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Momover: the New Mom's Guide to Getting It Back Together (even if you never had it in the first place)
Dana Wood
"Momover reads like a juicy expos? that spills a delicious secret: a happy mom equals a happy baby. Dana Wood redefines the tenets of modern motherhood with wit and a stockpile of indispensable, expert advice." Cynthia Rowley
"After you have a baby, everyone focuses on the baby and the baby clothing and baby gear. I applaud Dana Wood for turning her attention to the new mother and helping her return to her chic fabulous self!" Liz Lange, founder and president of Liz Lange Maternity Clothing
"Okay, so every day since the baby was born has been a dirty sweats/no mascara/bad hair day kind of day. You don't need your mother to tell you it's time to lose that just-home-from-the-hospital look before it sticks forever. You've got Dana Wood, patron saint of stylish new moms everywhere, to show you how to take world-class care of yourself--drumroll please--after the baby's born, and beyond!
"In this sensibly chic guide, Wood reveals the secrets of surviving the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges that emerge in that bleary-eyed, sleep- and time-deprived first year. In the trademark Momover style popularized in her eponymous blog, she provides the motivation you need to hop off the new-mommy self-pity train, and get with a new and improved, post-baby program. What's more, she proves that doing right by yourself is just another way of doing right by your baby.
"Momover: Because centered, happy you = centered, happy baby!" Amazon.com
The Art of War for Women: Sun Tzu's Ultimate Guide to Winning Without Confrontation
Chin-Ning Chu
"Would you like to transform your weaknesses into strengths? Succeed at work without compromising your ethics? Integrate your style and personal philosophy into every action you take? If so, this book is for you. In The Art of War for Women, bestselling author Chin-Ning Chu brings the eternal wisdom of philosopher-general Sun Tzu to women looking to gain a better understanding of who they are – and, more importantly, who they want to be.
"In the West, when we think of war, we imagine battle, casualties, brutality. But Sun Tzu, the man who wrote the Art of War some 2,500 years ago, was Chinese, and the Chinese think of war differently than we do in the West. In their view, war does not revolve around fighting. It is about determining the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict.
"That's why Sun Tzu's Art of War is particularly appropriate for women. Let's face it, as intelligent and accomplished as we may be, there are very few of us who are comfortable with direct confrontation or situations where our triumph means someone else's defeat. We are natural negotiators and problem solvers; most of us prefer win-win situations to those in which winner-takes-all.
"But there is another reason The Art of War is particularly appropriate for us. Although Sun Tzu's book is about the application of strategies, every one of those strategies begins with having a deep understanding of the people and the world around us. They also require us to understand ourselves – our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and fears. In other words, the aim is not to apply a series of rules coldly and dispassionately, but rather to integrate ourselves and our unique talents into the strategies we will employ.
"This is not a feel-good book. (But you will feel good after reading it.) It is not a motivational book. (But you will be motivated to achieve what you want, once you are done.) Ultimately, its purpose it to provide women with the strategies we all need to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of our goals and dreams.
"Sun Tzu's Art of War is the most influential book on strategy ever published, selling tens of millions of copies worldwide in several editions. Written by one of today's foremost authorities on Sun Tzu, The Art of War for Women is sure to become a classic in its own right." Amazon.com
Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World
Stuart Diamond
"A former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times, Diamond (Law/Univ. of Pennsylvania) debuts with a superb how-to based on his immensely popular course on negotiation. The author prepares for any negotiation by asking himself, "What are my goals? Who are ´they'? What will it take to persuade them?" Depending on the answers, he then draws selectively on bargaining tools and strategies described in this anecdote-rich book. Others in his field assume that most people in a negotiation are rational. Not so, says Diamond. People in the real world-whether friends, store clerks or CEOs-tend to be emotional and irrational in their interactions. Since the People involved make up 90 percent of a negotiation (substance accounts for only 10 percent), you must negotiate based on your understanding of "the pictures in the head of the other party"-a phrase Diamond frequently uses to underscore that psychology trumps the issues at the bargaining table. Successful negotiators must prepare, learn what makes others tick (through research and small talk), take small steps, communicate clearly, turn problems into opportunities, avoid deceit and embrace differences. Above all, writes the author, they must stay focused on specific goals and connect with the other party. Many of Diamond's suggestions are counterintuitive…This immensely useful book will have wide appeal and leave many readers anxious to put their new skills to work." Kirkus
The Upside of Irrationality: the Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home
Dan Ariely
"Ariely (Predictably Irrational) expands his research on behavioral economics to offer a more positive and personal take on human irrationality's implications for life, business, and public policy. After a youthful accident left him badly scarred and facing grueling physical therapy, Ariely's treatment required him to accept temporary pain for long-term benefit-a trade-off so antithetical to normal human behavior that it sparked the author's fascination with why we consistently fail to act in our own best interest. The author, professor of behavioral economics at Duke, leads us through experiments that reveals such idiosyncrasies as the IKEA effect (if you build something, pride and sentimental attachment are likely to give you an inflated sense of its quality) and the Baby Jessica effect (why we respond to one person's suffering but not to the suffering of many). He concludes with prescriptions for how to make real personal and societal changes, and what behavioral patterns we must identify to improve how we love, live, work, innovate, manage, and govern. Self-deprecating humor, an enthusiasm for human eccentricities, and an affable and snappy style make this read an enriching and eye-opening pleasure." Publishers Weekly
Hamlet's Blackberry: a Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age
Willilam Powers
"Our discombobulated Internet Age could learn important new tricks from some very old thinkers, according to this incisive critique of online life and its discontents. Journalist Powers bemoans the reigning dogma of digital maximalism that requires us to divide our attention between ever more e-mails, text messages, cellphone calls, video streams, and blinking banners, resulting, he argues, in lowered productivity and a distracted life devoid of meaning and depth. In a nifty and refreshing turn, he looks to ideas of the past for remedies to this hyper-modern predicament: to Plato, who analyzed the transition from the ancient technology of talking to the cutting-edge gadgetry of written scrolls; to Shakespeare, who gave Hamlet the latest in Elizabethan information apps, an erasable notebook; to Thoreau, who carved out solitary spaces amid the press of telegraphs and railroads. The author sometimes lapses into mysticism-In solitude we meet not just ourselves but all other selves-and his solutions, like the weekend-long Internet Sabbaths he and his wife decreed for their family, are small-bore. But Powers deftly blends an appreciation of the advantages of information technology and a shrewd assessment of its pitfalls into a compelling call to disconnect." Publishers Weekly
"Always connected. Anytime. Anyplace. We know it's a blessing, but we're starting to notice that it's also a curse. In Hamlet's Blackberry, William Powers helps us understand what being connected' disconnects us from, and offers wise advice about what we can do about it…. A thoughtful, elegant, and moving book." (Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less )
The Genius in Us All: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent and IQ is Wrong
David Shenk
"The Genius in All of Us Shenk beautifully explains why the nature-nurture debate is dead. It is not just the genes we are born with, but how we are raised and what opportunities are open to us that determine how smart we will become. Nurture and experience reshape our genes, and thus our brain. Shenk argues that the idea we are either born with genius or talent, or we aren't, is simply untrue. The notion that relentless, deliberate practice changes the brain and thus our abilities has been undervalued over the past 30 years in favor of the concept of "innate giftedness." Practice, practice, practice (some say 10,000 hours or more) is what it takes. Shenk argues that it is just some fantasy that effortless, gifted genius is born and not made. He marshals evidence to show that genetic factors do not trump environmental factors but rather work in concert with them. Shenk notes that by the sweat of our brow we can train ourselves to be successful--even if we are born with only average genetic talent. Scientists know that how we are raised and how we are trained affects the expression of our genes. If you think you've reached your talent limit, think again, Shenk says. It's not just in your genes, he says, but in the intensity of your motivation. Ambition, persistence, and self-discipline are not just products of genes, but can be shaped by nurture and environment. Certainly it is important to have good genes, but that determines at most only 50 percent of your talent. He underscores the point that intelligence is made up of the skills that a person has developed--with an emphasis on "developed"--through hard work. Encouraging ourselves and our children to work hard requires being surrounded by others also wanting to achieve striving for excellence. Moreover, Shenk gives the hopeful message not just for kids, but also for adults. Happily for us, the human brain remains plastic, changeable and trainable well into old age. So no matter how old you are, if you'd like to be smarter--get to work!" Louann Brizendine
How to Never Look Fat Again: Over 1,000 Ways to Dress Thinner-Without Dieting
Charla Krupp
"In How Not to Look Old, Krupp aided readers in their quest to fend off the ravages of age. In this second outing, she puts her style and beauty savvy-gleaned from her work at Glamour, InStyle, More, and People: Style Watch-to work helping women discover and celebrate their slimmer side. Those who know the basics of dressing thin (avoid horizontal stripes; Spanx do wonders for bulgy bits; etc.) and are ready for advanced techniques will be thrilled with this book. And novices who think any derriere looks good in any jean should study up: the woman knows her stuff, as evidenced by loads of revelatory before-and-after photos, plus clever tips and useful lists (e.g., the winter-themed Swap-outs chart recommends sleek leather gloves vs. bulky woolly ones). The book is organized by issue, such as big bust, muffin top + back fat, and Buddha belly. While some of the topics may seem wacky at first (Are your brows making you look fat? and Hiding fat with your bag), a careful read will reveal that Krupp's advice-delivered in just the right knowledgeable-yet-commiserating tone-makes excellent sense. When it comes to clothes and the female figure, the author understands how proportion, balance, and color make the difference between lumpy and lovely, frumpy and fabulous." Publishers Weekly
The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide: How to Find a Rewarding Job Even When "There Are No Jobs"
Richard N. Bolles
"One hundred pages of lifesaving advice for people out of work. When over ten million people have needed help with their job-hunt-or with figuring out what to do with their life-there is one person they have turned to, more than any other. He is Richard N. Bolles, author of the #1 job-hunting book of all time, What Color Is Your Parachute? His name is well-known around the world. Just during the last twelve months, he has appeared in Time ("10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now," March 2009), U.S. News & World Report (deemed "savior of the nation's unemployed," October 2008), NBC's Today Show (broadcast in April 2009), and many other publications and shows. His book was the #1 best-seller on BusinessWeek's paperback list as recently as last November.
"Never has his advice been more sought than during these brutal economic times. He has responded by writing a completely new book: The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide, designed particularly for people who are hanging on the ropes, who haven't time to do a lot of reading but need help desperately-and now. Early reviews have called this little Guide brilliant' and tremendously helpful.'" Amazon.com
Fearless Resumes: the Proven Method for Getting a Great Job Fast
Marky Stein
"Bestselling author and renowned career coach Marky Stein provides the edge you need in today's ultracompetitive job market. With Fearless Rsums you will transform your rsum from words on paper into a vibrant self-presentation that tells prospective employers what they want to hear.
In no time, you'll be crafting a rsum that hooks prospective employers' attention, turns boring past duties into dynamic personal statements, transforms weaknesses into strengths-and gets your name on top of the rsum heap in any HR office.
Fearless Rsums shows how to
Use words and phrases employers look for
Prove your value to the company
Turn weaknesses into strengths
Avoid common snares
Unlike dry, run-of-the-mill guides consisting of little more than a sample rsum, Fearless Rsums is a quick and fun book that provides a proven rsum-crafting strategy from a top expert in her field." Amazon.com
How to Rule the World from Your Couch
Laura Day
"Laura Day teaches you how to awaken your inner genius so you can have a deeper more fulfilling experience of life." -- Deepak Chopra, author of Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
"Laura Day has gifted the world with a wondrous book that delivers on its promise: to show you, step-by-step, how to tap into your innate intuition and healing abilities. What can be perceived as magical, Laura unveils and makes practical. A truly life-changing book."-- Arielle Ford, author of The Soulmate Secret
The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide: How to Find a Rewarding Job Even When "There Are No Jobs"
Richard N. Bolles
"One hundred pages of lifesaving advice for people out of work. When over ten million people have needed help with their job-hunt-or with figuring out what to do with their life-there is one person they have turned to, more than any other. He is Richard N. Bolles, author of the #1 job-hunting book of all time, What Color Is Your Parachute? His name is well-known around the world. Just during the last twelve months, he has appeared in Time ("10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now," March 2009), U.S. News & World Report (deemed "savior of the nation's unemployed," October 2008), NBC's Today Show (broadcast in April 2009), and many other publications and shows. His book was the #1 best-seller on BusinessWeek's paperback list as recently as last November.
"Never has his advice been more sought than during these brutal economic times. He has responded by writing a completely new book: The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide, designed particularly for people who are hanging on the ropes, who haven't time to do a lot of reading but need help desperately-and now. Early reviews have called this little Guide brilliant' and tremendously helpful.'" Amazon.com
Fearless Resumes: the Proven Method for Getting a Great Job Fast
Marky Stein
"Bestselling author and renowned career coach Marky Stein provides the edge you need in today's ultracompetitive job market. With Fearless Rsums you will transform your rsum from words on paper into a vibrant self-presentation that tells prospective employers what they want to hear.
In no time, you'll be crafting a rsum that hooks prospective employers' attention, turns boring past duties into dynamic personal statements, transforms weaknesses into strengths-and gets your name on top of the rsum heap in any HR office.
Fearless Rsums shows how to
Use words and phrases employers look for
Prove your value to the company
Turn weaknesses into strengths
Avoid common snares
Unlike dry, run-of-the-mill guides consisting of little more than a sample rsum, Fearless Rsums is a quick and fun book that provides a proven rsum-crafting strategy from a top expert in her field." Amazon.com
Depression is Contagious: How the Most Common Mood Disorder is Spreading around the world and How to Stop It
Michael D. Yapko
"Depression is the world's most common mood disorder, and it's spreading fast: at the current rate, the World Health Organization predicts it will leap from the fourth to the second greatest cause of human suffering and disability in the world by the year 2020. And the shocking spread of this debilitating disorder isn't fated by brain chemistry, genes, diet, or personal weakness, as we're too often taught -- rather, the latest research provides overwhelming evidence that depression is far more a social problem than a medical disease. Depression doesn't just infect a single individual and then stay contained within him or her. Depression's effects reach into the interactions you have with others, rippling destructively through marriages, families, work environments, and communities like a viral contagion. Drugs can't repair or protect your relationship from depression, but the skills expert psychologist Dr. Michael D. Yapko teaches us in this powerful book can.
Dr. Yapko has identified the types of relationship patterns that lead to negative ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others and culls from the latest findings in neuroscience, social psychology, epidemiology, and genetics to provide a practical, proven plan for developing the skills and insights you need to forge stronger, healthier social connections -- and enjoy an enriching, interconnected life. While commonly prescribed drugs address some of depression's symptoms, they cannot change the social factors that cause and perpetuate the disorder. Indeed, by treat-ing a social condition as though it's a disease, the problems compound rather than diminish. The foundation for recovery is to build a healthy social life based on understanding what to expect from our relationships, what we should give, and how to relate to and accept others -- skills that have been neglected by modern society. Dr. Yapko's groundbreaking plan of action -- filled with skill-building emotional and mental exercises, anecdotes, and illuminating explanations -- shows how to:
* Think about depression in realistic ways that actually empower you to overcome it.
* Readjust your expectations of others so that you can accurately assess people and situations to avoid disappointment.
* Get off the merry-go-round of repetitive, anxious, and depressing thoughts.
* Interact with others without spreading negativity, or absorbing theirs, even when you think you can't.
* Develop motivating perspectives about your relationships in order to improve them.
* Reduce your children's vulnerability to depression.
* Build close and enduring relationships that support and fulfill you.
Provocative and groundbreaking, Depression Is Contagious is a complete path of recovery through people, not pills. You can nurture the relationships that will lift you -- and those around you -- out of depression. This empowering prescription for hope and healing shows how. " Amazon.com
The Art of confident Living: 10 Practices for Taking Charge of Your Life
Bryan E. Robinson
"Do you wake up feeling afraid of facing challenges, doubting yourself, going through the motions, and lacking a zest for life? The Art of Confident Living will help you break away from this painful lifestyle and understand why you feel this way, change your perspective, and find your Confident Self. "Bestselling author and psychotherapist Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., has revised his breakthrough book Heal Your Self-Esteem to reveal how to find the Confident Self that exists naturally in all of us. He shows you how to uncover this inner resource so that you can redirect the way you handle painful past experiences, insecurities, social interactions, and personal relationships. Through his 10 easy practices and new scientific research, you will discover how to keep the confidence you find and live a more fulfilling personal, professional, and social life. The Art of Confident Living helps you discover happiness through: "- A quiz to help determine your self-confidence level-and how it most affects you - New techniques based on brain-chemistry research to help you achieve a higher level of confidence - Updated examples, new exercises, and case studies that illustrate productive, non-addictive behaviors that can lead you to a more self-fulfilling life "The Art of Confident Living is your guide to becoming confident, at peace, and turned on and tuned in to life." Book Description, Amazon.com
Five Good Minutes in Your Body: 100 Mindful Practices to Help You Accept Yourself and Feel at Home in Your Body
Jeffrey Brantley
"When was the last time you felt completely at home in your body--comfortable, nonjudgmental, and relaxed? The demands of daily life can make it nearly impossible to find time to give your body the attention it deserves, but neglecting your body only makes stress worse and leaves you feeling less than whole. "Five Good Minutes in Your Body is a collection of easy mindfulness practices to help you recharge your body, accept yourself, and release tension and stress. Whenever you are feeling exhausted after a long day and need a little boost or find yourself criticizing instead of loving your body, open this guide for simple activities you can do in just five minutes to nourish your body and soul. " Amazon.com
Why is God Laughing?: The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism
Deepak Chopra
"Why Is God Laughing? deserves a standing ovation; I couldn't put it down. Deepak Chopra has written another life-changing book that I will definitely recommend to everyone." -Mike Robles, Emmy Award–winning comedian; creator and executive producer of Que Locos and Loco Comedy Jam "After taking the reader on a journey with Mickey, Chopra then spells out the lessons that Mickey's story imparts to us: ten reasons to be optimistic, even in our challenging world. Chopra believes that the healthiest response to life is laughter from the heart, and even in the face of global turmoil, we can cultivate an internal sense of optimism. Rich with humor and practical advice, Why Is God Laughing? shows us without a doubt that there is always a reason to be grateful, that every possibility holds the promise of abundance, and that obstacles are simply opportunities in disguise. In the end, we really don't need a reason to be happy. The power of happiness lies within each of us, just waiting to be unleashed. And Mickey Fellows's journey shows us the way." Amazon.com
The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." --Randy Pausch "A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy? When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come. " Book Description, Amazon.com
How to Be Useful: A Beginner's Guide to Not Hating Work
Megan Hustad
"There's a lot of career advice out there. Much of it dumb. But what if someone read all the advice books -- over a hundred years' worth -- and put all the good ideas in one place? Could you finally escape the cube? Stop mailing things? Be happier? In How to Be Useful, Megan Hustad dismantles the myths of getting ahead and helps you navigate the murky waters of office life. Humorous yet wise, irreverent yet marvelously practical, this book will help you learn Why "just being yourself" is a terrible idea. How to be smart, but not too smart. Why you shouldn't be "nice." When not to be good at your job. How to screw up with grace and dignity. Why shoes matter. The right and wrong ways to talk trash about yourself. That ambition, practiced wisely, is a noble thing." Book Description, Amazon.com
A Life at Work: the Joy of Discovering What You Were Born To Do
Thomas Moore
"In this slender volume, bestselling spiritual guru Moore (Care of the Soul) says that finding the right work, finding one's vocation, is also part of the care of the soul. Often Moore proves astute; for instance, he urges people to think about having not just one but a variety of callings. His consideration of the pleasures and foibles of friendship in the workplace is especially insightful. Although confident that even the most mundane job can be enjoyable and life-giving, Moore sets the question of vocation in a broader frame, suggesting that it is best addressed as a part of fashioning lives that are organically whole and meaningful. Though still influenced by Jung, Moore draws inspiration from a delightful array of sources, including Yeats, Socrates, and Rapunzel. The book's governing metaphor, alchemy, is often apt; Moore notes that both alchemy and finding a life's work require patience through a long refining process, and both are about the process, not just the end result. Often the comparison works; at other times, it's heavy-handed, and Moore also lapses into cliches (take the past and own it). Nonetheless, this will be of use to many people who seek joyful work and integrated lives." Publishers Weekly
Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction: a Simple Guide to Creating the Life of Your Dreams
Jack Canfield and d. D. Watkins
"Long before co-creating the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Jack Canfield was already teaching the ancient principles of the Law of Attraction. Canfield has been consciously living in harmony with this universal law for more than thirty years, and his personal success is a testament to its power. Now, in Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction, he shares his knowledge and experience with you and offers you his proven tools and techniques for applying the Law of Attraction in your own life. This book is a simple 'how to' guide for using the Law of Attraction to create the life you desire. Within these pages, Canfield clearly explains not only what you need to know, but what you need to do in order to attract what you want in your life. Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction addresses the important issues of clarity, purpose, and action. This thought-provoking guide will take you step by step through the processes of defining your dreams, goals, and desires. Along the way, you will gain a greater understanding of yourself, a sense of who you really are and why you are here. Your journey begins right here, right now. You can change your life, increase your awareness, and empower yourself to create an amazing future: one that is filled with love, joy, and abundance." Book Description, Amazon.com
How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
Charla Krupp
"Forget getting older gracefully--This is the beauty and style bible every woman has been waiting for!HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD is the first--ever cheat sheet of to-dos and fast fixes that pay-off big time--all from Charla and her friends, the best hair pros, makeup artists, designers, dermatologists, cosmetic dentists and personal shoppers in the biz. Packed with eye-opening details on hair color, brows, lipstick, wrinkle-erasers, jeans, shapewear, jewelry, heels, and more, the book speaks to every woman: from low maintenance types who don't want to spend a fortune or tons of time on her looks to high maintenance women who believe in looking fabulous at any price. There's also too-old vs. just-right before and after photos, celebrity examples of good and bad style, shopping lists of Charla's brilliant buys in fashion and beauty products, coveted addresses of "Where the top beauty pros go," fun sidebars--and more. Known to national audiences from her ten years on NBC's Today show, style expert Charla Krupp dishes out her secrets in this "ultimate" to-do list for looking hip and fabulous -- no matter what your age." Book Description, Amazon.com
What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers
Amy Sutherland
"While observing exotic animal trainers for her acclaimed book Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched, journalist Amy Sutherland had an epiphany: What if she used these training techniques with the human animals in her own life–namely her dear husband, Scott? In this lively and perceptive book, Sutherland tells how she took the trainers' lessons home. The next time her forgetful husband stomped through the house in search of his mislaid car keys, she asked herself, "What would a dolphin trainer do?" The answer was: nothing. Trainers reward the behavior they want and, just as important, ignore the behavior they don't. Rather than appease her mate's rising temper by joining in the search, or fuel his temper by nagging him to keep better track of his things in the first place, Sutherland kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the dishes she was washing. In short order, Scott found his keys and regained his cool. "I felt like I should throw him a mackerel," she writes. In time, as she put more training principles into action, she noticed that she became more optimistic and less judgmental, and their twelve-year marriage was better than ever. What started as a goofy experiment had such good results that Sutherland began using the training techniques with all the people in her life, including her mother, her friends, her students, even the clerk at the post office. In the end, the biggest lesson she learned is that the only animal you can truly change is yourself." Book Description, Amazon.com Full of fun facts, fascinating insights, hilarious anecdotes, and practical tips, What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage describes Sutherland's Alice-in-Wonderland experience of stumbling into a world where cheetahs walk nicely on leashes and elephants paint with watercolors, and of leaving a new, improved Homo sapiens.
One Red Paperclip: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved His Dreams with the Help of a Simple Office Supply
Kyle MacDonald
"MacDonald is just a regular, sharp-witted guy on a quest for funtential, his coined word for the maximum potential for fun. In a casual, playful tone, his account begins as he stares past his computer screen and at the brick wall of his girlfriend's apartment in Quebec; he lives there, and she pays the rent. Wanting to contribute financially to the relationship, he recalls a childhood game, Bigger and Better, and begins looking for something to trade. He's drawn to the red paperclip holding together his resume and cover letter. The rest of the book traces his exchanges from the red paperclip to a fish pen to a smiley-face door knob and culminates with a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan-all within a year. From the outset, MacDonald insists on making each deal in person, and these personal exchanges provide the book with a human interest that transcends any fascination with quirky material swaps. Trading a door knob for Shawn's camping stove, for example, becomes an excuse for the once strangers to chat over steak sandwiches and beer. So, while the trades are the unifying element of the book, it isn't really about getting a house; it's about people, relationships and living life to its fullest." Publishers Weekly
The Daring Book for Girls
Vicki Payne
"The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know-and that doesn't mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it's female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it's not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers-although that's included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl's invitation to adventure." Book Description, Amazon.com
Easy Home Organizer: 15- Minute Step-by-Step Solutions
Andrea Buchanan
"Are things at home out of hand? Is the thought of putting things in order just…overwhelming? With these simple, quickly implemented solutions, life can become less stressful-and the messy habits of a lifetime will disappear along with the chaos. The focus is on the little things that make a big difference-like not having to search for the car keys at the last minute-and the book is as organized as the house will be when you're through: it begins with advice on assessing the accumulated junk and eliminating the excess, and moves on to shopping for containers, applying clutter strategies, labeling jars and boxes, and creating a proper place for everything, room by room. The ideas are smart and attractive!" Book Description, Amazon.com
The Happiness Myth: Why What We Think is Right is Wrong: A History of What Rally Makes Us Happy
Jennifer Hecht
"Adding to the recent spate of happiness books, Hecht, author of Doubt: A History (2003), proves a beguiling writer blessed with a most agile mind. She skillfully confronts modern assumptions about what it means to be happy, investigating four factors frequently involved in happiness--drugs, money, bodies, and celebration--historically in sections on the wisdom of happiness through the ages, "good" and "bad" drugs and telling the difference, the relationship of money and happiness, the physicality of the body, and the ritual of celebration. There are three kinds of happiness, she maintains, those roused by a good day, by euphoria, and by a happy life. Not only different, they are often at odds. Her conclusions are often blunt (surprise! Money can buy happiness) and also practical. She offers suggestions that can conceivably help make a happier life, but her good judgment, common sense, and insightful commentary make the book a pleasure not only to read but also to ponder." June Sawyers, Booklist
Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding
David F. Tolin
"Buried in Treasures outlines a scientifically-based and effective program for helping compulsive hoarders dig their way out of the clutter and chaos of their homes. Discover the reasons for your problems with acquiring, saving, and hoarding, and learn new ways of thinking about your possessions so you can accurately identify those things you really need and those you can do without. Learn to recognize the "bad guys" that maintain your hoarding behavior and meet the "good guys" who will motivate you and put you on the path to change. Features of this book include: -Self-assessments to determine the severity of the problem -Tips and tools for organizing your possessions and filing your paperwork -Strategies for changing unhelpful beliefs about your possessions -Behavioral experiments to reduce your fear of anxiety and fear of discarding. " Amzaon.com
The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
"Starred Review. This refreshing book is yet another sign that the next generation of Buddhism is creative, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary. Born in 1975 in Nepal, the author is among the generation of Tibetan lamas trained outside of Tibet, and he's also a gifted meditator. His brain activity has been measured during meditation, earning him the enviable sobriquet of "happiest man on earth." He fuses scientific and spiritual considerations, explaining meditation as a physical as well as a spiritual process. Mingyur Rinpoche knows from experience that meditation can change the brain. He experienced panic attacks as a child that he was able to overcome through intensive meditation. If diligently practiced, meditation can affect the "neuronal gossip"-his imaginative rendering of brain cell communication-that keeps us stuck in unhappy behaviors. The meditation master offers a wide variety of techniques, counseling ease in practice to avoid boredom or aversion. Less is more; practice shorter periods more often, he says. His approach will be especially welcome for anyone frustrated by meditation or convinced they're "not doing it right." This book is a fresh breath from the meditation room, written with kindness, energy and wit. Three cheers for a cheerful contemplative." Publishers Weekly
Stumbling on Happiness
Daniel Gilbert
Do you know what makes you happy? Daniel Gilbert would bet that you think you do, but you are most likely wrong. In his witty and engaging new book, Harvard professor Gilbert reveals his take on how our minds work, and how the limitations of our imaginations may be getting in the way of our ability to know what happiness is. Sound quirky and interesting? It is!
I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman
Nora Ephron
"With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself. "The woman who brought us When Harry Met Sally . . . , Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and Bewitched, and the author of best sellers Heartburn, Scribble Scribble, and Crazy Salad, discusses everything-from how much she hates her purse to how much time she spends attempting to stop the clock: the hair dye, the treadmill, the lotions and creams that promise to slow the aging process but never do. Oh, and she can't stand the way her neck looks. But her dermatologist tells her there's no quick fix for that. "Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. She recounts her anything-but-glamorous days as a White House intern during the JFK years ("I am probably the only young woman who ever worked in the Kennedy White House that the President did not make a pass at") and shares how she fell in and out of love with Bill Clinton-from a distance, of course. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age. "Utterly courageous, wickedly funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a book of wisdom, advice, and laugh-out-loud moments, a scrumptious, irresistible treat." Book Description, Amazon.com
My Psychic Journey: How to Be More Psychic
Chris Dufresne
"In his vast experience of doing psychic readings for thousands of clients, Chris Dufresne recounts numerous examples of some of his most memorable and significant psychic consultations, along with many affidavits from past clients. Chris and his mother, world-renowned psychic and spiritual teacher Sylvia Browne, have always been firm believers that each individual comes into life with their own innate psychic ability; and this book provides you with instructions and exercises that you can use to further develop that unique ability, along with the responsibilities and ethics that should be followed in conjunction with this development." Book Description, Amazon.com
Healing is a Choice: the Decisions That Will Transform Your Life and Ten Lies That Can Prevent You From Making Them
Stephen Arterburn
"Interspersing wise though basic advice with real-life examples, Arterburn (Every Man's Battle) offers a guide that could help many people progress farther along the path of emotional and psychological healing. Written at a simple level, the book's purpose is to break down the barriers that keep people from seeking the help they need. Arterburn challenges some obstacles to healing that are particular to the Christian community, such as the idea that believers should feel peaceful and happy all the time. Yet he also does a good job of addressing the more basic barriers to healing common to all people, e.g., denial of pain and lack of forgiveness. His examples from the lives of others are quite helpful, drawn mostly from his workshops on obesity and sexual addiction. But the glimpses he gives into his own life are the most engaging. He shares openly about the confusion, fear and shame stemming from his divorce, as well as the pathway toward healing he has had to take. Arterburn is very clear that the process of healing is often long and difficult, yet he still conveys a hopeful, encouraging tone to those in pain." Publishers Weekly
Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence
Matthew Sanford
"Matt Sanfords life and body were irrevocably changed at age 13 on a snowy Iowa road. On that day, his family's car skidded off an overpass, killing Matt's father and sister and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down and confined to a wheelchair. His mother and brother escaped from the accident unharmed but were left to pick up the pieces of their decimated family. This pivotal event set Matt off on a lifelong journey, from his intensive care experiences at the Mayo Clinic to becoming a paralyzed yoga teacher and founder of a non-profit organization. Forced to explore what it truly means to live in a body, he emerges with an entirely new view of being a whole person. Waking is a chronicle of that process. By turns agonizingly personal, philosophical, and heartbreakingly honest, this groundbreaking memoir takes the reader inside the body, heart, and mind of a boy whose world has been shattered. The author allows us to follow with him as he rebuilds from the ground up, searching for healing stories to help him reconnect his mind and his body. To do so, he must reject much of what traditional medicine tells him and instead turn to yoga as a centerpiece of his daily practice. The author finds not only a better life, but meaning and purpose in the mysterious distance that we all experience between mind and body. In searingly candid, frequently poetic language, Sanford pulls back the curtain on what it means to survive devastating trauma, from returning to a broken life to the uncertainty of finding sexual intimacy with a paralyzed body. But first and foremost the author offers a powerful message about the endurance of the human spirit, and of the body that houses it." Book Description, Amazon.com
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