Personal Development Books

Temple Grandin brings her exceptional mind to bear on the education of the person who loves or works with someone with Asperger's or Autism. Each chapter illuminates an aspect of this unique condition, helping you truly understand.

This isn't just theory, but intelligent and thoughtful advice from the inside. As a mother of one of these special children (now a successful adult), a have over 20 years training in working with A/A spectrum disorders. Dr. Grandin sheds new light on individual aspects of the raising of these children - I sure would have appreciated her words years ago.

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from this gentle soul, uniquely gifted at showing us her world.

This book is a collection of articles that were previously published in Autism journals. The articles have been edited, updated and neatly arranged by topic. The articles are 2-4 pages long and numerous articles make up each chapter. Due to this arrangement it is not necessary to read the book in its entirety or in order from start to finish. The reader can jump around from topic to topic if they want, and it will all still make sense. Temple Grandin PhD describes herself as a `high functioning Autistic person and she is presently in her 50s. While some of this is opinion and some is explaining the way life is experienced by the author, other parts are summaries and analyses of information such as medical studies. After reading this book cover to cover I can see that a lot of time, research, energy and passion went into Dr. Grandin's writings.

The chapters having to do with medical information, diagnoses, medical treatments, and discussing what different kinds of research has shown are cited right at the end of the article with the references cited. I want to make it clear that it is apparent that the author has researched these topics thoroughly. Unlike so many other non-fiction books (or magazine articles or web based articles) on the market which comment on studies or shell out advice based on what the medical experts say this one actually does state what studies were referenced so they are believable and so the reader can go on to research more if they desire. Although many of these professional journal articles are not available to the layperson easily or for free, at least laypersons will know that the information is based on something it is not just made up or pure opinion based on someone's imagination. Health care professionals who want to learn more would have easier access to those source materials than the layperson does.

Also included for many chapters is a list of source material for the reader to further investigate. The further reading is in various sources such as websites, books, journal articles and magazine articles. For example when discussing vision issues that some people with Autism have, she cites the medical studies published in professional journals and a list of websites available to everyone to read for free.

Chapters have these titles which sum up the broad range of topics addressed in this book: Diagnosis and Early Intervention, Teaching and Education, Sensory Issues, Understanding Nonverbal Autism, Behavior Issues, Social Functioning, Medications and Biomedical Therapy, Cognition and Brain Research and Adult Issues and Employment.

I mentioned the articles were updated for this book. Examples of that are citing journal articles dated 2007 and 2008 (this first edition of this book was published in September 2008) and including some information on the newest drugs for depression and anxiety. Sometimes the author comments on current event issues that happened very recently. I appreciated that these articles were edited and updated when reformatting them for publication in a book and they are NOT just a quick reprint of old articles. I appreciated that. I feel the book was edited well. It was not boring, it moved along providing just enough information on a wide variety of topics. When the reader is left wanting more information, which is when further research on one's own would be worthwhile. Anyone dealing with Autism and Asperger's has got to realize that to know more they will have to do a good amount of self-education by reading the research and other books and articles that pertain to the specific topic areas that are issues for their unique child with the Autism or Asperger's diagnosis.

This book is not the first book on autism that parents of newly diagnosed children with Autism should probably read. However after learning the vague basics and generalized information that is so readily available, if a person wants more information more from the perspective of a successful person who actually has the Autism diagnosis, I highly recommend the writings of Dr. Temple Grandin. Her previous book "Thinking in Pictures" was eye opening to me as it was the first time I was able to read what life would be like for a person who is a visual thinker. This book was even better because it explains some things that can only be described by a person who has lived through them, for example, the sensory issues.

As the subtitle says, this is "a personal look at Autism and Asperger's". This is the information and research as viewed by Dr. Grandin. This book is what it says it is, it does not pretend to be something it is not. I do appreciate this book and have learned from it. If you crave a less personal view of the issues and information about Autism written by someone from a more distant perspective perhaps you would not like this book. As for me I hope that Dr. Grandin continues to write and speak at conferences to share her experiences and information `the way she sees it'.

One thing that I appreciated and don't always see in writings about Autism was the positive attitude to attempt to boost parents who have children with Autism . She inspires parents to take action, to not give up, to find responsive health care providers, to not bow down to Pediatricians who are not taking the suspected diagnosis seriously in the early stages. She stresses the importance of having early intervention, to work with their children directly not ONLY rely on professional expert treatments, and to get parents to set high expectations of their children. (In this way she reminded me of Maria Montessori and in general about children's education and standards of behavior she reminded me of Marva Collins). She tackles the difficult topics of household and behavioral rules and of etiquette. She discusses punishments (negative consequences for negative actions) even for young children with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. She discusses how her mother handled her in the 1950s and 1960s and I completely agree with Dr. Grandin's assessment of today's parents (all parents) and the different lowered standards for behaviors today in general which spills over and affects today's parents of children with Asperger's or Autism. Two common pitfalls are being too permissive due to wanting to be the child's friend, not setting high enough standards--children rise to the standard set for them so if the parents bar is low then they'll only rise to that and, in Dr. Grandin's view, using the label-diagnosis as an excuse to not even try to set limits and behavior standards---which I call playing the victim role.

She also addresses behavioral issues with teens and adults, urging them not to play the victim role and to stand up and learn to play by society's rules rather than play the Asperger's or Autism card and refuse to comply with normal cultural norms or workplace etiquette. That section is perhaps her toughest and least flexible and may cause some readers to bristle.

Over and over Dr. Grandin reinforces that her opinions are her opinions based on her experience. She says multiple times that the Autism spectrum is wide and even the perspectives, perceptions, and experiences of people with the same exact diagnosis or who are functioning seemingly on an equal level vary so greatly. She does NOT ever claim to be living the one and only way that all people on the spectrum live. For example people who are nearsighted and are told they have a vision rating of 20/200 may all report their vision as seeming the same, things are blurry if they are a certain distance away and so forth. Anyone who knows anything about Autism understands that Autism is not at all as simple as a medical diagnosis of being nearsighted. Despite that fact, I know some people will say what Dr. Grandin says is not 100% true or applicable for their child on the Autism spectrum, however expecting such a high standard from a person writing of their own unique experience is ridiculous. Many people say if they learn one really useful thing from reading a non-fiction book or attending one seminar then it is worth it. There will be at least one thing if not many that readers will find useful, they may see a new perspective, perhaps be able to be more empathetic, or maybe they will learn something new, hear of a study they didn't know about, realize they want to go on to read a different book sourced, or perhaps they will feel uplifted and encouraged to be an advocate for their after reading this book. If any of that happens with readers then it makes this a useful book that did its job.

The bottom line is that if you like and appreciate past writings of Dr. Grandin you will love this book. If you like her writing style and opinion sharing and have not read all these articles before then this book is a great value and convenient to have all these articles in a bound book format. If you are sick of general cold information that seems too clinical you may like the fresh perspective in this book with its personal take on source materials. If you seek more general information from a more distant source there are other books on the market for you about Autism. If you are a purist who has access to and can understand and properly evaluate statistics you may prefer to read the original medical studies and professional journal articles instead. Certainly if you are a medical doctor working with Asperger's and Autism issues you should be reading the original professional journal articles and source medical studies. This book is primarily written for the layperson parents and teachers who live or work with people with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

One last thing I will mention is I have just finished reading a book about gifted children and adults who have a dual diagnosis or a misdiagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. In case that book might be something you are interested in I'll mention it. The title is "Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger's, Depression, And Other Disorders by James Webb MD (ISBN 978-0910707671). That book was excellent.

After 38yrs I have finally found another girl very similar to myself. As I was reading Temple's interview I actually started to cry (and I am not one to be emotional!) as it really struck a cord. I also read all about the sensory issues because many times I have said to others that my little girl's autism appears to be all about sensory. I, myself, have issues with loud noises, smells, etc. but nothing like my daughter and my logical brain couldn't quite figure out what was going on with my little girl.

Temple's book was extremely educational and I really appreciate that she published this book. Her passage on early intervention is also key. I believe the reason my daughter is doing very well at this point (now age 5) is because I knew something had changed in her just before the age of 2. At that point, I started my research and I have had many good mentors along the way with respect to my daughter. Please pass the message on to Temple that her book is fabulous, but more than that, please thank her for writing it. Karen.

Dr. Temple Grandin takes this simple phrase and makes it the central theme to her book "As I See It." She explains, in very concrete examples, that autism is a 'spectrum' disorder, and no two individuals share the exact same traits. Autism is simply a different way of thinking and learning; and with the right type and intensity of services, significant improvements can be made.

I enjoyed this book very much because Temple makes it very plain from the get-go that as a parent of an autistic/Asperger's child, doing nothing is the worst thing possible. Don't let the child stim all day long, don't hold onto the belief that he/she will "grow out of these behaviors", and never let the label define the child. In addition, she stresses the important of teaching the child proper manners, acceptable behaviors, and setting goals for them to achieve (within reason).

She goes on to say that tasks need to be taught in a piece-by-piece manner so the child does not succumb to sensory overload. I was particularly fascinated by her personal description of sensory overload in the autistic/Asperger's mind, caused by items like fluorescent lights, fire alarms, ticking clocks, uncomfortable fabrics, and much more. Recognizing these learning hurdles requires a bit of detective work on the part of parents and teachers - but in the end, they will help in the child's treatment and learning process.

Personal examples are provided as often as possible, which helps provide a very real and unabashed view into the autistic mindset. Dr. Grandin remembers with vivid detail getting a question wrong on a kindergarten quiz where she had to mark items that began with the letter "B". Since suitcases were called "bags" in her house, she had no idea that her answer could be interpreted differently - a shining example of the frustration an autistic child can face.

Dr. Grandin didn't stop her book with the early years of learning...far from it. She talks about ways of turning an autistic child's obsessions into skills that are valued in the workplace. There are chapters which discuss the pros and cons of medicine and biomedical therapies. One of the most interesting chapters discusses nonverbal autism and the preconceived notion that if one is nonverbal, they aren't intelligent: Her interview with Tito Mukhopadhyay and her reference to Amanda Bagg's YouTube video "In My Language" allow us to shatter that notion into a million pieces. She offers websites and books for additional reference, providing a wealth of resources for the reader.

Social awareness is touched on as well, and since Dr. Grandin is more task-oriented than socially oriented, she openly admits her shortcomings in this area...but she stresses the importance of nurturing skills that will allow an autistic/Asperger's child to grow into a functioning workplace member.

All in all, I found this to be very organized, informative and a worthwhile book to read. If you have any interest in studying autism, if you have an autistic child or want to work as a classroom aide, this book will provide several intervention plans with a personal touch from its author.

I would also recommend The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - even though this is a fictional book, the author's writing style is meant to mimic the writings of a high-functioning child with Asperger's. This book got me interested in the nature of autism and prodded me into reading Dr. Grandin's book.

Part biography, part self aggrandizing, part text book, Dr. Grandin takes you into her world of Autism through magazine articles previously published and reorganized into an easier to follow format that incorporates her opinions on the inner workings of Autism and Asperger's.

Temple Grandin lost me in a couple of places where she seems to be a bit redundant, but overall it's a fascinating look at Autism from a different perspective. The how and why of an Autistic's inner world from a perspective that is not always apparent.

I loved her comment about -- if it wasn't for Autism we would be a world full of highly social people who would accomplish very little. The Social people are not going to want to spend the time necessary to create great art, beautiful music, or masterworks of engineering that require a great attention to detail.

Instead of thinking about Asperger's as a detriment, it's now easier to see that it can be a gift, the ability to use different parts of the brain that the rest of the population is clueless about. So, some people are wired differently, may not have the same social skills, but in the long run, if it wasn't for people thinking differently, would I be able use this computer. Would there even be computers?

I highly recommend this fascinating book; I just suggest that you take it in small bits so you can digest the full meaning that Dr. Grandin is trying to get across

Wayne Dyer again presents us with another piece of inspired writing that helps lift your soul from the shadows of darkness to the light of day. This book, Being in Balance is a tool needed for many to get their mind and attitude right. It empowers you to cleanse the negative and self-doubting thoughts that consistently prevent you from achieving your dreams and aspirations. In chapter six,"You can't discover light by analyzing the darkness", reinforces the dilemmas and barriers we place in front of us that prevent us from achieving prosperity, whether monetarily or spiritually.
If you are lost and looking for direction this book is a great guide to bring your life back into balance.

After 20 years, it shouldn't be hard for him to come up with this stuff, but nonetheless, this little gem is got all the right principles, in an easy to read and delicious to feel little book. Almost a mini-reference manual. I recommend it.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason! This book fell into my lap through an incredible offer from a television home shopping network - one which whom I never pay any mind to. However, after reading and loving "The Power of Intention", which was my first real exposure to Dr Dyer, the message that he would be featured on the show piqued my interest and got me to tune in.

It doesn't end there though. I didn't dive in to the book immediately upon receipt - was I not ready for it yet? Hmmm...

So a few weeks went by and in the meantime I happened to see the recently released movie "The Secret". One word to describe it, "WOW"! I was and continue to be blown away!

So out of the 10 or so books that I had on deck to read, this book "Being in Balance" kind of jumped off my shelf at me - Why? I didn't know, but I pick it up and started reading it.

One by one thoughts and concepts passed on by the author just seemed to resonate with me - Do you know that `popping' sound when something just clicks with you?

This was the quintessential "right book at the right time" for me. It not only solidified some concepts that I just picked up from "The Secret" but it simplified and expanded my understanding of them.

It became even more evident to me that Dr. Dyer is simply tuned in! I'm about to embark on another book by him called "Inspiration" and I'm just thrilled with anticipation!

I set this on the coffee table and pick it up periodically to read a chapter. It is short and to the point. Wish I had this a year ago.It helps me daily. Thanks you Dr. Dyer!

This is an awesome book. I have read it many times and it has had a profound effect on my life and wellbeing. I have given it as a gift to many friends and they all say "Bravo" also.

A practical guide to using LinkedIn that provides advice on not only this tool but on networking in general. The reader will also be rewarded with advice on career branding and provided with resources to improve her personal brand. This book is required reading for anyone serious about networking and career management.

The title says it all. This is an excellent book for a BEGINNER. It is not always easy to find the information on LinkedIn. I had to slog through their help but this summarizes things nicely and gives you handy tips. It's a quick read so you can be up and networking right away. So I don't think it's expensive. What's your time worth? I didn't realize the value of LinkedIn until I read this book. I recommend it to other newbies.

A few months ago, I made an effort to improve my skills at networking and reconnect with my past. Since LinkedIn is very popular, and I had business associates that were already using it, I decided this was a good place to start.

I picked up Jason's book because I wanted to get the most out of my LinkedIn experience from the beginning. I found the book to be very helpful. It gives comprehensive coverage of LinkedIn with lots of tips for navigating through the system and avoiding potential pitfalls.

I would recommend it for anyone looking to start networking through LinkedIn.

I purchased "I'm on LinkedIn--Now Whatt???" with the expectation of learning advanced techniques. Although this book offers answers to basic user questions, I was disappointed with the book.

This publication was a terrible disappointment. It is lacking in substance and, overall, appears to be nothing more than a vanity publication.

Realistically, it never answered the question raised by the title. It offers no guidance in getting value from LinkedIn that doesn't appear within LinkedIn itself. It offers no road map for maximizing the potential of LinkedIn and often addresses points in a circular fashion.

I cannot recommend this publication to anyone at any price.

I found 'Nexus' by Deborah Morrison & Arvind Singh to be the most unique New Age Novel that I've ever read.

Enjoyable, & spiritually fulfilling, thought-provoking & a remarkable soul-searching journey.

Throughout the book I found myself in an experiential process of deep self reflection & asking the big/significant questions about life, relationship & myself.

The main plot to the story is centered around 'Logan' who embarks on a remarkable journey of self-discovery that's connected with everyone & everything around him. Yet he experiences re-occuring thoughts of suicide.

Can he over-come his inner turmoil before its too late?

Logan follows a vivid dream & so his journey begins.

Read together with:

Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't

"Nexus" is a fast-paced book with a lot of plot twists and unexpected surprises.

At times you're bowled over by the events, including a terrifying faceless creature, a quizzical magical dwarf on a mountaintop and premonitional dreams that come true. Besides strange unexplained happenings, you can expect a psychological and spiritual thriller that is exciting, uplifting and absorbing from the first to the last page.

What is most impressive about this book are the many spiritual insights. You even find humorous parts-the best one involves a striptease by the uptight Steven letting loose.

"Nexus" is a fascinating story about love, spirituality and paranormal occurrences. It shows the struggle of Logan Andrews through depression after the loss of his fiance to another man. He meets her again at a retreat but their meeting brings both passion and conflict to the surface.

This is a fantastic read with a great message interwoven into the story-line! A must-read for spiritual readers or anyone interested in a good story with a message.

PASSIONATE, SOULFUL, FASCINATING, ENLIVENING, NEW AGE NOVEL!!!

YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

I've now read NEXUS for the third time and with each reading I discover new dimensions & deeper meaning throughout this enlightening novel.

At first glance you may think that NEXUS is a simple, superficial story. Yet each time I journey through this book I find something new- an intricate, insightful and experiental process occurs. I've discovered that the authors are ingenious! Their inventive techniques create a clever 'connectedness' beween the wide spectrum of important life 'ingredients' that ultimately coalesce into an East/West, intrinsic/extrinsic, individual/social, spiritual/earthy, ancient/contemporary dialectic of quantum wisdom. Truly a fine work of art!

I must warn that if you read this book quickly, superficially, or with a closed mind then you are going to miss the entire point to the story.

I recommend NEXUS for the Oprah Show since the book & authors would certainly generate a fascinating discussion. Also NEXUS, although great as a book would be even better as a movie.

More recommendations:

The Secret

The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham

I am between two countries, California U.S.A., and India, living at one spiritual retreat or another, and I must say that NEXUS by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh is an inspiring and true to life spiritual novel set primarily at a spiritual retreat.

My one criticism of the book is that it is a rather extreme, dramatic portrayal of what goes on at a spiritual, yogic retreat. From personal experience I would have to say that the emotional drama, conflict, and extreme psychological conditions of the colorful characters portrayed in the book are definitely a fictional portrayal of the usual spectrum of individuals that you would come across if you were to attend a yoga retreat. Usually a yoga retreat is calm, peaceful and inspirational and I highly recommend a week or two at least for personal rejuvenation. Let me remind you that it would be highly unlikely to come across the situations that surface in NEXUS.

However, the authors have spun a thrilling story that integrates advanced, deep spiritual/psychological/philosophical insight into a real page-turner of story.

I must give the authors credit for portraying the true to life reality of some of the challenges that people face in life. Especially important is the exploration of the reality of depression/despair and the inherent challenges in attempting to overcome this condition and the role of suffering in life. Other important and often neglected themes are touched on in this book such as death, isolation, environmental imbalance, materialism, life purpose, and expanded awareness.

Overall, wonderful and inspirational writing can be found in this book!

This was a stupid book and I got very little out of it. There is nothing new in it that hasn't been said many times in many books before or just dah-common sense. Marketing ploy. Waste of money.

As individuals we may have issues that have developed over the years that affect our lives, sometimes in negative ways, and that we may not be aware of. This book is clear, concise, and very helpful in moving ourselves forward into a time & place that are both satisfying and fulfilling.

For anyone interested in purchasing this audio book, please be advised that I've recieved not just One but TWO damaged versions of "Reinvent Yourself" and have given up. I will probably buy the book from the local bookstore. I don't think it's HamiltonBooks fault, but they must have some sketchy products in their inventory, you never know what you'll get. Maybe that's why this item is sold by them for the low price of $3.95 plus shipping. Just a warning...

This guy is awesome. So practical, so direct. No condescension, no preaching. Zero chaff. 100% content.

One (actual) example. I just pour out some hurt to my GF about my job. One client who is such a problem that if one our guys so much as *annoys* her, she could get a contract canceled that would get 4 of our guys laid off. An impossible to please person with a lot of power.

So I tell my GF. Cold person that she can be, she automatically *defends* this person, saying that we're just miffed that she has the power. Now, I'm thinking about the 4 families that would be knocked right out if this goes down (including mine), so I'm appalled that this is the first thing that comes out of her mouth (you know, before "gee hon, I'm sorry" or "why would anyone be that way?")

So as soon as she lets me out of the room, I go into the next room, and decide to try to somehow rise above this.

I pop in CD2 of this series, and I just want to *feel* angry, hurt, justified, etc. Well, Chandler won't let me, and he explains convincingly how are "aren't" (i.e., can't *identify* completely with) our feelings any more than we "are" a banged knee (and the pain associated with that), and why. He's 100% dead on. Now if he was in any way preachy, I'd have the opportunity to feel guilt, or get defensive (and thus avoid action). Not possible. He is so clear, and so right-on. I'm not feeling convicted. I am redirected. So uncommon.

So I go right back in the bedroom (why should *I* sleep on the couch?), stick some pillows between us, and get the night's sleep I need to face the week ahead (and the pending situation).

The girlfriend? Time to weigh my options. I have choices. We always do.

The book/audio? I highly recommend it.

Ok, so the audio version would maybe have been more lyrical if Steve had a different person read it, like someone with passion in their voice. (I still love ya Steve!) However, I do like books read to me by the author, since it is their wisdom they are sharing.

This audio series really woke me up again, like many of Steve's books. I sadly related myself to the "victim" mentality. When Steve gives examples of how "victims" handle situations, he was honestly reading my mind. It really got my attention.

Then he describes how "owners" think. Being a small business owner and wanting to succeed, I really had to stop and listen. I was shocked to hear how owners think in their heads. I then realized I had a choice; do I want to think like an 'owner' or a 'victim'?

Other points throughout the series really made me stand up and think. He describes a scene on the Today show where Matt Lauer is trying to get a row out of Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods, after hearing a negative comment from Fuzzy Zoeller. Earl never, ever is offended by the comments. He puts it back on Fuzzy, saying that Fuzzy has the problem. Victims are offended everyday, while Owners see that others have the problem. Wow!

If you truly want to change and get out of your victim mode and change your life, this is a valuable asset that is worth every penny. I like audio versions because I can listen to them over and over again, especially riding around in the car, which I have to do anyway. It's a valueable time where I can change my thinking and therefore change my life.

Thanks Steve!

Annie Bathgate

Anyone planing on or currently trading using technical analysis should read this book. The lessens inside can help prevent loss of savings.

This book takes a careful look at various types of technical indicators and trading strategies that use technical analysis, the types of methods commonly found in charting software and technical analysis books. For me the bottom line is that making a consistent income from trading, using technical analysis, is difficult. (Losing money is not so difficult).

The software referenced in the book and available for a relatively small price, is in my opinion very powerful, but difficult to master (C++ source code that must be compiled, debugged for your compiler, and modified to create useful systems).

This book provides an overview on the type of strategies available and shows the results done on the different strategies. For system developers it is useful to know that most strategies - pure trending, oscillators etc do not perform well at all!
What is lacking is a more thorough analysis of the different methods. Overall a useful book which highlight the pitfalls which system developers will fall into.

The book should be compulsory reading for any aspiring systems trader.
The testing methodology is thorough, and they cover many of the more common approaches to systems trading as well as a few that many will find a tad too esoteric. My only complaint is that the book could present us with more detailed stats on the tested systems. In e.g Way of the turtle (a much less comprehensive text) the author does an excellent job of presenting stats on any tested system, including a number of important measures you will not find in the Encyclopedia. Overall, I still believe it is a must read. For beginners I also recommend the following books (for starters):

Way of the Turtle (Faith)
Evidence Based Technical Analysis
Design, testing and optimization of trading systems (Pardo)

Also, check out the Trading Blox forum at tradingblox.com for
tons of useful info on systems trading.

* s p e c t r e *

I liked this book.
it presented many ideas and a right pragmatic approach to test a trading system.
I found tough the statistics part, but it's not an author's fault: it's statistics.
in the final part I found many repetition (many pages might be saved just writing: " hey, for this system we apply the same said at pag. xyz..").

Only two things remained a mistery to me (but I'm not much intellingent..): why didn't the author make any test for longer horizons? in the end, the strategies never approached a longer term trading strategy: usually the trades last few days.
maybe it's not worth? the author doesn't tell us

ah, and it's not an encyclopedia: why did he choose this name?
this is the second mistery...

The Encyclopedia of Trading Strategies is well written and is a good book if you are looking for something very technical and mechanical. I was disappointed with the book. I thought it would offer chart set ups or set ups per technical indicators. Instead, it offered codes, etc for setting up mechanical systems.

In the world that we live in sometimes money can paradoxically become a source of sorrow rather than happiness. This is especially true when people use the name of God for their own personal profits. One must remember that God moves in mysterious ways and that no lie or deceit is so thick that it cannot be penetrated by his vision. Sooner or later justice is served...

David Gottfried, the founder of the U.S. Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council, started his career with a privileged entry into real estate development (his cousins were in the business). But unlike many or most Baby Boomers, Gottfried was not seduced (at least not permanently) by a high income at a young age, Armani suits, power and illicit sex with an enticing, if manipulative, co-worker. Instead, he chucked it all to codify and promote the emerging industry of green (read: environmentally sound or healthy) real estate development.

Gottfried's rebirth as a do-gooder was not without its setbacks: his workload rocketed, his income dwindled for a time, and he briefly succumbed to the allure of venture capital and the tech boom with disappointing results. But he emerged from the tumult of his transition successfully and has had an enormous and positive effect on the real estate development industry both in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Greed to Green works on a number of levels. It is a good story, clearly told, for those interested in the real estate industry and in environmentalism. Gottfried ably discusses both fields with a minimum of technical mumbo-jumbo. But the story is more important as a tale of personal transformation and the influences that shape a life. Gottfried is especially moving when he discusses his father's influence and when he relates his search for personal meaning and balance. Such candor is rare and unexpected, especially in the commercial real estate industry, even in its greenest segment. Best of all, Greed to Green is written with real humor-- Gottfried is smart enough to laugh at his foibles and to include us in the joke.

Altogether a fine read, a worthy four stars.

I loved this book! David Gottfried has captured the zeitgeist of my generation as we search for meaning within our careers and families. His arc from greedy pig developer to environmental entrepreneur is totally inspiring and has broad appeal. His writing style makes the sometimes fusty/techie area of "green buildings" very accessible and fascinating. People outside of the movement, like me, will love it. Thank you, David Gottfried!

David Gottfried weaves a crucially important save-the-environment story with great drama and panache. I really enjoyed the memoir style as a vehicle for learning more about how we can "green" buildings & our lives. His work has been pivotal in bringing the environmental agenda to the table with the stakeholders -- mostly developers & investors. Bravo, David!

David Gottfried grows up in a fairly wealthy family, gets his first real estate job through family connections, and makes hundreds of thousands of dollars in his first ten years in the business. He then quits his job, apparently not because he strongly objects to the business practices he witnesses, but because he can't stand his domineering co-worker/girlfriend. He takes solace in his old pastime - photography - taking pictures of homeless people, whom he calls his "new friends". He struggles for a while, claiming that he is nearly out of cash, musing that he might become homeless himself. Thankfully, he manages to start a consulting company where he resumes making a six-figure salary. He also starts a non-profit where, to paraphrase one of his friends near the end of the book, he "changes the world."

I have a tough time empathizing with the author and his riches-to-riches story. The whole book feels like a vanity project. He spends the first section, "Greed", detailing his many shopping trips to buy expensive clothes. The "Green" section is intended to be a 180 degree turn, but still the author can't resist telling a story about buying a Rolex, feeling he has really "earned" it this time. His motivation doesn't seem to be as much about improving the world as it is about gaining his father's approval. Maybe all these things were intended to show that the author is a human being with weaknesses and insecurities, but his writing style really turned me off to any message he might have been trying to convey.

of course, you can't be Jung...but this is a nice 'pop' version that WILL help many people (and has).

i prefer all the ineffable alchemical referencing in Jung, but i love the way this book simply speaks and relays its message.

not all people care to dig through depth psych texts...some need Insight.

this book is a great guide.

Precisely because this book is written in a "read between the lines" fashion, one is forced to look within one's self; thus the reader is lead to seek and find his/her own understanding.

I found this book to be very interesting. It goes into great detail about the symbolism of the story of the Grail, and Johnson shows you how you can use mythology to relate to your own inner experience. That being said, I thought that there were not enough example of how certain things play out in everyday life. I was hoping that he would say how a man shows his mother complex, or how the father archetype shows itself in man's development. (Ironically, there is no mention of the father archetype at all!) The analysis basically boils down to a man needing to understand his feminine side, which I have frankly heard enough of in my psychoanalytic studies. I do believe it is important, and I would dread life without being in touch with the feminine, but why can't Jungian psychology move on? Why is there so little talk about the father? Why is it that every book I pick up tells me that I need to be in touch with my anima? I get the picture.

In addition, Johnson mentions that the masculine search within ends with a higher understanding of the self, but he ends rather abruptly. I wish that there was more about the mysteries of the self, and how the masculine enhances the self, but there is no such discussion.

If you think about this book enough, you will see that it is lacking very much, and it is better as a primer about the story of the Grail than it is about masculinity and the struggles of men today. It still has strong interpretive value, and it teaches us things to look for in mythology. So I would still recomend it for anyone.

This small book actually began with 10 lectures given by Robert Johnson at an Episcopal Church. Thus they are concise and do not offer a broad array of examples. I found the book to be excellent and found it much more to the point that Emma Jung's long study of the Holy Grail myth in all it permutations.

Of course, as a Jungian, Johnson sees mythology as reflecting underlying psychological and spiritual processes that take place in the human psyche. These myths are spontaneous images from the unconscious and contain both psychological and spiritual truths. Myths allow the interaction of archetypes, which are patterns of life that are universally true for humans. Myths are to mankind as dreams are to an individual. Therefore a dream shows the dreamer a truth about themselves whereas the myth shows mankind a truth that applies to all of us.

Individuation is a process that Jung describes as a life long movement toward wholeness and completion. It involves the life long expansion of consciousness and the ability of the conscious ego or personality to reflect the total self. One interpretation of Jesus Christ is that of a man who has been able to allow the unconscious to fill up the self and be always present in the personality. Because God the Father moves through and emerges in the world through the human unconsious, Christ may say that he and the Father are one.

A primary first step in the individuation process is the confrontation with the Shadow. Actually the confrontation with various aspects of the Shadow continue throughout a lifetime, but the first encounter is usually of great psychological power. The negative repressed side of the personality, that longs for acceptance and integration, continually follows the ego until the strength is mustered to face the shadow, accept the shadow, and then integrate the shadow into the personality which increases the energy and strength of the personality/psyche because energy is no longer used to suppress the shadow.

After the shadow is integrated, many people then may develop to the point where they can integrate the anima/animus, which is the characteristics of the opposite sex into their more complete psyche. It is here that Johnson points out the Parsifal and quest for the Holy Grail is in fact a myth of the male reconciliatoin with the anima who becomes a guide and leads him to the Grail.

Here Emma Jung and Robert Johnson would have slightly different interpretations of the Holy Grail myth. Whereas both see the anima as being essential to reaching the Grail, Johnson believes the integration of the feminine, the Anima, is a major and tricky task for young men. Also, whereas Emma Jung saw the grail as serving mankind as an expanded consciousness through which much psychic material may now flow; Johnson sees that the grail serves mankind through and expanded consciousness but also serves God because it is through this expanded consciousness that God flows into human interactions and becomes real and active in the world. This is a philosophical and theological issue of great importance. The first question is: Is God an active participant in the world and in the lives of men? Johnson goes beyond Deism, which would acknowledge God acting through nature, and would assert that God acts through the unconscious of mankind and it is through expanded and integrated consciousness that God becomes real in the world of men. Thus the Grail, the symbol of the accessible unconscious, serves man and God. This is the key to both Emma Jung's and Robert Johnson's work. She would emphasize that the Grail serves man and Johnson would emphasize that the Grail serves God, but both would acknowledge that the Grail serves both. This is the point of Johnson's book but he takes you down many fruitful trails to reach this point. I will point out some of these paths:

The Fisher King has wounds so severe that he cannot live, yet he is incapable of dying. The kingdom is dependent on the virility and power of its rule. As an adolescent, the Fisher King is burned on the fingers when he tries to eat hot broiled Salmon. He touches the divine part of his own unconscious but it is too hot for his consciousness to handle. He touches his individuation but can not hold it. His life becomes barren, his wound never heals, and he can not cure himself even though he and the Grail are in the same castle. The fool must come to cure the king.

Parsifal is the holy fool, the innocent, who emerges from the forrest nieve and full of creative possibilities. He is entraced by the knights and longs to become one. He must break with his poor heartbroken mother, Heartsorrow, on his journey to be a man. All men must be somewhat disloyal to their mother on the path to manhood and toward individuation. His first quest is to fight the Red Knight and gain his armour. He kills the Red Knight and thus takes on masculine power, courage and virility. However when he gets on the Red Knights' horse, he can't steer or stop it but must let it run its course. This is the symbol of a young man's first forray into the world of power where forces can be let loose which no one can control. Johnson points out that a boy gets his red Knight armour by taking it from someone else. This is the way of young male competetion. But a man must not carry the young male competitiveness throughout life, he must move beyond the Red Knight. A young male moves beyond the red Knight when he learns to master his own aggression. So every young man must defeat the Red Knight, take on the armour of power, aggression, virility, strength, courage, but must also not let these attributes consume the entire psyche. Parsifal gets a mentor, Gournamond, who teaches him chivalry and the skills of knighthood. He also tell Parsifal that he must seek the HolY Grail, the ture vocation of all knights, that he must not seduce or be seduced by a woman, and that he must ask "Whom does the Grail serve?" at the right moment in the castle of the Fisher King.

There are many women in the story who play various aspects of the Anima, but it is White Flower and the Ugly Hag who play critical roles as the positive and negative anima, each with a part to play.

The book ends with a really good explanation of why the Holy Grail serves the Grail King (God) and also serves Parsifal. Parsifal asks the question and the Fisher King is healed immediately, he becomes whole. But God now has a path, a window, into the world of Man and thus the Grail ultimately served God's purposes. Even though this interpretation of the Holy Grail story is more Christian in interpretation than that of Emma Jung, both are fantastic and insightful reading.

After gaining personal insights that I had never seen articulated so well, I gave HE to all my sons -5 - one of whom told me "that HE was a book which should be made mandatory reading for every boy in high school. HE helps put the forces which drive male psycholgy in perspective and balance incredibly well.

Great advice based on the essential belief that each of us will be called upon to lead at some point in our lives. Should be required reading in organizations and universities.

The uniqueness of the book is the systematic approach to understanding and developing leadership skills.

One of the more difficult and thankless tasks in today's world is convincing young MBA candidates that long term success is much more related to leadership skills than computer skills.

Sadly we all pay a price for the lack of leadership in too many areas. The current real estate / mortgage meltdown is just one of many where problems take hold in a leadership vacuum. The book also helps to understand the strength of organizations with a strong leadership culture.

Highly recommended

This is one of the best books on leadership that I've ever read. If you want to get better results in any area of your life, use this book as your compass. Woodward and Brady are the ultimate servant leaders and true inspirations for those of you who want to leave a legacy long after your gone.

Excellent Team Leadership book, great to have it in kindle format. The authors combine many leadership traits into this one book. If you only have time to read one leadership book, choose this.

What a great book on leadership! It is an interesting read about leadership in every area!

The authors of this book run a "successful" pyramid scheme (well, it is successful for them if not for their followers). They don't know anything about leadership and they are just putting together a collection of random ideas on leadership gleaned from other sources. Don't believe the other reviewers - they are all probably from the same "Team" organization that the authors own.

I learned about this book when reading about it on Alice Miller's website, and bought it based mainly on her recommendation. I also read several glowing reviews on Amazon, and was led to believe that the $79.97 USD price it was listed for would give me a book that transformed my life--a workbook-sized or textbook-sized book full of great insights. I was disappointed upon receiving and reading it. I have frankly found Dr. Miller's books and others much more insightful and well-written. These include all of the Alice Miller books I've read so far, and others such as "If You Had Controlling Parents" and Anne Wilson Schaef's books such as "When Society Becomes An Addict". I was disappointed in the quality of the translation, as the writing is cumbersome and awkward, and I thought that such a highly regarded expert would have had a better translator, one who could write better. I found no particularly new insights in this book. I also felt "fleeced" by the company, livenoir, that listed the book at $79.97 on Amazon. Inside the front cover of the book, it lists for $22.00. I wrote them to ask for a refund of the difference, and have yet to hear from them. I feel ripped off, not supported, by this experience. I dont think the book is even worth $22.00 to me.

Before reading Stalking the Soul, I read two other books on emotional abuse (No Visible Wounds by Miller, and Why Does He Do That? by Bancroft). Each book is a jewel, a long drink of water in a dry parch of land. My favorite part of this book is that it has gifted me with a visceral understanding of what was going on during all those years of so-called "conversations" between abuser and victim. It always boggled my mind how our endless conversations were so convoluted and dishonest - ALWAYS in the best interests of the abuser. The chapter on Conversations ended my confusion. Also, I admire Dr. Marie-France Hirigoyen's courage in making it clear to other therapists that an abuser's victim needs to be counseled in a different way from other clients. My abusive marriage was not diagnosed for over 30 years by various well-intentioned counselors - an abusive relationship that I felt responsible for but could not mend. Instead I was told to "work on yourself!" which I did with great personal results; yet what a relief and how healing and freeing it would have been to have deeply comprehended years ago what I have learned from this book and the other two books - that I was in a losing proposition from the start by trying to make nice with an abuser, and that the first step is to get out NOW while working on our own development so that we will never again accept an abuser into our life. Better late than never thanks to one courageous friend who clued me in by suggesting one of these books. From there, book reviewers led me to additional books. After reading three "abuse books," I am emotionally free from a deeply, deeply damaging relationship, free from what I used to call codependency (and what he called "weakness"). Thank you to the authors, to my two interactive reviewers, and to my courageous friend for lending me your insights and for supporting me with your strength along my path into freedom.

I read many book about emotional abuse after going through a nearly life-shattering ordeal and this was the only one that really resonated with me. It dealt with all aspects of what I went through and identified aspects of the victim, the abuser, how and why it happened, why it's not your fault, etc. It made a huge difference and I was even able to get my spouse (who was not the abuser) to read parts of it so that he could understand what happened to me. I don't think any one book is right for everyone, but this one was THE one for me.

Stalking the Soul has given me a new lease on life! The suffering I went through with my emotionally and verbally abusive husband over 25 years of marriage and three kids was so overwhelming that I almost lost myself. I kept forgiving and forgiving, adapting my behaviors to accommodate him, and contracting my own soul until I nearly disappeared. I look back with regrets not about myself, but about staying with him too long. This book gives the reader insights about the patterns of emotional abuse, the psychology behind it, and the way out of allowing oneself to be controlled by it. The book is brilliant and amazing - I can't recommend it enough!

The other reviewers of this book have said it all. This book deserves ten stars. It is written with clarity and understanding. Stalking the Soul is not a pleasant read, and many will find it says great truths that some may not even want to hear. Emotional and psychological abuse is insidious, frightful and invasive.
I moderate a support group for abused people and I never tire of recommending this book to the members.