The Confidence Factor was awarded the "Best Business Motivation Book from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association annual awards event in June 2002.

I was in a rut, scared and irritated with life. After a strong recommendation from a friend, I read The Confidence Factor. Wow. This book is not only about the philosophy of confidence, but actual ways to address my personal situations. Because of the insights Dr. Briles shared, I now surround myself with respected and positive people. I admit my failures and faults -- I am NOT the only goof. There's a whole world of them/us out there! I carry on knowing I am smarter for the experience and for the next time! I treat others better and with more respect. This is then returned to me. The list goes on...This book has helped me reevaluate my actions (to myself AND others) resulting in positive changes in my life during a very difficult (and at the time, I thought Impossible!) period. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

My brother was recently laid off. I bought him this book because his self-esteem was at an all time low. After reading the book, the change in him was was significant. Dr. Briles has a way of cutting through the fluff with without being harsh. I'm buying lots more books for graduation gifts. Wish I'd been given this book when I graduated. Jean Kelley

This book was introduced to me by Judith herself ( I was looking for material for a research paper ) ...Since I am a "starving" student, my mom bought me the book for x-mas, it sat for a few months since I was burnt out on prisons after my major report was done. But two days ago I picked up the book again, and I could no put it down. I have fallen in love with Spoon, Elmo and Judith's words many times over. I am in awe of her writing and her experience. I would hope that someday I could inspire others as she has inspired me. I have written a poem, I will share it with you all in hopes that you will buy this book...

"I feel as though I am reading a novel...

Everyonce in a while I stop and

remind myself the words I have read

are real."

Molly R>

Judith takes the reader into a world where few go willingly and fewer still would expect to find love. Her journey in story form reveals a great deal about herself and how the men she taught retained their dignity and self respect by sharing their thoughts of home, life, and love through poetry. I am not a poet and quite frankly find it difficult to understand many peots, but such is not the case with the works Judith brings forth from a handful of men most of us have written off as losers. Judith proves that love is present in everyone's heart, even those in prison.

This book takes readers inside a world most of us have never entered: a maximum security prison. But instead of showing the aspects of this world that we're familiar with from movies and TV, we see something different. By telling her own story -- the story of a poet sharing poetry with a particular group of prisoners -- Tannenbaum allows readers to look at our own assumptions about prison, prisoners and what it is to be human.

This is a very important, and very moving, book.

There is a saying: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." This student was ready, your book came at an opportune time. I very much appreciate the authors efforts: First, in their gaining knowledge of this material, then taking the time to write in such an understandable fashion and finally making simply and memorable illustrations of - what we can't see in a way that we won't forget. Great job, many thanks - keep books like this coming.

This book is excellent! If you're a current or future student of biology (especially a beginner, like me), or even a teacher, you will have no trouble understanding the concepts of biology due to the illustrations and explanations. The book's examples reference everyday life so you can instantly apply what you're reading and seeing. The illustrations are colorful and well defined, and the text is light and even a bit humorous. As a future teacher this book will definitely be added to my permanent collection of reference books.

This is possibly the most incredible biology textbook for the average Joes of the world (and maybe the not-so-average Joes!). "The Way Life Works" clearly and cleverly explains some of the most abstract concepts of biology and brings them to life (no pun intended). I have recommended this book to all of my students, and wish that I could require them to own it! It should be our biology class' primary textbook. I only wish that I had had this textbook as an undergraduate student. Maybe those molecular biology classes wouldn't have been as difficult!

Kudos!

I don't know what got me thinking about Mortimer and Wilbur, considering I read this book 12 years ago in third grade, but luckily a search of Amazon turned it up. That this book was phenomenal shows in the fact I still remember details like the character names. When I was in 3rd grade we begged the teacher to allow Mortimer and Wilbur, the two child ghosts of the story, to join our class as they joined Willy's, and we used to fill out spelling tests for them and post them, graded, along with ours. This book is a must read for any child interested in the supernatural, and I'm destroyed to see it's out of print. Hopefully the publisher will decide it's worth the reprint, until then find it at a used book store and share it with your kids! I hope to be able to share it with mine!

This book is about a ghost Wilbur, his brother Mortimer, and parents Serena and Mortimer. Wilbur and Mortimer are bored with staying at home and haunting people. They decide to go to school. Wilbur joins the third grade and makes friends with Willy Snodgrass, while Mortimer plays all sorts of daring tricks. This is a wonderfully funny, exciting, and special story everyone will enjoy. It's a great book to read out loud. I got this as a gift in the first grade and now that I'm in seventh I still treasure it as one of my favorite books next to the three Harry Potters. I recommend it for anybody.

This has always been a family favorite. It began with my brother who passed it on to two more brothers and finally to me. Needless to say the copy he has is quite worn. I hope this returns to print, as I would like to have a copy in our household for my children to read, as well as myself. A must read!

Judith M. Fertig's "Prairie Home Cooking" is a wonderful compendium of heartland recipes that will make you feel like a modern-day Laura Ingalls Wilder in the kitchen. It is the kind of book you want to sit down and devour while sitting on the couch, drinking a cup of tea and nibbling at a homemade oatmeal cookie.

The recipes are wide-ranging, taking their cue from the many immigrants who settled the American west and midwest. There are many German and Scandinavian recipes here, which is in keeping with the immigration percentages, but there are lots of Native American, Russian, Italian, and other "flavors" in the mix as well.

Sara Love's superb illustrations deserve special mention. These block print pictures lend such a homey, heartland atmosphere to the book and complement Fertig's comfortable-as-old-slippers voice beautifully. This book is a treasure!

Prairie Home Cooking is the kind of cookbook you curl up and read with before ever entering the kitchen. Wonderfully written, it interweaves heartland history with beloved recipes. Growing up in the country, this cookbook took me back to simpler times and the comforts of food made with love. As I plan my move back to the prairie and grow my own food, this book will serve as my never-ending reference and companion. The Blue-Ribbon Brownies recipe (page 373) will make you the most popular baker around! My ancestors, being German, probably made many of the recipes in this cookbook. I am honored to replicate them. Prairie Home Cooking is my very favorie cookbook. A huge variety of recipes- something for everyone!

I gave this cookbook as a Christmas present to a very good German friend of mine who loves to cook and we had fun noticing the similarities between the recipes in the book and the traditional recipes of Germany.

I thought this was a wonderful book. Unfortunately, you really need a coach to get with the program - my copy is now mired in the mess of my bookcase and papers.

If you really need this book, then do yourself a favor and hire a professional organizer for a couple of sessions to get you going.

I have purchased dozens of self-help books on clutter, disorganization, cleaning, and organizing. Unfortunately, I can not find most of them...because of the ongoing difficulty I have with "stuff." This book was meant for people like me, people with good intentions of "someday" having everything in its place so we don't spend an hour trying to find a past due bill, a late library book or coming across an invitation to a party held yesterday. Incredible frustrating is how I would describe my dilemma with "stuff." One bedroom is totally filled with overflow from other rooms in the house (my current method of "cleaning"). It holds(self-improvement)books, clothes, papers, bills, pictures, (self-improvement)tapes, boxes, files, baskets, cabinets, the list goes on and on. This book, unlike ALL the other ones I have purchased in the past, finally helped me visualize solutions - NOT conventional solutions but ideas which are helping me solve the chaos and confusion which reins in my home (and sometimes office). Read this book several times, try and re-try some of the suggestions, there is no one-solution-fixes-all recipe. But finally, finally, I have come across a book that spoke directly to me about these frustrating issues in my life that I thought were unique to me. I didn't get into this mess overnight and I know I won't clean it up overnight, but I now have more hope and light at the end of the clutter tunnel.

Today, my living room is clear of ALL clutter and papers. And the rest of the house isn't far behind (kitchen 3/4 uncluttered, baths 1/2 decorated, etc).

I've been living a packrat/piler lifestyle for over 20 years. I've read MANY books (yep, still have them), tried MANY systems(yep, still have those, too), joined online self-help discussions, but never once managed to get even ONE room totally cleared.

This book helps you see that you can be "organized" even if it means something different than others (the born organizers) expect. If filing is your thing, you can file everything, if it isn't, you'll discover lots of acceptable alternatives in this book. This book deals with papers, time management, and all the other physical or mental "stuff" which can overwhelm you if not organized for soundness of mind.

I love the summaries at the ends of chapters which list methods and tools for various organizing styles and systems. That is what opened my eyes to what I needed to physically and mentally do. I now use conventional organizing for those areas that I already have a penchant for doing that. But I am also using "body doubles"; asking for assistance (hubby, and best friend) to get in all in control to start.

I am also using other more unconventional methods, since I read about the "wide visual field" and that learning styles and organizing styles are similar concepts, but may be different than each other (visual learner, kinesthetic organizer).

I know I'm not crazy when I won't put things away, because "out of sight, out of mind" really does apply to me (I've been saying that for years). And now I know how to WORK WITH that instead of combat it.

I am re-reading chapters as the house gets cleared (I bought the book just a few months ago) and this helps me remember to not use the conventional methods, when I know they won't stay that way later. That's how the living room finally got cleared.

This is the best book to read to help open your eyes to what you PERSONALLY can customize to organize yourself. You can use it along with some other books, tapes, and methods, but this is the one that will get you thinking, then keep you on track.

Judith, if you're reading this...I thank you with all my heart!

P.S. I bought FIVE more books to give out to friends and family. Yes, I really know this book can help.

If you love Victorian Stiches then this is the book for you. Clearly illustrates dozens of embroidery stitches.

Great Book.

This is an excellent book. It provides you with many choices of stitched flowers both in silk ribbon and threads and yarns. FOr those who admire the intricate stitching and motifs that are original to crazy quilting this book will set you well on your way to adding many of interesting stitched florals to your blocks. It is a well done book, very good instructions , easy to understand and truly inspirational. I have read many cq books and find this the best one.
Not only does it give you the basics you need to get started adding wonderful embroidery to your quilting but it inspires you to adventure out and try your own designs.
This book is well suited to the beginner and the experienced stitcher who wants to add new techniques and ideas to your quilted pieces.

Every time I start a sewing project for clothing, for gifts or for something for the house I take this book and many ideas come to my mind of how to make it more beautiful,it's also easy to follow the instructions and I think it's a very complete book of reference.

This was A wonderful sequel to Texas Road.Micha Sinclair played a man still furious at his father for Killing his mother.But he found a way to love again.There were many times I grew so angry at him.I mean he almost through the best thing in his life away because she was mexican. Silly boy. But all in all it was a great book.I think I liked Texas Angel better. I also beleive that Texas angel and Heavens Road should be made into a movie.But no adding or removing from the book. And no specifics on Elise Job in Texas Angel. Thanks!

This book is awesome! I beleive that Texas Angel is better but
This book is to great to put down.I love the fact that Judith Pella didn't end the Fued between Micha and his father.Even though we feel sorry for Micha.We also hate his stubborness at times.Especially when almost throws away the best thing in his life because she's mexican but we still love the story. I personally believe that Texas Angel+ Heavens road should be made into a movie. But no adding or removing from the book.And no Unnessary scenes about Elise being a slave Prostuite.
Thanks for a great books Judith Pella!

Again and again, Pella shows her talent for creating flawed characters that have to learn the hard way. Micah is a perfect example of this, as he struggles with hate and anger and must learn both how to accept love and how to return it. Though I was expecting Book Two to be a continuation of Elise's story, I'm now glad that this one focuses instead on Micah, who has matured from a bitter and confused fourteen-year-old (see "Texas Angel") to an angry twenty-two-year-old with an agenda for revenge. Though this novel can be read alone, the depth of Micah's feelings cannot fully be appreciated unless one has read the prequel. I must again salute Ms. Pella's skill as she creates people that "just happen" to meet and are changed forever in 300 pages. As always, secondary characters do not disappoint, and the main plot sweeps us off our feet and carries us to 1830's Texas for an unforgettable tale of hate and love, sorrow and joy, tragic darkness and sweet light.

This is a great book if you are interested in the more analytical and theoretical side of hypnosis and/or hypnosis used in therapy. -- A linguistic perspective. --

Volume I covers the model overall
Volume II goes a little more into dealing with incongruent clients, and a linguistic model of representation. [the 4-tuple, R-Operator and C-Operator]

THE GOOD -- [Although] It is not a very quick read... because everything in this book is actually useful. You will not want to rush through this one, and it is a book you will want to go back to. It does a good job covering the Milton Model, the language patterns and non-verbal communication.

This book is not for everybody though...

THE BAD -- Personally, there isn't anything I dislike about this book, but I do realize that some people have different interests and reasons for wanting to learn about hypnosis. First of all, this book is probably not for beginners. If you are, it would take a little longer to finish thoroughly. An book on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) that covers both the Meta-model and the Milton Model (consider "Introducing NLP", by Joseph O'Connor et al. -- it has a green cover) will provide a great introduction/pre-read to this book.

This book (Volume I) is worth reading by anyone interested in hypnosis. The authors present the major linguistic techniques that Erickson used to induce and maintain hypnosis, as well as his methods of doing hypnotherapy. They approach Erickson from the discipline of linguistics, so the reading is a bit technical at times, but perfectly understandable if you stick with it. They review the same material many times to make it very clear to the reader. I wish there were an accompanying audiotape of Erickson so that the reader could hear the analogical markings that Erickson uses with his speech to clients. Anyone seriously interested in Erickson's approach to hypnosis should read this book.
Volume II is nearly incomprehensive to someone who does not have a Ph.D. in linguistics. The authors in Volume II appear incapable of expressing their valuable ideas in simple English, which may be a sign that they really don't understand what they are saying well enough to communicate it to others. Rather than spending your hard-earned money on Volume II, you might read other authors like Steve Gilligan (Therapeutic Trances) who covers the same material in plain English rather than quasi-mathematic formulas and mumbo-jumbo about 4-tuples, etc.

Learn about Milton's Strategy of hypnosis and the expert modeling of John Grinder and Richard Bandler, co-founders of NLP. Learn directly the patterns of hypnosis used for creating change. A book chock full of metaphors and stories to weave change in personality.