All My Life

Price : $1.25

Amazon.com

Got a stress case in your life? Of course you do: Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things all at once. Carlson’s cheerful book aims to make us stop and smell–if not roses–whatever is sitting in front of our noses. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… offers 100 meditations designed to make you appreciate being alive, keep your emotions (especially anger and dissatisfaction) in proper perspective, and cherish other people as the unique miracles they are. It’s an owner’s manual of the heart, and if you follow the directions, you will be a happier, more harmonious person. Like Stairmasters, oat bran, and other things that are good for you, the meditations take discipline. Even so, some of the strategies are kind of fun: Imagine the people in your life as tiny infants and as 100-year-old adults. The trouble is, once you start, it’s hard to stop.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-06-09
I’ve owned two copies of this book over the years. The first copy I lent to a friend who in turn lent to a friend and so on. Needless to say that this great little gem of a book never found its way back into my eagerly waiting hands.

I’ve purchased another copy since then and read chapters from it from time to time. We all tend to stress about the little things in life, and I’m no different. Whenever I find myself getting unduly frustrated or uptight, a read of this book always helps me put things back into perspective.

I’m a firm believer in not sweating the small stuff: Not just the book, but the principal of it. Life’s way too brief and fleeting to always be tied up in minor details and insignificant issues. Save it for the big problems, I say.

This is a handy little guidebook that does well to serve as a constant reminder to keep things in perspective. I believe every household should have a copy of a book like Richard Carlson’s ‘Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff".

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One

Darren G. Burton

Review date : 2008-06-03
This book got me through my divorce without any emotional scares! Need I say more… This is a must read for just learning how to appreciate what you have in life rather than focussing on what you could have. Definitely a must read.

Review date : 2008-05-08
This book could have easily been titled: Basic Zen Buddhism for Suburbanites. If you look at the principles Richard Carlson teaches they are absolutely Zen 101 (albeit specifically tailored to a modern, western audience). Ideas such as living in the moment, non-attachment to the transitory nature of life, taking time to sit quietly each day (or as a well-known Soto Zen teacher once said, "Don’t just do something, sit there"), contemplating your own mortality as a method of keeping the events of your life in perspective… all of these are a part of basic Buddhist practice. While anyone who has practiced one of the eastern contemplative disciplines will find this old hat, these lessons are invaluable for the average person - I bought this for my new wife who tends to get obsessive when it comes to the little things. There’s a reason these ideas have been around for thousands of years - they work!

Review date : 2008-04-24
I think the title says it all, overall great book! I also recommend Mr Instability and which way both excellent reads.

Review date : 2008-04-20
In his book "Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff", author Richard Carlson, PH.D. offers witty and accessible stories emphasizing how life can be so much more fun by living a worry-free existence. Who knew? Carlson’s philosophy makes so much sense. Instead of giving each and every situation a `life and death’ urgency, Carlson suggests a gentler approach to life. He actually insists that life can be fun, and free from the mechanical, ritualistic reactions to every day life situations. In one of my favorite chapters in the book, Carlson discusses the relevance of `boredom’. He explains that we spend far too much energy distracting ourselves with superficial engagements, filling up our appointment books while we neglect to nurture our souls. Spending quiet time alone or with loved ones and enjoying each and every moment in life can be sufficiently engaging indeed.

Two of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane, also offer wonderful, engaging stories that help inspire me to lead a more fruitful, enriched life in their new book "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment". In one of my favorite passages, Ariel and Shya discuss the importance of slowing down in order to be fully present within each moment of our lives. The Kanes suggest that instead of rushing through our daily activities, we can have greater fulfillment and enjoyment by "taking our time and being where you are". These truly enlightening books by Carlson and the Kanes suggest that life can be fun by taking the time to enjoy every moment of it! It seems easy- and guess what, it is!

What Exactly Is It?

In traditional or let?s say mainstream religions of the world, the soul is a non-material substance which is able to assume powers and attributes not open to it while trapped within the confines of a material cage we call the body. Based on this definition can we even try to appreciate what it actually is and how it may interact with the physical world as we would ordinarily recognise it? The answer to this question must ultimately rely on what we know of the physical world.

I think that most of us agree on the definition of the generic human body. Loosely speaking it is nothing more than a collection of bones, tissue, fluids, internal organs and flesh arranged to work in such a way as to sustain our everyday existence. As such, it is quite vulnerable to disease and will eventually stop working altogether as it heads towards the day of its demise. But what about the soul? Is there such a thing? Other than just blind faith or solemn wishful thinking, do we have anything that we could turn to or point at in order to bring even a trace of credibility to this idea?

Having listened to countless people who try to give their own personal views on the subject, many are content to approach it with a fair helping of derision and contempt and take the atheistic route of denying everything not within the grasp of mainstream science. But this should not come as a surprise to anyone. If the scientific world were to give credence to the existence of the soul they?d have to study it, dissect it, understand it, measure it, explain it and various other things that scientists do. The very fact that we can?t actually see a soul as we can a tree, the very fact that we can?t interact with it as we can with animals and humans, the very fact that it is not made of any substance with which we are familiar means we can?t apply rigour. And there are countless other human beliefs and superstitions in very much the same situation. For example science cannot apply its methods to palmistry, tea-leaf-reading, astrology, numerology, witchcraft, telepathy, telekinesis, ESP and such like because these things do not easily lend themselves to the rules of scientific scrutiny.

What we have then is a mixed bag of subjects all clumped under a single heading that is often referred to as mysticism. In this bag you will also find many ideas put forward by different faiths including the idea of a soul and life after death. But where does that leave those who wish to believe in an existence beyond physical death? I think that the sheer size of the number of people with these beliefs makes it very difficult to ignore and neither will it do to simply brush it aside as mysticism.

So we can conclude I think that it is not possible to approach these things from a scientific point of view. Is there another way?

Another Way

The only other way is to use what is loosely termed as common sense coupled with a fair dose of open-minded intuition. We can exercise this by making a series of statements that are born out of two distinct considerations.

A. Those that maintain a non spiritual existence.

1. No life after death.

2. All that we do is ultimately futile and will one day be absorbed into the eons without so much as a trace of anything that ever happened here on Earth.

3. There is no God.

4. There is no Heaven or Hell.

5. The only rules and regulations that we should obey are those created and maintained by the different cultures and societies.

6. There are no morals other than the ones engrained in human laws.

7. We are nothing more than flesh made of the same atoms and molecules as ordinary matter. We evolved out of creatures that lived millions of years ago and we shall continue to evolve for however long the planet is able to sustain life.

8. When we die, we simply stop. There is no consciousness or cognisance after death.

9. Nothing of what we do or say can alter the laws of physics. There are no miracles and nothing that cannot be explained by logical and scientific means either now or in the future.

10. Use your life to enjoy the physical aspects of existence and, as far as possible, help others to enjoy it too, before the onset of old age, disease or death.

B. Those that maintain the existence of the human spirit.

1. There is life after death through the continuation of the soul.

2. What we do here determines our fate in the next world.

3. God is the supreme Being who has no beginning and no end. He provides life after death as well as having created all life as we know it on Earth.

4. There is a Heaven and there is also Hell. Those that choose Hell are the ones who hate God and go there knowingly and willingly after physical death having absolutely no contrition or sorrow for any of their actions on Earth.

5. Many of the rules and regulations are based on the 10 commandments. However, we shall also be held accountable for sins such as those pertaining to conceit, lust and greed.

6. There are many morals outside of human laws that we must try to observe.

7. Life is a gift from God and should be preserved, nurtured and used to its full potential without the application of wanton physical, mental or immoral abuse either to upon others or oneself.

8. If there are things we do not understand or cannot explain, be contented and have faith in God?s infinite mercy to right every wrong and deal with all injustice in the fullness of time either on Earth or the place where our spirits shall live.

It is impossible to do justice to either school of thought in a short article like this but it is accurate to say that for those who have made up their minds, it is likely that they will fall into category A or B or at least some variation of either. But here?s something that you probably haven?t heard before.

In public, a person who proclaims to belong in A will not be so readily convinced in private. How do I know this? Call it intuition if you like but there is something within us that: in the absence of friends and associates around us, from whom we tend to draw strength, deliverance and of course where we also get a chance to exercise wit, sarcasm and intellectual exchange; the fa?ade begins to fade away, leaving us naked and embarrassed in the privacy of our own thoughts. This is a kind of hypocrisy that we tend to try and hide.

On the other hand, a person that openly declares an affinity to B, either within a group of associates with the same convictions or otherwise, is likely to be as open about their beliefs in private as they are in public. In other words, there is no discernible difference between their public and private thoughts when it comes to matters of faith.

Why Is This?

It is hard to say. I suppose it is much easier to be convinced in public than it is to be in private for an unbeliever and yet the opposite seems to be true of the faithful. It is because a person who believes in a Deity is never alone and as human beings we always yearn good company, especially one who is always on our side and sympathetic to our cause. On the other hand, the unbeliever, when not surrounded by other people, is truly alone. Perhaps it is this unnatural state of being that sometimes prompts the individual into a momentary lapse of faith.

I have witnessed too often the sharp difference in behaviour and mode of speech of people when there is at least two others in the vicinity as opposed to just one other person. The third person, whilst not joining in with the conversation, immediately becomes the audience and as soon as this happens we feel compelled to perform. That is when a person falls into the habit of saying or doing things that they wouldn’t normally say or do. Just like acting. Taking the second person away has an even more profound effect. The solitary person?s true nature is revealed if not to others than at least to themselves.

Hope you?ve enjoyed reading these lines. I am the author of a new fantasy/fiction novel Will of Dreams which addresses many of the issues surrounding the paranormal and of course even if I do say so myself, it is a compelling read. Please click on http://www.willofdreams.com to visit the site and learn more about the author and the book. Thank you for your attention.

Price : $1.25

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Got a stress case in your life? Of course you do: Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things all at once. Carlson’s cheerful book aims to make us stop and smell–if not roses–whatever is sitting in front of our noses. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… offers 100 meditations designed to make you appreciate being alive, keep your emotions (especially anger and dissatisfaction) in proper perspective, and cherish other people as the unique miracles they are. It’s an owner’s manual of the heart, and if you follow the directions, you will be a happier, more harmonious person. Like Stairmasters, oat bran, and other things that are good for you, the meditations take discipline. Even so, some of the strategies are kind of fun: Imagine the people in your life as tiny infants and as 100-year-old adults. The trouble is, once you start, it’s hard to stop.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-06-09
I’ve owned two copies of this book over the years. The first copy I lent to a friend who in turn lent to a friend and so on. Needless to say that this great little gem of a book never found its way back into my eagerly waiting hands.

I’ve purchased another copy since then and read chapters from it from time to time. We all tend to stress about the little things in life, and I’m no different. Whenever I find myself getting unduly frustrated or uptight, a read of this book always helps me put things back into perspective.

I’m a firm believer in not sweating the small stuff: Not just the book, but the principal of it. Life’s way too brief and fleeting to always be tied up in minor details and insignificant issues. Save it for the big problems, I say.

This is a handy little guidebook that does well to serve as a constant reminder to keep things in perspective. I believe every household should have a copy of a book like Richard Carlson’s ‘Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff".

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One

Darren G. Burton

Review date : 2008-06-03
This book got me through my divorce without any emotional scares! Need I say more… This is a must read for just learning how to appreciate what you have in life rather than focussing on what you could have. Definitely a must read.

Review date : 2008-05-08
This book could have easily been titled: Basic Zen Buddhism for Suburbanites. If you look at the principles Richard Carlson teaches they are absolutely Zen 101 (albeit specifically tailored to a modern, western audience). Ideas such as living in the moment, non-attachment to the transitory nature of life, taking time to sit quietly each day (or as a well-known Soto Zen teacher once said, "Don’t just do something, sit there"), contemplating your own mortality as a method of keeping the events of your life in perspective… all of these are a part of basic Buddhist practice. While anyone who has practiced one of the eastern contemplative disciplines will find this old hat, these lessons are invaluable for the average person - I bought this for my new wife who tends to get obsessive when it comes to the little things. There’s a reason these ideas have been around for thousands of years - they work!

Review date : 2008-04-24
I think the title says it all, overall great book! I also recommend Mr Instability and which way both excellent reads.

Review date : 2008-04-20
In his book "Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff", author Richard Carlson, PH.D. offers witty and accessible stories emphasizing how life can be so much more fun by living a worry-free existence. Who knew? Carlson’s philosophy makes so much sense. Instead of giving each and every situation a `life and death’ urgency, Carlson suggests a gentler approach to life. He actually insists that life can be fun, and free from the mechanical, ritualistic reactions to every day life situations. In one of my favorite chapters in the book, Carlson discusses the relevance of `boredom’. He explains that we spend far too much energy distracting ourselves with superficial engagements, filling up our appointment books while we neglect to nurture our souls. Spending quiet time alone or with loved ones and enjoying each and every moment in life can be sufficiently engaging indeed.

Two of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane, also offer wonderful, engaging stories that help inspire me to lead a more fruitful, enriched life in their new book "Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment". In one of my favorite passages, Ariel and Shya discuss the importance of slowing down in order to be fully present within each moment of our lives. The Kanes suggest that instead of rushing through our daily activities, we can have greater fulfillment and enjoyment by "taking our time and being where you are". These truly enlightening books by Carlson and the Kanes suggest that life can be fun by taking the time to enjoy every moment of it! It seems easy- and guess what, it is!

When I?m not outdoors photographing — when the weather is poor or when I?m inspired by an object or floral bouquet — I take my work indoors. This article aims to inspire you to be creative with your own photography and to try to set up your own still lifes to create beautiful art.

Indoors, as outdoors, I usually work with natural light. For the most part, no special lights are required for beautiful indoor photographs if you have a nice sunny window. In my house, the light in the eastern sun room is nicely diffused in the afternoon and this serves as a good start for lighting the scene. Lighting an indoor scene is very different from catching the proper light outdoors. Sometimes, I will use artificial light when the light levels are particularly low, for example, if I have decided to work at the wrong time of day to take advantage of the lighting in the sun room. For artificial lighting, I use my sunlamp which does a great job of imitating the sun for my moods and for my flower images. You can experiment with candles and other soft household lights too. I often use reflectors and diffusers to balance the light and highlight certain aspects of a scene. You can use a white sheet, tin foil, or colored fabric rather than fancy professional equipment to accomplish the same thing. For example, in a Christmas still-life on which I have been working, I am using a gold foil bag underneath the subject to reflect light up, get rid of shadows, and enhance that holiday glow.

I don?t generally use a tripod when I am working outdoors, but the lower level of light indoors makes it a necessity if I don?t want to use a flash. Since I am focused on one general subject in the middle of my table, I don?t mind keeping my camera stationery. When I am in a garden, I prefer to move around without the tripod. (Though, sometimes I will use a tripod outdoors if I have a particularly interesting flower and want to spend a lot of time with it or if the lighting conditions call for a slower shutter speed with a more open aperture.) A tripod allows you to hold the camera perfectly still for long periods of time. You can then keep your shutter open for longer periods without getting any blur from shaking hands.

As a garden photographer, I aim to include flowers in all the work I do. I like to set up still life images of found objects that delight me and will hopefully interest the viewer of my photographs. Setting up plants indoors gives me more flexibility to pick the ?proper? angle at which to photograph them. I set up my tripod and move single potted plants around in circles on my ?studio? table (a folding card table) trying to find the plant?s best side. I take single blooms and do the same or cluster them with other single blooms and leaves to make an arrangement. I sometimes use objects to play off the flowers, as I am doing now in the holiday card series on which I am working. You can use any items that appeal to you to create an interesting subject.

I start with colors and objects that I think will look nice together. I sometimes have an idea of how I will set them up together, but more often than not, I use serendipity to start arranging objects and then see what comes of it. As I look at an arrangement and snap away, I start to reposition one object at a time, ending up with a totally different arrangement than the one with which I started. I use different backdrops and table cloths. And sometimes, I bring in new objects from my personal things when an idea hits. The objects with which I start are usually purchased especially for the occasion and become part of my treasures for future still lifes. I usually take about 50 photographs in an hour when I work this way and come up with two or three that I really like and perhaps one special treasure. I have had three sessions of holiday stills like this in the past week and only have one photo that will make it to my Christmas cards.

I hope that you can use some of these tips to create your own unique still lifes. Think outside of the box about lighting and indoor subjects to create beautiful art using natural light indoors. Please see some of my still lifes in my ?Dining with Flowers? gallery at http://www.melissamannonphotography.com/dininggallery.php and more in my general galleries on my web site.

Melissa Mannon is a garden and nature photographer. Her photographs of children in the garden are exceptional for their sensitivity to the subject and artistic quality. She is the Autumn 2006 winner of the Writers’ Journal’s photography contest for her image In the Gazebo. Her indoor photographs have received recognition and commendation for their simple beauty and artistic creativity. Visit her web site at http://www.melissamannonphotography.com

Price : $3.58

Amazon.com

Change can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. The message of Who Moved My Cheese? is that all can come to see it as a blessing, if they understand the nature of cheese and the role it plays in their lives. Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable that takes place in a maze. Four beings live in that maze: Sniff and Scurry are mice–nonanalytical and nonjudgmental, they just want cheese and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Hem and Haw are littlepeople, mouse-size humans who have an entirely different relationship with cheese. It’s not just sustenance to them; it’s their self-image. Their lives and belief systems are built around the cheese they’ve found. Most of us reading the story will see the cheese as something related to our livelihoods–our jobs, our career paths, the industries we work in–although it can stand for anything, from health to relationships. The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese, and be prepared to go running off in search of new sources of cheese when the cheese we have runs out.

Dr. Johnson, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and many other books, presents this parable to business, church groups, schools, military organizations–anyplace where you find people who may fear or resist change. And although more analytical and skeptical readers may find the tale a little too simplistic, its beauty is that it sums up all natural history in just 94 pages: Things change. They always have changed and always will change. And while there’s no single way to deal with change, the consequence of pretending change won’t happen is always the same: The cheese runs out. –Lou Schuler

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-07-29
This is a great book to give you perspective on change. I highly recommend it.

Review date : 2008-07-08
Forget the little red book by Mao, We have a new mind numbing, thought control written device out there pushed among the working class. As it has been stated before..it truly is sobering that an American of any socio-economic status, level of wealth or educational background would be INSPIRED by this corporate tripe. Here’s a thought for the cheese heads out there, has it occurred to you to move the " cheese provider " out of the picture and therefore the total dependence maze?..make your own cheese on further discovery out from the maze that was made specifically to control you? OR…perish the thought…maybe have more choices in your actual consumption other than cheese?

I understand that the book only addresses the need for accepting change but doesn’t one’s thoughts automatically leap to then who is the change maker?? Part of my offense to this little book is it’s simplistic approach to life modifying decisions by OTHERS. Stepping back however, this book speaks volumes for the contempt corporate America has for redefining intelligent thought, decent & breaking linear either/or thinking, coupled with a current generation that turns out more votes for some lounge singer element on TV than in some civic elections in this nation. Unbelievable

Review date : 2008-06-26
I am grateful to all the reviewers that tried to save money and anxiety and anger for other people or potential readers of this book, by advising against buying it. I find all such comments are very interesting and very inspiring, which are elements you would never find in this book. In particular, I am grateful to the review entitled Show Me the Cheese by Bruce Silveman. It is such a wonderful review which should be published by major newspapers like New York Times and Washington Post. And we can read here for free! This book is an attempt to trash our culture, to put everything valuable we inherited from the past in a dumpster and sell some real garbage as the latest invention of once in a life time. This book and many other books such as the Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Shack, and the book insults God which I don’t want to mention here, are all part of effort to show that man can be better off by themselves without the divine guidance of Jesus. Everything in the Western society in the last two hundred years are part of the development of that ideology. Just wait, you will read things worse than this!

Review date : 2008-06-20
The book is a quick read and reread. A good reminder of how we MUST flow with change in our lives.

Review date : 2008-06-02
A short easy listen giving great insight on what happens if you fight change. I for one had difficulty accepting changes that I didn’t want, this book presented a new perspective and insight.

Hi all. So what if I don’t know to blog? I have come on the block. Oh! No, this is not me telling. You know I was pushed into blogging when I just became aware of the word. And the words above are the generous advice of that pusher. He is a friend of long standing. If I have to blame him, I have to blame for reasons that are countless. You know he is such an affable fella and a friendly devil kinda guy that you can’t blame him even when you want to. Secretly I confessed to the fact that for many things I am today, he is the person that can take credit.

After all why should he do it to me or is he just kind to me alone? He is a couple of years older than I. he was a form ahead of me in school too. He, as I know was the most bubly and chirpy guy as a school boy. Oh! My…he was talking from anything to every thing though the topics naturally were limited to our age bound world. The games, dresses he had purchased from his pocket money and that blue skirt of our teacher. I did really enjoy the moments he used to narrate all these in his inimitable style, sometimes exaggerating sometiimes in an emotional voice. I don’t remember disliking or objecting to anything except for that one day when he described the length of his teacher’s legs. I was a bit frieghtened as I protested. He laughed at me first and then just switched over.

He was not like it as I knew. This thing bugged me all night long. I can’t express what exactly I should call the thoghts that crawled my mind. But it is also true that appreciation for him surfaced strongly. But it never occured to me that he was growing up. Or was he grown up already?

More than anything else what brought me to adore him was his integrity. For some reason or the other I could not go to school or play without him. With him by my side, I felt safer always. He made fun off me, ragged me. But as always, his pranks showed me I had to grow more.

Now, in retrospect I think of him. He is coming back to our town after 32 years. They moved south after he finished high school. Later he called me to tell he had to give up further schooling for pursuing some job. He married a southerner taller than his own self. He built a home there and grew mango trees all around. This brings an incidence back to memory. In the mango season, while returning from school, we had to pass by a mangrove. And there was a hefty watchman gaurduing it. But my friend was all too clever for him. He used to yell and coo standing infront of the gate as if somebody else was trying to thieve mangoes and he wanted to alert the watchman. My friend was so quick to sense if the watchman wasn’t around when he didn’t turn up immediately. He would dash in, in big strides and whew.. would pluck a few mangoes. Always more for him and one or two for me. I didn’t dare ask why.

He is coming to me. To see me. He couldn’t even attend my marriage. He just sent a condolence letter when my dad expired. This had disturbed me deeply as I needed him besides me when I thought the world was getting washed away from under my feet. When he called up to tell he is coming here, it relieved me. I didn’t ask any more questions.

I recieved him at the airport. My wife was all curious about him as she just knew him through my narrations. he was looking more aged than he actually was.A very thin grey patch on his pate. He just grinned to me but still I could sense the affection unaltered.

Back home, he gave a shocker. He had blood cancer in the advanced stage. Over many coffees he narrated his story. He had lost hopes. His only daughter refused to see him for long time now for just he did not like her fiance. The boy belonged to a rich family. For once, he appeared to be seeking my suggestion. His days were numbered. He had built a big estate that he didn’t just want to give it to his daughter or waste it. Even at his lurking death, it filled me with gratitude coz he was asking me for suggestion. My wife was watching him, tears filled in her eyes, as he shoved the registration papers of his estate. He made all properties in my name.

He didn’t give me any chance to refuse it. For nth time it reminded me why I adored him. He had all the faith in me. He had calculated everything in advance. He familiarised me with his properties, business dealings, and the charity that he started of late and requested me to continue. He didn’t want to do all these at his death bed. I could not stop revering him for all that he is. A friend, a philosopher, a guide, and a brother. I am jumping into blogging (I hope this is not blogging) just because my thoughts can be understood by some soul just like him, on the net.

The author Rajgopal has been writing on technical matters and in this avtar he gave up tags that confine to particular genre of writing. Rajgopal is a mechanical engineer and served the pharmaceutical industry. Of late he has been putting his efforts in to creative art and healthcare writing. Here he looks in to the nostalgic aspect of humanity. He can be contacted at http://alevoorrajgopal.blogspot.com He is also writing at: http://vitamineh.blogspot.com

Price : $7.90

Product Description

Fans of John Leguizamo’s smash-hit one-man shows (Mambo Mouth, Spic-o-rama, Freak, and Sexaholix) have already gotten a glimpse into his life, but this book tells the whole story, carrying readers along on a wild journey from his childhood in Queens to his current home at the top of the Hollywood pyramid. An acclaimed director, producer, and play-wright, and one of the highest-paid Latin actors in the world, Leguizamo shares the stories behind his many roles—what inspired them and what transpired as he created them—while dishing on his personal relationships with his family, friends, and celebrity colleagues. Here is both an intimate self-portrait and a unique behind-the-scenes look at the magic and chaos of stardom, a keenly intelligent and insanely funny book that celebrates a remarkably talented artist’s greatest achievement: growing up Latino in America and succeeding on his own terms.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-02-11
While I LOVE LOVE LOVE this man, from head to toe, this book left me a little (shoulder hunch). I could forget about it. I found it interesting, funny, and John, but I felt like the title had nothing to do with the book.

Review date : 2007-08-31
This book is very much like John Leguizamo’s show’s - introspective and intersting. While I didn’t think it was too hard-hitting against his fellow thespians, I enjoyed an inside perspective into the real lives of Hollywood actors. I also really enjoyed that Leguizamo shared his failures and weaknesses. It was clever, funny, and sad all at once. A true John Leguizamo experience.

Review date : 2007-03-09
I can’t complain at all about this book. John Leguizamo is hilarious. I felt like I was sitting front row at one of his stand up comedies. He talks about his struggles and some ‘beefs’ he has with actors I certainly never knew about. I also admired the way he was completely honest about every role he played and every person he worked with.

Review date : 2007-03-04
I am a huge John Leguizamo fan. My son introduced me to him because of his love for Leguizamo’s short lived TV show House of Buggin. In addition to his films, we have seen him perform Freak on Broadway and John Leguizam Live before it was renamed Sexaholic. With a background like that, I found this autobiography to be very revealing and entertaining. However, as a long time librarian I am very familiar with how people react to book titles when they are unfamiliar with the author or the subject matter. And just as Leguizamo acknowledges bad career choices and mistakes that he has made in his career to date, I am afraid that he will have to eventually accept the fact that his unfortunate title choice has repelled rather than attracted many potential readers. By doing so, he has missed a golden opportunity to use this entertaining vehicle to expand his fan base.

Review date : 2007-01-16
THIS BOOK WAS NOT AS JUICY AS I WAS ECPECTING…. IT WAS FUNNY AND READ WITH ENJOYMENT BUT IT WAS EASY TO PUT DOWN AND FORGET ABOUT! IT WAS OK

When your life becomes unbearable
And the light of promise ceases to glow,
When all your dreams and aspirations
Lie dormant on ambition’s death row.

When you feel that all is hopeless,
Life troubles just seem to abound.
When those you thought were supporters
Are suddenly nowhere to be found;

When weary from the struggle of trying
And you wonder to yourself, What?s the use?
You fight on to do the best that you can
But once again, all hell breaks loose.

When things in your life become disjointed
And everything you touch turns stale.
When nerves are on edge from life’s pressures,
And there’s no breath with which to exhale.

When the road you are traveling gets bumpy
And the hills become harder to climb,
When the going gets tougher and tougher
And persist for a considerably long time.

Remember, it’s not what you expect from life,
But rather, what life expects from you.
When the wind of quandary blows your way,
Life wants to see just how well you’ll do.

You see, life is really like playing a game.
To win, you must play as it dictates.
If you follow its built-in survival rules,
Your troubles will miraculously dissipate.

So when you near the end of your rope
When your back is pressed to the wall.
When you’re trapped all around by conditions
And you can scarcely move around at all.

Don’t give up and wave surrender’s flag.
Don’t succumb to the goads of strife.
Don’t hang your head in resignation,
Don’t stop playing this game called life.

Just confront your troubles head on;
Face them all in prayer one by one.
You’ll learn after a long or short while
The game of life can surely be won.

For your power will suddenly increase;
Your strength to fight on, He’ll renew.
God will not forsake His own blessed child;
He cannot and will not fail you.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul’s Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

Price : $3.05

Product Description

Ever since his astonishing victory in the 1991 PGA Championship, John Daly has enthralled fans with his big drives, bigger personality, and his grip it and rip it approach to golf . . . and to life. Usually seen with a cigarette dangling from his lip, Long John is the unchained, unpredictable, unapologetic bad boy of professional golf.

My Life In and Out of the Rough is the thrillingly—and sometimes shockingly—candid memoir of a larger-than-life athlete battling assorted addictions (alcohol, gambling, chocolate, sex), his weight, and divorce lawyers (having been married four times). Carrying readers off the fairway and into his $1.5-million motor home, Daly takes us on a rollicking ride through his ever-churning world of burgers, booze, casinos, country music, and breathtaking moon shots—and reveals how a down-home Arkansas Everyman rose to the pinnacle of the golf world, escaped from the depths of abject depression, and, ultimately, took control of his life.

Well, sort of . . .

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-07-13
This is a sad autobiography from a man who could have excelled at a sport but failed to. He is admittedly self-destructive and the story is not all that fascinating. I’m glad I bought a used copy for very little.

Review date : 2007-11-29
What an awesome book. I think I read this in a day! I couldn’t put it down. John is sure a good ole boy!

Review date : 2007-08-07
First off I must tell you that I am a fan of John Daly and his incredible natural talents. This book uncovered every detail of John’s life from a kid, through two major wins, and onto where he is today. I enjoyed every page and was glad to see John tell it like it is. This book is an easy read, partly because it carries a 4th grade reading level. However, the book does a good job of revealing all the truths. Yes, most readers may have different views on John’s alcoholic dependance, but one thing is for sure John didn’t hide the details. If you are a fan of John or find yourself amused by watching his up and down golf game, then this book is for you!

Review date : 2007-07-01
John Daly has interested me for a long time. I suppose the
whole under-dog thing, going up against the odds, etc. But
I really enjoyed reading this book. Thought it was an easy read
and well written since it was refreshingly naked in terms of
a person just showing all there is to show. I would recommend
it especially since it is so opposite of the whole stuffy
professional golf player fraternity.

Review date : 2007-06-03
I have to say that after reading some of the reviews, I’m almost ashamed to write my own. But unlike some of the reviews, I’ll spare you any moral soapboxing on my part and not judge the man. Quite simply, the book sheds considerable light on the life (both the good and the bad) of a guy who happens to be a well-known professional golfer. Kudos to John for having the courage to share much of his private life with the public. John’s not a saint and doesn’t pretend to be (and pretty much says so in the book). He candidly admits to a plethora of self destructive indulgences and decisions yet balances such with discussion about many of his commendable deeds. His honesty is refreshing. He talks about sex, love, alcohol, anger, guilt, determination, etc. He’s human for God’s sake!

I gave it four stars because it’s an easy read and is written in a style suitable for the content. And if you’re interested in learning about the life of John Daly, the content serves its purpose quite well. It’s both entertaining and informative. It’s not meant to win a literary prize. I enjoyed it for what it is - a good book.

Catherine Withers was born in Bristol, to parents Joy & Pete
And as she grew, she turned into, a child so kind and sweet.
Time passed some more, and then before you knew it, she was older
Her journey throughout school and such, made her character much bolder.
Encouraged on, she progressed through life, with job training along the way
Reaching a stage, where promotion was made, to Catherine, one day.
In time, you?ll see, the head she will be, whatever her chosen career
Nothing better, for this go-getter, who people love so dear.
Enjoying swimming and badminton too, and listening to Enya and such

With a collection of Camberwick Green characters ? enjoyed very much.
In a case, they display, a wonderful array ? of detail and colour so fine
These are her pride and joy ? a grand collection built up over time.
Her favourite foods are chinese and curry - whilst watching something funny
Enjoying holidays ? with a bit of culture and maybe somewhere sunny.
Right now, she?s really enjoying life ? and she?s happy as she is
So, to you Catherine - know we all love you ? and don?t ever lose your fizz!

I have been writing poetry for many years and regularly have it published in print. My poetry is published by Forward Press and in many other publications. So I’m now putting my poetry online.

I’m married to my husband Peter. I publish my poetry on my Blog jo-hale-poetry at jo-hale-poetry.blogspot.com/ and on 8hop.com My poetry on 8hop.com. I also have information about my poetry at www.squidoo.com/jo-hale-poetry.