interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."

interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."


Be kind to yourself. . .One step at a time.. ., 29 Nov 2008
Have suffered from depression for over 30 years on and off! . . I am not sure if a book can help. I have read loads and still find that if I am kind to myself and allow the depression to run its course, don't fight it or hide from it. (AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.) Then this too will pass. We each have to find our own way through our maze! Do we not. I wish all who are depressed a brighter future. Open your heart and let yourself in! (I FIND MEDITATION HELPS THE MOST. .JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATH. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO EXCEPT YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, THEN MAYBE ADMIT YOU NEED HELP. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. This is a real good book to start with.Then maybe you could find a Buddhist meditation group and join . It will help you find yourself. oooooommmmmm!Good luck

gumdrops :-)

Dont let the title put you off, 05 Oct 2008
This is a wonderfully honest and open book.The four authors are experts in their respective fields of psychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy and meditation so you know right from the start your in good hands.There are too many books out there written by so called experts that really do more harm then good this however is a breath of fresh air.

You dont have to be depressed to find value in this book in fact the authors recommend steering clear of it if you are suffering with a bout of depression.Read this book when you have some clarity in your mind,try to implement the techniques and maybe a clear mind will become more common.This book will show you how to befriend your feelings even the bad ones and you will look at the breath in a whole new light.The body scan is introduced and also the three minute breathing space and at the end of the book is an eight week mindfulness program that i personally found helpful and intriguing.This book is accompanied by a CD of guided meditations that will prove to be invaluable.This is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness or looking for some relief from the "black dog".
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!


Simply Fantastic, 24 Sep 2008
Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

wonderful, 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent guide to the technique of mindfulness. The principles of mindfulness are essentially very simple but amazingly effective. It's something that we all forget to do, and this book serves as a powerful reminder to bring our attention away from our thoughts and into our experience. The authors are free of academic jargon and are clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of mindfulness, and the book is clearly not just for people who might be suffering from depression. I recommend it highly along with Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now, and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which uses mindfulness as a way of living in the present and becoming free of the future and the past.




The Penny Dropped, 14 Jun 2008
Having suffered depression for 2 years following a particular incident and very bad year this book allowed me to connect my emotional and physical systoms. Explaining in plain english what to do to stop the self turmoil. I am not saying this offers a cure but it certainly offers everyday coping mechanisims that are easy to introduce and stop decline. Highly recommended.

With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow", "mind like water", and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called Zen and the Art of Schedule Maintenance.

Not quite. Yes, Getting Things Done offers a complete system for downloading all those free-floating gotta-dos clogging your brain into a sophisticated framework of files and action lists--all purportedly to free your mind to focus on whatever you're working on. However, it still operates from the decidedly Western notion that if we could just get really, really organised, we could turn ourselves into 24/7 productivity machines. (To wit, Allen, whom the New Economy bible Fast Company has dubbed "the personal productivity guru", suggests that instead of meditating on crouching tigers and hidden dragons while you wait for a plane, you should unsheathe that high-tech sabre known as the mobile phone and attack that list of calls you need to return.)

As whole-life-organising systems go, Allen's is pretty good, even fun and therapeutic. It starts with the exhortation to take every unaccounted-for scrap of paper in your workstation that you can't junk. The next step is to write down every unaccounted-for gotta-do cramming your head onto its own scrap of paper. Finally, throw the whole stew into a giant "in-basket".

That's where the processing and prioritising begin; in Allen's system, it get a little convoluted at times, rife as it is with fancy terms, subterms, and sub-subterms for even the simplest concepts. Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price. Also of value is Allen's ingenious Two-Minute Rule: if there's anything you absolutely must do that you can do right now in two minutes or less, then do it now, thus freeing up your time and mind tenfold over the long term. It's common sense advice so obvious that most of us completely overlook it, much to our detriment. Allen excels at dispensing such wisdom in this useful, if somewhat belaboured, self-improver aimed at everyone from CEOs to football mums (who, we all know, are more organised than most CEOs to start with). --Timothy Murphy

interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."


Be kind to yourself. . .One step at a time.. ., 29 Nov 2008
Have suffered from depression for over 30 years on and off! . . I am not sure if a book can help. I have read loads and still find that if I am kind to myself and allow the depression to run its course, don't fight it or hide from it. (AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.) Then this too will pass. We each have to find our own way through our maze! Do we not. I wish all who are depressed a brighter future. Open your heart and let yourself in! (I FIND MEDITATION HELPS THE MOST. .JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATH. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO EXCEPT YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, THEN MAYBE ADMIT YOU NEED HELP. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. This is a real good book to start with.Then maybe you could find a Buddhist meditation group and join . It will help you find yourself. oooooommmmmm!Good luck

gumdrops :-)

Dont let the title put you off, 05 Oct 2008
This is a wonderfully honest and open book.The four authors are experts in their respective fields of psychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy and meditation so you know right from the start your in good hands.There are too many books out there written by so called experts that really do more harm then good this however is a breath of fresh air.

You dont have to be depressed to find value in this book in fact the authors recommend steering clear of it if you are suffering with a bout of depression.Read this book when you have some clarity in your mind,try to implement the techniques and maybe a clear mind will become more common.This book will show you how to befriend your feelings even the bad ones and you will look at the breath in a whole new light.The body scan is introduced and also the three minute breathing space and at the end of the book is an eight week mindfulness program that i personally found helpful and intriguing.This book is accompanied by a CD of guided meditations that will prove to be invaluable.This is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness or looking for some relief from the "black dog".
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!


Simply Fantastic, 24 Sep 2008
Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

wonderful, 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent guide to the technique of mindfulness. The principles of mindfulness are essentially very simple but amazingly effective. It's something that we all forget to do, and this book serves as a powerful reminder to bring our attention away from our thoughts and into our experience. The authors are free of academic jargon and are clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of mindfulness, and the book is clearly not just for people who might be suffering from depression. I recommend it highly along with Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now, and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which uses mindfulness as a way of living in the present and becoming free of the future and the past.




The Penny Dropped, 14 Jun 2008
Having suffered depression for 2 years following a particular incident and very bad year this book allowed me to connect my emotional and physical systoms. Explaining in plain english what to do to stop the self turmoil. I am not saying this offers a cure but it certainly offers everyday coping mechanisims that are easy to introduce and stop decline. Highly recommended.

An unnecessarily long read, 26 Nov 2008
This book makes a number of valuable contributions concerning how to manage time more effectively. Unfortunately, this is lost in a sea of psycho-babble. Where as most authors spend the first one or two chapters promoting their techniques before moving on to explaining them, David Allen continuously promotes his techniques throughout the entire book. This extra overhead makes the book rather difficult to read.

Personally, I found it difficult to maintain interest when reading this book, which is a shame really because the author does seem to know what he is talking about. If anyone can suggest a more concise alternative then please let me know.

No More Clutter!, 16 Nov 2008
I am so inspired by this book! My filing system at work and at home has never worked as efficiently as it does now, after reading this book. Author David Allen's detailed system helps clear the 'clutter' in my mind as I have adopted his system of writing down what needs to get done so the task is either written on my calendar or on my to-do list. I don't have to try to "remember" what I need to do next, wasting time and energy thinking and getting lost in my thoughts. If something can be done in two minutes I do it, I file it, I make the phone call. My desk stays in order and I feel more at ease. I love feeling organized and clear in my life.

Another book which clears "the clutter" in my mind is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life by Ariel & Shya Kane. This book teaches how to live in the moment without getting lost in the conversation of my thoughts. The Kanes have a yearly "Time & Project Management" course and "Transformation in the Workplace" seminar in New York City. These courses and their books have brought ease and inspiration to my workplace.

As a banker in New York City, I highly suggest checking out David Allen and Ariel and Shya Kane. You will discover a stress free environment in the workplace and at home.

5th generation time management, 09 Sep 2008
This is a seminal book, which has in some ways been superseded by its own children. If you survey the Mac and PC software applications that offer help with time management, by far the most popular system implemented is Getting Things Done, or GTD for short.

GTD has been criticised for being no more than common sense. In a lot of ways this is both untrue, and unfair. More accurately, it's two simple ideas put together, and supported by a collection of useful ideas borrowed (with appropriate acknowledgement) from elsewhere. The two ideas are the idea of 'stuff', and what you do with it (collect, process, organise, review, do), and the idea of using (and relying on) a reliable filing system. It's backed up with other good ideas like brainstoming, mind-mapping, the 50,000 feet perspective, and other notions that you may have encountered in their original contexts, or in programmes like TQM.

GTD is less revolutionary than the 4th generation time-management that Stephen Covey introduced in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. However, it's more powerful for most of us in the sense that you can implement it easily on a computer or a PDA. David Allen makes the most of the power of easy storage of information. If you're a computer user (and if you're reading this on Amazon, then chances are that you are), then this is by the far the most practical system, whether you use a specialist piece of software like Omnifocus, or just make the most of the built-in functions of Outlook or iCal.

This is the strength, and the weakness of this book: get one of the many software packages, read the help-file, and you may not need to read the book at all.

Just one more thing about Getting Things Done. As the author points out, this is really a book for people on the fast-track to improve their personal organisation. It's not going to make a great gift for someone else who you _think_ should get organised.

may be good for you but definitely bad for me, 07 Aug 2008
I've read this book three or four times around of May-June 2004, and then tried to implement into my work - without any significant success. Most probably this is book for inbox slaves and formal process worshippers, otherwise it might be not for your job-without-formal-description. In worst case trying to follow it took me actually spending _more_ time on things I used to do quicker. Most probably it might be valuable for you, but not for me, and I don't want to take inbox slavery job.

Good For All, 31 Jul 2008
Any information on being more organised and reducing stress in our lives is worth reading. Even people who are generally organised will gain benefits fom this book. We all have areas of our lives that could be more productive, less cluttered and more stress-free. Definitely worth a read.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."


Be kind to yourself. . .One step at a time.. ., 29 Nov 2008
Have suffered from depression for over 30 years on and off! . . I am not sure if a book can help. I have read loads and still find that if I am kind to myself and allow the depression to run its course, don't fight it or hide from it. (AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.) Then this too will pass. We each have to find our own way through our maze! Do we not. I wish all who are depressed a brighter future. Open your heart and let yourself in! (I FIND MEDITATION HELPS THE MOST. .JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATH. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO EXCEPT YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, THEN MAYBE ADMIT YOU NEED HELP. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. This is a real good book to start with.Then maybe you could find a Buddhist meditation group and join . It will help you find yourself. oooooommmmmm!Good luck

gumdrops :-)

Dont let the title put you off, 05 Oct 2008
This is a wonderfully honest and open book.The four authors are experts in their respective fields of psychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy and meditation so you know right from the start your in good hands.There are too many books out there written by so called experts that really do more harm then good this however is a breath of fresh air.

You dont have to be depressed to find value in this book in fact the authors recommend steering clear of it if you are suffering with a bout of depression.Read this book when you have some clarity in your mind,try to implement the techniques and maybe a clear mind will become more common.This book will show you how to befriend your feelings even the bad ones and you will look at the breath in a whole new light.The body scan is introduced and also the three minute breathing space and at the end of the book is an eight week mindfulness program that i personally found helpful and intriguing.This book is accompanied by a CD of guided meditations that will prove to be invaluable.This is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness or looking for some relief from the "black dog".
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!


Simply Fantastic, 24 Sep 2008
Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

wonderful, 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent guide to the technique of mindfulness. The principles of mindfulness are essentially very simple but amazingly effective. It's something that we all forget to do, and this book serves as a powerful reminder to bring our attention away from our thoughts and into our experience. The authors are free of academic jargon and are clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of mindfulness, and the book is clearly not just for people who might be suffering from depression. I recommend it highly along with Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now, and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which uses mindfulness as a way of living in the present and becoming free of the future and the past.




The Penny Dropped, 14 Jun 2008
Having suffered depression for 2 years following a particular incident and very bad year this book allowed me to connect my emotional and physical systoms. Explaining in plain english what to do to stop the self turmoil. I am not saying this offers a cure but it certainly offers everyday coping mechanisims that are easy to introduce and stop decline. Highly recommended.

An unnecessarily long read, 26 Nov 2008
This book makes a number of valuable contributions concerning how to manage time more effectively. Unfortunately, this is lost in a sea of psycho-babble. Where as most authors spend the first one or two chapters promoting their techniques before moving on to explaining them, David Allen continuously promotes his techniques throughout the entire book. This extra overhead makes the book rather difficult to read.

Personally, I found it difficult to maintain interest when reading this book, which is a shame really because the author does seem to know what he is talking about. If anyone can suggest a more concise alternative then please let me know.

No More Clutter!, 16 Nov 2008
I am so inspired by this book! My filing system at work and at home has never worked as efficiently as it does now, after reading this book. Author David Allen's detailed system helps clear the 'clutter' in my mind as I have adopted his system of writing down what needs to get done so the task is either written on my calendar or on my to-do list. I don't have to try to "remember" what I need to do next, wasting time and energy thinking and getting lost in my thoughts. If something can be done in two minutes I do it, I file it, I make the phone call. My desk stays in order and I feel more at ease. I love feeling organized and clear in my life.

Another book which clears "the clutter" in my mind is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life by Ariel & Shya Kane. This book teaches how to live in the moment without getting lost in the conversation of my thoughts. The Kanes have a yearly "Time & Project Management" course and "Transformation in the Workplace" seminar in New York City. These courses and their books have brought ease and inspiration to my workplace.

As a banker in New York City, I highly suggest checking out David Allen and Ariel and Shya Kane. You will discover a stress free environment in the workplace and at home.

5th generation time management, 09 Sep 2008
This is a seminal book, which has in some ways been superseded by its own children. If you survey the Mac and PC software applications that offer help with time management, by far the most popular system implemented is Getting Things Done, or GTD for short.

GTD has been criticised for being no more than common sense. In a lot of ways this is both untrue, and unfair. More accurately, it's two simple ideas put together, and supported by a collection of useful ideas borrowed (with appropriate acknowledgement) from elsewhere. The two ideas are the idea of 'stuff', and what you do with it (collect, process, organise, review, do), and the idea of using (and relying on) a reliable filing system. It's backed up with other good ideas like brainstoming, mind-mapping, the 50,000 feet perspective, and other notions that you may have encountered in their original contexts, or in programmes like TQM.

GTD is less revolutionary than the 4th generation time-management that Stephen Covey introduced in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. However, it's more powerful for most of us in the sense that you can implement it easily on a computer or a PDA. David Allen makes the most of the power of easy storage of information. If you're a computer user (and if you're reading this on Amazon, then chances are that you are), then this is by the far the most practical system, whether you use a specialist piece of software like Omnifocus, or just make the most of the built-in functions of Outlook or iCal.

This is the strength, and the weakness of this book: get one of the many software packages, read the help-file, and you may not need to read the book at all.

Just one more thing about Getting Things Done. As the author points out, this is really a book for people on the fast-track to improve their personal organisation. It's not going to make a great gift for someone else who you _think_ should get organised.

may be good for you but definitely bad for me, 07 Aug 2008
I've read this book three or four times around of May-June 2004, and then tried to implement into my work - without any significant success. Most probably this is book for inbox slaves and formal process worshippers, otherwise it might be not for your job-without-formal-description. In worst case trying to follow it took me actually spending _more_ time on things I used to do quicker. Most probably it might be valuable for you, but not for me, and I don't want to take inbox slavery job.

Good For All, 31 Jul 2008
Any information on being more organised and reducing stress in our lives is worth reading. Even people who are generally organised will gain benefits fom this book. We all have areas of our lives that could be more productive, less cluttered and more stress-free. Definitely worth a read.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

A book to help you relax at a stressful time, 15 Feb 2008
I got this book when my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby.

I realised I only knew the very basics about fertility and wanted to understand it a bit more to gives us a good chance. I only read this book and feel that I have never needed any others. The style of writing is excellent. A lot of these kinds of books can be really patronising but Zita West's style is much more in line with talking things over with a good friend and a glass of wine.

I am so glad I bought this book. West's approach helped me understand my own body in a way I never thought possible. I was so in tune I didn't need fertility sticks (and believe me I am a complete dunce when it comes to things like this) and after 2 months we were delighted to find out that we were pregnant. I am now nearly 7 months pregnant and I have to say I am having a really healthy, confident pregnancy.

Personally, I feel a lot more confident in the pregnancy (this is my first) because I started off with a relaxed and calm frame or mind and felt prepared by reading the book.

I am so glad I bought the book and would recommend it to anybody.
I am so glad I bought this book. The main thing is that it taught me to relax and how to 'read' my body.

This book worked for me!, 20 Jan 2008
I bought this book as I thought I was going to have lots of trouble as I have PCOS. The great thing is that Zita covers the basics (ovulation, helping the sperm reach the egg etc) and then she also goes on to talk about things to do once you are pregnant to help you keep hold of the baby.
As Zita generally deals with infertility, it can seem an overwhelming read (radically changing your diet, herbs etc)...but my approach was to educate myself on the basics first and then if that didn't work, then at least I could try the other things she suggests.
I luckily fell first time and I am now 6 months pregnant.
I have passed my copy on (sorry Amazon!) to 2 other friends who have also fallen quickly.
I don't think it is a miracle book, but it does give you the best chance of conceiving before you have to seek medical help. Aged over 30 I didn't want to just "see how it went", I wanted to give us the best chance and this book tells you how.


This book really works, 11 Sep 2007
We were trying for our second baby, nine years after the first, but I had PCOS and I was told I had to get shots to stimulate ovulation. I was a little squeamish about fertility treatments so I bought this book and began to follow Zita West's directions, especially the fertility awareness kind, and i went on to conceive naturally after a month. I am currently 3 months along and I feel a huge gratitude for this book as it made our dream come true!

Great Read., 08 Feb 2007
I bought this when we decided to try for a baby. I knew that this would be challenging as I have PCS and am overweight. The book gave me a greater understanding of my own fertility. It was easy to read and avoided excessive jargon. I'm pleased to report that I got pregnant first time as did a friend of mine to whom I passed it on. Now, this may not be down to Zita's advice but I certainly think that I increased my chances with this book.

A good introduction to fertility issues, 11 Oct 2006
I read this book after trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for over a year. I found it easy to read and a good source of general information and advice. It was particularly helpful to me in understanding what other alternative therapies are available.

interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."


Be kind to yourself. . .One step at a time.. ., 29 Nov 2008
Have suffered from depression for over 30 years on and off! . . I am not sure if a book can help. I have read loads and still find that if I am kind to myself and allow the depression to run its course, don't fight it or hide from it. (AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.) Then this too will pass. We each have to find our own way through our maze! Do we not. I wish all who are depressed a brighter future. Open your heart and let yourself in! (I FIND MEDITATION HELPS THE MOST. .JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATH. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO EXCEPT YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, THEN MAYBE ADMIT YOU NEED HELP. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. This is a real good book to start with.Then maybe you could find a Buddhist meditation group and join . It will help you find yourself. oooooommmmmm!Good luck

gumdrops :-)

Dont let the title put you off, 05 Oct 2008
This is a wonderfully honest and open book.The four authors are experts in their respective fields of psychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy and meditation so you know right from the start your in good hands.There are too many books out there written by so called experts that really do more harm then good this however is a breath of fresh air.

You dont have to be depressed to find value in this book in fact the authors recommend steering clear of it if you are suffering with a bout of depression.Read this book when you have some clarity in your mind,try to implement the techniques and maybe a clear mind will become more common.This book will show you how to befriend your feelings even the bad ones and you will look at the breath in a whole new light.The body scan is introduced and also the three minute breathing space and at the end of the book is an eight week mindfulness program that i personally found helpful and intriguing.This book is accompanied by a CD of guided meditations that will prove to be invaluable.This is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness or looking for some relief from the "black dog".
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!


Simply Fantastic, 24 Sep 2008
Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

wonderful, 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent guide to the technique of mindfulness. The principles of mindfulness are essentially very simple but amazingly effective. It's something that we all forget to do, and this book serves as a powerful reminder to bring our attention away from our thoughts and into our experience. The authors are free of academic jargon and are clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of mindfulness, and the book is clearly not just for people who might be suffering from depression. I recommend it highly along with Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now, and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which uses mindfulness as a way of living in the present and becoming free of the future and the past.




The Penny Dropped, 14 Jun 2008
Having suffered depression for 2 years following a particular incident and very bad year this book allowed me to connect my emotional and physical systoms. Explaining in plain english what to do to stop the self turmoil. I am not saying this offers a cure but it certainly offers everyday coping mechanisims that are easy to introduce and stop decline. Highly recommended.

An unnecessarily long read, 26 Nov 2008
This book makes a number of valuable contributions concerning how to manage time more effectively. Unfortunately, this is lost in a sea of psycho-babble. Where as most authors spend the first one or two chapters promoting their techniques before moving on to explaining them, David Allen continuously promotes his techniques throughout the entire book. This extra overhead makes the book rather difficult to read.

Personally, I found it difficult to maintain interest when reading this book, which is a shame really because the author does seem to know what he is talking about. If anyone can suggest a more concise alternative then please let me know.

No More Clutter!, 16 Nov 2008
I am so inspired by this book! My filing system at work and at home has never worked as efficiently as it does now, after reading this book. Author David Allen's detailed system helps clear the 'clutter' in my mind as I have adopted his system of writing down what needs to get done so the task is either written on my calendar or on my to-do list. I don't have to try to "remember" what I need to do next, wasting time and energy thinking and getting lost in my thoughts. If something can be done in two minutes I do it, I file it, I make the phone call. My desk stays in order and I feel more at ease. I love feeling organized and clear in my life.

Another book which clears "the clutter" in my mind is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life by Ariel & Shya Kane. This book teaches how to live in the moment without getting lost in the conversation of my thoughts. The Kanes have a yearly "Time & Project Management" course and "Transformation in the Workplace" seminar in New York City. These courses and their books have brought ease and inspiration to my workplace.

As a banker in New York City, I highly suggest checking out David Allen and Ariel and Shya Kane. You will discover a stress free environment in the workplace and at home.

5th generation time management, 09 Sep 2008
This is a seminal book, which has in some ways been superseded by its own children. If you survey the Mac and PC software applications that offer help with time management, by far the most popular system implemented is Getting Things Done, or GTD for short.

GTD has been criticised for being no more than common sense. In a lot of ways this is both untrue, and unfair. More accurately, it's two simple ideas put together, and supported by a collection of useful ideas borrowed (with appropriate acknowledgement) from elsewhere. The two ideas are the idea of 'stuff', and what you do with it (collect, process, organise, review, do), and the idea of using (and relying on) a reliable filing system. It's backed up with other good ideas like brainstoming, mind-mapping, the 50,000 feet perspective, and other notions that you may have encountered in their original contexts, or in programmes like TQM.

GTD is less revolutionary than the 4th generation time-management that Stephen Covey introduced in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. However, it's more powerful for most of us in the sense that you can implement it easily on a computer or a PDA. David Allen makes the most of the power of easy storage of information. If you're a computer user (and if you're reading this on Amazon, then chances are that you are), then this is by the far the most practical system, whether you use a specialist piece of software like Omnifocus, or just make the most of the built-in functions of Outlook or iCal.

This is the strength, and the weakness of this book: get one of the many software packages, read the help-file, and you may not need to read the book at all.

Just one more thing about Getting Things Done. As the author points out, this is really a book for people on the fast-track to improve their personal organisation. It's not going to make a great gift for someone else who you _think_ should get organised.

may be good for you but definitely bad for me, 07 Aug 2008
I've read this book three or four times around of May-June 2004, and then tried to implement into my work - without any significant success. Most probably this is book for inbox slaves and formal process worshippers, otherwise it might be not for your job-without-formal-description. In worst case trying to follow it took me actually spending _more_ time on things I used to do quicker. Most probably it might be valuable for you, but not for me, and I don't want to take inbox slavery job.

Good For All, 31 Jul 2008
Any information on being more organised and reducing stress in our lives is worth reading. Even people who are generally organised will gain benefits fom this book. We all have areas of our lives that could be more productive, less cluttered and more stress-free. Definitely worth a read.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

A book to help you relax at a stressful time, 15 Feb 2008
I got this book when my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby.

I realised I only knew the very basics about fertility and wanted to understand it a bit more to gives us a good chance. I only read this book and feel that I have never needed any others. The style of writing is excellent. A lot of these kinds of books can be really patronising but Zita West's style is much more in line with talking things over with a good friend and a glass of wine.

I am so glad I bought this book. West's approach helped me understand my own body in a way I never thought possible. I was so in tune I didn't need fertility sticks (and believe me I am a complete dunce when it comes to things like this) and after 2 months we were delighted to find out that we were pregnant. I am now nearly 7 months pregnant and I have to say I am having a really healthy, confident pregnancy.

Personally, I feel a lot more confident in the pregnancy (this is my first) because I started off with a relaxed and calm frame or mind and felt prepared by reading the book.

I am so glad I bought the book and would recommend it to anybody.
I am so glad I bought this book. The main thing is that it taught me to relax and how to 'read' my body.

This book worked for me!, 20 Jan 2008
I bought this book as I thought I was going to have lots of trouble as I have PCOS. The great thing is that Zita covers the basics (ovulation, helping the sperm reach the egg etc) and then she also goes on to talk about things to do once you are pregnant to help you keep hold of the baby.
As Zita generally deals with infertility, it can seem an overwhelming read (radically changing your diet, herbs etc)...but my approach was to educate myself on the basics first and then if that didn't work, then at least I could try the other things she suggests.
I luckily fell first time and I am now 6 months pregnant.
I have passed my copy on (sorry Amazon!) to 2 other friends who have also fallen quickly.
I don't think it is a miracle book, but it does give you the best chance of conceiving before you have to seek medical help. Aged over 30 I didn't want to just "see how it went", I wanted to give us the best chance and this book tells you how.


This book really works, 11 Sep 2007
We were trying for our second baby, nine years after the first, but I had PCOS and I was told I had to get shots to stimulate ovulation. I was a little squeamish about fertility treatments so I bought this book and began to follow Zita West's directions, especially the fertility awareness kind, and i went on to conceive naturally after a month. I am currently 3 months along and I feel a huge gratitude for this book as it made our dream come true!

Great Read., 08 Feb 2007
I bought this when we decided to try for a baby. I knew that this would be challenging as I have PCS and am overweight. The book gave me a greater understanding of my own fertility. It was easy to read and avoided excessive jargon. I'm pleased to report that I got pregnant first time as did a friend of mine to whom I passed it on. Now, this may not be down to Zita's advice but I certainly think that I increased my chances with this book.

A good introduction to fertility issues, 11 Oct 2006
I read this book after trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for over a year. I found it easy to read and a good source of general information and advice. It was particularly helpful to me in understanding what other alternative therapies are available.

Lovely, 29 Jul 2008
A lovely book, recommended by a friend.
Those who have lost someone close, whoever it is should read this book. It tells it like it is. Have brought an extra copy for another friend.

Top Book, 29 Mar 2008
Rosen has produced a gem and as people have said the pictures are perfect for it.
An unusual book, a must buy if you want kids to be able to take feelings seriously.

Special Forever., 22 Dec 2006
I was having a clear out before the Big guy in Red comes along,and i came cross this book. At first i put it in the pile to take to the charity shop, but then i read it. How could i possibly give this away? It is SUCH AN IMPORTANT BOOK. Im going to give it to my daughter to read when she comes home, cos she gets quite sad sometimes (dont we all)? This book doesn't just help with bereavement it helps children to understand their emotions.
I love you Michael Rosen. God Bless.

A remarkable children's book., 26 Jul 2006
I used to read "Quick, Let's get out of here!" to an appreciative group of 7 year olds. They loved the chocolate cake, but I got more requests to hear the tales of "Eddie and the nappy" than any other poem in the book. To read of Eddie's death in this book was heartbreaking. It's not an easy book to read to children but it is important. Sad is all around and children understand this. Buy this book, it is an essential addition to any child's bookshelf.

Would-be illustrators - BUY THIS!, 24 Jun 2006
It took me a couple of reads to realise just how much Blake's illustrations added to the spare, bold text. It was as if Rosen, in his grief, had left some things unsaid and Blake had picked up on this and helped out. I've always liked his illustrations but this book brings out a different side of him - more expressionist - his figures and landscapes (some beautifully economical use of watercolour)seem to bypass the brain and go straight to the solar plexus.

Some people are worried that the bald realism of this book is too much for younger children. But what about those who've already lost someone close to them? Surely they need help in visualising their experience. Ever since my daughter died I've been trying to find ways of telling my autistic son about her. I said all the usual stuff, but he became inconsolable and cried as if heartbroken. I've left it alone for months and then suddenly found this book. I knew it would be perfect for him, as he has SUCH a visual intelligence. It was. He asked me to read it again and again and pointed out aspects of the pictures that I had failed to notice.

My other daughter is a little wary of it, but I feel it will reach her in time.

If you want to help someone deal with loss, please don't be afraid of this book.

interestingish, 21 Nov 2008
Written by two eminent clinical psychologists this book had potential written all over it.However the potential didn't ring true for me as I was left feeling a little perplexed at the books end.

The book itself is clearly written and divided into easily digestible chapters.However the main theme is recognising and changing disruptive thought patterns and the manner in which the authors aim to achieve this appears to me to be rather simplistic and even condescending.Do not buy this publication if you only intend to read through it as there are exercises to be completed in every chapter.Honestly you would have to go to a table factory to find more tables.Also we get to follow the progress of four case studies throughout,now here's the thing they all make a remarkable recovery so can we assume an unprecedented 100% success rate,I don't think so.There's nothing new in this book but if you don't try something you ll never know..........best of luck..

I'm in two minds about this , 26 Oct 2008
On the one hand, I didn't really discover anything new by reading this book. Unless this book is literally your first step to getting better, you will probably, on some level, already know everything that's within its pages. But lots of information by itself can be overwhelming and so it's easy to be discouraged about facing up to it. On the other hand, where this book is useful is in breaking down and tackling piece by piece your dysfunctional thinking.

I do also like the IDEA that this book gives you exercises to do so that you are no longer passive in your troubles, but you are active in getting to grips with them. In theory that's good, but in practice I have to admit to skipping over many of them. It's easy to persuade yourself that YOU don't need to do them because you can imagine what they're supposed to teach and you've learned that lesson already -- from another book, your therapist or just because it's so obvious anyway.

These exercises mostly involve filling in tables (like the Thought Record), lists and questionnaires. I particularly liked the Thought Record (which is the central idea and tool of the whole book) and I think I can see myself filling out many of these worksheets as the months go by even if I am not confident that they will produce any lasting benefit. However, doing many of these exercises in this book you do feel a little bit like a baby being spoon-fed. But then again you do probably secretly enjoy it too.

Lastly, it is comforting to be reminded that you are not alone in having psychological problems. So I liked the four or five case histories that the reader follows through the book and through the exercises. You could easily empathise with these people and I saw a little bit of myself in many of their thoughts and their experiences. And I'm also glad that in the epilogue we learn that they all got significantly better. But then again the authors would hardly have picked unresponsive cases to highlight.

very effective self help guide, 07 Jul 2008
This is an excellent book to make you realise how your feelings are determined by your thoughts, and how you can positively influence your mood by changing the way you think. Some self-help books don't deliver because they're too vague but this book is also very practical, with many useful exercises. It's no wonder that many people are so enthusiastic about CBT and talking about it as an alternative to medication. I do not suffer from depression and was always a fairly happy person but this book has taught me how to be happier still. I would also recommended Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now for a slightly different perspective and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It for an invesigation into time and how we can learn to expand time and learn to live in the present.


The old made new, 07 Mar 2008
I always recommend books on cognitive psychology as they represent the cutting edge of psychotherapy. I also always recommend FREE YOUR MIND by Anthony Stultz-he helps us to see the roots of CBT are from the Buddhist tradition and he presents a system that combines CBT in a Buddhist orientation.

Helpful Strategies, 04 Jul 2007
This book offers many helpful cognitive therapy strategies to overcome mental distortions that lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy looks at changing thought patterns that contribute to negative feelings. Once you gain an understanding of your own distortions and how they contribute to your feeling down or anxious, you can then creative positive thoughts and feel better about yourself with the helpful cognitive therapy strategies offered in this book.

I highly recommend this book as a practical hands-on book on cognitive therapy. Also try "Feeling Good" by David Burns and for a novel about Logan's struggle with depression, check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel."


Be kind to yourself. . .One step at a time.. ., 29 Nov 2008
Have suffered from depression for over 30 years on and off! . . I am not sure if a book can help. I have read loads and still find that if I am kind to myself and allow the depression to run its course, don't fight it or hide from it. (AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.) Then this too will pass. We each have to find our own way through our maze! Do we not. I wish all who are depressed a brighter future. Open your heart and let yourself in! (I FIND MEDITATION HELPS THE MOST. .JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BREATH. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO EXCEPT YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, THEN MAYBE ADMIT YOU NEED HELP. GOOD LUCK TO ALL. This is a real good book to start with.Then maybe you could find a Buddhist meditation group and join . It will help you find yourself. oooooommmmmm!Good luck

gumdrops :-)

Dont let the title put you off, 05 Oct 2008
This is a wonderfully honest and open book.The four authors are experts in their respective fields of psychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy and meditation so you know right from the start your in good hands.There are too many books out there written by so called experts that really do more harm then good this however is a breath of fresh air.

You dont have to be depressed to find value in this book in fact the authors recommend steering clear of it if you are suffering with a bout of depression.Read this book when you have some clarity in your mind,try to implement the techniques and maybe a clear mind will become more common.This book will show you how to befriend your feelings even the bad ones and you will look at the breath in a whole new light.The body scan is introduced and also the three minute breathing space and at the end of the book is an eight week mindfulness program that i personally found helpful and intriguing.This book is accompanied by a CD of guided meditations that will prove to be invaluable.This is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness or looking for some relief from the "black dog".
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!


Simply Fantastic, 24 Sep 2008
Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

wonderful, 07 Jul 2008
This book is an excellent guide to the technique of mindfulness. The principles of mindfulness are essentially very simple but amazingly effective. It's something that we all forget to do, and this book serves as a powerful reminder to bring our attention away from our thoughts and into our experience. The authors are free of academic jargon and are clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of mindfulness, and the book is clearly not just for people who might be suffering from depression. I recommend it highly along with Eckhart Tolle's the Power of Now, and Steve Taylor's Making Time Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It, which uses mindfulness as a way of living in the present and becoming free of the future and the past.




The Penny Dropped, 14 Jun 2008
Having suffered depression for 2 years following a particular incident and very bad year this book allowed me to connect my emotional and physical systoms. Explaining in plain english what to do to stop the self turmoil. I am not saying this offers a cure but it certainly offers everyday coping mechanisims that are easy to introduce and stop decline. Highly recommended.

An unnecessarily long read, 26 Nov 2008
This book makes a number of valuable contributions concerning how to manage time more effectively. Unfortunately, this is lost in a sea of psycho-babble. Where as most authors spend the first one or two chapters promoting their techniques before moving on to explaining them, David Allen continuously promotes his techniques throughout the entire book. This extra overhead makes the book rather difficult to read.

Personally, I found it difficult to maintain interest when reading this book, which is a shame really because the author does seem to know what he is talking about. If anyone can suggest a more concise alternative then please let me know.

No More Clutter!, 16 Nov 2008
I am so inspired by this book! My filing system at work and at home has never worked as efficiently as it does now, after reading this book. Author David Allen's detailed system helps clear the 'clutter' in my mind as I have adopted his system of writing down what needs to get done so the task is either written on my calendar or on my to-do list. I don't have to try to "remember" what I need to do next, wasting time and energy thinking and getting lost in my thoughts. If something can be done in two minutes I do it, I file it, I make the phone call. My desk stays in order and I feel more at ease. I love feeling organized and clear in my life.

Another book which clears "the clutter" in my mind is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life by Ariel & Shya Kane. This book teaches how to live in the moment without getting lost in the conversation of my thoughts. The Kanes have a yearly "Time & Project Management" course and "Transformation in the Workplace" seminar in New York City. These courses and their books have brought ease and inspiration to my workplace.

As a banker in New York City, I highly suggest checking out David Allen and Ariel and Shya Kane. You will discover a stress free environment in the workplace and at home.

5th generation time management, 09 Sep 2008
This is a seminal book, which has in some ways been superseded by its own children. If you survey the Mac and PC software applications that offer help with time management, by far the most popular system implemented is Getting Things Done, or GTD for short.

GTD has been criticised for being no more than common sense. In a lot of ways this is both untrue, and unfair. More accurately, it's two simple ideas put together, and supported by a collection of useful ideas borrowed (with appropriate acknowledgement) from elsewhere. The two ideas are the idea of 'stuff', and what you do with it (collect, process, organise, review, do), and the idea of using (and relying on) a reliable filing system. It's backed up with other good ideas like brainstoming, mind-mapping, the 50,000 feet perspective, and other notions that you may have encountered in their original contexts, or in programmes like TQM.

GTD is less revolutionary than the 4th generation time-management that Stephen Covey introduced in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. However, it's more powerful for most of us in the sense that you can implement it easily on a computer or a PDA. David Allen makes the most of the power of easy storage of information. If you're a computer user (and if you're reading this on Amazon, then chances are that you are), then this is by the far the most practical system, whether you use a specialist piece of software like Omnifocus, or just make the most of the built-in functions of Outlook or iCal.

This is the strength, and the weakness of this book: get one of the many software packages, read the help-file, and you may not need to read the book at all.

Just one more thing about Getting Things Done. As the author points out, this is really a book for people on the fast-track to improve their personal organisation. It's not going to make a great gift for someone else who you _think_ should get organised.

may be good for you but definitely bad for me, 07 Aug 2008
I've read this book three or four times around of May-June 2004, and then tried to implement into my work - without any significant success. Most probably this is book for inbox slaves and formal process worshippers, otherwise it might be not for your job-without-formal-description. In worst case trying to follow it took me actually spending _more_ time on things I used to do quicker. Most probably it might be valuable for you, but not for me, and I don't want to take inbox slavery job.

Good For All, 31 Jul 2008
Any information on being more organised and reducing stress in our lives is worth reading. Even people who are generally organised will gain benefits fom this book. We all have areas of our lives that could be more productive, less cluttered and more stress-free. Definitely worth a read.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

A book to help you relax at a stressful time, 15 Feb 2008
I got this book when my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby.

I realised I only knew the very basics about fertility and wanted to understand it a bit more to gives us a good chance. I only read this book and feel that I have never needed any others. The style of writing is excellent. A lot of these kinds of books can be really patronising but Zita West's style is much more in line with talking things over with a good friend and a glass of wine.

I am so glad I bought this book. West's approach helped me understand my own body in a way I never thought possible. I was so in tune I didn't need fertility sticks (and believe me I am a complete dunce when it comes to things like this) and after 2 months we were delighted to find out that we were pregnant. I am now nearly 7 months pregnant and I have to say I am having a really healthy, confident pregnancy.

Personally, I feel a lot more confident in the pregnancy (this is my first) because I started off with a relaxed and calm frame or mind and felt prepared by reading the book.

I am so glad I bought the book and would recommend it to anybody.
I am so glad I bought this book. The main thing is that it taught me to relax and how to 'read' my body.

This book worked for me!, 20 Jan 2008
I bought this book as I thought I was going to have lots of trouble as I have PCOS. The great thing is that Zita covers the basics (ovulation, helping the sperm reach the egg etc) and then she also goes on to talk about things to do once you are pregnant to help you keep hold of the baby.
As Zita generally deals with infertility, it can seem an overwhelming read (radically changing your diet, herbs etc)...but my approach was to educate myself on the basics first and then if that didn't work, then at least I could try the other things she suggests.
I luckily fell first time and I am now 6 months pregnant.
I have passed my copy on (sorry Amazon!) to 2 other friends who have also fallen quickly.
I don't think it is a miracle book, but it does give you the best chance of conceiving before you have to seek medical help. Aged over 30 I didn't want to just "see how it went", I wanted to give us the best chance and this book tells you how.


This book really works, 11 Sep 2007
We were trying for our second baby, nine years after the first, but I had PCOS and I was told I had to get shots to stimulate ovulation. I was a little squeamish about fertility treatments so I bought this book and began to follow Zita West's directions, especially the fertility awareness kind, and i went on to conceive naturally after a month. I am currently 3 months along and I feel a huge gratitude for this book as it made our dream come true!

Great Read., 08 Feb 2007
I bought this when we decided to try for a baby. I knew that this would be challenging as I have PCS and am overweight. The book gave me a greater understanding of my own fertility. It was easy to read and avoided excessive jargon. I'm pleased to report that I got pregnant first time as did a friend of mine to whom I passed it on. Now, this may not be down to Zita's advice but I certainly think that I increased my chances with this book.

A good introduction to fertility issues, 11 Oct 2006
I read this book after trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for over a year. I found it easy to read and a good source of general information and advice. It was particularly helpful to me in understanding what other alternative the