D-A Books

One of the best reference books I've come across, for System Dynamics. The topics are covered with minimum of mathematical formalism (complemented by very intuitive explanation). Being foreign to this discipline, Parts 2 & 3 of this book help you get the gist of what this discipline is all about (causal loop diagrams, stocks & flows, positive and negative feedback loops). Part 3 is the most interesting/engaging part of the book for beginners to this subject area: dynamics of growth. You can jump to topics of interest without discontinuity: For those with technology management responsibility, Chapter 10.4 (Positive feedback and how it impacts corporate growth) is a must read.

I wish our high schools cover this discipline. I definitely go back to this book from time to time whenever I'm spending time thinking about process improvements, internal policy or strategy design. Glad I came across this book!

Este libro contiene información de vanguardia y vital en el desarrollo de las prácticas avanzadas de dirección por procesos. Cualquier ejecutivo que se considere experto en operaciones, deberá incluir este documento como base para sus trabajos.

This book is really impressive. Is an eye opener. Must read for Industrial Engineering Students, must have for professors and great addition for a professional looking for new ideas.

"Business Dynamics" is a great book leading the knowledge seeking "fresh" system dynamicist into the field of SD and the experienced system dynamicist can use it as a knowledge pool.

John Sterman removes the theoretical barriers and brings SD to real life as he goes along known complex questions in order to understand them through the use of System Dynamics and Systems Thinking.

Learning and getting more experienced in System Dynamics and the use for daily problem solving is a dynamic and evolving process of wisdom with lots of feedback and "Business Dynamics" is the right companion in getting deeper insights in order to achieve the goals.

Best regards

Ralf

Excellent guide to systems thinking, clear examples, clear thinking and very interesting conclusions reached. highly recommended

As a professional in the field I whole heartedly recommend to you Dr. Doug Rosenau's landmark work "A Celebration of Sex". While there are a number of books written on the subject of sexuality from a Christian perspective, there are very few that address the subject with the level of insight, clinical accuracy, and Biblical soundness as Dr. Rosenau's work. If you struggle with sexual difficulties in your marriage, are on the path of recovery from sexual abuse/ rape, or just could use some good, Godly, information about the sexual part of your life: THIS BOOK will HELP you. Doug is not only a tremendous author and skilled Christian Sex Therapist, but a quality man of integrity as well. You can also find resources at [...]

Having grown up in a conservative Christian context, sexual activities apart from the Missionary Position were often tainted by feelings of guilt. This book helped to embrace my sexuality and get rid of my baggage of Christian frigidness.

But be warned: In this book you will be encouraged to touch yourself, to explore and play, and to - yes - actually *celebrate* sex without a guilty conscience. The book even includes hand-drawn pictures of various positions, which, though nothing extraordinary for sex guides in general, might almost be revolutionary for the conservative Christian.

The book also helped my wife and me to openly *talk* about the details of sex, about our own sexual feelings or lack thereof, etc.

For the non-religious reader, this book is possibly still too unprogressive and has too many references to an Evangelical worldview, but it's a great tool for liberating Christians from sexual legalism and undue guilt.

This book is a great tool for married couples. It brings clarity to questions and issues that may otherwise go unexplored due to emparassment or fear. It has given a fresh perspective to a loving relationship and a sense of wholeness. I would highly recommend it to couples who want to increase communication with one another and to couples who are newly married.

This book was Great, not only did it keep my interest, but it was very helpful and i would sudjest it to any married couple (with or without relational struggles). This book gives great advice, and has many strong points giving the reader an understanding as well as a level of relation as many of the situations the reader will be able to relate too. Buy the book or Borrow it! it's an important part of every marriage.

What an incredible book! This was required reading for a counseling course but it's purpose served more than that. Roseneau does an incredible job of communicating how beautiful & sacred an intimate relationship with your spouse should be. God created man and woman to please one another in many ways in addition to intercourse and this book does a great job of instructing couples how to deepen their sexual intimacy.This is definitely worth your money! Roseneau also has a Newlywed version and an over 50 version.

This is the best book. Lot's of info on how to raise them and take care of them.

If you want to raise clownfish or just want to know everything about them, this is definitely the book for you. I lost my copy and tore my house apart to find it and finally had to purchase a new one - just can't live without it.
For raising clownfish, she covers everything from spawning, hatching, catching, feeding, raising food, illnesses, selling, etc. It's amazing how many times I've had a problem, looked in the book, and she wrote about it.
This is definitely 'the bible' for raising clownfish.

it was really informative. I feel when i am ready i may be able to mate my clowns successfully with confidence. i also appriciate the background the author went into.

This reads well and has great background on breeding clownfishes. It gives you the right level of detail to understand what you will have to do to be successful. I have been breeding clownfish with this and another book as my guides and this is the better one of the two. The other is more detailed but so scientific it is confusing. This one is reasonable as a resource. I have an M.A. in aquatic botany so I understand jargon, but breeding fish is a practical activity for many of us, not a scientific research endeavor. You'll like this as a resource if breeding these interesting fish.

Good luck

Tim

Of the many books i got, this is by far the most detailed. Also because it focuses on one kind of fish i guess.
pretty detailed info is available on the various clownfish types, some of the behaviours are also listed to understand your pet a little better.

not a book focussed on filling pages for sure. however, a bit more was expected for detailed trouble shooting issues concerned to behaviours.

overall a nice book if you want to get to know your clown or the anemones.

This book is beautiful in words and illustrations. I purchased it for only a 2 and 4 year old. They will need some years to grow into it, however this is no problem since it is a timeless book.

This is a fabulous collection of Norse Myths. They are written to be enjoyed by young people as well as adults. The D'Aulaire illustrations are wonderful. I have used this book for teaching and just to enjoy the myths for myself. A great addition to any personal or educational library.

An interesting retelling of classic Norse myths accompanied by lovely artwork that looks like it was done using a combination of pastels and watercolors. For "serious" scholars of Norse mythology, this book isn't 100% "accurate" in that it's a much lighter take on a mythos that runs to the dark and scary but is great way to introduce children to a mythology they don't normally learn about in school.

Sure, the Norse Gods book ends like an Eden, with the new men loving "The Almighty God". True.

I am one of those pagan/witch/Wiccan/Asatrus (whatever label you want to give me is fine, to me it's all religion). I got this book to learn more about the Norse pantheon in a way that stimulating to me via nostalgic childhood artwork. I love this book. I can bypass the Christian stuff in the front and back of the book (I mean, Christians are the majority religion in this country, so I assume most people are ok with how the stories are). What I am left with is a great group of stories I can enjoy and share with my kids someday. The more graphic bits are watered down as not to scare off younger kids (though they are Vikings and Thor is constantly warring with a giant or some other person or thing). Even the story of Freyja's necklace is written in a way where the main part of the story is intact without getting too suggestive for young kids.

I love the pictures and learning they were made with stones. I look forward to getting the Greek Myths in this series too. I think Christian and Pagan alike would get a lot out of this volume.

I've been reading this book to my kids each night at bedtime. My 7-year old loves it. A great introduction to the Norse Myths. Well written and great illustrations as well.

For someone who has studied biblical languages, A DEADLY UNDERSTANDING is a fresh challenge to look at the commonalities in the sacred books of Christianity and of Islam. The author has woven together theological and word-meaning studies with a story of his using his studies through interactions with Christians and Muslims.

For the last several years, my wife and I have hosted high school age Muslim exchange students from Europe and the Middle East. We do so intentionally. Our only 'agenda' is to learn from these students (we are middle-age baby boomers and empty nesters). We recognized years ago that the misunderstanding between the Christian west (primarily) and the nations and people of Islam were in fact, "deadly" and frankly, unnecessary.

Misunderstanding are opportunities for deliberate, intentional efforts to bridge the divide. Mark Sijlander's book is a fascinating journey that has taken him into contact with people, in strange places, in extraordinary circumstances, coupled with a persistent determination to be 'ordinary' and develop relationships that make an enduring contribution to establishing common ground among God's people.

Early in Sijlander's book, he discovers what has become perfectly clear to my wife and I:

"Something was profoundly wrong here, and I had the sense I just stumbled over what it was. It was the interpersonal relationships that were missing. We weren't engaging with these people person to person." (p.21). As my wife says in regard to our own experience with the blessing of living with Muslim exchange students, "we have seen the myths melt in our living room."

This book is certainly the chronicle of a spiritual sojourner as well. Sijlander evolves from a right wing fundamentalist to a follower of Jesus compelled by His love of Christ to take risks that only few would consider. However, simply by "trusting in the message we had to bring, and in the impulse to offer friendship, with no strings attached." (p.96).

The results of this approach to befriending others, sharing common theological beliefs, and honoring our respective faith persuasions is a testimony for the necessity to champion tolerance, understanding and religious pluralism --- in a world where the airwaves are dominated by the words and actions of relgious extremists of any and all flavors.

Yet, Sijlander's approach demands attention. As he writes, "These three words --- I am sorry --- are a foundation for beginning again, a small price to pay for restoring lost trust, and a necessary first step in moving forward constructively." (p.98).

I recommend this book. It is particularly important for Christians who do not understand the common ground we share theologically with Muslims regarding Jesus (Isa in the Qu'ran).

Thanks to Julie Burton at HarperOne and Mark Sijlander for this significant contribution. I will read this book again during the next 12 months and recommend it to others. This book maps out some superb coordinates for the way ahead.

This is fascinating reading for all who are concerned about the world of Islam, Christianity, exploring ancient texts and how a bridge between people of faith is already occurring. It is an incredible journey of a politician, a man of faith facing his own questions, assumptions, prejudices regarding Islam and Christianity that have led him into the most unbelievable situations and circumstances.

A friend of mine in Washington recommended this book to me as a must read. I have to say that I do not think that I have read a more important book in the last few years that has serious implications for all peoples of faith, government and civil servants and diplomats. This book is about "a deadly misunderstanding dividing our world today that need not do so tomorrow." It is about common ground that we all share that will be key to our future of living together.

This is story of a passionate, Republican who's words almost got him killed. He tracks his time in Congress with what was happening in the world, particularly in the Islamic world and how this world and his world would more and more intertwine. He develops personal relationships with key Islamic and government leaders as well as Islamic friends which affects the way he looks at the world. It is also a book of humility as Congressman Siljander journeys back into his culture, his religious views, his upbringing and recognizes his worldview has been too narrow.

He starts looking at and studying the life of Jesus, particularly in Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke. He found some startling discoveries.

"A Deadly Misunderstanding" shows that if our diplomacy, our communication and our policies from the western world governments are not significantly altered, a minority of radical Islamist are going to increase in strength and the war on terror will continue to spread like wildfire. This book is the first book in a long time that comes up with some potential solutions regarding this bridge between people of faith that has given me hope. You will see diplomacy and things taking place behind the scenes that will be an encouragement to you.

I agree. This is a must-read book.

I am not altogether the most completely qualified person to evaluate this book (however, neither are many others who have contributed their nonethess useful views about what Mark Siljander has written), but my own careful reading of the Holy Qur'an in meticulously precise translations has led me to suspect that most Muslims do not understand the full import of what Muhammad conveyed in the Quran. Even reading it in responsible English translation (e.g. the fine old Sales or Abdallah Yousuf Ali translations) reveals just how close the Quran is to the Old Testament, the New Testament Gospels, and to non-canonical Judaeo-Christian sources (O.T. deutero-canonical, Pseudepigraphal, and N.T. Apocryphal writings), and to much of the teachings and lore of the Orthodox and Oriental Eastern Christian Churches.

As this former Congressman, author Mark D. Siljander (who also had valuable experience as a diplomat), and his joint-author John David Mann discovered, I found during my mission to Istanbul and, more importantly, to the Turkish sector of Kurdistan (late 1997) under joint Kurdish partisan and Independent Lutheran auspices, that Muslims are surprisingly open to Christian witness that focuses upon Bible and Quran alike, and especially upon the often surprisingly great level of authority of Jesus for Muhammad and his followers. Fortunately, I already had read the eye-opening book, Sharing Your Faith With A Muslim, by Abdiyah Akbar Abdul-Haqq (Bethany House, 1980, available from Amazon and written from a believing Christian standpoint), which, along with this book, I strong commend to those who wish to follow up these connexions and which a reasonably well-informed Christian layman, without special training, can understand with some concentration and effort. There are at least several more books on this subject, which I have in my own personal book collection, but which certainly are of a more arcane and difficult level to read.

For those who wish to read about the book by this kindly former Congressman (with extensive quotes from it) before purchase, I would refer the potential buyer to the article about it ("Bridging the Islam-Christian Divide: Former Congressman Seeks to Correct a Deadly Misunderstanding", by Michael Ireland, in, among other periodical sources, Christian News (ISSN 0009-5516), vol. 46, no. 30 (28 July 2008), pg. 8-10, deriving from the ASSIST News Service. A later pair of essay reviews, Thomas Pfotenhauer's "Who Has the Real Jesus, Islam or Christianity?: Mark D. Siljander Thinks [That] It Could Be Both" and an unsigned reply, presumably by Herman Otten, "Only Christianity Has the Real Jesus", which also appeared in Christian News, in vol. 46, no. 46, on p. 14-15 (written for C.N., rather than taken from a syndicated press service), was disappointingly uncomprehending in some ways, although not entirely without some good points to make, especially if compared to many far more obtuse and worthlessly negative comments and reviews printed elsewhere concerning Siljander and his book.

There have been many vicious and slanderous attacks on Mark Siljander and this book of his on the part of Zionists (alike observant Jews, secular zio-nationalists, and so-called "Christian Zionists"). Their motives of stirring up fear, strife, and loathing between Muslim peoples, regions, and nations, on the one hand, and the prevailingly Christian (and post-Christian) West, on the other, have more to to do with promoting (so it seems to them) the interests of the Israeli state by such base propaganda than with serving the interests of truth and peace. This is not the forum to deal at length with such crass manipulation in the media, but the reading public at large should be aware of such efforts of Zionists and of their putatively Christian allies to discredit Siljander and to defame or vilify Islam.

The real crux (forgive the pun!) of the problem, as I, Siljander himself, and some others perceive it, is that there has been a disconnexion between what the Qur'an states and what Muslims themselves (as well as their adversaires) perceive to be its genuine meaning. Atop that, there are passages in the Qur'an that are ambiguous or obscure in meaning which Muslims have tended to interpret in a manner contrary to orthodox Christian teaching, but which such passages do not necessarily bear as a sole or correct exegesis thereof. These divergences between Islamic doctrine (as opposed to the message of the Qur'an itself) only serve to "widen the divide" between Christians and Muslims in ways that are not helpful. Abdul-Haqq and Siljander (only to consider two books at a level accessible to non-specialists) reconcile many Christian and Muslim differences in treating these issues.

Muslim "Fundamentalists" have misread the Qur'an as badly as many Christians have done so. Two such areas of blatant misinterpretation concern "Jihad" and the respective roles and norms of gender-specific dress, conduct, and social roles. Siljander deals especially well with the former, explaining what I myself was able to discern right from my first complete reading of the Holy Qur'an, that "Jihad" has little to do with the combative pugnaciousness and violence of "Fundamentalist" Muslim "warriors" (violently militant "jihadists") for the cause who resort to guerilla and even terrorist tactics and to the rhetoric of hate, vindictiveness, and coërcion. Christians should not abet such ill-informed zealots by accepting, unquestioned, their vision of Islam and of what is appropriate to propagate it.

As for thorny matters of gender and sexuality, believers in Islam should attempt to understand and to apply what the Qur'an teaches about men's dress, modesty (not just for the ladies, according to the Islam's supremely definitive Sacred Text!), mutual deference, fidelity, and so forth. Even regarding homosexuality, the Qur'an (unlike too much of the Sunna, a.k.a. Hadith, and of the Shar'ia law), while severe in its comments and prescriptions, is less dire than the Old Testament's death-sentence edicts for some manifestion(s) of gay and lesbian sexual behaviour.

Given how inadequately Islamic tradition and jurisprudence concur with the spirit, and even with the letter, of the Qur'an, I can understand how one distinguished but still youthful Kurd, whom I have known in Diyarbakir and elsewhere, insisted that Islam must move to a "Qur'an only" basis of doctrine and precepts, casting the Hadith aside for determining what is normative in Islam, to reopen what Muslims term "ijtihad" (a phenomenon and concept which Siljander mentions explicitly only on p. 208, but which he implies throughout) to considerations entirely Qur'anic, apart from the sort of encrusted traditions that have distanced Islam unduly from Christianity! Sadly, too few Muslims share that brilliant young man's insights.

The greatest divide, the one of most significance, between Christianity and Islam, surely is the relative weight in each of Grace and of Law. Christianity, above all, is a religion of Grace, of the reconciliation of sinful man with the demands of an all-Holy God. While the Sovereign Grace of God is by no means a concept absent in Islam, the Qur'an emphasises Law and pious precepts to such an extent (and the Sunna often yet further) that it is hardly surprising that legalism and scrupulosity, obsession with the Shar'ia, dominate Islam. In Christianity, the sinner has the objective resort to God's provision, through Christ's propitiatory sacrifice of Infinite extent (because of His Divinity), of Grace to apply to cover a believer's sin, without in any way impugning God's perfect Holiness and His demand for complete perfection. God is both Holy and Compassionate in Islam, but, in the ultimate analysis, there is no adequate provision in Islam, according to its most Sacred Text, for reconciliation of man, inevitably a sinner, with God without loss of divine total (not merely relative) severity towards sin. This is the greatest divide between Islam and the Christian faith with which, unfortunately, Siljander does not deal adequately in what is otherwise so fine and probing a study of Islam.

In his eagerness to overcome barriers between Christians and Muslims and between their faiths (or shared faith from different angles, as Siljander views it), the sectarianly Protestant views of the book's author do not take into account some formidable hurdles for more traditionally Catholic Christians (especially for Roman and Uniate Catholics, Old Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, as well as some Anglican and Lutheran Christians and, partly, those of the non-Chalcedonian Oriental Churches). For us, Siljander's blithely stated dismissal of the pertinence and crucial importance for Catholic-minded Christians entailing such criteria as the Oecumenical Creeds, absolute Trinitarian and Christological orthodoxy, the Visible Church (Christ's corporate Body on Earth, the Holy Ministry, etc.), the sacraments (lacking in Islam) as objectively efficacious and normative means of grace, the authority of Oecumenical Councils, and so forth, is unacceptable.

The stripped-down and individualistic Christianity of sectarianism (of the "Fundamentalists", the "Neo-Evangelicals", the "Charismatics" or "Pentecostalists", the "Cambellites", the "Adventists", the "Methodists", and of others) of Mark Siljaner and his pan-denominationalist co-religionists, and even of more decidedly "magisterial" Protestantism, can accomodate such unreconciled divides more readily than Catholic Christianity (broadly but not indiscriminatately defined) can tolerate the same with a good conscience. However, all Christians, if they ponder deeply and fully what Siljander, Abdul-Haqq, Bp. George K.A. Bell, and others like them have had to say and and to write about what Christianity and Islam share, should have a greater mutual understanding and respect than, sadly, they have tended to manifest in the past.

A number of fine Islamic scholars and activists currently active (e.g., Tariq Ramadan and Farid Esack) have militated for better understanding and "dialogue" of some kind between Muslims and Christians on questions of social issues, sexuality and gender, ideology, politics, tolerance, and other such issues, but Siljander and others who share his specifically religious motives deal with what is more fundamental, i.e. what the Qur'an and Bible say in common (to an amazingly large degree) and on what they differ (to surprisingly limited extent). For religious understanding, love of the souls of Muslims, and peace and harmony between the Christian and Muslim world and communities, books such as those by Siljander and Abdul-Haqq have an important role to play.

By going to Muslim leaders, Mark utilizes his ex-Congressman's "edge" while actually doing what Jesus (Isa) taught. There is a way to relate to our "enemies" with love, forgiveness, blessing or "doing good", as well as prayer for and with them. Westerners, especially we Evangelicals, need to learn "bridge-building" instead of war and enmity. Mark Siljander shows us how, and it works! With a few Arab partners, I provide a bridge-building Arabic language web site which has attracted more than 300,000 visitors. 85% of them are Muslims who want to dialogue with Christians to build bridges of relationship. Don't make war; make bridges of relationship. Mark Siljander will inspire you and require you to rethink your view of the Muslim world. I live in that world, and I plead with you - do it now! They need to hear from a friend!

Dr Robert Ballard will forever remain the man who found the Titanic. In so doing, he became the world's most famous ocean explorer who found the world's most famous ship.

It is not for me to inform readers of the story of the Titanic. Almost everyone grew up knowing something about that ship - even if the finer points of information they thought they knew were inaccurate.

Having then achieved the outstanding feat of finding this elusive shipwreck, Bob Ballard has put together the most complete - and yet again "outstanding," tale of search, discovery and finally success, coupled with an accurate portrayal of the life and death of the ship itself. All the facts and historic photographs are there - and, speaking as a professional shipwreck historian, he really has done the most thorough job of work here.

Finally, he has put together the most (and I deliberately use that word again) "outstanding" collection of artwork created by Ken Marschall. I may be wrong, but it seems to me nobody had heard of this artist until the first editions of this book appeared - now he is a household name amongst those in the know.

From thousands of photographic images taken far below the surface, Bob Ballard created montage after montage of the various sections and profiles of the wreck (i.e. big photographs made up of thousands of little photographs) so that Mr Marschall was able to provide us with paintings which look like single colour photographs of this and that section which go together to make up the entire wreck.

I congratulate Dr Ballard on an excellent and professional job of work. Altogether, the most outstanding book for which 5 stars are not enough.

NM

This book describes the discovery of the Titanic in a perfect way. Besides telling the sad story of her maiden voyage, that ended so tragically, Dr. Ballard describes his own struggle to complete his long time wish to find Titanic. He talks about troubles raising funds, the tragedy of almost losing the discovery to another expedition and the very exhaustive and mostly boring search. But also about the joy of finally finding the wreck and his emotions during all of this. All this is told from a integer point of view, also crediting the other people for their part in the discovery. The book includes many photographs and two nice full-color foldouts of the wreck. This new edition also includes a chapter in which Dr. Ballard comments on more recent visits, conducted by others, to the Titanic and his views on the (commercial) salvaging of Titanic wreckage.

The ever interesting Titanic lives on.

The best part about this book is almost being there with Ballard as this great ship is seen again by human eyes for the very first time in many decades. And of course the great images (both the actual pictures and the illustrations of how the parts of the wreck are situated on the bottom) that this book contains.

Very worth while if great historic event in general and the Titanic in particular are among your interests.

This is a sensational book.I have read this one quite a bit.
I love the bit where they find the boiler on the bottom of the ocean.
It talks about the trials they went through trying to find the elusive Titanic.Nobody had seen that ship since it sunk in 1912.
I have always loved reading about that ship,something about the whole story has fascinated me.
I think the era it all happened in,as well as the beauty of the ship itself.It certainly had a mystique of its own.
To look at the pictures of the ship how it has deteriorated over time is very ghostly.To see objects such as dolls heads and boots realy shows you the tragedy that once happened on a very cold night.
The stupidity to push the ship full speed through an iceberg field maked the mind boggle.Playing dice with all those lives,and to top it all off the lack of life boats on board.
Dr.Robert D. Ballard became a legend himself after the discovery of the most famous ship to ever hit the waves.

I bought this book soon after the hype brought on by the film. I have always been a history fan. The stories surrounding the fate of the Titanic have always intrigued me.

I knew of Ballard from previous expeditions that he had done. I have seen his work on The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel.

This book is well thought out. From the search in the early days to the actual discovery and exploration. It's amazing how Ballard was able to stick with it over the years and the difficult times.

The book is written more as a story than as a text book. Plenty of history. The underwater photos are magnificent. I read the book and just wonder at all the problems that they had to overcome. The setbacks. The failures. It's all here in an easy to read and follow book.

If you are at all interested in the Titanic and it's discovery, this is a good book to read.

This is awesome metaphors for hypnotic trances. Should only be utilized by someone trained in a professional manner.

This is "the manual" for different scripts for any style of practitioner and any type of client. If you can have only one book, this is the book to buy.

I have had the book for quite a few years now and have not been disappointed: almost every time I found in it what I wanted: It has to be said that its orientation leans more towards the clinical-medical applications,and therefore is more helpful in applications such as pain management, relief of clinical-medical conditions and palliative care, and its usefulness is not merely in terms of themes and scripts, it often suggests whole procedures, as in the case of hypnosis applied to pre-partum delivery-anxiety and preparation to manage pain during delivery; As others have said, it is a reference book, therefore the scripts and suggestions have to be developed by the practitioner, one cannot expect to be able to apply them to every case just as they are; but that is what a good professional does: tailor the intervention to the individuality of the client, and for that the book is a precious resource.

I've completely enjoyed reading this book and it will be added to my reference library of inductions and strategies. Dr. Hammond has provided a very necessary work that should be part of every Hypnotherapist toolbox! Very well laid out and explained in detail. This book I feel will remain one of my all time favorites!

:D

This book is a MUST have for the serious clinical hypnotherapist. I think my favorite part is that its not filled with lame "scripts" to follow. Rather it is a compilation of ideas of ways to approach many particular problems with many clients. And, for those of us who already understand that with each client what you say is so individual, this book is handy insomuch as it offers ideas...and good ones at that. Its sort of like having another hypnotherapist available to consult with.

This book is fun to read. It gives pretty accurate information about the jobs listed in it. I recommend it for someone who is career searching.

As a Workforce Development professional, I have administered a slew of career assessment instruments with varying success. Some of the newer quizzes and questionnaires aim to reveal the Dream Job: that one is best suited for. This job is also most likely to provide high job satisfaction. However, it is often difficult to find a job that fits both models.

Today's trend is to find a person's "calling." This is accomplished through paper and pencil tests like the Keirsey Temperament or Meyers-Briggs, online surveys, and even some effective card-sorting games. Some online measurements reveal one's "work personality" as being closest to a particular Star Trek® or Star Wars® character. These are fun, though a bit gimmicky - and not always correct. In the end, all this "work personality determination" can seem akin to casting horoscopes, while Young Adult Professionals (YAPS, as I call them) prefer something fresher. All these instruments have their due applications, but Ms. Levit's system outshines each one.

In a survey of workers aged approximately 20-39, Levit determined qualities that reveal Work Passions - more likeable and fun than "work personalities." Self-administered and self-scored, the associated quiz can be retaken yearly to determine changes throughout the lifespan (my own test results were spot on). The careers of passion, so to speak, are Adventurer (that's me), Creator (also me), Data Head (me, too), Entrepreneur, Investigator (me), Networker, and Nurturer. As with other quizzes, most users will likely score a "highest three categories" cluster that provides a range of lucrative career choices. Overall, the system is easy and based on facts.

Levit includes actual interviews with workers for clues on how to break into exciting careers that match the Passions, and she provides descriptions and in-depth information about the Top 60 Most Attractive Careers desired by young professionals today. Easy to read and engaging, the text is an exciting journey through a Disneyland type of Career Space Ride. For a neat finish, it all seems very effective.

Every high school and college grad should receive a copy of this book as a gift. This is one of the best books of its kind I have ever read or used. I am recommending it to many people.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended.

One of the toughest times in life is getting to that stage where you're expected to go out on your own and make a living, but yet you don't have a clue as to what your dream job would be (or at least a *realistic* dream job). Alexandra Levit helps to cut through some of that confusion in her book How'd You Score That Gig?: A Guide to the Coolest Jobs-and How to Get Them. Using this book as a guide, you can start to move in a particular direction where your passion and personality meshes with your occupation.

Contents:
Self-Assessment
The Adventurer: Conservationist; Documentary Photographer; ESL Teacher; Foreign Service Officer; News Correspondent; Oceanographer; Outdoor Adventure Guide; Travel Journalist
The Creator: Actor; Book Author; Fashion Designer; Interior Designer; Landscape Architect; Movie Screenwriter; Performance Musician; Restaurant Chef; Video Game Designer
The Data Head: Computational Linguist; Environmental Engineer; Financial Adviser; Information Security Specialist; Meteorologist; Pharmaceutical Scientist; Urban Planner
The Entrepreneur: Bed-and-Breakfast Innkeeper; Blogger; Boutique Owner; Event Planner; Health Club Owner; Internet-based Business Owner; Inventor; Pet Sitter; Professional Organizer
The Investigator: Antiques Dealer; Art Curator; Classic Car Restorer; Criminologist; Field Archaeologist; Forensic Scientist; Futurist; Historian; Psychology Lab Assistant
The Networker: Book Editor; Congressional Staffer; Image Consultant; Lobbyist; Marketing Executive; Pro Sports Team Manager; Speechwriter; Talent Agent; Television Producer; Wine Merchant
The Nurturer: Doula; Elementary School Teacher; Life Coach; Nonprofit Administrator; Nutritionist; Physical Therapist; Social Services Caseworker; Zoologist
Afterword; Acknowledgments; Bibliography

Levit starts out with a short self-assessment test. It's designed to root out your likes and dislikes, with the goal towards placing you in one (or more) of the main categories listed above. After you score the test and determine your type(s), there's a brief description of the personality attributes for those types, along with a list of jobs that they would quite often do well in. Once finished, you can start exploring the job write-ups in your particular area of interest.

Each job write-up gives a realistic sense of what to expect. There are quotes from people who currently do that job, explaining what they like and don't like about it. She explains the general requirements of the job, the type of work to expect, resources to get more information, and most important (for many), how much one could expect in terms of pay. As you'll quickly learn, it may be that the money you want to be able to earn doesn't normally come to those in a particular occupation. Don't expect to be pulling down $100K a year as a social services caseworker, for example. But to some, the emotional and psychological pay-offs of the job offer far greater compensation than the actual paycheck. Figuring this out beforehand can save you some time and effort (and heartache) when picking a career path.

I would expect that most people reading this would be the 20-somethings who are trying to figure out their place in the world. But, if you're approaching retirement or looking to make a career switch, this book will also serve you well in terms of decision-making for the Career 2.0 phase of your life.

I really enjoyed this book! It clearly broke down dozens of careers in a digestable manner, and it was fun to read. I'm a 20-something who doesn't feel entirely fulfilled in my current job and am using this book as a platform for finding new paths. There are so many interesting jobs that I had never even heard of...it was so fun to read about all the new opportunities!

As the author points out, a vanishingly small number of us grew up and went to college to work in a vast, impersonal cubicle farm doing work we have no passion for and that has no more than short term utilitarian importance. We didn't set out to be faceless and anonymous worker-bees. Yet, most of us end up in such jobs. There's nothing wrong with paying the bills and funding your life and life's passions outside work. In fact, many people actually enjoy this kind of work because of what it funds at home and at play.

What's wrong is living a life that makes you feel frustrated, trapped, and sinking deeper into a sense of uselessness. Alexandra Levit provides you with a bunch of alternative careers you can at least consider. A wise boss once said to me that we should enjoy 80% of our job and the other 20% is what we get paid for. That seems about right to me. So, if you hate roughly 80% of your job, maybe you well into the area for reconsidering how you spend your time putting bread on your table and a roof over your head.

The first chapter is a self-assessment to help you see what broad category might bring your more satisfaction than the situation that is leading you to seek out this book. After you take the assessment, you will be given advice about which of the seven broad categories may suit you best. The seven categories are The Adventurer, The Creator, The Data Head, The Entrepreneur, The Investigator, The Networker, and The Nurturer. You will notice that these aren't jobs. However, within each category she describes some possible jobs, what those careers are like, and how you go about getting them.

For example, in The Adventurer category you get to look at being a conservationist, documentary photographer, ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, foreign service officer, news correspondent, oceanographer, outdoor adventure guide, and travel journalist. Each of the categories are similarly broad. You will probably want to look through all of them regardless of what your assessment results are because each job is interesting to contemplate.

Remember, this is a book about getting ideas and leads for new jobs and is not about providing directives for your life. You will get ideas and you might become energized to go look at something completely different from your present path or from what is provided in this book. Even if you decide to stay where you are, reading through this book and considering other things may well help you see your job with new eyes and appreciation.

A good book for anyone of any age considering where to work for your first job, for a career change, or what to do after you have already had a career but aren't ready for the rocking chair or watching daytime soaps.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

You might want to also look at:

Delaying The Real World

Escape from Corporate America: A Practical Guide to Creating the Career of Your Dreams

Lynn Morrissey doesn't write--she sings her words onto paper. This amazing book carried me away each morning to an intimate place in the Father's heart, and I thank the author for her own heart that made this journey possible. If I could give it more than five stars, I would!

I was amazed when I opened up the pages of LOVE LETTERS TO GOD and found such beauty--beauty in the heart-touching depth of the writing and beauty in the amazing artwork that graces each page. The book is like a sweet, magnificently crafted invitation to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. It doesn't get any sweeter!

Love Letters to God is a beautiful hardcover gift book,with exquisite photographs. Eleven chapters are filled with the author's personal experiences as she discovers the thrill of praying through writing to God. Morrissey's journey is one anyone can follow--no expensive ticket, no reservations,no luggage to tote, just need to have a yearning to meet God, joyously and honestly, through prayer. Each chapter stands alone. The writing is succinct, encouraging, easy to read.

Lynn Morrissey has a beautifully poetic way of writing, in a deeply personal manner with candor and humility that draws the reader into an intimacy with her, while revealing the kind of relationship we can all have with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. "Love Letters to God" evokes every tender emotion, bringing the reader to examine his or her own life, heart and prayer-life. Simply gorgeous to look at, inspiring to mediate upon and a book to be cherished always.

The Lord has used this book, to teach me to draw near to him with the pen. The writer, Lynn Morrisey, encourages us to pour out our hearts to him, tell him everything, then let it rest in his hands. The stories she tell, just leaves you feeling so much closer to God, as you begin, to write your Love Letters to Him! This is ministry, in a unique way!

I recently purchased and read this book as I continue to avidly research autism and it's treatment. I came across this book and purchased it based on it's reviews, and there is clearly a reason that this book has very high reviews. Dr. Koegel has written one of the best books that I have read covering this topic. The book itself is very well written and documented, and it gives hands-on treatment approaches to problematic behavior. Most books talk about the various areas of difficulties that a child w/ autism has, but for anyone that spends anytime around a child w/ it, we don't need a book to tell us what defines problematic behavior because we could write one ourselves. What someone needs is this book that discusses why the behaviors occur and how to replace the inappropriate behavior w/ something the child can learn from and consequently, yield appropriate behavior. After all, if we don't have a cure yet, we should at the very least, have a way to beat it and overcome it!

Thus, my appreciation really does go out to Dr. Koegel and her research/exprerience w/ dealing w/ children w/ autism. My only regret is that she works out of UCLA and is far away because she would be an incredible asset to a child w/ autism in Texas. She does however have available for purchase through her website, a set of various training manuals that cover areas of problematic behavior that give a more in-depth approach to how to teach and work w/ a child so that they can learn how to eliminate the behavior and replace it w/ an appropriate one. That is, after all, the point -- help the child learn by teaching them how to effectively deal w/ their autism so that they can overcome it! This book is the answer, I thank Dr. Koegel for sharing and allowing us to have hope in, at times, a very difficult world.

So full of hope and realism. If you are going through a tough time coping with the diagnosis, this book will get you back on track and focused on how to best help your child from an ABA/educational perspective. You won't find all the controversial treatments in here, but straight forward therapist and parent perspectives on how to help your child. I immediately started using techniques discussed in the book and was impressed by how quickly my daughter responded. At 3.5 she still has a way to go, but I have such an improved outlook for her future thanks to this book.

My son was diagnosed with ASD at 2. I read many books and this was my favorite. It was clear, easy to read and most of all it gives you techniques on how to help your child overcome. It gave me hope when I was facing his diagnosis.

Although I have not purchased this book, I have read a copy that I borrowed from a library.

While the author of this book doesn't guarantee that autistic kids will improve suddenly as soon as their cargivers start giving them the help they need, she talks about how much they can progress eventually if their caregivers give them all the help they need. I really like books that tell us about how much autistic people can progress eventually if they are given every chance to progress as much as they can, and that also give examples of those who have made great progress already, as a result of being given every chance to progress as much as they can. In fact, I really like all books that offer solutions to major problems and/or better alternatives to the status quo!

There are books on autism that I recommend that parents and heathcare professionals read. This is one book that I recommend that they don't just read but buy and keep it for future references.

There is such a wealth of info on autism here. If you can only afford to buy one book on autism. Let this be the one.

The authors take a highly optimistic view of treating autism. However, they make no bones about the fact that the treatment process is long, tedious and can even be painful. The first chapter deals with diagnosis and dealing with the initial shock.

From the second chapter onwards, the authors get down to earth with managing the autistic child. They go down to every detail on how to encourage communication. Start from the very simple and basic. Turn sounds into words. Reward, reinforce ...

Next, it's down to breaking the self-stimulating or injury cycle. Introduce replacement behaviour. The authors go into the dos and don'ts for breaking repetitive actions. Why punishment doesn't work for them. There is also a very practical FAQ section that deals with the common concerns and problems faced by parents and care providers.

The following chapters deal with imparting social skills, providing education and family support. There is so much useful info that it's impossible to finish, let alone digest in one reading. Buy this book and keep referring to it as you manage autistic children and see them grow up.