V Books

**SPOILERS**

I'm so glad I finally got my hands on this one, thanks to the library!
Overall, I like Josh more than Zach, so I was disappointed that she seemed to get over him so quickly. I also thought there'd be more about her mother, but no. The summary greatly over exaggerates this. I really hope the third book tells us more about her history, it sounds really exciting! This book did more to the character development, but it's still lacking in both writing and development, but yet again, the plot dominates.
Random bits of awesome. There was not one, but TWO, count them, TWO, Buffy references (Love how I'm catching & understanding these, EVERYWHERE). Kaitlin with a K and Caitlin with a C cracked me up cause I probably know a K/Caitlin with every possible spelling of the name. I was glad that we got to see Josh at all, cause at the end of the last book & the beginning of this one, I was doubting it, not so happy to see him with DeeDee, sweet as she is. [Although I kinda wish we could get her side of the story]. Wonder if we'll see him in the next book, or if his story's been told. Carter did a great job planting those clues making us all suspect Zach, I did not see that ending coming, not at all.
The scene where Cammie told her mom about seeing Josh and that whole part, that was definitely the best. I love that connection of theirs, and argh, I want to learn MORE.
And come on, don't tell me I'm the only one picking up a major vibe between Cammie's mom and Mr. Solomon! Let's hope we see some more of that in the third book!

This is a follow up to Ally Carters, I'd tell you I love you but then i'd have to kill you, book. Out of the two, this one is my favorite! Not only is there a new BOY character, but just about all of the characters from the first are here as well. This book will keep you on your toes from start to finisih; you can't help but to feel all the characters emotions, and I find myself laughing everytime I read it. This is a must read and its great for all ages, but I would suggest 6 grade and up.

This ias a great book, better than the first, and i love it! I can't wait until the third book in the series comes out in june!!!! :-)

This is a great book for 6th grade through 9th grade girls. Even some boys may enjoy this book. This book does not contain any inappropriate words or content. Teachers can feel safe about adding this one to their classroom libraries. It is as good as the first book about Galagher Academy Girls. It contains all the adventures of spy school with a little romance thrown in. I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the series.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is the second book in Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl series. It is just as cute and well-written as the first book.

It's a new semester at Cammie's spy school. But getting through the next part of her Covert Operations class isn't her only challenge; the school is also keeping a secret from its students, a secret called Blackthorne. Soon, it's up to Cammie and her genius friends to save the school.

In my opinion, some parts of this story are predictable, but the storyline is cute, so I read it anyway. In fact, this is one of the few series that I collect. I was disappointed that the sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You wasn't longer, because I really enjoyed reading about a spy-in-training's love life. The good news is, Gallagher Girls is not going to be limited to a two-book series.

This is a quick and light read. I recommend this book for fans of action and romance novels.

[...]

egonomics is the kind of excellent, well-researched book that only comes along every few years. The content plays a vital role in our journey from good to great as part of a major service organization in a large, global company. Specifically, the principles, processes, and tools that apply humility, curiosity and veracity to our business issues, have allowed us to have candid and productive dialogue that were difficult, if not impossible, to have before we read this book and applied it.

egonomics goes beyond self-assessment and self-awareness. This book provides grounded, practical, insightful answers that drive behavior and performance improvement. Applying the principles and practices in egonomics has allowed us as a team to work through significant organizational changes by engaging in focused, candid discussions and subsequently acting on key issues tied directly to business results. Their material has had a direct and positive impact on our performance that I don't think we could have achieved in any other way.

'Egonomics' is a superb account of the effects of excessive and inadequate ego on business performance. Thankfully, the authors took a practical and applied approach to their work instead of the more typical complex, theoretical approach so often seen in other bodies of work. There is ample evidence for anyone who pays attention to human interaction, particularly in the business environment, of these qualities of humility, curiosity, and veracity either contributing to or detracting from productivity at every level of the organization. If `Level 5' leaders possess these qualities as well, that's about all I need to know to be sure we're on the right track, aside from good common sense. Few authors have laid it on the line and it's long overdue. Marcum and Smith have done the business world a huge favor.

Jerry Stigall- Director, Organization Development
Douglas County Government

This book is a huge advance over their prior tome and worthy of national attention. Almost every page sparked some thought for me which is more than I can say for most of the more than 300 volumes in my personal library on business and leadership.

I really liked their idea of duality. This insight excited me and made me say to myself, "I've never thought of that." When the "freshness" of an idea like duality can get me motivated to implement that concept NOW, the book has struck pay-dirt with me.

I likewise really liked humility as being the equilibrium and not the direct antithesis of ego and the concept of "unconditional positive regard (UPR)."

I could really put to use Smith and Marcum's list of practical non-defensive humility openers:

"You might be right...," "I haven't really considered that...," "Even though that's hard to hear, I appreciate your bringing it up...," "Even though I'm not happy about what you're saying, I'm glad I'm hearing it now rather than later. What are some...," "Would you mind saying more about that?"

I wish we all could impliment the concepts of this book--maybe some world politicians will also get their hands on a copy !

People with unbridled egos see themselves as the suns in their individual universes, and believe that all important activity and thought revolve around them. "We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk of ourselves at all," observed the worldly wise French nobleman François de La Rochefoucauld 300 years ago. His aphorism is still relevant. In business as in life, unchecked ego sabotages the achievement of important goals. Employees resent and oppose narcissistic executives, regardless of the value of their ideas or the quality of their leadership. However, the brutally competitive business world can also swallow timid, self-effacing souls alive. The best leaders have neither too much nor too little ego. David Marcum and Steven Smith explain how to find the right balance. They offer distressing examples of ego run amok while also providing practical demonstrations of how a healthy dose of ego can be your best ally. We recommend this book to managers who wonder why the rest of the world has so far failed to recognize their greatness, to high achievers who think they may need a reality check and to human-resource professionals, who often have to clean up the messes that egotistical executives leave behind them.

This is simply one of the best books written about a subject that can be quite messy and obscure to identify. The issue of "ego" is seldom talked or written about. But, it is the dividing line when it comes to a "Great" organization and a mediocre one.

Simply an outstanding book! A Must Read for Anyone in Leadership.

According to perpetual social and political critic James Bovard, the power inherent in government is alive and well; unfortunately, as he reminds us, they are not always necessarily accomplishing the people's will. Thus we find ourselves in circumstances in which governments are both larger and more powerful than ever before, while the individual citizen's ability to control and influence the course of his or her own life and liberty is becoming more and more problematic. In this stirring expose, the author explores how the federal government increasingly poses a threat to destroy individual rights and liberties in an attempt to preserve the fiction of government as superceding the citizen. Bovard wonders along with us how this state of affairs has managed to occur, and takes a thoughtful and impressive tour of the history of government control over individual liberties in an attempt to better understand it, and the future it presents for our cogitation.

Long before it was either fashionable or popular, conservative author Bovard was railing against the accumulating power and privilege of the crony-based capitalists who now seem to control the country. Here he draws blood from a dissection of the notion of state sovereignty, which he contends amounts to nothing so much as a glossy justification for the power elite's lust for ever-increasing power and privilege. Especially egregious in the author's view is the way the doctrine is being used to justify the behavior of others, to limit their rights to protect themselves, or to keep the fruit of their own labor. Indeed, all of this is food for thought. Moreover, Bovard is an interesting and quite eclectic scholar, someone who accomplishes both meticulous research and establishes the substantiation for his claims as he proceeds, and does so quite convincingly. He also seems to be profoundly well read, based on his wide use of quotations from such luminaries as Marx, Hegel, Rousseau, and Thomas Hobbes.

Thus, he manages to raise some thought provoking issues regarding our seeming need to regulate many aspects of private behavior (such as the use of pot) that we can neither effective enforce nor usefully demonstrate to be evil for the individual. Bovard argues quite convincingly regarding the potential dangers of allowing others to regulate our Constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties according to their own moral prerogatives. Bovard reserves special scorn for the so-called "Peter Pan" theory of government as the benevolent and paternalistic defender of the commonweal, and actively guides the reader through a critical review of the two hundred year history on the subject, a history he finds rife with examples through which government has repeatedly used its power to thwart rather than support the will and civil liberties of the majority. This is a splendidly researched book that reads well and which has some disturbing thoughts regarding the state of our polity. It is also one I highly recommend. Enjoy!

James Bovard is a bestselling libertarian author and lecturer, whose political commentary targets examples of governmental waste, failures, and abuses of power.
His Books:
The Fair Trade Fraud (1992)
Lost Rights (1995)
Shakedown (1996)
FREEDOM IN CHAINS: THE RISE OF THE STATE AND THE DEMISE OF THE CITIZEN (2000) Just finished this book and it is filled with examples of the "Statist" (politicians and bureaucrats) extorting money to facilitate their appetite for power and thus controlling as many aspects of life in these "United States"(separation into red and blue states does not make much difference). The research is excellent and the sources of "wisdom" are unrivaled. The EEOC and EPA appear to be the most outrageous of bureaus but closely followed by HUD and others; however, the Supreme Court clearly wins the "stuck on stupid" award between the three branches and the Senate is a clear choice in the Congress. Much of what Mr. Bovard relates is probably well known by the average political savvy reader, but his ability to back up his message with research, i.e. facts and sagacious quotes makes for an excellent read. Still, as one other reader stated, "What exactly can be done with the current apathy and addiction to the Welfare State by so many voters?".
Feeling Your Pain (2001)
Terrorism and Tyranny (2003)
The Bush Betrayal (2004)
Quotes:
"Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner." (1994). This is my favorite and another version could be a jackass (Dems) and an elephant (Republicans) fighting over "hay" (tax receipts) that does not belong to them. They then give some back to the "original owners" (taxpayers) after eating their "fill" (outrageous retirements, perks, etc.) and providing some to their "herd" (special interests). THIS ITEM WAS EDITED--From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia--LOG ON http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy

"Your government knows your mind, and you know your government's mind." -Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -George W. Bush (sometimes it is more honest to deviate from the script and speak from the gut!)

One would hope that a political tome written 7 years ago would become outdated; that politics might have changed since then. Sadly, James Bovard's "Freedom in Chains," is more relevant now than it was then. Despite a republican president (and congress) which, at one point, professed a "small government" platform, the size of the government has grown to unprecedented heights.

Bovard's "Freedom in Chains" not only documents the incursion of government into the people's liberty, but tries to dissect how this began. Not suprisingly, his first chapter points largely (but not exclusively) to FDR. With a careful eye, Bovard analyzes FDR's shifty rhetoric, which was able to effectively redefine the word "freedom": a word that used to mean "absence of coercion by the state," was now morphed to mean "safety provided by the state." Where we used to talk of freedom to buy and sell as one pleased, now we heard talk of freedom to buy and sell at "fair" prices as dictated by government. FDR (and others) were soon able to tell the citizenry with a straight face that freedom meant the ability of the government to take care of them via legislation.

From there, Bovard spends chapter after chapter highlighting examples of this paternalism run amok. "Cagekeepers and Caretakers" highlights how politicians use the idea that they were democratically elected to justify incursions into liberty under the guise that "that's what the people wanted." (And witness in 2004 the argument from the GW Bush camp that the president has a "mandate" from the people!)

In what might be the best chapter, "The Moral Glorification of Leviathan," Bovard documents how government has claimed for itself such things as: the right to tell farmers how much of what they can sell and at what price, the right to tell landlords that they may not discriminate by refusing to rent to drug addicts addicts (or any other group the government happens to like), and the right to tell companies what numbers of which "groups" they can hire. (A particularly great example was the government's failed attempt to mandate that Hooters employ as many male waiters as female waitresses!)

From here, we read documented accounts of government officials exempting themselves from laws the public is expected to obey (e.g. while it is illegal to lie to the police, the police may lie to obtain a confession!), etc. I confess that at this point, the book does become a bit monotanous. While an advantage to Bovard's "laundrey list" approach is its thoroughness in documenting claims, a disadvantage is that after so many examples, each one begins to lose its bite. (I must admit that after a while, I began to skim rather than read, as so many paragraphs began looking like ones I'd read before.)

Another small criticism is that I do not think that supporters of government's growth will be convinced by this book. In other words, this is not a book that argues forcefully that government growth is a bad thing in itself; rather, it documents the growth of government and assumes that the readers' symapthies will be against such trends. (For books actually arguing against statism, read Freidrich Hayek, Richard Epstein, or anything coming out of the CATO institute).

For all this, I must still give this book four stars. Bovard does an admirable job documenting abuses of government power and attempting to alarm an appallingly unalarmed public that a government unchallenged translates to a people unfree.

If you still labor under the delusion that the United States Government is here for your benefit, read this book. Mr. Bovard puts paid to that myth. Americans are now subject to such an unrealistic array of laws and statutes that every one of us is ripe for picking by some bureucrat looking to "get his numbers up". America has truly gone from a government "for the people" to one "against the people". Our constitutional protections are not worth the paper they are written on. If you manage to go through life without running afoul of some government functionary, you are indeed a luck individual. Read this book

I read this book when it was first published and as I was reading was half the time wanting to throw the book across the room. It was the frustration making me do that.

I re-read this book again and after 3 1/2 years of Bush I found Bovard to be very prophetic. What he said is even more true today than when he wrote it.

If you are concerned for that state of this country, don't just read this book, but think about and act on it.

Bovard is the anti- Micheal Moore.

Read this for a view of whats really happening.

Oh yes, DON'T throw the book.

I purchase this item recently and just love it for the quirkiness of it all! I've had friends and family look through it when they visit and it is just a great little coffee table conversation piece. It really is well planned out and the 'Pop-up' side of things does make you feel like a child again. There is a few little surprises that I didn't expect when I ordered it but I don't want to ruin it for anyone interested! I found the story to be enjoyable and it's something different. Thumbs up to the creators of this book because it has bought a little smile to everyone who I have shown even if they aren't into Elvis at all- something which I can't understand really.

This is an excellent book. The quality of the pop up pictures are wonderful. It is a real collector piece. Definitely worth buying if you are anyway interested in Elvis

My friend and I purchased this for our "Elvis fan" for Christmas. This book is is so much fun. It has great pop up pages that are interactive, such as a little photo album with pictures, or the kitchen page you can open the kitchen and cabinet doors. It was much more than just a regular pop up book. Our friend loved it! I recommend buying it for those true fans.

I'm not a big Elvis fan at all, but my MIL is, so I bought it for her. As soon as it was opened, I sat and read it cover to cover! I loved the details and the stories that went with each page and feel like I don't need to go and take the tour, now! (I once drove by Graceland, but didn't take the tour.) Fantastic, interesting, well-made book. I agree with another reviewer that some pages have to be turned carefully to prevent pop-up parts from bending, but that was a rare thing and only applied to the smaller pieces, like a corner of a table and a candlestick in the livingroom.

Cool book! Worth every cent...

GRACELAND: AN INTERACTIVE POP-UP TOUR is a must-have for any Elvis fan. I bought one for a friend, and it was such a hit that several of her friends have purchased them also. The pop-ups are well done, and the book gives a lot of information about Elvis and Graceland. It makes a great birthday present and will be the hit of the party.

This is an excellent book. It will give you a more balanced perspective of what means to be a man of Faith, and how society expects this man to actually be.

In my top list of books. Made me cry when I read it. That's powerful writing.

It's puzzling that Loyola Press choose to print Joseph Bottum's preface to The Keys to the Kingdom. After reading his preface, I almost returned the book to Amazon. Thankfully, I didn't because I loved reading this story.

I disagree with Mr. Bottum on three points:

1- The Keys to the Kingdom was not written by a "hack." Cronin was clearly inspired by an ideal, not money. The fact that Loyola Press reprinted it seventy years later as a "classic" contradicts Mr. Bottum's opinion.

2- The thoughts of the main character may not be "deep," but any philosophy Francis voices is less important than how he lives his life.

3- I did not see the "unique Christian faith" that Bottum claims "shines through" the story. Then again, despite the many examples of less admirable clerics, both Protestant and Catholic, I did not think that Christianity was denigrated.

Many things happen in Father Francis Chisolm's life, he encounters many different kinds of people, and he faces many challenges. However, the most engaging aspect of the book, for me, was the mystery of his character. Was he simply born a good person? What was the source of his goodness? Was his humility a virtue and did it help or hinder him? (I also wonder about the ways various people responded to him, but to say more would spoil the story for you.)

Each of the characters could easily have belonged to any religion. I didn't feel that I was reading Catholic novel. Cronin rarely points out specific ideas that propel the less admirable characters ("do this or be damned" or "have you been saved") and never explains what guides Father Francis, the Fiskes, Mr. Chia, or Lieutenant Shon. I don't know if that makes this a good book or a poor one, but it made me think and wonder.

Joseph Bottum is right in asserting that "When Cronin sets down what he clearly imagines are the profound spiritual revelations of his novel they turn out to be little more than pious uplift, along the lines of "Why can't we all just get along?" and "Aren't all the religions really saying the same thing?" Although described disdainfully, those do seem to be Cronin's ideals. However this is not a naive story and Francis is not a weak person. He is strong and admirable and I admire at his ability to walk through the life he had without losing his love or faith.

While I would like to criticize the fact that Cronin does not apologize for the impulse to send missions to China (or to convert an atheist Scotsman), I can't. This book isn't an attempt to promote a particular doctrine; it's not even about China or missionaries. It's about a good man who should be, and sometimes is, an example others emulate.

It is a sweet story.

This book was a bit of a surprise. While it is not the best "Catholic" novel I have read, its many good parts provide much to recommend it. I have been familiar with the story line from the Gregory Peck movie which has been a late-show staple. The book is more intricate and nuanced, like novels used to be. Cronin's characters are well-drawn, seem consistent and grow in your imagination like real people. He has a notion of ecumenism that concervative Catholics might find simple-minded and perhaps offensive, but probably reflects his childhood experience, with which many American Catholics could easily identify, that sometimes God lets himself be found extra ecclesiam.
In sum, a good book. I am glad I read it. I had trouble putting it down at night.

I purchased this book on the cheap not knowing a thing about A.J. Cronin. Reading the back, seeing the "Christian" theme, I decided to give it a try (it was on the clearence table!).

Grabbed from the first few pages, one can't help but feel for poor Francis as he struggles through his emotional and tumultous childhood, discovering his faith and ultimately landing in China to rekindle the flame of a forgotten mission. Through the story he meets various characters: the local militia, outcast roughians, the tender and vulnerable Chinese people, Catholic hiarchy and a few friends...

Francis remains true to Scripture (with one notable exception) and his vocation by being pious, and living in only very minor indulgences. He lives for the God, the mission and for the Chinese people, often to his own detriment, leading the way by his example.

A great read...a treasure that I "just" picked up...

Collins gets it. Baseball people have a certain way about them, and Collins obviously is one of them; he also knows how to write about them. This book--an in-depth and endearing look at the 2002 Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League--shines with the polish of good baseball writing about a great baseball subject. The players and team staff come to life, as does the ebb and flow of a summer on the cape. The poignancy of this moment in time, in these specific lives and in this specific baseball season, got me a little misty-eyed at the end. These are the kinds of dreams everyone should have, at least once in awhile, even when they have to come to an end.

This is such a big part of why I love baseball.

This is a terrific book for any fan of baseball. The book discusses three main characters in how they came to baseball how they played growing up and in college and then how the fare in the Cape League. I've passed the book on to several others who have loved it as well. A must for any baseball fan.

This book offers excellent insight into what collegiate players will do to make it to the big leagues. The glimpses of small town fans are also interesting. The reader is exposed to a part of baseball few know much about. Informative and fun to read.

Simply a fantastic book. Well-researched, intriguing, personal, etc. Shows why baseball is unique as compared to all other sports. There are so many nuances always to explore. The Central Illinois League, another amateur summer league, is a good example of a smaller version of the Cape Cod League as well. Either way, this book was an easy read on a long plane ride. No other sport could have produced a book's topic/story like this. Well done, Mr. Collins. Well done, baseball, as always.

If you like decent writing and/or, you are a baseball fan, just read it. I thought about the book long after I had finished reading it.

Jessica is wonderful! This book is encouraging and inspiring to anyone like myself who has been struggling with their weight for a long time. She encourages us to be healthy, but her definition of healthy includes accepting and loving your body and rejecting the media messages about what healthy should look like. Reading this book was like a refreshing talk with a close friend.

This is a helpful book that is broken up into small chapters that are easy to read.It made me laugh,and get a better understanding of people who are never satisfied with their weight.

I can't begin to describe my difficulties of growing into the body I am going to have as a woman, but I don't have to because Jessica did it for it for me. There are very few ways to describe how it feels to read "Do I look fat in this?" except to say it's freeing. As I turned the pages I would eat up every word & little by little i could breathe easier.
Jessica is the start of something amazing that i want to be a part of!!

"She wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to change tp truely see her" - Naomi Wolf

I loved Jessica Weiner's books A Very Hungry Girl and Do I Look Fat In This. Therefore, when I saw she had a "new" book out, I immediately ordered it from Amazon without paying attention to details. Please be aware that if you already own Do I Look Fat In This, you do not need to order Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds From Now; this is the same book with a different title and a new forward. So now I own two copies of this book with different covers, but I don't mind so much because it is filled with wonderful information for not-slim women like me. Guess I must have needed to re-read it, huh?

If you're tired of dieting, this may be the book for you. Jess's book is a breakthrough experience for anyone who has struggled with self-appearance and self-esteem....and isn't that most of us. She believes that by focusing on what others tell you are your shortcomings-- you miss opportunities to feel connected, sexy and powerful. Whether you're a size 2 , 12 or 22 or beyond-- you can benefit from Jess's words of wisdom. The motivational speaker, author and self-described "actionist" versus Activist...writes in plain English and tosses in some great motivational quotes from famous people and some fun facts about self approval and more. Twelve chapters plus an afterword are included..and the chapters are fun to read-- get this even if you don't have the time to read it-- just scan it and you'll benefit -- I promise...ANyway the chapters range from Decoding the Language of Fat...to the Famous or should I say infamous question most women ask daily "Do I look Fat in This? to "I Feel Fat" to If I were Thinner, He'd Love me" to Thunder Thighs Run in my Family to Ch 6-- I'd be so happy if I looked like a Celebrity to 7) Once I lose some weight..... to 8) All of my Friends are not and I'm not...9) But I'm jsut trying to be healthy to 11) [...] 12) Sorry I don't speak that language. Quizes, roleplaying experiences and fun quizes are interspersed with TAKE ACTION steps...Probably the most important thought though is that YOU CAN"T FEEL FAT -- because fat is not a feeling-- and if you read that section alone (I don't want to steal her thunder with her response to this) ...you'll benefit greatly...AN amazing lady and a fun, easy-to-read book that's great for girls above 12, teens, college chicks and women of any age...great to get this before the holiday parties start! Fun birthday gift...

This is a good book to read if you are a serious yoga practitioner or teacher, since it reviews in a simplified way the Yogasutras of Patanjali and Iyengar's point of view on life and life experiences. It has nothing to do with religion, it is just a different take on life that might prove useful and enlightening.

If you love yoga, or even think you would like to practice, this book is a must. Iyengar is the guru who will help you see the light and love of your practice and understand what yoga really is all about. I refer back to the book all the time. Merritt Becker, Maputo, Mozambique

Mr. Iyengar writes so anyone can understand and brings humor to complex subjects. The book has helped me deepen my yoga practice immensely. I completely recommend to anyone, especially those choosing to follow the yogic path.

I thought this was quite an interesting book of life--the life of B.Y.S. Iyengar. Recommended for those who are real curious.

This is a surprisingly accessible overview of yoga and levels of practice. It is not a "how to" manual, but rather a "why to" manual with insights for the beginner as well as the experienced.

[...]
This gem of book is written for anyone trying to bring more purpose and direction for their life beyond their job title. The premise of this book is that if we spend as much time planning our personal lives as we do our careers, we can live an enriching life, and gain personal success with less anxiety. This is a simple concept, but it makes sense. How many times have you sacrificed sleep, exercise, family, or mental health for your career? We all do it!

Written like a workbook, Marketing guru Robert Michael Fried walks you through how to write your own 12-point life plan, via various exercises that guide through what matters most to you, discovering your life purpose, strengths, and what he describes as your "authentic" self. Fried's life plan mirrors the successful marketing strategies that he used as a marketing executive for several Fortune 500 companies throughout the years. If you are a business owner, you'll recognize how Fried's life plan parallels a business plan. For example, Fried's first life point is figuring out who you are, and who you want to become, which parallels the first step of writing a business or marketing plan (defining the business you are in).

Overall, I highly recommend as a workbook for life coaches, busy professionals, business owners, and anyone looking for a little direction in their life.
~~~~

Finally a book that offers the reader a clear and concise roadmap that can put you on the right path towards true success. Read it and inhale the pearls of wisdom!

As a senior in college, A Marketing For Plan Life is a refreshing reminder of what really matters. As I am about to embark on my career path, Fried's book encompasses an even greater journey. His encouragement to dream big and make meaning is incredibly inspirational, as it encourages people at any age and in any business to shoot for the stars. With graduation day approaching, I've read many books on what it means to be successful. Fried not only provides you with the right definition, but the best step-by-step method to success and happiness that I've seen yet!

If you are presently living somebody else's dream, Fried's thought-provoking and stimulating book is an absolute must read.

Fried's step-by-step "marketing plan for life" process shows you how to achieve "true success" in life by striking that delicate balance between making money and making meaning.

Thanks to this life-transforming book, I am now empowered to make both my personal dreams and professional goals a reality.

I've read thousands of books like this one, and had fairly low expectations when I started reading this book. After all, it doesn't pretend to break new ground with primary research.

As you go through the 12 steps, you begin to realize that Fried is covering ALL the important things you should be working on. This is more than a checklist, it's a tool for life planning in a smart small package.

I started off thinking this would be a good resource for my children and young adults (it is).. but before I was through, I was examining my own life choices, and found some great joy in most of it, with some concrete ideas about changes I'd like to make.

I judge a book like this on it's ability to stimulate my thinking. One idea is worth the purchase price. However, in this case, I got WAY MORE than I bargained for... and a marketing plan for the rest of my life.

After reading "The Summer Guest" by Justin Cronin I couldn't wait to read something else by this wonderful author. That's when I bought "Mary and O'Neill". His first novel, "Mary and O'Neill" is just as enjoyable as "The Summer Guest", if in a somewhat different way. Don't let the fact that this is a novel in short store put you off. Even if you don't usually enjoy this type of book (and I don't) you will be glad you read "Mary and O'Neill". I cannot wait to see what else Mr. Cronin has in store for us. Believe the excellent reader reviews and buy this book!

Justin's Cronin's first novel is broken up into a collection of eight short stories about the love between parents, siblings, children and lovers.

The book doesn't begin with the title characters, but rather with O'Neil's parents, Arthur and Miriam. The entirety of the book is balanced on the early revelation of the sweet complexity of their love in life and death. Their death in the first story sets the tone for the rest of the stories, providing their children with both answers and more questions about love and loss.

Mary and O'Neil's love affair is one brought about by just these questions. Mary lives with the ghost of a child she aborted early on in the book, while O'Neil's parents live in his memory with such vitality that he actually tries to call them after the birth of his first child--only to unexpectedly have a sad and beautiful conversation with a lonely stranger. Cronin creates Mary and O'Neil as the answers to each other's questions. Even the names that Cronin picks for them overflow with a sense of completeness: "Mary" and "O'Neil," sound more like a first name and surname than two separate characters.

The surname as name only makes more sense when one considers O'Neil's presence in the book as father figure. It is O'Neil who develops as a source of strength for several characters in the book, anointing him the ultimate patriarch of this novel. Cronin is poetic and beautifully subtle when he baptizes O'Neil's relationship with the woman who completes him and gives him a first name. The baptism is complete when Mary is ready to walk down the aisle and it begins to rain. O'Neil looks at her and all the guests at their wedding and, Cronin writes, "in his heart he marries each one of them."

Cronin's style is delicate and full of purpose, just like all of the relationships between his characters. It is hard not to relate to this book in some way if you've ever loved someone, harder still to not find Cronin's prose captivating in its wisdom and sincerity.

Mary and O'neil was so poignant with paragraphs I read and re-read numerous times because they struck a chord of something lost yet familiar to me. I cannot wait for more from this author; he has my heart!

Just finished reading Mary and O'Neil, and I know that it will stay with me for a long time. I laughed and cried, sighed and nodded my head as I read. This a very well crafted novel comprised of short stories, reminding me of the chapters of our lives. The relationships between parents and children, siblings, spouses and friends are realistically portrayed. Thanks to the author for a special experience. I look forward to reading his novel, The Summer Guest soon.

I read this book after finishing (right after!) The Summer Guest, also by Cronin. I loved both books. THe story line in each is poignant and moving and the characterizations are fleshed out brilliantly - with depth, eloquence and humor. The beauty of Cronin's writing is in his seemingly effortless ability to turn a phrase that just sings with its purity. He is able to capture, and describe emotions and events like no other author I've encountered in recent years. This is a lovely if odd story that jumps through the decades with poignant prose, the building of relationships, and the pain of loss. In reading Cronin's work you are left with a mystical and magical feeling. I did not want this book to be over as the emotions it evoked were much more powerful than those we typically feel in everyday life (unless you are 13). I found it hard to re-enter my own life - as if I were somehow changed by reading the words of this writer. Highly recommended!