Close Books

You hit the search button and up comes the list.... yes, some books are cheaper, but what do you want to save money or your relationship(s)? I teach counseling and have read many books on relationships. As many readers know you can waste a lot of time and/or money on vague, pop-psych, poorly-written self-help books. This isn't one of them. Mrs. Piorkowski has written a readable, practical text that will prove a genuine help to many suffering from relationship/intimacy problems. Highly Recommended!

As I experience something with others, which I recognize as a result of my having read such wonderful books, like this one, as something specific to teach the public, I am compelled to write these reviews.

Years ago, when I read this book, I learned, that people who make snide remarks, innuendoes, racist remarks, sexist remarks, or any other negative statement, are really frightened, insecure, and desperate to force their interlocutor to not notice what they are fighting, from within themeselves.

As I endlessly grow, I can't help from giggle on the inside, whenever I talk to, or visit with someone who has known me my entire life, who also fears any one of these: Exposure; Loss of Control: Lossing Autonomy; An Attack; Disappointment; Betrayal; Guilt; Rejection; or Abandonment.

I'm not giggling at that person. I'm thanking all the authors, including Dr. Piorkowski, and I am thanking myself, for having been my guide while I have faced everyone of my past demons, so that I am free to be fully in the present moment, making conscious choices of what I am, and I am not willing to allow in my life.

We all teach others how to treat us. It's very important that we look closely at ourselves, from the resesses of our soul, to love the parts of ourselves that don't feel loved.

Because we we face the impact of our past, upon our lives today, things become tremendously better.

For all those who are not getting what you want, in your interactions with others, here is a list of questions for you to consider:

1. How many topics do you discuss, and how central are they to
you?

2. What is the strongest longing that you have had, in intimacy?

3. What were some of your defense strategies, as a child, in
response to people getting close to what mattered most to
you? Are these strategies now hurting you?

4. How has your fear of exposure, and fear of losing control
made you feel both ashamed of yourself, and self-doubting?

5. Do you expect others to disappoint and betray you? Are you
ready for a "see! There you go again?"

6. Why are you so insecure about the love you do get?

7. Why is conflict so difficult for you to deal with?

8. When you talk to your interlocutor, in person, are you fully
in the moment, looking one another in the eyes, naturally?

9. If your spouse/lover gave you what you claimed to really
want, what would that be; and who would you have to be, to
appreciate this?

10. Are you running away from yourself?

This wonderful book captures so many life situations, and relates so deeply with challenges that we have in our aspirations to be happy, loved, and safe.

Having read this book, and having written so many notes in the margins, I am free to look back on my life, and see that this book truly has brought me closer to people who I welcome in my life, people who foster my growth, who have no agenda for me.

Read this because you deserve to love, and be loved.

This book is thoroughly written for the analytically minded, yet clearly written for the average person.

Dr Piorkowski uses a step by step approach to explain, in clear english, the root causes of problems with intimacy and how they manifest themselves in everyday life. She describes how people react to relationship issues in their past and how their natural defense mechnisms cause them to react the way they do in relationships.

Most importantly she explains the effects that problems with intimacy have on people and the others in their lives. It continues to offer solutions and clearly explain the options people have to explore their intimacy issues.

This book can be read like a text book, but also for a quick introduction to the subject, the last three chapters can be read. They are excellant summaries of the cause of intimacy problems, solutions and the foundation for a healthy relationship.

The best self help book I've ever read

Ms. Piorkowsky and co-author are truly geniuses. This book has to be read slowly in order to absorb the full effect, but the end result is a totally beautiful account of Intimacy, with all of it's warts, imperfections, and purity. I congratulate the author(s)for remaining true to task and offering a factual, reality based assessment of this most personal state. I am amazed at the genuine insight into the human psyche revealed in this book. The pages speak to everyone, everywhere, and in such a manner that nothing is lost. I suspect most of the information is stuff we already know, yet this book brings that information to the conscious mind, revealing our innermost thoughts and feelings. Absolutely superb!

This book brought home a lot of points and opened my eyes to some of my issues. I would recommend this book to everyone! It is well written, not psych talk, good for the layman.

This book is an inspiring portrait of a remarkable teenaged girl who teaches us how to live while fighting for her own life. I highly recommend When One Door Closes.

As I type this, Frank Sinatra is singing (on his satellite radio "Channel 75") a song written specially for him, titled (What will it matter) "100 YEARS FROM TODAY."

Coincidentally (or maybe not!) I just happened to be reading the final words of this deeply affecting book --- about a Michigan girl, 17-year-old Alexandra Graham and her brave but unsuccessful battle with cancer.

All of us have had this same thought, haven't we? Will my life matter to people, loved ones or strangers, after I am gone? Contributing this book's brilliant final chapter, Michael Josephson offers us a resounding YES. With one little proviso! Consider his words (the best I ever read on this subject) and see if they speak to your heart too.

-----

"Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned, or what you were owed.

Your judgments, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter where you came from or which side of the tracks you lived on at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance . . . not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character. Not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.

-----

As if to underline these words, this book (subtitled, "A Teen's Inspiring Journey and Living Legacy") culminates with this moving recollection from a Michigan woman, Dorothy Pitsch, who knew nothing of Alexandra Graham's courageous losing battle, until days after "Alex" died. Mrs. Pitsch writes:

"My husband and I had five children and the two youngest were off to college. It was a time in my life when I was looking for something new and meaningful to do.

"I prayed to God, `Show me some work that will make a difference in the world.' That's when I got involved in a Christian outreach program called WHEELS FOR THE WORLD. They gather used wheelchairs, repairing them and redistributing them to those in need around the world. They didn't have anyone in Michigan doing it, so I volunteered to see what I can do."

"Well, I started a wheelchair drive collection program, and they started to come in from all over the state - hundreds and hundreds of them . . .

"Alex Graham's father Bill called and wanted us to come over and pick up Alex's wheelchair at his office. It was a memorable morning [because] I had arranged to pick up a truckload of wheelchairs that day, and had an interview scheduled with THE DETROIT NEWS. When we finished we headed over to Bill Graham's office . . .

"At this point I didn't know anything about Alex. I mean, we had picked up hundreds of wheelchairs and this was one more to add to the effort. Bill handed me a couple of sheets of paper and said, `I want you to read these when you find some time.'

"On the way back home, I read [those pages from Bill] written about Alex by the well-respected journalist Bob Talbert of the Detroit Free Press.

"When I read the article I remembered my daughter talking to me about a local girl with cancer who recently died. At the time I had no idea who she was talking about. Now I realized that it was Alex.

"When I tied it all together, I realized I had a very special wheelchair. I decided I wanted to track it [this wheelchair] to see who got it. [Alex's chair was] loaded into my car and I was driving down the road to my home when I heard this loud, clear voice. The voice urged: `Let's stop by and see my Dad. It will make him feel better.'

"I was alone in the car! Startled by what I'd heard, I sensed the hairs on my neck and arms stand on end. This was something I had never, ever experienced before.

"Then, when I should have made a right-hand turn to go home, I found myself in the left-turn lane. I was thinking, `What's going on here?'

"Before I knew it, I had turned left and was headed for Bill Graham's office. I had no clue what I was going to say when I got there . . .

"Bill came out of his office and I told him I was thinking of tracking Alex's chair . . . to see how it changed the recipient's life. Then I told him about what happened in my car . . . about a young girl's voice that told me to stop by and see him . . . that it would make him feel better.

"Bill started to cry, and threw his arms around me. I was speechless. [Soon] I got back into the car and could feel Alex's presence. I reached over and put my hand on the cushion from her chair. It was sitting on the seat next to me. `You're right, Alex,' I said. `This will make your Dad feel better'."

-----

And just beneath these words from "Mrs. Pitsch," is a 3,000 year old Biblical quotation. [Isaiah 30:21]

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, `This is the way; walk in it'."

Life is sometimes cruel. "When One Door Closes: A Teen's Inspiring Journey and Living Legacy" is Susie and Bill Graham's reflections on their daughter's battle with cancer. Alexandra Graham was diagnosed at the age of sixteen and never let her spirit falter. She knew it was out of her hands and prayed for a miracle, a miracle which unfortunately did not come, but Alex did what she could to leave the world better than she found it. "When One Door Closes" is a touching and inspiring story, highly recommended to any parent facing a similarly tragic situation.

When One Door Closes - which I was lucky enough to read pre-publication - is the honest recollection of a young teenager's battle with cancer as told by her family, friends and medical staff. The book, however, is not a depressing tale, but rather an inspiring journey about how Alex never viewed herself as a victim. To this day, the lessons that Alex taught people about her vigor for life, her positive outlook and her ability to confront adversity head-on still affects those that contributed to the book - and you can hear it in their stories. You don't need to have experienced a tragedy of this sort to relate to this book...you just need to have lived life to be inspired by it.

When One Door Closes illustrates that Alex's legacy continues with the lessons learned and good deeds that others have done in her honor. This book, which I was fortunate enough to read in pre-release, is a revealing look at not only Alex but of the people, be it family, friends, medical personnel or clergy, who were honored to know her, love her and learn from her. Each person interviewed became a stronger and more sensitive person because of Alex. There are great lessons in this book about friendship, love, respect and dignity. I only wish that this book never had to be written.

At Close Range by Jessica Andersen
Harlequin Intrigue # 911 - April 2006
Bear Claw Creek Crime Lab trilogy - Book 2

Months have passed since the kidnapping case had been closed, but is it really over? There's a murder with chilling similarities to the skeletal remains discovered with one of the previous kidnapped victims. FBI criminologist Seth Varitek had helped with the original task force when the BCCFD had been under attack. Now the Chief has called him back in, and he knows his local counterpart, Cassie Dumont, won't welcome him. Though all the new investigators have had to work hard to fit in, Cassie's chip on her shoulder has made everything even more difficult. Finding Seth at her crime scene, only adds to Cassie's chip, and while she sees the need for his help she insists that this is her territory and he's there only as support. It becomes clear that the new murder is definitely linked to the previous kidnapping case, especially when the murderer makes an attempt on Cassie's life and his next victim looks like she could have been Cassie's younger sister. Seth doesn't want to feel protective of Cassie, but flash backs to his wife's murder years before keep interfering in his concentration and he finds himself trying to control every move she makes. Cassie isn't about to be controlled; she's a cop, she can look after herself.

Another gripping thriller from Ms. Andersen. Cassie grew up motherless with four overly protective older brothers. And after a scarring relationship before the Academy, she still has some self-esteem issues that she hides behind her tough don't-mess-with-me attitude. Seth's uncomfortable with Cassie's fearless approach to police work; she's too much like him, too much like his dead wife. But finding the killer and trying to stay alive, these two manage to reach deep inside and discover they are not their pasts and they can move on together. Nicely written. Great set up for the next book, Maya's story. :D

Bear Claw Creek Crime Lab trilogy ...
Ricochet - Harlequin Intrigue # 893 - January 2006
At Close Range - Harlequin Intrigue # 911 - April 2006
Rapid Fire - Harlequin Intrigue # 928 - July 2006

I am thoroughly enjoying this set of books.

Cassie Dumont - another insecure ego driven female.
Seth Varitek - with emotional trauma and poses a threat to Cassie's statis.
Fitzroy O'Malley - former crime lab tech., is he really fishing?
Alissa Wyatt - she cuts short her vacation with detective Tucker McDermott to come support Cassie.
Maya Cooper - another of the three friends running the crime lab seems to be developing problems of her own.
Bradford Croft - dead, but was he alone in his murder spree?
Nevada Barnes -- another question mark.
Chief Barry - will he ever get his officers and the women of the new crime lab to work together?

Great cast of characters - a plot that keeps moving forward with enough questions left unanswered - dead bodies appear without grossing you out too much.

Excellent writing -- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - M -- hormones and PMS still used to hold the characters together. - set will be a keeper.

At Close Range was just as good as the first installment "Ricochet". I liked Seth and Cassie. The mystery/thriller is closing in on the 3rd 'bad guy'. Ms Andersen is going to make us wait on that one. I am actually amazed at how much I want to know if my guess is correct!

It's a quick read. One good thing about these types of books is that the character study better be right on or the reader will lose interest. No problem there. The cover is excellent. Not a fan of people on the covers of these paperbacks, but this one was intelligent and apt. Perfect casting. :D

It was exciting, devious, sparks flew! Sensuality = 3. Its a good feeling ending and entertaining. Worth the read!

Bear Claw Creek has been quiet after a recent spate of kidnappings were solved and the perpetrator was killed by the BCCPD. But the quiet is short-lived. A dead body turns up that appears to be a ritualistic killing w/ possible ties to an old crime. The local crime lab is temporarily short-handed so the police chief calls in FBI Agent Seth Varitek to assist Cassie Dumont in processing the evidence.

Varitek and Dumont had worked together on the earlier case. Although there was a certain chemistry between the two, Dumont was less than pleased w/ the arrangement. She and the other two members of the lab--Alissa Wyatt and Maya Cooper--had been brought in by the chief to replace the newly (and unexpectedly) retired Fitz O'Malley, and had been greeted by the other members of the PD w/ negative feelings ranging from antipathy to outright hostility. Dumont, the most prickly and least liked of the three, is concerned that calling on the FBI is sending the wrong message and jeopardizes the future of the lab.

On his part, Varitek is unwillingly drawn to Dumont. His personal history makes him believe he needs to stay away from women w/ difficult personalities who put themselves in dangerous situations--and Dumont fits that description to a tee. As the case heats up, Dumont becomes a target and, w/ Wyatt and Cooper out of pocket, Varitek is her only backup and ally.

The case itself is complicated by the possibility of multiple perpetrators, links to older unsolved crimes, and planted evidence/red herrings. Although some of the pieces are tied up in this story, the final resolution won't be revealed until Maya Cooper's story in book #3 of the series, Rapid Fire.

Like the first book, Ricochet, this is another story w/ all the right elements. I liked Varitek and Dumont, both separately and together, much more than I thought I would based on the first book--a tribute to Ms. Andersen's depictions of the respective pasts that shaped them and their current relationship as a couple/partners in trying circumstances.

The mystery is also a strong element. It suffers ever so slightly from being the middle piece in a 3-part puzzle and I'm not sure how well it would read as a stand-alone. As part of a series, tho, it is well-handled and moves the story forward to the upcoming conclusion.

Ms. Andersen has dropped hints throughout the first two books regarding the possible identity of the mastermind behind the crimes and I'm eager to see if my guess is correct. Even if I'm right, tho, I can't guess at the motivation or backstory so I'm on tenterhooks to see how Ms. Andersen draws everything to a close.

Great fun and highly recommended.

Great book. Dr. Close writes about his life as a young adult and eventually leads up to treating a massive amount of patients in what was quickly becoming one of the most troubled and corrupt countries in the world.

William T. Close M.D., Beyond the Storm: Treating the Powerless and the Powerful in Mobutu's Congo/Zaire is the true-life story of William T. Close M.D., the former personal physician of President Mobutu, the former dictator of the Democratic Republic of Congo (called Zaire while under his rule). Close sought to feed the hungry, aid the sick, and improve quality of life for the nation's people, and was personally responsible for maintaining Mobutu's health; his testimony tells of a dictator who governed with a ruthlessness worthy of the tactics described in Machiavelli's classic treatise for autocrats, "The Prince." Yet the slide from hope into despair for the nation under Mobutu's rule was not immediate; it was provoked by a gradual incursion of kleptocracy, corruption, and cronyism. Close was one of few people both willing and able to tell Mobutu the unvarnished truth; as years progressed and the nation's situation worsened, Close finally had to leave, and let history take its course. Enthusiastically recommended as a primary source detailing events great and small throughout Congo's history and the life of its dictator, as seen through a principled, compassionate, yet often exasperated medical doctor in its center.

Beyond The Storm by William T. Close,M.D. with Malonga Miatudila, M.D. is an outstanding memoir by Dr. Close, who was invited in 1960 to go to the Congo for six weeks as a medical missionary. Leaving his wife and young children except for intermittent visits, he spent most of the next sixteen years ministring to the tremendous health problems in Congo, which became Zaire. He was for a long time the only doctor in a fifteen hundred bed hospital, with the responsibility to bring it from corruption and tribal medicine into modern medical standards. However, he went to the Congo just before its independence from Belgium, and when Mobutu took over as dictator Close became the medical doctor to the armed forces and then the personal physician of Mobutu, who in the beginning had the interest of the country in mind. The book tells of the extreme corruption Mobutu's power achieved in his personal life and how he became an absolute, uncaring dictator letting the physical and medical needs of his starving countrymen quickly decline to abject poverty and deplorable health epidemics because of the graft within his government and the unbridled money, power, and weapons he obtained from the West. The book is very interesting and just before Mobutu's death, Dr. Close, who had returned to the US to practice medicine in Wyoming, was called back to Zaire to rebuild the hospital and medical system and help overcome the horrible conditions.

Dr. Close knows how to write and tell the story. He is to the point, he is honest and very human in revealing himself and his commitment to practice medicine. He takes one on a journey beyond what one thinks about the heart of Africa, about surgery in primitive settings and about tribalism and the deep love of a people and a place. It held my interest because I was one of the doctors who came to Zaire and worked at Mama Yemo Hospital as a surgeon and saw first hand the miracle that was wrought by Dr. Close to bring care to the people of Kinshasa and via the river systems with the short lived hospital boat. You will never look on Africa the same after reading this personal account of courage and commitment against impossible odds of doing anything meaningful. Thank you Dr. Close for giving us a view beyond the storm. Don Wood, MD, FACS

I would greatly appriciate it if you would contact Ms. Aronson for me and pass along my email address. There is a lady in need of her help, her son has unexplained scars since he was 4 years old and fears "the big eyes" he is now 17 and suicidal. Please help us he is her only child... Thank you, Hilda S. Rubio

You have to have an open mind to read this book and know that is all based on true stories from very serious people. I happen to believe that "we are not alone" and it's wonderful to hear that the ET are here to help, inspire and heal. You won't be able to put this book down. Thank you, Virginia.

VIRGINA has given us a wonderful gift in writing this book so that those beings that need our help can come to us. THANK YOU Virgina we bless you always.

Virginia Aronson has a wonderful knack for keeping the reader on the edge of her seat. I truthfully could not put this down. She has done a great job of investigating and research which really makes this great reading -- knowing how much work went into this book. There is more to healing than we realize and I feel this book will help to open the frontier to more information regarding celestrial healings. Keep up the great work Virginia.

Excellent reproductions and very informative text. A good resource book for artists and students. Worth the cost to have this one in your collection.

This book is large! And it has excellent reproductions and bio of the life of this magical man. Chuck Close has made a career,while battling disabilities that would have stopped lesser men.Christopher Finch noted art writer,assists Close in making this book autobiographical and personal,like the unpretentious Mr. Close.
The author and the artist together guide you through the evolution of Chuck Close noted modern portrait artist. You follow from air brush, to finger painting,collage disc painting, to the new color geometric masterpieces.
Chuck personally supervised color choices in the lay-out and it is truly impressive. 95 percent of his major work is here. Self portraits,friends , his wife etc. are all vividly executed. Seeing Chuck in action shows the scale of the major works!The works are huge,and the pictures show the studio environment he works in.
I was fortunate to attend his lecture,with both men ,and it Chuck says this is the definitive book!

This really does not need to be that long. I am a huge fan of Chuck Close and have been so for years now. My personal library reflects this, with four other books and catalogs spanning his career. These books get brought out on a semi-consistent basis, as they all have something important to say about this mans art.

"Chuck Close: WORK" is a definitive piece that fills in any small holes about the story of this artist that might be obscured in some out of print catalog, as well as talking heavily about his process. If you are in the market for a book that gives the full Chuck Close biography while supplementing itself with beautiful illustrations and plenty of dialog about his process, do not hesitate to purchase this book.

Christopher Finch has done a wonderful job of revealing both Chuck Close the man and the artist. This one of the best art retrospectives I have ever actually 'read' and enjoyed.

I too had a chance to hear both artist and author speak this week. While Chuck did say this is the definitive book on his work one can hope that he still has many productive years left to continue to awe and amaze his many admirers.

I would like to thank Sheila Griffin for this lovely review from MyShelf.com

Close Enough for Government Work

by Alan L. Hutcheson


Ted is having a really bad day. First he gets fired from his day job. Then he gets fired from his night job. Next he finds out that Sarah, his beloved guitar, has been pawned by his landlady. She demands three months back rent in exchange for the pawn ticket. To cap off a really crummy day, he runs into Jerry, an old "friend." The last time Ted saw Jerry they were in Chicago, running for their lives.
Understandably, Ted's welcome is somewhat less than cordial. But Jerry brings intriguing news. A secret government agency is in need of their services. They are willing to pay the men ten grand each. Only Ted's love for Sarah would cause him to get mixed up with this lunatic again.

Someone is selling government secrets to the Chinese. These secrets have been placed inside the hidden compartment of a boomerang. Opals are in there too. Before the feds can prevent it, the boomerang is stolen. Kenny may be only a petty thief, but he knows that the pretty stones are worth a bundle.

Kenny brags to his crazy momma about his big score. She demands a cut of the action. When he doesn't show at the meeting point, she goes after him dragging her shy sister along.

This book is a roller coaster ride of a mystery, filled with a cast of crazies that kept me chuckling from page one. I look forward to reading more books by this new author.
The Book

IUniverse

December 2004
Trade Paperback
0595337015
Mystery/Humor
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Sheila Griffin
Reviewed 2005
NOTE:

© 2005 MyShelf.com

The characters are what really stand out in this book. Ted, the retired NBA power forward/jazz guitarist; Jerry, the Hammond B-3 player who has a tendency to "borrow" automobiles; Doreen and Amelia, the Australian sisters who are complete opposites; Leslie, the albino assasin who is unlike any assasin, with or without pigmentation I have ever met in a book. There are many more, the author gives us broad, but thorough pictures of even the minor characters in a way that reminded me almost of Dickens.

The premise is silly, (I hope) having to do with a bit of skullduggery and poor housekeeping on the part of J. Edgar Hoover and how it comes to affect people over thirty years later, but then it fits in with the overall tone of the book. The author gets his digs in about government bureaucracy, the tastes of the book buying public, the insanity of "lakes" communities in the desert and soldier wannabes.

This book had a way of making me keep reading to find out how these characters connect in the end. Hutcheson does a great job of providing insight into each character, and the combination of comedy, action and adventure, even murder mystery, complimented the real-life, relatable situations for the everyday reader. If you're looking for something refreshingly funny for your nightstand, this book is it!

I wasn't sure what to think when I first picked this one up, but it was by a new, local (Phoenix) author and so I figured I would check it out. What a pleasent surprise! It is a really funny, wacky read. The style is tongue in cheek but sweet at the same time. Great characters, especially Ted and Jerry the jazz guys, although I loved Doreen too. It's like one of my favorite movies, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" where all of the character collide at the end, only this has a much more explosive and funny ending. Check it out for a break from the same old same old.

In one form or another, every one of us is selling--ideas, services, products, maybe a combination of those three. If you want to read a book that presents, in simple language, the contemporary approach to selling, then I recommend CLOSE MORE SALES. The author: Mike Stewart, an international speaker, professional sales trainer and consultant, based in Atlanta.

Far from being an armchair advisor, Mike Stewart spent many years learning salesmanship as a professional sales person. Additionally, he works with a variety of clients, training their sales professionals.

In the preface, he laments that "Almost never are effective selling skills being taught." With this book, he addresses that problem. The book has the approval of the American Management Association, his publisher. I recommend that you get a copy. . .and close more sales.

The best books are the ones that get right to the point and show you step by step what works. This book delivers. I got so many insightful new ideas that I bought copies for everyone in my sales office. At our sales meetings we discussed a different chapter each week. I like Mike Stewart's candor, too. He tells it like it really is.

This book is a must read for any sales professional that wants to close more sales and grow their business.

Mike is a seasoned sales veteran that shares his keen insights with you in this book.

You have two choices. Take years and years to learn what Mike can teach you on your own or buy the book and learn it now!

My recommendation; BUY THE BOOK!

Whether you're new in sales or a seasoned veteran, this book is a treasure. The publisher had to use smaller print just to fit it all in! It's amazing how much information is here-the traditional stuff that you find in most sales books, plus a lot more. And it's all focused on helping you make the sale; the title of Part VII is You Must Close the Sale in Order to Go to the Bank. The message can't be any more clear!

Let's start at the beginning. There are three sections at the start of the book that caught my attention right away. You know there's something special going on when you see sections titled "Why You Need This Book," "Why You Will Love This Book," and "Why an Intelligent, Sophisticated Person Like You Will Appreciate a Simple Book Like This." Simple book? In the fundamental principles that are presented, yes. In the depth and strength of the material, I wouldn't call this book simple. Sales professionals will spend extra time with each section to draw out all the value for themselves. It's just that kind of a book . . . the kind of tool that can be used for reference as well as straight-on learning.

Stewart starts his substance with Position Yourself for Success presented in six chapters. The last chapter of the section is focused on closing. Part II: Develop Rapport and Build Relationships of Trust and Confidence: four chapters ending with emphasis on closing more sales. Continue through sections on pre-call planning, prospect involvement, discovery, presentations, and handling objections. Want more? A good resource section and an index complement the powerful content.

If you want to close sales, not just make sales calls, make friends with this book. Renowned sales trainer Mike Stewart has stuffed all of his seminar material into 250 pages for you to absorb and apply for higher achievement.

This book is amazing, the first thing I mention when telling people about this book is that one of the main character in it, kills/disables people by jamming objects so hard into his ear and through his skull that he causes permanent brain damage, plus it has a sexual, lusty side to it also. I loved this book and am an avid reader, I read it when I was only 14 or 15, and now, at 19, I can't wait to go back and read it again, see if my opinions have changed. It's very unlikely butit will be interesting to see if it still holds that excitement.

David wiltse's follow-up to his magnificient A PRAYER FOR THE DYING is a dynamite entertainment which reveals more and more about its landmark hero John Becker. What was implied about Becker's demons in the first outing is explained in more detail here, exuding dramatic plausibility and disturbing undertones. And Bahoud makes for a very worthy adversary, a man who's not too behaviorally different from the man hunting him. Bogs down a little in Bahoud's scenes with the handicapped Myrtle, and maybe Becker picks up his trail a little too implausibly at times. But the overall result is a definite winner.

Author David Wiltse must be prescient. A friend loaned me his copy of this wonderful book which is out of print (why?) and I was bowled over. It's about the search for a terrorist in New York City. Talk about relevant after September 11. But for all the adventure and plot (and what a great character John Becker is) he also has a very moving portrayal of a young woman in conflict with herself and her yearning sensuality. My only regret is that I didn't read it when it first came out so I could be rereading it now.

In "Close to the Bone" John Becker is after a different kind of killer, a paid assassin with skills nearly matching his own. The characters are vividly drawn by this expert of suspense. David Wiltse did it again with this book. Be prepared to hold on to this book with both hands and make sure your doors are locked. Excellent! Wiltse is truly the master of keeping the tension building

This is, by far, the best book I've read ( reading) addressing the "whole" person & how illness can affect them..this is an equally great book for the caregivers who want to help, however often in a controlling way, thus not always seeming "to get it." One can open communication with others with this book versus hiding or lying about their feelings & concerns..When I startedto read this book I felt like I "came home" & someone finally understood the real stuff going on..I have gotten this book for others both who are ill & those caring about them ..I am still buying a few more..Excellent book for all

This, unfortunately, would be a book that may only be purchased by a person who was knowledgeable about Jean Bolen or open-minded about life-threatening illnesses or crises. Care takers would benefit from this book as it would enable them to come out of themselves and understand the person with whom they are dealing. There is so much more to death and the leading up to it than people realize or are willing to acknowledge. It's not complicated. It's a beautiful journey that we all should understand better. Jean Bolen guides us there gently, but clearly.

Essential book for all whose lives are currently touched by serious illness. As a health care provider and one who has been personally affected by personal catastrophic health changes, I highly recommend CLOSE TO THE BONE.

Patricia anne Dennison, Pharmacist and author of STOP THE VOICES

"In noisy wards crowded waiting rooms of country hospitals and clinics, in quiet private rooms in medical center pavilions or in well-appointed waiting rooms, examining rooms, or offices, wherever there are patients, there are long moments of silence, pauses, sometimes preceded by a sigh, a transient stillness when the air feels heavier."

So starts this book--and if you have "been there" for yourself or with a loved one, you know about the silence pauses, the sighs, the anticipation.

Written 10 years ago, and just updated, most of the information will never go out of date because of the perspective we all have: the reality of hearing you have a major illness.

Most people don't give much thought to the meaning of life--how long will they live? This big question brings up the connection between what ails the body, and their soul's need for authenticity, love and purpose.

Most medical doctors work with statistics, based on what you have: "You have about X years/months to live," and usually are not interested in stories about recovery. At those times, WE must take charge of our life and our attitude.

The author says: Once we take the soul seriously--and this is one of the innate beliefs that human beings do have--then we are spiritual beings on a human path rather than human beings who may well be on a spiritual path.

The author is a psychiatrist who understands how one person's diagnosis affects many around them--a decent into another world. Here is where that line between health and wellness is crossed and we enter the realm of the soul.

Before "the discovery" that something is wrong, we live in innocence or denial--and then comes the change--the "after."

The author made so many thought-provoking points about being sick, being hospitalized. How we are supposed to act--for the medical professionals, for our family, for ourself.

She discusses the importance of keeping a journal if we have a life-threatening disease, noting both the small and big things of every-day life.

I had a friend who after a long and valiant struggle died of cancer. She called the cancer "a gift" because of an outpouring of love from her friends, family and supportive community that she had never felt before. Today I still think of her life/her attitude as a "gift" to me.

No one gets of life alive--we are all mortal. The author reminds us that the Chinese pictograph for "crisis" contains the ideograms for both "danger" and "opportunity."

Armchair Interviews says: If illness is threatening how you live, this book will give you strength.