Training Books

This book was highly recommended in a APDT article for it's information on how age affects learning in the "Development of Behavior" chapter.

STEVEN LINDSAY WRITES A VERY COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING BOOK THAT CAN BE USED BY BEHAVIORAL SPECIALISTS AS WELL AS A LAYPERSON WANTING TO TRAIN THEIR DOG. THIS BOOK HAS IN DEPTH EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY SOMETHING OCCURS IN A DOG AND HOW TO COUNTERACT ANY UNWANTED BEHAVIOR. EXCELLENT REFERENCE BOOK.

I did not buy this book for myself. My daughter-in-law has a kennel and needed several books to recertify as a trainer. Sorry

This is book has a wealth of knowledge. It addresses formal behavioral analysis and dog anatomy in a text book fashion. The strength of this book to me was how it covered each topic micro and macroscopically. I have heard many conflicting beliefs with respect to interpretation of dog learning. Each opinion is addressed and supported by scientific study here and not just taken left to the "because I said so" sort of logic I often hear. This is a dense read. It covers many subjects I had no clue that I may even care about but I took a lot from it. I look forward to reading volume 2 & 3.

Mr. Lindsay has compiled a thoroughly researched, well written tome, that is perhaps the best book on canine behavior I have ever read. Readers who enjoy detailed manuals respecting the reader's attention span, intelligence, education, literacy, and quest for knowledge will cherish Applied Dog Behavior and Training. The book is sufficient as a textbook at the graduate university level. For readers interested in learning intricately about the developmental history of domestic dogs, ontogenetics, neurophysiology, sensory physiology, canine psychology, learning theory,and training/conditioning theory this book is nonpareil. Moreover, the book is insightfully organized and formatted so it as easy to read as possible given the depth and breadth of the text and concomitant illustrations.

Nevertheless, unfortunately, Mr. Lindsay's book is not for everyone. In fact, it is probably appropriate for very few pet professionals and even fewer pet owners. The book is written tantamount to the materials utilized within a Master's or PhD program in biology, psychology, zoology or animal behavior. Although I am enthralled with the book, I believe most persons will be fatigued by the amount and complexity of information.

With all the books on hiring out there, I didn't expect to find one that showed me a system that worked flawlessly. This is a must have book if you are at all involved in the hiring process. It's worth its weight in gold! Buy it before it sells out. Enough said.

Over the dozen years that I've been interviewing and hiring staff, I have "self-developed" many of the techniques the author presents. However, I had not formalized them. This book provides methods and procedures, helps develop a mechanical thought process, to structure the pre-interview selection, the interview, and the post-interview analysis.

I used the book to augment my own "self-grown" interview process recently and with tremendous success.

This book is a "must have" arrow in every manager's quiver; young or old, new or mature. Whether you have "home-grown" an interview technique, had HR force one upon you, or are looking to develop a strategy, this book will help.

"High Impact Hiring" by Del Still is a must read for everyone from the President of a Company to the Dept. Manager charged with interviewing & hiring decisions. Once you have read this book you will find you are more equiped to gather the pertinent information on candidates which will ultimately give you greater success in this most important decision. Hiring the right individual is one of our Corporate clients greatest challenges so we have been giving this book to them to assist in facing the hiring hurdle. With the assistance of the book they are capable of meeting the hiring challenge with confidence. As the President of one of Southern California's premier CPA firms I am involved in all of our own internal hirings and am so grateful to have read this book. My advise to those of you who are involved in this process is "Don't hire without first reading this exceptional book!" Your business cannot afford the wrong individual. Creating an exceptional company can only be acheived with exceptional people within an organization.

"Making the right hiring decision is more important today than ever before." Del J. Still writes, "I don't have to tell you about the impact of smarter competition and globalization of today's business on profits. I'm sure you've felt the pressure. If not, you will. Even the smallest company cannot afford to operate as they have in the past and expect to suceed in today's pressure-filled environment. How do you win? You win by building an exceptional work force"(p.19).

In this context, throughout the book, he presents his 7-Step interview model that can be summarized by one seven-letter word- 'PROCEED.' He argues that "It is an acronym where each letter represents one step of the process. 'PROCEED' is your blueprint to interviewing success. You'll be amazed at the results you achieve when you follow this process, step-by-step"(p.42).

Step 1: Prepare

* Identify existing superior performers

* Create a job description for the position

* Identify the competencies or skills needed to do the job

* Draft interview questions

Step 2: Review

* Review questions for legality and fairness

Step 3: Organize

* Select your interview team and your method of interviewing

* Assign roles to your team and divide the questions

Step 4: Conduct

* Gather data from the job candidate

Step 5: Evaluate

* Determine the match between the candidate and the job

Step 6: Exchange

* Share data in a discussion meeting

Step 7: Decide

* Make the final decision

Finally, he writes that "Even though the material I have included in this book is based on years of research and practical experience, it can always be improved. I encourage you to experiment with the methods and discover what works best for you...The cardinal rule is to 'stay legal' and 'play fair.' The 'best' thing you can do is put someone in a job where their competencies closely match the requirements. The 'worst' thing you can do is the opposite"(p.221).

Highly recommended.

In December 2001 I recruited a person to our business and because I hired on my gutfeeling I made a very expensive mistake. Now seven months later after enormous amounts of energy and resources devoted to that person I had to fire him.

This book has thought me the importance of looking at working habits and past actions when hiring people. Maybe you can teach a old dog to sit - but who has the time and money for that!

If you are hiring - buy this book and do it right!

this book gave me the understanding on how to take it to the next step. currently I climb 5.10 but I am ready for the next step and I feel this book gave it to me.

I bought this and the "Training for Climbing: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Climbing Performance" from the same author and I think it is a lot better than how to climb 5.12 beacause it has everything and a lot more things. I don't regret buying both, but If I knew It maybe I would just buy one of them. But both are excelent.

This is a great book. Just a heads-up though.

The book "Training for Climbing" is an equally excellent reference - it contains much the same information as this book, only in more detail, with sections on anatomy, physiology etc. If you want to dispense with those discussions, buy this book. But I'd say buy one or the other, and save your extra money for another reference.

This the authoratative text for the advanced climber who wishes to boost his/her skills to the maximum potential.

Explaining the basics of medical knowledge the author lucidly shows how to apply this to climbing.

The book is rife with plenty of exercises and routines to keep even the most experienced climber busy.

By applying the principles in this book and training consistently you should see your climbing level jump by at least 4 grades within a few months ( eg - 5.10a - 5.11a ).

Be sure to mix your routines and not overtrain.

This is definitely not a book for beginner rock climbers.

If you're getting into climbing and getting into it fast, there are about five books to get, and this is one. Eric Horst gives a solid overview about how to speed progress and avoid typical mistakes such as overtraining, a common problem that kept me in 5.9 longer than I needed. The progression from grade to grade is more a mental one than a physical one, as my weeklong slothfest followed by a near full number jump in climbing ability will attest. Buy this, Performance Rock Climbing by Dale Goddard, the Heather Sagar book, and as much John Long as you can afford, and you will move more quickly up the ladder. Or, you can lift and jog yourself to death and spend your money on fingerboards, supplements, and other dubious methods, and hang out at your current level for a few more months or years like the other groundlings. Success requires effort; efficient effort requires knowledge. Get some.

I always wondered how in the world did they train a dolphin to jump, flip and do all those fancy moves and now I have some idea. I mean afterall, the dolphin is in the water and you are on land? With dogs, at least, you can say commands with your voice and reward it by petting it. Well, this book answers all those questions you wondered about how they trained dolphins but were to afraid to ask or afraid to look stupid by asking. It is written in a very friendly, easy to read language and I was very pleasantly surprised with the book. I would highly recommended to to anybody and who knows, you might pick up a pointer or two on how to train other animals!

As someone who has loved dolphins her entire life (when I was little I wanted to be a dolphin trainer), this book intrigued me just because it was about dolphins and written by a dolphin trainer. I was pleasantly surprised on how much I was actually able to learn by reading it. Not only is it a great wealth of information about cetaceans (dolphins), it is also a very interesting read on training. It is full of anecdotes, making the book entertaining, and scientific data and fact, helping to lend a bit of seriousness. The unique training ideas that Karen Pryor discovered by trial and error can be, and are, used on every animal from a dolphin to a cat to a human. I highly recommend this book.

This book was great!!! Karen Pryor is a great writer and a wonderful scientist!!! I have never read a more inciting book! It was great, it gave me different perspectives on dolphin training and even some insight on careers!! Buy this book, you won't regret it!!

I first read this book almost 20 years ago, when I was a kid and in love with dolphins. I have re-read it two dozen times since then and enjoyed it just as much every single time. It will help the reader understand behavior in general...of your pets, your kids, your co-workers, your spouse...and how you can affect that behavior with timely and positive reinforcement of desirable responses. A delightful book! Hugely entertaining throughout.

This book provided a great insider's look to what is means to be a dolphin/marine mammal trainer. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering this for a career path. I know I am and that this book has helped me gained a great perspective and tips on dolphin training. The stories are really touching and before you know it, you're feel like standing right next to the author feeding and playing with the dolphins. This book is a definite must-have!

We teach a graduate class at Western Michigan University entitled "Humor and Fun: The Brain's Best Learning Strategy." After much deliberation, we made LAUGH AND LEARN the required text for the course. We love the sound and accurate science on humor and brain function, and meanwhile it is a genuinely funny read. In short, the book both proves AND demonstrates the central point of the course: that fun really is the best learning strategy.

Our students include pre-school, middle school, high school, and college teachers, and even administrators. In spite of the fact that LAUGH AND LEARN was written primarily from a trainer's point of view, we find that it offers good stuff for all. We're delighted to report that the response to the book (and the class) has been excellent. We highly recommend this book for virtually any teaching professional.

As a corporate consultant and trainer, I'm always looking for ways to increase my effectiveness in helping clients really learn the material at hand. Like many, I don't consider myself particularly funny, and worry that I could do more harm than good by trying too hard to incorporate humor into workshops.

Doni Tamblyn does a terrific job not only showing the reader how to easily and safely insert humor, she also references fascinating research that clearly supports why humor is so critical to the learning process. The book is written in a friendly, approachable style that makes it a fun read, and I appreciate the handy index to the "95 Ways" listed at the beginning of the book for quick reference.

I highly recommend this book not only to other professional trainers, but to speakers and presenters of all types. Personally, after trying some of Tamblyn's strategies, I not only feel more confident in front of a room, but hey, I'm having more fun too. You can't beat that!

As a corporate consultant and trainer, I'm always looking for ways to increase my effectiveness in helping clients really learn the material at hand. Like many, I don't consider myself particularly funny, and worry that I could do more harm than good by trying too hard to incorporate humor into workshops.

Doni Tamblyn does a terrific job not only showing the reader how to easily and safely insert humor, she also references fascinating research that clearly supports why humor is so critical to the learning process. The book is written in a friendly, approachable style that makes it a fun read, and I appreciate the handy index to the "95 Ways" listed at the beginning of the book for quick reference.

I highly recommend this book not only to other professional trainers, but to speakers and presenters of all types. Personally, after trying some of Tamblyn's strategies, I not only feel more confident in front of a room, but hey, I'm having more fun too. You can't beat that!

"Laughter and Learning"

I'm reading this book, and I sense it is what I have been waiting for. I believe Doni Tamblyn has really nailed it. She's given structure to what seems to be the very complex art of effective teaching. I'll start giving her methods a try by using the "smooth" vs "crunchy" approach for initiating group/team work, and by finally using some of those cartoons I've been accumulating for years.

I'm also thinking about how I could apply some of her ideas to my online distance learning courses, where teaching and learning are not in a traditional classroom. This environment lacks the needed spontaneity, but I could see what would happen if I divided my online class into small discussion teams competing for bonus points for "fabulous prizes" to be awarded at our once-per-week lab meetings.

I appreciate that Ms. Tamblyn has combined her comedic experience with Dewey's ideas, theories of motivation, accelerated learning, and optimal/compatible brain learning, the
Koran, the Talmud, famous quotes, tips on psychology and comedic delivery, and has taken the time to share her synthesis of them in a book. Her Laugh and Learn is not only a great how-to book, but also a scholarly piece of work. I don't usually find how-to books with an index, references, endnotes, so many examples, and a case study! (Her "anatomy of a creative learning module" is precious.) Thank you, Ms. Tamblyn!"

Recently, an old friend suggested that I read Doni Tamblyn's Laugh and Learn, a "how to" book that delineates various exercises, all intended to increase creative thought. At first I was reluctant to read the book--as a high school teacher I am bombarded by teaching methodologies, each one claiming to be the magic key that will unlock student achievement and motivation. So I was surprised when I discovered that Laugh and Learn was 1) witty 2) entertaining 3) well-researched 4) practical and, best of all, actually works!

Through a combination of data compiled from brain-compatible research, and an enormous catalogue of easy to read, easy to implement student activities, Tamblyn makes the compelling case that creative thought flourishes best when learners are first instructed to avoid being clever and original. While the ultimate goal may be to reach heights of innovative thinking, Tamblyn assures us that such heights will more than likely be reached when the learner's mind is relaxed enough to begin making the connections that distinguish the truly interesting thought from the mundane.

In each chapter, Tamblyn discusses the hows and whys of encouraging learners to lose their anxiety and increase their joy as they discover the creative process within themselves. Although the book is a virtual treasure trove of fun activities for students, my favorites have been the "mind map" and the "finish the sentence ball toss." (You have to read the book to find out why these activities are such big fun!) Again, the idea behind each activity is to "sneak up" on the creative drive before it has a chance to realize that it is being scrutinized and therefore shut down like a wall flower at a jr. high school dance.

At least one or two days a week, I incorporate a Laugh and Learn activity into my lesson plans. My students love the program. And their test scores and projects reflect the influence of Tamblyn's techniques upon greater retention of content and increased motivation for success. This is nothing short of a miracle, when you consider the natural reluctance of teenagers to try anything that might make them look "uncool" in front of their classmates.

Laugh and Learn is both brilliant and of enormous practical benefit--two qualities not often found in teacher training manuals. Tamblyn's book should occupy a special place on every educator's desk. Five stars, Ms. Tamblyn, five stars and more...

At the time of this review, I am 31 years old and preparing for my first season of adult hockey. I had almost zero skating experience (aside from maybe three public skating sessions when I was 12 or so years old) when I decided I wanted to play hockey. Before I started taking skating seriously, I would just go out an mess around on the ice for a half hour at a time. All that did was breed bad habits and frustration. Then, I purchased this book: I can't stress to you just how much the descriptions in this book helped form good skating habits while avoiding/undoing the bad ones. Remember, I am a self-taught skater and by no means perfect, but this book solidifed the fundamentals and spelled out the execution necessary to maximize my power. In just three months of practice patterned after the excercises in this book, I feel like a totally different individual than the unbalanced, directionless clown I was when I started out. Consider this book a must-read if you're looking to get into hockey.

You must buy it if you found Laura's DVD is the best skating instructional DVD.

This book has helped me out tremendously! I have an instructor, when he shows me something, and i still don't understand it, i flip this book open, it gives you step by step what you should do and it usually works..

Even on things my instructor does not go over because it's for more advanced than i am currently, this book helps you understand how to at least attempt to do it, and usually it works if you do what the book says..

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is just start to play ice hockey.. it has helped me out a lot!

great book but more for beginners. great drills to help build edge control

I was searching for a book or video that would teach me all I needed to know about skating so I could get into inline hockey. This book delivered beyond my expectations! Not only has it allowed me to get all of the basics quickly, it taught me the all important lesson of what to focus on when I'm practicing these skills. I will be using this book for many years to help me continually refine my technique. Although there are some differences between ice and inline skating, all of the techniques covered in this book relate directly.

This book is priceless!!!!!

i like this book. it's informative and brings the workouts from several top trainers together. there are great pictures and there are several different pieces of equipment (including your own body weight) utilized in the exercises. there's a good discussion on nutrition. i refer to the book frequently. like now when i'm focused on my arms. well done!

Alyssa Shaffer is the fitness director of Fitness Magazine, and here interviews top celebrity trainers who reveal how they work out to achieve their maximum body style. From developing attainable goals to keep you motivated and exercising to incorporating a fitness routine into a busy schedule and targeting specific problem areas, THE A-LIST WORKOUT is no single program, but an orchestrated approach culled from the successful experiences of celebrity stars. Black and white photos throughout explain exercise routines.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a great idea book. I took it to the gym and used the techniques. It is a great beginners book.

Very good book, lots of great excercise ideas, and understanding of how the muscles work, and how they work for the celebs

Don't be decieved by the cover! Something about the name and the picture on the front threw me. I thought it might be one of those books of how the celebrity worked out and never really explaining the workout to the reader, just so the author could make a quick buck.

This is very well written with weekly workout routines and every exercise has photos to follow up on. They separate your goal into different routines.

What I love most about this book is that they don't use the default strength training moves! They use band resistance (or tubing) and do different, unique moves to tone the body! This is really a workout you could do at home in your living room. You don't need a treadmill, if you have a nice place to walk and run or jump rope even!

The star's trainers, for example, Mike Alexander (Jessica Simpson's trainer) writes a whole section for abs and the exercises he uses. In another chaper, another trainer writes about the best shoulder toning moves.

I felt like the nutrition section wasn't gimmicky or to hard to follow. They were real in their advice, following a natural whole foods diet with fish and lean meats to get your protien.

All in all- I might have an addiction to buying diet and fitness books, but this is a great one to add to my collection. Especially because I love using the Physioball (think that big, pop resistant workout ball) and resistance tubing!

I borrowed this book from my cousin when I watched him run the Boston Marathon last month. I read the book needing some advice for a marathon I plan to run in October. It made me want to go running as I was reading it. Rather than make copies of lots of pages, I just decided to buy another book for my cousin so I can keep the old one.

I am currently training for my 8th marathon. Tom Holland's book was able to fit my training needs. If this had been my first marathon, it would still have met my needs. Great book. I recommend it for others.

I started running consistantly about 1 1/2 yrs ago (37yrs old). I set a goal of running a 15k race which I did in about 1:20. I wanted to improve my time as well as attempt some longer runs so I read a few other books / magazines before buying this one. Most of the others I read seemed to be more geared to the "elite" runners which I am definetly not. I appreciate Tom's knowledge and his ability to help the novice as well as the experienced runner. I also like Tom's approach to overall fitness, recovery and avoiding injuries. I have had the book for a couple of months and I have improved my time slightly but the greatest benefit for me has been helping me run further (I ran my first 14miler averaging 9min miles - which I am happy with) This is a great book for someone wanting to go to the next level.

Great strategies and tips for training and nutrition. Although I have yet to put the book's method to the true test (by actaully completing a marathon), the training is going very well and I feel confident about my race this spring.

I originally got turned onto Tom Holland at his Nantucket Beach Boot Camp. I really liked his style. During the hour long session he gives great advice in an easy going manner. His workouts are tough, but they are full of variety and full of fun.
I sat down with this book, expecting it to be like a text book- tons of information to be learned and studied. I had my highlighter in hand and paper on the desk to take notes. MARATHON METHOD is so much more than that! Tom shares his knowlege of exercise combined with nutrition in a very clever manner. His expertise of the sport paired with a great sense of humor made this a pleasure to read. I stayed up late to finish it because it was that good!
I have a good base to start training for the Paris Marathon!

This is like the handbook version of the Being and Doing book by the same author. Something like a fist-aid kit in case of an "emergency" on stage or during a take. Break glass before storming off the set in disgust.

This is one the of the best approached to acting. It makes everything clear.
Also an easy read.

I'll admit that at first glance Eric Morris's System can seem scary and misaligned. But I believe it to be a very misunderstood system.

I too was skeptical in the beginning, but after studying this technique (with Eric, but mostly with Anthony Vincent Bova in NYC, Eric's protégé), and after seeing the difference from "acting" and what this Work creates, there's no way I'd ever go back to the "acting" form.

Eric Morris teaches the actor how to react honestly and in the moment, including everything that's going on inside and out-the other actor, the props, the imagined objects that one might be working for-that impels you to "do" whatever the character is required to "do", but out of a real reaction, not just because you're doing it.

I've studied Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, and with Robert Lewis. I've hashed through the process of verbs, actions, objectives, obstacles, and onward; and they're all good and dandy for figuring out what's going on in a script, what the characters are doing and why; but other than that, these techniques never helped me figure out HOW to make it real to ME... How to get to a place where I'm actually functioning from a real, organic, truthful state ... How to get to the point where I am "doing" all the script tells me to do, fulfilling the "actions," out of an honest REACTION to what's going on.... Not just "playing" as if I am; how, in essence, creating the realities of the character....

No matter where you go, all the great teachers (and actors) say the same thing, "Acting is reacting." Even the most used and cherished word in the actor's language, LISTENING, is about focusing outside of yourself and REACTING to what is there. This Work trains the actor to create the stimuli that will fulfill the demands of the piece, specifically, wholly, and with Truth.

For the most part, plays and movies are imagined circumstances, and we as actors, have to create stimuli to react from, so we're not just faking, or indicating our performance. I'd rather watch two people have a relationship on film or on stage, than two actors reciting words, no matter how well they "act" it. If they don't believe it, I won't. This System trains you to create those stimuli and REACT to them honestly, fully and truthfully.

A crucial part of Eric's System is based on Instrumental Work, which is the process of identifying blocks and fears and tensions to expression and, one-by-one, through the use of hundreds of exercises, eliminating them. It's really about self-awareness-learning about yourself and how you function, so you can "get out of your way" and function truthfully on stage or film and get to where you need to get to in a scene. I think this is the aim of every method, but I feel that this System is the only one to address the issues of the actor on a personal level. If I'm tense and depressed (in real life; me the actor), I'm not going to be able to REACT truthfully in a scene where the character has just won the lottery and is jumping with joy. If I push for the emotion, I'll be faking and will "act" that I'm joyful. If this is enough for you, then Eric's work is definitely not your thing. But if you're looking for creating reality and REACTING with truth, nothing surpasses this Work.

I know that Meryl Streep, Brando, Ed Norton, Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, and a handful of other amazing actors don't fake it, don't just indicate the realities of the character and the circumstances. They create them. Be it imagined stimuli they are creating, or through the available stimulus around them, they open themselves up and REACT truthfully to everything -the other actors, the set, the space, the props, the object or person via Sense Memory, etc. I KNOW they do this for a fact! They've talked about it for years.

Eric helps you get to the place that they do-where you can function truthfully, where your instrument is accessible and available, where you are open and are willing to go where the character needs to go, emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

My advice is read Eric's books. If they pique any interest in you, if they strike a cord, study with Eric or Anthony, or at least contact them for further information about the system. I think you'll be quite surprised and utterly amazed at the tools this Work can provide you as an actor.

I am personally an Eric Morris actor. I live in Los Angeles and I attend his workshop weekly. Having actually experienced his Craft personally and by watching hundreds of others come and go, and succeed and fail: it has become strikingly obvious to me that his Work works. One of the elements of this uniquely personal Craft is that it can be very overwhelming and emotionally draining. Through my two plus years of experience in the Work, I have found that very few Eric Morris actors actually uses the Craft exactly as it is intended. I believe as do many of my contemporaries that the Craft provides the actor with a limitless supply of "acting" tools, which encourage the actor to experience truthfully. It is painfully obvious that "truth" or an organic expression of impulses and emotions is severely lacking in theatre, television and on screen. There is not one person who has come to class and gone on stage who has not gone through a substantial growth. Being a student of acting my entire life, on a constant pursuit of truth in my work, and having over 25 teachers since first grade: I have found the one teacher on the planet who can answer all of the difficult questions actors ask about the mysterious art of acting. If you have a thirst for truth in your acting and in how you live your life, you foolish to remain ignorant of Eric Morris.

I give this book a fairly high rating because all acting technique is personal. An actor's job in receiving training is to simply find the approach that works best for the individual. Method acting simply means to find one's own method. While responses to acting texts, approaches and classes are always subjective, one should always remain open for new ideas.

That said I reject Eric Morris' approach to acting on a personal and professional level.

As every actor knows (or at least should know), his/her job is "to do nothing more than to be believable while telling the best possible story that serves the script" (Bruce Morris). Or as Stanislavski defines acting: "Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances". The root of an actor's technique must always be action. Again with Stanislavski: "while on stage, an actor must always be enacting something". Action verbs are the basis of all acting/storytelling craft. An audience does not pay precious money to watch an actor have an emotional moment, but rather to have the moment themselves.

All the great acting teachers, building upon the work of Stanislavski, have stressed the importance of finding and playing an action as opposed to an emotion. Robert Lewis, Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Michael Checkov and even Lee Strassberg (although he ventured too far into the emotional realm) all taught students to find the appropriate action and embrace that reality as the basis for their storytelling craft. Emotions are the by product of a person engaging in an action and either failing or succeeding in the quest to fulfill that action.

Eric Morris' approach, centers on "Being" exercises. He asks his students to simply get up in front of a group of people and simply "Be". As related in this book, he proceeds to grill them about their day and call them on the carpet for any false emotion as he dredges for some emotional moment. Morris' approach, at least to this reader, comes off as simply another example of acting teacher "power tripping" as well as pseudo-therapy hidden in the guise of acting. This approach simply leads to the teacher holding such power over his/her students as they become obsessed with pleasing the teacher as opposed to truly pleasing the audience.

This approach leads to emotionally crippling an actor. Actor's become obsessed with evaluating their acting on the basis of whether or not they "felt" the scene. If an actor finds they cannot reach the emotion, they immediately fill themselves with a great sense of guilt and personal disgust at their inability to produce an emotion. Acting should ultimately be a freeing experience as well as a fun and celebratory bit of life. Many acting teachers and actors, bowing under the weight of thousands of years of social stigma feel that they must deny the "fun" factor of acting and make it a painful and serious affair.

As any director or acting teacher can attest, when one simply asks an actor to "be" on stage, one will watch an actor squirm, blink and fold inside him/her self. Put an actor on stage and ask him/her to push a giant stone up a mountain, one will watch a fantastic story filled with all the emotional truth an audience could ever hope to find.

The key to acting is not "being" it is in fact "doing". Apparently Morris has a workbook that combines the two concepts. I will certainly read that as well- again the justification for the high rating. I am still learning my craft and I pray I will always continue to do so.

NO ACTING PLEASE is certainly worth reading and worth trying though so that one can form their own opinion. After trying Morris' approach, this review is simply my opinion. Proceed with caution.

Book in perfect shape. Arrived in very timely manor. Thank you for your great service.

This is a very good book. It has may good points about tricks and teaching your dog.

It is definitely for beginners. The authors explains every detail about everything so you will be succesful in teaching which tricks you want and doing it correctly and efficiently. It displays a few pictures of dogs performing the tricks but its not a visual book, but more of a guide book that you have to read most of to understand who to do things properly. All in all its an amazing book if you want to teach your dog great, fun things.

I've purchased many dog behavior and trick books over the years. This little gem is definitely the best trick book. My golden and I have had many great times learning some of the tricks. Easy to follow and the progressive technique makes great sense. I'm amazed at how fast he can learn following the simple directions. Patience and consistency as always is the key.

This was a great book. Easy to follow steps. Needs more pictures. A DVD to go along with it would be better.