters are easy to scan so you can readily zoom into areas that you feel would be most useful to you. The book provides specific examples that well illustrate the principles touted in the book. This was one of the main books used in a Business Communication class at NYU's Stern School of Business. I also found the Guide to Managerial Communication (7th Edition) helpful.

Concise, simple and straight froward advice.
It give you advices of how to write good memo, report, e-amail,....

Writing that Works, by Kenneth Roman, is a great, great, book on how to improve your writing on the job. Even if the only writing on your job is to reply to an occasional e-mail, this book will improve your writing immensely. This is one of the top three writing for the job guides I've read (out of dozens), right up there with "Plain English at Work", and "The Elements of Style".

This expanded version of an earlier edition of two seasoned advertising executive' original writing guide is something like Elements of Style, but aimed squarely at someone writing for business purposes (e.g., one of the ten chapters is "Asking for Money". There is a useful afterword describing a dozen more books to help you write better. Recommended as a good starting point for any business person wanting to write more effectively.

For anyone who has read Eckhardt Tolle's work or watched him on Oprah, you'd know about the hugely popular self-help movement that focuses on living in the present moment.
Richard Carlson's, You Can Feel Good Again, was written before A New Earth, and takes the same view as Tolle, but presents the material from a more practical and psychological perspective, rather than Tolle's spiritual one.
The book is an easy read (less than 200 pages) but Carlson's message is so clearly presented, that any extra chapters would simply be literary padding.
Carlson's aim is to divert reader's attention away from the constant chatter and judgment of their mind, and redirect their focus to their "Healthy Functioning System" - their inner place of peace. His advice is balanced, straightforward and simple to implement.
So if you're looking to take the theories of Tolle's A New Earth, and apply them to the everyday, I would highly recommend this book.




Zara Stevens
Boy Meets Girl: A Pocketful of Wedding Stories

This is a life changing book. It shows how our thoughts create our perception of life. Our perception of life is our experience of life. It doesn't go overboard and claim their is no objective reality outside our thoughts, as some new age teachings do. However, it does say that it's not the circumstances of our lives, but our reactions to them. It does repeat it's central ideas several times, but sometimes it takes a while for something to sink in. I really liked the chapter on wisdom. My only problem with this book is the subtitle, because I read this book when I wasn't depressed and still got tons out of it. It could be read by anyone who wants to think optimally and discover happiness in life. I am only writing this review, because I have the hope that someone might read it and get solid info about living a better life. Carlson is influenced in his writing by a school of psychology called Psychology of Mind. Psychology of Mind is based on the concepts originally presented by Sydney Banks. I think this is the most clearly written of the Psychology of Mind books. However, if you read this book and like it I would reccomend any of the books from the Psychology of Mind authors (e.g Wisdom Within by Roger Mills, Divorce Is Not The Answer by George Pransky). Also check out Sydney Banks website and books.

Dr Carlson has written many self-help books aimed at helping us to find the stable state of happiness that naturally exists within us all. He has now written this book specifically for those of us who suffer from depression. The book contains practical truths that are so obvious that most of us miss them or at least bypass them in the rush of our everyday lives. If you are suffering from depression this book will help immensely. Richard Carlson will show you how your state of depression is as much perpetuated by your own thinking as it is by any chemical imbalance that may or may not exist. I have read this book at the same time as receiving treatment with an SSRI anti-depressant (Cipralex). While I am unsure if the SSRI has benefited me at all after 6 weeks, I am certain that this book has changed my outlook completely after two weeks and that it continues to do so more and more with each re-reading. If I allow myself to slip back into my old ways of thinking, the severity of my depression rapidly returns. The good news is that it just as rapidly alleviates when I get back on track with my thinking. The book is simple to read and may seem repetitious. However, if you are one of Dr Carlson's target audience of sufferers from depression you should read this book and keep on re-reading it. You will find that on each re-reading something will leap out at you with greater meaning than it did before. I have highlighted many sentences so that I can rapidly re-read them, and have noted down the keywords on the title page. This way I can pull myself back on track quickly. The approach takes some work to put into practice but there is nothing as hard work as being in a depressed state. The hard work, by the way, is only in terms of changing your habitual modes of thinking, it does not involve making lists and analysing things as do many cognitive (i.e. thinking) approaches such as that found in Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns. I have found Dr Burns's book to be of some use also, mainly because it has helped me to identify particular types of cognitive distortion that help perpetuate depressive illness. This enables me to more accurately recognise when I should dismiss my thoughts, as Dr Carlson recommends in his approach. If you are depressed, low, angry, resentful, dissatisfied, unfulfilled, stressed, hurried, fearful or just not happy most of the time then read this book and keep re-reading it. I only wish this book had been available when I was aged twenty rather than forty.

The first time I read this book, I read it straight through and it seemed to say the same thing over and over again: I began to wonder why on earth I bought it. I am now on my third reading, and I'm reading just a few sentences each and every day. However, although the basic message is still the same on each page, "Live in the Present", Mr Carlson constantly gives new aspects to the message so that it drip feeds sanity into my brain. I wish I'd had this book 50 years ago, and maybe it wouldn't have taken so long to do its work.

Never has something I've read had such an impact on my life as this book has. In fact, I would never have imagined that a book could have this much impact on my life!