Despite the fact there are many positive reviews out there given by other readers, I found this book is yet another book on self-discipline, the only new ingredient is the author has some kind of military training and he keeps on reminding the reader about this(i.e. he was a navy SEAL commando). To be fair, some of the techniques outlined are useful, but this kind of information is readily available in many other books/articles as well(names like Covey, Robins come to mind), not necessarily only known to the military, as the author tries so hard to press onto the reader.

Chapter 7 (The 100 secrets of power living) is a major flop. Lots of the 'secrets' are not only redundant, some actually contradict with one another.

The redundancy is evident, for example, #17 Breath of life and #57 Power breathing are saying the same thing; #3 Exercise and #66 Endorphin Fix are also identical, namely encourage you to exercise. This is just a partial list of the redundancies. I think those 100 secrets actually can be pared down to around 50 or so and be categorized into a few groups, namely self and mind management, nutrition, physical fitness and general wisdom. These so-called 'secrets' are pretty much common-sense or common-wisdom that most people should know in order to survive. A few of them are quite subjective, like #20 Buy a pet.

In #12 Turn Off the TV, Janke described television as 'the most powerful form of mind control known to man' and urged the reader to 'Unplug the brain-washing machine!', however in #44 Enjoy nature, he said 'If you can't go to nature, bring nature to you. Watch the Discovery channel or wildlife films with your children or spouse and enjoy the marvels of Mother Nature.' This implies we should unplug the TV to avoid getting brain-washed, but in order to enjoy nature without getting outdoor, plug it back on and watch the discovery channel!! This is one of the inconsistencies I noticed, there are more sprinkled throughout the 100 secrets in Chapter 7.

This book is prosaic, in fact it is just a compilation of some general self-help books and quotes. The only 'new' thing that I can tell is it takes advantage of the curiosity ordinary people have on special operations teams and keeps pressing on the fact that the techniques in the book are used by the Navy SEALs.

This is probably the best self-improvement book I've ever read (and I've read quite a few). I know that sounds like so much hyperbole when I say it's "the best", but it is. The author has the viewpoint that self-discipline is the key to success in any endeavor. He not only shows you how to build your discipline, but how to apply it to different areas- particularly goal-setting, fitness and nutrition. Improving your discipline can impact every area of your life, and this is the book that can help. Another reason I like this book so much is that it is well-written. So many self-improvement type books are filled with not much more than motivational platitudes (which do have their place), but Power Living tells you exactly how you can build your self-discipline and REALLY change your life!

I began reading this book the day it arrived. As an author and avid reader, I didn't know what to expect. I read several books a week and find that most of them could be summarized into an article instead of a book. But this book is power packed with outstanding insights on literally every page. It got me thinking about the power of discipline and how it does in fact make all the difference in one's life. The author is smart as a whip and brought some fresh ideas on this well accepted concept. I took extensive notes in the book and added them to my Goals Journal that I review each morning. Everyone who wants to become successful in life should read this book and follow it's suggestions. There were so many brilliant concepts I am reluctant to single out one. This book has blessed my life with it's thoughts and I am forever in the author's debt. I wish you all the success in the world with this book, and in your life. Sincerely Robert Taylor

Goddess is often the first book someone curious about MM's life will read. There is good reason for it: Summers does not assume that the reader is familiar with her story. He writes clearly and answers most of the questions that the newly curious about MM are asking. He also takes a close look at the circumstances surrounding her death, and documents his sources well. All in all, I recommend this book to anyone looking to start learning about MM....but I add that I don't think it should be the only bio you read! There are certainly other books out there that take a more sensitive approach to her story. Warning: Goddess contains a photo of MM after the autopsy. If you find this offensive you may want to avoid it.

Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe is an excellent book! After you finish reading this, you feel as though you've been w/ her every step of the way. The author Anthony Summers goes into great detail of her childhood, struggles of becoming famous, her marriages and divorces, her mental breakdown, etc. A little less than half the book is about Marilyn's death. Summers is quick to give us possible causes of the tragic event backed up w/ testimonies, interviews, and police reports. Instead of forcing the THIS IS HOW MARILYN DIED routine on us, he lets us decide for ourselves. MANY MANY MANY people were interviewed for this book, including a lot of Marilyn's friends (and so called friends) One thing this book does prove is that Marilyn was definitely involved sexually w/ both of the Kennedy brothers (JFK and Robert) around the last months of her life. Lots of pictures are included (there is even one of her after her autopsy) and copies of police reports and even some of Marilyn's personal letters!! This book is EXCELLENT, and you will not want to put it down. Marilyn is one of the most interesting people you can read about. So beautiful and talented, but so afraid and fragile...too bad this book is Out of print ~ FIND THIS BOOK: you won't regret it!!

Goddess is one of the best books ever written on Marilyn, and contains some of the most throughly researched information on her death. Summer's book stands as the definative biography about monroe (and there have been many). Summers, unlike many other authors that have attempted to write about monroe (particularly her death), backs up his information with documents and where ever possible the names of his sources. If u only ever read one book about the life and particularly the circumstances surrounding the death of Marilyn Monroe I would recommend Goddess. However for fans of the amazing, facinating and breathtakingly beautiful Monroe, Goddess is a must have, not just as a captivating and informative read but also as a reference, practically every book written on Marilyn Monroe after 1985 uses Goddess as a reference.

[This is a review of the Penguin edition dual-volume of 'Prisoner' and 'Rupert']

I've long been a fan of Errol Flynn swashbucklers and the classic works of prolific (and unjustly forgotten) Rafael Sabatini, but if you want the greatest swashbuckler novel of them all, Anthony Hope's "The Prisoner of Zenda" is a classic you'll come back to again and again: over a hundred years after being written, it's still as sharp as a rapier point.

"The Prisoner of Zenda" is something of a rarity: a Victorian adventure novel that is as fresh and entertaining to read in this modern jaded age as it was in 1894. If you've ever seen one of the many movie adaptations you already know the story: Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman vacationing in the tiny European country of Ruritania, meets and befriends the soon-to-be-crowned King Rudolf--his exact and identical double. When the King is kidnapped by the dastardly Black Michael, Rassendyll must impersonate the King in the coronation ceremony...and in the heart of the Queen. Hope's handling of the romance between Rassendyll and Queen Flavia is both a daring and romantic love story and a subtle examination of the meaning of honor and duty to a gentleman. Of course there's plenty of swordplay and derring-do along the way (put on an Erich Korngold CD while reading for the best effect). If Tom Clancy was writing this one, there'd be nuclear weapons instead of swords and email instead of telegrams, but even he couldn't pull off the simple but subtle romantic story and the triumphant but poignant ending.

I recommend this Penguin edition especially because unlike any other editions of "The Prisoner of Zenda" currently available, it also contains Hope's lesser but still worthy sequel "Rupert of Hentzau," which brings Rassendyll back to Ruritania years later to match wits and swords with Michael's henchman, bringing an end to the saga so satisfyingly that there's no need for a third adventure. I loved both but would definitely rank "Rupert" a level below "Prisoner": "Rupert" is narrated by Fritz, the faithful royal retainer from "Prisoner," and suffers from much of the action taking place outside Fritz's personal view and being retold later on. Still, it's a stunning and emotional end to the story, and one which'll bring a proper tear to your eye. Like Rudolf of Ruritania, Anthony Hope is a king...of adventure novels. Unlike Rudolf, he has no equal.

I've long been a fan of Errol Flynn swashbucklers and the classic works of the prolific (and unjustly forgotten) Rafael Sabatini, but if you want the greatest swashbuckler novel of them all, Anthony Hope's "The Prisoner of Zenda" is a classic you'll come back to again and again: over a hundred years after being written, it's still as sharp as a rapier point.

"The Prisoner of Zenda" is something of a rarity: a Victorian adventure novel that is as fresh and entertaining to read in this modern jaded age as it was in 1894. If you've ever seen one of the many movie adaptations you already know the story: Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman vacationing in the tiny European country of Ruritania, meets and befriends the soon-to-be-crowned King Rudolf--his exact and identical double. When the King is kidnapped by the dastardly Black Michael, Rassendyll must impersonate the King in the coronation ceremony...and in the heart of the Queen. Hope's handling of the romance between Rassendyll and Queen Flavia is both a daring and romantic love story and a subtle examination of the meaning of honor and duty to a gentleman. Of course there's plenty of swordplay and derring-do along the way (put on an Erich Korngold CD while reading for the best effect). If Tom Clancy was writing this one, there'd be nuclear weapons instead of swords and email instead of telegrams, but even he couldn't pull off the simple but subtle romantic story and the triumphant but poignant ending.

If you enjoy this, you'll also want to read Hope's worthy sequel "Rupert of Hentzau," which brings Rassendyll back to Ruritania years later to match wits and swords with Michael's henchman, bringing an end to the saga so satisfyingly that there's no need for a third adventure. I loved both but would definitely rank "Rupert" a level below "Prisoner": "Rupert" is narrated by Fritz, the faithful royal retainer from "Prisoner," and suffers from much of the action taking place outside Fritz's personal view and being retold later on. Still, it's a stunning and emotional end to the story, and one which'll bring a proper tear to your eye. Like Rudolf of Ruritania, Anthony Hope is a king...of adventure novels. Unlike Rudolf, he has no equal.

I loved Anthony Hope's style and imagination while reading this book. It portrays the good-guy, bad-guy scenerio as we all wish it to be. Many tricky and devious criminals sceme against the King and and his little-known double, Rudolph Rassendyl.
The night before his coranation, the King is poisoned by his brother, and Rudolph must take his place at the coranation. But afterwards, when Rudolph and the King's servants come back to return the King to his thrown; he is gone.
Rudolph is now trapped as the King of Ruritania, with mixed feelings on whether to rescue the King. In the end Rudolph makes the right choice and rescues his king from his brother, the duke. After his show of heroism, he is quickly forgotten and returns to his normal life.
In the end Anthony Hope's description of the characters and misfortune leaves you begging for more and in the sequal, the characters return to finish the dispute once and for all.

Nightmare was a good read. In it we have the point of view of a horse, not a human, not really a horse either. In Xanth, bad dreams are not accidents but designed. Special horses, night mares deliver them to Xanthians. Bad dreams are lessons to Xanthians to punish them for acting badly. What happens to a horse who no longer can deliver these night mares to others? Why another Xanth novel of course. Night mare is good and keeps the tradition of the early books.

Another Piers Anthony masterpiece. I loved the book and had to read it all in one day to find out what happened to the Kings of Xanth. Mare Imbrium, the Night Mare (turned Day Mare) is a fantastic character to lead this book and Piers Anthony has a fantastic view of life, even when he's a horse!! There is suspence not only to discover whether Xanth will survive but to find out if Mare Imbrium and the Day Horse are destined to be together.

Yet another fantastic book full of fun and puns. Piers has a way of looking at the world that no one else has, but that everyone appreciates.

Piers Anthony(also Pier Xanthony) writes a tale of a Night Mare, horses that deliver nightmares, that has a half a soul. She was supposed to bring it to her boss the Dark Horse but she didn't so he fired her. So Mare Imbrium, the sea of rains on the moon, starts an adventure to stop the evil Horseman from taking over Xanth. I thought this book was great and I couldn't put it down.

Anthony's works are all easy to read and the world of xanth draws you in automatically; I guess its the bookworm's equivalent of junk food--not nourishing for your literary education but satisfying nothenless. This book was one of the "better" books of Xanth--although i have yet to find one that didn't leave me rolling on the floor and lauging. Its fun reading about a barbarian...they aren't the typical main chracter after all and its interesting how Piers Anthony manages to make something fearsome seem silly and human.

Crewel Lye is about the journey of Jordan the Barbarian. Like all Xanth books, this one is comical and full of puns. Since Jordan's talent is full regeneration, it adds an interesting viewpoint through the eyes of a person who doesn't care if he gets killed(he'll just come back). I think that anyone who reads the Xanth series should definitely read this one.

I read this book several years ago and wrote a review of it then, but didn't post my name. Here is the review I wrote:
"Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn" is the first, and so far the only, Xanth book that I have read. I can't wait to get my hands on another of this series. I loved Piers Anthony's use of puns. In this book a barbarian ghost tells a young girl living in the castle he inhabits the story of his life. This is a well-written,easily readable, humorous, fantasy that is too good to put down.

Robert Ludlum proves that his capacity for plot creation is stellar. This novel rocks you with its pace and twists. After a hundred or so pages you ask, "What could happen next?" Ludlum keeps you on a fast paced run to find out what in the world is in the vault, and you sometimes wish it would slow down so you can make sure you don't miss anything. This book is wonderfully researched and I found myself turning back a few pages regularly in order to not miss anything. One of his very best plots indeed! Read it.

This has to be one of the top Robert Ludlum books that I have ever read. This book tells about an order of monks transporting a vault to a secret hiding place out of the reach of the Nazis. The head of the Fontini-Christi family,Savarone is actually the one who hides the vault with it's secrets. Ludlum's book tells of Savarone's son's trials and tribulations that he has to face as a result of the hidden vault.This book also shows the vault's influences on the lives of Savarone's grandsons. This book is an interesting fiction history of the secret vault. The ending of this book is also exceptional. Read this book. It is easily one of Ludlum's finest writings ever.

Vittorio Fontini-Christi is the head of a highly regarded Italian family who harbours a deadly secret. When a vault from a religious order called Xenope is transported from Greece to Switzerland and Italy, his secret could alter the course of World War 2 - a secret which could shake the foundations of religion itself. From 1939 and on up to 1973(when this book was written, I should imagine), the feuding offspring of Vittorio - one a US Army soldier hardened by Vietnam, the other a radical peace campaigner, struggle to get their hands on the vault - but for what cause? Read on and you will be hooked. The action sweeps across well-researched European locations which I have visited and could relate to quite well, especially Rome and Milan. The action never stops and builds up to an awesome climax in the Alps. Unlike some of Ludlum's other books, the ending here builds up at the right pace - not too quickly and it certainly isn't an anti-climax - the last page will leave you breathless. A must read, and a Ludlum classic.

I am a novice at options trading and have read a couple of other books dealing with basic options trading and found the practice portions of the book uniquely detailed and really helpful. Having gone throught the mechanics of options trades in other books, I can honestly say that this is the first one that really helped me cement the concepts into my head. Before this book, I was always confused about how to calculate the proper risk/reward potentials of different types of spreads. Saliba's book gives you that practice aplenty; its an aspect that other beginning options books seem to lack in my opinion. I respect Saliba's accomplishments and find his latest book a great resource as a beginning options trader.

As a novice options trader, I have been searching for a book that not only clearly explains options but also does so in a practical "real-world" fashion. Saliba's book helped me to think like a trader. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to develop (or improve) his options trading game....

Tony Saliba is a legend in the options trading world. I bought his book because I liked his chapter in "Market Wizards" where he talked about his style of trading. This book filled in the blanks behind what he was saying there. Now I am even more impressed by him because he can teach too! Thanks...for getting me started on the road to success.

Do you want the taste of rick, thick, homemade chocolate cakes without all the fuss of measuring flour and sugar and cream of tartar? Here's your answer! Chocolate from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn is a great resource for busy cooks.

My favorite recipe from this book is the 'A Lighter Chocolate Pound Cake' on page 109. I used this recipe for a three-dimensional stand-up teddy bear cake. No one even noticed that it was lower in fat!

As if the recipes themselves were not enough, there are tips and tricks sprinkled throughout the cook. For example, 'How to cut the first slice of cake like a pro' on page 35. These hints and tricks really added value to this book.

While there are 'lighter' recipes in this cookbook, this book is not for the cholesterol conscious. Many of the recipes begin with adding a stick of butter to the cake mix. While it tastes delicious, the nutrition information is not provided.

I use this book often ' it is speckled with remnants of chocolate cake mixes. My only suggestion for improvement for this book is please make it spiral bound!!!!

I have only made a couple of recipes from this book, but they have been very well received. Nobody can believe they come from a mix! The book has a wide variety of recipes for cakes and other concoctions. If you're on a diet or watching your carb intake, these recipes are not for you! There are a few "light" recipes, but they would still be forbidden on any diet I know of! The cookie recipes seem a bit involved; I'm looking for quick and easy preparation with flavorful and fabulous results and the recipes for cakes and brownies give the most bang for the effort. I also like that she seems to have cut down on the number of recipes containing alcohol; the original Cake Mix Doctor had a whole lot of "saucy" cakes. Besides the great recipes, the book discusses common add-ins for cake mixes and gives lots of suggestions and hints. I found it informative and entertaining, as well as an excellent source of recipes. When I was too busy to bake anything for our last potluck at work, everyone was so disappointed that I brought a frozen cheesecake instead of one of these wonderful cakes! The best part is that the cakes are very moist! Excellent book.

This is a terrific follow-up to The Cake Mix Doctor. This time around though, the recipes focus on a broader variety of desserts that can be made from chocolate cake and brownie mixes. Making a few simple substitutions and/or additions to a basic chocolate cake or brownie mix can give you a dessert that will silence most "cake mix doubters". No one will believe the Triple Decker Chocolate Raspberry Cake began with a mix!

This time, Chocolate From the Cake Mix Doctor adds more variety than just chocolate cakes with a larger number of brownies, muffins, bars and little cakes than seen in the previous book. As in her first CMD book, Byrn gives recipes for terrific scratch frostings which are what really set these cakes apart. There are clear tips and suggestions in a thoroughly updated first section and great ideas in neat boxes at nearly every recipe. My favorite thing about the book is the website that goes along with it, where bakers can ask questions about a recipe in the book and get reviews and suggestions from other bakers.

If you are a fan of chocolate, bake a lot or are looking for a way to make your chocolate cakes a bit less ordinary--this book will not disappoint you.

After rereading his brilliant, unexpectedly moving essay "In the Muetter Museum," which is featured in this book, I'm beginning to think so. Of course there's also Penn to deal with, and his trademark in-your-face crassness gives a distasteful edge to this compendium of tricks, stunts and random prose entertainments. I have a feeling P&T may have shot their wad with "How To Play With Your Food," which is their finest book to date (and unfortunately out of print now.) There's nothing in this to rival the glowing pickle, the Satanic tortilla, or that incredible story about Penn and the milkshake. But it is P&T, and thus sacred and beloved of all fans of cutting-edge entertainment, and a worthy contribution to the literature of the skeptical movement.

This book is better reading material than previous Penn & Teller books. The explanation of NASA's definition of comedy timing is worth the price of the book all by itself. The tricks are good but other P&T books have some better ones. However, my friends really believe that I have power over carbonation.

Wow Penn and Teller have done it again with another great book. It is the exact same style as the other two, But it still is great. The tricks are cool, the storys are funny and you also get free gizzmos in it. If you like magic you will love this book. an amazing feat in writing and penn and teller have done it again. This is from an English fan and they never play in England but we still love ya!!

I imagine most Americans would think the above title reflected historical fiction rather than fact.

The fact is that most contemporay Americans thought the Burning of Washington would live on forever in the American mind as an ignoble moment of shame and humiliation. That it has largely been forgotten is a testament to how America has changed and grown since 1814 -- rendering what has become one of our "little wars" largely to the history books with an occasional reprieve when the Star Spangled Banner is considered. It is worth considering that President Madison is remembered today as the father of the Constitution, and not as the rascal who allowed the White House and the Capitol to be burned by a foreign army during a war so ineptly fought by our side. I imagine that had this occurred in any number of other countries, his moment of singular presidential humiliation would attach itself more largely to his name. We remain an optimistic people.

Anthony S. Pitch has written a very good account of the British occupation and sacking of Washington, D.C. in his book "The Burning of Washington. The British Invasion of 1814." The author makes good use of contemporary sources and observations from American and British combatants as well as civilians. The background is sketched well enough to allow the reader to understand why the British stood at the mouth of the Potomac River ready to invade our capitol city. Personalities of American and British commanders as well as President Madison and especially Secretary of War John Armstrong - to whom can be attributed the immediate blame for Washington's unprepardness - are well summarized to give the reader a good feel for how individuals affected the events covered in the book.

The story covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the march on and occupation of Washington, the burning of the public buildings (focusing on the Capitol and White House), as well as the British attempt to take Baltimore, which failed before the walls of Ft. McHenry. Francis Scott Key's penning of our national anthem is also covered, as well as the British retreat. The book ends with summaries of the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war, as well as Jackson's incredibly lopsided victory over Gen. Packenham before New Orleans.

All in all this is a good and interesting book. The author keeps the pace moving while giving enough detail to both satisfy curiosity as to why events are unfolding as they did as well as add the flavor and feel that can come from a judicious use of diary entries and contemporary accounts. I recommend this to any history buff who would like to know more about a now overlooked -- but still astonishing - part of American history.

Anthony S. Pitch is a first class story teller. From the humiliating defeat of the panic-stricken American troops at Bladensburg, Maryland (north of Washington, D.C.) to their magnificent victory over the British army at New Orleans (under the command of the immortal Andrew Jackson), it's all here. I found it difficult to put this riveting book down. As a native of Baltimore, I particularly enjoyed the author's fact filled account of the important battle at Fort McHenry and the birth of our National Anthem. The heroics of American Generals George Armistead, Samuel Smith, and John Stricker are faithfully retold, along with rich details about many other gallant defenders of the then-young Baltimore City. I grew up during WWII on Locust Point, in south Baltimore, where the Fort still stands as a sentinel, jutting out into the Patapsco River. Pitch's research of the combatants' competing military strategies in that seminal battle is very illuminating, indicative of the author's background as a journalist. The death of British General Robert Ross, just before the start of the decisive land battle at North Point (just east of Fort McHenry) at the hand of two sharp shooting patriotic riflemen, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells, deserves a chapter all to itself. Pitch also describes marvelous anecdotes about the torching of the city of Washington by the British that should be read by every American that cares about his country's history. I never fully realized just how close our nation came to again becoming a province of the British Empire. Pitch relates it was a lot closer then most of us ever imagined. I can't wait for this well-documented book to become a movie. It would make a great sequel to Mel Gibson's splendid film, "The Patriot."

Anthony Pitch has written a memorable account of a seminal event in American history. His portrayal of the British burning of our nation's capitol is an exciting, fast-paced description of events which catch and hold the reader's attention from the first to last page. Pitch's suspenseful story captures the essence of what is best in historical nonfiction - the ability to depict events in an accurate and yet dramatic style, painting word pictures in a crisp, authoritative fashion which entrances the reader. This book is a must for the library of every history buff, and for that matter, for every civic-minded citizen. There is no doubt in my mind that it will be made into an intriguing motion picture.