Works Books

I read about this book in People magazine and just had to get it. The book was even better than I could even imagine. Would recommend buying the book for all your girlfriends. A real tear jerker!

I have been a long-time supporter of breast cancer research and really enjoyed the tales of these women who were all diagnosed much younger than anyone thought possible. This book made me laugh and cry. While I was sad when it was over, I walked away inspired and uplifted. Would make a perfect gift for any woman in your life!

I had the pleasure of meeting Kim at a Komen event where she was the keynote speaker. I of course bought the book after her talk.
Nodies at Noon is a very honest account of breast cancer in young women. The four women each write their experiences on several poignant topics. While some issues are universal to all women going through the breast cancer experience, this book highlights certain issues unique to young women. Child birth and motherhood are two examples.
The book is bittersweet with one of the authors losing their battle with the disease, and one giving birth to a second child. Like Kim herself, the book is warm and thoughtful.
I would recommend it to anyone going through breast cancer or supporters of breast cancer patients.

I bought this for my mom, a breast cancer survivor. I had read a bit of it before I gave it to her and really like the style, very clever and real. My mom did say she is enjoying the book but would have rather had it while she was going through her treatments. She says that it is hard to go back to that place in time be it in films, tv, or books. She is very involved in helping other women going through treatments and says that she plans to use this book to help her new friends. Best of luck to those of you out there facing this horrible cancer or have loved ones in this situation, but you are never alone and there are always angels when you least expect it.

I bought this book because the four authors are from Kansas City and I am really glad I did! I enjoyed reading their courageous stories and it was a real eye-opener about living with cancer and the toll the treatments took on their bodies. Their stories were a real-life account of what living with cancer is like. The book was a little repetitive at times, but overall very well written. Highly recommended!

My 8 year old thought it was old and boring but he did seem interested in a few parts of the story. Probably a little outdated for kids these days but I loved it. It was the kind of story I would read when I was little, but I am going on 50.

This is a very long, very wordy book. It's not suitable for last minute bedtimes, nor for toddlers.

It's very suitable for kids in the older end of the 4-8 range, or littler kids with a good attention span, though.

Not much happens in the story - girl loses a tooth, gets her wish of ice cream, has clam chowder for lunch - which is just the way real life works. It's so well-written that you don't even *notice* that the story moves slowly, you might as well be talking about your own life.

I really sound like I'm criticizing, but I'm not. All the points I'm mentioning actually make it a good book. Really :) Definitely don't pass this classic book by.

This has to be one of my favorites and no child should be without it. The text is lively and easy to read and reads like people really talk, which gives the story a lot of warmth. The illustrations are beautifully drawn with lots of detail and humor and also look true to life, from the pained expression on the dad's face as he's rowing the boat, to sister Jane peeking from the top of the stairs or chasing the cat under the bench in Mr. Condon's store. Jane is depicted just as most children her age really are - a real livewire who is both curious and active, climbing and getting into things - she reminds me of my 16 month old daughter! And Sal is accurately portrayed as a typical preschooler - asking detailed questions about everything and talking up a storm.

You won't be disappointed. This classic is a must for any preschooler.

This book is a beautiful picture book, and I still enjoy looking at it. The pictures are gorgeous. And this isn't a cheesy book. It's a wonderful story for children, and I highly recommend it! Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

To a child, every morning is a new start with infinite possibilities; at least that's how it should be. In this classic 1953 book Robert McCloskey brings a child's simple world to life. McCloskey, better known for his Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, gives us another look at little Sal. The story is timeless and his line drawings bring the children to life.

The simple coastal lifestyle of more than half a century ago may be hard to find today, in part because of the high local tax valuation of shore and island properties. Still, if you were to take a child to the rocky coast of Maine this summer, she could be little Sal in the clam flats. One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) is full of that magical atmosphere where the land and ocean meet. We all want that magic!

McCloskey's Caldecott-honored book tells a simple story. Young Sal wakes up on a sunny morning in Maine with an adventure in store. She and her little sister are going with their father in the boat to Buck's Harbor to dig clams. There are idyllic family scenes, lessons from their father about the world around them, ice cream cones at the store, and the disappointment of a loose tooth lost in the clam flats.

Simple stuff? It certainly is, and just the sort of simple stuff children thrive on. Sal's morning may be long ago and far away, but the curiosity and wonder of a child's new day will be with us forever.

Linda Bulger, 2008

In depth reaseach on post polio and related viral diseases. Must read if you or someone you know has this. Explains why you feel rotten and what to do about it.

Not a good first read. Mr. Bruno is depressing. I suggest Dr. Silver's book Post-Polio Syndrome, it is excellent!

I had polio at the age of 5. I was so much luckier than alot of Polio Survivors. I got Dr. Bruno's book from the library and read it and read it at least 3X. I have recently ordered the book through Amazon and I am so excited to receive it.

He is an exceptional man, who writes so we can all understand. I will be meeting with Dr. Bruno and his team the end of March, I do not know where my new journey will lead me but I know that I will be safe and in the best of care. I recommend this book to anyone who has had Polio or has unexplained weakness, pain and fatigue everyday.

Reading this book I felt like someone had entered my life and could see my thoughts and frustrations. It was strange. It is so true- we were taught avoidance of the issue.As a nurse I learned about polio in the past tense, and had read few articles on PPS. I had seen polio survivors, even gone to school with a couple but never talked to them and when problems started did not even know who to talk to.
Dr. Bruno covers just about every physical and emotional aspect-- now if I can just retrain myself to take care of me.
I was able to go to the Clinic and meet with Dr. Bruno and he is as genuine in person as he seems in the book. All the built up anxiety came tumbling out in a rush-- because this book showed he has pulse on my life as a post polio patient and seemed to CARE!!.
I think this book should be required reading for all in the medical field.

"Ah ha!" are the words I'd suck in as I read Dr. Bruno's book. After a year's research on my own, I found the PPS Institute and Dr. Bruno's book. Those of us who had Polio (or didn't know that "it" was Polio) only knew one thing - we were over it and had to get on with life and catch up ASAP. We had fear at our back door, and it pushed us onward, every minute of our lives. For me, after cancer, I kept thinking "Its just the chemo" but I had been told in 1982 I had PPS and "Use it or lose it" was the theory protocol, so I kept going like I was short in the back with a "22" fearing I'd lose some dendrite that would nourish a neuron, and the first symptom I had (in '82) would come back. Instead, I became worse - the results were what drove me to discover Dr. Bruno's book and go to the Institute: hundreds of falls, broken bones, lacerated head injuries, tripping for the past 50 years and feeling like a clutz, when I was known as the regional "Happy Tom-Boy" BP (before Polio).

By the time Dr. Bruno told me to just "rest - chill for a few weeks" I had to do it; nothing else worked. It DID. I read the book again, and again...trying to find a glitch in his neuro-networking and neurology statements, but I couldn't. So, I did go to the Institute.

Everyone who knows anyone who's had Polio, or any sudden onset illness, or even as my little sister, used to drip food out of her nostrils at age 2 (it was Polio - 1954), must read this book. Be prepared to talk to doctors - they must have PPS as part of their required CMEs NOW. Post Polio surivors can no longer accept mediocre care, and repeated anesthesia "accidents (as I did)." With or without insurance, humans have a basic right to respect and care. I had Polio - I knew I did - and the fears associated with going "back" into it were at times paralyzing in itself...thus I kept swimming daily - often for three hours and lifting weights, anything to avoid breathing problems again, or the horrid stiff neck, or ... seeing my arm next to me and not moving even when I yelled at it!

Post Polio Paradox will give the reader the information needed to take to the medical professionals, and to educate themselves, and . . . gradually, safely, comfortably, change their lives from the fatalistic Type A personalities (which did get us through the horrors of Polio), but paradoxically - aptly put, can destroy us now. IF we are real, we will be able to see our 'worn' parts, accept them, and move on to another phrase in our lives - taking care of ourselves. "Polio Class of 1950"

A brilliant book on all you need to know clipping, grooming etc of your poodle. I have saved heaps of money by doing the clipping etc myself. The best book out.

I needed a book as I am new to grooming a poodle for show. This book has been great when I need advice from bathing to brushing to products to scissoring and clipping. A must have book for those that want to groom their own poodle. I highly recommend this book.

The photos, text & descriptions are detailed. It really got my creative juices flowing. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to groom their poodle either as a pet or for show.

What a fabulous tool to have if you own poodles! Extensive details and photos on grooming and caring for your 'pood-child' is given along with detailed information on equipment. A MUST HAVE for new and experienced poodle owners, in my opinion!

I have owned poodles all my life, but never dared to clip one. I now have two standards and decided it was time. With this book (and a prayer) I have clipped my first standard poodle and she looks terrific! I followed the directions for the specified clip (Miami) and all went very well. It may not be a perfect job, but she looks darned good. I'll do her brother tomorrow!

In times of crisis, Barry is a voice of clarity. She interprets these moments as opportunities for growth and change by using a method of personal exploration that runs so deep she touches a place we have all been. Our biggest fears and the most humiliating moments of our lives are expressed simply and cleanly in Practically Shameless. The reader identifies with Barry's biographical descriptions throughout the course of the book. Perfect for beginners, the reader follows Barry's discovery of the ShadowWork technique, and the personal transformations she achieves using it. What she finds out is that uncovering and working through those crises is the key to her own happiness, and is perhaps the key to removing shame from our lives as well.

Practically Shameless: How Shadow Work Helped Me Find My Voice, My Path, and My Inner Gold is the unabridged audiobook rendition of author and Shadow Work facilitator Alyce Barry's self-help guide to revitalizing one's life. Barry draws upon her personal story of overcoming depression to explain the human shadow, and the transformative power of the Shadow Work processes. Shadow Work founder Cliff Barry provides a foreword to this helpful guide to positive metamorphosis, which delves into why humans resist change so much and how to tap into one's positive inner sources. Especially recommended for anyone interested in discovering the mental and emotional benefits of shadow work. 5 CDs, 5 hours 32 min.

This is the only book of its kind--an explanation of Shadow Work, a powerfully effective and safe method of personal growth and emotional healing, authoritatively written by a skilled and experienced practitioner. Its explanations and metaphors are clear and insightful. By telling of her own healing journey through Shadow Work, the author lends solid credibility to her material. The "Honoring Your Risk Manager" exercise brings the entire subject home vividly. This is a wonderful book for anyone wanting to become more conscious, more alive and practically shameless.
--Dennis Hartwell (Michigan)

This personal story about her own journey was insightful and helped me to understand the terminology & process of "shadow work". The book was easy to read for those of us who struggle with technical jargon. I found myself cheering for her as her personal growth unfolded right before me!

This review relates to the audio book. First the caveats: (1) As Alyce makes clear in the book, Shadow Work is brand name for a particular method of personal growth and the certified practitioners who offer it for a fee; (2) The book may be difficult to fully understand or appreciate if one has no experience in self-examination or the 'inner path', (3) While I personally have no stake in Shadow Work, I did attend one of their workshops in 1998 which was completely ethical, safe and professional. It was also very helpful for me.

That said, I found this short book to be a wonderful listening experience. I have been an avid audio book listener for over 25 years, and when I see an author reading their own material I usually brace myself for a difficult listen. I was pleasantly surprised that Alyce has a clear, friendly and authentic reading voice. Listening to her story in her own voice proved to be very touching. My only technical complaint is the occasional transition in the audio, probably associated with the editing/recording process, where her voice is louder, or quieter, and the tone or feeling seems a bit disconnected. This was a temporary experience, and always faded away once I refocused on the content.

And the content is really helpful. I won't go into too much detail, but will say that the Shadow Work method, and how Alyce almost stumbled into it by accident (and is now a practitioner and author) is reflective of experiences many of us can see in ourselves. She is honest and direct about her journey without making herself the center of the story. The center is how each of us can heal painful patterns in our thinking, feeling and behavior if we are willing to "do the work". The project of self realization takes time and effort, and is incremental. Alyce suggests this when she describes her happiness and wholeness today as "most of the time". She also gives due recognition to the ManKind Project and Women Within as 'entry points' for many people into healthy spiritual growth. My life is richer because of this book.

This book is definitely a good catch. Very informative in alternatives to natural remedies and in explaining the symptoms of each. Very good book.

This book contains a lot of useful information as far as basic nutrition provided in a format that is easy to access and comprehend. It is not going to give you a quick fix or magic cure, but instead reinforces the concept of treating the whole body nutritionally to attain a balance. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in health and nutrition and would like a reference tool.

This book was highly recommended to students by a certified Nutritional Consultant staff member who works at The Global College of Natural Medicine, CA. where I am attending an online 12 month Nutritional Consultant course. He uses this book regularly and so do the students. If you want good information, whether you're in private practice or an individual, this is the book.

I've always leaned toward natural cures and remedies since watching three family members die/dying of cancer, wasting away to nothing and being tortured through chemo and radiation.
This book has:
Symptoms
Other diseases/conditions that can mimic the same prognosis
Diet recommendations (Foods to avoid, Foods that make condition worse, Foods that soothe/heal)
Herbal Remedies
Holistic Remedies
Aromatherapy Suggestions
Reflexology Points/Suggestions
Acupuncture Points/Suggestions
Case Studies/Surveys
Causes and Solutions
I borrowed this book to my neighbor who has frequent bouts of Gall/Kindey stones and had multiple surgeries. He changed his diet to the recommended suggestions and is taking Cranberry extract and other ideas from the book and is doing great now!
The book tells you what your Doctors don't!

I love this book. If you are tired of doctor's prescriptions then try this book. It tells you what you can do for any kind of sickness and the best of all, is all NATURAL, will never harm you. If you have kids and don't want to use strong medications for their cold, allergies, etc; then try it. I just bought my mother a copy. She loves it!

Kelly writes in a compelling way creating parallells and connections between him winning the various tasks on The Apprentice and his military experience. I like his style and his sense of taking responsibility even when things go wrong. Humility is deifinetely a trait a leader must develop!

I found the book a pleasant read and I liked the fact Kelly was talking a lot about the lessons he learnt in life and how these experiences enabled him to move on.

I grew up with some idea of what military life was like due to my Dad being in the Navy - but I must admit it's never held a lot of interest for me. Reading Kelly's book did actually shed a whole new light on what advantages military service can bring to other aspects of someone's life. The principles that are discussed in the book (Duty, Impeccability, Passion, Perseverance, Planning, Teamwork, Loyalty, Flexibility, Selfless Service and Integrity) are all really worthy reading for anyone in business and the military slant I found surprisingly gave it more bite and interest.

This is a great book that draws comparisons between Kelly's military service and his rise through the entrepreneurial ranks. I know Kelly personally, and he is not only a successfull businessman, he is also a devout humanitarian. Highly recommended!

I recently purchased "Take Command" for a college course. I chose this book because I am a fan of the television show "The Apprentice." I could not have picked a better book to read before I graduate and re-enter the business world.

The ten principles that Kelly Perdew learned while attending West Point can be used by anyone who wants to get the most out of life. Duty, Impeccability, Passion, Perserverance, Planning, Teamwork, Loyalty, Flexibility, Selfless Service and Integrity. I plan to use these principle's to be a strong leader in everything I do.

I always wondered how I would have handled military training. Kelly details how physical strength is only a small part of it.
I was very impressed with how Kelly got into West Point, as well as what it took to graduate. His business experience explains how to handle a loss and come back and do things better. The experience this guy has at such a young age is unbelievable!

If you are just looking for a college, read this book! If you are graduating and looking for a job, read this book! If you have been working for ten or twenty years, read this book! "Take Command" includes great stories about Donald Trump, Ross Perot and Marsha Evans to name a few. This book will teach you to be prepared for anything and to perform well under pressure or during a crisis.

Kelly Perdew details how the ten principles became second nature during his military training. Anyone can learn and use the ten principles. If you want to challenge yourself to be a strong leader in business and life, "Take Command" will put you in a position to succeed.

This book by Apprentice winner Kelly Perdew is a worthwhile read. Written in the style of many military-business leadership books, it swtiches back and forth between Perdew's Apprentice exploits and anecdotes from great military veterans turned business leaders. The stories about Perdew's career, Apprentice tasks, and about others are both inspirational and entertaining. I am giving 4 stars because he talks about principles, but does not go deep into the reader's application of them.

Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile read for both the Army or corporate officer.

I love reading about converts to the Episcopal Church, I am one myself. The more unusual the story, the more it interests me and Miles' story fits that bill. Although I found some things about her puzzling- for instance: she calls herself "lesbian" but has an affair with a man (Huh?!) and then she seems to think that getting pregnant in the middle of a war was a good idea (What?!), I thought her life was fascinating. She is also admirable for starting the food pantry, and for linking food to ministry and to communion- the Body of Christ. The analogy is excellent. It also shows how a church can be so open and welcoming to all people from all walks of life, and although not intended as an ad for the Episcopal Church, it sure serves as great publicity!

Take This Bread: A Radical ConversionThis book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the community of food! Sara Miles is a writer and was an athiest who came to understand the role of sharing a meal in building community. After a varied career of cooking in restaurant kitchens and serving as an activist in poverty stricken and war torn countries, she comes home to a radical conversion resulting from the simple words: "Take this bread" said to her at a service of Holy Communion. Her conversion leads to growth in understaning the community that God intends for all humankind. Along the way, she is drawn into the community with afforded by a food pantry program she starts at her newly found church community.

Its all about the human hunger for belonging and for the meaning that comes from sharing food!

A wonderful book and a quick read!

Sara Miles' book "Take This Bread" is a perfect read for our times. Her realization that feeding others is an ultimate act of goodness came during a worship service. But the real story is what she did next. She went out from that church and created a feeding program when others said it couldn't be done. Then she helped others create feeding programs. I have recommended the book to people of different faiths and political views. They all love it. And even more, they have been inspired to get involved in helping the hungry. The new paperback version contains a Readers' Guide - perfect for book groups.

take this bread is one of the best left-of-center spiritual memoirs i've read, ever.

sara miles is a self-described liberal, an intellectual journalist who spent much of her life covering wars from the side of the oppressed (often in stark contrast to u.s. policy). she grew up in a staunchly athiest home (though both of her parents were children of missionaries, which ends up playing into her story in surprising and deeply satisfying ways), and was, as she says, the last person her friends would have expected to start talking about jesus.

sara walked into a san francisco church one day -- called, one might way; compelled, she wasn't sure why -- and took the eucharist. and something clicked, in that moment. she had an encounter with jesus that she was never able to dismiss or shake off. eventually, her connection with jesus became a compelling call to feed others, as she was fed. sara started a food pantry, literally ON the alter of her extremely nervous church. the book walks through her multiple conversions, and those of the people around her, many of them already professed christians.

the comparisons to anne lamott are easy (especially to anne's first spiritual memoir, traveling mercies). both are brilliant with words; both are liberals from san francisco, who grew up in book-loving, athiest, intellectual homes; both are liberal in every sense of the word; and both are deeply in love with jesus and passionate about following his lead. this -- i think -- is what seperates both anne and sara from classical liberals, who spent a good deal of their time distancing themselves from jesus.

but sara miles and anne lammott are not the same. sara doesn't have annie's wit, which, while i absolutely adore annie's wit, makes this book somewhat more compelling, and a bit less like a collection of witty, liberal, jesus-y essays. if annie's "theme" is her self-loathing and insecurity, sara's strong-willed theme is: food. food weaves its way through every chapter of the book: from her childhood, to her experiences as a chef in new york, to her connections with people in the third world, to her intitial and ongoing experience with jesus, to her establishment of one, then many, food pantries. it's hard not to read this book and not simultaneously hanker for a chunk of some cheese you can't pronounce, and want to give that cheese to someone who wouldn't otherwise experience their next meal.

wonderful, wonderful reading. challenging at points. highly edible. deeply nourishing.

From the moment I began reading to the last page I was hooked. I think this is a book that every church should own and require all outreach workers to read. In my view, Ms. Miles grasps and conveys in a succinct and direct manner just what it means to act out one's faith, a faith that has nothing to do with politics or what is expedient, or what will please people the most. There is a need, one responds, and that's all there is to it. Ms. Miles does not romanticize working with the homeless, feeding the hungry. She presents the challenges and difficulties clearly and realistically. This is not "fun" work. It's not meant to be fun. Yet,as I read this, I was struck by her understanding and acceptance as well as the clear conviction that this is what she was meant to do. Again, a very worthwhile read,immensely helpful and hopeful.

The great power of Arnold's book is in the real world examples of forgiveness he offers. Some of the examples have an "everyday" kind of quality to them while others are staggering in terms of the ability of people to somehow cut through their hurt, anguish and rage to come to the point of forgiveness. Arnold avoids the "Oprahzation" of forgiveness by reminding the reader that forgiveness takes both truth and grace into account He neither diminishes nor denies the hard realities with which people must live. Arnold devotes much space to the self-interested nature of forgiveness. We forgive because such an act works toward our own good. I would have liked to have seen him devote a bit more space to those instances in which people forgive because they see it as a way to display something of the character of God even when they themselves may never find peace through forgiveness. My only critique of the book is that author does not provide bibliographical references. The book is full of wonderful quotes and stories. I would like to have known the sources. Further, a recommended list of readings would have been helpful. However, having said all of that, this is the kind of book that makes you want to take off your shoes as you read...you recognize that you are on holy, holy ground.

Why Forgive? Hard as it may be this book shows in a simple and powerful way that the only way to true freedom is through forgiveness. While bitterness seems the roads to take and hatred towards those who have hurts us the excepted emotion, Arnold dares to tells us the true stories of people who choose the road less travel and in the end found the freedom to let go and change their world by forgiving. He also gives us a look into the lives of those who choose to be angry, only to destroy themselves. This book is moving and powerful, it is a striking lesson of something most people and talkshows refuse to speak about. I only pray that people out their struggling with bitterness and revenge read this book and know there is another way.

A powerful, emotionally driving book, "Why Forgive" provides a framework of forgiveness that not only defines why it is important to forgive, but also how not forgiving eats at us like a cancer until it kills our happiness and our very essence.

With true life stories of amazing acts of forgiveness, the book shows how forgiveness is required before truly moving on to complete healing when you have been wronged. The extremely powerful stories show how forgiveness has allowed individuals to regain their lives after severe tragedy has entered their lives. Instead of taking the easy path and allowing anger and hate to destroy them, they make a choice that results in a deep peace. Pick up the book, learn to forgive, learn how it is necessary for true peace, choose the road less travelled and choose forgiveness. If there is a book that should be required reading for everyone, this is a contender for that book.

This book will banish any lingering doubt that forgiveness and reconciliation is the linchpin of good in this world. Filled with compelling personal accounts of those who truly have the right to ask us all to forgive, the book has the power to change the direction of your life for the better. Don't miss it!

Forgiveness is the key to real freedom. The path to forgiveness is not always easy. The renewal of the act of forgiving makes the path easier to travel. The road to forgiveness becomes smoothly paved as we forgive and keep on forgiving. Our journey gets easier with each trip down the original path, leading to the paved road of freedom and happiness. See chapter 14, Not a step but a Journey.

This book serves as a constant inspiration to me in my own meditation practice; I have read it countless times. As a psychotherapist whose modality involves working with my clients in a state of mindfulness (www.wisemenopause.com), I also recommend this book as a clear, concise introduction to meditation.

I have an edition of this book that I picked up about 15 years ago. I keep returning to this book year after year and have never tired of it. It has survived many purges of my spiritual library over the years. This book is sweet, easy to understand, and helpful. It defines a meditation practice that is easy to apply to one's daily activities. It is helping me relate more gently to the world and my life and is helpful in learning to awaken to the spaciousness and freedom that are ever present.

Fabulous book. Chapters are different talks given during a retreat. Insightful, down-to-earth as usual for her writing.

This is one of my favorite books by Pema Chodron. It not only does a very good job of describing the essence of Buddhism, but it goes beyond that in making Tibetan Buddhism more understandable and relevant to a Western audience without deveating from the tradition. In short, it contains the heart of the teachings of the Vajrayana. A nice complimentary book if you are interested in going deeper into Tibetan Buddhism is Fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism. These books compliment each other and the latter puts all of the Buddhist traditions in historical context. Huston Smith's essay in The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions or Buddhism: A Concise Introduction. You get more bang for your buck with the former Huston Smith book, however.

The fundamental teaching of the Buddha involves the following realizations: 1) Life is suffering; 2) The cause of suffering is selfish desire; 3) To get rid of selfish desire, follow the eightfold path. The essence of the eightfold path is a moral life grounded in a strong loving-kindness practice (A Mahayana emphasis, but true of all schools). This book provides precisely that -- a path of loving-kindness that any person could follow and apply to their life. When asked what religion the Dalai was, he once said... "my religion is loving-kindess." While the Dalai Lama didn't officially endorse the book that I know of, certainly it is written in keeping with this spirit.

This book covers a LOT of ground in short volume of about 108 pages. It looks at the existential situation of not being able to escape our life and the human condition which is characterized by suffering. The Buddha said as his last words, "be a lamp unto yourselves." I believe the intent here was that no super mommy or daddy in the sky is going to come down and save you from the human condition. You must look deeply to see the truth and this will liberate you from samsara or the cycle of suffering. In this book, Pema Chodron describes the Buddha's teachings and more importantly practices to help you to arrive at a place of loving-kindness and equanimity.

What I most like about this book is that she keeps things simple. She also describes Tonglen practice and other forms of meditation and habits of thought that cultivate a mind that is not locked in conditioned thinking. Krishnamurti once said, "seeing the truth deeply is what liberates, not your efforts to be free." A corallary to this might be... yes... but what limits how deeply you can see is your depth of compassion for others, but primarily for yourself. This book is a manual about how to cultivate a loving-kindness that allows you to penetrate the insufficiency of living for things like money, sex, power and status. It is a good read for anyone.

If you are interested in a somewhat different Western perspective or something to contrast these writings with then try A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life. This book by Jack Kornfield emphasizes an earlier Buddhist tradition namely the Theravada (Way of the Elders). Mahayana Buddhism was an outgrowth of these teachings and Tibetan Buddism (Vajrayana) a further extension and elaboration. Jack Kornfield is a Western psychologist who spent a number of years in Thailand as a Buddhist monk and his perspective is accessible, entertaining, practical and complimentary to this book. If you are looking for a more integrative read that relates to Western Psychology directly try Toward a Psychology of Awakening: Buddhism, Psychotherapy, and the Path of Personal and Spiritual Transformation. This is a more difficult read, but extremely worthwhile. There are other recommendations on my listmania lists of this is your area of interest.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but there are just a couple of things about it that make it not quite as good as I was hoping. First, her interpretation of the Four Noble Truths is problematic in my eyes. Basically she take Tibetan teachings on egolessness (which are great teachings in their own right) and superimposes them on the Four Noble Truths. Her interpretation does not ring true for me - she states that the 2nd Noble Truth is "resisting life causes suffering" and that the 3rd Noble Truth is learning to let go of our "selves"/ego. These are valuable teachings but do not represent the more usual (and probably academically correct, as well as more powerful, in my opinion) translations that I have read: that (very summarily put) the 2nd Noble Truth is that that craving/desire/grasping causes suffering and the 3rd Noble Truth is that ceasing to crave/desire/grasp results in the cessation of suffering. Her interpretation is not wrong, but it is a bit of a Chinese whispered version of the Four Noble Truths and I would have liked her book better had she not re-interpreted them like this. Secondly, she writes "from above" a little. I feel that she comes across like a lovely, cosy, caring and wise Aunty. For me this made her teachings have less impact. I preferred Tara Brach's "Radical Acceptance" (which deals with a similar subject - accepting life as it is) to "The Wisdom of No Escape": Brach's writing is a bit more raw and personal and she writes like one sister to another sister (or brother)).