Will Self Books

I'm a new bass player and this book is great -- I actually sleep with it, hoping to absorb even more through osmosis. I love Patrick's straight-forward approach and sense of humor. While I haven't looked at many other bass guitar books, I like how this one uses music, tabulature and the grid to show what to play. The initial/basic exercises are great for a beginner like myself, and make of lot of sense in the learning process. The CD is helpful, but it keeps playing straight through from one example/track to the next. I might need to change the settings on my computer or CD player, but I think it would be better if it stopped after each track so I could manually play the tracks, one-by-one, and look at the book at the same time to see exactly what is being played. Hopefully, when I become a great bass player, after using this book and practicing a lot, I will be quoted on the cover :) right up there with Adam Clayton.

I simply love the "For Dummies" book series. So, as a beginner in playing the bass, I had to purchase this book immediately and I found out that it's exactly as I expected: an introduction to the world of bass guitar, written in a funny manner, without the usual boring details that a "normal" guide would provide.

BOOK AND CD ARE A GREAT LEARNING TOOL BOTH WERE VERY GOOD.I RECOMEND IT FOR ANYONE JUST STARTING OUT LEARNING BASS GUITAR.

This is a great book for finger exercises and getting your hands in shape to play. In addition, I found that the discussions on theory really helped me to understand how bass player created their riffs. The only weak spot is there are not alot of songs to play with, but you can find those everywhere.

I highly recommend this book.

This is a great book to get if you're just starting to play, or even if you're more advanced. It goes step by step in very concise, simple lessons. Even if you get stuck or don't understand something the people at Dummies are extremely supportive.
To give an example, I was stuck in one part of the book or didn't exactly get something, and I e-mailed customer support at Dummies. They must have got in contact with Patrick Pfeiffer (the author of the book) and he actually called me on my cell phone and explained everything to me! It's one of the nicest things anyone has done for me and I was quite blown away by it. So if you think you'll have an interest in playing bass, I would not hesitate to buy this book.

This book helped explain how I make my life more healthy and the reasons why I should make certain changes in my diet.

Interesting book, makes alot of sense in regarding your own health. I've passed it on to several friends. Definitely worth the read.

This book explains in very easy to understand detail why the current medical system is not patient friendly. It does not know how to treat chronic illness very well if at all. Many doctors have tunnel vision and treat so many of their patients like one size fits all. I have multiple health issues that are definitely improved by a good diet and the right supplements. The nutritonal info is terrific. I knew much of the information already, but it is great to see it reinforced by these authors. A must read for anyone wanting to improve their health and wellness. The whole foods concept is what I grew up on and it is something we all need to get back to. I am on a journey to better health, and this book will definitely give me some good info to use.

I found this book to be extremely helpful. It outlines health issues in a very easy to understand way and gives great tips on tests you can ask for when you visit your doctor that will help you determine how to manage your long term health. The author makes a great case for preventing disease rather than dealing with it in crisis mode. He does a very through job explaining how all you body systems need to work together to create a healty life.

I have started following his program and have never felt better!

This book is a mixed bag. On the good side the early pages were excellent and informative. The first chapter is a health myth test. There was a lot I didn't know and I was drawn in. Then the first half goes into the health care myths and why they aren't true. Informative stuff. And it is the first book I have seen to dispense with the illusion that your doctor and health care provider are going to look out for you -- and be blunt about it.

But the second half got lazy. The authors started contradicting themselves; ie. don't diet you will lose muscle mass; but then saying a few chapters later to eat less as many studies had concluded that eating less was healthy for you. They say eat less in one sentence and then spend chapters telling you to eat more. Eat more veggies; fruit; more fish; more nuts.

They keep telling you that mainstream doctors won't listen and that mainstream doctors won't run unnecessary tests. Then they ask you to go get unnecessary (to many doctors) tests. Um right. How can I get the tests they want me to get if I have to go to my doctor to get them? So the entire basis of this book relies on a doctor being willing (and my insurance being willing) to pay for the tests that they admit doctors don't see value in at this time. They keep referring to what they do at Canyon Ranch -- well sorry we can't all be your patients.

Then they keep telling you about things that are bad for you, such as mercury poisoning, but not telling you in detail how to cure it or treat it. Well isn't that why I bought the book?

The final chapters are an ill-organized mess of saying the same thing over and over and over until you can't tell why you are doing what. I am pretty sure that *throw in everything but the kitchen sink* was what they were aiming for.

So, I am glad I purchased the book because it does have some good things in there that I didn't hear before (did you know that eating slow helps heal your stomach lining?), but I will have to go through it at few times and cut it down to the things that are most important in my life and that I can reasonably do.

Hilariously unique book. Gives you great ideas about life. Not sure I would actually try most of the instructions but it's sure fun to think about what would happen if I did. The illustrations and photography alone are worth getting this book. I consider it one of my nontraditional design references.

This book absolutely dovetails with my ADD like personality. Each things to do is unique. They don't give you cheesy, boring or obvious things to do like go to the movies, learn a language or make a candlelight dinner for your date instead each one is very specific, interactive and guaranteed to bring instant enlightenment or give a jolt of creativity. For instance, consider the one where they tell you that you are legally entitled to buy a unit of an item from a package like you can open a beer from the box and buy it, and encourage you to do so and test shop owner's legal knowledge. Or how about the one where they tell you to collapse Bangladesh's economy? Or if you are an inventive type then how about that one where you invent punctuation marks. Telling you, this book is one of a kind!

This is an interesting little book. It's filled with certain things to do, or objectives for every day of the year. While it probably won't change your life as the title suggests, it will give you some cool ideas. It is the perfect book to leave out on a coffee table or end table in your house and when you have guests over, if they happen to pick it up, it is a guaranteed conversation starter. The pages are all in color and include some interesting graphics. Check it out if you are looking for a strange little book.

Will this book really change your life if you do every task in it over the course of a year? Probably not - for one thing, in the current homeland-security-above-all-else climate in the US, a number of them are likely to get you maced, tazered, or worse.

But. Who among us can't use a push every now and then to break out of the humdrum routine of our daily lives? Some of the less far out suggestions in this thick paperback can certainly do that! I do think it's overpriced, considering you're supposed to tear out some of the pages in order to complete certain "tasks," but for all that, an entertaining read into the farther reaches of "what if."

"This Book Will Change Your Life" may not completely change your life, but just flipping through the pages can still add a little pizazz in your everyday happenings. While the tasks are often extremely goofy--or too out-there to actually complete--I appreciate how it challenges you to live outside the box in small, silly ways: ways that that will make a difference over time or, if anything, make a good story to tell strangers/sinner party guests/your friends/your significant other's parents. (Writing a letter to a mass murderer--as instructed by the book--is a good topic starter/stopper.)

I found this to be extremely difficult to follow but it's well worth it. I read the book and listened to the CD in my car. I enjoyed it so much, I ordered the bracelets and CD for work and hopefully we'll create a small group to meet weekly, listen to a chapter and discuss it along with our personal experiences.

I and my congregation have found this book and the wrist bands to be very helpful in curtailing our words of complaint and criticism. This morning in worship people were encouraaged to take more bracletts to their family and workplace. Only six remained. Not only does Will Bowen make us stop and think before we speak but it has become a fun thing for the entire community. What a blessing this has been. Pastor Kristie Firme

THIS IS A VERY WELL PRODUCED CD SET. I HAVE NOT YET BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH 21 DAYS OF NO COMPLAINING, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. THE AUTHOR IS THE SPEAKER ON THE CD'S AND I THINK HE KEEPS YOUR ATTENTION. THE FOCUS IS CLEAR, THE EXAMPLES GIVEN BY THE AUTHOR ARE FRESH, AND THE MATERIAL IS VERY LIGHT, UPBEAT AND POSITIVE. I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD INVESTMENT THAT, GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY, CAN BETTER YOUR LIFE.

The first thing to understand about A Complaint Free World is that Will Bowen is NOT saying to be a doormat! He explicitly says "Directing a comment to someone who can improve your situation is not complaining." He says "I am NOT advocating remaining silent when there is something that has happened which you need corrected." His assistant, Marcia, says "It is NOT about stuffing your emotions in and putting on a Pollyanna face."

What they are going on is Dr. Robin Kowalski's definition, which was used in a famous study on complaining. "Whether or not the particular statement reflects a complaint ... depends on whether the speaker is experiencing an internal dissatisfaction."

So it's important to know this up front. This book is ALL for speaking out, speaking up, making changes, seeking improvements. It is about doing those things in a way that keeps you healthy, and will best reach your goals.

So, with that being understood, what is this book about? Will Bowen was trying to inspire his church members to live more attentive lives. Many of them had financial difficulties. The financial planning books they had talked about how complaining did little good to help - that people had to face their problems head on, work out solutions, and then work through them with energy and focus.

Will liked this idea and thought he could help people with the complaining part at least. He ordered 500 purple wrist bands that said "spirit", passed them out, and asked everyone to try not complaining for 21 days. If you complained, you moved the wrist band to the other wrist and started counting again. The moving-the-band was key - it was a physical action, something that your brain began to pay attention to.

People thought this would be easy - and then discovered they had to move the band 20 times in one day! Will himself broke 3 bands with all the moving before he succeeded. The average person who tries this takes 4-8 MONTHS before they succeed. However, they improve as time goes - and they report being SO much happier by the end.

Why?

"You can best get what you desire by expressing what you WANT rather than complaining about the way things are." People actually made far more progress in their lives when they phrased their desires in a way that enticed action, instead of in a way that was negative. Listeners get defensive and hostile at criticism - but they feel drawn to help if you are going for a positive goal.

"You have a right to get what you deserve. To achieve this don't talk about or focus on the problem. Focus BEYOND the problem." This is echoed in many other books. What you focus on is what you tend to get. If you complain about being fat and unhappy, you'll probably stay fat and unhappy! If you talk about your goals to go walking more, and your desire to go walking, I bet people will cheer you on and offer to go walking with you.

As Earl Nightingale says, "We become what we think about".

They have distributed 6 million FREE bracelets already, so this is resonating with a lot of people.

Will lays out the four stages of achieving mastery of ANY subject, including non-complaining.

* Unconscious incompetence
* Conscious incompetence
* Conscious competence
* Unconscious competence

What this means is we start out trying a new thing without realizing just how hard it could be. That's fine, otherwise we might not even try smile So with complaining, we start out thinking "heck that's easy" and then realize just how much we DO complain. So we're now conscious of how much work is ahead of us. But then over time, we get much better at it with attention - and finally it is a normal healthy part of our lives and we do it naturally.

The Psychological Bulletin study on complaining found that many complain to get sympathy, attention, or to dodge out of doing something. They even found that doctors felt 2/3rds of all visits to them were based on something mental / emotional! For example, someone gets extremely stressed by work - and this drives up their blood pressure. Think of how much more healthy we could all be if we found a better way to deal with stress and issues!

Ben Franklin said "The best sermon is a good example." Will points out that you shouldn't complain about others complaining smile Don't try to change others. Just be yourself, and don't "feed" their complaining. You might find they change naturally when they don't have a complaining buddy!

Will emphasizes that this is NOT about being a passive doormat. Martin Luther King Jr had his dream. Rosa Parks took her seat and held it. They had a positive vision of the future, and they went for it. They achieved great things.

He reminds you to think about why you are complaining, if you do. Criticizing a place (like a cheap restaurant) if often a form of bragging about your more sophisticated tastes. Criticizing others is a way of saying you are better than they are. He says it is fine to "process" - to share your feelings. "I feel upset because of what was said." He says it is less healthy to deliberately bash others, "She is a stupid jerk for doing that."

Overall I found this a very well written book, with great examples, a healthy dose of humanity, and a wonderful message for us all. Will doesn't say this is easy. He doesn't even say this is for everyone. But I definitely agree that many of us complain at the drop of a hat, over things that are really not a big deal at all. All that stress affects our bodies and our health. If we were able to find the humor in life - and find positive action to fix the things we want to fix - our world would really be a much better place.

Highly recommended!

I saw this book lying around my office: probably it was a review copy. So I picked it up. It didn't take long to read (and it didn't take long to write either). So here's the deal. Order a "complaint free" bracelet from a website (address thoughtfully provided). Wear it on your wrist. Every time you complain, gossip or criticize, switch it to the other wrist. Result: in 4 to 8 months, you will reach the goal of not complaining about anything for 21 days straight. You will be HAPPY. You will be SECURE. You will know BLISS. You will be assured of salvation in the life hereafter.
This book is written by the lead pastor of a church in Kansas City, Missouri. It includes nuggets realy profound and hard-earned wisdom such as: "I finally looked at the word insecure. It's the opposite of secure." (page 79.) "I discovered that the word spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus (page 89). "If you will begin to call the people and events in your life by names that spur positive energy in yourself, you will find that they no longer bother you and in fact can be a real bonon for you." (page 104.) "To criticize means to find fault with someone or something."
Far be it from me to criticize! So by all means read this book. It's only 176 pages long. It won't take too much of your time. And once you've read it, you too will be able to "start enjoying the life you always wanted." It's that easy, isn't it?

It is on David's sixteenth birthday that he decides to make his name change official--he is now to be known as Blue Avenger, and he hopes that he will be able to live up to this new personality. The idea of Blue Avenger was something David invented years before, after his father died in an accident. David used to draw cartoons of a character he named Blue Avenger, a brave and noble guy who was willing to help others.

Shortly after David becomes Blue Avenger, things in his life do start to change. He begins to feel he has the power to affect those around him. He notices injustices and does what he can to correct them. He finally works up the courage to tell Omaha, a girl he has long admired, how he truly feels about her. She, surprisingly enough, shares his feelings and Blue ends up with his very first girlfriend.

The nagging though, though, in Blue's mind for as long as he can remember, has been whether he really has a choice in his decisions. It seems as thought he has taken control over his own life and has changed things drastically, but is he really in the driver's seat, or is it nothing more than fate that has brought him to this point?

I really liked Blue's character--he was confident and very self-aware for a teenager. He saw the things that were wrong in his world and he tried to make them better. I also liked his relationship with his mother and his brother; it was refreshing to read about a teenaged character who didn't hate his family.

The whole idea that the other adolescents at Blue's school would simply accept his new identity was a bit surreal; I'm certain no high-schoolers are that tolerant. Imagining that there is a place in which they could be, though, was part of the charm of the story.

See the thing about this book, is that it's not exactly like most young adult books. It really makes you think. Seemingly random events in the book pop up, only to have great significance later in the story.

This book also had the added bonus of making me laugh. Some jokes in it are subtle and hard to pick up, some are more obvious.

One thing I suggest is to read this book more than once. Especially if you didn't understand it or like it the first time. Even if you understand it and liked it, when you read it the second time and know the plot and the ending, you can pick up on the wonderfully clever twists and tricks in it.

An excellent book about a remarkable young hero, who is grappling with the old philosophical problem of free will. If every event has a cause, then how can we be free? And if we are not free, then how can we be held morally responsible? This book, more successful, I think, than the second in the series (though that was still far superior to most teen fiction out there), illustrates this problem extremely well at the same time as it introduces some very intriguing and likeable characters who face real world problems and solve them in real world ways, while managing at some level to feel like superheroes. While it touches on some themes (death and sex, both touched upon in a very sensitive and non-explicit fashion) that may be too mature for very young children, I think the book would be appropriate and enjoyable for anyone over 12 years old (and I mean anyone without age limit, since I bought this for my daughter and picked it up one night and couldn't put it down).

This little book is a great read for all ages. There is philosophy, fame and fortune, family issues, and fun facts and descriptions, not to mention a great pie recipe! I found this book at a local thrift store and what they say is true - one man's trash is another man's treasure!

"The Adventures of Blue Avenger" is a book about a highschool boy who changes his name to Blue Avenger so he can be a local hero and do the world some good. He prevents varias bad school operations and mishaps from happening and finds himself attracted to a certain girl named Omaha Nebraska Brown. Blue is a good man that tries to do the world some good or at least his town.

My favorite part of the book is when Blue stops a little kid from firing his new toy gun at Omaha in the mall. Omaha is very sensative to toy guns and dislikes them because they portrey the real fatal fighting that happens today. Omaha starts flipping out on the kid, I mean really screaming at him, so Blue then settles the dispute by slipping the kid some money so he'll stop his quarrelling with Omaha.

I do not really reccomend this book for a few reasons. I do not think that the book is very realistic. I can't believe many of the things that happened during this book. Also, there were weird things about the characters, such as the name Omaha Nebraska Brown. The second reason is that the highschool enviornment in this book is more like an elementary school enviornment. You can't classify this book as a regular fiction. It needs to go under it's own sub-category of fiction. Besides the unrealisticness, this book could of been good if it were based more on an average teenager.

I not only recommend this book, but also the other motivational books Pat has written. I have had the pleasure of reading them all and meeting him in person as well. He has a contagious personality and an energy level and spirit that most only dream of. He relates to everybody, since he has experience with the rich, poor, disabled and gifted. His stories are inspiring and you can learn a number of good life lessons from Pat.

One reviewer (from Moscow, Russian Federation) wrote:

"It is expecting success in the future and doing the best you can to help God make you prosper (and this does not mean lighting lots of candles in churches, at least not limited by that). "

Maybe the reviewer doesn't realize that God can only communicate via candles, which is why we light them. To omit the candles would be to nullify any aspect of the wish / prayer.

There are several bloody good points in Pat Croce's book "I Feel Great and you will too!"

First and foremost, it is the power of positive attitude. According to Pat, it was his permanently positive attitude that helped him score big in life. A positive attitude, in turn, comes in several dimensions. It is self-confidence and sincere believing that life is an extremely great thing to experience. It is expecting success in the future and doing the best you can to help God make you prosper (and this does not mean lighting lots of candles in churches, at least not limited by that). It is pushing other people's limits, helping them achieve more than they have even dreamed of. It is "doing good" to "do well". And this all genuinely generates your excitement and further reinforces your positive attitude.

Pat also stresses the importance of balancing your passion and tolerance, the Yang and Yin, in doing things. Being an extremely choleric person himself, Pat emphaqsizes the importance of cultivating tolerance and caring, the Yin, while it is clear from the book that the lack of Yang (agression, energy and passion), or over-restraint of your Yang, can damage the optimal balance as much.

You have to have enough passion and energy to quickly rush into doing what you think is good and worthwile, to "buy" the minds and souls of your pals into the idea; but you also have to sometimes calm yourself down, sit still, and listen to the emotions, concerns and advice of others. Or, more in Pat Croce's style, to restraint yourself from getting too hot and breaking the skull & bones and ripping off the heart of someone who dared to say a bad word to you. And that all requires a good deal of Yin.

Being a physical therapist himself, Pat shamelessly advertises the healthy lifestyle (physical therapy in particular), and does that so damn great, that I just couldn't keep myself from going to the gym the day I finished his book. So if you wish you had yet another stimulus to get yourself to a fitness center - this book will be a double benefit for you.

Overall, the book is mostly a fun read, tells lots of interesting stories, and gives plenty of great advices. It also motivates you to do good things, become rich, engage in sport, and enjoy your life to the fulliest. A great book.

P.S. I recently heard Pat Croce live, and it's nice to see that he learns and progresses. His motivational speech was mostly based on the facts from this book, but they were used more skillfully and also demonstrated some important points that this book does not make clear. Holla at you, Pat!

whether or not you know the name pat croce, once you read his inspirational story you can't help but know the name. his motivation and drive launched him from the training room of sports injuries to the front office of sports ownership. an endless go-getter who went and got, pat croce reminds the reader to be hopelessly positive. his 'ten commandments of customer service' is a bible of business. and if owning the 76ers basketball team and starting the high-altitude Slamball league weren't enough, Pat Croce is also a highly motivated motivational speaker, author, television personality, and as his book says 'big scorer.' he'll tell you the secrets to being able to drain that 3-pointer, block that kick, and make that sale (though not all at the same time)! don't think of him so much as an 'entrepreneur' but more as an 'encourageneur.' he even inspired me to write this review! read this book!

There are useful pointers when you don't have the time to go through the 2nd or 3rd time. Also, Pat gets straight to the issues (i.e. not beating around the bush) to lengthen the book.

Trust me, it is worth your time and money. And yes, I FEEL GREAT !!! after reading this book.

This book maps out the terrain that 76 million people are now entering. The social implications are dealt with at length. The thought of living in poverty in one's 'Golden Years' should sound an alarm for boomers who are addicted to consumption and worse yet the 'Plastic Enabler'. I have purchased copies for my siblings whose devil may care attitudes of today presage a painful tommorrow. Definitive studies on the physical effects of aging are being done by companies like Geron Corp.whose "telomerase" technology could reveal a basis for aging and the slowing or reversal of its effects.

After reading this book at the insistence of a college I have come to the conclusion that this is nothing more than another
attempt to force "lite" socialism down our throats with fear mongering. The good doctor is kind enough to scare people
into believing in his utopian remedies. What ever happened to individual responsibility? This work was so self serving and liberal in its content that I wish I could give it a quarter of a star.

A book everyone would benefit from reading. It's a MUST read. Not only are the issues well presented with clear and insightful facts, but thoughtful answers are presented - solutions we can all begin to pursue. I didn't realize, as educated as I am, that I knew so little about this issue. Great wake up call!

This is an extremely interesting and important book. It seeks to identify the major social trend of the human future, and indicate ways it can be shaped for the benefit of us all.
The dramatic rise in the average length of life which took place in the twentieth century is according to Ken Dychtwald going to continue in the future. The great cohort of the Baby Boomers, seventy- six million strong is moving into 'Old Age' and they will bring with them new demands and even a new definition of the condition of 'Old Age'.
As the author sees it we are moving toward a 'gerontocracy' where the older segments of the population will have more and more power, not only in the market- place, but in determining the values and priorities of society as a whole.
For Dychtwald the fact that more and more people will live longer and longer lives, and will be an increasingly large proportion of the population raises challenges for Humanity as a whole of a kind we have not faced before.
Will Old Age become as it is for so many now a story of chronic illness, increasing disability? Or will the new technologies and medicines that are emerging enable for most a transformation where not only the age of old age will be pushed backward, but where a new ' cyclic' kind of life- style will begin with people starting new careers, new lives, new worlds of interest in old age?
The questions are many and Dychtwald provides a text which is tremendously rich in information and suggestions.
He points to the fact that the United States is not now really preparing itself for this dramatic demographic change. And he indicates that nonetheless many prescient and active individuals are moving toward extending their lives in a healthier and better way.
There are many questions raised by the books arguments that I cannot begin to address in this review. One is the question of what happens to the human spirit , the human power of innovation, the whole feeling of hope in life when there is in effect a world of older generations only, with so little youth in it?
Other questions I have relate to the overall purpose and meaning of lives seemingly dedicated to their endless extension and pleasure. And here I should say Dychtwald is very aware of the necessity of creating futures in which people ' give' to others, find meaning in their lives through helping.
On the whole I am I think a bit less optimistic than the author of this work. Perhaps it is because I recently spent time , over a month, watching an elderly relative receiving the most advanced medical care , which did not prevent her suffering and decline.
I have no doubt that the future will have many more people who live longer and healthier lives. But it seems to me at this point anyway that it will also have many more people living in conditions of chronic pain and disability.
I too despite the 'vision' that is presented so competently here cannot in my heart cry out, "Brave new world that has so many old people in it."

A very thoughtful book. Paints a vivid portrait of the major issues we will be facing this century. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to understand what future demographics has in store for us, and how we should prepare for it.

If you don't believe in god or not catholic/christian, you will not like this book at all. I had to return this book because it was toooo much spiritual for me to belive.

Pass it on.. there are lot of other authors who can claim vicotory without Religion..

I really enjoyed this book. The shipping was very fast, and the book in flawless condition (which it should be anyways). I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

In his book, "8 Steps to Create the Life You Want" author Dr. Creflo Dollar inspires the reader take a closer look at their life compared to God's Word. This has been helpful for me because I have been in a spiritual "rut" of sorts. By taking each step carefully with clear, focused attention, Dr. Dollar leaves nuggets, practial applications (or what I would call principles) and reminds the reader of the power created through spiritually developed words, thoughts, emotions, decisions, actions, habits and character which delivers us to our destiny -- and when the above are not founded upon the Word of God, we live beneath our privilages and often outside of God's will for us.

As a writer, I enjoy the book most because I can interact with practical applications by writing down areas of success in which I desire and searching the scripture related to these elements of success. Kinda like the research for which I was trained.

At less than $15, this is a book you'll want to purchase for others, share with your children and refer to when you feel like slipping backwards.

I am an Episcopalian who has really learned a lot from Creflor Dollar's approach to the Bible. His preaching has an easy style. Yet, he is able to get to the substance and meaning of Biblical scripture and how to apply it to one's life. This book is more of a workbook to think through than a book for informational purposes. I bought it for many friends and family for Christmas '06.

These steps really work! Dollar knows what he's talking about. Amen!

I have become so super wealthy that I don't have to work anymore. I'm trying to emulate Dollar's life by buying many of the finest things for ME! There is virtue in being selfish people, it's about time somebody had the courage to stand up and say it's more than OK for a man of God to have two Rolls Royces and a multimillion dollar apartment in Manhattan. It's what God wants of us! The money is not better used on the poor, take care of your own house first and let our spending create new economies of scale! Soon we'll all be driving Rolls Royces!

Peter Cameron gives us a breezy, sophisticated summer reading (but it will prove a perennial, sturdy and always apt) that packs a punch. A central character you will not want to forget and will wonder about as if he were a real person. We meet James here. Sequels could follow. It is not likely he will ever be as fresh. It is a highly literate novel in which all characters display immense respect for language in the ordinary functions of living, and when they speak, they consciously try to use languge in the most effective and correct way....... now, isn't that a delight?!.... and from a volume, so deliciously slight. The solemn and Victorian "Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You" is precariously perched on an undercurrent of humor that occassionally comes to the surface as unrestrained laughter. It is mostly very funny. Though Pain is indeed there, and not only in James, don't be mislead by the title: Pain can also be funny if the elements of humor are identified and allowed full rein within the proprieties of atmosphere and style. Peter Cameron's characters are masters at doing so. The title itself is a tongue in cheek tribute to optimistic literature of the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Underneath the detritus of upper middle class New York living, its substance and its pretensions, these people can manage themselves quite well, faux passes and all. Maybe it has to do with their concern for not only the correctness, but the rightness of the English they speak so well. Get the book. It can be read in a day or a day and a half leisurely. You will be glad you read it. May even pass it on to an offspring, preferebly a boy.

You know a book is great when you feel attached to the protagonist. It can work both ways however ; You can either really like him, or really hate him. For this particular book, it was the latter. This eighteen year old kid is a cynic. An uncaring and overly dramatic cynic. There were so many times I just wanted to bash his brain into the ground and beat some sense into him. That's not to say that the book is badly written, however. It's a great read! I sure do hope I'll never meet a guy like James Sveck, though.

this is a great coming of age book.
Great for young adults (and parents too)

This deceptively slim novel has no significant bells and whistles, and its plot, what there is of it, is ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. But oh how it will take your breath away. This book has the sting of truth in every sentence, and I devoured it in less than 2 days - I read it with more gusto than anything I've read in the last few years. The writing is actually dazzling, and you will remember with an ache these delightfully dysfunctional people, so carefully rendered, so beautifully observed.

Someday this pain will be useful to you is a Young Adult book that should be in both the YA and the Adult fiction sections of bookstores and libraries, so no one of any age will miss it. It's beautifully and intelligently written and 18 yr old James Sveck gripped my heart. He's a serious and sympathetic New York teen trapped in his mind and stunted by what he expects of himself and others. The way his mind wraps around the things people say and do-- the human condition: observing it and untangling it is intriguing and totally absorbing. That James is not a knee-jerk teen but rather pensive, deliberate, and literal provides insight into a world of interesting adult characters that inhabit his life: his parents--divorced and self-absorbed-- his older sister, a co-worker and his therapist (the sessions are fantastic.)An incredibly compelling read with a character I can't stop thinking about, I won't forget. I could easily reread it again and again.

Regarding the filed of personal growth: Analysis, introspection and application is like preparing, planting and harvesting a garden, so where most books teach you how to pull some weeds and tell you what your harvest should look like, Ken's book allows you to choose your destiny, help prepare the soil, plant your seeds of thought, and then actually experience the rewards.

As a psychologist I understand the importance of finding the right questions to help clarify issues. Ken Forster amassed a fortune in great questions! The book is categorized into 38 chapters that focus on the most important issues that we too often do not think about enough. The questions will stimulate anyone to think more, analyze their situation more carefully and reach a higher level of awareness as a result.
Some questions really require a well thought out elaborate answer, others can be just a yes or no. The deeper prize one gets going through this book is training your mind to search for the right questions on your own. If you were to actually answer all of the questions, I am sure that process would certainly launch you towards greater success. To put it simply, the basic concept of the book really resonates with me, if you ask, you will receive. Get this book and start answering the questions, you will observe faster progress in your life.

I found Ken Fosters book very useful in helping me focus on issues that were holding me back. By concentrating on one of the questions in the book at a time and writing down the answers as they evolved, I eventually arrived at a solution that showed me the action I needed to take.

This is a book that I will refer to frequently, such is the nature of life that I do not know which questions I will need to find answers for in the future, but I am sure that they will be in one of the sections of this book.

I am pleased that I bought the book and would recommend it to everyone searching for answers to their limiting questions.

I was fortunate to meet Ken and his wife in San Diego, through a series of synchronicities, that led me to meet the author of this book, Ask And You Will Succeed. I bought this book several months ago, and I found the questions powerful. The book is easy to read, and one must be reflective when you read some of the questions. They carry great importance, and it seemed like every sort of question and covers all areas of life improvement. It's easy to reference and find a topic that you can refer to, and I didn't even read it in chronological order! I just found the section that was most needed and learned these amazingly powerful questions, which when asked, and answered by your subcounscious, do create results, as things start showing up in your life. I would highly recommend you get this book, ask and you will succeed.

I have been utilizing Ken's book in my private practice and in my personal relationships from the moment I received it. Ken inherently understands the value of asking empowering questions and how effective the process is in helping others cut through the mental clutter to reach their own inspiring conclusions. His questions move us beyond the story of who we think we are into who we are destined to become.