Reviews (56)

Great 'how to' book
A good summary of many of the self-improvement books I have read over the past few years. The Power of Focus is more like a workbook with exercises at the end of each chapter.
Terrific!
This is a great simple how-to-instruction manual for life. Easy to read and understand.I would recommend this to anyone who wants and needs help to get their life on track.

Best Self Help Book on the Market
The Power of Focus is a concise and powerful call to action. This is a life changing book to be read over and over again, not one of those self help books that you read once and then put on the shelf never to look at again. This book contains practical action steps to help you meet your business, personal and financial goals. This book is not just a way to business or financial success but the blueprint for living a successful life. I recommend this The Power of Focus whole heartedly for anyone who wants to achieve more in any area of their life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Personal Growth - Success    2. Psychological aspects    3. Psychology    4. Self-Help    5. Success    6. Advice on careers & achieving success    7. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness    8. Popular psychology    9. Self-Help / Success   

Reviews (20)

HELPFUL ADVICE FOR FINDING YOUR SWEET SPOT
In this book, Lucado shares the statistic that 87 percent of workers are slaving outside of their sweet spots, that place where passions and talents intersect. His book is filled with inspirational insight as well as practical tools for finding the cure.
Not too many christian authors can be revered by Dr. Phil, Alan Colmes, and Lee Strobel at the same time
I agree with other five star reviewers when I say MAX HAS DONE IT AGAIN.Ever since the first Lucado book I read (When God whispers your name) I have been a huge fan.I consider myself a discerner, and its great to relax my pride a bit and savor the books of Max Lucado.
Great perspective even if you are on the mommy track!
As a former leadership development trainer, I LOVED this book. I am now a stay at home Mom and this book spoke volumes to me, even in my situation (outside the workforce) about finding a ministry niche in addition to my new vocation as Mom.
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Subjects:  1. 1884-1976    2. Bultmann, Rudolf Karl,    3. Christian Life    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Character & Values    5. Christianity - Christian Life - General    6. Historicity    7. Jesus Christ    8. Personal Growth - General    9. Religion    10. Religion - Christian Life    11. Religion / Inspirational   

Reviews (7)

Readable Willard
Frankly I like Dallas Willard's stuff but sometimes he is tough sledding.I've taken several runs at "The Divine Conspiracy" based on countless rave reviews but inevitably I give up.So "The Great Omission" may not be all fresh and profound like some would like, but it has one pretty good thing going for it -- it is readable.
Part Two
Great follow up to Divine Conspiracy... a reminder to keep moving toward Jesus in the process of transformation and Kingdom living.

Introduction to the disciplines - nothing new here
Dallas Willard is a joy to be able to bump brains with in book format.No other book has had the effect on me that Divine Conspiracy did, and still does.However, if you have read Willard's other works, you will find little new here.The Great Omission is a collection of essays, which overlap each other quite often, and can get very repetitive.This one is for completists only.Good for maybe picking up and reading a different essay every so often, but reading from front to back can get exhausting.Still, it's Willard, so it gets 4 stars.If you've never read any Willard, this is not a bad place to start.Maybe his most accessable work to date. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christian life    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Christianity - Discipleship    4. Christianity - General    5. Christology    6. Religion    7. Religion - Christian Life    8. Spiritual formation    9. Christian Interest    10. Religion / Christian Life    11. Religion / Christianity   

Reviews (83)

Ties it all together very nicely
I read Home with God without the benefit of having read Mr. Walsch's previous works and I must say that I recommend it without question.Since I read Home with God I have purchased ALL of Mr. Walsch's previous work and I have enjoyed them all tremendously.Home with God is so special because we all want to know what is beyond our current knowing.I have always felt that my idea of what God would do and be was quite different from what mainstream religions preach.I never could understand how God could hate anything he/she created. Mr. Walsch's God is the God I have always believed in and had faith in and experience daily in my conversations with God.I recommend you take the book slowly and allow it to become a part of you.We are all one people (children of God) and what hurts one of us hurts us all.Reminds me of the phrase "United we stand, divided we fall."Read this book with an open heart and allow yourself to be healed and comforted and reconnected to God like never before.It will positively change your life.
Conversations with God?
Neale Walsh has written several New Age style books on his conversations with God, all of them bestsellers and great in popularity.However, I always get the feeling on reading his works his God is a very wishy-washy one.
Perfect...for those with an open mind.
I loved this book as much as I did all the others in the "Conversations with God" series. Although it can be read and understood on its own, its better to read all the others first.
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Subjects:  1. Death    2. Death And Dying (Sociological Aspects)    3. Death, Grief, Bereavement    4. Eschatology    5. Future life    6. God    7. God (Theology)    8. Inspirational - General    9. Miscellanea    10. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    11. Religion    12. Spirituality - General    13. Religion / General   

Editorial Review

By melding love, science, and religion into a primer on personalgrowth, M. Scott Peck launched his highly successful writing and lecturing career withthis book. Even to this day, Peck remains at the forefront of spiritualpsychology as a result of Read more

Reviews (141)

Good example of selfishness
It is apparent that the first premise in Peck's book is that in order for humans to be a whole being, one must grow through spirituality (or enlightenment) attained through "grace" with the main purposes of gaining "capacity and understanding of serendipity" (309) and through "spiritual evolution, whereby people grow towards godhood" (270) and "become God" (283).
Life Changing
Peck's definition of love is unparalleled in any of the literature I have read concerning the matter. I have always been particularly fond of Kahlil Gibran's depiction of marriage and love. However, I feel that Peck redefines it in modern English and provides a contrast to the "mainstream" view of love and "falling in love."
Life is difficult...
I read this book and the sequel, People of the Lie around the time that they came out.I was stunned by Peck's honesty. The stories of how he and his patients struggle with the problems and obstacles that confront them are amazing.
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Subjects:  1. Applied Psychology    2. General    3. Personal Growth - General    4. Psychology    5. Social Psychology    6. Spiritual    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    8. Social, group or collective psychology   

Editorial Review

Find out for yourself why virtually everyone you know has this book, described as an "adventure in pursuit of a spiritual mystery", on their coffee table.In the tradition of Carlos Castaneda'sThe Teachings of Don Juan. ... Read more

Reviews (837)

Get Ready for a Thought Changing Experience
I first read the Celestine Prophecy in 1996 and since then it has and always will hold a special place in my heart as the awakening of my spiritual journey that changed my life. When I began to read it I felt like bells and whistles were going off in my head, my heart rate quickened, and I knew without a doubt that the insights were real. I knew I had to explore them - there had to be a better way to live than having the same dramas repeating over and over again in my life. The Celestine Prophecy was the foundation that helped me to move into being someone who now lives in honesty, integrity, with self-awareness, and self-love.

Barely readable
I finally got around to reading this "Da Vinci Code" of the 90s at the suggestion of a coworker, prior to a trip to Peru I recently took.I had to force myself to finish it despite my initial inclination to toss it after the first 20 pages made me alternately laugh and groan at the lackluster writing, hoping that it would recover and turn out to be worthy of the best-selling status it once enjoyed.
help, i'm drowning!
my husband's has been trying to get me to read this book for the past 5 years. finally, i've finished it! (it just wasn't the right time). i think it's a good book--totally relative to life. somewhat of a self-help book. particularly if you're someone that finds yourself in the same situations over and over and needs some help getting out of a rut. it sugguests an alternative perspective and approach to conflict. although it's written like a fiction, it gives insight to determining what YOUR problem is and how to deal with the people that come in and out of your life...good luck! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Popular American Fiction    5. Visionary & Metaphysical    6. Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

As a spiritually inspirational book for teachers, Read more

Reviews (42)

Using Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach
I was introduced to Palmer's book by a participant in a series of workshps I give on Teaching, Learning, and Technology. This participant said that my coverage of pedagogic and technologic issues would be augmented by dealing with the personal factors a teacher brings to a course. Having read Palmer sveral times as I offer these workshops, I can say that it is probably the single most important text I have found in my extensive review of literature on teaching and learning. This opinion is supported by the comments of people in my workshops, who universally agree that reading it has changed their approach to teaching in a positive way. I cannot recomment it more highly.

Gets better as it goes....?
I'll preface this by saying that I'm a university teacher who cares deeply about teaching, which I guess must be why this book was recommended to me in the first place. The early chapters I found simply intolerable, heavily reliant on unexamined truistic claptrap about self-knowledge, the soul, etc, etc. The whole book is overwritten and florid, like the inside of a greetings card. It is hard to be genuinely profound in that sort of prose, and I wished that Parker, who is clearly a wonderful and thoughtful teacher, had had the courage to write in something approximating the language of normal speech.
Takes Courage to Read It!
A moving, poetic, and inspiring work on the art, profession, and calling of teaching. "I am a teacher at heart, and there are moments in the classroom when I can hardly hold the joy" (p. 1). Palmer builds a theoretical framework of teaching based on integrity, authenticity, humility, community, hope, and love. Offers great hope to those temporarily mired in the minutia of teaching, as well as a frighteningly stark contrast for those not truly called to teach. Leaves little room for lukewarmness or doubt. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Learning    4. Spirituality - General    5. Teachers    6. Teaching    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    8. Religion / Christian Education    9. Teaching skills & techniques   

Reviews (1)

riveting thriller
At Preston College, biblical archeologist Michael Murphy receives another letter from Methuselah that contains a riddle.After figuring out what it means, Michael travels to the underground funhouse in Charlotte where he battles and defeats Ninja killers.He finds another riddle that he deciphers that focuses on Aaron's Rod and the Golden Jar of Manna that was in the Ark of the Covenant before it was lost to the Philistines.
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Subjects:  1. Archaeologists    2. Biblical scholars    3. Dagan (Semitic deity)    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Religious    6. Religious - Apocalyptic    7. Religious - General    8. Suspense    9. Fiction / General   

Reviews (12)

The basic smart course in sales techniques
Seldom is a book as aptly named as Selling 101. This is a true primer on the ABC's of selling. Author and sales expert Zig Ziglar walks you through the sales process, teaching you how to find prospects, overcome "call reluctance," pose the right questions and ask for the order. He touches on all of the fundamentals, using examples from his experiences to illustrate his main points. His brief, concise prose is easy to understand and even easier to incorporate into your sales practices. The seasoned sales professional will not find anything new in this basic textbook, but we recommend it to anyone who is new to selling, particularly if you lack a mentor to give you this kind of guidance. This handy manual will provide know-how that is usually gained only by experience in the field.

Decent sales starter or refresher
Good short book if you are looking for something basic.There is certainly nothing dynamic, but Ziglar hits several points right on and gives a nice overview.

Thanks for keeping in simple!
This is the perfect sales book for anyone who is considering entering the field of sales or that is just beginning a career in sales.Zig Ziglar gives practical, real world sales tips that will pay immediate dividends.David Otis, Author of "Walk Fast, Talk Loud and Smile (How to Succeed in Sales and Have Fun Doing It.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Sales & Selling - General    5. Sales & Selling - Techniques    6. Selling    7. Success in business    8. Business    9. Business & Economics / Sales & Selling    10. Leadership    11. Sales & marketing   

Editorial Review

Even well-versed Biblical scholars might be perplexed if asked about Jabez, a little-known man listed in 1 Chronicles, chapter 4. Yet his simple petition is the cornerstone of Read more

Reviews (546)

"A bit shallow compared to other books on prayer..."
I can't add much to previous reviews except to say that if you're looking for a solid, detailed instruction on how to pray effectively, this may not be it.
Worst interpretation ever
I read this book years ago.My first impression was, "this seems like a lot to pull from such a small passage."I really felt that there was something wrong with it. A few months later, I read a textbook on Biblical Interpretation, and suddenly I could articulate what bothered me so much about this book.
There needs to be a Zero star rating for books like this
I wonder what Bruce Wilkinson was thinking when he wrote this book. There is no way a top-notch theologian could squeeze 96 pages out of one verse and keep it focused solely on Scripture. Well, Wilkinson wrote that much, but he threw in so many examples from life that it totally took away the meaning of the verse.
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Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Meditations - Old Testament    3. Bible Commentary    4. Bible.    5. Christianity    6. Chronicles, 1st, IV, 10    7. Devotional    8. General    9. History and criticism    10. O.T    11. O.T.    12. Prayer    13. Prayers    14. Religion    15. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    16. Spiritual    17. Worship    18. CHRISTIAN LIVING / SPIRITUAL GROWTH / PRAYER    19. Christian prayerbooks    20. Christian worship    21. Jabez    22. Religion / Christian Life   

Editorial Review

The thesis of Read more

Reviews (111)

This book does not need ANOTHER review but...
Forget all the hub bub, take the book at face value, and you'll find this is a great book with a lot of practical ideas for churches.
A Good Aid to Help Your Church Grow
Whatever you believe about Pastor Warren, in my humble opinion, he has written an excellent book on how to help your church grow.Whether or not you agree with Warren's conservative theology, there is no doubt that what he has practiced at Saddleback Community Church has been very successful in reaching unbelievers for Jesus Christ.
Much better than I expected
Rick Warren is founding pastor of Saddleback Community Church, the fastest-growing Baptist church in American history. This book not only tells their story, but offers a paradigm for how to claim (or reclaim) a purpose for your church. I approached this book very skeptically, expecting to have significant issues with this book because I do have significant issues with Warren's theology. (I am not a fan of Warren's other book, The Purpose-Driven Life.)I was pleasantly surprised to discover a depth to this book that I was not expecting to find.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Christianity - Church Administration - Church Growth    3. Church growth    4. Evangelism    5. Evangelistic work    6. Parish And Church Management    7. Religion    8. Religion - Church Life & Growth    9. Christian Interest    10. Christian spiritual & Church leaders    11. Religion / Christian Life   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (31)

Audio CDs [Unabridged] Review
Audio CDs [Unabridged] Review.
In response to question about Voyage of the Dawn Treader
One of the reviewers wondered why the text was changed at the end of Chapter 12, The Dark Island.I just reviewed both my editions, and they both match the text on the CD.One edition is a Puffin Book, published by Penguin Books (1977) and the other is the First Harper Trophy edition (2000).I wonder why YOUR edition is different?

GREAT CD SET
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PRODUCTION OF THE CHRONICLES.I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audiobooks    2. Children's Audio - 9-12    3. Children's audiobooks    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Classics    6. Fantasy    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    9. Christian Interest    10. Juvenile Fiction / Religious / Christian    11. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Editorial Review

Mention the word "grace" and what immediately comes to mind for most of us is a bagpipe wailing the solemn notes of "Amazing Grace." Read more

Reviews (163)

Yancey at his Best
When you can take on as time honored and occasionally time worn topic as grace -- and make it sing with fresh insight -- you've accomplished something.Yancey does exactly that.He revisits the overused language of 'Amazing Grace' and freshens it up with his typically honest and forthright manner.
Outstanding
I have enjoyed other Yancey books, but this one is the best I have read so far.This book should be read by every human being on the planet.He points out the irony of forgiveness and how many of us refuse to forgive yet our salvation is only possible because of forgiveness.This is an inspiring book and really put things into perspective for me.

A book for the ages
One of the best books I've ever read.It's needed in today's day and time to counteract performance-oriented thinking.Grace is Amazing, Undeserved, and Free, and Yancey explains it all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Christianity - Theology - Soteriology    3. Religion    4. Religion - Christian Life    5. CHRISTIAN LIVING SPIRITUAL GROWTH SPIRITUAL FORMATION    6. Christian life & practice    7. Christian theology    8. Religion / Christian Life   

Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - General    2. Bible Study Guide    3. Biblical teaching    4. Christian Life    5. Christianity    6. Christianity - Christian Life - Character & Values    7. Christianity - Christian Life - General    8. Inspirational    9. Inspirational - General    10. Problem solving    11. Religion    12. Religion - Christian Life    13. Religious aspects    14. Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis    15. Christian Interest    16. Christian life & practice    17. Religion / Inspirational   

Editorial Review

Thich Nhat Hanh's writing is deceptive in its subtlety. He'll go on and on with stories about tree-hugging or metaphors involving raw potatoes; he'll tell you how to eat mindfully, even how to breathe and walk; he'll suggest looking closely at a flower and to see the sun as your heart.As the Zen teacher Richard Baker commented, however, Nhat Hanh is "a cross between a cloud, a snail, and piece of heavy machinery." Sooner or later, it begins to sink in that Nhat Hanh is conveying a depth of psychology and a world outlook that require nothing less than a complete paradigm shift. Through his cute stories and compassionate admonitions, he gradually builds up to his philosophy of interbeing, the notion that none of us Read more

Reviews (64)

Worth Many Hours Of Psychotherapy
In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh goes beyond the differences between Eastern and Western philosophies and guides the reader in a very pragmatic manner towards creating peace.Interpersonal peace, peace in the family and community, world peace, and most importantly, peace within oneself. His words reflect an ancient wisdom which is simple yet so profoundly insightful. In my opinion, his approach to solving emotional suffering and curtailing society's ills dwarfs many theories of modern behavioral and social sciences. This is a work to be read and reread. I also recommendThich Nhat Hanh's "The Miracle of Mindfulness" as a complement to this work.
Forgiveness
From a Vietnamese Monk who has witnessed the transgressions and casulties of war, to forgive and teach the very enemy he tried to enlighten about the war-- I am amazed.He lives the life he teaches- non aggresion, peace, present moments.In his teaching I see him forgive and move on with the task of spreading his word to the world and anyone who will listen.I have become a reader of many of his books and feel like it is a friend talking to me.You can be a drop of water, a wave, but you can also be in the ocean.Thank you Thich Nhat Hanh...

My very favorite book of all time.
Thich Nhat Hanh is my very favorite author and,"Peace Is Every Step" is my very favorite book. Reading him you really get the feeling that a close and caring friend is talking to you. Also, I very much connect with his philosophy of interbeing. His poem, "Please Call Me By My True Names" is easily worth the price of this book in my opinion. There's just so much. When you are finished with this book, you should fully understand the concept of interbeing, and find yourself truly loving everyone and every thing! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. General    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Religious life    6. Body, Mind & Spirit / New Age    7. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    8. Spirituality   

Reviews (152)

The Translation for Our Times........
Simply the best translation of the Tao Te Ching available. Stephen Mitchell has done us all a great service by bringing this ages old book of wisdom to the modern era.

stephen mitchell presents the tao te ching
The tao te ching is a great book, I'm not giving that a one star review, I'm giving mitchell's interpretation of it one star.As many other reviews have stated, he doesn't speak chinese, so this translation is comprised of his reading other peoples' translations and what he thinks it means.He then tries to modernize it and make it accessible to 21st century americans.I like the old world feel of this book, you don't need to change swords to nuclear warheads, I know what a sword is.At least though, this change makes sense, some chapters Mitchell changes so much, that the entire chapter loses its meaning.A couple chapters made no sense, so I went to the back of the book where he tells what parts he changed, and then I was able to understand exactly what Lao Tzu intended to say.Don't buy this book.

Comments on reviewers
It's funny, people are giving it 1/5 because it isn't a "literal translation." It has to be the exact translated words by someone who is "scholared" for it to be worth reading.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Philosophy    3. Religion    4. Taoism    5. Biography: general    6. Religion / Taoism   

Editorial Review

In 1988, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin undertook amission to heal "Jewish ignorance," an affliction whose symptoms include the ability to name the three components of the Trinity, coupled with an inability to explain Read more

Reviews (62)

converting to judaism
Having purchased this remarkable book and thinking that I knew quite alot about Judaism was quite an eye-opener for me. I was astonished at the wealth of information this work has to offer anyone who is interested in learning the basics of the jewish faith. The articles which are divided between the Bible, the holidays, the history of the jewish people, the holocaust and other subjects provide the reader with an excellent source of material and a basic knowledge of all things jewish. I recommend it highly.

No Jewish home library is complete without it.
I find myself returning to this book again and again to answer questions that come to mind and many discussions I have been part of have been started by a single sentence in this book, as Telushkin is wonderful at examining various perspectives on any given subject. And, Telushkin also has a knack for reporting a lot of information in a very concise, clear manner-- no long, drawn out rambles at all.

5* Brilliant Read - All Jewish households should own a copy
I bought a copy today, and although I have not (quite) finished reading it, it is already clear to me that R' Telushkin has written an excellent book, ranging from history to topical issues and much more. The quality of this book is very high, and although it does occasionally not go into quite enough detail, at least this means that, unlike other similar books I have seen, it flows very well, and is well suited to its target audience.
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Subjects:  1. Customs and practices    2. History    3. Jews    4. Judaism    5. Judaism - General    6. Judaism - Rituals & Practice    7. Reference    8. Religion    9. Religion - Judaism    10. Jewish studies    11. Religion / General    12. Yiddish   

Reviews (90)

Living a Joyless Christian Life?
This book revolutionized the way I approach God and seek to serve Him. The author clearly and thoroughly related how we can find true joy in every aspect of our walk with the Lord. I especially enjoyed the chapter on worship, because it helped me become more passionate in my expressions of worship to God.
Solid, enduring Christian writing of the highest order
You can trust the writing of John Piper to convey the truths of scripture through solid Biblical interpretation, experience living the Christian life, references to historical, proven Christian writers and a comprehensive approach to discipleship.
Required Reading for All Christians
Has it really been twenty years since John Piper first released Desiring God?I had been thinking recently about abiding in Christ and the nature of desire, as well as the upcoming Together for the Gospel conference which Piper will speak at, so I thought it would be a good time to re-read this modern-day classic.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Desire for God    4. God    5. God (Christianity)    6. Happiness    7. Inspirational    8. Inspirational - General    9. Religion    10. Religious aspects    11. Spirituality - General    12. Worship and love    13. CHRISTIAN LIVING / PRACTICAL LIFE / PERSONAL GROWTH    14. Religion / Christian Life   

Reviews (2)

More rock-solid, real world, common sense advice from John Maxwell
I once praised a book as being rooted in common sense and a friend asked "If it's common sense, why did you need to read the book?" So true, but with all of the demands and distractions in this world, we sometimes lose common sense as we react immediately and emotionally to situations. This is one of Maxwell's slim "gift book" editions from Countryman...high quality paper, 5 X 7 size, 120 pages. The chapters are: Commit to Your True Dream, Believe In Yourself, Think Differently, Take Action, Develop Great People Skills, Stay With Your Strengths, Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone, Never Stop Learning, and Never Give Up. In keeping with his normal style, Maxwell accents the book with quotations from Harry Truman, John Quincy Adams, Alan Alda, Joyce Meyer, and many others. It's a refresher course in why you're here and what you can accomplish if you're willing to focus your effort. A similar book...also excellent, also recently released...is Ben Stein's "How Successful People Win." I highly recommend both books.

Okay but unexciting
Not a big fan of Maxwell but this is a good book to provide motivation to reach your dreams but pretty basic uninspiring stuff. Okay ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Inspirational    2. Inspirational - General    3. Personal Growth - Success    4. Religion    5. Religion / Inspirational