Tools Books

Sandra Ingerman, known for her work in Soul Retrieval, offers us the opportunity to work deeply with the East, the home of the mind and the air element, in How to Heal Toxic Thoughts, Simple Tools for Personal Transformation .

Ingerman sets the stage for the book by describing the relationship between our inner and outer worlds. "If we look at today's environmental pollution from a spiritual perspective, we see that the pollution in our outer world is a reflection of the pollution in our inner world. This means that the toxic thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs are being reflected back to us by the pollution we see in our water, air, and earth."

In the book, Ingerman explains, with simplicity, the core essence of our nature from our stimulus/response patterns, to the impacts of the words we use. She offers numerous exercises to identify our triggers, release from the reactive pattern, see ourselves from a non-judging place of truth, work with our words, among so much more. This book is remarkable in the number of teachings and exercises offered in a condensed and easily accessible place.

This book is a pleasure to read and is written in a manner that allows one to retain and utilize what they've read. I recommend it to anyone who is serious about changing their life.
Louise Kripal
A less-toxic reader.

Sandra is a psychologist, practicing shaman, teacher and author. I have all her books (most are autographed) and have personally studied with her. She has always talked about our thoughts and emotions and how they affect others as well as how they affect us.

Now she has written a book to help us deal with our toxic energy. This is a great little book, that is easy to read and understand, no matter what spiritual level you are at. The book is filled with step by step exercises to first help one become aware of their thoughts and energy as well as information on how to transmute our energy from toxic to healing.

This book is a must have for any bookshelf, the kind of book one comes back to again and again to repeat some of the exercises as life presents new challenges for us to deal with.

Author Sandra Ingerman is a therapist and self-described shaman practitioner. In her introduction to this book, she explains that shamanism is an ancient form of spiritual healing, and she talks about how shamans help address what is going on "beyond the skin," or at the unseen level of the spirit. More simply put, Ingerman suggests that instead of appropriately expressing our negative energy (eg, making a statement such as "I am frustrated"), we frequently and harmfully project our negative energy out into the world. Therefore, her book strives to teach readers to change their patterns of reaction and to transform their negative energy into something more positive.

Although the above might sound overly mystical or new-agey, in reality, Ingerman's book is quite practical. It is filled with helpful exercises, many of which are similar to techniques I use in my work as a psychologist. The very first exercise involves simply breathing deeply into the abdomen (aka diaphragmatic breathing) and reflecting; other breathing exercises utilize conscious breathing to attain calm or balance. Many of the exercises also employ various visualization techniques, but again, these are presented in a fairly concrete, straightforward manner (eg, imagining a place in nature that you love). Ingerman incorporates additional modalities as well, from those that are more verbally-oriented (words of energy, decree statements, and journal writing) to those that are a bit more abstract (various protective techniques used to shield yourself from negativism in a toxic world).

One of the things I liked best about this book was Ingerman's emphasis on choice--ie, although things happen to us that we cannot control, we can ALWAYS choose how we respond to the events around us. This is something I frequently discuss with my clients, as acknowledging choice can go a long way towards reducing depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. Although some people might shy away from the somewhat spiritual nature of this book, it is a well-done self-help guide offering clear, simple guidelines for moving towards greater positive well-being in your life, and it is likely to appeal to a wide audience.

Sandra Ingerman is not only a respected therapist who has incorporated the secrets and techniques of shaman practice into a method of guiding her followers to a healthier way to influence not only the inner self but also to alter the world around the self (as if that wouldn't be calling card enough!), but she is also a fine writer. In this small in size but large in value book HOW TO HEAL TOXIC THOUGHTS: Simple Tools for Personal Transformation, Ingerman very clearly defines her approach to healing both the individual and those in contact with the individual. Her approach is so very clear and sound that few who take the time and energy to participate in her recommendations will be significantly affected by this guide.

Basing her practice of the shaman she dates the beginnings to alchemy, and not the usual 'turning lead into gold' meaning of the word, but instead the true initial meaning to 'lighten the soul's darkness - to transform the energy you project in the world into love and light that can heal you and others'. She does not preach to the reader but rather enlightens with exercises that are easy to follow, easy to make a part of daily meditation. And with this practical information succinctly described, she constantly reminds the reader of the more poetic aspects of healing she incorporates. "We have forgotten what indigenous peoples and quantum physicists know: that we are not independent from the body we belong to, the web of life that connects us all.'

This remains an age of publication of countless self-help books. Some mend, some improve aspects of life, but this little tome by Sandra Ingerman is one that truly affects our perception of our place in this world and the accompanying obligation to make it better. Healthy food for thought and change at a time we most need it. Grady Harp, November 07

This book has blessed my life and a few of my friends who has it or has read the book. Angela is straight to the point and she breaks things down for your understanding. If you desire a closeness with God and you are tired of satan's tactics this is the book for you. It doesn't matter where you come from or what you have done "I'm Fed Up With Your Mess" will bless you.

1st thing Angie I would like to thank you for using the KJV which makes the WORD more understandable for some of use old schoolers.
2nd Putting this book down was one of the hardest things for me to do. I shouted, cried and rejoiced in ways I can not put on paper. Thanks for helping me recieve my deliverance.

I love you My friend and My sister in Christ. Danielle Davis

The book was very inspiring and was a great personal testimony of her struggles and how she overcame them with the help of the Lord! Would recommend the book to anyone.

I must say, It's great for your first book!
I identified with your book in so many ways. Your book has inspired me, encouraged me and gave me confirmation of what God has been speaking to me in my own circumstances. Thank you for being obedient to God's Will by writing this book.

I must say, It's great for your first book! I identified with your book in so many ways. Your book has inspired me, encouraged me and gave me confirmation of what God has been speaking to me in my own circumstances. Thank you for being obedient to God's Will by writing this book.

This is a well thought out book. Most of its information is practical and useful. It takes a bit of time and work to begin to apply the material. Overall, the book's strength lies in its simplicity without becoming a cheesy "1,2,3" type book.

This book is an easy read and has step by step techniques that are easy to use. It focuses on understanding distinctions of why people say something and then tries to help put it in a catagory that you can handle with a leadership decision to motivate and coach. Many times I was able glean powerful tools off just one page. I am just finishing my first year as a successful sales manager. Thank you Kim

This is a good basic book on how to be an effective leader through mastering the skills of effective conversation. Most communication takes place through verbally, therefore the way we carry out our conversation is very critical if we are to be able to resolve conflicts in the organization, the motivate teams, to negotiate effectively, to be good listeners, good coaches and to hold effective meetings.

The author presented effective techniques that should help managers and leaders to enhance their conversation skills. The author provides insights and practical advice that should help leaders and any other readers to examine how they carry out their conversation and how this can be improved upon.

This is a well written book that I found easy to read, follow and understand that helped me to improve my communication skills and therefore recommend it strongly.

Don't let the first chapter discourage you from reading this amazing book. Although written with managers in mind anyone can benefit from its wise statements. Krisco delivers all he promises in his introduction. You will learn about listening filters, coaching others, couching your ideas so that people will listen. This book is full of insights and pithy sayings that will make you reflect upon your whole life not just your work life. You will learn to understand the "little voice" in your head and learn about listening filters. This book will make you a leader. A leader is described by Krisco as someone who consistently produces extraordiny results. I just completed reading this book and intend to revisit it many more times. I highly recommend this extraordinary work!

This book has ideas, concepts, and practical applications that should rank it up with THE SEVEN HABITS and THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE. But perhaps it is too small to be noticed by land-bound browsers, too casual for Kotter followers, and not avante guard enough for the Fast Company crowd.

You can't judge a book by its size, especially business books. So many authors take 600 pages to make the same point over and over with real world examples that suggest the author was "on the inside" as if we buy by the pound. Havard is the place to look for books grounded in theory and occasionally principal. And one out of twenty does influence business thinking. For the Fast Company crowd, a book offering scripts of what to say may sound too pedestrian. But for the seasoned leader looking to polish his skills, Krisco has just the buffer. And it is just the kind of book for beginners--not built on other theories, profound but not cumbersome. Like the Seven Habits, Leadership and the Art of Conversation rests on a few key ideas. One is a simple as you can't change the past. This is not a revelation but recognizing that is where most of us waste our primary tool for communication was an ah-ha for me. The straight-forward definition of leadership is free of concepts of power and more than hints at the core of leadership. Of course, to benefit from the book the reader will have to change deeper than a surface technique. Few are willing, as is usual when the rewards are great. Like Covey it puts the focus on the circle of influence by connecting today's conversation with what happens in the tomorrows. It's just a reminder that best sellers and best books are frequently two entirely different things. But hey, true leaders don't look for herds to follow. May this communication spark your interest in building a desireable future.

I've been trading for over twenty years, including a period as a floor trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. Even with that experience there are tips and tricks in this book I found useful to the point where I employ them daily. To be complete as a reviewer I will say there is a lot of pretty basic stuff from my point of view, but still well worth reviewing since some of it I had forgotten.

Well written, easy reading, well organized

Online Investing Hacks is an excellent introduction to the world of investment. Though the title does contain the word 'Online', I would say that the general information the book provides on investing is not limited to the online realm.

Overall, I was very happy with the book, and found it incredibly useful. Though I do have several investments (401K, some stock, mutual funds etc) I would hardly consider myself an authority on the subject. This book provided very detailed explanations and tips on various forms of investment, from CD's to Index funds, and everything in between. While the experienced investor might not glean much from reading this book, anyone just getting started will find it an excellent reference, and resource.

The format of the book is similar to the other books in the 100 * Hacks series published by O'Reilly. There are exactly 100 hacks, or topics, which are spread across 9 chapters. Each one is an individual entity and can be read and understood without reliance on any of the other hacks.

One minor annoyance I had with the book is that it is geared toward those of you who, for some reason or another, run Microsoft's Windows OS, or have access to Microsoft Excel. Luckily, of the Excel examples that I played with, Open Office's Calc program handled them with minimal tweaking.

I can easily recommend this book to anyone who wants to invest, but is unsure of what to invest in, or needs some tips on making the most of preexisting investments. Those of you who enjoy research and building your own stats and graphs will also find parts of this book rather intriguing, as it covers data acquisition and manipulation with Excel in great detail. It will make an excellent addition to my reference shelf, and I have a feeling it will be well thumbed through in a very short time.

It seems like everyone is involved in investing in some form or another. While I always felt like I should be investing too, it was never clear to me how to begin this process. After all, it's my money. How can I be sure I'm investing in something that will provide some sort of reasonable return? This book is an excellent resource in answering some of those questions and putting the new investor on the right track.

This book is written in the same format as the other "hacks" series by O'Reilly. This format is very easy to read, and the format makes it very easy to find answers. Rather then having to read the book from cover to cover, the reader can pick out topics they are dealing with, read the answer, and move on. Since many of the people interesting in a book of this nature will likely have little time, the book's format works to its advantage.

The book begins with some basic introduction to the stock market and tips for selecting appropriate stocks or mutual funds. The whole middle section of the book deals with data analysis. The author discusses how to understand a company's balance sheet (e.g. what that P/E ratio means), how to spot companies in financial trouble, how to pick a good stock, and even how to trade. There is also a good discussion on minimizing the effect of taxes on your little return on investment.

The author even goes further and gets into a discussion on financial planning. In addition to discussing debt reduction, the author also talks about IRA plans and different strategies for saving for your child's education expenses. I think my favorite part of this book was the discussion on different education savings plans. The author discusses the ins and outs (as well as tax consequences) of each of the plans, and provides some examples illustrating the fact that it's better to start saving earlier than later.

This is an excellent book, not just for its investing advice, but also for its sound financial planning. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in increasing their wealth, saving for a rainy day, or simply saving for future financial goals.

Online Investing Hacks by Bonnie Biafore (O'Reilly) is one of those books that can pay for itself in short order, as well as over and over.

Chapter list: Screening Investments; Hacking Excel for Financial Analysis; Collecting Financial Data; Analyzing Company Fundamentals; Technical Analysis; Executing Trades; Investing in Mutual Funds; Managing Your Portfolio; Financial Planning; Index

I worked at Enron from 1998 through 2001, and spent plenty of time during that dot.com era following my stock portfolio. I watched my Enron stock value go from incredible value to a point where it cost more to sell the stock than it was worth. I won a few bets (face it, that's what they were) on a few dot.coms and lost many more. What could have been an incredible nest egg, isn't. This book would have been a lifesaver if I had read and paid attention to it a few years ago. Biafore shows you how you can analyze and invest wisely using a variety of tools available to everyone.

If you're an Excel user, you'll find it an invaluable tool for analysis. She'll show you how you can use it to create financial charts (#13), calculate compound annual rates of growth (#26), and use rational values to buy and sell wisely (#36). #39 - Spot Hanky Panky with Cash Flow Analysis (using Enron as an example) would have literally saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars had I known about it. Even if you don't care about the investing tips, the hack on downloading data via Excel web queries (#7) was something I didn't know how to do (or that you could even do it!). The book has a little something for everyone.

As with all Hacks titles, you probably won't be interested in every single item. Some may not be applicable to your situation or may be too complex for what you care to handle. But all it would take is one hack to work out and change your investing for this book to pay huge dividends. If you do your own investing, you owe it to yourself to get this book.

This is one of the most useful books on investing that I've seen.

The excellent chapter on fundamental analysis alone is worth the price of admission. Plus there are chapters on technical analysis, mutual funds, asset allocation, financial planning, investing in bonds etc, all equally well written.

Hope the author writes a sequel to this book covering topics not covered here (eg. topics related to options trading).

A required title in any serious investor's bookshelf.

I LOVE this little book. It was recommended by the director of our Early Childhood Education program, and I've had it for about 4 years. It sits on our kitchen counter, and I pick it up often to re-read a tip or give me a little boost of patience and clarity.

We have several good parenting books, but this is the one I keep at hand and have used over and over. It's one tool kit that every parent needs!

100 million copies of this book should be airdropped across the USA...in fact, it should blanket the globe. It is the most concise collection of parenting wisdom available anywhere. Ruthann Saphier is clearly a woman of deep experience, commitment and compassion. We can only hope she will add to this gem, which is designed for parents on the go, another volume with more detail for those of us who are still determined to make time to read fuller expositions. Bravo. American parents have no excuse now!

This book is an excellent no-nonsense parenting guide for all moms and dads. The parenting tips are short and to the point and are wonderful daily reminders. I read it and re-read it daily to help me do the best job I can as a parent! It also makes a fantastic gift. Buy it today!

I am SO appreciative of this artful, whimsical and extremely useful little book. My own children are grown--and I wish it had existed for them!-- but as a grandmother, I am thrilled to have clear, concise guidelines and suggestions as I participate with one more generation.

This book is excellent. It provides important thoughts to remember on a daily basis. The format is fun, and information can be found quickly and easily, which is what busy parents need. Many of these ideas are things we already know we should do and want to do--but forget during stressful times. A quick reminder gets us back on track. Yet, if we have a real problem area where we need more help, references are given for additional information on each topic. Many of these ideas are things I wish I had had the presence of mind to think of on my own, but didn't have the time or energy to focus on them. Thanks to Ruthann for putting so much good solid wisdom in such a small easy to read book!

im glad i got this book i have a better understanding of the cards.
it is worth the money you put out for this book.
you will enjoy reading it and learning from it.

This is a great add-on to the Sacred Cards. This workbook helps you also in understand the meaning of each card and how to take this knowledge and put into practice. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Native American Practices.

Jamie Sams is an excellent teacher for people of all ages and all colors. This book takes your soul on a hand-held journey through the many aspects we all encounter in life that challenge our growth. Full of the wisdom of the ages, Sacred Path opens awareness of archetypes that only the author's deep understanding of human nature can help us discover in ourselves. A beautiful journey of self exploration in a wounded world.

This book allows the seeker to move forward in exploring the Shamanic Traditions more completely.

What a wonderful way to start a day: Picking a Scared Path card and then reading that specific chapter in this fine book! Clear, easy to read, it is an excellent tool for walking the Native American spiritual path, or any spiritual path for that matter. It may be out of print, but get a copy -- no matter what condition. A rare and wonderful book.

This is the greatest book to learn how to woodturn. You won't be sorry!

I have been a woodbutcher for many years. I did this as an advocation. Wanted to dedicate serious time to fine furniture, and cabinets. As reviewers who rate this text positively note. "It is a great book for getting started." I have had discussions with woodworkers who have different levels of expertise. They have shared similar information to what I can find in this excellent text. It is criticized for being "pedestrian" and this is actually a good quality. Habits and skills come from practice, making mistakes, and doing what works for me. I have other similar books, They are more cutting edge, but this is seriously a great book for people who want to reduce personal mistakes in building mental skills toward planning and preperation. It is not a simple "how to book" but a mentoring manual.

Unless you are a seasoned professional, this book actually will guide you through what you need to know to get the job done. This book serves as a great woodworking companion.

This book is excellant for those people starting out in wood working as it shows what can be done wihtout overwealming the reader. Althrough there is not enougth detail to pick up all the tricks, it does give you enougth basic ideas to be able to get a more advanced book and actually know what it is talking about. On the strength of this book, i will be buying most, if not all, of the Taunton's Illustrated Guides.

Taunton does an excellent job of producing attractive, well written wide market appeal products. The content of Complete Illustrated Guide is a convenient collection of the same articles you will find in their "Fine Woodworking" magazine. The authors are knowledgable, and very successful in thier space. Unfortunately, in building the mass appeal formula, Taunton had to give up anything edgy, its all vanilla and no "rocky road". A recent copy of Fine Woodworking for example rated central dust vacuums. They rated 3 "best" each was from the product line of one of the top three manufacturers each of whom advertise heavily in thier publications. As I recall there is usually one "best" and then others follow. This straddling is what I mean by no edgyness, they are trying to appeal to everyone and offend no one. In the end this approach results in what I believe is the best vanilla product out there and I love to consume what they produce, just have to take it for what it is, mass production. If you have progressed in woodworking to the point where you are becomming an artist or want to learn something new, look here for foundation and elsewhere for creativity. Most folks will benefit from both.

I've taken a class here and there, read a little bit on the subject, but nothing has come close to the craft of writing like this book. The author gets right into the heart of what makes the written word fly off the page and into the readers imagination. The book is broken up into easily digestible chapters and she sites numerous examples to back up her opinions.

The book is definitely about craft and not the fundamentals of writing which, is good if your looking to get past the basics. The narrative is quite laid back and doesn't try to get overly high-brow with the topic.

After reading it, I have a greater appreciation for all that goes into crafting a story. And too, I can look at novels or short stories with a greater understanding and more critical eye, which helps to appreciate the reading even more.

Overall, I was very happy and feel I've been let in on some great secrets for contemporary writing.

The author uses many analogies from theater to put together a way of thinking about writing and reading which can clarify many of the issues which tend to dog fiction writers. I strongly recommend this book.

I've taken several classes from Sands, and she is the only writing instructor that I've come back to repeatedly. Her classes are superb, and I wanted to "live with the book" and use it on it's own before reviewing it.

This is one of those books whose title really does tell you what you need to know about the contents and the approach the author takes to teaching.
This is a fairly broad exploration of writing, but tends to focus on development of scene, voice and point of view. The latter is used as the 'key' or touchstone for exploring and working with the other elements. Within this, Sand really does approach writing as a "craft". The book explores writing in a very concrete and practical way, attempting to define and develop the "tools" in a writer's kit. The exercises are excellent, and are structured to assist in developing those skills or tools. They are second only to the wonderful exercise's in Garder's Art Of Fiction, but less intimidating and more intimately tied to the instruction sections.

In short, one of the most valuable and practical guides I've read, and certainly the most likely to have an immediate impact on your writing.

I read this book and it's terrific! This is a useful, down-to-earth explanation of point of view and what it means to a writer. It teaches writer how to use these tools and bring their writing to a new, more professional level.

I have taken four writing classes with Sands Hall and she is an excellent teacher. She loves teaching want-to-be writers the craft of writing, the nuts and bolts. Like a mechanic, tools are necessary to do the job right. This book is a necessary tool for any writer - we all have writing books on our shelves don't we? This one is a must. I refer to it time and time again to be reminded on the "how to's" of putting words together to create something worth reading. She has a wonderful checklist that can be used when working on your own scenes - it can be laminated and pasted to your work space - any time you finish a scene you can refer to this checklist and see if your scene covers everything - setting, objects, activity, to name a few - to be sure that scene is alive and says what you really want it to say. She teaches on point of view, characterization, metaphor, everything relating to the writer's craft you can possibly need and she uses examples from other works to help you understand clearly what she is getting at. If you are looking for a good book on how to write, this one is a must.

While there are a "ga-zillion" books on travel destinations, there are relatively few manuals for what travelers require before, during and after their journeys. Knowing where you want to go is only the tip of the iceberg. Knowing how to go about getting there IS the iceberg.

This is why I think Travel Wisdom is so very important for any traveler. It is a tutorial on preparedness for travel. And, the emphasis is on "wisdom" which to me means first-hand experience and not simply theoretical deductions, conjecture, self diagnosis or guesswork. In short, both Lynne and Hank Christen have infused their wealth of travel knowledge into a concise and practical package for travelers of all levels.

The underlying theme of the book lies in the fact that following the events of 9-11, both domestic and international travel have been greatly impacted by new and greater issues regarding security. We no longer can take for granted many of the routine activities of yesteryear.

Furthermore, no two travelers have the same needs, wants, desires or questions. Yet, somewhere in Travel Wisdom there are easily located answers to almost every question that can be posed on travel preparations, expectations, etiquette, booking, lodging, shopping, and a continuing litany of relevant travel-related subjects.

I highly recommend this book to be read thoroughly by all novice travelers. For the somewhat experienced and veteran travelers, I suggest allowing for a few more ounces of carry-on weight to have Travel Wisdom close by on any trip as a handy reference companion.

I received this book a week ago. I think it is the best book of genereal travel info I have ever read (and I have read many!) The authors include lots of "travel tips" that I had never thought of, as well as some excellent packing lists and a great list of resources on the internet.

Travel Wisdom: Tips, Tools, And Tactics For All Travelers is a highly practical guide to packing like a pro, managing travel money, shopping smart, bargaining for goods and services, dealing with setbacks, enjoying traveling with a group or going solo, creating travel lasting memories, and so much more. Collaboratively written by Lynne and Hank Christen for anyone who needs to prepare for a long journey, Travel Wisdom offers no-nonsense health, safety, and financial advice and is enthusiastically recommended for those about to travel the country or around the world for business, pleasure, or both.

(...)
Very practical guide. Well-organized into helpful chapters on every travel subject imaginable. But not a dry read. Funny little travel predicaments and stories are interspersed throughout. Heavy on the cruise ship/group tours, style of travel; light on low budget treks. Geared a bit more towards the older traveler. An attractive couple. Lynne, a former Flight Attendant, their great love for travel comes through on every page. Attractive cover with a definite lazy tropical appeal. (...)

The authors have packaged checklists and practical advice that simply is not available anywhere else. As a writer and frequent traveler I found this book essential for the experienced globetrotter and a revelation for those who are novices. Anyone will find fresh and instantly usable info on planning, packing, shopping, and savoring their trip. Can't recommend it highly enough!

Very good reference book! Will be very helpful to the ones who are interested in statistics.

I am process of getting my Black Belt certification through Air Academy Associates. I like the common sense approach to Basic Statistics.

Looking for a solid introduction to continuous improvement? This may be a better book to guide your effort than many introductory books. This book includes basic introduction to Design of Experiment, where most efforts and books would ignore in continuous improvement.

This book is really great, I reccommend it!

As a certified Black Belt, I have to perform statistical tests on diverse processes for both manufacturing and service industries.

I have found this book to be the best I know of to be my "desktop guide" when I have any doubt on the method or applicability of a test or tool.

I engourage any and all readers who are looking for a book to help them do Process Improvement or Six Sigma Process Improvement to get this book.

It is well worth the price.