Personal Books

Crazyman's Economics

In researching "Crazyman's Economics", I discovered the "dirty secret" of Wall Street that they rely on the fees and hidden costs as Loeper so thoroughly describes in "Stop the 401(k) Rip-off!." To Wall Street's brokerage houses, it doesn't matter if your 401(k) makes money or loses money, the fact is that as long as you have your money circulating, Wall St. makes money.

Loeper is correct that you need to take a greater look at your 401(k). Where I disagree with his book is that no matter how much you work to take the fees out, the problem is that the entire system is a giant con game. I would recommend that people take money out of their 401(k) and then they won't have to worry about hidden fees.

But Loeper's book is necessary reading to get a discussion started in this country about the role of Wall Street and the need for accountability for those who hold trillions of dollars of our money.

What is the best way to "stop" the "rip-off?" One way is to find an alternative to the 401 itself. Perhaps "Stop the 401K rip-off" by David Loeper is garnering some deserved sales recently. Possibly because the financial markets are in a cyclical slump, and many Baby Boomer 401K holders are getting out their calculators. This book should lead some (not all) to question whether they should have the 401K plan at all to begin with. We know the tax benefits, but there are limitations of investment options, age restrictions, and hidden expenses (fees) that erode a worker's earnings over decades and limit allocation options.

The 401K is one piece among many investments in the retirement puzzle. This puzzle is shrinking, and retirement will be an illusion for tens of millions that will rely on the balance of the 401. Of course, the old adage of "diversification" is needed but some people are using other vehicles in their attempts attain critical mass or sufficient funds for living expenses in the latter years. And, what percentage of the 401K will be used for medical care? Pharmaceutical (medicine) costs? More than many think.

Yes, there is employer matching for some, but 401K plans are dishonest and limited. Some feel even more secure investing into the S & P 500 Index funds that are non-tax deferred.

The 401K plan has been intentionally engineered to steal from and cheat the worker. Congress has allowed this to happen. The lack of knowledge and ignorance has been engineered as well. The more ignorant workers with 401Ks are, the easier it is to profit via hidden fees.

Loeper tells us how to "stop the 401K rip-off." The gravy train of hidden expense theft is the foundation of the plan. The only way to stop the institutional and legally thievery is to stay in your plan and know *everything* about your plan, or to dump it and use alternatives. This is a good point with specifics.

2 key assets to this book. Exposing it and then advising on how to take actions. Loeper explains the "whats" of the 401 and also the "hows" of trying to reduce fees, fee disclosure, and offers points on getting in and out of these plans in the most optimum way. This book is necessary, but why should it be? Because of the systematic plan to separate as much of an American worker's money from him or her as possible.

"Stop the 401K rip-off" by David Loeper ought to be handed out by HR departments across the country when employees enroll in their 401K plans.

Dave Loeper exposes the dark, hidden and arguably unscrupulous (yet legal) ways 401k participants have been (and continue to be) robbed. More significantly he gives you the knowledge to fix this injustice. Read this book and act on it or prepare to cry about it during your retirement or lack thereof.
From my experience as a retirement plan consultant, investment advisor and independent fiduciary; it is a sad commentary that almost every employer I meet isn't even aware of the basic retirement plan issues (let alone the remedies) highlighted in this book.
After reading this book you will know more than your employer about your broken 401k plan, more importantly, you will have the blueprints to help them fix it.

What an incredible book! So many people invest in retirement programs. So many companies offer these programs. Sadly, very few people or companies negotiate well or know where to start. I found this book very helpful and a special discovery to the process of reviewing a company's retirement plan.

My name is Matthew Hutcheson. I'm an independent pension fiduciary, and have studied retirement plan economics for over fifteen years. Every American worker with a 401(k) (or a 403(b)/457 for that matter) should put this book on the top of their reading list. The information contained in this book could be worth many thousands of extra retirement dollars to you down the road. Mr. Loeper should be congratulated on one of the most important and practical retirement books of the decade.

When I picked up "Succeed on Your Own Terms" I was expecting some gems of life experiences because the sub-title is "Lessons From Top Achievers Around the World on Developing Your Unique Potential." I was not disappointed as I found each short chapter to be bring me a very good example of how an individual used and demonstrated a personal characteristic or trait. The book is easy to read and you feel well connected to what happened. You don't have to dedicate a block of time to go through this one. You can read it little blocks at a time and it goes just fine. Definitely take the time to do the online evaluation. I found it to be very worthwhile. Enjoy!

In the business world, self-help books grow on trees. When you see through their poser disguise and words, you find the authors often got rich TALKING about how to do X, but they themselves didn't actually succeed at the particular field. This title is an exception, and filled with wisdom. Herb Greenberg is quite an authority, and his book speaks here volumes. It has dozens of great biographical stories dissecting the mental thought processes from people who overcame extraordinary odds to become overachievers. People from all walks of life.

It contains an efficient, possibly eye-opening test to define your strengths and areas that need a little push. Great stuff!

This is a solid book written in four parts and twenty eight chapters with each chapter written by a different person who has experienced a particular learning. Some people you've heard of and some you havent but all have something special to share. I like the layout and the style and the messages. It is organized well and it is worth the read. You can read a little at a time or a lot. Worth the read.

There is a lot to like about the book, SUCCEED ON YOUR OWN TERMS, by Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney. This is one of the best "success" books of 2006. Greenberg and Sweeney of Caliper, an international consulting firm, share their findings from countless research interviews of successful people, many famous and familiar, many others you've probably never heard of, but all who have obtained a high level of achievement in their respective fields.

The book is presented in four parts and twenty-eight chapters. Part 1 introduces the authors and helps give an appropriate definition of "success" and how everyone's expectations of success are different.

IN Part 2, the reader finds individual profiles of people and how they have found success in their lives. This is some very interesting reading and really helps to illustrate the many facets of success. I would consider this chapter the "meat and potatoes" of the book.

Part 3, for me, fell a little short. It starts off in chapter 23 pretty well, giving yet further insight into personal obstacles of interviewees and what they learned from their respective journeys. Chapter 24 really becomes filler material and really detracted from the overall accomplishments of the work here, but the pace soon returns in Part 4, "Defining Moments, Lessons, and Qualities and What They All Mean". I found this chapter to be the best reading of the entire book.

In summary, a valuable book that was overall, very enjoyable. There were, however, a few disappointments. The book has an overabundance of profiles of politicians, which was a huge distraction for me. It's difficult for me to find inspiration from people like Jon Corsine, Charlie Rangel or Barbara Boxer. Nonetheless, gloss over the parts that don't interest you and just read the rest. It's well worth the price of the book.

SUCCEED ON YOUR OWN TERMS by Herb Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney is a book I'll want to
revisit often, if just to again read the story of Mugsy Bogues--the
shortest NBA player of all time.

He is just one of the many accomplished individuals interviewed
by the authors . . . they also spoke to actor Ben Vereen, Senator
Barbara Boxer, architect Michael Graves, and a wide range
of others from a variety of fields.

In addition, they then conducted a comprehensive personality
assessment on each person, attempting to uncover the defining
qualities that made them unique . . . all totaled, they came
up with a total of 19 qualities--including such ones as optimism,
resilience, empathy, persuasiveness, courage, creativity, and
self-awareness.

I enjoyed the in-depth interviews, as well as the many tidbits
of information that were shared . . . among the many
that caught my attention were the following:

* If two people are climbing a mountain together, what is the
most important thing they need to get to the summit? Teamwork?
Cooperation? The right equipment? Training? All those things are
required. But what' most important is the mountain itself. You
must have a goal.

* Once, late at night, he was crying because the result from one of the
surgeries was worse than expected. Jose Luiz recalled, "An old man at
the hospital called me over and said, 'Boy, why do you cry? Look
around you. There are patients here who will only live a few days more.
Don't just sit here and cry. Go and see them. And see what happens.
Maybe you can help them by just being there.' It was a very simple
message, but it changed my life and I carry it with me."

* [Gov. John Corzine of New Jersey] "The simple answer is that
if I made another dollar, another hundred million dollars, or whatever,
it would not change any aspect of my life. I wouldn't feel better about
myself," he said.

Perhaps the most valuable part to SUCCEED ON YOUR OWN TERMS
was the offer that came with it . . . readers are offered the opportunity
to take a free, in-depth personality assessment that will then be
scored . . . the results can be used to discover unique potential and
strengths with the idea being that they can then help locate situations
that play to these natural abilities.

Supreme Love: A Battered Woman's True Story
This is a story that was very compelling from the beginning to the end. Kelly was very honest and open in writing her story, and it is clear that she learned a lot of hard lessons along the way, while making a better life for herself and her children. This is an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of story that shows how happiness for a family can turn ugly with abuse. However, her cloud does have a silver lining when she finds the love of God. Given the fact that Kelly did the book without an outside publisher/editor, it does have several grammatical flaws, but the story is so very intriguing that these can easily be overlooked. Overall, the story was a great read, which I would recommend.

Kelly has done a phenomenal job writing this book! With her bravery of telling the truths of her story, no matter how personal or emotional it may have been, she brought out the reality of what goes on behind closed doors.

-It opens the eyes of people who are blind to what kind of pain a battered woman goes through.

-It gives the survivors of domestic violence strength to know that they too can get through the pain of the past and go on to have a much happier and fulfilled lives.

- And it reaches out to the women who are still in a battered relationship, giving them hope (knowing they are not alone).

Which is why I just purchased another copy to send to a dear friend. I know this book will reach out and inspire her as well!

-Destiny

This is an excellent book. A book that will open eyes and raise awareness of what goes on in a home filled with domestic abuse, and how a victim copes, and how an abuser operates. This should be in the hands of every community official who can make a difference in fighting domestic abuse in their area. It should be in the hands of every victim of domestic abuse. If possible, it would be excellent to force every abuser to read, but most would never read it because they would not want to see themselves starring back from the pages of the book and confront their own demons. I am praying that this author will be able to start the ministry to victims of domestic abuse that she has the vision for!

I love this book! It provides so much insight into the life of a woman, and her family, and what they dealt with for so long while living with an abusive man. And brings to light how devastating emotional and mental abuse truly is, as well as physical. Kelly Cyr also does a wonderful job providing her readers with details of the surrounding countryside, as well has historical data. I am enthralled with this book, and suggest it to anyone who is now, or has lived with domestic violence, in any of it's forms, as well as anyone who would like more insight on the actual life of a survivor! KUDOS KELLY!!!

I just finished your book yesterday. I must admit that when I bought it from you at the fair I wasn't sure I'd ever even read it. When I finally started it a week ago I truly was unable to put it down. I haven't got much done this week.

I was really disappointed when I ran into you a few years ago and you said you wouldn't return to nursing. It seemed like a loss to our profession. After reading your book I have changed my mind. I think you need to write. Keep it up.

The book was just tragic. I had no idea you were in such trouble. I wish I could have been there for you, Kelly! Maybe if I had actually come to one of the parties you invited me to I could have seen it. Sorry. You know if you ever need anything again, please call. I know we didn't work together long and haven't kept in touch, but there are only a few people that I consider friends and you have always been one of them.

Love you,
Nancy

Posted for Nancy Elmer, Great Falls, Montana

A great book that explains how as men we can be warriors that God intended us to be but at the same time being tender to what God wants us to do. This is on my list to re-read eventually again just because it's that good. I would recommend this book to anyone who is Christian and looking for a good book from a great author.

I got this for my husband because it was assigned reading for a Bible study. He is not an avid reader, but he jumped in with both feet and really enjoyed it. He did feel that he should take the time to go through it again, that his study meetings just scratched the surface. High praise from someone who usually reads only car magazines!

Stu is a man everyone could learn from. He redefines 'macho' and, as a woman reading it, makes you long for this tenderness from your own husband. The topics he touches on are supported biblically, statistically and scientifically. A man who can pull from this book and live his life as a 'tender warrior' is truly 'every woman's dream'. I have nothing but good to say about every area of this book. If your husband is at all interested in self and/or spiritual growth, this is a must read.

Stu Weber takes off the gloves and gives it to you straight. If you're a husband and/or father, God's word has some things you need to know. Avoid making the common mistakes and get prepared for the challenges.

Unlike the reviewer who cannot identify with Pastor Stu's military background, there are many who have served this country, that can identify with Pastor Stu's background and his major decision as a Captain in the 5th Special Forces/Ranger with service overseas, including Republic of South Vietnam. I believe his sacrifice to country and his previous role as a soldier (the values of Duty, Honor, Country) makes Pastor Stu more credible and a more powerful advocate of what it is to be a man, a GODLY man. I also believe that had Captain Weber not decided to choose the ministry over the military career, he would have been quite successful in the military and achieve a field grade ranking of General in the U.S. Army. As it turned out, the ministry gained an influential shepherd who has written a number of books that has and will continue to influence other men in their walk with GOD.

There are many worthy insights in this book and the others written by Pastor Stu. It has been some time since reading the book, but I recall that a key decision must be made by all men and that is, "Who is Your Authority?" This is a crossroad..."who will you follow?" With you continue to follow your own personal inclinations, the secular wisdoms of the day, or will you allow GOD to be the authority in your life, the guiding principles of your life, and obey the WORD? It is the most important question for all men to consider and then choose wisely. There are many other Biblically sound teachings that are covered. I will only touch upon one. As Christians who are walking in FAITH, there is a need to eschew being the "lone ranger", the Clint Eastwood-machismo solitary gunfighter that takes on an entire pack of vermin and wastes them all in glorious Hollywood images. Rather, a Christian man needs other GODLY men to stand with them, because the battle against the secular world value system and against evil spiritual principalities cannot be realistically defeated as in a Hollywood-Clint Eastwood shootout type scenario and a symbolic ride into the sunset....NO, Pastor Stu and the Bible identifies the need for comrades-in-arms, "Ranger buddies", other centurions, GOD-fearing warriors who will watch your back and your flank. You need others in this spiritual warfare. Otherwise, you will succumb. He tells it like it is. A strand of 3 cords is tough to break. A group/team of committed GODLY men cannot be defeated. Gideon had his 300. Joshua and Caleb had their forces, albeit invariably outnumbered in their battles, Joshua and Caleb's army prevailed. Obedient to GOD, go to Battle alongside other Christian brothers-in-arms. Put on the full armor of GOD and you will win EVERY Battle. Hope this review helps.

I really like this book. It is wonderful guidance. The only thing I don't love about the book is the over the top "spirituality" of it.

The guide to living mindfully is wonderful.
The book really shows how fitness and transformation must take place in all aspects of life.

The workouts, yoga, and meditation guidance is top notch.
But, like I said, it does get a bit cheesy from time to time, so just know that going into it.

This workout program is well thought out, very balanced, and it works. It's genius to recognize the importance of meditation to making gains at the gym. I had never done yoga before reading this book, and have worked hard to teach myself the moves in this book. I "try" to do yoga three times a week in my office, and I have found Il'g positions to be far more challenging then ones taught in classes around here.

This program works.

An excellent mind/body wholistic health educator, that not only gets one into to great shape, but also help's one deal with the whole range of emotional issues that accompanies a fitness program. I have found that the techniques learned in this book extends way past the gym, and into every aspect of my day-to-day life. One doesn't need to purchase useless pills, prepared meals, or powders to full-fill the author's well thought out programs and nutritional advice. In fact, one can do most of the book's mind/body exercises on the local walking trail or in one's bedroom, and all the proper foods can be purchased at one's local grocery store.

PS. I've also lost 30 lbs and I'm in better shape now at the age of 36, than I was at the age of 18.

This a very thorough book. I continue to like it more as time passes. It has detailed instructions for weight training, yoga , and aerobics. Who else will give you a superlative set of istructions for 'downward dog', and soon after do the same for 'overhead squats'?,(usually used as an adjuct to olympic weighlifters' training regimens). Ilg understands that the three systems must each stand alone technically to be done properly, but he also understands the synergy of the three. To paraphrase one of Ilg's thoughts: Yoga gives one the body awareness to improve at weight training, and weight training gives one strength to improve at yoga. This a wonderful insight, and it's this type of thinking that adds up to making this sytem the single best for most fitness seekers. (( It's available from Amazon's 'new & used' sources for quite a low price. )) I only have one complaint: Many of Ilg's promotional photos show him using yoga blocks, but the book uses no blocks .

This book is phenomenal.
I really love Steve's focus on functional strength, as opposed to
strength for strengths sake.
Ilg combines Yoga, Strength, Cardio, Meditation and Nutrition.

The workouts are challenging and extremely effective, they will transform your body (and mind) if you follow through. Steve's encouragements all throughout the book are very helpful/motivating.

This is a refreshingly open-minded source of health and medical information by a person's whose medical training began with the most traditional of medical approaches and expanded because of his receptiveness to his own intuitive sense and compassion. Tremendously valuable source of information and plan to follow.

I received the item in good condition. Well packaged and in a timely manner. D.Caradine

This is the best book on self-cure and healthy living, period.
It's easy to read and easy to follow. A friend of mine recommended this book to me a while ago and now I am recommending this book to anyone who believes in healthy living.
Dr. Frank Lipman provides detailed scenerio, and cures for 20th century health issues that he has helped his patients to overcome. I loved 'total renewal' book so much that I've been buying it for my friends and family members. The best part is that you don't need to 'join' website subscription if you are looking to cure your 'condition' like Kevin Trudeau's book on 'Natural Cure' does. In fact, I was quite shocked to see how Kevin Trudeau of 'Natural Cure' book never tells you about how to cure any illness in his book unless you become a member for his website which ranges from $10 to $500, which is just another way of making quick money.

I must, at the outset, declare an interest in my review. I am a diabetes sufferer currently being treated with a regimen of drugs living in a country where the foods one buys from any supermarket are diametrically opposed to the maintenance of good health.

My concern here is with the book per se as opposed to the beneficial effects that I may have gained from following the guidance contained within. It should not, therefore, be taken as a testimony about the good works of the doctor's method.

Given these qualifications, the authors, Dr. Lipman and Stephanie Gunning have done an excellent job. Essentially the focus of the book is that western medicine has become too narrowly focussed on the treatment of the symptoms of diseases throught the widespread use of manufactured drugs. Dr. Lipman's background has led him to explore alternative methods of dealing with the diseases themselves and found that some of these methods have generated results which are hard to ignore.

The book chronicles a series of steps which people should follow in order to restore a sense of balance in our bodies and in our lives and thus enable us to be fit and well.

I would stress that Dr. Lipman is not advocating a wholescale rejection of western medicine. Instead he embraces a holistic paradigm which incorporates best practices from everywhere, utilising approaches from yoga and acupuncture as well as herbalism and other areas in concert with the traditional enlightenment medical science perspective. He advocates utilising our physicians as partners in our health which we need to take personal responsibility for and advising us to be assertive with our medical practitioners if we feel that our concerns are not being addressed.

There are some drawbacks however, to implementing some of the steps he advocates. Firstly, in my experience, it is not easy being a vegetarian in the United States even though he is not advocating a vegetarian approach. Similarly, for working parents in corporate America, there is often not the time nor the capability to prepare food in the right way. To those who say that one must make time, I would only say that those people have the means to sculpt their schedules the way that they want or they do not have to be like the other rats in this particular trap because their partners are bringing home enough money to allow them that luxury. The main issues are essentially twofold. The lesser of the two is the lack of provision of retail outlets where health foods and specialist vitamins can be purchased over the counter. For instance, although I only live thirty minutes away from the New York metropolis, the nearest health food store is a twenty-two mile, thirty minute car journey away. The more serious negative factor is the sheer volume of sugar and calories contained in foods of all descriptions which are available from supermarkets and food outlets all over the country. At a back to school night last week the principal was boasting of the replacement of colas in the drinks machines with healthy drinks, and healthy snacks instead of chips and candy, while across the street from the school the catchment are parents continue to chop for food at the local supermarket, totally oblivious to the damage these foods do to their health.

That aside, some of the practical problems of instituting such a program, the central point is one with which I do not dissent whatsoever. The key to a long and healthy life is clearly a sense of balance, a yin-yang from which many in the world have strayed. A recent study in England, reported in the Financial Times indicated that Britain is now the fat man of Europe indicated by the huge volume of people who are now considered morbidly obese. This problem has severe implications for life and health but also for healthcare costs directly and indirectly.

Total renewal is one guide to avaoiding such problems and I have no compunction about heartily recommending this book to all readers.

This is an excellent rendition for total self-improvement. The volume covers holistic exercises; such as, triangular stretches,
the wall pose, half dog pose and many more. The volume lists
strategies to reduce stress, maintain bone density, neutralize
blood sugar, decrease body fat percentage(BMR) and improve
aerobic calistenics. Regenerate the body with Glutamine, Gamma
Orizanol- (rice bran oil compound to heal intestines ), Omega 3
fatty acids,flaxseed oil, Gamma-Linolenic Acid, Licorice Root
and Aloe Vera. Products which help leaky gut are Glutagenics,
and Perm A vite. Colostrum may be utilized to assist the immune
system in operating optimally. The author provides good protocols
for treating insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes.
He treats insulin resistance with a low-glycemic diet, limiting
intake of grains/cereals, exercise, non-starchy veggies and
Omega 3 , Omega 6 fatty acids and Glucobetics. A sluggish
thyroid may be treated with Thyrosol from Metagenics. Adrenal
exhaustion may be treated with Magnesium 300-500 mg.,
Zinc, Licorice Root, Siberian Ginseng and Ashwaganda (Indian
ginseng ). The authors deal with parasitic infections via
Grapefruit extract 300 millgm, Candibactin BR or Paraguard.
There is a resource section at the end of the book which shows
where to purchase the supernutrients. The book is an excellent
value for the price charged.

Glenn Harold's voice is hypnotic and relaxing to listen to.

The echoes, music and other special effects used in this cd really helps, by the next day I catch myself restating the affirmations in my mind.

(I'll be purchasing more of Glenn Ford's hypnosis!)

These CD's are an easy listen filled with wonderfully phrased, motivational words. Glenn's Australian accent is a pleasure to listen to. Places on the CD have music as well that accompanies the voice. I LOVE these CD's and own most of them. If you live in the states you may hear an occassional terminology that is not common in the U.S. (Example, in the weight series he uses a weight measurement of a 'stone' which is a British term that represents 14 pounds). This happen rarely and certainly does not detract from the message presented in any of Glenn's CD's. You can't really listen to these in the car as they are a little hypnotic so be sure you are in a stress free mind set and location when you listen to any of therse CD's. I felt they were worth every penny.

His voice an proper grammar have taken a while for me to get used to without smiling. By the second track I am often out. Whether my life is changing I will have to keep you all posted.
;-)

I own several of Glenn Harrold's CDs. I've tried many other relaxation/hypnosis products over the years and Glenn Harrold's are by far-and-away the best I've heard. As many of the other reviews have pointed out, the production values on these CDs are extraordinary, but that's not what makes them special. What makes these CDs special is how good they leave you FEELING.

Many of the other hypnosis recordings I've tried would either put me to sleep half of the time or just feel like a chore to listen to. Glenn Harrold's CDs actually make for a very enjoyable and pleasant listening experience. And regardless of how I felt before hand, I'm always left feeling refreshed, serene and on an "even keel".

If you're looking to purchase just one hypnosis title, make it one of Glenn Harrold's. You will not be disappointed.

I've only recently discovered the work of Glenn Harold. This is one of his most popular CDs and there is a good reason why. I like this CD mainly because there is no b.s. like on so many others. Everything is straight to the point, first you relax, then some positive affirmations are suggested to your unconscious mind which has to absorb them and start executing. One drawback is that I find he speaks a little too fast and leaves no time for the material to sink in. Perhaps if the pace was a bit slower, I would've given this CD five stars. Overall, good starting point for hypnosis exploration.

What Is Your Life's Work? by Bill Jensen is more than just advice: it gathers life stories and case histories of those who succeeded in identifying what really matters, using the letters and work diaries of others to mirror reader struggles. While the overall message lies in identifying life purpose, all the advice in What Is Your Life's Work can be directed to business solutions and issues as well as more general life concerns over risk, worth, and achievement. An excellent, cathartic inspiration for change.

What's important about work? What's important about life? What would you tell your kids if you wrote them a letter about what's important, what work and life mean to you?

Bill Jensen is a self-described simpleton dedicated to fighting corporate stupidity. Living a simple life in this complicated world is challenge enough, but this brave soul has committed to an even deeper mission. Cutting through the stupidity, bureaucracy, and politics, you'll discover that corporations are comprised of people. People. Ordinary, heart's-in-the-right-place people. These people have feelings, experiences, perspectives, and stories to tell. They have vital messages to pass on to others.

Jensen has collected those messages. Thousands of them, in the form of letters. Written documentaries from the depths of consciousness of the writers. Some are short, some long. Some deep and profound, others relatively shallow. Each has a message. This book is a collection of samples of the letters Jensen has collected. They are assembled on these pages, not to be read necessarily from cover to cover, but to be selected and absorbed at will. Picking and choosing letters, as the author suggests, is not easy-you'll probably read most of them anyway.

The letters are organized into chapters representing what Jensen calls his Five Discoveries: Finding Yourself, Finding the Lessons to be Learned and the Questions to be Asked, Finding the Choices that Really Matter, Finding the Courage to Choose, and Finding Joy, Serenity, and Fulfillment.

The book concludes with a valuable chapter on getting started with your own understandings and choices. This publication is a learning, a sharing, an inspiration to look more carefully at your own life to see what really matters. Curl up with this book next week-end.

This is not one of those how to feel better about one's self or situation. Nor its instructions on to be better in life. The subject matter is like a brilliant snap shot of all sorts of people from various backgrounds and professions and levels of society. They share some of the most amazing fears, tears, and most of all lesson learned within their experience. there is no good and bad...its just a collection of REAL stories written by real people like u and me!!

get this for sure if u want to feel collected and want to reconcile yourself. I know i pick this up every time i feel lost and hopeless; it doesn't care if u made it or not as far as material is concerned. I had recommended this book to 3 people whom are very well off and yet they too have felt lost in their "supposedly" full lives. I gave this as a gift to another who just started their first job out of college. ItS fantastic stories that move u :)

How often do we define ourselves by our work? How often do we equate who we are in life with our job title: assistant director, associate vice deputy, CEO, chairman, stay-at-home mom, etc.? So many people focus so tightly upon their job description as their identity that they ultimately lose sight of their true self.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK examines what truly matters from a distinctly human perspective. It does so not by dry, formal statements of principles (e.g., the 7-steps, the 10-tenets, the 9-objectives, the 431 value-added theorems . . . you get the picture). Rather, the author offers the wisdom of numerous individuals, precious metals refined in the furnace of everyday existence. The letters and journal entries, selected by Bill Jensen from countless thousands, answer the questions of what really matters in life and how one awakens (or reawakens) the passion in one's soul. The lessons are personal, poignant, and powerful; they are also as unique as are the individual personalities.

In lives of depth and meaning, certain themes emerge: self-respect, integrity, balance, the importance of family, faith, passion, selflessness, and compassion (to name just a few). Mr. Jensen's selections, for the most part, emphasize the transcendence of the individual toward a greater purpose than the accumulation of possessions, or the aggregate of mere activities and accomplishments.

There are two individuals, whose legacies to their children are sadly that of egotistical arrogance and strident selfishness. The reader will quickly recognize these shallow individuals - their stories too are most valuable.

Although a scant 200+ pages, WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK packs a tremendous wallop, a wonderful wake-up call to those who have languished in a low-level comfort zone, or to those who aspire to a higher place. It is a wonderful series of discoveries to those seeking a life of fulfillment and meaning in those areas that truly matter.

If you've ever wished you had a parent or mentor who would have shared with you what it is that matters most in life, because you've noticed that people who get such mentoring seem to have some kind of natural edge in the world... you're in luck. Bill Jensen's book WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK contains some of the most powerfully moving written exchanges between people that you are likely ever to find, and these gems of real life stories will set you on fire with their honesty and love. Every counselor, life coach, parent and child can benefit from reading WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK, as some of the most important life lessons are touched upon in deeply personal ways.

In an age when it's been said that the art of letter writing is dead, this book dares to raise the subject of we can best find a balance between work and the rest of our life. The intense passion conveyed in most of the letters helps bring this subject to life in a way that is sure to help anyone rekindle their own inner fire, and regain a sense of what it is we're all working for that really matters.

Nothing mattered anymore, my grades went down, i didn't care about life, i wanted to die. so i attempted suicide, my wrist is scarred and mutated, everyone said i was insane. then i heard from the family circle magazine about this book, and i swear this has helped me, and i'm so glad that not everyone thinks depressed teens are insane or stupid. and i'm glad there are people like lisa hurka covington that are talking to teens how valuable life is, and helping them sort out their problems.

This book combines compassion and empowerment with accurate information.

The author, a cousin of singer Curt Cobain, wrote this book to help make sense of her cousin's suicide. It is readable, knowledgeable and thorough. It helps adolescents understand what they might be feeling when they are depressed. It discusses how to interrupt the downward spiral and find a way out. The book covers both social and biological aspects of depression.

I felt that the author had a good intuitive grasp for how an adolescent might feel when he was in the depths of a depression. She reflects back the sense of isolation and hopelessness so that a depressed person feels understood. She provides information on how to get help when you don't feel that anyone out there is trustworthy.

She empowers teens by providing good information about the causes of depression and well as the treatments. For those who want more detailed information, she provides a resource list. I especially liked her section on how to stay healthy once you have recovered from the initial depression.

I have recommended this book to several teens. They felt that it made sense and was helpful

This tome is organized extremely well; one can start at the beginning or jump directly into any chapter. The background information is helpful and lucid for parents and the stories from the teens themselves tells it like it is but at the same time gives hope and tells of "the light at the end of the tunnel" for depressed teens, that things do get better. Highly recommended!

In When Nothing Matters Anymore, Bev Cobain offers a teen-friendly reference guide to adolescent depression, complete with self-help suggestions, counseling resources, and case studies of teens who sought help for their illness and now lead "normal" adolescent lives. Cobain is a credentialed author: a certified registered nurse, a mental health professional, and a recipient of the National Mental Health Association's Green Ribbon Award for efforts on behalf of teen depression awareness; however, the book reads like Cliff's Notes of a more comprehensive text - as if Cobain simply compiled the bullet-point lists, sidebars, and quick-reference statistics from an American Psychiatric Association web listing for teen depression. When Nothing Matters Anymore relies little on Cobain's personal observations and extensive experience, and too much on peppy, inspirational messages from its case study teens.

The book is structured in two parts: What's Wrong? and Getting Help and Staying Well. What's Wrong? is primarily diagnostic, providing a checklist for the reader to determine whether he or she is depressed, explaining the varieties and causes of depression, and outlining the correlations between depression and chronic illness, sexual abuse, sexual identity, drug use and addiction, eating disorders, and "perceived differences" from peers. Getting Help and Staying Well highlights treatment options, suggests ways to seek help from family or trusted adults, and lists self-help activities for readers undergoing treatment. Both sections include "Survival Tips" that a health professional might suggest to any teen: Get Exercise, Have Fun, Eat Good Food, etc. There are some practical suggestions, like journaling and creating mood charts, and there is a chapter dedicated to the important topic of teen suicide, but the book as a whole rarely digs below the surface of the illness and underestimates its audience's desire (and perhaps ability?) to understand depression more fully.

One aspect of the book that seems borderline inappropriate is Cobain's ad nauseam referencing of her cousin Kurt, the popular lead singer of grunge band Nirvana, whose suicide shocked the MTV youth culture in 1994. Perhaps this approach is an effective way of securing "street cred" amongst teen readers, but this hook feels opportunistic at times, particularly in "A Letter to Kurt Cobain," a three-page, sappy, metaphor-heavy eulogy in which Cobain rues that Kurt's handlers wouldn't give her the access that could have prevented his suicide. I understand the intent is to show the readers that she cared for someone they cared about and saw the beauty of his music and the tragedy of his death as they did, but to a non-teen reader, it rings hollow. Had Cobain been close with Kurt, a reader might not bawk at this inclusion, but she mentions that she did not know Kurt "personally," a fact that makes the multiple, casual mentions feel like name-dropping.

For the last year or so I had a few questions for myself. Why am I here? Whats my pourpose in life? Cant I just be dead? Dang do I wish I could give my life for some one else. This is really good book for any teen...

Not only is the author a good writer, it has a lot of good examples of other peoples life situations so you can auctly say "wow someone can really relate to my struggle".
Anyways, again its a good book and if you have any questions about it my hotmail address is [...]

Trever Arnason
Wide Open: A Life in Supercross
Jeremy McGrath
HarperCollins
© 2004
Pages 320


Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a professional motocross rider, or what it feels like? This book is an autobiography about Jeremy McGrath's life. It starts off when he is young and is first racing BMX bikes. He races in the local races in California, but these become too easy. As he gets older he gets better at racing and moves on to riding motocross. As the book goes on it goes through his adult life as a motocross racer.
My favorite part of this book was when he was telling about the parties that he would have at his lake house. The house would be crammed full of people and outside would be more people. He wouldn't even know half the people because they would just show up on their boats and get off at his house. His parties sounded like a lot of fun. The theme of this book was to not give up. McGrath had many struggles, which made it hard for him to go pro. Such as people telling him that he wasn't good enough, and not being able to get sponsors. But he never gave up and he was very successful.
I think that this book was really good. It had a lot of interesting stuff about the industry. Even though it was an autobiography and I thought that it would be boring, I really liked this book.

this book is great. this book will give you some helpfull tips in between the chapters. they've got some of his worst injeries ever. this book is great i think everybodey to read this book

Jeremy McGrath has been my favorite rider for a long time, and I was pretty excited to find out that he had put out an autobiography.

I thought the narration and sequencing of the book were solid. They covered all the major events of Jeremy's life and career. It is a very simple book, seemingly targeted for a young audience.

I had issues with the placement of some of the pictures, as well as a couple of typos. For example, a picture of McGrath with the caption identifying it from 2001, while the chapter the picture is located in talks about the 1999 season. Seems like the could have made room for that picture somewhere in the chapter that talks about 2001.

One picture was identified as Jeremy after winning the 1993 championship, when it was actually a picture from the 1998 championship, which was described on that page.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the pace of the book. I read it cover to cover in about 4 hours. I didn't really find any of it boring. The way the book is written makes it feel very down to earth and easy to relate to.

The book seems to be geared towards a younger audience, which is why I found it curious that there were a few swear words included. Not alot, maybe 4-5 in the entire book, but when I read those parts, the wording seemed very unnecessary.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't find McGrath to be bitter or morally bankrupt. He worked hard for what he has achieved.

Seeing as how the book came out at the beginning of 2004, only shortly after his retirement from competition, it would have been rather difficult to include things that he has done since retiring.

One thing I know he did after retirement was to write a book... and it was a pretty good read. At least for somebody who has followed Jeremy relatively closely for his entire career...

Jermey Mcgrath grew up in southern Califorina. When he was 4 years old he started racing bicycles. He was very good and competitive. he moved up to 80 cc mini bikes when he was 8. He made his way up to the 125 cc. For a while he didn't have a factory ride, which is when you have a dirt bike company supporting you. Then, Kawasake signed him. Win he moved up to the 250 class, he went to Honda. He won 4 titles with Honda. Then, he went to Suzuki for a year and did really bad with them. He went to Yamaha and got 2 titles with them. He created a team called Team McGrath/Mazda/Yamaha when he was 30 years old.

It was a very interesting book. I could never guess what was going to happen next. I would have never guessed that he won as many titles as he did. I didn't know if he was going to get the win or not ot get the lead by the first turn. The races thatthey had in the book were exciting. Thje races were exciting because he won most of them. They were close, and i didn't know who would win untill the end of the race.

It was boring at times, like when he talked about his parents. It was also boring at the end because there was no activity. It would of been better if there would have been more ezcitment like races at the end of the book.

Over all , it was a pretty good book despite of all of the boring partsand the injuries. I learned several things that I didn't know about Jermey McGrath and about supercross and motocross. A lot of them were interesting to me.

Genre: Biograph
Three sentece sumary : The king of super cross tells the story of how he started as a privater with nothing; and endend up as a legend.
What i liked most about this book: the book told the story of a profesinall supercross racer.
What i didnt like and why:The book didnt say much about what happend after his mx carrer ended.
My fariot charecter and why: Well jeremy mcgrath of coarse.
My favriot line or scene: when MC was battiling for fist with RC.
What would i say about this book to some one else: Its a great book to see how mc followed his dream and became a legend.
One question i have after reading this book: What did he do after he retiered.
My strongest resone for rerading this book : Its about the king of super cross and how he started out with nothing and got every thing.