Stories and Thoughts Books

I am not a teen anymore, but a decade ago, I was. I never went to a public school, or delt with teenage dating, drugs, suicide, sneaking around, or all of that drama. I purchased this for a special teen in my life who has had to go to public school and face all of that. I read it before I gave it to her, and I think I learned some things that enter into the "average teen's" life. I hope she enjoys it, and learns, laughs and grows as I did.

This book was a wonderful and uplifting read. A lot of the passages will be in the back of my mind for a long time. The stories with love, hope and forgiveness really hit home for me. The only thing that I would like to see more in this book is poetry.

You would like this book if you love the feeling of being thankful of what you have. It makes me think to be kinder to people and to be happy that people are how they are and no one should try to change them. That some people are there to help and some people are there to be helped by people. I just think that this book will make so many people's lives so much brighter after having read it.

The thing that really got me was one of the stories that had a little brother that had cancer and it made me think of my little brother and what would my life be like without him. The day I read that story I went home and gave him a big hug and I told him that I loved him.

The parts with thoughtful words and deep thoughts always make me think. I love to read about people's problems and how they overcome them. I just think that it is good to know that someone might be going through the same problems with boys, parents, school, drugs and tons more things that make your head spin every day, and things that you feel like there is no way out of that situation.

All in all I thought it was a good book.

My daughter started reading this book at age 12, and has had it for 2 years. She still loves to go back and read selections of love, hope, courage. Give your teenager something worth reading! :)

I bought this book as a gift for my 16yr old niece. The very next day, she told me how much she loved the book. She even cried reading it. I think it's nice to find reading materials that can move the minds and feelings of teenagers.

I skimmed through the book before I gave it to my granddaughter who just turned 13. I thought it had some well written stories that a teenager can relate to and a lot of food for thought. She was so happy to get it, since she had the one for pre-teens also and really liked it.

The book arrived in good shape but it took 2 weeks before I recieved it. I also ordered a second book from another vendor and it was here in just a short time, both were ordered the same night on the same order but it took an additional week or more before this one arrived.

This book is really relatable for pet lovers. make sure you have a tissue handy, though. I bought this book for my mom after her dog passed away, and have also read it myself. I know the understanding she is able to get from these stories has helped her. there are some very memorable stories, and the short story format lets you read at your own pace. don't get me wrong- not all the stories are sad!

As both a dog and cat owner, and a would-be everything-else owner, too, I love this book! I have several "Chicken Soup" books, plan to add several more to my collection, but this one is probably my favorite so far. It keeps you between tears and laughter from beginning to end. All pet lovers will see themselves and their furry, feathered or finned friends somewhere in here, I'm sure!

Most of the series of 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' has the kind of warm and fuzzy story that many find endearing and sweet. They are not 'deep' most of the time, but do point to things beyond themselves; for my own use, I often find sermon illustrations and stories within the pages of volumes of Chicken Soup -- as chaplain at a retirement centre, many of the stories help people to recall happier times, and help them deal with their present situation.

This particular volume involves stories with animals. The relationship between animals and people of all ages can make for some of the funniest, most heart-warming, most sad, and most meaningful stories. There are contributing authors of some note (Barbara Bush, James Herriot, Jimmy Stewart, Gilda Radner, Art Linkletter) among other authors who had stories to tell and volunteered them. Much in the manner that Readers Digest accepts unsolicited stories from amateur authors, so does the Chicken Soup series. Often the most meaningful stories are those that happen to people who are not professional writers.

Few animals are left out here, as many animals have come to be companions with humans over the centuries. Dogs and cats feature prominently, as do horses and other farm animals, but there are also wolves, birds, dolphins, deer, wild turkeys, gorillas and even a Christmas mouse. The stories cover a wide range of topics, including pets as friends and healers, animals as rescuers and performers of other amazing feats, animals whose companionship meant a lot, and finally on the sadness and meaning of saying goodbye to an important family member.

Each of this stories can easily be read in a short time. This makes it a good source for 'falling-asleep reading', for use in public speaking and preaching opportunites, for shared reading-aloud times, and for simple enjoyment and entertainment. Many of the stories here are ones that stay with you; the story about the wild turkeys and the story of the Christmas mouse are stories I use again and again in my chaplaincy, and they are always appreciated.

The editors of the primary series 'Chicken Soup' are Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen; for purposes of this volume, they are joined by Marty Becker and Carol Kline, authors and animal-professionals in various capacities.

My cats give their paws-up to this!

I didn't quite know if I was going to make it through this book. Through about the first 8-9 stories, I kept on crying. I was thinking "This is ridiculous. I can't read one doggone story without crying after I read it." I kept thinking of my dog, Shep, who died a couple years ago at the age of 91 and how badly I want another dog. There is a dog beach by my house so usually everytime I see a dog, Shep pops up to mind. I pretty much had sunglasses on when I read this book in public so people wouldn't think I was completely crazy. Somewhere towards the middle, I hardened up and was ready to read this book without blinking a thousand times.
These were wonderful stories about everything from cats, dogs, snakes, bears, gorillas, and birds. I enjoyed every last one of them except for the one about Bush's dog. It was very impersonal and told the whole story like it was some sort of nursery rhyme. That was the only reason the book got four stars. I don't even understand how that story made it past submissions.

As a medium and author, I found The Eagle and the The Rose to be well written and enlightening. I, like Rosemary, am an "ordinary" woman, going through life with its ups and down but who also possesses the gift of "sight" into the other side. She decribes her journey with poise and respect for the difficulties in her life. Her journey led her to wonderful people who helped her open the door to her soul. Bravo! The description of the spiritualist church and congregation took these people out of the blanket and into the main stream. A great read; a great story; a lesson to all.

Anna L. Raimondi
author: Talking to the Dead in Suburbia - An Ordinary Woman with an Extraordinary Gift

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I am amazed of how an abused girl got so much courage to work through all of the hardships of her life. I am so amazed that she finds so much courage and love to help others. Her spiritual guide is so amazing. She deserves 20+ stars. I am starting to read the Proud Spirit by her.

I have read lots of books on this subject matter. So far this one is my absolute favorite. I could not put this down.

I guess there isn't anything I can say that other readers haven't already said. I absolutely loved the way Rosemary told her story. It was like she was talking to a friend. Very well done! Exceptionally written. I enjoyed it so much that I've started to read it again. Thanks, Rosemary, for bringing this book to the world. I hope I will be able to meet you personally someday!

The Eagle and the Rose: A Remarkable True Story

Absolutely loved this book. What a touching and at times heart-wrenching bibliography. I could just see Grey Eagle standing there, from the way he was described. Good reminder of how negative messages are given to children and how that affects their entire life.

Now this is the book everyone should read.I loved it and have shared it with many friends and all the same LOVE it.It is such a healing book for anyone who has lost a loved one.I recommend it greatly.Its another one of those books you just can't put down.
Thanks

We have more men and women in prison in the US than the entire country of Nigeria. I would recommend this particular book over any other to send to anyone you might know or care about in prison. It is a constant source of comfort and hope for these hidden souls.

Awesome Book. All the stories are so heart felt... Besides I love all Chicken Soup 4 The Soul books...

I purchased this book for my husband and he had written me several times quoting passages from it and told me he wished I had a copy so we could discuss it together. With that said, I purchased an additional copy and read it in one day. My son walked by and saw and me tearing up and asked what I was reading and I read him the except. We continued reading them together out loud. He too cried. It is an awesome and inspirational book that will make you laugh and cry. It created some bonding time with my son and opened up topics of conversation between my husband and me. Worth every penny and so much more!

I was searching to find a inspirational book for my dad whom recently was sent to prison. He said right away he loved the book and now it is being shared by all his friends in his unit. He cant get enough Chicken Soup books and wants more of them right away !!! 5 stars for sure

prisioners need to have something possitive to read. A bad attutude will carry to there life after they get out and on the other hand so will a possitive one. Smiles to all

This book has good, inspiring stories of women who have done it all, from childhood memories to growing old and wiser. A couple of the stories had me tearing up.

I have a few favorites that stick out. One called "The Wind Beneath Her Wings" is a story about Jean Harper, one of the first three female pilots for United Airlines. The woman's dream was always to be a pilot, and first everyone told her she couldn't, or she didn't have chance. She Almost believed that, until one teacher told her to live the dream. Another one was "Mother's Day," about a woman who was in her 30's and thought she would never have children, but in her 40's did. It makes me feel a little hopeful about myself. All the stories definitely spark emotion in a person; I can't see how they could not.

I really like the chicken soup for the soul series and this is a great gift for any woman out there. If you are a fan of the series, then you will like this.

Thank you all colaborative writers!! These books inspire me to be a better person everyday in despite of the adversities life may put on your way! As a teacher sharing these stories has been a great tool in my classes!!

This book was an awsome book.I might be a guy but all these stories just fills your heart with good things. This book has fantastic real life stories that mean alot of things. It was so good that i read this book in 4 days. This book is great for any chicken soup lovers or people who likes touching stories.

I have grown up with Chicken Soup For The Soul Collections. I can remember buying my first book at a book sale while I was in elementary school. I than moved on to Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul. I recently took a box of books to a book exchange shop and that's where I saw Chicken Soup For The Woman's Soul. I than remembered how much I had loved these heart warming short stories and since I had just turned 20 years old, it was about time I exchange my teenage collection in for the woman's collection. I am 20 years old, married and in college so sometimes I find myself stressed out and emotional so I like to sit down and enjoy a few of these stories. These are great books to own and there is a large variety so that anyone can find one that fits them. My husband and I like to read Chicken Soup For The Couples Soul together and I am looking forward to the day when I can read Chicken Soup For The Mothers Soul.

Chicken soup for the cat and dog lovers soul is a wonderful book that warms my heart and gives me a happy feeling reading thru the stories and the love people feel for there pets. When I recently lost my beloved siamese cat it helped me to feel better about my "furry baby" passing over the rainbow bridge because I knew he had a wonderful life and he knew he was cherished. All the books in the chicken soup series are very uplifting and spirtual and make people smile, I highly recommend them.

I have bought many books from this series and found this one to be my favorite. This book is a must for the animal lover. I will read a few stories before bed every night. Some stories bring tears to my eyes and others make me simle from ear to ear. Great book that people of any age will love!!

My 10 year-old son tried reading it,and thought the stories were too sad, but I adore this book. Very sweet, humbling stories about good people and good animals.

I really enjoyed this book. The main reason I liked it is because it is all about cats and dogs, and I am a hardcore animal lover. Another reason I liked it is because the stories are not made up in someone's mind. These stories are real stories that real people lived through. The last reason I liked this book so much is because you don't have to read it like an ordinary book. You can read it like I did and just jump around to stories that sound good to you, instead of reading the book cover to cover.

In this volume, Mr. Canfield and crew have compiled a smorgasboard selection of short stories about pets who fortify us and make life bearable. Especially poignant to me was "the medicine cat" as I, too, had one named Tosca. She gave up the ghost a few months ago at the age of eighteen years, as I had no way to get to her when she needed support of the kind she gave to me several years ago. They recognize the special love and devotion of animals to bless our hearts and homes.

"Cat lovers will tell you that felines are 'poetry in motion,' living sculptures at rest, and that the warm weight of a purring cat...is a surefire cure for all that ails you."

It is the physical acts of love to bring the gift of life as expressed in "The Healing Touch." I cried as I read "The Language of the Heart" about an unusual rabbit and his healing the hurt of a little girl who'd turned inward and no longer could talk. Something had died in that child which this loving rabbit cured. His innocence and trust had rekindled the same qualities in the child. The loving presence of an animal can heal where words have no effect. Alas, Roger Rabbit bit the tip off my little finger one day, which led me to the ER for a Saran-wrap bandage (to stop the bleeding -- a bandaid wouldn't work) and a tetanus shot. Needless to say, I found him another home.

"A small gesture -- the insistent tap of a cat's paw" about Jack, an adopted stray kitten (like Dante in Troy, Alabama), who grew into Ellen's savior. He woke her from a daydream of tragedy; Star woke me up with that same gesture over and over so that I would not strangle from Acid Reflux. Pets do love and care for their owners. This volume is one I will treasure for years to come. It is full of memories about pet owners' animals, not just cats and dogs.

The stories are wide ranged in nature but sorted in chapters where you can identify with your specific cat joy or sorrow. Some of the authors are well known. Others are amateurs who love a cat. The list of Contributors and Permissions speaks for itself. This book is truly literature for cat lovers. I read every story and love them all.

What a wonderful collection! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me grab my own 2 kitties for a big hug. I like the idea of an anthology. I can take the book to work and read a story or two during lunch break. I also bought "A Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers." If you like stories about cats you'll like that book as well.

I had recently lost my favorite cat, and was looking for something to help me get over my lost. I came across this book & reading stories of other people and their cats helped me get over my loss, especially the part about other people losing their cats! It does help your soul, when you lose your one true friend. I recommend this book highly!!!

Being a Lover of Cat's when I saw this Book--it was a "must have" for myself. Each story is true and has its own uniqueness just as every Cat does. It is simply a fun book to curl up with, you will laugh, cry, sigh and definately agree with, for one way or another you will understand and learn through each story about how amazing "Cat's" truley are. If you are a Lover of Cat's you will enjoy adding this Book to your Home Library-------this one you won't regret. MEOWWWWWWWWWW.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those dastardly dog-lovers who think cats are aloof & inferior. I do have to issue a warning about the chapter titled 'Farewell, My Love' though - don't read it if you are feeling vulnerable! It is very, very, very, very, very sad. I think the other reviewers have significantly underrated the 'crying element' to this book. My husband came home to find me red-eyed, shaken & exhausted after spending an afternoon in this particular chicken soup! Luckily there is a lovely, warm chapter about rescue kitties right after it which helps to restore one's equilibrium somewhat. All in all, it made me love not just my own babies more but all cats!

I loved this book. It was all about stories of dogs who have rescued their owners. I read one story about a dog saving their owner that had fallen in ice! Pretty ah-mazing. Well I really recomend this book for people who love animals and love amazing stories.

~McKell

Haven't had time to read a book in quite some time. I made time for this one. If your a dog lover, you can't go without reading this book. LOVED IT.
Purchaed 3 copies and gave two away.

This book is for you! Typical Chicken Soup fare but on the plus side, dogs are the lead characters. Lots of tearjerkers, heart warmers and amusing anecdotes. The format makes for perfect short reads (bathroom, waiting for appointments, lunch breaks). I recommend it highly.

I love dogs. Each little story was heartwarming, entertaining, caught my attention and mostly heartbreaking/bittersweet (in the endings). It is about dogs relationships with people and other animals and peoples with dogs. I cried so much I ended up with a tension headache/migraine and was in bed for a day on medication to relieve the pain. I dread the day I loose my litle Teddy (Maltese) + know how I rescued him. Not meant for the little ones-they may cry more than I did.

We love dogs especially and we used to have a beautiful black lab but she's gone to heaven now! Our children got this lab for their stepfather years ago for Father's Day and of all the pets we have had over the years; this one was extra special to us! The book is great but the hubby cannot read much of it right now as he misses lady a lot. But, from what I've seen, I like it and believe others will too! I am a big fan of the Chicken Soup books and have always been impressed with their books and this one is no exception!

There is so much wisdom and love and crammed into this tiny book that it's simply incredible. When I read this book just about every night (and yes it is definitely worth a second, third and fourth read) it kind of feels like it is your Higher Self or an Angel talking to you and guiding you in the most insightful and loving way possible.

The book itself is not written like a novel, but a series of mini essays (each one about a page) and that better express the quote presented on the left page. The quotes themselves are wonderfully positive affirmations that can be used in and of themselves but it is the writing that is truly captivating.

I love that this book does not present itself as presumptuous and arrogant in saying it has all the answers. Instead, the author uses a guidance system to guide the reader to their own personal truth and this is nothing short of empowering.

I don't think that this may be the book for those who are loyal to a particular religion, as many things may be considered blasphemous by that person. I do however, highly recommend it to anyone on any level of their spiritual path who is more accepting of the art of channeling and/or has a liking for New Age thinking.

The Messiah Seed, as read by the author Story Waters, is the most amazingly beautiful thing I have ever heard. I have been a student of A Course In Miracles for 24 years, and these CDs are the cherry that tops the beautiful sundae of ACIM. Story's voice is beautiful, and his presentation is magnificent. Listening to these CDs actually stuns me and lifts me to a greater realization of my own power. Story's truth reverberates inside my heart and echoes my own truth. It deserves far more than 5 stars.

My copy of the book, even though it is only six months old, is now about the most worn book in my library. I loved Story's voice on the Love Is Awake CD so I thought it would be great to be able to listen to The Messiah Seed in the car. What I got instead was a whole new level to the book. Its not that the audio version is better than the book but even though the words are the same there is something different. I'm sure a lot of it is to do with the way Story conveys it with his voice. Or perhaps rather than sitting and reading you can just lay back and fall into it. Whatever the case this is a great way to experience it. Each seed has a pause between it with the sound of waves allowing you to absorb what you have just heard before you are given more. If you haven't read the book its a must-read for anyone into free-thinking spirituality as opposed to religion. If you have the book then this is a great way to experience even more that is beyond the words. One of the book reviews I read talks of the writing being full of YES energy, well add Story's voice to that and you've got YES energy overload! Where ever you are this will lift you up through the ceiling.

I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of channeling, and I approached this book with a little bit of bias. Taking each of the Messiah Seed entries into consideration apart from that factor, however, I was really quite impressed. It's almost as if the most uplifting parts of various religions were brought together in a synthesis of wondrous thought. This is a book that you can read straight through, or open at random for a quick bite of food for thought. This book can help you to open up your own tremendous potential in a constructive way. Although brief, it contains a lifetime's worth of wisdom.

This is truly an amazing book! It's written in such a way that it can actually touch your soul - and I haven't come across many books that have the ability to do that...

"The Messiah Seed" is broken down into 70 different chapters, or "seeds", each about 1 page in length (so it's quite easy to read a little at a time if you're too busy to read an entire book in one sitting).

Each of these chapters brings forth powerful spiritual wisdom re: just how powerful each & every one of us is, and how to best use this power to live the life we truly want to live. In other words, each chapter plants a seed in your soul - where it will grow when you are ready.

These "seeds" are definitely worth reflecting/pondering on, and because of this, I think "The Messiah Seed" is a book to be read & re-read many times over.

I would highly recommend this book to those who are just starting on their spiritual journey, as well as those who've been on this journey for some time. Although, I must say that it may be easier to grasp its' insights if you have some sort of spiritual foundation already laid. However, regardless of your background, these insights can profoundly impact your life IF they are approached with an open mind.

This is a prefect gift to give to your mother. It's a book that will remind them of the joys of being a mother.

I was given this book as a gift from my son. I read it on an airplane and laughed and cried so much that at the end of the flight, the man sitting next to me said, "you are quite an emotional lady!" I bought a copy of this book for the lady that helped me when I got stranded when the flight was delayed a day. She read one of the stories in it while I was changing clothes and I found her in tears when I returned. It's a great feel-good book.

I CAN NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! Some real tear jerkers too. A must for all moms.

my family got this as a gift about 8 years ago. I don't remember much about it but I remember the stories about the mother losing her son during a skiing accident, the girl who bought her mom bobby pins for her birthday and the story where they're celebrating a grandmother's birthday and she dies at the end of the party after seeing her entire family at the celebration.

AFTER READING THIS I AM REASSURED THAT GOOD HONEST BOOKS ARE FINALLY MAKING A COME-BACK!!!!!!