Amazon.com
In From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, Jay Kopelman tells a story that is both tender and thought-provoking--candidly portraying the ugly conditions in wartime Iraq, while also describing his (and his fellow Marines') growing attachment to a scruffy stray puppy.
Here Jay Kopelman answers a few questions about his aspirations as a writer, and the effect his book has had on readers.
Questions for Jay Kopelman
Amazon.com: Before you met Lava and had this experience smuggling him out of Iraq, did you ever have ambitions to write a book?
Jay Kopelman: Yes, I'd considered writing a book previously and have started--but not finished--a novel. Not surprisingly, it's a military murder mystery. And I'm still hoping to get it published. I've also been offered a deal by my publisher to write another book. So I guess I'm now officially an author.
Amazon.com: How has the military responded to it given that you broke a number of rules during your adventure with Lava?
Jay Kopelman: I've actually not had any real feedback from the military establishment. In fact, mostly I only get the good-natured ribbing from my contemporaries about how much money I'll make or about who will play me in the movie. When the story first broke a year and a half ago, one of the generals jokingly asked me for an autograph, and I've given the previous commanding general for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force a signed galley. So, thus far, there's been nothing "official" to which I've had to respond. We'll see what happens now that the book is released and there's going to be a media blitz surrounding the book. What you have to remember, though, is that I really didn't use military assets to get Lava home. Nor did I ever endanger anyone in the military while doing so.
Amazon.com: In the book, you say that you would like it if it can bring hope to people who've lost loved ones in Iraq by showing them how something positive can come out of a brutal situation. Have you heard from people that your book has made them feel better?
Jay Kopelman: I've not yet heard from anyone who's lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I have heard from a counselor who works with the returning Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, who said she finds the story so very positive and helpful. She's planning to come to the book signing there. I also got an e-mail from a Marine who said that while her unit was in Iraq, they adopted a puppy and tried to bring it home, but he was ultimately put down. She says that the Marines "remember how Charlie the dog helped us. Charlie will always be loved. During a time when we were far from home that dog made us smile." So, I suppose Lava's story does help people remember and gives them hope. I've also heard from people who appreciate my candor describing the conditions in Iraq.
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Customer Reviews:
The War Told from a Soldiers Eyes.......2007-09-26
From Baghdad with love is the story of an American soldier in Iraq who finds a puppy. It is the story of he stayed sane, and what the right thing is to do. I bought this book so that I could get a human perspective on the war. I wanted to know what a man viewed as a killing machine thought of a puppy. This is what in essence what I got. The book gives a great story about the war that is not totally depressing. There are some points where you might get a little sad, but the general mood is much more upbeat. One complaint I have about the author style is that is goes from depressing chapters to happy chapters (and vise versa) with very poor transitions. The book does a decent amount of humor, but it is definitely not used in excess. The author does a great job of using just of humor to keep the mood light, but also not using so much that you feel like their making the war into a comedy. One observation I have to make is that although Jay Kopelman is seems a little sad talking about his experiences, but he does not have an extremely negative outlook. Also at some points he may get angry, he does not seem like an angry person. The book does a great job at keeping the story seem personal, but not making it feel to close to home. With many situations in the war the authors do not pussyfoot around the tough subjects. From Baghdad with Love is close to the perfect length. It has a little too short of an epilogue, and there are some things that I wish they would have elaborated on. In many of these situations they can not do this because it would put the people from Iraq that helped them in danger. I really loved in the book when the photographs, but they were in the wrong spot of the book. It belonged in the back with the epilogue. I wonder how much of the story is actually written by Jay Kopelman and how much is written by Melinda Roth. This is a truly interesting story of a war that is important for Americans to understand.
Great Story.......2007-09-11
I thought this book was great. The way this marine and other fellow marines were able to bond with this puppy during the war was heart felt. Not only did the book describe the struggles to bring this dog back to the US despite military regulations, the book also described some struggles of marines being in the war itself. What an amazing book. I highly recommend it.
Heartwarming & Outstanding.......2007-09-06
The love shown to Lava is uplifting. Jay Kopelman and the Marines are to be commended for their kind hearts. I am so happy that Lava did not become a fatality of the war. If you are a dog lover. You must read this book.
Much better than expected.......2007-08-27
I expected this book to be just a nice story, but it is full of hard facts and details of the circumstances in Iraq. It was much more informative than I expected, and gives the reader a feeling for what our guys and gals are going through, and how they must turn their emotions off and on at the drop of a hat. The author also does a good job of not getting up on any soapboxes, for either side politically. Highly recommend it!
Semper Fi.......2007-08-26
It is an awesome book about a US Marine who finds a puppy in Baghdad and gets it back to the states. Lots of military jargen and details of firefights... almost makes me miss the Marine Corps---almost
Book Description
A world-renowned child psychiatrist offers a groundbreaking new perspective on how stress and violence affect children's brains--and how they can be helped to heal
What happens when a young brain is traumatized? How does terror, abuse, or disaster affect a child's mind--and how can that mind recover?
Child psychiatrist Bruce Perry has helped children faced with unimaginable horror: genocide survivors, murder witnesses, kidnapped teenagers, and victims of family violence. In The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, he tells their stories of trauma and transformation through the lens of science, revealing the brain's astonishing capacity for healing. Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate, insightful strategies for rehabilitation, Perry explains what exactly happens to the brain when a child is exposed to extreme stress-and reveals the unexpected measures that can be taken to ease a child's pain and help him grow into a healthy adult. Through the stories of children who recover-physically, mentally, and emotionally-from the most devastating circumstances, Perry shows how simple things like surroundings, affection, language, and touch can deeply impact the developing brain, for better or for worse.
In this deeply informed and moving book, Bruce Perry dramatically demonstrates that only when we understand the science of the mind can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.
Customer Reviews:
Food for thought.......2007-09-02
The book lives up to its fascinating title. Perry has worked for years with traumatized and neglected children and his take on dealing with them is based on research showing how the brain develops and the impact of neglect and abuse on it. In other words, if a child is abused or neglected in the first year of life (approximately), physical changes take place in the brain or rather, neurological connections that should be made, are not. (This is a vast simplification.) So as a child gets older and begins exhibiting antisocial behaviors that land him or her in special classes or even mental hospitals, it is not because he or she prefers to act this way but because the child's brain is unable to function in a way that enables him or her to become socialized. Perry, having done a great deal of research on this subject himself, spits in the eye of a lot of "accepted" practices when it comes to children's mental health. I'm always interested to read views that oppose the generally accepted norms. My daughter loaned me this book which she is reading as part of her Ph.D. program in pre- and postnatal psychology. It certainly fits right in with her assertion that we need to pay much more attention to what is happening in the first year of life (and before), not only because the child's personality is being formed, but because his brain is as well (and perhaps this is the same thing). The stories in this book are heart wrenching, but Perry does show that there are ways to help or at the very least, understand.
Refreshing new ideas .......2007-07-24
As a counseling student focusing on child therapy, I was very glad I stumbled across this book in the local library. Perry explores the role of brain structure in childhood disorders. While he focuses primarily on trauma (such as how PTSD in children mimics ODD and ADHD), I believe that other applications can be made. This is novel to hear in a world of tired exclusive arguments pro or con genetics, brain chemistry, and environment. Perry combines a few of these ideas to give the mental health worker a more comprehensive look at mental illness and trauma.The case stories are heartbreaking and compelling. A worthwhile read if you are going into the mental health (or even teaching) field, and interesting even if you are not.
I feel blessed to have found this book. .......2007-07-11
My husband and I are about to adopt our first child. We are adopting through DHS. All children who are adopted through DHS have been through trauma. We have been taking classes when our teacher recommended this book. I went out and bought it and read it and it was so insightful to what we may be dealing with. I feel so blessed to have this information about the brain and how children may act out in times they feel out of control. I truly believe that EVERY foster/adoptive parent should read this book. It was amazing and I will probably read it again. I can't stop talking about it. I am just blown away and very thankful for this book.
Everyone should read this book!.......2007-07-05
I couldn't put this book down. I learned so much that I can apply to myself as well as my kids. I have two adopted children who came from severe early childhood neglect and abuse, so this book is invaluable to me. The only problem is that it has left me thirsty for more from Dr. Perry!
Truly remarkable.......2007-06-27
The stories in this book are heart-wrenching, but to people who've dealt with traumatized children the scenarios and the aftermath are familiar. What is truly remarkable about Dr. Perry's work is that he uses each case he describes as an opportunity to explain how the developing brain is affected by trauma and how healing can be informed by this knowledge. Unlike many other books in this genre, this is no "great therapist cures poor abused children" book. Dr. Perry is modest about his own contributions, and rightly emphasizes the role that parents, extended family, and community must play in helping to heal traumatized kids as well is preventing trauma from occurring in the first place.
As the parent of a child with PTSD, I've read extensively on the subject. I'd really have liked it if Dr. Perry could have included a recipe for cure in the book, but of course that's just my wishful thinking, not a realistic hope. What he does give for parents who are looking for help is guidelines and guidance for finding the right kind of help, not just from therapy but from the larger world. What I learned from this book will definitely contribute to my ongoing work to help my daughter find her way out of the nightmare that her past put her in.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful Teen Book.......2007-03-10
I really liked this book because it helped me understand relationships with boys and answered a lot of questions that I had.
Great Series of Books.......2007-01-19
Good book bought it for my daughter she really enjoyed reading it. A+++++++++
It is really good.......2006-11-06
I have loads of american girl books at home this book was really really good i recomend this book for under 12s
Loving this series............2006-08-30
I wasn't going to get this title for my nine year old. I thought she was too young. But she REALLY wanted it, telling me, "Mom, I've had tons of crushes already!" I bought it and read it first. While I still think she's a little young for some of the information (especially the "going together" section toward the end), a lot of it was very age appropriate. Rather than just give it to her, we are reading it together. (Thankfully I have a very open and trusting daughter who doesn't get embarrassed by "growing up" issues.) I explained to her that reading about these things does not give her permission to do them.
I strongly disagree with the review on July 13, 2006. I feel that this is an empowering book for girls. It (like most of the books in this series) aids in building self esteem. I found it full of great advice, reinforcing my values and beliefs.
And, for this age group, I appreciate that it doesn't go into sexual relationships. There is a time and place for those books. I am relieved to be able to give her a book about the feelings and situations with boys that come BEFORE intimate relationships.
Excuse Me.......2006-07-28
Ummm to the lady who said not to buy this I have a question for you; why do u care how its worded? This is a book for girls to be comfortable with, not something from a psychology book! consider that! and your knitpicking! U must have no life to complain about wording. Anyway the book is awesome! It helped my daughter become comfortable enough to talk to me about her crushes! She is totally ready!~
Average customer rating:
- Not quite a satire but close
- The Princess Bride by William Goldman
- An honest, old-fashioned adventure with a metafictional twist
- It was a jolly good read.
- If you loved the movie, you will love this book
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The Princess Bride: S Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
William Goldman
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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ASIN: 0345348036
Release Date: 1987-09-12 |
Amazon.com
The Princess Bride is a true fantasy classic. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Morgenstern's original was filled with details of Florinese history, court etiquette, and Mrs. Morgenstern's mostly complimentary views of the text. Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."
Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out.
Is The Princess Bride a critique of classics like Ivanhoe and The Three Musketeers, that smother a ripping yarn under elaborate prose? A wry look at the differences between fairy tales and real life? Simply a funny, frenetic adventure? No matter how you read it, you'll put it on your "keeper" shelf. --Nona Vero
Book Description
What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?
As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the "S. Morgenstern classic,
The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.
Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.
What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.
In short, it's about everything.
Eventually to be adapted for the silver screen, THE PRINCESS BRIDE was originally a beautifully simple, insightfully comic story of what happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince in the world--and he turnsout to be a son of a bitch. Guaranteed to entertain both young and old alike by combining scenes of rowsing fantasy with hilarious reality, THE PRINCESS BRIDE secures Goldman's place as a master storyteller.
Customer Reviews:
Not quite a satire but close.......2007-09-30
William Goldman's 'The Princess Bride' tells the story of the true love between buttercup and Westley- and all the obstacles they have to overcome: An evil prince, a giant, a master swordsman, giant rodents and even death itself.
It is a clever take on fairy tale stories. But although it is funny and plays with he conventions of folk tales in a knowing kind of way, it never descends into cynicysm and therefore remains very enjoyable.
I had seen the movie first and was surprised how closely the movie followed the book.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman.......2007-09-26
I was very disappointed in this book. William Goldman totally ruined it for me. He opens with 31 pages of a long, boring, rambling, collection of his comments about the Princess Bride story. Additionally he gives a page of his ridiculous comments at the beginning of each chapter. He really ruined the story of the Princess Bride for me. I would never have bought this book if I had known this edition was about William Goldman and The Princess Bride is treated as a side story.
An honest, old-fashioned adventure with a metafictional twist.......2007-09-24
The Princess Bride is an honest and old-fashioned adventure. The bride of the title is Buttercup, the most beautiful girl in the world, soon to be married to Prince Humperdinck - too bad she's in love with Westley, the farm boy. Before you reach the end, you've come to know an evil Sicilian criminal mastermind, a Spanish fencing wizard, a gentle Turkish giant and many other memorable characters.
It's not just a funny adventure, there's an additional metafictional level. As the story goes, William Goldman didn't write the book: it's an abridgement of a book written by S. Morgenstern. Every now and then Goldman pops in the story, interrupts and discusses some details of Morgenstern's work he disagrees with and has cut off. I'm fairly sure some people will dislike that, but to me, it was the thing that made Princess Bride shine.
It was good, but not spectacular - I don't quite get the amazingly good reviews at Amazon, for example. It was funny, definitely, but not hilarious. The book is oozing good one-liners, that I admit. So, if you're looking for adventure, romance and excitement, The Princess Bride is certainly a good choice.
It was a jolly good read........2007-09-13
My first experience to the story of the Princess Bride was through the indulgence of the movie. I first saw it as a child, and I was like... this is a great movie. I still watch it today, because now I understand some things I didn't before, the more subtle humor that is carefully placed for adult ears only...
But enough of the movie. This is a book review! I decided to pick up the novel after I finally found out it was a novel. And yes, at first, I too fell to the prank of the S. Morgenstein joke. I'm so naive sometimes.
As I began reading, I couldn't help but appreciate the sarcastic and light tone of the author. The wording is humorous and free, and while it is not exactly of literary greatness, it is fun to read. I think that is the point that Goldman is trying to get across - humor. This book is simply meant to entertain, and that it does.
True, true, I am sympathetic to the fact that Buttercup is a true weakling who must be protected by her one and only Westley. I'm not exactly a feminist... but I don't exactly appreciate things like that. However, I can see the angle the author is coming from. He's writing a fantasy, a fairy tale. And let's face it, back in that age, women were not exactly treated like they are today. It all fits into context, so I am not completely angry at that fact.
I think the reason this book is so successful is because Goldman takes the cliche of the ordinary fairy tale and basically ridicules it in a way the reader can appreciate. I guess one could call this book a pun on fantasy. In doing this, Goldman has created a world in which not only those fans of humor will appreciate, but also those who are fans of the traditional fairy tale. People of all ages can appreciate the light wit that is contracted into every page of this novel, and the discrepencies from the ordinary. But people can also cherish it for the classic storyline it follows. This is truly a book for all people of every age of every time.
If you loved the movie, you will love this book.......2007-09-08
One of my favorites of all time. I loved the movie the first time I saw it as a kid and scooped up the book when I found out there was one.
It is hilarious! The wit and satire of the movie is only touched on when compared with book. I just could not stop laughing the entire time I was reading it.
Its a fast read, filled with wondering characters, dialog, adventure, pirates, sword fighting, and yes... even kissing.
A good fairy tale for the kids at heart.
Average customer rating:
- Good to know we all have the same issues
- Straight Talk About Marriage
- The Honeymoon's Over
- Great Book
- BRUTALLY HONEST
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The Honeymoon's Over: True Stories of Love, Marriage, and Divorce
Andrea Chapin , and
Sally Wofford-Girand
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0446580007 |
Book Description
Isabel Rose saw red flags before her marriage, but everyonethought she'd made a perfect match. Ann Hood's relationship with herhusband had the usual bumps, until the tragic death of her young daughterforged their bond for life. When Terry McMillan went through her publicdivorce, the trauma affected everyone in her life. While Joyce Maynardcared for her dying mother, her children's babysitter took even better careof her husband. Andrea Chapin, after years of money battles with hermusician husband, realized she had to become the mogul in the family. AnnieEchols found her marriage on the rocks when an unexpected pregnancy upsether family's delicate balance. In THE HONEYMOON'S OVER, women candidlydiscuss the good times, the bad times, and what makes or breaks a marriagein essays that will resonate with readers--married, single, or divorced.
Customer Reviews:
Good to know we all have the same issues.......2007-08-01
Short stories that are well presented and represent a host of situations - so one (or more) of them should apply to everyone who's been married. Nice to help you keep perspective, lots of different writing styles. Good to read 1-2 stories at a time and process what they have to offer.
Straight Talk About Marriage.......2007-07-02
Love, marriage, divorce. For those of us who have loved or are still
loving, have been married or still married, been divorced or are going
through a divorce, we have our own love, marriage, and divorce stories
to tell. However, In The Honeymoon's Over, Chapman and Wofford-Grand
have carefully edited and compiled some of the best stories on these
three issues.
Reading each of these stories is like listening to your sisterfriend
while sipping coffee or tea. The authors are storytellers, telling
their stories in a very fluid and conversational style. Easy to read
and understand, these stories are well-written, emotional and very
revealing. You can almost feel their pain, cry their tears, and
rejoice in their decisions. After you have read these stories,
you can think about each author's perspective of love, herself,
relationships and her future. You may even think about which story
applies to you.
Although each story is distinctive in terms of the author, her story
and her writing style, the themes and the storytelling style unite
these stories into this unique book. At least one story will appeal
to every reader. The reader may be able to even identify with an
author or two. These women are sharing their stories, and
telling ours, too. I recommend reading this book.
Karen Lemmons
APOOO Bookclub
The Honeymoon's Over.......2007-05-20
This was not what I thought it would be. Although, there were some interesting stories, I was somewhat dissapointed.
Great Book.......2007-04-10
This book is very well written. Definitely speaks volumes about relationships. But be ready to have the tissues on hand. :)
BRUTALLY HONEST.......2007-03-03
I absolutely loved this book, and I am keeping it becauseI know I will read it again. As I approach my 27th wedding anniversary I feel as though I know quite a bit about what makes a marriage worth hanging on to. Nobody is married for a long time without going through major bumps in the road but many of the stories in this collection illustrate how rewarding it is to stick it out - what you end up with is so special that it is difficult to describe. Of course, not every relationship has a happy ending and I enjoyed those essays also. My personal favorite? The Electric Husband - hilarious.
P.S. Terry McMillan's rage is hurting her MUCH, MUCH more than her ex-husband - anger is human but if you don't let go of it you will be poisoned by it.
Average customer rating:
- The Work That Brings Enlightenment
- Serious About Freedom? Here's Your Chance.
- Ow, sometimes it hurts too long for too bad.
- Excellent but deep introspection required!
- Learning The Work in depth
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I Need Your Love - Is That True?: How to Stop Seeking Love, Approval, and Appreciation and Start Finding Them Instead
Byron Katie , and
Michael Katz
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0307345300
Release Date: 2006-11-28 |
Book Description
In Loving What Is, bestselling author Byron Katie introduced thousands of people to her simple and profound method of finding happiness through questioning the mind. Now, I Need Your Love—Is That True? examines a universal, age-old source of anxiety: our relationships with others. In this groundbreaking book, Katie helps you question everything you have been taught to do to gain love and approval. In doing this, you discover how to find genuine love and connection.
The usual advice offered in self-help books and reinforced by our culture advocates a stressful, all-consuming quest for love and approval. We are advised to learn self-marketing and manipulative skills—how to attract, impress, seduce, and often pretend to be something we aren’t. This approach doesn’t work. It leaves millions of walking wounded—those who, having failed to find love or appreciation, blame themselves and conclude that they are unworthy of love.
I Need Your Love—Is That True? helps you illuminate every area in your life where you seem to lack what you long for most—the love of your spouse, the respect of your child, a lover’s tenderness, or the esteem of your boss. Through its penetrating inquiry, you will quickly discover the falseness of the accepted ways of seeking love and approval, and also of the mythology that equates love with need. Using the method in this book, you will inquire into painful beliefs that you’ve based your whole life on—and be delighted to see them evaporate. Katie shows you how unraveling the knots in the search for love, approval, and appreciation brings real love and puts you in charge of your own happiness.
“Everyone agrees that love is wonderful, except when it’s terrible. People spend their whole lives tantalized by love—seeking it, trying to hold on to it, or trying to get over it. Not far behind love, as major preoccupations, come approval and appreciation. From childhood on, most people spend much of their energy in a relentless pursuit of these things, trying out different methods to be noticed, to please, to impress, and to win other people’s love, thinking that’s just the way life is. This effort can become so constant and unquestioned that we barely notice it anymore.
This book takes a close look at what works and what doesn’t in the quest for love and approval. It will help you find a way to be happier in love and more effective in all your relationships. What you learn here will bring fulfillment to all kinds of relationships, including romantic love, dating, marriage, work, and friendship.” —Byron Katie
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Byron Katie (she was born Byron Kathleen Reid, and everyone calls her Katie) discovered inquiry in 1986. Everything in this book comes from The Work of Byron Katie, her remarkable method for finding happiness and freedom. Katie has been traveling around the world for more than a dozen years teaching The Work directly to hundreds of thousands of people. In addition, she has introduced The Work into business settings, universities, schools, churches, prisons, and hospitals. Her website is www.thework.com, where you will find her schedule, articles about her, registration forms, and basic information about The Work.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
The Work That Brings Enlightenment.......2007-08-31
I came to Byron Katie when her book literally flew in my face in the bookstore. After perusing it and thinking about what I read, I got on the computer and ordered a copy throught Amazon. It was a time when I needed her wisdom which looks so easy yet is incredibly hard. This is not a book or method for people who are afraid to face themselves or their situation. As Ken Wilber said, people are only willing to change 5% of their opinion or belief at any one time. So you can see how difficult it can be to assimilate her teaching. In addition to her book, I recommend going to her site and getting a first-hand look at how she relates to people via-videos. She is truly a remarkable person, so ego-free and cheerful, it makes you wonder what medication she is on. But it's not that, I assure you. Of course, if you see her in public, as I did after reading this book, you'll be doubly impressed. The amount of "stuff" she's created to help you is also overwhelming. You'll want to pry your wallet even more for these enlightenment goodies. Be prepared to have less stress in your life after reading and using her book. Are you ready to be happy?
Serious About Freedom? Here's Your Chance........2007-08-27
Katie's first book "Loving What Is" is the best most powerful book ever written in human history. Freedom, peace, and continual joy are actually within reach of those who follow the simple instructions and put it to use.
"I Need Your Love" is a goldmine of excercises, insights, and universal experience to help bring the practice of inquiry deeper into our everyday lives. For myself, there are so many stressful thoughts and stories just waiting to be worked on. This book gives some juicy and fruitful starting points that lead like a line of cascading dominos through our beliefs to the clarity beyond.
Don't just read. Do. And Enjoy.
Ow, sometimes it hurts too long for too bad........2007-07-02
This was a tough book. Katie Byron made a conscious decision to get out of a depressive funk, and tells you all about where she was. She is a brave person. She comes across as being soft and kind, but her writing displays a warrior. She's the kind of person who could tell someone where to go, and they wouldn't even know it - they'd just go. She's saying, we have a part in the abuse we invite in our lives, and we can shift it. Her life, prior to her decision to start shifting things resembles the kind of depression we see many Americans dealing with. Many people shut down entirely as they go through the body-changes of midlife. Some never make it back! Her writing will speak to both men and women; anyone who's known what it's like to subordinate and feels as if he is losing himself. Katie puts forth some tools to reframe our cognitive attitude towards negativity. Why do we hang on to the hurting for so long? It feels familiar, even though it sucks. We hang in there because we are so conditioned to deny our truth. And a lot of our truth is about things like wanting to be loved, approved of, respected. If only we could keep our hearts open, huh? You can find the tools to do that psychic surgery here. Katie also gives several case studies of depression to keep driving her message home - that we can make a decision to end it, and stop being hung up and strung-along by the bogus. I rate this 3, because I was saying "ow!", squelching my own pain all the way. And then, within 3 months? I turned my life around. Working with the material for the last two years, I am also able to perceive when I'm being lied to, or judged, as I have become more tuned-in to when others are closing down, or shutting down their own heart-energy. And I can look into it and start asking them about it. The bottom-line is that we cannot minimize the happiness we desire to feel in our hearts, for it becomes oppressive. And we can fine-tune our relationships when we sense and feel that happening.
Excellent but deep introspection required!.......2007-05-16
Brace yourself, because Byron Katie is going to break through all those beliefs you have about yourself and relationships with others starting with, "I need your love and approval" and "If you loved me, you would do what I want".
Byron Katie's program, called The Work, is VERY powerful but requires you to want to let go of your story about those things in your life that are bothering you. She asserts that we indiscriminately believe the thoughts that come to us without examining if they are true or not. In fact, her first question, "Is this really true?" often stops most thoughts and stories cold. There is freedom and peace in this methodology.
This book contains actual transcripts from her live audience sessions and they are powerful. It is easy to see oneself in the problems that people present but through the Work, Byron Katie breaks through the hold of the untrue thoughts and frees the people from their distresses!
Excellent and very thought provoking!
Learning The Work in depth.......2007-05-12
Very useful, interesting and as I said before about The Work: Byron K teach you a new way to look at life and it's events, overwhelming and incredible valuable on your road to self discovery.
Book Description
Intense and vibrantly real lesbian erotica in the spirit of Skin Deep, these quick and dirty true stories revel in hot lesbian sex. As they peek into the diary of a very busy (and very bad) girl, readers will be panting hungrily as women from around the world reveal their most intimate lesbian encounters.
Nicole Foster edited the best-selling books, Skin Deep, Awakening the Virgin, Body Check, and Electric. She undresses in front of her window in Los Angeles.
Customer Reviews:
Sexy Lesbian Love.......2007-05-10
Both lesbians and anyone interested in lesbian sex will enjoy this erotic collection of short stories. The title says it all!
GOOD BEDTIME STORIES.......2007-04-04
Not a lesbian, but LOVE this book.
Great, real stories.
HOT!!! The Title says it all.
Title Says It All.......2007-04-04
This book is great I loved all the stories. I bought an erotica book prior to this but I wasn't too pleased with it. The stories were made up and some submitted by men. I don't want to read about some strange man's fantasy. This book was really great though. I descretely brought it into school and read it during my study halls... It made my day again and again with every page I turned. If you're looking for some great, true stories. This is your book.
Soaking wet.......2006-10-01
Loved it! What a turn-on. Another great new book is "The Call Girl Actress, Confessions of a Lesbian Escort" by Erica Black.
The Name Says It All.......2006-06-26
This book definitely lives up to its name. I was hooked from the introduction on.
Book Description
While family and future in-laws squabble over the menu and the table decorations, brides are supposed to sit and smile and bask in the prospect of their happiness-even though that prospect is guaranteed to include the post-wedding depression that hits some 90 percent of women during their first year of marriage.
This is a must-have book for any woman who has found the partner she wants to be with for the rest of her life and has made up her mind to celebrate that commitment.
Bridal counselor Sheryl Paul interviewed a diverse group of women who share their true feelings about the many concerns that can make an engagement a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs. Along with practical advise and support, you will find welcome acknowledgement of shared doubts and feats that so often run amok as wedding bells take their toll.
Customer Reviews:
On Being Present..........2007-08-24
This book is about being present to the transition of going from singlehood to couplehood, on leaving the girl behind and stepping into the next phase in life...we are so much more than just "wife" - but this book explores the psychological transformation of one of the most important times of our life - like a changing of the seasons.
I highly recommend this book for every bride. Educating myself and being present to the inner changes of our psyche has helped me navigate through this time - and appreciate everything that occurs as divine order.
Political and outdated.......2007-01-19
This book was kinda strange. I was put off by the language which seemed to me to have very feminist undertones, and yet seemed to perpetuate gender inequality. E.g. it talked about women 'giving everything up' when they get married, but men gaining. I wouldn't reccommend it.
All Soon-to-Be's Should Read This!!.......2007-01-16
This book is a must read for all soon-to-be brides! While everyone's asking you about the dress, the plans, the decorations, they forget to ask you how you're feeling, how you're handling this emotionally, if you have any worries, or doubts, etc. (Which is NORMAL!!) Even if they did ask you, society has trained us (women) to smile and say "Great!! I'm so happy!" This book helps get you to think about your true inner feelings before getting married so that when it comes to the actual day, you're stress & worry free! A great, easy to read book...a must!! (I bought 4 have have given them to the engaged women in my life...they love it! It's a great engagement gift!
A Must for Brides and Grooms!.......2006-08-27
I discovered this jewel about halfway through my engagement, hidden, in all of its simplicity, amongst all of the big, beautiful wedding books at Barnes and Noble. I thought it sounded interesting, and my mom was buying, so I figured, "what the heck?" From the moment I opened it up, I couldn't put it down. I even convinced my fiance, who isn't much of a reader, that it would be good for him to read it. Read it he did, and he loved it just as much! Since then we let one other engaged couple borrow it...and when they never returned it and I had another friend about to get married, I sent it to her as an engagement gift.
So if you're engaged, and especially if you're in the throes of planning a wedding (and the pretty pictures in all of those bridal magazines just don't seem to give you the best advice on how to deal with your mother, your soon-to-be mother-in-law, etc.), this book is a MUST!
Not what I had hoped it would be..........2006-08-07
I really was looking forward to something that explored the emotional whirlwind that I have been going through. This was certainly not it. It touches on what I wanted and then veers off into mythologically-based new age nonsense (and I have nothing against new age stuff in general).
If you are looking for a treatment of what weddings and marriage mean in the modern world, I recommend Kamy Wicoff's I Do But I Don't. I also hear that A Walk Down the Aisle is good. I'm ordering it now, and we'll see.
Book Description
50 Irresistible True Accounts of Love in the Twenty-first Century.
A young woman wryly describes a relationship that races from start to finish almost entirely via text messages.
A Casanova is jilted after an idyllic three weeks and learns the hard way that the woman is, well, just not that into him.
An overweight woman in a sexless marriage wrestles with the rules of desire.
A young man recounts the high-wire act of sharing the woman he loves with both her husband and another boyfriend.
A female sergeant in the Missouri National Guard, fresh from Iraq, tells what she is not supposed to tell about the woman she is not allowed to love.
These are just a few of the people whose stories are included in Modern Love, a collection of the fifty most revealing, funny, stirring essays from the New York Times’s popular “Modern Love” column. Editor Daniel Jones has arranged these tales to capture the ebb and flow of relationships, from seeking love and tying the knot to having children and finding love that endures. (Cynics and melancholics can skip right to the section on splitting up.) Taken together, these essays show through a modern lens how love drives, haunts, and enriches us.
For anyone who’s loved, lost, stalked an ex, or made a lasting connection, and for the voyeur in all of us,
Modern Love is the perfect match.
Customer Reviews:
Modern Love for new lover.......2007-06-03
I would recommend this book to all who are interested in all aspects of "LOVE": woman, man, marriage, partnership, childbirth, feelings, concepts, etc. The stories are honest and real. Reading then in the first person really engages me into the stories. I gained a lot of perspective of what's love in the 21 centry.
Adorable love tales you can relate to.......2007-04-15
I adore the Modern Love column in the Sunday NY Times and was very excited when I stumbled upon this selection of 50 stories. They are splendid tales of love, disappointments, break-ups and make-ups which could be read and reread forever. 21st century Casanovas and Anna Kareninas text message, e-mail, blog, google and use other communications means which were not part of our grand-parents' romance repertoire but have become our second nature. In the end, it's about the same passion, connections, feelings...
Daniel Jones has organized the book in six chapters - seeking, finding, breeding, staying, leaving and bound - the parts of a relationship cycle, so there is something for everyone to relate to. My personal favorite is "The Chicken's in the Oven, My Husband's Out the Door", a witty story by Theo Pauline Nestor about her divorce and the ensuing communications to family and friends.
review, plus responding to Sue H........2007-03-26
...um, well I'm not accomplished at ALL as a writer and I made it in - That's the first piece I've ever written that was published in a national publication and certainly the only piece of my writing that's ever been in a book...so the bios just make us all SEEM accomplished I think. And Dan Jones is a really really good editor - great to work with.
I am so glad to be in such good company - and I loved reading the stories all over again, even though they were quite memorable the first time I read them in the NYT. I am sure there will be another collection out anon...Jennifer J.
Sunday Reading Throughout the Week.......2007-03-25
One of my favorite features in the Sunday New York Times is "Modern Love" in the Styles section. It's not unusual for my husband to look up from the breakfast table to see either a smile spread across my face or tears rolling down upon it in response to the weekly submission. I'd even mentioned to a friend last year what a great idea it would be to publish a collection of these stories, so I was delighted when I recently saw, in the NY Times Book Review appropriately enough, that one had been. I'm hoping this is just the beginning of a series as I never tire of reading all aspects of love - tragic, romantic, familial, sustaining. All of the authors included in this edition are, not surprisingly, fairly accomplished writers with a background in the field but I hope future editions will incorporate tales from less recognized contributors as well.
Honest Love.......2007-03-22
The book, Modern Love: 50 True and Extraordinary Tales of Desire, Deceit, and Devotion gives the reader, within a few minutes of reading, the chance to enter the completely honest mind of another person telling a "love story." Often insightful to the human condition and the quirks of happenstance that happen in the lives of real people. Like a secret history you'd only tell a friend, this book is full of them! Just imagine fifty unusually honest secrets you've never heard before all about modern life and love.
Book Description
Here are more scathingly funny tales from the wild side! Laurie Notaro survived the debauched ride of her twenties and the bumpy road to matrimony. Now she’s ready to take on the thirtysomething years . . . and almost middle age has never been more hilarious.
Laurie is married, mortgaged, and now—miraculously—employed in the corporate world, discovering that bosses come in all shapes, sizes, and degrees of mental stability. After maxing out her last good credit card at Banana Republic, she’s dressed for success and ready to face the jungle: surviving feral, six-foot-plus Gretchen (“Three Thousand Faces of Eve”) before battling the overbearing, overstuffed (in way-too-small pants) new mom Suzzi, who ruthlessly cancels Laurie’s newspaper column and learns that payback can be a bitch. Laurie also explores the backstabbing world of preschoolers at a Halloween party, the X-rated madness of a family trip to Disneyland, and the pressure from her QVC-addicted mother and the rest of the world to reproduce. But while losing more friends to babies than to booze, she realizes there’s a plus side: at least for a couple of months she gets to be the thinner friend.
I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies) is Laurie Notaro at her deliciously quirky best. Can a woman prone to what her loved ones might term “meltdowns” (she considers them “Opportunities to Enlighten”) put a smile on her face and love everybody? Take a guess.
Customer Reviews:
HAHAHAHAHA AND MORE..................2007-09-19
I haven't laugh this hard in a long time.... I was having so much fun that I gave one to my daughter and she would called me late at night, just laughing and telling me which page to go to and it was a great bonding experience........It is awesome! thank you Laurie!
I love everything she writes - funny, quirky, will lift your spirits! .......2007-05-19
Although I feel compelled to note, right up front, that humor is tricky and what one person finds funny may not appeal to another, I still think this book is one that MOST readers will find laugh out loud funny. I love every book Notaro has written and they've found a permanent place on my bookshelf because they're guaranteed to lift my spirits on even the worst days.
Hers is the kind of humor that I'm tempted to call a combination of humor and self-help because I ALWAYS feel better about my life after reading about her misfortunes (but not guilty, because she is able to laugh at herself and, besides, her books sell well, so I figure any temporary humiliation is offset somewhat by that).
Notaro has a knack for being totally shameless about exposing life's various insults foisted upon her - and making normally dull subjects seem funny (everything from having kidney stones to finding herself traumatized and in a state of near nakedness, quite by accident, at Disneyland (yes, DISNEYLAND).
She is quick to point out her character flaws as well. She can be impatient, clumsy, drawn to the wrong type of boyfriends (until she found her husband) and prone to the most embarrassing experiences. Somehow this makes for a great read. I relate to her and I think a lot of others will.
I should note that this may fall into the type of book known as a "woman's book" and I'm not sure how many men will relate to this one. I hope I'm wrong about that.
Review from a loudmouth girl.......2007-05-16
Laurie Notaro is my hero. She has a great writing style. Her stories are hilarious. I suggest every woman who has ever struggled to fit in and do the right thing to read her books.
Very forced........2007-02-12
I purchased this book on a whim and was thoroughly disappointed (there goes my future spontaneous purchases!). Couldn't even get through it because it's attempts at humor were so flat, they were almost insulting. Thank God for target's return policy; I exchanged the book for Susan Gilman's 'Hypocrite...', which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
The Funny for the 30-something Crowd - Notaro Style.......2007-02-04
Older, but still an Idiot Girl, Notaro's "I Love Everybody" recounts snot bubbles, the trouble with email, and other minutia done in classic Notaro style.
Notaro is one of my absolute favorite authors. She never fails to make me laugh-out-loud. I highly recommend any of her books!
Books:
- Graphic Design Solutions, Third Edition
- Handbook of Pulping and Papermaking, Second Edition
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
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