Addictions Books

I am entering this review to pick an argument with those who gives the book 4, 3, or 2 stars, based on their opinions to the tune of "yes, I quit smoking, but the book is horribly written", "...there are so many repetitions", "...the logic is faulty at places".

As if there were so many other (working!) books on the market, so many (working!) methods to stop smoking, that nobody should be subject to suffering through a less-than-perfectly-written book just to get rid of the habit. As if there weren't a huge pharmaceutical industry supposed to help people stop smoking (but not helping). As if thousands of physicians, hypnotists, acupuncturists, etc., etc., hadn't built their careers around our addiction to nicotine. As if many people weren't spending thousands of dollars on Nicorette, nicotine patches, hypnosis sessions, etc., with no lasting success.

Dear Smoker! If you are looking for a rigorous study of smoking/stopping smoking, or for a piece of fine reading on the subject, look elsewhere.

It absolutely SHOULDN'T MATTER to you how well the book is written. What does matter is that it works. While reading the book, there were moments when I thought the author was insulting my intelligence. A couple of times I wondered whether the publisher's main goal was saving on editors, so many repetitions and logic faults were "missed". All the reviewers who say "I quit but..." have their facts after "but" correct.

However, it's obvious that the book is written this way ON PURPOSE. It aims not at winning your admiration for the author's mastery of words, but at HAVING you stop smoking. That goal appears to get achieved in the vast majority of cases. And the way it's achieved is not by giving the reader the scientific info on smoking or telling anecdotes about successful quitters. It sort of re-tools the way the reader-smoker thinks about smoking and the process of quitting. For that the author employs methods of NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming). THAT'S WHY the text may seem weird to many readers.

My 5 stars go not to the author's style, not to the scientific facts presented in the book, but to the product that HAD GOT me stop smoking. That's after many attempts over a decade, using nearly all other well known methods. Had it been not a book but a pill, an injection, a nursery rhyme, or a hit on the back of my head with a club, had it cost not $10 but $1000, it would still get 5 stars from me and would still be worth the money.

This book made my mother stop smoking this past Februray. She's 58 years old, and smoked since her early teens. She was diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstrutic pulmonary disease) due to smoking on 6-06-06. Ironically between that date and being told that diagnosis and placed on Albuterol inhaler she only quit for a month. She continued- and her conditioned worsened when she came down with a bought of routine bronchitis that was inches away from walking phenumonea. Her lungs could not fight it off anymore. To top it off, The albuterol inhalers were reformulated and lost their effectivenss for some persons. After going into the doctors again for her bronchitis (I had to drag her there), and being placed on an excellent new medication for COPD called Spiriva, AND, convincing her to read this book- SHE QUIT, AND her lungs are dramatically improved within just several months time. She could even cut in half her other medications, and practically eliminated one altogether. Her phlem, cough- all that is better. She should have done this years ago. I'm 31 years old and I remember this was going to be a Christmas presant to me when I was 12. I feel through my persistence in taking her to the doctors (she is just not one to be worried about things like this as crazy as it sounds), getting her on that Spiriva, and me researching this site on this wonderful book FINALLY got through to her that these things are nothing but life destroyers. I believe you should quit not just because you know you should, but because you truly WANT to. Never give up on somebody or yourself for that matter. It can take a long time- but in this case persistance paid off- and this was MY Christmas presant to her.

I strongly recommend this book. My friend gave me this book when she quit after reading the book. I quit the minute I finished reading the book. Another friend of mine also did. I buy this book when I want to pass it on to a smoker friend of mine.

I read this book years ago and was very disappointed. The basic idea is that the tobacco companies are lying to you and you are lying to yourself thinking that you like to smoke and if you just realize this you will magically want to quit. I should probably give this book 2 stars since Carr was crafty enough to make millions on this book.

I was given a copy of this book during the first month or two of 2007. After I let it sit on my night stand for 2-3 weeks, I finally got around to reading it. I made up my mind to give it a real chance by following the instructions/suggestions exactly. The book could easily be read in just a day or two, but I managed to drag it out over a couple of weeks. Even though I took it slowly, I did follow Carr's instructions (such as don't try to quit before finishing the book and never try cutting back before quitting, among others). He gives you a different perspective on the process of quitting that (for me, at least) worked surprisingly well. I selected a Monday afternoon two days after I finished the book to quit. To add a measure of insurance, I smoked two final cigarettes instead of one and smoked them quickly, back-to-back (to make sure the last cigarette I smoked would not be a pleasant memory). That was it. It's been over a year since I gained my freedom from smoking (after over 38 years of a pack a day). It was much easier than I thought it would be and this was due to the perspective I gained from reading Carr's book. I purchased another copy for my older brother a few weeks ago and hope he too will soon be rid of the addiction.

This was a really good book. It was extremely hard to put down. The only complaint I have about the book is that the ending was a little to much like a fairy tale, almost to the point that it wasn't entirely believable. Happy endings are nice, but no one has a perfect life no matter what you want people to believe.

This book is so clearly one whose time has come. Waiting for a decade to pass before writing the story down allowed the events to be processed and fully digested. Feelings on all sides were clearly no longer raw, hostility had passed, and growth had occured which gave way for honesty and truth to shine through on every page.

This book gives people hope that change - in many forms - is real, attainable, and sustainable.

Read it! You will be glad you did.

Amazing book! I could not put it down and loved the honesty that these two women demonstrated!

This book brings forth the powerful message of denial...all family member who live in a fantasy world denying the inner voice that speaks of the sadness, anger, disconnect that we ignore because we are wanting life to be perfect. We need to get to hear more stories of the pain and agony the life of the addict and their family so we can stop the denial and begin the healing. This was a very hard book to read, and so worth every challenging moment.

I just finished this book and think that every teenage girl and woman should read this. Kristina and Constance's candor and self revealing story is unbelievably inspirational. Every family dealing with addiction should read this, but I think it is an important read for any home with a teenage home (siblings, parents, etc). This is a moving, at times, heart-breaking story. You will laugh, cry and hurt with both Constance and Kristina. I am so moved by this story! A MUST READ!

I read this book last semester for a Criminal Justice class and it is amazing. It opened my eyes to exactly how wrong the war on drugs is. This book is my #1 recommended book. If more people would read it I think we'd finally be able to find our way out of this fruitless war.

Q: What is the difference between the Prohibition and America's war on drugs? Mike Gray's overall answer is "very little," but the one glaring difference is that when Prohibition failed, the country repealed the Constitutional Amendment which had created it. Alcohol use remained at about the same level before, during and after the Prohibition years, but the murder, official corruption and gang battles that accompanied official proscription came and went. DRUG CRAZY analyzes the upshot of that distinction and its enormous worldwide effects. The U.S. led anti-drug effort has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars in enforcement efforts alone, not to mention the cost of prisons, imprisonment and court proceedings and has succeeded in creating an international drug consortium with an annual income higher than the U.S. defense budget. Thousands of innocent bystanders have died in sprays of automatic fire and bomb blasts. It has made pot easier to get than alcohol for most American teens and brought Colombian, Bolivian and Mexican democracy to the brink of collapse. Damningly, Gray reports that every refereed study since the 1890s has suggested that marijuana is harmless and that the opiates and cocaine are no more dangerous than alcohol (perhaps less). Even the infamous "crack babies" we heard about for a few years turned out to be an unsubstantiated myth. In every country where legalization and controlled prescriptive availability of harder drugs has been tried, addiction rates remained stable or fell, crime decreased and most addicts proceeded to live normal workaday lives. The U.S. has forced other countries to quit such programs through fiscal pressure and outright lies, insisting that all adopt our abolitionist stance. We have managed to export violence, crack cocaine, corruption and other benefits to numerous other nations along with our failed policy. At the same time, and to make matters worse, the nature of enforcement has become a defacto racist effort. Cocaine in Wall Street boardrooms is harder to see than crack runners on Main Street and while whites are the disproportionate users of illegal drugs, blacks are the disproportionate arrestees. In this country, one in four black males is either in prison, under probation or on parole, mostly as a result of drug or drug related crimes. Small wonder, as the author points out, that blacks think O.J. Simpson was framed: it is their daily experience. Police routinely lie in court to make drug charges stick. (Since private deals between consenting parties are very hard to actually witness, when police claim that a perpetrator dropped a bag or in some other way made evidence visible it is understood by judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and defendants that it is "acceptable" false testimony to cover an illegal search. So perjury is permitted in the name of enforcement.) Amazingly, the whole morass of current drug problems and policies could be eliminated with the stroke of a pen. Minus prohibition the drug cartels would be defunded. If prices fell, many farmers would find other crops more appealing. If currently illegal substances were distributed by prescription or through state-licensed stores, kids would be infrequently exposed. (How many pushers are selling beer in front of your local elementary school these days?) Mike Gray has brought his story telling skill (The China Syndrome and other screenplays) and his investigative/documentary bent (American Revolution and The Murder of Fred Hampton) to bear on an urgent national and international problem. His recommendations and observations are difficult to refute and his is a well considered voice in a growing debate which affects us all. Even now, the genie released when California and Arizona approved medical marijuana use is being clumsily stuffed back in the bottle by Federal mandate, disenfranchising voters and creating a rising uproar. As former U.S. Attorney General Elliott Richardson observes: "Anyone who thinks the war on drugs is succeeding should read this book. It shifts the burden of proof from the critics of existing policy to its defenders."

This is one of the best books I've read on the drug war to date (and I've read a bunch). The book carefully went through the origins, history, and effects of the drug war in a captivating and easy to follow manner. When finished, the reader will be left with an iron-clad indictment of the drug war which has covered all angles. This really is one of the most comprehensive and well written books on the drug war, and I highly recommend it.

When it became clear that the medicines called opiates were highly addictive and caused health problems, they were dealt with as nicotine and alcohol are dealt with today. There were honest and realistic public service messages warning of the dangers of opiates, and there was medical help that greatly limited the damage they did to the individual and which had a chance of eliminating his or her addiction. These methods worked, and where they are applied they work today. Then in the second decade of the twentieth century the country took a nose-dive into authoritarian attitudes and corruption, and people got the strange idea that you could eliminate a practice you didn't like simply by passing a law against it. Alcohol, and the opiates were completely banned, as was marijuana which was now designated a "drug" because of its association with minority groups. Alcohol use, which had always hovered between widespread and universal, had been declining but now became more common than ever before. Worse, the alcoholic drinks that were taken became much harder and not being regulated they might contain enough alcohol to be dangerous. Worse still, an untold number of criminals were created, crime of all kinds increased radically, organized crime came to control whole districts and corruption reached heights never seen before. "Public service messages" regarding what were now illegal "drugs" became simple expressions of hatred having very little to do with the "drugs" they were about, and everyone actually familiar with those "drugs" knew it. Medical treatment by doctors who were actually trying to help their paitents was declared illegal, and a number of doctors went to prison. The lives of opiate addicts had usually been no worse than the lives of nicotine addicts, but now those lives became impossible. Addicts could no longer hold jobs raise children or do anything else but concentrate on their addiction. Current "rehabilitation" for opiate addicts is an expression of hatred for those addicts and makes no attempt to help them. It mostly consists of telling them they are evil it they don't break their habits, and for those addicted to opiates or nicotine, breaking the habit altogether is usually not possible. Opiate use had always been an insignificant phenomenon nationwide, and in the early part of the century when it was being dealt with intelligently, it was declining. But then the hate laws were passed, and now a measurable percentage of the population is addicted and condemed to ruined, useless lives, organized crime is more powerful now than at any time in history, and whole countries like Columbia are completely dominated by corruption-- as are large sections of others like the United States and Mexico. None of this needed to happen. The things we call "drugs" were handled intelligently at the beginning of the twentieth century or were never a problem in the first place. If realistic laws were passed, the worst of the damage would be fixed very quickly since it is directly caused by bad laws. The rest of the damage would take a decade to undo, but if we begin treating the opiates as we treat nicotine and alcohol we will gradually undo it.
I think that is a pretty good thumbnail of what Mike Grey had to say, and he is completely right. Everyone in the country should read this book. Our real addiction is to hatred.

Author Mike Gray tackles the failed drug war in this book and effectively shows how the present war has many similarities to alcohol prohibition in early part of the twentieth century. Gray begins his discussion of the subject of drugs by taking the reader back to 1925, in the city of Chicago, during the height of the nightmare of prohibition. Gangs ruled the streets. The air was filled with the smell of cheap booze and the sound of gunfire. Police were defenseless to the total chaos going on all around them. They simply could not stop the manufacture and consumption of alcohol. There was too much money to be made by selling this "forbidden fruit". There was no possible way that this "war" on alcohol could ever be won.

Does this sound familiar? It should, because the same thing is going on right now. The government's failed attempt to eliminate alcohol is now being attempted a second time with the war on drugs. These laws are discussed in the book with a history lesson on the various court rulings and congressional decisions that led to the present prohibitions on drugs. These laws have some of their roots in the U.S. Congress. According to the book, marijuana itself became illegal as the result of a lie told to congress by Fred Vinson, a man who would later become the U.S. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Vinson was sitting in a congressional hearing one day, just before congress was about to vote on whether or not marijuana should be made illegal. The American Medical Association knew of the benefits of marijuana in medical treatments, and was strongly against such a law. But when Vinson was questioned by congress, he lied and said that the AMA backed the proposed law 100 percent to make marijuana illegal. This was enough to help push the law through congress. Vinson's lie, coupled with the onslaught of government propaganda against marijuana, marked the beginning of America's second nightmare with prohibition.

The lying and deception by government cooled off a bit during the 1940 to 1960 period. But then, the lying and deception continued when President Nixon decided to revive the anti- drug crusade, in part to cover- up his own problems with Vietnam and Watergate. George Bush then escalated the damage even more by scaring the public into backing his anti- drug package and his "get tough" policies against drug dealers and drug users. Gray talks about these and other political maneuvers; why they happened and the true motives behind these so- called "moral" crusaders.

The present- day situation looks pretty bleak. Gray points out that the United States is now the largest jailer in the world with roughly half of all prisoners being non- violent drug offenders. We have also corrupted our police officers, with many of them actively taking part in the drug trade; cutting special deals, accepting bribes, etc, because of the allure of easy money. Respect for law enforcement is low, and violent criminals have been allowed early release to make way for non- violent drug offenders, thanks to mandatory minimum sentences.

This book is an easily manageable length: about 198 pages and fairly easy to read. There are a total of eleven chapters and two appendices. Appendix "A" details the changes in the U.S. murder rate, showing how it peaked during alcohol prohibition and during the present- day drug prohibition. It also shows graphs depicting the U.S. prison population and the Federal Drug budget. And to give the book some balance, Appendix "B" contains a listing of activist organizations, both pro- drug war and anti- drug war, along with a brief description of each and their respective websites.

As Mike Gray points out, the War on Drugs is one of America's greatest failures. Gray never specifically condemns the war. He wrote this book as a means to educate the reader on the motives behind drug prohibition and the reasons that politicians continue to fight a losing battle when they know that the war is not winnable. Gray never resorts to name calling or any form of moral persuasion. He really doesn't need to. He lets the facts speak for themselves, illustrating the endless problems created by a war of prohibition and why it is so important to stop this insanity once and for all.

I've just finished DISCIPLINE, which along with my beloved SIDDARTHA, engages both my brain and my emotions, and titillates my endless curiosity about how things really are and what might happen "if."

DISCIPLINE was a challenging book to read in some aspects, because it amalgamates physics, chess, music, eastern philosophies, and high finance. I know nothing about the first two and a modicum of the last three. If the story of Douglas Cole's unfoldment and the suspense surrounding Jefferson and Jackson had not been so engaging, I might have given up as my seventy-one year old brain sloughed through uncharted seas of subjects beyond my reading experience.

As I read this astonishing boook by a fledgling writer, I was at first impressed by his excellent vocabulary and fresh metaphors. Then I became amazed at the way Ahlgren effortlessly wove complex and difficult subjects into an intriguing story.

But what really kept me reading was the recognition of states of mind/emotion that ring true in Ahlgren's descripition of multiple universes. And the tantalizing realization that he is not depicting science fiction, but rather the true state of mankind.

I suspect that each person, according to his/her experiences, will come away with a different perception of this extraordinary book, so unlike anything else in popular fiction.

Paco, I eagerly await your next book. May it be even more astounding so that your readers will stretch their perceptions far beyond what we think we know.

This is a book that all should read. I love supporting new authors, although most first time novelest leave wondering why. This was not the case with Discipline!

Paco takes physics, chess, and philosophical thoughts and turns them in to an adventure. I couldn't put the book down once I started, and am eagerly anticipating the follow up novel.

This book has changed my perspective on life forever...I've read thousands of books and not one has touched the core of my inner being as this one has.

Paco combines eastern philosophies, quantum physics, spirituality, and financial analysis in a way that everyone can understand. The fluidity and movement keep you sucked in up to the last page and then starving for more..

Discipline accentuates what Faith really is and has left me with an inner peace that I didn't have before. I can't wait to see what Paco brings to the table next!!!

As I hungrily browse the new release aisles I usually find nothing but detective/murder stories, political/terrorist thrillers, or stories of love lost, yawn! I'm always looking for great new novels but rarely find any that offer new ideas, life lessons, and philosophy. This book was exactly what I was looking for. It's thought provoking, challenges beliefs, and it empowered me to learn more about the economic and spiritual concepts in the book. I want to be inspired when I finished reading a book, and that's what happened when I read Discipline, thanks Paco. I can't wait for a sequel, but until then, I'll just keep rereading and rereading this one and it'll be time well spent, thanks!

The book opened really well, and beyond the opening were some really engaging scenes. Unfortunately they were intermixed with flat introspection, plot points that could have been much more deftly handled, two-dimensional-to-the-point-of-caricature supporting characters, five pages of a family friend explaining quantum physics, and a narrative voice that was too often intrusive.

A major tragedy early on in the book failed to reach me on an emotional level. How could that happen? I was interested in those characters--I cared about them, or thought I did until the tragedy happened and I had no response to it. I read on for a while after that, but the antagonistic characters became overdone to the point of making me say, "Okay, I'm just not interested in this anymore." A little subtlety (or finesse) would have done a world of good.

The most disappointing thing is that the good stuff in this novel was GOOD and showed that Ahlgren had the potential to make this a fantastic book, but it's not a fantastic book; it's an uneven book that failed to hold my interest.

into the future when such excursions with our souls will be the norm, like an annual physical. Health care systems as they exist would no longer be necessary for with such profound understanding would come self-healing and, perhaps, ultimately the need to reincarnate would end. This book provides a foundation for that process to begin as we learn nothing is as it appears and nothing stays the same and become empowered to embrace all as it is. Robert Schwartz's writing skills are exceptional!

Courageous Souls and books that discuss similar matter are being written at a time when the human race is starting to realize that we are really souls having a human experience and that the body that houses the soul is really just a vessel that is used for learning. We agree to the experience to learn to be more compassionate, learn to love and to have more fun. There are no accidents, no tragedies, only lessons. We all write our own plays, cast the characters and at any time can change the plot or characters to fit the type of life we want to experience.

Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?Best book I have ever read on the subject of Pre Birth Planning. So well written and easy to relate to. It has brought great healing to my life and I continue to explore all possibilities. It has certainly given me a better understanding to life and knowing that everyone is on a journey to better their soul. A must read for anyone on a spiritual path to healing.

One of the most thought provoking books I have ever read and certainly a must read for individuals who are expanding their understanding of spirituality and soul growth. Absolutely 5 stars, I recommend this book highly!

I have found Courageous Souls to both confirm and validate my own experiences as well as my understanding of life's deeper purpose and meanings. This book explains in clear, simple language why "bad things happen" and why sometimes "bad things happen to good people" in a way that helps readers make sense of their own lives and make peace with their choices--however their choices were viewed by themselves or others. Janet Boyer in her review does an excellent job of summarizing the concepts in the book, so I will not repeat them here. However, I will add that applying the understandings in this book to one's own life will help one see the bigger picture, take responsibility (respond appropriately in life), and make the taking of responsibility that much easier. And once you learn the bigger picture and take responsibility for what you came here to do, the world will stop trying to awaken you through often painful crises and challenges. Taking responsibility equals personal growth, helping us become masters of our own lives, leading to greater satisfaction and peace: a new world.

I as well struggled to make sense of my own life and chronicled what I learned in my just-published book "What Everyone Believed: A Memoir of Intuition and Awakening". What I came to understand is not only that we have these pre-birth contracts (or soul agreements) with others, we now have the incredible opportunity to "congratulate ourselves for the roles that we played" not only when we're "on the other side" but right now, right here, physically on this planet. (Imagine the level of love and gratitude this will create.) We can complete the cycle of these hardships and challenges (sometimes referred to as "duality") and create a new world by bringing forth our soul potential, accessed through our intuition, our inner knowings--because it is now time for this. Living from this new consciousness is what the term "ascension" actually refers to. Then you don't feel like you want to "stop the cycle of reincarnation" (why would you want to??) because life becomes a joy. Courageous Souls is a wonderful and uplifting contribution towards this not-so-distant future.

Christine Hoeflich, author of What Everyone Believed: A Memoir of Intuition and Awakening

This book is awesome wicked crazy and I would recommend it to anyone who was ever interested in anything on the edge of reality.

It shows a side of drugs that people without an addiction are rare to find. It is an honest account from a not so honest guy about an absolutely shameful pastime. I love this book.

Aleister Crowley is best known for his books and essays on magick (it was he who coined that spelling), but he also wrote several works of fiction. Diary of a Drug Fiend may be his best novel, even though it is in many ways more a platform for his ideas and techniques than a conventional novel.

The novel takes place in Europe, mainly England, around the 1920s. This was apparently the time when drugs such as cocaine and heroin were just becoming illegal and socially unacceptable. The story concerns a young couple, Peter and Lou, who fall in love, both with each other and with cocaine and heroin. Crowley, who had considerable experience with drugs himself, is very effective at describing the euphoria of people experiencing drugs for the first time. Their lives are utterly transformed in an almost mystical way. Of course, the body quickly develops an increasing appetite for these powerful substances, and soon more and more is needed. Soon after that comes the inevitable crash, when the addict must take huge quantities just to feel normal and goes through hellish withdrawal when drugs are not available.

In addition to the physical addiction, Diary of a Drug Fiend shows how the addict's overall judgment is clouded. Peter easily falls victim to a con man, and soon the couple are facing a shortage of money. They are only rescued by the intervention of a mysterious man called King Lamus, who is a thinly disguised version of Crowley. What makes this book interesting, and different from other books that deal with addiction, is that the real point is to show the power of the will to overcome any problem. According to this view, which adherents of modern 12 step programs will not take kindly to, there is nothing special about addiction. It's simply one way people can lose sight of their "true will," to put it in Crowley's terminology. "Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be the Whole of the Law" was one of Crowley's favorite sayings, and it is repeated often in this book. The meaning, as is made clear, is not to simply do what you want or to follow your whims. That is how the couple in this novel end up addicted to cocaine and heroin. It means, rather, to follow your Will, which means living up to your highest potential, fulfilling your destiny or becoming one with your Higher Self, to put it in other terms.

Diary of a Drug Fiend is an enjoyable, if not a great novel; in some ways it's rather didactic, especially towards the end. Still, even someone who is not particularly interested in Crowley or magick could find the descriptions of the couple's descent into addiction and madness compelling. Crowley says in the introduction that the events depicted are all true. How true they are we may never know, but it is a fact that Crowley set up a kind of community in the Mediterranean called The Abbey of Thelema. The last few chapters of the novel depict a kind of idyllic life where people discover and live according to King Lamus' magical instructions. What Crowley did here, both in the novel and real life, is to try to set up a kind of laboratory of the spirit where people are led to reach their highest potential. At various times, other spiritual teachers, such as Gurdjieff and Rajneesh (both as controversial as Crowley in their own ways) established communities of their own. Whether Crowley succeeded or not is still hotly debated, but Diary of a Drug Fiend gives a compelling summary of many of his ideas. It is also an entertaining read with a style more accessible than Crowley's nonfiction books.

It's not quite as much fun to write a review when it seems everyone is basically in agreement. Crowley was not as evil as folklore suggests, and he was a lot more intellectually accomplished than his detractors would care to admit.

What struck me about this book were the resounding themes in the final chapters. (I don't think this is a suspense-driven book, so I don't see myself as "spoiling" the ending here.) "Do What Thou Wilt" may seem archaic or sinister, but it ultimately means nothing more than finding your ultimate purpose, your deepest will. Once you find that, your other problems will fall by the wayside. Put in those terms, perhaps the theme sounds too pedestrian. But the way Crowley presents it here in terms of overcoming a heroin and "snow" addiction is marvelous. In many respects this book, particularly toward the end, reminded me of Ayn Rand's writings, where man's ultimate potentials are examined and exalted. Crowley's King Lamus is not far from the John Galt and Howard Roarke idealisms. I walked away from this book refreshed and inspired. Thank you, Mr. Crowley.

Yes, if you have any interest in narcotics addiction this is a MUST-READ. Seriously, if you are a cop, or a lawyer, or a judge, this is a fundamental source of information that will really expand your comprehension of the subject of narcotics addiction. Thank goodness here in California the emphaisis is on REHABILITATION for users and simple possession. And, thank goodness, here in California if you are a dealer that clank you just heard is the prison door, scum bag.

Yes, for those with interests in the arcane, the esoteric, the occult or the erotic, your time will be well rewarded by the book. There is bizarre imagery and mystical references throughout. You'll have a blast with this one. Please note that these Crowley books become astronomical in price when they go out of print, even the paperbacks, so you may want to snag one of these even if you can't read it right now.

One sign of a good book for me is that when I'm done with it, the book is all marked up with pencil marks indicating points which I want to read again some day. Just about every page of this book is marked. Yes, it truly is classic.

Awesome. Great writer. First few pages took a little while to get through due to all the British lingo, but after that, it flew.

I Say a Prayer for Me was an excellent book. I had actually purchased it locally about 2 years ago and had not gotten around to reading it until we were deciding which book to read next in by Sisterhood Ministries group. I suggested this book, and everyone including myself, could not believe what a great book it was. To read about Stanice's life and her struggles with what God would have her to do, was true testimony of how Faith can turn your life around. After we finished the book, I ordered additional copies from Amazon and gave them to my sisters as gifts, and they also raved about how good this book was and have since purchased additional copies and given them to their friends. Great work, Stanice!!!!

The writer gives the impression that you can overcome herion addiction just by praying and becoming a member of the 700 club.

Whew, what can one say after reading this book!?! To read this woman's stories of what she experienced and to see her now; only God can create such a transformation in one's life. I laughed and I cried as I read through the chapters. Some reminded me of my own experiences. This is a MUST read! If you are in need of any type of healing, it will definitely take place in the pages of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Her life is an inspiration. She taught me to consider God in all things no matter how small I may think it is. Her story of her California trip was great and really taught me to witness to anyone and everyone. This was my selection for my bookclub and I was the toast of the day. We all enjoyed this one.

Not only was this book written as a testimony to show how GOD navigates our lives to help us know that we are loved it also shows that with faith all things are possible. This book is not only for those with drug or alcohol addictions but it is for those of us who suffer addictions of all kinds, it is for those of us who don't believe in ourselves, for those who have experienced hurt and also dished hurt out towards others. The lord spoke to me personally thru his vessel Stanice. Thank you for allowing your loving and gentle kindness to flow from this wonderful women who has allowed you to use her. I am and will always be in loving awe of your unconditional love.

I thought this book was very informative,and yet unusual. He reverses your brain by opening our minds to the the brain-washing we were programmed from many years ago.I thought this book is quite incredible. I would recommed this book and Allan Carrs book on How to Quit Drinking as well to anyone who is considering quitting.It's a MUST HAVE!He is an inspiration and genius!

I don't usually write reviews but all the positive reviews about this book helped me make the decision to purchase it and gave me hope. So I hope this helps you.
I ordered this book out of curiosity and was very skeptic about the outcome. It took me over a month to finish it and I doubted myself the whole time. Yet after I finished reading, I put out the last cigarette and felt immediate relief. The first couple of days were a little strange, because I used to plan my whole day around smoking, but it turned out OK.I have more energy, feel better and even endure the company of smokers easily, without being tempted. This book is about putting your thinking in a different perspective, adopting a non-smoker's frame of mind.
Try it even if you're skeptic about it. You have nothing to loose and so much to gain!
I am getting it as a Christmas gift for all my smoking friends.

This book is magic. It really really works. Not scary stuff, just makes you face the facts of why on earth do you smoke. I don't anymore!!!

My sister stop smoking with this book after many years of trying and given this book to all my friends and family to stop smoking.
Is worth every penny!
Probably the best thing you can do for you !

...and I am still free from cigarette smoking.

The writing style took a little getting used to, but I allowed myself to believe what it is saying, and I found that I was freed from my previously-held beliefs about smoking. "Cured" sounds far-fetched, but that's how I feel now. I smoked for 16 years, and of the many times I attempted to quit, this was the only successful method.

Try it, even if you don't feel ready to. After all, you can keep smoking while you read the book (indeed, the book instructs you to do so).

Yhis book belongs on the bookshelf of all those interested in the early days of psychedelic research and it's social ramifications. One word for it: Excellent!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2NWFN612DXX3 My video review of Acid Dream. Really great bookAcid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond. ***** 5 stars =)

Can't think of a more informative and interesting way of describing this period of time. I loved this book. Big thanks to the authors!

This was a great book. It was an easy read and a fast read, while at the same time being very informative and interesting. It was everything I was hoping it would be and I would refer it to anyone whom was interested in the topic or anyone whom just wants to be more informed in general. There is a lot of great information is in this book. (I myself am a college student and I would say that this is a great book for my peers but also those who are a bit older.)

This book is perfect - It offered everything I was hoping for when I first purchased it. It covered from the end of the 50's and the Beat generation and how their influence lead into the hippie generation, and it ended in the early 70's tying in the beginning of rock and punk. It is a true spectrum of the 1960's counterculture generation.

It's a large book but its facinating to learn about the history and the culture. Like previous reviewers said, it really ties up everyhting and clearly shows the correalation between the drug counterculture and the govn't & society during that time period. I was born in the 80's and this book really showed me alot about the 60's counterculture and the attitudes towards drug use and young people during that time. I can see alot of correalations between that era with Vietnam as the war that they were protesting versus todays war in Iraq and the amount of US citizens that are against it.

The author also goes into government policies at the time and conspiricys and covert CIA and classified documents. I was amazed by the actions of the CIA and thetesting of LSD on unsuspecting American citizens. It is like the stuff movies are made of but it really happened! Truly and amazing and interesting book - I could not put it down. I reccomend it to everyone, regardless of your view on LSD or drug counterculture - a true wealth of information on 1960's America.

then this book is for you. And even if you are not a gambler this book is for you. I got this book after reading the description at the Gambler's Book Club website. The author's descent into gambling hell via internet poker was of particular interest to me. But I thought the parts leading up to that were quite engaging as well (going to the track with my father, aunt and uncle provide some of my fondest memories of my childhood). And when she finally does begin her downward spiral it is a harrowing ride. I read it during my lunch hours at work and cursed the clock when they were ending. Super book!!!

As much a book about gambling as it is about families, this is fun from beginning to end. Martha draws us into her addiction to poker and online gambling every step of the way, starting with sitting on her father's lap as a young girl, while he plays cards with his friends. We learn about poker's role in her mother's life, as we watch it take a more important role in Martha's. This is a look back into a life well lived, with a left turn into obsession, all told with great humor. You'll feel like you're hearing this tale across the table from your old friend during a long lunch. It's impossible to put down until you find out how all this ends! Great gift for a sister, mother or father-- it's filled with love, warmth, nostalgia and laughter.

I usually start a book, and read chapter by chapter each night. However, once I picked up Hats & Eyeglasses, I couldn't stop. You don't need to be much of a poker player to see the beauty in this book. The Family Love affair was very powerful. Martha's narrative storytelling is extremely visual. Wonderful awesome read, cover to cover!

A story about facing addiction has never been so hip, sexy, and unapologetically funny. "Hats & Eyeglasses" is one of those books that will do something to you. The comments that Martha Frankel makes about the trials of being a human will make you look up from the page you're reading and look around for someone to talk to. The book is filled with small realizations and large observations that offer new perspectives on the hardships that people have, and, more importantly, the challenges that we all face.

You should read it.

Anyone who has been touched by addiction needs to read this book. Anyone who has found heaven & earth in a potato pancake needs to read this book, Anyone who can handle the truth needs to read this book. Anyone who has ever loved a woman needs to read this book. If none of the above apply, then you need to read this book to find out what you've been missing!
HATS & EYEGLASSES is the Bomb......get ready to be blown away!