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Plan B- Further Thoughts on Faith

3 stars (I wanted to love this book, but...) - ...I got so weary of the incessant complaining about the current government administration. I would've rather she filled those pages with more stuff about her family, her mom, her son. But every time she turned around she was complaining about the government. It was the same kind of thing that really hurt Tony Hendra's "Father Joe" in my opinion, but here it's much more damaging to the flow of the book. Once I "kinda" got past that it was a great read, but not nearly as memorable as her previous memoir, "Traveling Mercies." Worth a read if you love Annie's writing, and I do, but probably to be missed otherwise. 4 stars (For Lamott Readers, But Certainly NOT For Bush Fans) - Anne Lamott is a writer's writer. And what I mean by that is that she writes on a level most writers would LOVE to make it to. She's easy to read while, at the same time, having a deep message, and a raucous sense of humor. I got hooked on her years ago when I read BIRD BY BIRD, a book that I still refer to often whenever I need to "get real" about my own writing life. I was pleased to learn that these are short memoirs of her life, a collection of short stories. The short story form seems to be making a modest comeback, and I loved the fact that a collection of them made it to the New York Times' list, too. But lets get into the meat and potatoes of the book now ... This is a look at Ms. Lamott's life through her own eyes, and she wears everything on her sleeve, including her disdain for the Bush administration, her dislike of young children, her poor motherhood skills, and her struggles with faith. Examples ... Lamott has to deal with the death of her Alzheimer's mother, pulling the urn that contains her mother's ashes out of her closet. And as she does, she reminisces about the final months of her mother's life: "Her purse was a weight, ballast; it tethered her to the earth as her mind floated away. It was also health and preparedness, filled...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Religion & Spirituality :: Women :: United States :: Spiritual :: Religious :: Religion :: Novelists :: American :: Lamott :: Anne :: Inspirational :: Faith :: Christian biog :: Plan B- Further Thoughts on Faith

 

The Money Book for the Young- Fabulous - Broke

5 stars (Excellent Book!) - Have briefly watched Suze Orman's TV show several times, and couldn't stand it. This book, however, is outstanding. She has compiled a wealth of information (including various important government loan program details) for those just starting out after college. I wish it had been available for me just after I graduated! Topics included are an explanation of one's FICO score and what to do about it, strategies upon beginning a job, buying a car, buying a home, retirement funds, and handling student loan repayments. I think the only thing Suze missed was how to get the MOST reliable new or used car - look in Consumer Reports. (She did, however, encourage getting a used car certified by the manufacturer - excellent advice.) Am so impressed I'm going to find one of her other books that targets people in my life-stage 5 stars (A must have for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke) - Suze Orman is spectacular. She doesn't sugarcoat things and she puts it all out there for us young folk. She covers all the topics that affect those fresh out of college. Everything from handling student loan and credit card debt to buying your first house and handling investments. And the online tools that you get access to when you purchase the book are great help as well. there's even a message board where you can get real feedback from Suze and her assistants. This is definitely a must read for all young people! 2 stars (Good advice, I guess....) - Suze Ormon's advice is important to pay attention to, but in my opinion it's possible to get elswhere in a better package. If you like Suze's presentation, fine, but she just seems overly chirpy to me. She's FAR better IMHO than Mr. Kiyosaki of the two Dads, or real estate promoter Robert Allen, for instance, but my taste runs more to the Dolans, Jane Bryant Quinn, or Andrew Tobias....or Benjamin Graham, though he's far less entertaining. Don't spend all you make! Pay yourself first! Hey, maybe I should write a ...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Business & Economics & General :: Youth :: Young adults :: Self-Help :: Personal finance :: Personal Growth - Success :: Personal Finance - General :: Finance :: Pers :: The Money Book for the Young- Fabulous - Broke

 

A Whole New Mind- Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age

5 stars (Exciting Mindset) - A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink is an extraordinary book. Finally we are admitting that intelligence, performance, and yes--even success--can be achieved by those who appear to be more creative than academic. Pink goes to great lengths to explain his position relative to the kind of successful worker Americans must become in order to avoid being unemployed. Even better, Pink includes sections called Portfolios where the reader is given suggestions for ways to strengthen his/her "whole new mind." 4 stars (Food for thought) - Where the big issues are concerned -- how to revitalize the U.S. economy in the age of outsourcing, why isn't our educational system working and how do we go about fixing it, etc. -- I've always felt that it was more important to raise the right questions than to come up with quick answers. By that standard, this book is a winner. I think most of us would agree that the world of work (on the personal as well as the national level) has changed radically in the last 20 years. It's not a major logical leap to conclude that, rather than choosing to cultivate the skills and abilities that led to success in the "information age," we should broaden our range. It's possible to argue with the author's list of "six senses," but they're suggestions rather than prescriptions. (Nor are they touchy-feely nonsense removed from the practical world: the concept of "story," for example, is something that every spin doctor understands.) His personal anecdote about the drawing class has immense implications: we view the world (physical and mental) through a fog of preconceptions, and the ability to see what is REALLY there is crucial. I felt that the book wasn't as coherent and focused as his earlier one, but it's thought-provoking and stimulating -- and a good read, too. 4 stars (Richer life ahead) - So what are we mortals, especially those of us in the Western Hemisphere, supposed to do in a world where computers are fast a...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Psychology & Psychiatry & General :: Success :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Psychological aspects :: General :: Creative thinking :: Cognitive Psychology :: :: A Whole New Mind- Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age

 

The Art of Happiness- A Handbook for Living

3 stars (A critique of the Art of Happiness) - Happiness is not a goal that can be achieved through seeking. No search has ever realized happiness because the very activity of seeking confirms unhappiness. Therefore, whatever your state in the moment, it must be transcended in present happiness. If you find yourself seeking then you are not presently happy are you? This whole notion about the pursuit of happiness is completely false. You must give up the search and then you realize that you are already happy. So the Dalai Lama is recommending the traditional error of seeking and whatever else he recommends as useful practical advice is tainted by this initial premise. Funnily enough, when asked if he is happy, he says yes, so if he is happy, what need is there to seek? A better teaching would be to point out that everyone is already seeking; for money, power, sex, good food, whatever, and finding that the search is never satisfied. The point is not to channel that activity and search for spiritual satisfaction. The point is to understand that seeking is suffering. I say, "You cannot become happy. You can only be happy!" 1 stars (Did Not Recieve) - I never recieved the book. I had ordered two from Abebooks, one was no longer available after it was charged to my account, and the other one was also charged to my account but never arrived. I will not order books from Amazon again. 5 stars (Make peace with your emotions) - I enjoyed this book immensely and learned a great deal from it. The Dalai Lama's perspective on emotions and mindfulness is enlightening and full of wisdom. In the same purchase I bought another book I was referred to that is endorsed by The Dalai Lama called "The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book." It's really great for learning specifically about EQ and increasing your own. ...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Religion & General :: Religious life :: Religious aspects :: Religious Life (Buddhism) :: Religion :: Psychology :: Personal Growth - Happiness :: Happiness :: Doctri :: The Art of Happiness- A Handbook for Living