Books

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

Average customer rating:

A thought-provoking Book
EXCELLENT
Consumers can move toward making ethical choices
rose tinted vision of smarter industry
Great Book

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
William McDonough , and Michael Braungart
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865475873

Amazon.com

Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not just doing less harm--they're actually doing some good for the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money in the process. Cradle to Cradle is a refreshing change from the intractable environmental conflicts that dominate headlines. It's a handbook for 21st-century innovation and should be required reading for business hotshots and environmental activists. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism

"Reduce, reuse, recycle" urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, "cradle to grave" manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.

In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, "waste equals food" is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as "biological nutrients" that safely re-enter the environment or as "technical nutrients" that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being "downcycled" into low-grade uses (as most "recyclables" now are).

Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.

Customer Reviews:

A thought-provoking Book.......2007-06-19

Cradle to Cradle is so thought provoking about how we should be manufacturing our goods, it should probably be required reading for every economist, business person, government policy-maker, etc. Great food for thought. I believe this has become "the book" to read if you want to understand sustainable living and sustainable manufacturing and commerce.

EXCELLENT.......2007-06-16

This is a great read, informative without being dry and overwhelming.

Not a depressing warning of the bad things to come.

It provides hope, offers the vision of a better world.

If only all the worlds leaders would read this book and learn from it.

Consumers can move toward making ethical choices.......2007-06-10

Inspiring and insightful! Definitely a book that makes one evaluate the choices we make as consumers and consumer choice may be the key to achieving some of the eco-effective methods of production, lifestyle etc that were discussed in 'Cradle to Cradle'. Businesses could then be encouraged to fund the necessary research to achieve the desired outcomes outlined in this book. A lot of the science is already in place to be able to start making definitive moves in the right direction. Governments throughout the world need to take heed of the message this book is sending and begin to legislate so the manufacturers, agriculturalists, loggers, home owners/builders etc must make changes to their modes of operation that are truly 'eco-effective' - what a great term.

rose tinted vision of smarter industry.......2007-06-09

This book is an excellent template for an ideal industrial, "eco-effective" revolution, one in which twin biological and technological "metabolism" mimic and incorporate themselves into natural systems, leaving nothing to waste and accommodating diversity. The book provides a good picture of the way things ought to be, but, in my view, doesn't really address the considerable economic and political obstacles standing in the way of that utopia. Such as a version of capitalism that continually rewards businesses that push their environmental and social costs onto the public purse and future generations. The lack of infrastructure to handle, and make cost effective, a comprehensive cradle-to-cradle product and energy cycle, which would require large initial investment by government and businesses, investments politicians and many business leaders are dead set against, not when they can make enormous profits leaving things the way things are and passing the costs along to someone else. The authors were obviously going for a relentlessly optimistic tone, using mainly moral arguments, but the book's vision of improved design makes perhaps too much sense for the nonsensical globalized deferred-cost world as it stands, on a large scale, not without fundamental political and social changes.

Great Book.......2007-06-02

The authors' pragmatic way of thinking should be applauded and embraced by heads of state and business. Environmental problems are real threats to our way of life and we must take action to make our consumption practices more sustainable.

A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are

Average customer rating:

Can't compare
"Harsh" But True Words
Scattered hodgepodge
A Thousand Names
Pure Poetry

A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are
Byron Katie , and Stephen Mitchell
Manufacturer: Harmony
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)

ASIN: 0307339238
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

In her first two books, Byron Katie showed how suffering can be ended by questioning the stressful thoughts that create it, through a process of self-inquiry she calls The Work. Now, in A Thousand Names for Joy, she encourages us to discover the freedom that lives on the other side of inquiry.
Stephen Mitchell—the renowned translator of the Tao Te Ching—selected provocative excerpts from that ancient text as a stimulus for Katie to talk about the most essential issues that face us all: life and death, good and evil, love, work, and fulfillment. The result is a book that allows the timeless insights of the Tao Te Ching to resonate anew for us today, while offering a vivid and illuminating glimpse into the life of someone who for twenty years—ever since she “woke up to reality” one morning in 1986—has been living what Lao-tzu wrote more than 2,500 years ago.
Katie’s profound, lighthearted wisdom is not theoretical; it is absolutely authentic. That is what makes this book so compelling. It’s a portrait of a woman who is imperturbably joyous, whether she is dancing with her infant granddaughter or finds that her house has been emptied out by burglars, whether she stands before a man about to kill her or embarks on the adventure of walking to the kitchen, whether she learns that she is going blind, flunks a “How Good a Lover Are You?” test, or is diagnosed with cancer. With her stories of total ease in all circumstances, Katie does more than describe the awakened mind; she lets you see it, feel it, in action. And she shows you how that mind is yours as well.

Customer Reviews:

Can't compare.......2007-06-19

I love Byron Katie. I think the 4 questions of the Work are completely transformative. Reading "A thousand names for joy" I feel a bit inadequate. If I compare myself to Byron Katie I just can't compare. How do I make sense of depression/anxiety etc.? It is almost unbelievable to me that Katie feels none of that. I wish I could be in that space all the time but it's just not my experience. I guess the great sages hold up for us a state of consciousness that can/may be attained.

"Harsh" But True Words.......2007-06-04

This book has a "harsh" tone for someone unprepared because Byron communicates directly about realities we often avoid discussing such as death, pain, suffering and our fears. Each passage is like a conversational meditation on a passage from the [[ASIN: Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)]] translated by Byron Katie's husband, Stephen Mitchell. I found awakenings as I read key parts of this book that were relevant to me. Excerpt 46 on "Fear" was very insightful and I realized that my own belief projected onto others is what frightened me. Excerpt 33 dealt with "Death" and Byron communicates honestly about it. We rarely hear such honesty and it can be disconcerting yet it is part of life and we need to embrace these realities. I recommend this book to readers seeking honest, insightful revelations.

Another book that I highly recommend for a transformative and insightful story is Nexus: A Neo Novel by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh. This novel examines the ups and downs of spiritual life through the personal journey of people at a spiritual retreat created to help them overcome pain and find their inner center of peace.

Scattered hodgepodge.......2007-05-30

Only if you are a Byron Katie fan, will you be interested in this scattered, stream of consciousness, hodgepodge. It's as if someone said, "It's time for another book!" so this was thrown together. It's obvious that this woman is grieving, that she has health problems, that she is bombarding her consciousness with positive thought. Often zen, with
cursory understanding of Buddhist and Taoist philosophy, she seems to be regurgitating ideas and phrases she's read or heard, applying them within the context of her Work, and what she (psychologically) needs to keep a balance of her daily life, accepting what some others would consider tragedy. One understands her blindness, her health, etc. are all making her live day by day. And if you like her, scanning through this stream of consciousness blather will only make you love her more for her fierce courage in the face of adversity. However, as for the book, there's no energy in it, no new insights; it's quite a bit boring. One does wonder if she will get her eye surgery, how her physical life will improve. After reading the book, I am now invested in her well being as a person. And she did remind me of The Work, from her great first book. So, ironically, I did benefit from reading this book. Why? Because I've been trying not to eat after 8PM and not take a second helping of good food. So now, I ask myself "do I need a second helping? or Do I really need a snack?" Is this true? Who would I be without it?, etc. Sometimes, enlightenment comes through the side door!

A Thousand Names.......2007-05-18

This is a pondering book for me, I open to a random page with the thought, what do I need today? It is amazaing the book opens to a page and i read the section and it is perfect advise to help me throughout the day.

A must if you are searching for 24/7 peace within yourself

Pure Poetry.......2007-05-17

If you want to hear a direct description of what life and reality looks like in the absence of any concepts about them, this book is as good as it gets. To me, it's as close to the 'Tao', nicely packaged in 20th century western idioms, as one could expect to find.

The key is not to approach this book as one normally approaches books. It's not a strategy for self-improvement, a set of answers to live by, a philosophy, facts, all the food the mind likes to munch on. It's about what lies on the other side of all of that, or more precisely what's left when none of that is taken to be real or meaningful. If you know that place, then it's a beautiful song by a friend, a total delight and a wonderful reminder. And if you don't, an invitation to discover that place inside yourself.

Average customer rating:

Amazing
Can't put it down
Looking at Machines Differently
GREAT BOOK
One of the densest collections of basic knowledge about our mechanistic world

The New Way Things Work
David Macaulay
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395938473

Amazon.com

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's The New Way Things Work. The award-winning author-illustrator--a former architect and junior high school teacher--is perfectly poised to be the Great Explainer of the whirrings and whizzings of the world of machines, a talent that landed the 1988 version of The Way Things Work on the New York Times bestsellers list for 50 weeks. Grouping machines together by the principles that govern their actions rather than by their uses, Macaulay helps us understand in a heavily visual, humorous, unerringly precise way what gadgets such as a toilet, a carburetor, and a fire extinguisher have in common.

The New Way Things Work boasts a richly illustrated 80-page section that wrenches us all (including the curious, bumbling wooly mammoth who ambles along with the reader) into the digital age of modems, digital cameras, compact disks, bits, and bytes. Readers can glory in gears in "The Mechanics of Movement," investigate flying in "Harnessing the Elements," demystify the sound of music in "Working with Waves," marvel at magnetism in "Electricity & Automation," and examine e-mail in "The Digital Domain." An illustrated survey of significant inventions closes the book, along with a glossary of technical terms, and an index. What possible link could there be between zippers and plows, dentist drills and windmills? Parking meters and meat grinders, jumbo jets and jackhammers, remote control and rockets, electric guitars and egg beaters? Macaulay demystifies them all. (Click to see a sample spread of this book, illustrations and text copyright 1998 David Macaulay, Neil Ardley, published by Houghton Mifflin Co.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

The information age is upon us, baffling us with thousands of complicated state-of-the-art technologies. To help make sense of the computer age, David Macaulay brings us The New Way Things Work. This completely updated and expanded edition describes twelve new machines and includes more than seventy new pages detailing the latest innovations. With an entirely new section that guides us through the complicated world of digital machinery, where masses of electronic information can be squeezed onto a single tiny microchip, this revised edition embraces all of the newest developments, from cars to watches. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained--with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2007-05-14

Informative and entertaining. I wonder how many engineers out there first got their interest in the way things work from this book.... In Fall 2008 Macaulay will have a new book out entitled "The Way We Work", which will explain the workings of the human body in similar fashion to this book. Can't wait!

Can't put it down.......2007-05-07

My son (10) had borrowed the older edition from the library several times. So I got him this one for his birthday. He sneaks this book into his bed at night. If that's not an excellent testemony I don't know what is.

Looking at Machines Differently.......2007-02-01

Each page of this book opens up a world of how something works. It could be how to make a hologram (of a wolly mammoth of course) or how the valves in a trumpet change the sound. The subject for a few pages might be electricity or it could be how an automatic transmission works. In any case, the pages are a mixture of drawings (usually with mammoth) showing the nature of the subject, combined with text that further describes what the drawings are showing.

Over a period of many years Mr. Macaulay has developed his drawing style and his understanding of mechanical things which when combined in a book like this offer a painless way for the kid in all of us to learn.

This new edition has been expanded in several areas. This includes coverage on personal computers, space probes and other more recent developments. It's one of those books that's hard to put down once you start reading.

GREAT BOOK.......2007-01-12

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT IS EXCELLANT FOR ALL AGES.

One of the densest collections of basic knowledge about our mechanistic world.......2006-12-14

Imagine there were a nuclear war and all of society's accomplishments were annihilated and mankind became a savage race again. If you could have just one book saved through the ages to help you reestablish science and technology, pick this one.

Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: 2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time

Average customer rating:

fun and useful
Good for the non-handy
Very interesting reading, lots of helpful hints
Fun
Extraordinary uses for ordinary things

Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: 2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time
Reader's Digest Editors
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0762106492
Release Date: 2007-03-22

Book Description

Save the day with over 2,300 clever, ingenious, smart ways to use everyday household products—all guaranteed to save you time and money!

Did you know that tea can hide gray hair? Or that aspirin can revive a dead car battery? How about the power of table salt to make panty hose last longer? Or that shaving cream can remove rug stains? Yes, there's a treasure trove hidden in your pantry, medicine cabinet, garage, and basement. This remarkable book shares amazing secrets to save you time and money—and shelf space in the process. Fully illustrated and written in a clear, down-to-earth style, this practical guide contains over 2,300 handy tips about using more than 200 common household items like aluminum foil and dental floss in exciting new ways. Don't spend your hard-earned money on expensive storebought products. Restore, replace, repair, or revive practically everything in your home with this indispensable handbook that features:

• Nearly 400 full-color illustrations
• Easy A-to-Z format to find items easily
• Clear, step-by-step instructions
• At-a-Glance section provides the Best Uses for every item
• Hundreds of sidebars full of extra tips and informative ideas
• Complete index for cross-referencing

Throughout, Did You Know?, Science Fair, and Kids' Stuff sidebars add to the wonder and fun of this easy-to-use reference. From Alka-Seltzer to baby shampoo, pepper to pillowcases, vinegar to yogurt—discover the untold value of hundreds of everyday items with Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things.

Customer Reviews:

fun and useful.......2007-06-24

I never thought I would enjoy this book as much as I have been. It is 400 pages of fun facts with all those things you would find in your home and all the normal problems you would run in to. For example, onions remove rust stains from silverware, use bananas as a face mask, nail polish to remove warts, vinegar for carpet stains and to defrost windsheilds, beer and salt to make windows frosty for the Christmas holidays, use a vacuum nozzle with a pair of pantyhose to find that valuable object on the floor without sucking it up, etc.. I love this book! =)

Good for the non-handy.......2007-06-08

This is an excellent book for those (like me) who are rather unimaginative when it comes to making/fixing/cleaning things. I was quite impressed with many of the ideas.

Very interesting reading, lots of helpful hints.......2007-05-28

I loved buying this book from Amazon. It has been helpful in several ways in just a very short time.

Fun.......2007-05-14

This book is not only a useful, ready resource but it's a fun book to read. I keep it handy, just thumbing through randomly I also find a little jewel of a hint.

Extraordinary uses for ordinary things.......2007-05-13

I received the book soon after ordering.It was in excellent condition.Thank You.

One Thing at a Time: 100 Simple Ways to Live Clutter-Free Every Day

Average customer rating:

Some good ideas.
Good for those who think they are organized, but aren't!
One thing at a time
Quick help on organizing
Excellent Advice!

One Thing at a Time: 100 Simple Ways to Live Clutter-Free Every Day
Cindy Glovinsky
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Organizing Sourcebook : Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life
Let Go of Clutter

ASIN: 0312324863

Book Description

Those piles of papers, clothes, and other things you thought you'd suc-cess-fully de-cluttered have returned, and this time they brought friends. What's the use of trying to fight the clutter? Is there a better way? This powerful and useful guide delivers solutions that work, no matter how overwhelming life gets. The answer isn't an elaborate new system, or a solemn vow to start tomorrow. Instead, psychotherapist and organizer Cindy Glovinsky shares one hundred simple strategies for tackling the problem the way it grows-one thing at a time. Here's a sampling of the tips explained in the book: -Throw away coupons -Purge deep storage areas first -Store it where you use it -Rethink photo habits -Practice toy population planning -Leave it neater than you found it. Written in short takes and with a supportive tone, this is an essential, refreshing book that helps turn a hopeless struggle into a manageable part of life, one thing at a time.

Customer Reviews:

Some good ideas........2007-05-12

This book is easy to read and has some good ideas to organize and de-clutter.

Good for those who think they are organized, but aren't!.......2007-04-04

I LOVED this book! Some of the information is something we all know, but it is helpful to see it in written form. Others suggestions are quite clever such as 'keeping items in motion' which really appealed to me.

If you are "domestic systems challenged", you will appreciate this book.

One thing at a time.......2007-03-27

Decluttering is a life long journey. Does this book really work? Of course not!!! The work must be done by me. The book does have helpful hints to use in the process which I am finding of value. I can ask no more of an inanimate object. Yay!!!

Quick help on organizing.......2006-08-08

Read through in two evenings and began applying certain aspects of the book immediately. It gives you recommendations on how to live clutter free and then you can add to it to customize how you live. I have read a lot of these books on organizing. I liked this because you didn't have to start organizing a room -- you organized the way you do things. Very helpful. Will be reviewing the book several more times to learn to follow the suggestions.

Excellent Advice!.......2006-03-13

I'm a professional organizer and I loved this book! It puts in writing much of the advice I give my clients to help them maintain the organizing systems we put in place. Plus I picked up a few new tips! I know a book is good when I take notes from it.

One of my and my client's favorites is to make our own "Container Store". I've found that people who struggle with organizing usually have so many organizing tools we rarely have to shop for more! We just empty everything and put it one place. After purging the unneeded stuff and sorting like with like, we then choose the appropriate container from our "store". This is a new concept for some people. Many people buy the storage first then try to figure out what to do with it. The best way is to know what you are going to store and THEN buy the container...or better yet, get it from your own container store! When we are done organizing, we create a home for all the unused containers in the garage or basement.

There are a few out of the 100 that are kinda odd or not what I would have written, but for the 10$ there are many other great ideas in the book that you can really use. Even if you are fairly well organized, you are likely to find a few tips you can use!

Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter

Average customer rating:

Fantastic !!
A Real Eye-Opener
Some good advice, but for what demographic group?
A "gem"? Only if that "gem" is made out of faceted crap.
to the naysayers:lighten up!

Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter
Elaine St. James
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786880007

Book Description

This is the audio version of Elaine St. James' first bestselling book, Simplify Your Life. St. James shows us how to reduce the clutter in our lives, from cleaning out our closets to canceling newspaper subscriptions. Full of hints and anecdotes, listening to this audiobook is the perfect way to help you map out a plan to un-complicate your life. St. James shares her wisdom and insight and explains exactly how to save time and energy and leave more room open for the things you really enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic !!.......2007-05-11

I bought this book many years ago when it first came out and absolutely loved it. About once a year or so, I go back and re-read it to get my head on straight about the subject of simplification (pull myself back from slipping into the complicated). Not everything in the book is for everyone (including me), but it really makes you think.

About 15 years ago, we bought a larger house than we absolutely needed and proceeded to throw things into the basement storage area, kitchen cabinets, etc. because "we had the room" and "we might need this some day". After living that way for years, we developed quite a pile of unused stuff and it began feeling very over-whelming. It has taken us several years to eliminate most of the clutter and to begin to let go of stuff we don't need but felt guilty about getting rid of. It is an on-going journey and this book really helps! One thing comes into the house, one thing must go back out.

Many people think of simplification as moving to a cabin in the woods, but the reality for many of us is that we need to simplify in place. Look at your existing situation and make incremental improvements. Over time, they really add up and I feel much, much freer than when we started this program. The simple wardrobe has significantly cut down the amount of time I spend shopping (and has saved hundreds of dollars), the suggestion for don't answer the phone just because it's ringing has saved us many a meal-time (or just quiet time), keep your plants outdoors was obvious once I read it and wonderful in practice.

There are also some very "deep" steps such as cleaning up relationships that are no longer working for you which are enormously helpful. I have spent the past couple of years making sure that friendships I develop are healthy and fulfilling and cleaning up some old relationships where I just got sucked into relationships with needy, toxic folks. That alone saved hours of time and a great deal of stress and strain.

I just can't say enough about this book as well as her other publications. The whole approach is simple and logical .... just start somewhere and get going. You will find yourself in a store thinking about purchases before you make them and only bringing things into your home and life that truly add value.

What an absolutely fabulous book for a beginning simplifier or someone who needs a refresher on a different philosophy of life.

A Real Eye-Opener.......2007-04-18

I can't agree with some who have condemned this book. While some of her ideas did not apply, that doesn't mean that the book is no good. I lived in a large city when I first read this book, and after I was done, I immediately sold the extra auto and threw out any junky breakfast food that was hanging around. My next trip to Goodwill was much more generous as well. To me, Mrs. St. James gave us all a real wake-up call as far as how we're living and to think about what we really need and what we don't. Now that I live in the country and have entered into a vocation that requires a car, I can't do a couple of the things I used to, but I still continuously take stock of my stuff and try to keep things pared down, and don't allow myself to get committed to things I know I don't want to do.

Some good advice, but for what demographic group?.......2007-04-15

First, I really did find some good suggestions in this book as far as how to make my life simpler and free up some of my time. From that standpoint, it was worth the money. However, some comments in the book left me wondering what planet she lives on. For example, the advice that once you start simplifying your life, you will no longer need the cook, the chauffeur, the gardener, the fashion consultant, etc. I mean....she's kidding, right?

A "gem"? Only if that "gem" is made out of faceted crap........2006-12-20

I read this book when it initially came out, and it fascinated me. In fact, I read it many times, figuring that I had SURELY missed the significance I heard so many people going on and on and on about. Well, I am sorry to say that the only significance here lies in giving yourself permission to be selfish and adopt a worldview that is totally egocentric.

Let me give a few examples. St. James suggests that you not open the door to a visitor if you don't want to. She suggests you avoid social situations you don't want to attend. She also suggests you avoid the holiday celebrations if you don't like them. Perhaps she is forgetting that we GROW through doing things we don't want to do--expecially if we are able to touch the lives of those around us in the process. I think that is what disturbs me most of all about the book: most of the suggestions would leave the people who followed them alone, poor, in a tiny, bare apartment with no friends. There comes a point where another visit to the library and evading yet another person at the door lose their luster.

Personal growth often happens when we push ourselves to do things we don't want to do. Sometimes we do things for the wants and needs of OTHERS, not ourselves. Going to a holiday gathering gives me the privilege of honoring my parents. If I took the book's advice, none of this would happen. That, to me, is tragic. I am NOT the center of the universe, and neither are you. To believe otherwise isn't simple: it's silly.

To be fair, some of the suggestions do have some practical benefit. For example, I stopped trying to match socks to outfits (since I'm a man and my socks are infrequently seen) and switched to the same black socks. She is right; that does make washing and wearing socks easier. I also like her suggestion about reducing clutter. However, the story about an Olympic medal winning athlete wanting to get her Olympic medals out of her house was just bizarre. If I had an Olympic metal, I can PROMISE you that it would remain in my house, and I wouldn't consider it "clutter." Sheesh.

I can't imagine some of the more "hardcore" suggestions, like buying and wearing seven pairs of the identical outfit to reduce the difficult task of choosing which clothes to wear. Trust me, it doesn't sound any less silly when you read it in the book.

If Ms. St. James helped usher in a "self-help" movement, then I applaud her. Her book did make me think, and it did give me a few strategies to make life simpler. It also helped me assess my moral values and realize that OTHERS are far more important than ME. Simplicity comes from focusing on the needs of others instead of the needs of self. Only then can life be really simple, because all the "stuff" that complicates our lives ceases to be important. That, my friends, is TRUE simplicity.

to the naysayers:lighten up!.......2006-11-08

I found this book to be profound. It got me questioning a lot of my spending habits, my lifestyle, and what is really important to me. This book has been an inspiration to me. She wrote this book to help people. Maybe the reviewers who are unnecessarily negative about this book should keep that in mind.

150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken (And 50 Ways to Roast It)

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150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken (And 50 Ways to Roast It)
Tony Rosenfeld
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1561588458
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

Who doesn't love roast chicken? And the best part is that it's so easy to make. 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken takes a good thing and makes it even better. Instead of one, roast two chickens (or a big roaster) on Sunday night and you've got leftover makings for at least one deliciously simple weeknight meal--choose from 150 recipes for casseroles, soups, stews, stir-fries, and rice and pasta dishes, as well as a raft of chicken salads and wraps and meal-worthy salads featuring chicken. And to keep things interesting, you can put a different spin on your roast chicken for almost every week of the year, with rubs, glazes, marinades, and sauces.

How Things Work: 100 Ways Parents and Kids Can Share the Secrets of Technology

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A must read Book !!!!
great mind expansion

How Things Work: 100 Ways Parents and Kids Can Share the Secrets of Technology
Neil Ardley
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

How Things Work | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0895776944

Amazon.com

Hey, this is a fun book! Even a casual page-through revealed a number of things many adults probably don't know. How Things Work would be a great book for parents who don't want to look like idiots in front of their own children when asked a question they don't know the answer to. It's filled with fun experiments, clear directions, and does a splendid job of simplifying and clarifying elaborate technological concepts.

Book Description

Here is a fascinating guide to the world of machines and technology, packed with hundreds of hands-on experiments for the whole family. Activities are designed to use every-day materials that are inexpensive and easy to obtain. For ages 8-14.

Customer Reviews:

A must read Book !!!!.......1999-06-02

This fascinating book is different from other science book.It has many, many different experiments and projects to try out. From building a escalator to making a simple computer...That really works!! Each experiment is clearly photographed step by step , it is so ever easy to follow them! This book is a must. If you enjoyed this book, why not try the others? You won't regret.

great mind expansion.......1998-07-10

My kids always want to know why or how something happens. This is a great book for them to look at (marvelous pictures) and for us to select projects from that explain some of the stuff mom and dad don't know. My seven and ten year old can read and understand the vocabulary without getting lost in any scientific jargon. A great help for classroom project, science fair entries, long summer days or rainy weekends.

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A must read for all...especially those fresh out of college
Definite Scent of Chickenhawk
Simply Marvelous
Don't Buy Books From Crooks
Long-time listener - first (and last) time reader

The Way Things Ought to Be
Rush Limbaugh
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Terrible Truth About Liberals

ASIN: 0671751506

Book Description

Rush Limbaugh is a way of life for over twelve million avid and devoted listeners. For three hours every day this comic conservative of the airwaves with "talent on loan from God" entertains, provokes and persuades friend sand enemies alike in a no-holds-barred show that is one of the biggest draws in radio history. Using personal anecdotes, Limbaugh now reveals the major influences on his life and views, and blasts off on all the leading issues of our day. Nothing escapes his acerbic wit and huggable charm as he proves why he is on the cutting edge of societal evolution and the epitome of morality and virtue. Here he holds forth on such subjects as: Anita Hill, The Homeless Fraud, The Media, and many others. Tackling the hottest topics of the times from Feminazis to Environmentalist Wackos, Rush Limbaugh is at his satirical best---the provocative conservative and the showman who is "documented to be almost always right 97.9% of the time" about The Way Things Ought To Be.

Customer Reviews:

A must read for all...especially those fresh out of college.......2007-05-30

A concservative's Bible if you will. A common sense look at life.

Definite Scent of Chickenhawk .......2007-05-29

Limbaugh's demagoguery in print. His reputation as a hypocrite and liar has been well established, yet his followers continue to give him credence. This book is packed full of mischaracterizations, lies, and half-truths.

An example; From chapter 5: "I have about had it being told that the plight of the homeless is my fault. I'm sick and tired of turning on my TV and being told that the AIDS crisis is my fault too, because I don't care enough." Clearly, he's trying to make an emotional appeal to the reader, based on the false premise that "someone" is characterizing Rush (and the reader) as uncaring louts. In reality, these are just issues that come up in the news from time to time. Guilt feelings are optional and personal - not stated and explicit.

Here is another quote from chapter 15. Rush has this to say about environmentalists: "Rather than elevate the third world, they want to move us closer to Third World conditions. That's somehow cleaner and purer. They want to roll us back, maybe not to the Stone Age, but at least to the horse and buggy era." Naturally, Rush never explains what it is that environmentalists are doing that is going to send us back to the horse and buggy era. I can't see how requiring stricter auto-emissions standards moves us back to the horse and buggy era. Environmentalists want to maintain strict pollution control standards, and health and safety requirements, as well as higher automobile fuel efficiency standards. These things improve the quality of everyone's lives without any great sacrifices. Why the hatred of environmentalists? What agenda do they have other than trying to make our world better? Perhaps they stand in the way of Limbaugh's corporate bosses?

In short, Limbaugh's "logic" will only pass muster with those who are in lockstep agreement with his narrow viewpoint. No thinking individual will find anything but disgust with this slanted screed.

Simply Marvelous.......2007-04-28

These extremist hate-filled liberal "reviewers" here give me a laugh, ha ha, that's me guffawing. These liberal "reviewers" can't help lying, they start out with an immediate lie, "I'm a conservative, but blah blah hate hate hate." Do you simpletons really think you're fooling anyone? I can smell a liberal 10 miles off. The only one's dumb enough to believe your immediate lies are other liberals. But you wouldn't know that because the liberal ilk you hang with all have IQs of 2, so you think everyone's as stupid as you and the rabble you surround yourself with. OK, now that I've put the lying liberal "reviewers" in their place, I proceed with my pearls of wisdom on Rush's wonderful and enlightening book.
It's another Masterpiece friends from the Mastermind and the reflector of all right thinking truly decent Americans. Rush speaks for all good and right thinking people, he reflects our thoughts and what we already know is right and wrong, but Rush goes one better, he is great for rubbing the liberal liars noses in their own excrement. Liberal liars don't stand a chance with their scheming lies and communist attempts to take over the courts because they can't win an election. Liberal liars, bow your head to greatness that is me and all others just like Rush, Rush will be every liberal's new hero, because in your heart, you know he's right. Now, liberals, read Rush's book over and over and admit your real goal, to destroy America and freedom. We won't let it happen. Liberals and elkayda, oh, that's not how you spell it? I DON'T CARE! Liberals and ekayda are one, and they will be defeated. And a good start to their destruction is all people worldwide reading the wonderful wise words of that lovable little fuzzball, Rush. And that's the final word. Thank you and good riddance to liberals.

Don't Buy Books From Crooks.......2006-07-21

The book is nothing more than a large ego trip from one of the most vile man in politics. Limbaugh has recycled his on air rant and raves into text. There is nothing new here. How a failed top forty DJ becomes the mouth piece for the republican party speaks a lot about conservatives. Treat yourself to Viagra instead.

Long-time listener - first (and last) time reader.......2006-07-09

I'll admit -- I don't like Rush one bit. I listen to his show to find out what the creepy side of America is being told to think. But I did check out this book, and it's slightly better than I expected. That is to say, it's considerably better than Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly or Ann Coulter's stuff. He doesn't rant or rave.

But still, I found very little in this book that is true or accurate or even honest. IMO, if you don't buy into his prejudices already, you won't find much to agree with.

We Have Always Done It That Way: 101 Things About Associations We Must Change

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We Have Always Done It That Way: 101 Things About Associations We Must Change
Five Independent Thinkers
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 184728857X

Book Description

"We have always done it that way" is no longer a viable leadership philosophy for associations. The long-term growth and success of these organizations depends on their ability to innovate, and this book explores a wide variety of issues and ideas that should be the basis for meaningful dialogue about how to make that happen. By challenging association leaders to change the way they think, lead and run their associations, the authors hope to spark a genuine renaissance of associations in the 21st century. The Five Independent Thinkers are Jeff De Cagna, David Gammel, Jamie Notter, Mickie Rops, and Amy Smith.

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