The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

Amazon.com

Sit at the foot of a native elder and listen as great wisdom of days long past is passed down. In The Four Agreements shamanic teacher and healer Don Miguel Ruiz exposes self-limiting beliefs and presents a simple yet effective code of personal conduct learned from his Toltec ancestors. Full of grace and simple truth, this handsomely designed book makes a lovely gift for anyone making an elementary change in life, and it reads in a voice that you would expect from an indigenous shaman. The four agreements are these: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. It's the how and why one should do these things that make The Four Agreements worth reading and remembering. --P. Randall Cohan

Book Description

In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting agreements that rob people of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform anyone's life to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. These agreements are deceptively simple: Be impeccable with your word (speak with integrity; say only what you mean); Don't take anything personally (nothing others do is because of you); Don't make assumptions (find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want); Always do your best (and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret). Peter Coyote's resonant reading emphasizes the power in these remarkable tenets.

Customer Reviews:

A good foundation.......2007-10-01

This is a compelling book that provides a straightforward, easy-to-understand methodology for improving one's quality of life. In this work Ruiz first reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that tend to rob people of joy and create needless suffering. He then recommends a technique for overcoming these beliefs: adopt four new agreements with respect to how they approach the world and conduct their lives.

Is this some new, revolutionary technology for self-improvement? No, the fact is in one way shape or form we've all heard these types of admonitions from other sources in our lives. What Ruiz does well is package them in a novel way and provide practical insights into how we can best apply them. Bottom line, even if you've heard something like this before it never hurts to be reminded about good advice you've received in the past.

PLEASE... Read the 1 star reviews BEFORE you buy this book!.......2007-09-27

I am shocked at all the 5 stars and positive press this book has received. PLEASE, read a few of the 1 star reviews before you purchase this book. Quite often people who rate something with just 1 star are grumpy individuals who just want to argue... not this time. Many writers of the single star reviews are extremely well spoken, very well read and positive minded individuals. They are worth reading! (More so than this book.)

Everyone on this Planet should read this book, it should be a teaching material in Schools.......2007-09-25

The four agreements is not only a book, it is a lifestyle. Most of the wisdom in self helping books i have read thruout the years has mostly washed away, vanished in to the sea of mind few weeks later after i read them. This one is different. It has somekind of power. And it forces you to do the doings not just read about them.This one stayes with you cause you wan't to pick it up over and over again.

Critical information, so powerful it should be taught 7- 12 + college.......2007-09-24

I did not receive any critical information about my role in relationships from any source including school, religious education, parents, or advisor's.

The Four Agreements and the Mastery of Love has now provided this knowledge and it is and will always be a reference source for living the rest of my life

It is so ingrained and with me every day as I work to improve on my relationships with my family, friends, and business relationships. After you listen to the message of the Four Agreements, you will see the need for this information to be made available to your family and friends.

My wish is for this to be a part of the curriculum for the public school systems.

Cecil Sterne
Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Easy to read, let's see how easy in practise.......2007-09-18

I think we've all seen this stuff before in various incarnations (e.g. Bible - "Do unto others...") but it is a very easy read and the agreements are plain and unambiguous. They are not cluttered with ceremony but come down to principles of values and self context. And like alot of similar readings, the battle or challenge lies in the effort to achieve and not only the achievement itself. I like that it advocates largely a position or development of an inner strength that is personal. All too often, I have noticed some of these personal freedom type writings from authors who present their writings in a stadium type environment and whip the crowd up in a frenzy to create a mob frenzy that attempts to portray the message. That's clearly the domain of some charlatans that we've all seen. I'm looking forward to the challenge involved in implementing these agreements. It won't be easy but most thnigs worthwhile aren't so they say.

SIGN with your BABY Complete Learning Kit: US DVD Version, Book, Training Video (DVD), Quick Reference Guide

Average customer rating:

Easy to understand / user-friendly
Signing with babies works
Signing is cool -- don't need the video though
Too much marketing, Not enough vocab.
Best Baby Sign Language program

SIGN with your BABY Complete Learning Kit: US DVD Version, Book, Training Video (DVD), Quick Reference Guide
Joseph Garcia
Manufacturer: Northlight Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

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Accessories:

ASIN: 1932354018
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Product Description

Birth - 18 months. A straight-forward and light-hearted approach to teaching infants how to communicate using simple American Sign Language (ASL) signs.

Amazon.com

Sign with Your Baby Complete Learning Kit will enable you to communicate at new levels with your baby long before she can speak. This comprehensive package of book, video, and reference guide shows how simple gestures can communicate ideas like "I'm hungry" or "help me." Caregivers grasp baby's needs immediately rather than learn through trial and error. Dr. Joseph Garcia has designed the system so it's not necessary to learn an entire new language, although it also provides a terrific start in American Sign Language for a hearing-impaired child. A fascinating introduction delves into the development of language in children and uses informative line drawings to demonstrate over 150 hand signs for all kinds of actions and nouns. The accompanying video provides practical tips for getting started, some insight into the hows and whys of this method from Dr. Burton White (director of the Center for Parent Education), and inspiring sights of young babies signing effectively with their caregivers. The laminated quick-reference guide lists some of the most common words in any parent's day: cookie, no, and up are but a few. Garcia's clear, concise methods make learning a breeze, and caregivers gain outstanding new abilities to give the best possible care for the babies entrusted to them. --Jill Lightner

Customer Reviews:

Easy to understand / user-friendly.......2007-10-11

This set has many forms of materials included - the quick-view card helpful for babysitters and grandparents, the DVD to fully explain the theory behind sign-language as well as properly demonstrate the motions of sign-language, and a book which covers many of the same points on theory of sign-language as the DVD. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and after only 1 showing we both picked up many signs to be able to use with our little one.

Signing with babies works.......2007-09-10

We bought Garcia's DVD for our grandson at about 4 months of age. Signs helped him express his needs and even feelings with a minimum of fussing. He is now almost 3 and very verbal & advanced. It may be that he's just a great kid, but we believe signing with babies really works.

Signing is cool -- don't need the video though.......2007-07-08

I like the sign language. It was pretty great when our 9 month old told me he wanted milk the first time! I don't think you need the video though. You can just start repeating certain signs on your own. Just repeat them a lot and be consistent.

The problem we had is that we couldn't get our daycare providers to use the signs. So it seemed like any progress we made got undone by them. He would use the signs with them but they wouldn't recognize it. I can only imagine how that must have been frustrating and confusing for him. So make sure everyone around him is going to use the signs before you start teaching them.

Too much marketing, Not enough vocab........2007-05-26

I started at 7 months, he picked up the first sign at about 10 months, and the rest came around 1 yr. The video/book combination is good because the video shows you the signs and the book is handy for a quick reference.

Drawbacks:
1. I felt like much of the video was still trying to sell me on the idea of doing sign with my baby. It could focus less on marketing and present the information more efficiently.
2. The sign vocabulary is limited to the first stage of sign language learning only. It could be improved by including more vocabulary.

Best Baby Sign Language program.......2007-05-14

I have compared this program with other sign language programs, and it seems to be the best one I have come across so far. At one point, I taught another baby sign language course, whose name I will not mention. The program's signs did not always come close to actual sign language, which I found was offensive to the deaf community. Joseph Garcia's program follows actual signs from ASL, and the program is easy enough to learn if you are willing to put the time and effort into it. I would definitely recommend this baby sign language program for other mothers - the resources are varied - book, DVD, quick reference guide - it's the best out there!!

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality

Average customer rating:

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality
Audio CD review
Wonderful Words Yet Hurtful!
A Guide to Life
Fantastically inspiring!

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality
Raymond Arroyo
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385519850
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

An intimate guide to living a life in full, from a woman who has . . .

“Everything starts with one person . . . I don’t care if you’re 5 or 105, God from all eternity chose you to be where you are, at this time in history, to change the world.”

“If you are following God, He never shows you the end. It’s always a walk of faith.”

“Faith is one foot on the ground, one foot in the air, and a queasy feeling in the stomach.”

—Mother Angelica

Are you unsure of your purpose in life? Stuck in the past and worried about the future? Hamstrung by fear, failure, or trials? Mother is here to help.

For more than twenty-five years, Mother Angelica has dispensed spiritual wisdom and practical advice to millions around the globe through her lively broadcasts on EWTN. Now she shares with you her personal life lessons and hilarious counsel as never before. Raymond Arroyo, author of the bestselling biography of Mother Angelica, has assembled an inspiring collection of her powerful insights, comic musings, and no-nonsense guidance for everyday living. Culled from never-before-seen interviews, private conversations, and recorded lessons not heard in over thirty years, to which Arroyo had exclusive access, these selections capture Mother Angelica’s spunky spirit and profound wisdom at their zenith.

In Mother Angelica’s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality, the beloved nun is your personal mentor. Together you’ll discover:

How to find God’s Will in your life
How to pursue inspirations fearlessly
How to make sense of pain and suffering
How to spiritually overcome personal faults and trials

Created in cooperation with Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, this devotional treasury is accompanied by original prayers from Mother Angelica’s private collection. Within are the meditations, personal beliefs, and pithy life lessons that transformed a disabled child of divorce into Mother Angelica, founder and CEO of the world’s largest religious media empire. Packed with real-world hope, this little book is sure to transform your life in a big way.

A portion of the proceeds of this book goes to support the work of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery

Customer Reviews:

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality .......2007-10-01

It's a great book and an awesome lady. She is so intellent when it comes to spirituality. I recommend the book to all. You should also read her life story.
She is a living saint.
Ken & Linda

Audio CD review.......2007-07-20

I have to admit, at first it was a little annoying listening to Raymond changing his voice to imitate Mother. He sounds much more like Jonathan Winters' "Grandma Frickert" character than Mother Angelica.

But the content of this book is of course so good that I was able to tune that out and just become absorbed in Mother's timeless wisdom. Good job, Raymond!

Wonderful Words Yet Hurtful!.......2007-07-16

Her Words are worderful, yet could be very hurtful. Since she's giving us some thoughts to think about, let me give you some thoughts to think about.

What about the family in Tacoma, Washington, whose 12 or 13 year old girl was suddenly grabbed after watching fireworks and whose dead bady was found a few days later! Should they be giving the experience over to the Lord! Don't they have the right,at least for awhile, to be FOROCIOUSLY MAD AT THE LORD before they come to the point of being able to give it over to Him or perhaps would that be an example of praying to much for ourselves as Sister likes to say so much!

What about the lady who was dieing on the floor of the convenience store and people were walking over her and some even taking pictures? Wouldn't she have the right to be TREMENDOUSLY MAD AT GOD before she could give it over to Him, or, as Sister is so fond of saying, would that be praying to too much for ourselves?

What about the rape victims, the children who are in abusive situations within their own homes, etc.? The way that she sounds is that those of us who are in trouble can INSTANTLY give EVERYTHING over to the Lord.

I'm sorry Sister Angelica, sometimes that's not possible for many reasons. Sometimes the reasons are due to Post Tramatic Stress requireing a therapist and/or psychologist for medications.

Sometimes the Lord will use various types of professionals to help bring a person to the point where he or she can give everything over to Him. Within your book, you seem to recognize the fact that we should give everything over to Him, however, you never mention the need that sometimes that requires the use professionals and sometimes, depending upon the individual involved and the type of situation, even with the use of a professionals and even prayer, it might take a year or more to completely give everything over to the Lord. Sometimes, that's just the way the Lord's made us.

A Guide to Life.......2007-07-04

Mother Angelica, through her frankness and wit, provides us answers to the questions we all seem to ask at one time or another about life. She is a genius! Read her biography as well if you can. This book will give you information on how to improve your life, and her biography will give you the motivation. Her show on EWTN was a gem. They play reruns - catch it if you can to see her in action. She is simply stunning.

Fantastically inspiring!.......2007-07-03

Arroyo does a marvelous job of compiling this beautiful and inspiring book on Mother Angelica's everyday spirituality and life lessons. You can tell he was close to her and knew how to put this all together. This book was so inspiring to me because it speaks from such a practical stand point. Her lessons are not deep and theological but practical and useful for our everyday life struggles. I highly recommend it no matter what religious persuasion you may come from!

Average customer rating:

DON'T READ THIS BOOK!!!
Grest Book
Good Book
highly recommended!!
not only for teens!

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens
Sean Covey
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684856093

Amazon.com

Based on his father's bestselling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Sean Covey applies the same principles to teens, using a vivacious, entertaining style. To keep it fun, Covey writes, he "stuffed it full of cartoons, clever ideas, great quotes, and incredible stories about real teens from all over the world... along with a few other surprises." Did he ever! Flip open to any page and become instantly absorbed in real-life stories of teens who have overcome obstacles to succeed, and step-by-step guides to shifting paradigms, building equity in "relationship bank accounts," creating action plans, and much more.

As a self-acknowledged guinea pig for many of his dad's theories, Sean Covey is a living example of someone who has taken each of the seven habits to heart: be proactive; begin with the end in mind; put first things first; think win-win; seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize; and sharpen the saw. He includes a comical section titled "The 7 Habits of Highly Defective Teens," which includes some, shall we say, counterproductive practices: put first things last; don't cooperate; seek first to talk, then pretend to listen; wear yourself out... Covey's humorous and up-front style is just light enough to be acceptable to wary teenagers, and down-and-dirty enough to really make a difference. (Ages 13 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Being a teenager is both wonderful and challenging. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, author Sean Covey applies the timeless principles of the 7 Habits to teens and the tough issues and life-changing decisions they face. In an entertaining style, Covey provides a step-by-step guide to help teens improve self-image, build friendships, resist peer pressure, achieve their goals, get along with their parents, and much more. In addition, this book is stuffed with cartoons, clever ideas, great quotes, and incredible stories about real teens from all over the world. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens will engage teenagers unlike any other book.

An indispensable book for teens, as well as parents, grandparents, and any adult who influences young people, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is destined to become the last word on surviving and thriving as a teen and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

DON'T READ THIS BOOK!!!.......2007-10-12

This book is the most painful book I've ever had to read. Spare yourself and don't read it.

Grest Book.......2007-09-12

This book is excellent to guide your children on the right path of life at an early age.

Good Book.......2007-09-02

The book was fine, after I ordered it from Books A Million. I had ordered it from Amazon's vendor "Warehouse Deals", and after waiting two weeks with no book and no response to my questions to "Warehouse Deals" I ordered from Books A Million. On their behalf Amazon did credit my account. Still have not had a response from the seller(?).

highly recommended!!.......2007-08-26

I actually bought this book for myself when I was 25 years old. I didn't buy it for a teenaged brother or a daughter. It was purely for myself. I had read Stephen Covey's "7 Habits..." when I was in college and was very inspired by the book but decided to buy this book just to check it out. It looked like a fun read and I was curious to know what Stephen's son had to say about the habits. As mentioned in other reviews, both books have exactly the same ideas except Sean's book presents the ideas in a much simpler form (without losing the essense). I think the simplicity of Sean's book actually enhances the message being communicated. And now, although I still have Stephen Covey's book, I refer back to Sean Covey's book instead when I want a refresher. I highly recommend this book to adults who are looking for inspirational self-help books. I am going out to buy Sean's other book which seem to be receiving higher acclaim. Cheers.

not only for teens!.......2007-08-20

I recommend this book for young adults too.The simple, no-nonsense approach of Sean Covey makes this book an easy read. There's no useless psychobabble in this book unlike other self-help books.

Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Flawless
Buy Individual Books in Order--Replaces Bible
An easy read that will get you to think...
just a comment
Below normal comprehension

Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)
Neale Donald Walsch
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399142789

Amazon.com

Blasphemy! Heresy! Who does this man think he is, claiming to speak directly to God?! Jesus did it, Muhammad did it, the Jewish prophets did it, but none of their Gods had the sardonic wit or raw verve of Prophet Walsch's God. Neale Donald Walsch isn't claiming to be the Messiah of a new religion, just a frustrated man who sat down one day with pen in his hand and some tough questions in his heart. As he wrote his questions to God, he realized that God was answering them... directly... through Walsch's pen. The result, far from the apocalyptic predictions or cultic eccentricities you might expect, turns out to be matter-fact, in-your-face wisdom on how to get by in life while remaining true to yourself and your spirituality.

Book Description

Conversations with God Book 1 began a series that has been changing millions of lives for more than ten years. Finally, the bestselling series is now a movie, starring Henry Czerny (The Pink Panther and Clear and Present Danger) and Ingrid Boulting (The Last Tycoon). Produced and directed by Stephen Simon (producer of Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come) and distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films and Fox Home Entertainment, the theatrical release is set for October 27, 2006. The movie is the true account of Walsch (played by Cierny), who went from an unemployed homeless man to an "accidental spiritual messenger" and author of the bestselling book

Customer Reviews:

Flawless.......2007-10-19

This book is so utterly flawless. Recently I've been having the trouble of finding "faith" in the things that I thought. They just weren't quite turning into belief. This book has far exceeded in turning my thoughts into belief. They affirmed them in such a beautifully simplistic way that it brought me to tears. It has answered so many of my questions and I don't think by the end of this series that I'll have many left. It is the most flawless assortment of words in the English language I can possibly imagine. Please...buy this book.

Buy Individual Books in Order--Replaces Bible.......2007-10-16

I regret not paying better attention to the reviewer of the collected set (one book with three parts and no covers). Do buy the books individually for a more distributed appreciation.

This will sound like sacrilege to many, but in my view these three books in combination replace the Bible as the foundation work for the future of Humanity as God in Community on Earth. There is so much common sense in all three books that I am just blown away.

Although I am 10-15 years late in appreciating the cultural creatives, integral consciousness, one from many, I sense an imminent renaissance of humanity, aided by the amoral wickedness of Dick Cheney and those foolish enough to obey his unconstitutional orders. These three books are our manual for re-establishing Humanity in Community.

Book 1 introduces a God who loves us unconditionally, whom we can have faith in, and who does not need to bloated religious bureaucracies of fear-mongering, hate-mongering, sexually-inhibited priests, imams, and rabbis (some exceptions not withstanding).

The bottom line is this: you can live in fear or live in love--unconditional love. Fear is exclusive, love in inclusive.

Here are the notes I kept:

* Core values are truth, patience, open mind, open heart.
* Arts are inspiration and help spirituality grow and be shared
* Feelings are the language of the soul
* God is found in the highest thought, clearest word, grandest feeling
* Receive and embrace God directly, not via false intermediaries
* Knowing, experiencing, being
* Point of life is to remember the One and rewind back from fragmentation
* You, not God, determines outcomes--live the change you wish to see (Gandhi)
* We choose heaven or hell on earth
* Only by accepting responsibility for ALL poverty and other high-level threats to humanity can we resolve them.
* Judgment fragments and lessens community
* There are no coincidences
* You attract what you fear through emotions
* Choose love, end war--Humanity is losing patience (see Blessed Unrest)
* Sex with joy and sympathy is the ultimate form of love
* Money is the ultimate divider, irrelevant to achieving peace & prosperity
* Stop accepting "original sin" and start remembering you are one with God.
* Passion is in the doing
* Freedom is living life without expectations
* When you are so good you no longer need God, this is God's greatest moment.
* Religions that stress damnation are flat out WRONG. Not possible to offend God, whose love is unconditional.
* Priests and others are a major part of the schism of demanding religions.
* Purpose of relationships is to have another with whom you can share your completeness.
* Love is BEING, not fulfilling a NEED.
* God asks that you love yourself and always make the highest choice.
* Act before thinking; emphasize being, follow a calling in life.
* Gratitude in advance--reciprocal altruism, is the highest path.
* Worry can be fatal. Stop worrying.

On to Book 2
Conversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 2)

See also:
Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
Left Hand of God, The: Healing America's Political and Spiritual Crisis
One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization
Escaping the Matrix: How We the People can change the world
All Rise: Somebodies, Nobodies, and the Politics of Dignity (BK Currents)

An easy read that will get you to think..........2007-10-14

Perhaps it is time for Amazon to only let people comment on books if they have purchased them or can prove they actually read the book.

I'm willing to bet that anyone who gave this book less that 3 stars never read the book. It is a fascinating read. Many of us question the existence of God. This book gives you an alternative to the religious doctrines out there today and will get you thinking.

I loved his take on the Ten Commandments and Original Sin.

If God really gave us Ten Commandments is there any power in the universe, other than God that would give you the power to break them?

Original Sin was in fact one of God's greatest gifts it proved that mankind could think and act for themselves. All the animals on earth act out according to Gods laws... sharks swim and eat and reproduce. They aren't going to do anything their nature has not laid out for them since they first appeared on earth but man... Man will look around pick up a rock, smash it, stick it in a fire, turn it into a metal, shape it... and end up flying to the moon with.

This is a great read... I'd tell you the uplifting description of why God allows horrible natural disasters to take place but no... read the book... I'll give you a hint... it involves a play ground.

just a comment.......2007-10-14

I havent read this book yet or any of the books, but i've seen it on the bookshelves. my youth leader sent an email to the department this past week advising volunteers to ck it out and beware of what our children are reading. parents are livid because the book appears on the scholastic reading list. i've read over some of the reviews and there is no overwhelming consensus either way good or bad. i do not think i will purchase the book for the sake of principle, but i will however look for it in my public library. how else can we help our children if we do not know what they are up against. upon completion of this book, i will of course draw my own conclusions and perhaps post a review. until then, i consider myself a biased individual leaning toward the word as presented in the bible. anything outside of that i consider blasphemy. training, learning, growing is a constant without it we parish.

be nice on here people. dont shut others down simply because their opinion differs from yours. state your position and leave it at that. it's up to the individual reading the review if they agree with you and are intrigued to read or not to read.

Below normal comprehension.......2007-10-10

This book is utter dribble. Some passages remind me of text written by hippies high on drugs. When one starts having conversations with themselves that's usually not a good thing. I don't need Mr. Walsch to answer my questions, if I have questions to ask of God, I'll go the original source -- my bible. I have more confidence in the consistency and accuracy of the bible's answers than I do of a man responding to voices in his head.

And why do people assume God does not love unconditionally. Wasn't that the whole purpose of Jesus' sacrafice. Plus He shows his love the way any parent would. Didn't all of our parents punish us if we did something wrong like lie. They disliked that we lied and punished us for it, but that didn't stop them from loving us or continuing to provide for us.

Average customer rating:

A Beginner's Guide to Second Life
Scatterbrained
Second Life, the Cadillac of VR Sites.
looking for more locations?
Not bad and if you play SL this book will help

Second Life: The Officical Guide
Michael Rymaszewski
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 047009608X

Amazon.com

Since "opening" in 2003, Second Life has become an explosive worldwide phenomenon, inhabited by over 5 million virtual residents by 2007. Hit the digital ground running with Second Life: The Official Guide, the ultimate travel reference to this exciting new "metaverse." Get all the information you'll need to create your avatar, navigate the landscape, and build your in-World business to produce real-world profits.

Download Second Life character trading cards (.pdf)

More images from Second Life (click for larger image)

Book Description

Second Life: The Official Guide is the perfect book for anyone interested in Linden Labs fascinating Second Life metaverse. This book explores in detail every aspect of Second Lifes rich and multilayered virtual world, explains how it works, and offers a wealth of information and practical advice for all Second Life residents.

The first part of the book, Getting a Second Life, acquaints potential and new players with the Second Life world. It describes the metaverses geography as well as its society, explaining the written and unwritten rules.

The second part, Living a Second Life, deals with the practical and economic aspects of Second Life: creating and customizing an avatar, building objects, scripting, and making money.

The third part of the book, Success in Second Life, discusses ways to enjoy Second Life more. This section includes profiles of successful Second Life residents, discusses fascinating in-world events, and examines how some are using Second Life for business, training, and other purposes.

The book closes with a glossary as well as quick-reference and additional-resources appendices.

The accompanying CD-ROM features special animations, character templates, and textures created by Linden Lab exclusively for this book. The disc also guides new users through installation and includes a code that grants a special object their first time entering the metaverse.

Customer Reviews:

A Beginner's Guide to Second Life.......2007-10-09

Book was what it was advertised to be. Full of easy to understand instructions. Excellent buy.

Scatterbrained.......2007-09-22

This MAY be the best introduction to SL, I don't know, but it is not well organized or specific. There is a huge problem with any print material on SL-it is obsolete before it comes off the press. Hey, if you are into Second Life, this is as good a place as any to start. Just don't think its going to be anywhere all that you need. But then, there probably isn't ANYTHING that tells you all you need to know. One thing, read this BEFORE you create your avatar! Although then you won't know what the heck half the stuff means.

Second Life, the Cadillac of VR Sites........2007-09-22

Like Second Life itself, this book gives you the basics and then expects you to find someone willing to explain the rest. Although the book glosses over the details, it is still a very good place to start finding your way around the often bewildering world of SL. I found the chapters on "A Cultural Timeline," and "The Future and Impact of Second Life" to be of particular interest.

All in all? A good, basic introduction.

looking for more locations?.......2007-09-12

this book is great but if you are looking for more locations and things to do check out this book:

Second Life Travel Guide

Not bad and if you play SL this book will help.......2007-08-24

I am new to Second Life and was looking for a book to help me understand and the enjoy the simulation more. This book has very helpful in helping me understand more about Second Life. I recommend it for any one new to the simulation

Average customer rating:

Absolutely beautiful
Beautiful Book
Intriguing and beguiling
Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery
No Words!

Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
David Wiesner
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618194576

Book Description

A bright, science minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share... and to keep.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely beautiful.......2007-10-10

Beautifully done. Its too complex for my 16 month old right now but I can see her loving it as much as we do in the future. I won't be surprised if it becomes one of her favorite books to read. When that time comes we will have lots of fun making up stories to go with the pictures.

Beautiful Book.......2007-09-27

This book is a wordless story appropriate for children of many ages. The pages are full of beautiful illustrations that actually tell a story without having to use words. It also gives children the opportunity to use their imaginations to some degree because they are not strictly told what happens. In it, a boy finds a camera washed up on shore and develops the film. The pictures reveal underwater fantasies in large, brightly colored images.

Intriguing and beguiling.......2007-09-20

When my wife first saw this in the bookstore, she called out, nearly shouting, "Look at this." One look wouldn't do - couldn't do! The detail and clever storytelling in this book are amazing. This book belongs on the shelf of every illustrated book lover.

Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery.......2007-09-15

This item was exactly as described in the item description. It was in the original packaging and is in excellent condition. I am very satisfied and I highly recommend this seller and product to everyone. This is an excellent book by an excellent author!

No Words!.......2007-08-27

This is a beautiful book. Great pictures. But, no words. My child was very confused when there were no words to read. It does allow you, however, to expand and make up a story. But, I would have liked to know that this book had no words before I bought it!

Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships

Average customer rating:

A review of the reviews...
Used as a book club book and it was PERFECT for that!
Little Black Book of Connections
Excellent book
Great Little Black Handbook of Connections

Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships
Jeffrey Gitomer
Manufacturer: Bard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1885167660

Book Description

People in all kinds of jobs, in big and small companies career builders, sales people, and aspiring executives will love this edgy, practical, and fun book In the spirit, style, and format of the bestselling Little Red Book of Selling, the country's #1 sa

Customer Reviews:

A review of the reviews..........2007-10-13

I can't help but respond to some of the reviews about the Little Black Book of Connections. The people who wrote bad reviews all seem to point to the fact that the book contains clever ways to get you to the author's site and register. Isn't that the point ? The first step to making a connection ? Making the first contact ?

This book is so well written, I can't believe these people read the book and that's all they can say is, "He's trying to get my information so he can sell me."

People who don't like being "sold" to, will never be able to sell. My advice to anyone considering buying this book...If you want some networking "gold" buy this book. If you don't want to be "sold" to, keep your hourly wage job and hope that Medicare and Social Security is still around when you retire broke.

Robin C Aletras
BlueWEB Media, Inc
www.bluewebmedia.com

Used as a book club book and it was PERFECT for that!.......2007-10-01

Gitomer is such a fun writer, his style and examples make you smile and laugh out loud at times. He keeps your attention and gives you great calls to action to get you doing something with what you are reading. I have read many of his books and this is a great quick read to get you going in making relationships work better for you. After you read this one, go and get Richard Abraham's book MR. SHMOOZE- The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships to take it another level. A great investment in your personal library.

Little Black Book of Connections.......2007-09-13

This book is nothing short of a Survival Guide for people wanting to get re-employed, or improve from being underemployed. This is the guide to Networking and making connections. Don't wait, "click" now and get started to improving your life.

Excellent book.......2007-09-11

Excellent book on networking. One of the very few that will talk about giving before receiving; more than a networking book it's a book that'll teach you to build long lasting friendships. These will eventually help you move ahead in life.

Great Little Black Handbook of Connections.......2007-09-05

Jeffrey Gitomer is a professional at life. He provided many great insights into connecting and networking through a collection of lists of his own "proverbs" and altruisms. I doubt anyone can read this all at once; but the book is great when you read a few lists until you find something that really strikes you, and then practice it for a few weeks before going back to this great reference work. Very good!

Agile Web Development with Rails, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

Clear as water
Agile Web Development
Beyond great: best book, best reference, best index (and funny)
Great new edition of a fine book
Excellent, Thorough and Easy

Agile Web Development with Rails, 2nd Edition
Dave Thomas , David Hansson , Leon Breedt , Mike Clark , James Duncan Davidson , Justin Gehtland , and Andreas Schwarz
Manufacturer: Pragmatic Bookshelf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0977616630

Book Description

The definitive, Jolt-award winning guide to learning and using Rails is now in its Second Edition. Rails is a new approach to web-based application development that enables developers to create full-featured, sophisticated web-based applications using less code and less effort. Now programmers can get the job done right and still leave work on time.

NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION: The book has been updated to take advantage of all the new Rails 1.2 features. The sample application uses migrations, Ajax, features a REST interface, and illustrates new Rails features. There are new chapters on migrations, active support, active record, and action controller (including the new resources-based routing). The Web 2.0 and Deployment chapters have been completely rewritten to reflect the latest thinking. Now you can learn which environments are best for your style application, and see how Capistrano makes managing your site simple. All the remaining chapters have been extensively updated. Finally, hundreds of comments from readers of the first edition have been incorporated, making this book simply the best available.

Rails is a full-stack, open source web framework that enables you to create full-featured, sophisticated web-based applications with a twist...you can create a full Rails application using less code than the setup XML you'd need just to configure some other frameworks.

With this book, you'll learn how to use Rails Active Record to connect business objects and database tables. No more painful object-relational mapping. Just create your business objects and let Rails do the rest. You'll learn how to use the Action Pack framework to route incoming requests and render pages using easy-to-write templates and components. See how to exploit the Rails service frameworks to send emails, talk to web services, and interact dynamically with JavaScript applications running in the browser (the "Ajax" architecture).

You'll see how easy it is to deploy Rails. You'll be writing applications that work with your favorite database (MySQL, Oracle, Postgres, and more) in no time at all.

Customer Reviews:

Clear as water.......2007-09-27

This book is a really good inversion if you plan to start you "RoR" experience, the way the book is written is very clear and in a good order, so you can understand better what's going on as you go along.

Great book!

Agile Web Development.......2007-09-27

Great book to start off with. Has a good tutorial on building a shopping cart application. Then one can learn from that to develop a application that is unique for their business.

Beyond great: best book, best reference, best index (and funny).......2007-09-19

I am an oldster (you know, 40+) and have learned many a language. Kernigan and Ritchie wrote their "K & R" C-language book in some written language a little higher level than English. After 40 or 50 reads through, I got it. I read C++ books, SmallTalk, Delphi, Visual Basic, and many Java books, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Awk, Emacs, REXX (!!), and just about everything O'Reily has ever published.

Now, I come to Ruby, and Ruby on Rails. Thank goodness for this book. What a relief to read a book that is 1) comprehensive, 2) practical, 3) accurate, 4) funny at times, and 5) above all, has a good index! Perhaps programming languages are (finally) getting easier to write about, but Dave Thomas is an outstanding technical writer: he knows his audience and writes for us. Look, I know a million programming languages, but I am not the kind of person who zips through a book and suddenly gets it. Most books are written by people who are experts in the nuances, but have forgotten the many steps that lead up to those nuances.

AWDWR is better. It starts with a non-trivial and complete tutorial -- the first half of the book is an application that manages to hit most of the critical aspects of actually doing the job. It is a reasonably broad application covering many points of real webapps. (I read through thinking, yeah, we managed to deal with that in our Java webapp in a month, and here it is, built in to Rails, and better ... more than once). Maybe it is Rails, which seems to be a significant step in maturity over current generations (my last was WebWork/Struts 2, which seems to be the best you can do with Java these days, but really only one part of the larger problem).

But I have to give great respect to Dave Thomas and the other great writers who all made this second edition book a great, great book. I could follow along when reading, I actually did the whole tutorial and found myself learning almost all the way through typing the examples in by hand (mostly by learning how to debug my typos and understanding how the language and framework responded). Now that we're writing our real software, we still look back at the tutorial to get a clear view of how all the parts fit together.

The second part of the book is a solid documentation of the components and APIs available. It is not complete, but nor should it be -- if you want the API, link to the Rails site API. It does cover the important points, however, and ties them back to the tutorial where appropriate. Various important aspects are covered in enough detail to get the idea across, but not so much as to be just a lexicon.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. If this is your first programming book, it will be a struggle, but less than most, and if you're a professional software engineer with one or two languages under your belt (and reasonable proficiency at the command line), you will find this a great reference for learning, and for doing.

Great new edition of a fine book.......2007-09-06

If you have the first edition of this book, you REALLY need to get this edition, since some of the recommended ways to do things have changed. Even some of the ways to get the first sample applications up and running have changed a bit. To be sure, the changes are for the better. The first edition of this book helped me to get my first Ruby on Rails app up and running and this one makes it easier.

Excellent, Thorough and Easy.......2007-08-23

This book, for me, was fantastic! Real world examples for the win! I am still not finished with this book, only half-way through it but, I have to say I have never been as excited about a book than I am about this one.

The very beginning chapters get a functional website application up and running called Depot (an on line book store) and they do this in such a way that you don't have to know the Ruby language (no, it's not scaffolding). As long as you can understand how gears work and fit together and that one turns clockwise and another turns counter clockwise, I don't think you'll have a problem.

With that being said, without knowing Ruby, you may be able to get by on making your own application from scratch but, it will be very rough. The purpose of this book is to teach you about Rails, not Ruby.

My recommendation is, read this book first, before a Ruby book. That way, seeing the Ruby code will be much easier to take in after you see how it works in Rails and to syntax used. Do NOT skimp on learning Ruby after you read this book! You will be sorry! There are TONS more to learn just by learning the language itself. There is more than one way to skin a cat and by learning the rest of the language, you will be more empowered to figure out problems on your own.

The only problem I had with this book was that, in the middle of chapter 5, it skipped back to chapter 3 and finished out chapter 5, chapter 6 and half of chapter 7 was missing. This is the printer's fault, not Amazon's or Pragmatic Programmer's fault. If you happen to get a messed up book, don't contact Amazon, it takes forever. Instead, I contacted Pragmatic Programmer via email and let them know of the situation and to my surprise, they sent me a brand new book still in plastic, priority mail which took about 2 days to get to me! I was just expecting maybe the missing chapters in PDF format but, this shows a lot of character on the part of the company (Pragmatic Programmers). My email was responded to in less than 45 seconds after I hit the "send" button. I would like to offer much praise to the company for this!

If you are a PHP developer, there is another framework that has been modeled after Ruby on Rails called CakePHP. It is fairly new and under heavy development but, the basic principals are the same. The only reason I am plugging them here is, without having learned this framework, I don't think I would have thought about looking at Ruby on Rails. For a super quick breakdown of how MVC pattern works. Be aware that Ruby on Rails is much easier. I think this is due to the nature of PHP and not the framework itself. The devs try their hardest to make it easy for you.

I guess I don't have anything else to say about this except, if you do buy this book, you will not be disappointed.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives

Average customer rating:

Great book with lots of truth in it
Excellent Book!!!!
A Book That Changes Lives
Something for Everyone
Lots of wisdom...if open to it

Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
Dan Millman
Manufacturer: HJ Kramer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932073205

Amazon.com

During his junior year at the University of California, Dan Millman first stumbled upon his mentor (nicknamed Socrates) at an all-night gas station. At the time, Millman hoped to become a world-champion gymnast. "To survive the lessons ahead, you're going to need far more energy than ever before," Socrates warned him that night. "You must cleanse your body of tension, free your mind of stagnant knowledge, and open your heart to the energy of true emotion." From there, the unpredictable Socrates proceeded to teach Millman the "way of the peaceful warrior." At first Socrates shattered every preconceived notion that Millman had about academics, athletics, and achievement. But eventually Millman stopped resisting the lessons, and began to try on a whole new ideology--one that valued being conscious over being smart, and strength in spirit over strength in body. Although the character of the cigarette-smoking Socrates seems like a fictional, modern-day Merlin, Millman asserts that he is based on an actual person. Certain male readers especially appreciate the coming-of-age theme, the haunting love story with the elusive woman Joy, and the challenging of Western beliefs about masculine power and success. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Way of the Peaceful Warrior is based on the story of Dan Millman, a world champion athlete, who journeys into realms of romance and magic, light and darkness, body, mind, and spirit. Guided by a powerful old warrior named Socrates and tempted by an elusive, playful woman named Joy, Dan is led toward a final confrontation that will deliver or destroy him. Readers join Dan as he learns to live as a peaceful warrior. This international bestseller conveys piercing truths and humorous wisdom, speaking directly to the universal quest for happiness.

Customer Reviews:

Great book with lots of truth in it.......2007-10-17

Excellent book, with a lot of truths in it as well.
I don't know if I believe in Socrates, but truth is truth and many of the lessons in this book are true.
Reminds of the the book Illusions by Richard Bach, I like that one more, not as heavy handed as this one, but both can lead to a better understanding of life, and how to live ours to the fullest.

Excellent Book!!!!.......2007-09-16

This book is great. Must read for all human being to understand bigger picture of life and to get succeed in daily life.

A Book That Changes Lives.......2007-09-05

Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman is a first-person narrative of the author's search for happiness. A student at the University of California at Berkley, Dan's life revolved around school and gymnastics. Stressed with his life Dan left his apartment and took a stroll around town. What he did not know is that this walk would change his life forever. His experiences and outlook on life changed once he entered the doors of the infamous gas station. Dan walked in the gas station and saw an old man sitting in a chair. When he walked out of the gas station, the same man was on the roof. Wanting to know how the man got on the roof, Dan returned nightly to obtain his answer. Over numerous years, Dan learned lessons that aided in his quest to become a Warrior.

Dan Millman is a University of California at Berkley graduate, a world trampoline champion, and member of the Gymnastics Hall of Fame. He was the director of gymnastics at Stanford University, and later became a professor at Oberlin College. He has written 13 self-help books and gives talks and seminars all over the United States and abroad. He currently lives in Northern California with his family.

This book is incredibly powerful and leaves the reader with a new perspective on life. The vividness of word choice creates a surreal vision. An explanation of The Warrior is offered by Socrates, Dan's guide on his new quest. Socrates, 94, incorporates Eastern philosophy and Western fitness to embark on a spiritual odyssey to discover the meaning of life and becoming a warrior. Socrates uses humor, kindness, and love in his teachings to convey that happiness, creativity, and fulfillment can be achieved by developing one's human potential. By the end of the book, it is difficult to have dry eyes. The reader really connects with Dan and has a desire for him to be successful in his journey.

This book was very hard to locate and is found in the New Age section of bookstores, an unusual area to search for a personal growth/fiction book. It is a story based on true aspects of Millman's life.

This book is recommended for teenagers and older. It is important to have a good grasp of vocabulary and some life experience to understand the concept of this book. Other books by Dan Millman are: The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose, and Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior: A Companion to the Book that Changes Lives. The reader must be open to new ideas, and new ways of looking at oneself and the world to appreciate this story.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior has been made into a movie starring Nick Nolte, Scott Mechlowicz and Amy Smart. The movie version recently came out on DVD.

Something for Everyone.......2007-08-31

This is a great book. I have read it four times and still find something new or benefitical each time. This book has something for everyone.

Lots of wisdom...if open to it.......2007-08-29

For me, the book is full of wisdom, of challenge, & insight for living in the here and now in a mindfull way. I was challenged to empty my cup (partially succeeded) of my preconceptions, ideas and belief systems to be able to take in what I saw as stretches for me and ah-ha points that help me along.

Is the book for everyone? Maybe. Maybe not. That depends on the readers want, need and openess.

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