The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health, and Life--Adapted from NBC's Hit Show!

Average customer rating:

As good as the TV show

Great Book

Fantastic

Great Book!

Informative

The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health, and Life--Adapted from NBC's Hit Show!
Maggie Greenwood-Robinson , Cheryl Forberg , and Michael Dansinger MD
Manufacturer: Rodale Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Biggest Loser Workout, Vol. 1

The Biggest Loser Cookbook: More Than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes Adapted from NBC's Hit Show

The Biggest Loser Calorie Counter: The Quick and Easy Guide to Thousands of Foods from Grocery Stores and Popular Restaurants--As Seen on NBC's Hit Show!

Winning by Losing: Drop the Weight, Change Your Life

The Biggest Loser Workout, Vol. 2

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1594863849
Release Date: 2005-09-29

Book Description

The Biggest Loser was NBCs surprise hit of the Fall 2004 television season, drawing a passionate audience and prompting people nationwide to start their own Biggest Loser competitions. This unscripted weight-loss drama was based on overweight contestants competing to lose weight and win a quarter of a million dollars with the help of a team of doctors, dietitians, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. On the evening that the first seasons finale aired, legions of fans went to the NBC Web site to look for the diet and fitness plan that the contestants used. It wasnt available to the publicuntil now. With this book, people looking for change can accomplish the same type of radical makeover of their bodies, their health, and their lives that they saw on The Biggest Loser. The book features the food and fitness plans from Bob and Jillian, health advice from the shows medical experts, and motivational tips from the contestants themselves. The contestants compelling stories and reasons for losing weight, dramatic before-and-after photos, and real-life advice provide the inspiration and upbeat attitude that made this show a smash hit.

Customer Reviews:

As good as the TV show.......2007-09-21

"The Biggest Loser" diet suggests limiting your daily calorie intake to seven times your body weight (measured in pounds). For a 200 pound person that means 1400 calories a day. This might be OK for an average weight but I am not sure if the formula is proper for very heavy or very light people. So, from that point of view I find this book not very scientific. On the other hand the exercise plan suggested in the book is pretty reasonable. There are also a lot of other good advice that will help you take a long term control of you weight and will result in a good health: stay away from sugar (except for natural sugars contained in fruits), eat salad before each meal, exercise, and so on. For much more comprehensive advice on adopting healthy lifestyle, resulting in permanent weight loss I rather recommend "Can We Live 150 Year?" by M. Tombak. A lot of free excerpts from Tombak's book can be found at the author's website.

Great Book.......2007-09-13

I love this book because all the recipes are so easy and a lot of them are not time consuming. I like the fact that the book has a lot of simple snack and appetizer recipes.

Fantastic.......2007-09-11

I have the whole series and am giving them as Christmas presents to all my friends that watch the show. I gave one for a Birthday present and she is thrilled, we can all get motivated and loose the weight. Love It!

Great Book!.......2007-07-19

I have found this book to be great! It is a simple plan to follow and very adaptable. The first day, although I was worried I'd be hungry, I felt full and content. I am enjoying this new way of eating. I was inspired because a friend of mine was on last season's show and he lost a lot of weight and to this day looks great!

Informative.......2007-07-09

I liked the book and it was very informative. It is a good start to becoming healthier.

Clique #6, The: Dial L for Loser (Clique Series)

Average customer rating:

Dial L for Loser
Sealed with a Diss
More More MORE!
Another ah-mazing Clique book!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clique #6, The: Dial L for Loser (Clique Series)
Lisi Harrison
Manufacturer: Poppy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316115045

Book Description

The social minefields most privileged middle-school girls drive the over-the-top drama in this addictive new book, set in suburban New York City's Westchester County. Massie Block: With her glossy brunette bob and Whitestrip smile, Massie is the uncontested ruler of The Clique and the rest of the social scene at Octavian Country Day, an exclusive private school in Westchester, New York. Dylan Marvil: Massie's second in command who divides her time between sucking up to Massie and sucking down Atkins shakes to try to get rid of the extra fifteen pounds that won't seem to leave her hips alone. Alicia Rivera: As sneaky as she is beautiful, Alicia floats easily under adult radar because she seems so 'sweet.' Would love to take Massie's throne one day. Just might do it. Kristen Gregory: She's been dying to fit in ever since her parents went broke. She's smart, hardworking and will insult you to tears faster than you can say 'scholarship kid.' And then there's Claire Lyons, the new girl in two-year old GAP overalls from Florida, who is clearly not Clique material. The only problem is that Claire's family is staying in the guest house on the Blocks' massive estate while they look for a new home! Claire's future looks worse than a bad Prada knockoff. But with a little luck and a lot of scheming, Claire might just come up smelling like Chanel Mademoiselle....

Customer Reviews:

Dial L for Loser.......2007-09-17

I thought the book was very interesting. It made you want to keep reading. This book was my favorite so far in the series but it left you hanging in the end I can't wait til I get to read the next one. Lisi Harrison is a great writer for teens.

Sealed with a Diss.......2007-09-10

This book was absolutley fabulous. I love how Lisi Harrison keeps you on the edge and anticipating the next word (or in Massie's case, a clever comeback!) These books are fun filled and action packed, a great read for anyone 10 or older. I recomend this series to everyone, and I cannot wait for the next book!

More More MORE!.......2007-08-17

I loved this book, but I hated the fact that it ended like it did and the next one doesn't come out til next year. That sux! But the book itself was )as most cliques are) drama filled and intense. The life of an alpha is so not as great as it seems. And the poor girls and their crushes I mean you have GOT to feel sorry for them.

This story takes you on a journey that ended quite abrubtly, and will begin again in February 2008!!! Man I can't wait!!!!!&hearts;

Another ah-mazing Clique book!.......2007-08-06

I have really enjoyed ALL of the books in the Clique series. I am a middle school teacher, and have shared my love of reading with many girls via the Clique books. These books are perfect for a hesistant reader- they are so engaging and fun to read. They are also age-appropriate, unlike some other series that are marketed to young girls.
Massie and the Pretty Committee do not disappoint in the 8th book of this series. The dialog is snappy as always, and left me looking forward to the 9th book!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-30

this is my favorite book out of the clique series so far. i'm not going to tell you what happened but it's a real cliff hanger. anyway it's a great book and i gaurantee that you won't want to put the book down.

Average customer rating:

Cornwall Middle School
a must read for anyone who is, was, or will be a child
Loser Left Much To Be Desired
This Book is NOT Very Good
boring

Loser
Jerry Spinelli
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060540745
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Amazon.com

Donald Zinkoff is one of the greatest kids you could ever hope to meet. He laughs easily, he likes people, he loves school, he tries to rescue lost girls in blizzards, he talks to old ladies. The only problem is, he's a loser. Until fourth grade, Zinkoff's uncontrollable giggling in class, sloppy handwriting, horrible flute playing, bad grades, clumsiness, and ineptitude at sports go largely unnoticed. When he blows a race for his team, however, his transition to loserdom is complete: "[Loser] is the word. It is Zinkoff's new name. It is not in the roll book." Fortunately, he doesn't really notice. As he did in Stargirl, Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli again explores the cruelty of a student body and how it does and doesn't affect one student, pure of spirit. Presumably if Loser makes one child view a "different kid" as a three-dimensional character, Spinelli will consider his book successful.

The author recounts Zinkoff's story--a case study of sorts--in short sentences from a deliberately reportorial point of view, documenting the first years of the boy's life and his evolution into a loser. What makes the book charming and buoyant is that the reader, like Zinkoff's parents and his favorite teacher, appreciates the boy's oblivious joie de vivre and his divine quirks. What is less compelling about the novel is the "let this be a lesson to us" heavy-handedness that accompanies the reportorial approach. Still, Spinelli comes through again with a lively, often moving story with humor and heart to spare. (Ages 8 to 12) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like "Jabip."

Other kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone else. And one winter night, Zinkoff's differences show that any name can someday become "hero."

Customer Reviews:

Cornwall Middle School.......2007-05-21

I liked this book called Loser. It was about this kid that never really fit in, and threw out his life from when he was a baby to 6th grade. The characters seemed a little more realistic then the other books i have read. I liked the plot, but i thought they could of done a better job with were it took place and a couple other things. I thought there were some parts that I couldnt wait to find out what happened next. I would recomended this book to anyone that likes funny, good books. I enjoyed reading this book and there were alot of funny parts to it. This is deffinatly a book that they could have a sequeal, like when he starts 7th grade and gets a girlfriend of something.

AS

a must read for anyone who is, was, or will be a child.......2007-05-05

Jerry Spinelli is probably the greatest young adult novelist (yes, novelist) for a very good reason. Not only are his books incredibly human and powerful, capturing those illusive essential truths of childhood and adolescence, but they are written in an incredible (yet accessible) modernist, lyrical, and, well--beautiful--prose that captures all the emotions, wonders, and confusions of childhood. His stories seem familiar, and yet they never fall into the trappings of predictability or neatly convenient packaging. In all of these ways, he writes novels that really are good for children of every age (from 0 to 118). In Loser, Zinkoff is one of those off-center kids (another Spinelli gem), messy and silly, a klutz and a joke, gets everything wrong and loses every race. And yet, he is an incredibly happy, innocent, and deeply loving creature. The book is really a character study of this kid, how the world views him, how he views the world. As such, it is incredibly beautiful and poetic, dreamy and childlike. It's an incredible novel, for any age. Grade: A-

Loser Left Much To Be Desired.......2007-03-23

Loser by Jerry Spinelli could have been an interesting and overall good book but, in my opinion it was not because it was rushed and undeveloped. The book chronicles the life of Donald Zinkoff from his first day of kindergarten to his last day of eighth grade in a mere two hundred pages. Thus no grade is well developed and neither is any character but the loveable loser and main character Donald Zinkoff. This book was attempting to give a good message about the life through school of a loser. Because it is hard to go through your time in school with out true friends or any real interests to speak of let alone to be unatheletic on top of it. But although the message was no doubt an outstanding one, it left much to be desired as a whole.

This Book is NOT Very Good.......2007-03-02

It's about a boy who started out in kindergarten. He found out that he would be in school a long time. He had a problem and through-up every were any given moment.

The only thing i liked about this book is that it had a somewhat ok plot. And it it's about a boy and his life.

The main thing i didn't like this book because it was pretty dull and boring. I fell asleep most of the time i started to read it. If you realy realy realy like books that you might think it's ok. It just was not like somthing in real life... but it was not a good fictional story also.

This book was not very interesting. It was pretty much like if you HAVE to read a book for i'd say ok. But if you wanna read it for fun... i wouldn't if i was you.

boring.......2007-02-08

I felt sorry for my daughter this past Summer. She picked this book out of a list of 5 to read for school. The writing was all over the place, the plot went nowhere. Really boring.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

Average customer rating:

A well bred man
Honesty Must Not Be The Best policy
If you don't find this funny, there's something wrong with you.
*yaaaaaaaaaaaawn*
Narcisstic crap

Life As a Loser
Will Leitch , and Tom Perrotta
Manufacturer: Arriviste Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0974627003

Book Description

Every company he works for goes bankrupt within a month. His landlord just kicked him out. His parents think he's a failure. He can barely scrape up enough pennies to take the subway. Oh, and he's still dealing with his fiancée leaving him on national TV.

Welcome to the world of Will Leitch.

In this hilarious, poignant collection of his award-winning Internet columns (with all new material), Leitch takes us on journey from small-town Illinois to the madness of Manhattan and back again.

Customer Reviews:

A well bred man.......2006-07-25

I think the world has become so rude and so wrapped up in it's self. This book is refreshing we all felt so many of these things, deep down. I personally know Will Leich and had the joy of working with him. He is a great person and brought up to be polite. Thanks for my chance to "rant". Thumbs up Will!!!

Honesty Must Not Be The Best policy.......2006-03-23

It seems like most of the 1-star reviews for this book were written by people who complained that Leitch wrote too clearly about his life experiences or that he used real people (or very thinly disguised real people) as his characters. Based on the writing, I bet all those 1-stars even came from the same person, and probably someone Leitch knew. Maybe someone who didn't like what was written about him.

My thoughts: this book was pretty funny, but if not an out-and-out knee slapper, it was the type of book that drags you into the characters so that the smaller things become funnier as you become more familiar. I'd recommend it to anyone, and I've read Sedaris and Hornby too. And if those bad reviews weren't from someone with a vendetta, I'm wondering where they learned to read.

If you don't find this funny, there's something wrong with you........2006-01-20

I read the other reviews of this book and, honestly, THEY are full of crap. This book is hilarious and insiteful. If you're looking for a novel or some non-fiction, then don't buy this book. If you're looking for a good relaxing read with no pressure and some great stories about a complete loser; buy this book.

Will Leitch's stories range from the very familiar to the very strange. He's a fantastic story-teller and this book proves it.

*yaaaaaaaaaaaawn*.......2004-07-01

A singular and often stifilingly boring literary version of reality television, Leitch's book is the next phase in America's obsession with watching stupid people embarrass themselves. "Life as a Loser" is nothing more than an egotistical rant in a vain and somewhat pitiful attempt to gain popularity and sympathy through a lifetime of dissapointment. What separates this book from its electronically broadcasted brethren is one key component: good editing. Leitch's drawn out diatribes and abhorrent use of language leave the audience suffering from more than his self-effacing semi-biography. I have only one question: if it is obvious that Leitch has had such a horrible time living his own life, why would I want to waste my time reading about it?

Narcisstic crap.......2004-06-30

Don't bother. This book is not funny and I agree with the other reviewer from Boston. Leitch was probably pleasuring himself while writing 90 percent of the pages. That's probably why the spelling was so bad. Don't waste your money or time. You could be pleasuring yourself instead of reading about Leitch do it. If I could have given it zero stars, I would have.

Big Winners and Big Losers: The 4 Secrets of Long-Term Business Success and Failure

Average customer rating:

interesting multidimensional approach
It's a Winner
Solid information, but not an easy read...
How to hit the "sweet spots" and avoid the "sour spots."
A Unique Prism

Big Winners and Big Losers: The 4 Secrets of Long-Term Business Success and Failure
Alfred A. Marcus
Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131451324

Customer Reviews:

interesting multidimensional approach.......2006-09-28

I'm from switzerland and a software engineer. In my workplace I concentrate on technical stuff and I don't think too much about business.
However, in the last few years I have come to the conclusion that many technical people tend to over emphasize technology. They use their experience with technology to impress other people, rather than to fullfill their customers needs and wishes. As a result they forget about what customers really want and the products they create are
far too complex for the ordinary people to use.

I decided to read this book to get in touch with the business perspective and to learn how to succeed in the business world. Not surprisingly, it's all about fullfilling customer's needs and finding the right balance between different poles. The three most important poles are business, customer and technology. Finding the balance between all these is the art of creating a successfull company.

This book mentions many failing and succeeding companies. In my opinion the companies "Parametric" and "Family Dollar" are the best examples of a failing and succeeding company.

A good example of a company which invested too much in technology is parameteric. It created the very sophiscated CAD-tool called Pro Engineer. I has lots of features, but without sufficient training it is not possible to use this product. But "Parametric" does not offer training. Instead, it concentrates allmost all its efforts into making "Pro Engineer" even more sophisticated, thus making customers more frustrated and finally make them switch to other products. Had Parametric listened to its customers they would have improved their range of services. I have seen many companies failing like Parametric in the last few years.

On the other hand, the grocery store chain "Family Dollar" shows that it is possible to earn lots of money just by serving other people's everday needs. The "Family Dollar"-shops are in low class regions and therefore very close to its customers. They prefer shopping in "Family Dollar" not only because it is very close, but also many customers don't have a car to go to a different shop such as Wal Mart. And Wal Mart is not interested to move into these low class region and compete against "Family Dollar" as the money the could make there is not enough. Wal Mart has better opportunities to grow. In conclusion "Family Dollar" occupies a sweet spot, where noone else wants to go.

I like this book because it points out that it is important to concentrate on many points rather than just one. This is the reason so many "We are the best company" fail in the long term. The truth is multidimensional and the world has more than one dimension.

It's a Winner.......2006-08-06

"Big Winners and Big Losers: The 4 Secrets of Long-term Business Success and Failure. Many examples provided in the characteristics of winners and losers. Four Sections: Introduction, Winners, Losers, Conclusion

Twelve Chapters:

1. Persistent Winning and Losing
2. Companies that Hit and Missed the Mark
3. Companies that Keep Winning
4. Sweet Spots
5. Agility
6. Discipline
7. Focus
8. Companies that Keep Losing
9. Sour Spots
10 Rigidity
11 Ineptness
12 Diffuseness
13 Winning and Losing Practices
14 Turnarounds

Companies that consistently outperform their competitors and stay above the index their industry is rare. In a ten-year period from 1992 to 2002 only three out of 1,000 companies were above their own industry's market performance.

As for errors that contributed to losing, there is a study on 3 companies that made products that were too cheap. Because they produced items that were so inexpensive they couldn't provide the specialization their customers needed and these companies couldn't earn a sufficient profit. IMC, Goodyear, and Safeco. IMC was providing "value-added customer service," even though IMC's products faced strong and consistent competition. Goodyear was in the maturing industry of tires, but continued to only stay with tires as their profit share was diminishing. This meant diminishing margins. Safeco targeted markets that were too large and homogeneous.

Paying up-front for royalty payments:
Hasbro had licensed "Star Wars" action figures in the past. They sold very well. In 1999 Hasbro signed a lucrative contract that cost $581 dollars on a pay-out to Lucas, but the sales were dismal, as the 1999 film didn't cause kids to buy. Mattel, Hasbro's main competitor paid $20 million for the right so "Harry Potter" books and films, and scored well. Times, like people change, and there are always new things coming out

There are a hundreds of examples in "Big Winners and Big Losers" that are interesting. Important is that if a company is losing it need not be permanent. Changes can be made. The same goes for the Winners as very few stay at the top consistently. Helpful book to anyone in any type of business. If someone is generally interested in business books this is one of the more readable.

Solid information, but not an easy read..........2006-07-22

Alfred A. Marcus explores the reasons why some companies win big and some fail dismally in the book Big Winners And Big Losers - The 4 Secrets Of Long-Term Business Success And Failure. Worth adding to your business bookshelf if this is an area of interest to you, but it's not the easiest read...

Contents:
Part 1 - Introduction: Persistent Winning And Losing; Companies That Hit And Missed The Mark;
Part 2 - Winners: Companies That Keep Winning; Sweet Spots; Agility; Discipline; Focus
Part 3 - Losers: Companies That Keep Losing; Sour Spots; Rigidity; Ineptness; Diffuseness
Part 4 - Conclusion: Winning And Losing Practices; Turnarounds
Appendixes: Best Sellers Compared; Using The Stock Market As An Indicator Of Performance; Additional Data On The Companies; Patterns Of Winning And Losing Companies
Acknowledgements; Sources; Endnotes; Index

Using stock performance over a period of time, Marcus examines the traits of companies that significantly outperformed and underperformed their peers. On the "winners" side, you have Amphenol, SPX, Fiserv, Dreyer's, Forest Labs, Ball, Brown & Brown, Family Dollar, and Activision. The "losers" are LSI Logic, Snap-On, Parametric Technology, Campbell Soup, IMC Global, Goodyear, Safeco, The Gap, and Hasbro. For each trait he identifies, there's a list of how each of the winning/losing companies shows that characteristic, along with examples of actual steps and scenarios that illustrate it. To be sure, there's a lot of good material on how you can adjust your business to take advantage of these positive behaviors (and avoid the negative ones)...

The only thing I have against books like this is the "retrospect" nature. Moves that were made by losing companies for good (at the time) reasons are examined in the light of how it all turned out. That's a perspective that no one has when the decision has to be made. As a result, it's far too easy to say " well, they should have known better" when writing a book. Another common problem is that the winning companies can often turn into losing companies, making the reader wonder where things went wrong. To the author's credit, he covers two of these reversals at the end of the book. Again, in hindsight it's easy to see where things went wrong, but it's harder to make that same statement during the heat of the moment.

The style of writing is very factual and list-driven. I wasn't really drawn into the style of writing in such a way that I wanted to keep turning the pages. Still, running a business is not easy, and learning from the mistakes of others is far easier than blazing your own trails. Worth reading, but be prepared to work for it all...

How to hit the "sweet spots" and avoid the "sour spots.".......2006-02-01

Achieving and sustaining business success over the long term is extremely difficult. New products are created, widely used for a short time and then replaced by something better. Even businesses that satisfy basic human needs are not guaranteed a profitable market as it is always possible for another business to arise that does things better, faster and cheaper. In this minefield of problems, some businesses have managed to flourish, outperforming all others to achieve tremendous success. Marcus presents a series of case studies, explaining why some are successful beyond all relative expectations and why others can't seem to hit the ground with a hammer when they drop it.
Marcus regularly uses the analogies of the "sweet spot" and the "sour spot." A "sweet spot" is when a company manages to put itself in a position where it is relatively easy to make a profit and a "sour spot" is when a company is in a position where it is difficult to make a profit. Chapters 3 through 7 form the section called "Winners" and are a description of companies that succeed and the sweet spots that allow them to succeed. Chapter 3 is a list of companies that have succeeded and four a list of some of the sweet spots. Chapter five explains the ways a company can retain the agility to respond quickly to changing market conditions, six a list of the ways a company can maintain the internal discipline in order to stay focused and seven describes what to keep your focus on.
Chapters eight through twelve form the section called "Losers" and are a description of some companies that have failed and the reasons for their failure. Chapter eight is a list of companies that keep on losing, nine a description of the sour spots, ten a list of the ways a company can be too rigid for modern markets, eleven the ways in which a company can be inept and twelve some ways in which a company can lose focus and become too diffuse in their approach.
In the end, good advice is valuable only if you are willing to concede that you don't know everything and can learn from others. There is good advice in this book, but there is also the clear statement that one of the reasons that companies get into sour spots and stay there is because their leaders are not nearly as gifted and talented as they think they are. The hurdle of recognizing the need for assistance is one that many cannot leap; however if you can make that essential jump, then this book is a valuable purchase. If that is not the case, you might as well save your money.

A Unique Prism.......2006-01-25

This book represents the best of what I love about Wharton Press.

A topic like big winners and big losers lends itself to having some egomaniac who fails to understand the difference between being lucky and great, hire a ghostwriter to produce a pointless pontification full of meaningless clichés and generalizations.

Instead, Alfred A. Marcus, a management professor at the University of Minnesota, compares and contrasts the practices of successful and failing firms. To achieve this, he enlisted more than 500 practicing managers, divided them into teams of five or six and directed them to review the performance of a company that either out-performed or underperformed its market group for 10 years.

Their critiqued reports lead to four themes. Big winners:

1. Occupied sweet spots.
2. Possessed the ability to move into these spots.
3. Disciplined themselves to defend their spots.
4. Exploited and extended their positions.

The reports revealed big losers:

1. Occupied sour spots.
2. Were rigid.
3. Could not defend their positions.
4. Could take advantage of their positions.

What fascinated me about this book is Marcus' discussion of how the individual companies managed the nuisances or tensions created by the four themes.

Achieving sustained competitive advantage is never easy. Firms that consistently do it are worthy of study and investment. Marcus's book provides managers and investors with a unique prism through which to view their opportunities.

Losers and Winners, Saints and Sinners: How to Finish Strong in the Spiritual Race

Average customer rating:

SUPER READ
Book True To Its Title
A helpful, biblical-based book about living a spiritually successful life

Losers and Winners, Saints and Sinners: How to Finish Strong in the Spiritual Race
Greg Laurie
Manufacturer: FaithWords
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446691755

Book Description

Now in paperback, LOSERS AND WINNERS, SAINTS AND SINNERS takes readers through a montage of well-known saints and sinners, all of whom stumbled in their spirituality at some point in their lives. Greg Laurie cites such prime examples as Samson, a he-man with a she-weakness who suffered mightily yet achieved a final moment of greatness, and David, who also tripped over passion but rose up to finish strong in Gods eyes. The point of a race is not just to run it, but to complete itin the winners circle, if possible. Thanks to grace and determination, as Laurie shows, it is always possible. No matter how great the failing, a crown of victory still awaitsfor the determined runner.

Customer Reviews:

SUPER READ.......2007-08-31

I have now purchased three copies of this book. The stories are very uplifting and educational. I recommend this book to any person who wants to further their walk with insights from those great ones who came before us. I have given two copies away to date and will probably buy more!

Book True To Its Title.......2005-09-10

I thoroughly enjoyed Greg Laurie's analysis of Biblical figures who won and lost in their respective spiritual races. This book not only speaks of well known characters in the Bible but offers the reader solid insights into how we can learn from their experiences and apply those lessons on our own journeys.

A helpful, biblical-based book about living a spiritually successful life.......2005-08-04

What does it mean to be a winner? Not the kind of winner who twists off a bottle cap to discover they just won a free iTunes download, but the kind of person whose life demonstrates a remarkable sense of spiritual victory.

In LOSERS AND WINNERS, SAINTS AND SINNERS, pastor Greg Laurie asks some rather deep questions about what it means to live a truly successful life.

What are the secrets to spiritual longevity?

How can you ensure you will cross the finish line?

How can you know if you will hear the Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?

Laurie writes, "We should all be asking these questions because one day every one of us will complete this race we are running. And each of us will be either a winner or a loser. One day, we all are going to die."

To answer such deep, life-reflective questions, Laurie examines the lives of key figures from the Bible. In many ways, this book reads more like a series of sermons --- often complete with two, three, and four point messages --- than a typical nonfiction book, but the project is organized well enough to pull off the sometimes bumpy transitions between chapters.

One of the title's greatest strengths is its focus on Biblical characters. Laurie takes a look at the life of King Saul and Samson, people who started well in their spiritual race only to stumble and never fully recover. It follows the lives of such men as David, Elijah and Elisha to demonstrate that just because you fall doesn't mean you have to stay down. And it takes a look at Joseph as one who stayed strong throughout his life journey

The story of Paul demonstrates that even the most unlikely of candidates can make a significant change in their spiritual life, while the life of Peter teaches us that even our blunders are not above redemption. Meanwhile, Moses teaches us that it's never too late for God to do something miraculous. Stories of Caleb, Enoch and Ananias also fill the text.

As Laurie follows each character's journey, he adds in anecdotes, stories and quotes from a variety of modern day and historical believers to tie the text together. The result is an enjoyable read. One of the strengths of highlighting the lives of so many Biblical people is that the book at times works as a kind of overview of the Bible --- making scriptural principles accessible through memorable stories.

If the title of the book seems familiar, it's because it's taken from the popular worship song, "And We All Bow Down" by Lenny LeBlanc and recorded by Integrity's Hosanna! Music. It's a nice tie-in and reminder of the worship tune, even if you don't "win" a free download the next time you buy a soda that's having a sweepstakes.

Whether you're starting out in life or looking to finish strong, LOSERS AND WINNERS, SAINTS AND SINNERS is a helpful, biblically-based book worth reading. Recommended.

--- Reviewed by Margaret Feinberg (www.margaretfeinberg.com)

The Losers Club: Lessons from the Least Likely Heroes of the Bible (invert)

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The Losers Club: Lessons from the Least Likely Heroes of the Bible (invert)
Jeff Kinley
Manufacturer: Zondervan/Youth Specialties
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0310262623

Book Description

This book removes the halo from the heads of saints, ensuring readers that they are not “too holy” for us to imitate or "too ancient” to understand. Take an intimate look at characters from the Bible and see how they respond to God and to Jesus. This book will reveal the failures that these people experienced to show us that failure is a way to God.

You Know He's a Keeper, You Know He's a Loser: Happy Endings and Horror Stories from Real-Life Relationships

Average customer rating:

Single/married it's a great read
You Know He's a Keeper, You Know He's a Loser:
Right on!
The truth is indeed stranger than fiction (and funnier)

You Know He's a Keeper, You Know He's a Loser: Happy Endings and Horror Stories from Real-Life Relationships

Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: B0006BD910

Book Description

MEET A COUPLE OF KEEPERS:

The boyfriend who used $4,800 in vacation savings toward an operation for his girlfriend's dog.

The clueless sweetheart who tried to impress his new girlfriend by preparing an oven-cooked dinner...in Tupperware.

MEET A COUPLE OF LOSERS:

The guy who could only communicate his most intimate feelings through a shark puppet.
The "Amtrak gigolo" who had a different girlfriend in every city along the East Coast...until a few of the ladies started comparing notes.

They're funny, heartwarming, outlandish, and sometimes horrifying. And they're all true!

Here are nearly 200 first-hand accounts from women of all ages who let you in on the sweetest, most embarrassing, intimate, unforgivable, and heartfelt moments from their perfect marriages, rotten relationships, unforgettable first dates, and dreadful final ones. Let their men serve as a warning-or a good example-for the keeper or loser in all our lives!

Customer Reviews:

Single/married it's a great read.......2004-02-17

This book is very different from most of the "how to catch a man" "how to keep a man" books out there. This book gives you insight. It tells of real life situations and experiences from many different women in all walks of life concerning who is worth keeping and at what cost. Also great hints as to who is worth dumping. Even if you got married right out of high school and are still married to the same man you'll love it. It will make you feel like you haven't missed much. If you're single looking for the right man you'll be able to identify, enjoy reading about others experiences, and learning from them. Some of the short stories are very funny, some pathetic, but none boring! It's the kind of book you can pick-up and put down and read at your lesure. It isn't depressing in that the stories do not go into truly sad situations. It's mostly about relationships with jerks and good guys, nothing violent or depressing. Enjoyable and lots to learn at the same time. The authors did a great job of picking the best of the stories they heard. I highly recommend you read this fun book. I even recommend it for your grandmother!

You Know He's a Keeper, You Know He's a Loser:.......2004-02-13

If your looking for a book with happy as well as cautionary tales of dating, this is the book for you. This is a book of women sharing their dating experiences, both good and bad, keepers and losers, with signposts we can all relate to. Some of the stories brought instant recognition of some of my own dating experiences. I liked it so much, I bought copies for my nieces, who seem to zero in on toads instead of princes. Maybe they will learn a thing or two while being entertained.

Right on!.......2004-02-09

I just broke up my boyfriend of several years, and this book cheered me right up. The loser stories made me laugh - and realize that I'm not the only one who has ever lost in love. The keeper stories also made me smile - and helped me remember that there are lots of keepers still out there.

It's a well-done compilation - and I loved it so much I even just ordered two for my best girlfriends for Valentine's Day!

The truth is indeed stranger than fiction (and funnier).......2004-01-09

Maybe not your typical "guy" book, but a very funny and sometimes shocking account of relationship dynamics in the neverending quest for true love. Women will read it and identify or sympathize, and men, --- well, men should remember the old saying that if we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

The Losers / High Hunt: Two Complete Novels

Average customer rating:

The Losers and High Hunt are not too bad....
Tales of Introspection

The Losers / High Hunt: Two Complete Novels
David Eddings
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0517119080
Release Date: 1994-08-20

Customer Reviews:

The Losers and High Hunt are not too bad...........2000-05-11

"The Losers" is a contemporary novel that stars a man named Rapheal. Rapheal has all the positive aspects of life; good looks, intelligence, and athleticism. However, when he goes to college, he rooms with a man named Damon who represents all the negatives of society. Shortly after this meeting, Raphael has a severe accident that will forever change his life. Raphael moves away, and thinks nothing of his old life until Damon finds him again. This novel contains the classical motif of good versus evil.

In "The High Hunt", the reader is introduced to a pair of brothers coming from a disfunctional family. Dan, who is the younger brother, has just been discharged from the Vietnam war. With nothing to do, Dan looks for his older brother Jack, who he has not seen in years. Dan is quickly taken in by Jack and Jack's friends. However, Jack's friends are not the most "politically correct" friends. A hatred grows between some of these friends, which culminates in a hunting trip high in the mountains. What happens when guns and hatred mix? Find out...it is an entertaining novel that does slip down into the decadence of society.

Tales of Introspection.......2000-03-27

Well known for characters such as King Belgarion and Sir Sparhawk, David Eddings takes a step back away from fantasy into the world of non-fiction, revealing his commanding mastery of the English language in his two novels: The High Hunt and The Losers. At times hilarious, offensive, but always introspective and thought-provoking, the two novels lead the reader into an ever spiraling path of self-reflection. With witty commentary on the social customs of modern society and their affects on an individual, Eddings creates tales which are a must for those who consider themselves hardcore Eddings fan - allowing exposure to a side of the author that is merely hinted at in his fictional writings.

Average customer rating:

Caution, thought provoking
Where's the Plot?
dose of reality
We fall to temptation and rise again.
A rare non-fantasy book from Eddings.

The Losers
David Eddings
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0449907198
Release Date: 1992-05-12

Book Description

Raphael Taylor was a golden boy--blond, handsome, charming, a gifted athlete and a serious student, an angel in every way. Damon Flood was a scoundrel--a smooth, smilling, cynical devil, as devious and corrupt as Raphael was open and innocent. The day Raphael met Damon was the day he began his mysterious fall from grace. And the golden boy fell very fast and very far....

Customer Reviews:

Caution, thought provoking.......2006-06-06

Yes, it seems simplistic and trite in spots because of repetition but when you think about it, some of the actual ideas behind the "losers" and those who come in contact with them are creatively original (creatively presented?) and I ended the book glad of the repetition so I was sure I understood the points.

My BA's in sociology so I know the story's situations or "case studies" weren't as black and white as presented, most social workers aren't "evil," but the starkness of the presentation helped backlight all the author's main points and left one free to apply the points to other situations which might be closer to one's own life.

Any "problem" in one's life, habit or desire or lack of desire for change by self or other can be helped, I think, by applying Eddings' points about the "losers" and/or their helpers.

I liked that it was a story within a story too; the sociological points were made in little case studies within a larger story of two characters with a hint of mystery as one didn't know what the complete story was until the end and which boy was going to "win" and what "winning" would mean. I liked the play on words with winner/loser and didn't mind the corny angel/devil names, especially since an unknown "angel" (who wasn't) was part of the mystery and not understood until the end.

Where's the Plot?.......2005-09-06

The protagonist of this tale is Raphael Taylor, the perfect golden boy and product of a charmed childhood. After his father's death, Rafe stays at home for a couple of years and attends junior college to appease his clingy mother before going off to university. There he meets his bizarre roommate, J.D. Flood, aka Damon, the dissolute scion of a wealthy Grosse Pointe family.

Damon leads Raphael into debauchery with an older woman, the end result being that a drunken Rafe crashes his car into an oncoming train. As a result of the wreck the former football hero loses his left leg and is emasculated. All this happens in the first couple of chapters. The rest of the book is taken up with Rafe's recovery and rehabilitation, full of frequent rants about social services and their corrupting programs. Rafe is settling into his new life, mainly watching the antics of his poor neighbors, whom he christens "The Losers" when Damon comes breezing back into his life again.

I kept waiting for something to happen, but the whole plot (such as it is) is not revealed until the last chapter, as a reminiscence after one of the main characters is dead. Would not recommend this unless you want to reinforce your negative beliefs about social workers, WIC, AFDC, food stamps, and the people who use and administer these services.

dose of reality.......2005-08-18

I'm not a social worker, but I worked for a number of years within that system and I applaud Eddings clear vision of this industry and its efforts to keep people within it. I don't know any social workers who I would allow to muck around in my head since so many of them wind up with degrees while pursuing the answers to their own problems (which they rarely manage to solve.) Hurray for Eddings for defining the difference between a cripple and someone who must live with a physical challenge.

We fall to temptation and rise again........2004-01-11

I remember reading this and wondering if Raphael was an angel and Damon the demon sent to temp him and destroy him (the names are a giveway). In other words this was heaven and hell fighting in the bodies of men. This seemed to be the trancendental level of the book while on the more mundane level we watch the hedonism, disinegration and rebuilding of Raphael and the 'programs' of assistance that feed his dependency on them.

I like the multilevel interpretation that is possible here. It suggests you can get as much as you'd like or as little as you'd like from this book. I would disagree that this is a vehicle for Eddings to moralize on the ills of social welfare. Personally I think he is probably just a little left of center anyway, so no, while it may be an indictment of the system there and then (Washington STate, 1993), I don't think this is moralizing about it (some people like to layer on or transfer their agenda on to the words of others, such as one reviewer here). I think it is more like demonstrating the hypercycle of need-dependence-despair that welfare can create (as well as helping many people as well - which is it's purpose!). The message I think is that help is both a blessing and a curse, because too much help becomes a hand that presses you down, not lifts you up. Ultimately you have to do it on your own.

The drama in this book is driven by characters that are richly realized, multilayered and take eddings out of his comfort zone. And this is a good thing. I think the humanity of the story is truly accessible. WHile the 'angel'-'demon' motif only emphasizes the battle that contiually rages within us: desire and lust, selfishness and egocentricity versus right and morality and selflessness. Personally, it can be said as such: We fall to temptation and we suffer for it. When we transcend our baser nature then we become what's best in humanity: we are reborn. Sometimes when we pick ourselves up, we need help...but sometimes we have to let go of the helping hand (given often for motives that aren't strickly altruistic) and walk our own two feet. The angel falls to earth and learns to be again.

A good story...a great read. It's not fantasy per se. More a tale of reality with deeper spiritual underpinnings and an allegory of self-inflicted good and evil, in the hedonistic sense. And as always the choice to fall to temptation is ours...

A rare non-fantasy book from Eddings........2003-10-05

*Strongly* allegorical. Shows Eddings's usual skill at deft characterization. Thought-provoking, and also manages to stir emotions--I was in tears at the ending. Worth a read, even if it isn't fantasy.

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