Careers Books

I have just started listening to "Lead the Field" and am only a few chapters into it. So far I hang on every word. This is my 2nd book by Earl Nightingale - the first was "The Strangest Secret". Simply delighted with both. He has an engaging, captivating way of sharing his inspiring words. I would recommend it to anyone.

I was not really impressed at the beggining, however I decided to listen it as long as I paid some money. It was a briliant idea. The more I listen it, the more I liked. Full of wisdom, full of ideas and suggestions about what you should do in order to "Lead the Field". I have not been a fan of Earl Nighthingale, thinking that he is from the old school of personal motivation and success, but I was completely wrong. The old principles and ideas are valid today and will be sure valid also tommorow.

This is one of...if not the best self help tapes I've ever listend to. It's basic... It's positive..and it works.

I've bought virtually every self-improvement/success audio/video out there, (I've spent over 18K on these materials) and of them all, this multi-CD set is the most powerful and moving set I've gotten, of hundreds.

I have to thank Jeffrey Gitomer for bringing Earls' "The Strangest Secret" to my awareness at one of his excellent seminars, where I bought the cd.

Then I discovered these, via the nightingale website. This set of CDs is the most valuable I've ever listened to. Also the extended "Strangest Secret" 5-cd set and Essence of Success are very valuable.

Highly recommended, profoundly moving to me and something I'll be re-listening to for the rest of my life. Get it. Also get all of Brian Tracy's stuff, it's great. And the Napoleon Hill cds.

To your success,

-Ken

I listened to the CD's at least 5 times already. The information is good to remind me to go forward in the directions of my interests. If you don't listen to it and receive the information, you'll miss opportunity.

"Letters from Backstage" is one of those witty little books you can hardly wait to recommend to friends. Written with wry humor and a delightful perspective, Kostroff's fingers literally tap dance across the keys as he brings you along on his touring company adventures.

Kostroff is dazzled by things. He has stars in his eyes, and he can't help it. In spite of his crazy life backstage, the encounters with theater ghosts and machines that fail just when you need them, he remains awed by the fact that somehow life has given him a chance to be an actor

If you dream of achieving a career in the theater, there are valuable lessons to be learned in this book. Intimate details only a professional can know will prepare you for the grand roller coaster ride.

In the beginning, Kostroff is nervous when he gets called back for a second audition for The Producers. "There was tension in the room," he writes. "I've learned, over time, that it falls to me to break that tension. As I walked to the little X in the center of the floor and prepared to sing, two of Ms. Stroman's associates got up from the table and headed for the door. "I don't know what it is, I quipped. "Whenever it's announced I'm going to sing, people put on their coats and leave." Everyone laughed gratefully. I can now die happy."

In Portland, he is confronted by a convention of cheerful, chirping ladies dressed in cutesy sweaters sporting pom-poms, kittens with big eyes, or panda bears. These ladies think they are the funniest ladies on earth, but they drive Kostroff crazy. Rushing to get to the show on time, he finds every elevator packed with these gleeful broads. Each time the door opens one of them screams," Oops! Must have caught the local!" then they burst out into hysterical laughter. "Ladies," Kostroff imagines himself saying. I am in comedy, and please trust me; none of you is the least bit funny."

"It's like this:" he says in his epilogue, "amazing, horrifying, magical, thrilling, boring, tiring, energizing, satisfying, hilarious, sad, lonely, fraternal, endlessly long, and far too brief, an adventure. Really, there's nothing like it."

By the end of the book, you'll get to feel what it's like to have Mel Brooks kiss you on the cheeks and compliment your performance, but you'll also get a sense of annoying frustration when an over-eager dresser keeps tugging and fussing at you all the way to the edge of the wings.

Ups and downs, highs and lows, laugher and tears, that is show business as Michael Kostroff knows it. But one thing is for sure---you'll wish the tour would never end, and the next time you see Michael Kostroff's name on a book, you'll rush right out to buy it.

Reviewed by Kelley Anderson for Reader Views (11/06)

"Letters from Backstage" is a collection of e-mails to friends and family while Michael Kostroff toured with "The Producers" and "Les Miserables." They give you brief glimpses of his journey, from auditioning for "The Producers" to his last curtain call of "Les Miserables." He gives his impressions and descriptions of the cities, sites, hotels and cast-mates that he meets along the way. It is the story of a hardworking theater actor who doesn't seem to take anything for granted and doesn't let the fame go to his head. I feel that the book is especially written for anyone who has ever wanted to be a theatrical actor. He is brutally honest about the amount of work it takes in rehearsal and performing and also what gifts and shortcomings life on the road brings. He tells his story from his perspective and tells it well.

An actor is not something I ever wanted to be growing up. I was horribly shy and terrified of making what I thought was a fool out of myself. While Michael was describing being up onstage, the audience in their seats and all of the singing, dancing and acting going on onstage, I could honestly feel my hands grow clammy and my chest tighten. His descriptions were clear, accurate and (for me) terrifying. Any aspiring actor is sure to enjoy the suspense and drama of the stage. The practical jokes carried out among cast members did make me laugh out loud. Rehearsals, practices and more behind the scenes work seems to be just another day at work for any of these professionals, and yet Michael has a way of making it seem magical, because it obviously is to him. I have to admit, the book may have been even more interesting to me if I had ever seen either one of the shows.

My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the local activity in the cities he visited. Farmer's markets, local restaurants, and lively locals made me yearn to visit some of these cities. Other times, the descriptions were too sparse and generalized and I couldn't see in my mind what he was trying to describe, which is not surprising for text originally intended as e-mails to friends. A great addition to this book would be a final chapter, after the tours were finished, of highlights of what really stood out for Michael in all of those trips.

Michael says he has a "passion for the correct use of the English language" and it shows through in his writing. I read through the chapters swiftly, never getting tangled up in obvious grammatical mistakes. It is an easy to read book that I am sure will delight a younger audience looking to become actors as well as fellow actors in or retired from the business who would like to reminisce. He naturally finds a great transition from story to story, filling in background details necessary to the telling without bogging the entire story down. I believe that Michael could take many parts of this book and expand them into stories that would stand alone brilliantly, and they all still fit together neatly in "Letters from Backstage."

Aspiring, current and former actors along with theater lovers of all kinds will enjoy reading "Letters from Backstage." Michael is a natural storyteller, keeping true to the theme of the book, the backstage of two touring performances, while sharing his life and travels. The e-mails and letters included could be written directly to the reader. He tells the story as he sees it, not apologizing for some of the less than professional antics that go on. He continues to fall in love with the theater life over and over and brings you along for the ride.

This book is very entertaining and enlightening. He loves every minute of his showbiz career and is happy to let you go "on tour" with him.

This would be enjoyable for actors and just people who enjoy theatre watching.

LOVED IT!

I don't work in the entertainment business, and don't know much of anything about theatre, so I was a little afraid this wouldn't really hit me. I couldn't have been more wrong! This book is full of well told, highly entertaining stories. Kostroff has a great way of making you feel like you were on the road with him and the rest of the cast and crew. I laughed out loud a number of times, and feel like I got a real insider's view of things. It's practically your own backstage pass! Easy to read, and a lot of fun.

What is it like to be a touring stage actor? Author Michael Kostroff's childhood dream came true when he was cast in national tours of two plays: his story of life on the road comes to life in LETTERS FROM BACKSTAGE: THE ADVENTURES OF A TOURING STAGE ACTOR, which began as a series of emails to friends at home and evolved into a handbook of adventure. From hotels and old theatres to onstage mishaps and lovely old theaters, all the way down to the nuts and bolts of how touring stage actors handle typical challenges, LETTERS FROM BACKSTAGE brings it all to life.

I have just joined the N.E.D. University of Engineering and Technology, Electronics Eng. dept. (2002-2003 batch). I almost finished the book before the classes started.I just wanted to have a knowhow of what I'd be studying in the next 4 years (B.E.), and picked up the book after having a look at this very page.

I must say that this is a wonderful book. It is very easy to understand b/c it has very basic maths involved (which i knew, even when i was in 10th class). It explains quite a hell lot, and i've increased my knowledge very much. I'm sure I'll be a step ahead of my class mates all year long.

I has the best explanation of A.C. circuits, capacitors, inductors, time contants, Diodes, BJTs, FETs ..... which is helping me very much...

It comes highly recommeded, from me, for the complete newbie (although i skipped the first 7-8 chapters.... b/c i had some knowledge from my 12th Physics). MUST BUY

Basic Electronics, 8th Edition, was a big dispointment. I used an earilier edition of Grob in high school. I hardly recognized the book that I received in the mail. Half of each page is given over to pictures that have little or nothing do with the text, and at more than $80 it is over priced. I would recommend "Practical Electronics of Inventors" by Scherz instead.

This is a classic for giving the basics of electronics to anyone interested in entering the field. I would classify it as a college level freshman or sophomore level introduction. It is simply one of the best! I personally purchased a new/old book, 4th edition. While some might think this means the material is dated, they would be wrong. The basics of electronics remain the same. A great supplement to Grob is the Tony R. Kuphaldt free e-book. The basics are what these books teach. If you want something shallow then get a book like "Horn's Basic Electronics Theory!" If you really want to learn something, get Grob.

This text leads into Malvino's "Electronic Principles." In this case, I would suggest you get the most recent edition of Malvino's book, which is what I did. If you go through both of these books, you will be more than ready for practical application knowledge.

Lou

You don't need to go further than this book for a thorough introduction into electronics. The table of contents says it all. It's a must read for anyone needing an understanding of electronics and it serves as a good refrence as well. The presentation is excellent, with the copious use of colour, diagrams and photos. I especially like the little side bars highlighting some of the people whose names are used for units of measurement like Ampere, Marconi, Joule etc. and those whose pioneering work made our current understanding of electronics possible - Millikan etc.

If your're a newbie in the electronics world, this is the book you need to begin with, trust me. One can only go so far without a solid foundation and this is just what this book will help you master! I am a college physics major and I will start my BE in september 2007. The thing is that I allready write electronic articles and I feel very confident about my abilities. Again, a solid foundation is paramount and if you buy this book, you will need to buy Dr. Malvino's Electronic Principles after. This book is more about bridging the gap between electricity and electronics wheras Malvino's book is more about electronics (i.e. talks mainly about semiconductors). But i'm amazed at how these two books complement each other as they weren't written by the same author. With these two books you will have all the confidence in the world about the subject!

I highly recommend "A New Adventure Every Day." Bless David Silberkleit who has given us (almost) two adventures for every day of the year in this little treasure of a book. This is one you'll keep by your bed and refer to often as a reminder of how very much we all have in front of us, right now! Get out there and live.

I just purchased 5 to give as Christmas gifts.

Do you fantasize about being Indiana Jones, Steve Irwin, or Richard F. or Isabel Burton? Would you love to live a life of romance, creativity and risk, meeting exotic people, exploring new and as yet uncharted lands, stepping outside the box? At the same time, are you held back from this by being too old to join the service, or having limited funds, only a little time, a 9-to-5 job and/or cold feet? Welcome to a new life!

Using only things you might find around the house (my one cavil about the book is that it assumes you're a homeowner, though renters and nomads might find it useful also) you too can join the ranks of the adventurers! Simply by taking tiny risks in your mundaine existence, you too can be living in a theme park, honing explorer and adventure skills, improving your relationships and people sense, getting in touch with your body, and much, much more! Ok, so now I sound like an infomercial. But this book does have a lot of fun things to do that get you up and out and becoming more engaged in your surroundings that could serve as baby steps towards bigger and better things, as well as making everyday life more interesting.

I'd check it out if I were you.

DAVID...has compiled some of the most unique yet...."RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE"...ways to embellish ones life !!...

Keep it simple !!...

His suggestions are down to earth and proven that just seeing all the blues in an evening sky is worth pausing and appreciating the Lord's good heaven and earth.

Chatting with someone while in line has given me the opportunity to get to know someone in a short period of time...it's amazing how much information people will give you if you just stand there and listen...There are so many wonderful ways to put icing on the cake of life...just by observing and listening..!...Thanks David for opening my eyes and ears to the world around me !

I really enjoyed David Silberkleit's "New Adventure Every Day." He not only has me think about my life and what I am doing each day, but also to see things in a different light - to feel more, to breathe and enjoy each moment. I would highly recommend this book.

I've read a bunch of self-help books (100's at least) - and while many of them are good, most are focused on techniques, exercises, writing down your values, etc. That's great, but none of them have given me what this book has: the ability to go and play and be happy. And really, that's all I ever wanted out of those other self-help books.

David's book is amazing, because through his ideas, you understand that you can be happy now... in this moment... wherever you are. You can have adventure now. I've spent most of my life creating suffering - either through reliving the past or projecting into the future - and David's book finally turned on the switch. You can't live in the past or the future... you need to live NOW! And in understanding that, you can have so many adventures, so much fun and joy - that you'll finally realize that happiness, adventure, success, joy, etc. isn't in the future, it's NOW!

Best of all, if you get that, David's book holds more than 541 adventures. If you get the concept behind David's book, you'll discover that there are adventures everywhere in your life, regardless of your age, education, financial situation, relationship, etc. David has written an amazing book that I recommend to all of my fellow self-help "junkies" who want to stop doing so many "techniques" and start living a fun, adventurous life!

Read this book back in 1993 when I graduated from college. Wow! Just what I needed at that time in my life. It's a great book to use for direction on ones life, again, especially after college. However, it's great in general. I have given this book as gifts since 1993. From my siblings, to my best friends, and my students who have graduated. This book will change the way you see yourself, those around you, and the world. A must read. Enjoy!

I like this book since many of the self-help authors only have about a chapter worth of good material. Og Mandino picked out his favorite chapters from his favorite books.

Og Mandino's University of Success is a success. Short and quick lessons start out by telling you that you are already a success and builds your self-esteem higher with every chapter. A must have for every entrepreneur.

This is a great book on success. Og Mandino's University of Success contains success stories from a number of individuals in one book! Highly recommended.

I have read everyone of Og Mandinos Books and all I can say is that he writes with brilliance, clarity, enthusiasm, and spirit. You can never go wrong with any of his books. He points out the path to success and motivates the spirit within to achieve all that we as human beings are capable. He helped me to tap into my innate genuis and create a life of prosperity and creativity. If you havent raed his books, start now and your journey of the spirit will begin. He was a born writer and even after his passing continues to have a great influence on many people old and young. He truly lived a purposeful and divine life. Go buy all his books and enjoy the growth and enlightenment. After that Buy my Book " Your daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present". Enjoy and rememeber you are capable of great things in your life.

Used to listen to this on tape and wanted to replace it with cd so I could listen to it in the car. If you want to get a taste of life in 1660's London, this is it. The written diaries are also fascinating but fairly hard to read, so Kenneth Branagh helps us out here. Anyone interested in English history will be very pleased with this diary. If you don't yet know who Pepys is then, for sure, you need to buy this. I've listened to it at least twice over the years and alway hear something new with each listening. Highly recommended!

I chose to listen to this book because I felt I "should" be better acquainted with what can arguably be called the most famous diary in history. I looked upon it as a chore that would improve my mind.

I may have, indeed, improved my mind but it turned out to be no chore! What an absolute delight. I've read many historical novels that weren't half as exciting, funny and fascinating as this book. I kept having to remind myself that this man REALLY lived through all these things -- the plague, the great London fire, the machinations of the court.

Plus, his willingness to expose in frank (and sometimes bawdy) detail his personal life, health, sexual dalliances, etc., brought *him* as well as his times vividly to life.

I doubt if trying to read through the actual diary would be as much fun, but the editors' careful selection of entries culled out the best bits while never losing continuity.

And what more can I add to the praise of Branagh as narrator? The man is a phenomenal talent and shows it in this book. Never over-acting, he manages to convey a perfect tone (for instance, just the hint of a whisper at the more personal parts, as though Pepys was confiding in us).

All in all, this book convinced me that improving my mind doesn't HAVE to be tedious.

Of course it is not the complete Pepy's diary but is wonderful to listen to while on long drives. Kenneth Brannagh as the reader brings life into the English language of yesterday. I wonder if a movie is in the offing.

Samuel Pepys' Pepys' Diary is an outstanding classic which comes to life in audio cd format, narrated by Kenneth Branagh whose background in film and direction lend to a vivid narrative indeed. Pepys' classic has lasted centuries because it records in vivid descriptions the bygone world of 17th-century London life: this vivid written word in turn translates well into audio and brings a rich history to life.

I loved these tapes. I concur with the reviews that they are addictive - better for a long country ride than a harried rush hour. Then let Pepys (Branagh) be your witty and engrossing travel companion.

It obviously helps to be familar with the Restoration to enhance your enjoyment of these diaries; though many with even a general background will still find them entertaining. Highly recommended.

This is a very informative, easily read book. I would recommend it those people interested or involved in mediumship

John Holland is a psychic medium who has authored several books, CDs, lectured, taught, and appeared on several TV shows, including The History Channel, A & E, and Unsolved Mysteries. Put simply, John is able to talk to those who have passed on and to receive and relay messages from them. I absolutely love the books and CDs by John. Although John does tend to repeat material, it's all good stuff and each book or CD expands on the material that has been used in another book or CD. His material is thorough, easy to understand, and right on target. It is also chocked full of useful tips. I have found it all tremendously useful in my own spiritual development. And, if you are listening to a CD of John's, especially one with meditations, you will likely find his voice very soft and very conducive to achieving a relaxed state of consciousness. Put simply, I find it really easy to get into a meditative state with John's CDs and to do it quickly.

"Power of the Soul" is a book about discovering the power deep within you, within your soul and learning how to direct that power in a positive manner. Yes, the book is full of information, meditations, tips, and tools. This is powerful self-discovery, spiritual path stuff. It is NOT a magic book. If you are interested in achieving a more balanced and spiritual life, consider this book. A spiritual pat takes work and it is a continual journey forward.

The 8 chapters of this book are:
1) Understanding the Soul--about the soul, as consciousness, the true essence of a person. This chapter speaks of going inward to discover your true self, dredging up what you have hidden inside, and facing it. It discusses a Buddhist technique "The Mindfulness of Breathing" and the importance of breathing correctly to achieve a state of stillness. John then teaches you exercises to achieve proper breathing. He also talks about achieving your soul's purpose, also discovering the gifts of your soul and using them in your everyday life.
2) Acknowledging the Source--the Source is defined as God, the Universe, or a Higher Consciousness, whatever your preference. He explains the concepts of synchronicities (aka. co-incidences), dream messages, gratitude, believing in the impossible, thoughts manifesting into reality, visualizations, and affirmations.
3) The Unfoldment of Your Soul Senses--learning the language of the soul--how to achieve mindful stillness, meditation, the clairs (what they are and why they are important and possible indicators of each). (Clairsentience, Clairaudience, Clairvoyance) and the Chakras (internal energy vortexes).
4) The Power of Love--the importance of love and kindness from a soul perspective.
5) The Healer Within--healing within yourself, forgiveness, including forgiving yourself.
6) Breaking Free: Turning the Past into a Bridge for the Future--negative thoughts, fear, worry--what they do to us--realizing these syndromes and breaking free of them
7) Journey of the Soul--reincarnation, wounds of the soul, wake-up calls, respecting another individual's path
8) Soul Living--stepping into your personal soul power

John has also included examples and discoveries of people he has met, known, and taught as well as his own experiences. He includes training exercises and meditations. If you want to develop your psychic abilities, John's book can help you and he also has some CD products to teach you more on psychic awareness (check my other reviews). But if you just want to learn more about the beauty within you and develop your spirituality, John can help you with that too. There is good info here. How far you take it, how much you put into developing yourself spiritually, and how far you progress, well, that's up to you. What I have found is simply like anything else--the more effort you put into developing yourself, the more you get back. (Step one--my opinion--if you have any negative junk in you, get rid of it. It makes it so much easier to progress.)

Update: May, 2008. Just saw John in person at a conference in Hershey, PA. He was absolutely wonderful. He provided a lot of useful information. He also did several readings and he had several people in tears with the information he "read" from their deceased friends/relatives/etc. (Tears are good, folks.) I think he really helped some people address some guilt they had stuffed inside themselves for who knows how many years. John was knowledgeable, funny, and very natural. He was very comfortable to talk to. In other words, he was not uppity. And I believe without a doubt that he is a 100% genuine psychic medium.

I loved this book! I love John Holland! He explains step by step how to be in touch with your soul and so much more!

Like everyone else, my world seemed to be crashing down upon me. I was turned onto "The Secret" by a friend and into the Hicks/Abraham books. I was amazed to find that I already practiced/believed some things they teach. My mother read Jane Roberts/Seth, but I couldn't get into those books. When I was at a low point, I went into Amazon.com and somehow, I found this book. Thank you Amazon.com! This book has helped me face my demons, change my thought process and become happy. No, it didn't happen overnight, but it has happened. My daily stress headaches have become less often. I'm actually practicing the exercises and moving along slowly. My first impression in some of the sections was "yeah, right, uh-huh". Then I re-read and I'm actually understanding. He writes so you can understand and practice. Some sections I would actually cry during the exercises, but kept going. I plan to purchase the paperback copy just so I will have a copy with me if I start to crash and he indicates this happens. At least he tells us how we can achieve inner peace/harmony and you have to work for it. Sappy, but, I can't explain how important this book has been for me and my life.

this will open your eyes to who we really are it will help you connect to the spirit within it is well written and a must to read if you want to learn about spirit world and were our own power comes from another great read is the calling of your true self elizabeth anne bell mixed together they are speaking a lot of truths both will help you with answers to the spirit and soul within

If you don't learn something about yourself after reading this book, check your pulse.

This book should be required reading for every member of the human race.

This book was my introduction to the spiritual life. A friend gave it to me--with some trepidation, not knowing how I'd take it--but to her relief, I was completely won over. I GOT it. Now that I've read more sophisticated books, Vernon Howard might not speak to me so deeply. But if you know someone who is spinning their wheels, who could lead a more powerful life if they were just shown the way, this is the book to give them. It is simple, easy-to-read, and it works.

I bought this book used for like 1.50 and some change for shipping. If anyone had any idea that the end of suffering could come about by a transformation beginning from a little book on amazon for 1.50, I think they'd laugh at the idea. This man definately knows what he is talking about and although I have already been practicing work on myself, many new ideas are also introduced. 5 stars get the book.

This book is one of the better books on spirituality, not the best but one of the better. It has heaps of good ideas, thoughts and wisdom. every pages is a new insight. The drawback for me was that it was too much on ideas , so many that I could be thinking too much after about it.I cannot be hard on this book because as I say compared to most others on the market these days it is very good.

After reading "Mystic Path to Cosmic Consciousness", and "Esoteric Mind Power", I thought that any other writtings by Vernon Howard would just repeat what I had already read. I can safely recommend this book along with the other two. Some ideas do overlap, but many bring clarification. Just read my reviews on the other two books to get an idea of what this book has to offer.
There may be more sophistocated writtings on the subject of self awakening, but none written in such plain English, squeezing as much insight into one book as there books by Vernon Howard.

Can there be any truth to the concepts expressed in this book originaly published in the early 1900"s? I read it a while back and still find myself thinking about the alternative theories expressed in the book ... and recycled in a thousand and one personal motivation books since.

Don't be fooled, this book is difficult to read and comprehend. However, for those willing to tread the waters of early 1900s writing styles, the message in this book is wonderful and can potentially change your life.

If you are interested in the money aspect of the law of attraction, you may also want to read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill and "The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth" by Phillip Collinsworth.

Wattles' philosopy is New Thought, popular at the turn of the 19th century. It is really just wishful thinking or magical thinking. It doesn't work. Just because you think something doesn't make it come true, and you should be glad, because some people think very unpleasant things. You aren't Harry Potter, and magical thinking won't get you what you want in life. As for Monism or the theory that God is in everything, that would mean that God also exists in evil things, which would mean that God is not all good, so Monism cannot be true. This is just an early self-help book that seeks to empower people who feel powerless by telling them they can get anything they want if they just think about it hard enough and long enough. It's a waste of your time. Wattles wrote the same thing about health, and he died at about age 51. If he had lived to be 100 in good health and been a multimillionaire himself, he theories would be more credible. In fact, one of the people Wattles criticized as being "competitive", John D. Rockefeller, did live to be 98 and was a multmillionaire, so who are you going to believe?

This book if followed exactly how written can change your life forever with huge positive results. I suggest reading with a very open mind.

The "Thinking Stuff" which Wallace Wattles declares, permeates the universe really caught my attention. The noted theologian, Emanuel Swedenborg refers to this "Thinking Stuff" as the Divine Wisdom in the book Divine Love and Wisdom, (published in Amsterdam in 1763).

I agree with the premise of Wattles book and as I reflect upon my life I can see where the Lord has indeed blessed me in ways I had desired.

Speaker and writer Zig Ziglar makes the most of being endearingly cornball. He straightforwardly writes, "I plead guilty to loving the Lord, my wife, my family [and] my fellow man." He proudly wears his heart on his sleeve, dedicating this book to his beloved spouse of more than half a century, "Sugar Baby." He is sentimental to the extreme, writing across from the title page: "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." Well, people obviously love Ziglar's schmaltzy wisdom. For almost four decades, he has been a hugely popular motivational speaker and writer. This book, a classic from 1975, has been published in 12 languages, including Korean, Serbian, Turkish and Slovenian. Unlike many motivational, self-help authors who serve up insipid clichés and warmed-over mush, Ziglar offers worthy, inspiring - if simplistic - ideas on improving your life and achieving your goals. Some of his message stems from his cited Christian beliefs, but his focus is on boosting your morale, not your morals. getAbstract thinks he'll make you feel good about yourself, the people around you and life in general, if you can just accept that corniness is part of the package.

It's a great book to motivate yourself and others. Now I also bought the cassettes. I wish everyone(family) has one like this. Then we will have a better society. I like the stories in the book. I have already used one in my toastmaster speech.
Buy it, Read it, own it, I bet you won't regret your time.

This book has a lot of very good material on enthusiasm and goal-setting and attitude. I highly recommend it for that. However, Zig gets a little preachy when he starts telling us we should spank children to discipline them, as well as his religious views. The final chapter is basically just thrown in to tell you his views. The main problem I have with the book is how Zig refers to homosexuality as a "bad habit" and how he equates "homosexual" literature with pornography. If you can overlook his homophobia, you will probably enjoy the book and get a lot out of it.

In this classic book, Zig Ziglar present 9 principles that will get you to the top. It is written in an optimistic upbeat manner that will truly inspire you and Mr. Ziglar is always mindful of a holistic, balanced way of living that serves your real purposes. For example, at one point he says, "before you climb the ladder of success, make sure it is leaning up against the right wall." These are the kinds of pearls of wisdom this book contains.

There are many people who have written good reviews on the contents of this book, there is no need for me to repeat all of this hear. However, I want to comment on the spirit and style of how this great information is presented. Simply put, Zig Ziglar is a master story teller that walks his talk. He is one of the only people I knew who got the best of the "Sixty Minutes" team!

If you are interested in making it to the top while preserving your values and not selling your soul, this could be a good roadmap for you. I discovered Zig Ziglar in my twenties, saw him speak and had a personal conversation with him.

In my twenties when there was a recession and I was feeling despondent because I didn't have a lot of job experience and I couldn't get a job, Mr. Ziglar listened empathetically to me and that suggested that the recession is not out there. It's between your ears and he said, "let's you and I make an agreement not to participate in this recession. I know that I'm still making lots of money." This really landed deeply and when I protested that I didn't have a lot of experience, he looked me in the eye and said, "you have twenty three years of experience being honest, open, communicating directly, keeping your agreements, etc." If your lack of experience comes up in an interview, tell them this and add that anything else you need to learn is easy compared to building good character. I never forgot that moment and in my next interview I tried it and I landed a good job with Pharmakon Research International as an Associate Scientist. I credit Mr. Ziglar with having the empathy to really see me and tell me just the right thing that restored my confidence. This is the space this book is written from and if this sounds good to you, I think you will get a lot out of it.

Some of the language of this book is old fashioned. However, the principles are really timeless and now that I am older, I realize he was right and that much of my success is the result of internalizing these principles and the principles of other good men that I have had the good fortune to know and be touched by.

When I first heard Zig Ziglar, I was not a fan. To me, he came across more like a carnival barker. I really preferred Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, Denis Waitley, Earl Nightingale and so on.

But the more I listened to Zig Ziglar tapes and read his material, the more I liked him. The message was clear and he is very motivating.

To some people, this is just plain old common sense. Perhaps. But is it common knowledge or better yet common practice?

I heard recently that Zig Ziglar gets paid over $50,000 per appearance. That is a lot of money and after having heard Zig, he is worth every penny of it. And it helps make up for those thousands of speeches that Zig Ziglar made for FREE! And it is a small price to pay for the service he provides, empowering people to become all they can be.

Thank you Zig, we needed this!