Way Books

I haven't even finished this gem of political quips, one-liners and come backs and I'm already recommending it to everyone I know. In fact, this is the first time I've ever reviewed a book and do so whole heartedly.

I am savoring each chapter as if I were at a great tasting. I find myself trying to remember the juicy, outrageous and unexpected quotes, and struggle not to read too many out loud to others so that they read and appreciate "A Funny Thing Happened..." for themselves.

I also appreciate Charles Osgood's chapter introductions and contextualizing the quotes within the specific campaign races, though this was clearly done with a twinkle in his eye and a bemused smile on his face.

This book is a keeper long after the current campaign season is over.

I have only read about 80% of the book and recommend it to any reader that wants another view of American politics.
While I understand that Charles Osgood is repeating quotes of the candidates over 40+ years, he has done thorough research and has portrayed the candidates in a brighter light in my eyes. I have been interested in history all of my life and I find his book informative and enlightening.
Well worth the money for the book!!!! AAAA++++

In reality, several funny things happened on the way to the White House and Charles Osgood has waded through what has to be a very large pile of clippings in order to bring his readers some of the funniest. The basic format that the book follows is to give a chapter to each presidential election starting with the 1948 contest. Each chapter starts out with a short overview of the election in question and then the fun starts. In each chapter there are direct quotes from the candidates along with blurbs from observers, the media and other political figures and there are things in here that you just won't believe.

Some of the quotes come from very quick-witted candidates who were able to snap off nice one-liners in response to almost any question or situation. Among the best practitioners of this art were Harry Truman, Barry Goldwater, Mo Udall and Ronald Reagan. Other jewels from this treasure chest include foul-ups and misstatements from candidates some of which the candidates immediately tried to correct and others that made perfect sense to the candidate but left everyone else scratching their heads. Vice Presidents Agnew and Quayle lead this category by a mile but along the way Quayle at least realized that he was making a lot of misstatements and told reporters that he was going to start being more careful with his words. He said, "Verbosity leads to unclear, matriculate things." Huh?

This is a must have book for any political junkie with the only drawback being that the book isn't longer. Both Democrats and Republicans say some pretty stupid things sometime and Mr. Osgood has taken this opportunity to remind us that a party label is no barrier to cleverness or unfortunately the occasional bit of stupidity. Even independent candidates like George Wallace and Ross Perot aren't immune form foot in mouth disease and both of them also show up in these pages. There are also little blurbs included that focus on local contests and in one of those there is a congressman who when asked what he planned to do if he was reelected replied, "I'm more worried about what I'm going to do if I'm not reelected." If honesty is the best policy then that guy should have won reelection in a landslide.

This book may not make you any wiser and it may not be the stuff that Pulitzer Prizes are made of but it sure will remind you that all of the candidates are only human and if we are expecting perfection from our candidates or our presidents we are in big trouble. The only person that could fill that bill was born in Bethlehem and is therefore not eligible to be elected president.

Forrest Gump's phrase comes to mind when reading this book, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get."
Osgood has put together an excellent selection of humorous quotes and anecdotes from Truman to our current incumbent. Many of them are well known but that does not take from the joy of the book. This is a book best enjoyed if you simply deep into it. It is also a book that might be of real interest to anyone in the public light or a humorous keynote speaker as it contains some wonderful nuggets.

The most humorous elements of the book run from Harry Truman through to the Johnson/Goldwater campaign. Maybe candidates just got more wary in the more intrusive media age, but few of our most recent candidates excite humorous interest except of course Ronald Reagan.

Buy this book and place beside your bedside table. Just a few pages a night will have you sleeping happy.

Listen, my friend, and you shall hear, the odd bit of humour, for this is an election year - - which means the politicians want to fool enough of the people enough of the time to get enough votes and no more.

Jokes do occur on the way to the White House, but few politicians have the courage to indulge heavily in humour. Someone might believe them. Thus, politics is usually deadly dull.

In this vast wasteland of modern politics, though, there are occasional glimmers of wit . . . somewhat akin to seeing flecks of gold in a stream bed. There's not enough to get rich, but it's nice to know gold can still be found in the most tired of stream beds or campaigns.

Osgood does a masterful job in collecting campaign quips, barbs and goofs, which means the book shows a sad recent trend. Fifty years ago, most of the quotes were from candidates; today, the humour of politics is dominated by late night clowns.

Perhaps the 1996 campaign is indicative: Sen. Bob Dole, who challenged President Clinton, was reputed to have a sharp sense of humour. It wasn't expressed in the campaign. Instead, even when Dole smiled, it looked like he'd just evicted a widow.

Politics has lost the sunny optimism and confidence once expressed by Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, and become a business of stolid national survival. It's hard to smile when both parties base their platforms on the choice, "It's us or treason". Politics is now too serious to laugh about, every election is "the most important one in our generation". That's no laughing matter.

Finding humour in today's politicians are like expecting humour from funeral directors in the middle of a service.

Osgood has done a superb job in panning for the golden nuggets of political humour, and the book is packed with the best he could find. But, it's an almost impossible quest; looking for gold in today's politics is like looking for fool's gold in Arizona. It can be found, but what's it worth?

Maybe it's time to ignore the politicians and look for humour among his fellow reporters.

Hi, I am ten years old and I think that this book, Gaia Girls Way of Water was a GREAT book. It is the second book in the seires. It's about a girl who has to learn a lot. Like how to speak a whole different language! She also makes a couple of friends who teach her much. I really liked this book. But I think you should read the first one first! It is called Gaia Girls Enter the Earth. So if you like adventure books like Harry Potter and Warriors and other books that have to do with fiction and animals you will certainly like this one!!! :)

This is the mom of a 10 year old. She's dictating to me. I think Gaia Girls is amazing and made me look at the world in a whole different (positive) way! James Taylor is one of my favorite song writers and this really made me think about his song "Gaia." I can't wait for more!!!!

Gaia Girls Way of Water is better than book I. It's hard for me to say that because I loved the first book so much. Book series can be scary, if you like them you want them to get better and Book II does not disappoint. Way of Water is a beautifully crafted tale about a Gaia Girl and her "fish out of water" adventures in Japan. The characters were believable and 'real' the ECO issue was powerful and heart breaking. The series just leaves you wanting MORE. That is my only complaint, the next one is NOT out yet.

Author Lee Welles set herself a daunting task with her second book, "Gaia Girls: Way of Water." Her first book in the series, "Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth", won the National Outdoor Book Award and the iParenting Media Award, garnered critical acclaim, and brought her invitations for book signings at schools, libraries, and fairs across the country. That's a hard act to follow, even for a seasoned author, but "Enter the Earth" was Welles' first book.

Furthermore, in writing "Enter the Earth", Lee drew from her own experiences, growing up on a farm in upstate New York. In "Way of Water", the main character, Miho, is an American-Japanese girl who has spent her entire life traveling to Pacific Ocean ports with her whale-observing parents, while the book itself mostly takes place in Japan, where Miho must go to live when the sea claims the lives of her parents. In choosing this premise and this setting for her second story in this series, Welles breaks one of the oldest guidelines for writers - "Write what you know."

The large focus on Japan works for Welles, though, in part because Miho has never before been to Japan. Though her mother was Japanese, and she knows a little of Japanese language and culture, Miho's culture shock and her feelings of being an outsider with much to learn helps the reader identify with Miho, and gives the book a much deeper ring of truth than if Welles had tried to write Japan from an inside perspective. And, as the author confesses in her blog at [...], she had to do "massive amounts of research." As Miho adjusts to the sudden, difficult changes in her life, I found her a believable, fully-developed character with whom I could easily sympathize - a heroine, in fact, who bravely deals with the death of her parents, the move to a new country and culture, and the fantastical experience of meeting a talking otter!

With the Gaia Girls series, the fantastic blends quite well into the normal experiences in the lives of the girls around whom each book centers. I am reminded of the Narnia series, or of Philip Pullman's "Golden Compass", where children encounter creatures and ideas beyond the scope of everyday reality. The characters respond at first with surprise, shock, disbelief, curiosity - as most of us would. Then, because children are better are adapting and using their imaginations, they accept the new creatures as comrades or foes and step forward into the quest. In this case, the quest is a very real and laudable one: to save the Earth from the damage we humans are doing. And thus is born a new kind of fantasy book for kids, a new kind of super-hero, presented in a creative and fun way, but with very practical, concrete applications.

Lee Welles' Gaia Girls are "eco-heroines", advocates and activists for caring for the Earth, and therefore, caring for ourselves. The message is one of environmentalism and stewardship without being too preachy. The scientific explanations, the political message is not too heavy-handed, and the storylines are exciting in and of themselves. I continued reading because I wanted to know what happens to Miho, and along the way I thought more about the amount of earth that is covered by water, the mind-boggling amount of life that inhabits our oceans, and our place in these things.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

I loved this book even more then the first. It is a great mix between fantasy and what is really going on in the world. You feel for the characters... not just the human characters but all the animals in the book as well. I was able to learn the Way of Water along with Miho and all I wanted to do was find some way to help her help the ocean. I can't wait for book three, and in the mean time this book makes me want to do somthing about the way people treat this planet.

Yes, the stories about Blotnick's "paper mill" phd are well known, but everyone forgets to mention that he got his BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in math (very good engineering school during Srully's day). He also attended Cal Berkeley, and then Princeton to get his Masters---in math and physics WITH HONORS. He subsequently did work at Columbia under an NSF grant. Sure he got a paper PhD in the 70's because Srully was ambitious (how many of you are doing the same thing with Phoenix online?). Yes the State of New York went after him, but then think of what those folks are like (Eliot Spitzer for example). He was not convicted of anything. Blotnick never acknoledged any fraud for good reason: He honestly felt his research was valid. I am not making excuses for this man, but you have got to remember, he was born in 1941. Different world. Different level of sophistication. Now to close out Blotnick's resume in 1994 he received a PhD in Cell Biology from HARVARD. Hmm. He must have been the oldest med school grad in Harvard history (he was). His work was so good he was post-doctorial fellow. In other words this guy is no lightweight. His methods may have been unorthodox, but before you go discounting his research you may want to think there might be more gold than dross here. Personally, I think his "findings" in this 1980's classic are on target---and if you really want to go after goofy research, why not go after MBTI folks who have no background in statistics, wouldn't know a bell curve from a bi-modal distribution, and dont know the difference between a type and a tendency. Yet everyone does MBTI like it is gospel, yet ignore Srully's findings which are actually more valuable. imo.

My father gave this book to my brothers and myself when we were young teenagers. He had hoped to instill an entrepreneurial sense in us.

Unfortunately...we were distracted.

Now, at thirty-one, I have reached a point in my career where the message needs to be reaffirmed.

Thus, my search for Blotnick's words.

As I recollect, this book focuses on the mantra that if you, "do what you love then the money will follow."

A message often lost in the never-ending pilgrimage to wealth.

I look forward to reading it again and embellishing more...

It's a true winner.

-VIV

I've been a fan of Srully Blotnick since he wrote for Forbes in the early 1980s. This book came up in conversation recently, so I decided to go online and see what he is doing now. Here's what I found out:

In 1980, Srully Blotnick, Ph.D., began publishing his popular business column, "Insights" in Forbes magazine. This led to his publishing "The Corporate Steeplechase" and four other best-selling books [including "Getting Rich Your Own Way"], appearing frequently on television talk shows and being widely accepted as an expert on corporate culture and male-female relationships. He constantly drew upon the valuable statistics that he had gleaned from monitoring thousands of families for over 20 years. He made a small fortune from all this.

In July 1987, a reporter for the New York Daily News discovered that Blotnick's Ph.D. was from a diploma mill, and that there had been no 20-year study of thousands of families. Six months before the expose, Forbes had removed the Ph.D. from Blotnick's title but continued to call him a "business psychologist," although he was not a licensed psychologist. When the hoax was exposed, Forbes cancelled Blotnick's column, but in 1988, Penguin Books went right ahead and published his latest book - appropriately titled "Ambitious Men: Their Drives, Dreams, and Delusions."

Source: Fakes, Frauds & Other Malarkey, by Kathryn Lindskoog, Hope Publishing House, Pasadena, CA, 1993, p. 185. (Also available at Amazon)

I stumbled upon this book in the library a few years ago and was amazed. While the vast majority of wealth books, tapes, and infomercials tell you to make it rich and then enjoy life, Blotnick tells the real story. You MUST find the profession you enjoy and put your heart into it before you will ever be truly wealthy in a realistically balanced way. And even if you don't become wealthy, you've spent your life doing something that you love. A must read if you can find a copy.

This book demonstrates the importance of "loving what you do" in order to become wealthy. Sound simple--not really. Blotnick tracks the success of over 1000 people who became successful as a side result of their work (which they loved). All those who wanted to become wealthy and then do the work that they loved were "unsuccessful" at becoming financially independent. This is an excellent starter for anyone in business (or not) who wants to become wealthy and enjoy the process.

The book is directed towards modern "sophisticated" Jews who are looking for compelling reasons to engage more fully in Jewish custom, tradition, and spirituality, and I thought Rabbi Gordis did a superb job at doing so; He not only eloquently and thoughtfully describes in depth the how of Jewish life, but the "why", the meaning behind the customs and traditions, and specifically how incorporating these aspects into life provides a richer, fuller experience. Secular Jews and those considering conversion who are trying to be 'convinved' of 'Why Be Jewish' will not only discover the richness of Judaism, but also those who already convinced, will greatly appreciate this book.

Rabbi Daniel Gordis discusses a way for modern Jews to find spirituality in Judaism. The book provides answers to today's most perplexing questions about life and Judaism. I was particularly impressed with Rabbi Gordis' explanation of the importance of blending ritual, prayer, and mitzvot to live a fulfilling Jewish life. For those with doubts about their connection to G-d and to Judaism should read this book.

Rabbi Gordis describes this book as an attempt to answer the question, "Why be Jewish?" But the question he really addresses is, "Can living a traditional Jewish life of study, prayer, ritual and mitzvah lead one to a spiritual life that is meaningful in today's world?" To this question, his answer is a resounding "yes," and he is largely successful in describing how traditional Jewish practices can lead one to the sense of connectedness and commitment -- here equated with spirituality -- often missing in our lives. His approach is largely psychological: study validates our struggles to believe; ritual takes us away from the mundane world; keeping kosher brings an aspect of spiritual discipline into the mundane world. Although this approach has inherent limitations -- the persuasiveness of some of his arguments may lie in the psyche of the individual reader -- it is well-suited to his target audience of people who are already seeking a deeper Jewish spirituality.

If you are looking for a book that demonstrates that the prayer services, rituals, study and observance of the mitzvot really can lead you to a more spiritual life, then you have come to the right place. Rabbi Gordis is eloquent in his belief that traditional Jewish practice can provide spiritual sustenance. If that thought is a sufficient reason for you to "be Jewish," then you will find that Rabbi Gordis has also answered the first question posed above. The problem for me, however, is that Rabbi Gordis does not really address why it should be *Jewish* study, prayer, ritual and discipline that leads one to spirituality. Most of the arguments Rabbi Gordis provides apply equally, at least in general terms, to other religions I have studied. Prayer, ritual, discipline and ethics, in one form or another, are shared by Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Why one should adopt *Jewish* forms of spirituality -- and what sets Jewish forms apart from other religions -- are questions not addressed in this book.

Rabbi Gordis includes a *very* helpful section of "Suggestions for Further Reading," which is arranged by the themes covered in each chapter and provides a brief comment on each of the books, instead of just the usual unadorned list.

Reading R'Abraham Joshua Heschel's meatier works such as God in Search of Man is a significant undertaking - not as tricky as Talmud, but nonetheless, not for the faint of heart. R'Gordis has managed to extract from R'Heschel's works a truly elegant and easy to grasp distillation of most of R'Heschel's most critical works. Nonetheless, this is not the "Cliff's Notes" version of his work. R'Gordis captures the essence of many difficult concepts beginning with the central idea of "God in search of Man". Through this he works illustrative texts from Scripture, Aggadic literature and Talmud to make R'Heschel's work much more accessable to the novice. Having read, at this point, many of R'Heschel's works, I can truly appreciate the thought and care with which R'Gordis has produced this wonderful book.

My only complaint is that R'Gordis opens with a number of theological questions which he implies will be resolved in the course of his book - Not surprisingly, they are not. However, this is a minor quibble as he has plenty of great company in this stretching back over 3000 years.

For persons considering conversion to Judaism, especially those bothered by the public perception of Judaism as being dogmatic, this book offers much enlightenment with regards to the Jewish view of the meaning of Torah & ritual in Jewish life.

As a family therapist, I readily and heartily recommend this book to my clients.

It is an excellent resource for parents and ANYONE who wishes to improve communication skills. Its enjoyable, lighthearted style makes it easy to read; even teens may want to read this book (as long as their parents aren't looking).

I wish that I had had "Great Ways To Sabotage a Good Conversation" when my kids were young! Dr. Schenk's advice would have made life easier for all. Also, I have found this book helpful in talking with the preschoolers whom I teach.
In addition, it is never to late to change your interactions with your children and your spouse. Then, you can hope that your children will learn Dr. Schenk's lessons and use them with their future spouses and children.
All new parents need to read this book. When you buy that "new baby" card, give a great gift: "Great Ways to Sabotage a Good Conversation." This is the only book that a new mother will have time to read! By the time the baby is speaking, the new parents may have been reprogrammed! An easier time will be had by all!!

After you read Dr. Schenk's book, you will understand why I cannot tell you that you "should" read "Great Ways to Sabotage a Good Conversation." However, if you read this book, you will forever re-examine your conversations both with yourself and with others, especially conversations with those people most important to you.

"Great Ways to Sabotage a Good Conversation" is a delight to read. Although it is a quick, easy read, you will discover that you will use the information in this book forever. Dr.Schenk explains the pitfalls of the use of many of the more common ways of conversing with people. He offers explanations as to why these conversations with people, including our children or spouse, backfire. By internalizing his suggestions, you may find that you are still talking sanely among the members of your family!
The cartoons provide such everyday examples of how easily we can mess up when we are trying to accomplish just the opposite! This book is a great buy--if you can internalize his messages you will save yourself hours of wondering "what did I say that was so wrong that the opposite of what I intended is what happened?" Buy a copy of his book, sit down, and enjoy Dr. Schenk's easy-to-understand explanations of how we make relationships so difficult.
Straightforward text. Great examples given. Sense of humor, which we all need when we are trying to relate to those dearest to us. Buy it. Read it. Buy copies for all your relatives and friends for gifts! Great things come in small packages!!

This is a quick, powerful read, that can make big differences in how you communicate. In Dr. Schenk's book he discusses little language changes that can facilitate big conversational changes. This book can help you with managing subordinates, parenting children, and building great relationships. I already knew about most of the concepts in the book, AND it was still a great review. (You will have to read the book to see why I capitalized the word AND).

If you have ever felt frustrated with the amount of time you spend arguing with a spouse, child, co-worker or friend, I highly recommend this book. Writing with clarity and humor, Dr. Schenk reveals how seemingly subtle changes in the words we use make a big difference in how our messages are received by others. The point is that we all want to be heard, especially by those closest to us. We don't realize how the way we communicate often prevents this from happening. Instead, our conversations spin off into defense and counter-attacks. Highlighting at least ten different ways this can happen, anyone could find at least a few ways (if not more) to improve their ability to be heard - and to listen - by reading Dr. Schenk's book. The time saved in less arguing makes this book a must read. I plan to keep it as a reference, and will reread it every so often.

The wisdom in these books is so concrete - they offer answers to personal dilemmas and a world perspective without being mired in interpretations and metaphors or advocating situational ethics. (Sonia)

"All of it is inspiring and important. It feels as if I've at last found my home and now a whole lot of things make sense to me finally." Erika

many a statement written in this book i have already experienced as true. i would not have known some of this knowledge to be real if i had not experienced it strongly myself. it is not theory, but truth that is discussed here. And what a statement it makes! What a purpose it brings to our lives. For the ride of your life, buckle up and read Greater Community Spirituality, and continue consciousness on a new and higher level of understanding. Get ready to feel that all too unfamiliar warm, fuzzy, feeling of being with someone who loves you: YOURSELF.

I have read this book and studied M. Summers other books for the last nine years. This book and the other New Knowledge Library books have changed my life. They have helped me to see the bigger picture and it is big. In addition, Greater Community Spirituality has a companion study book, Steps to Knowledge, which brought about profound change in my view of life and myself. It was difficult to transition from my old perceptions, but I wouldn't go back to my former way of thinking for all the money in the world. These books are life changing. I would recommend them to serious students who are looking for Truth and willing to face anything to find it.

After a while, books on spirituality can begin to sound the same. Not this book! It is refreshing in it's approach to some very basic questions? Who is God? Who is Jesus? among others. It takes the idea of religion to a greater perspective. God is God of the Universe, not just of the planet Earth. The implications of this concept are tremendous and it makes perfect sense to me. Anyone who believes in life beyond this planet will find that this book makes an important connection. Two thumbs up to this one!

Guerilla Retailing has helpful information on all aspects of a retail business from paint colors to display to hiring staff. It was also a very easy, quick read.

A word to the Big Boys - look out - it's the ones you don't see coming that get you. Your big budget marketing plans won't save you now. It's a whole new world out there, thinks to the unconventional advice from the Guerrilla Marketing success team.

Guerilla Retailing gives entrepreneurial retailers a delicious unfair advantage. It's the advantage of time, energy and imagination: the Guerrilla Retailer's greatest assets...if they know how to use them. Get your copy, keep your to-do list handy, and prepare to thrive.

Guerrilla Retailing is your instruction manual for retail success. The Big Boys won't know what hit them.

If you're a retailer, you need this book! It covers everything you need to compete with chains and big-box stores. Some of the topics include how to differentiate your business, affordable marketing tactics and sales promotions, ways to improve the customer experience and how to hire, train and motivate employees. I was impressed by how detailed and specific it is. It's filled with real-world examples and practical ideas. Buy this book and get ready for your sales to soar!

Most of the information is common sense, so common that in business we forget to do these simple but vital things. The book is required reading for our employees.

A terrific, comprehensive manual for anyone who sells anything! Whether you hawk hot dogs on a corner or sell diamonds to debutants, this book has everything you need to know about the art and science of retailing. I got some great, inexpensive promotional ideas and learned how to find and keep the best people for our restaurant.

Outstanding book! This was placed before me by my mentor. To say the book has been influencial in my life would be a gross understatement.

The beauty of Friedman's book and the "Work" versus other books on attaining a higher awareness is in the approach. There are no specific recipes for chanting phrases or hours-on-end meditation. Gurdjieff's work is about becoming more fully aware WHILE continuing on with normal life. Whilst all seekers seek because they know there is more to life than what we experience as part of the masses, Gurdjieff/Friedman teach the reader to LISTEN. There is so much more going on in everything we do than 99% of the world ever know about. How much more influential might we be if we could learn to tune into even a fraction of the rest of it?

I, for one, intend to find out.

Thank-you for this fine work Mr. Friedman.

This book most reminds me of how I felt when I first heard the work ideas and how I feel about them now. The author's personal anecdotes and examples hit closely to home. I've bought extra copies to give to close friends hoping that maybe I'll be able to share some of my personal experiences with them more easily with the help of this book.

I first became aware of Gurdjieff and the work in the late 1950's while still in high school. The work intrigued me then, it intrigues me still. Whenever I tire it drives me still to begin again; mostly, I've been a borderlander, a traveler who often returns again and again to a favorite place. In this case, the work. From my experiences I can say that the concepts presented by the author are authentic, his presentation enjoyable, understandable and an easy read.

I too am skeptical of groups and teachers of the work because of the potential for psychological harm. You have to be mentally healthy to undertake the work. I belonged to a fourth way group in Carmel for a very short time in the 70's while working on a graduate degree. A professor, in returning a paper I had written on the Gurdjieff work for his graduate course, commented " . . . this could lead to schizophrenia!"

The work, all true work, is about changing your level of being. And, echoing the author, after all this time I can't say I've made substantial progress but I've seen signs that my efforts have not been wasted. From the author: "...and I have been working on myself for many years and the progress is slow, but what else is there to do?"

The book gave me an overview of Gurdjieff's work and helped me decipher many unknown facts which were like puzzles to me. This book would be very helpful for anyone who wants to go into a deeper study of Gurdjieffs ideas and excercises.

I am not an expert on Gurdjieff or The Work. But I can appreciate a great book when I read it. Mr. Friedman gives a wonderful overview of Gurdjieff's teachings and The Work. I am buying other titles related to Gurdjieff and the work to learn more and, of course, to put the ideas into practice. I purchased this title directly from the author.

I have just read Gil Friedman's book, Gurdjieff: A Beginner's Guide and feel that for the first time I have an idea of what Gurdjieff ideas were all about. In the past, I have tried to read books by Gurdjieff himself and gotten very little out of them. Friedman's book has translated Gurdjieff into ordinary English that is both very readable and understandable, and goes through Gurdjieff's ideas in a step-by-step approach that is easy to follow. Friedman writes in a conversational manner and gives many examples from everyday life. How we react to misplacing our keys is just one of them that I found very interesting. One of the most interesting concepts of Gurdjieff that Friedman discusses, and I am now attempting to apply in my life is the concept that any time we want to accomplish something, the First Force, there will be resistance to accomplishing it, the Second Force, and unless we anticipate this Second Force, it is unlikely that we will accomplish our goal because we will give up, not realizing that there was going to be a resistance that we had to overcome to obtain our desired goal. So, now when I want something, I think about what type of resistance I will face in the task itself and from other people. This is also why politicians often make these big promises that they can't fulfill because they never anticipate the resistance to obtaining their goals. There were several other concepts from the book that I have found very useful and feel I can work at applying them in my life.
The chapters of the book are very short, a couple of pages at most, that made it easy to read and the extensive Table of Contents offered me a very good way to find subjects I wanted to go back to. If you have any interest in understanding Gurdjieff's ideas, I would highly recommend this book as a place to start.

Heart Without Measure

This is an excellent book for anyone who is seriously interested in understanding the essence of the Gurdjieff work and how it continued after his death. It opened up a new perspective on the work for me. The book describes his meetings and conversations with Madame de Salzmann in the 1980's when he was a student with her. Although Ravindra comes across in the book as a modest man she clearly had a high regard for him and encouraged him to come and see her often - maybe she knew that he would write about the work.
He gives us the essence of her very practical, focused teaching and also conveys her powerful presence. Her teaching is unlike the intellectual descriptions of Gurdjieff's ideas found in Ouspensky's books and other descriptions of the work. What Madame de Salzman emphasises - through Ravindra - is the importance of allowing higher energy to come down into the human body and of being present. Her teaching is focused on energies,on focusing the mind on the body and becoming a channel for higher energies on the earth. It is a very practical teaching.
This is one of the best books I have read on the teachings of a true spiritual teacher and I am keen to read more of Ravindra's books.

For me this book provides valuable personal accounts of what it means to Work to create a place in this world for individuation and Transformation. It is a very personal and devoted account of the author's relationship with Madame de Salzmann and clearly exhibits her steadfastness and strength in her practice and being a living example of the teaching of Georges I. Gurdjieff. Thanks to the author for his honesty and frankness. This can be very helpful to anyone sincerely engaged in finding his or her way toward liberation...

Ravi Ravindra captures the spirit of Gurdjieff's work for me, in one of the most personal and engaging accounts that I've seen from people in the Work. This time, though, rather than being about G. himself, it is a journal of Ravindra's encounters with G's chief disciple, Jeanne de Saltzmann.
As I nibble away at this lovely book, I find myself remembering the best parts of being in the Work, which ended for me almost 30 years ago. At the time, I knew about Mme. de Saltzmann only peripherally, being on the West coast and having been with her in person only once, so I was eager to read this book and fill in my knowledge of a true master whose efforts indirectly shaped my whole spiritual life.
I would have expected Dr. Ravindra, as a professor of at least six different subjects, to write in some dry, scholarly style. Instead, this loving tribute is revealing, approachable and very useful to anyone wishing to understand, in a personal way, what this teaching is about.

I found this book extremely refreshing but I can't help wondering if it is really only for those who do or have done similar practices [Taoist Alchemy, Prayer of the Heart, Gurdjieff's meditations and exercises for opening and harmonizing the 7 centers].

The entire book shows Madame DeSalzmann trying to raise the author from his back and forth states to a man no. 4 - that is someone who has in Gurdjieffean terms acheived balance amongst their body, heart and mind and is thus at square one and truly ready to begin and to try and crystallize something. Similar in intent to the Pentland/Patterson drama in 'Eating the I'

Like 'Eating the I' and 'Voices in the Dark' we are taken inside the inner door to a rather significant degree, but unlike 'Eating the I', this does not try and provide much context or background info. If you have not been in The Work or learned the preliminary relaxation and self-remembering practices, you will understandably be scratching your head through much of it.

However along with Bennett and Pentland the Madame seems to have made it to Man #5. And that is worth experiencing even through the medium of printed words.

I found that the book started 'meditating me' as few books do.

Ravi Ravindra's Heart Without Measure, though a small book, is a powerfully felt homage to the great Madame de Salzmann, whose voice and presence, echoing through the text, resonates like a pure and holy bell, calling us all more perfectly to The Work. He describes well the experience of the student faced with the laser-like eye of the teacher who can read hearts and souls, an encounter not easily endured nor understood, and reveals the 'everyman' conflicts of his strivings in a restrained, almost selfless way. Most of all, this book is sprinkled generously with esoteric clues for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. This book indeed is the 'fruit' of the oral tradition that has always existed within the Gurdjieffian canon.

I really love this book. I've been trying to live a drug free life, but the stress and pressures I feel sometimes make me think that it would be easier if I just started drinking beer and smoking weed like everyone else does. But after reading this book and incorporating some of the exercises into my life, I've found it easier to stay away from drugs. This guy has a great sense of humor and really seems to understand kids. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a way to releive stress without using drugs. Thanks, Alex. You rock!

It's all here - what every teen and young adult needs to know about how to feel really well and really good about themselves. On the premise that human beings like to get high, and that getting high is good, Dr. Packer's newest book tells us how to do it - without relying on alcohol, drugs or other substances. Written and illustrated in an engagingly contemporary way, "Highs" provides the reader with fresh, usable insights on such matters as serenity, nutrition, exercise, and relationships. Organized in three sections and 11 well- outlined chapters, it is possible - perhaps even recommended - that the reader turn to an area of particular interest first. Literate, witty, insightful, and irreverent where it should be, "Highs" is highly recommended to young people and parents alike.

I highly recomend this book to readers of all ages. Not only is it one of the funniest books i have ever read, it also contains many good methods to sleep better, relax, and most importantly, have fun. The book is true to its title, there are many safe and healthy ways to get a rush of adrenaline, or, just the opposite. There are several full chapters and several partial chapers dedicated to learning how to reduce stress, which is definitly something that most of us need. Another feature of this book is that it tricks kids into learning new things and encouraging a good life style without the feeling of a textbook. I would highly recomend this book to anyone looking for a good, educational, fun, and most of all, entertaining read.

In Highs!, Alex Packer presents more than one hundred and fifty ways for teenagers and young adults to feel good, really good, without resorting to alcohol or other drugs. Packer's detailed suggestions are divided into "Serenity Highs" (meditation, T'ai Chi Chuan, Yoga); "Physical and Sensuous Highs" (sports, relaxation exercises, food, massage); "Social, Spiritual, and Creative Highs" (nature, fasting, roleplaying games, music, dance, art). An especially recommended compendium of ideas and suggestions for today's youth seeking to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol consumptions and substance abuse in their personal and peer group recreational activities, Highs! is enhanced for teen and young adult readers with a bibliography, as well as suggestions for additional readings and resources.

Alex Packer has written a funny, educational, and comprehensive book on alternatives to getting high with alcohol or other drugs. The book includes examples of alternative highs from teenagers along with humorous illustrations and up-to-date links to websites. I hadn't realized how many non-chemical alternatives there were to getting high. I can't wait to pass this book on to my teenage nephew. I only wish such a book had been available when I was his age!