This book was so interesting, I finished it in one day! Her frustrations, sadness, and suicidal thoughts are all written with such emotion. However, what I disliked of the book was that towards the end you feel as though this woman is completely blaming this problem on everyone else in her life and she's so psychotic! It makes recovering from bulimia seem even more scary than it already is. It feels really easy to blame your parents, family, a doctor, etc. The real strength is in taking the responsibility for your choices. Bulima and anorexia are not diseases that you accidently catch or inherit. They are things you choose. I felt that element was missing in this book. I was annoyed with the book's tone of "they made me do this".

INCREDIBLE. AWESOME. TRUTHFUL. CYNTHIA ROWLAND DOESNT MAKE HER LIFE A ROSE GARDEN./ SHE IS REAL AND TRUTHFUL ABOUT HER PAIN OF LIVING WITH BULMIA. FOR 12 YEARS SHE FELT THERE WAS NO HOPE AND WHEN SHE REACHED THE POINT OF DEATH SHE FOUGHT FOR HER LIFE...THIS BOOK ISNT ABOUT JUST EAT.DISORDERS...IT GOES IN TO HEART HUNGER. SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLE TV NEWS REPORTER NEAR DEATH AND NO ONE KNEW, BUT ONE CALL SAVED HER LIFE. SHE MET A THERIPIST WHO WOULD HELP HER SAVE HER LIFE. sHE HAD TO GO BACK TO CHILDHOOD TO FIND WHERE THE SELF DESTRCTION BEGAN. I FEEL HER PAIN AND HER VICTORIES . HER PARENTS HAD THE COURAGE TO COMEINTO THERAPY SO SHE COULD CONNFRONT HER PAIN FROM THE PAST. THE MON STER WITH IN GIVE ANYONE THE STORY OF ONE WOMANS COURAGE TO SAY IM SICK I NEED HELP AND SHE FOUGHT HER ADDICTION AND SHE OVERRCAME IT...EVERY WOMAN AND HER FAMILY SHOULD READ THE MONSTER WITHIN,,,IF YOU READ IT YOU'LL BE MORE COMPAASIONATE TOWARD YOURSELF AND OTHER. CYNTHIA FOUND THERE WERE REAL REASONS WHY SHE WANTED TO DIE BUT SHE LEARNED HOW TO LIVE...BEST BOOK FOR EATING DISORDERS

Every time someone tells their story, someone else is realizing that they are not alone. This book also lets them know that they do not have to die.

Practical advice for putting the book's ideas into practice in "real life" recalls the functional (and fun) style of a Rick Warren book.

A great, and quick, read that gave concrete examples, plans for action, and that little boost of inspiration that it often takes to get readers working toward the practices they read about.

I'd recommend the book, and offer criticism only to chapter 4, but overall a great few hours spent learning.

This book is amazing! It is very deep and can be very challenging at times but it is well worth the effort. If you think that you're ready for this type of emotional growth, I'm still praying that I am, then this book is for you.

This book teaches the reader how to create lasting relationships with each other, by "unlearning" the wrong views of Love we have learned over the years through rejection, abandonment, abuse and conditional love, and focusing on God's unconditional love. You will learn, after completing the exercises throughout the book, what has influenced your personal view of love. This book is full of practical ways of improving current loving relationships and mending hurting relationships. You are a few pages away from beginning the process of creating lasting "Unbreakable Bonds" with family and friends, and maybe even finding new love.

While I think its important to make the best of what you've got including your money, there are some books that really go overboard, thank goodness that this book is reasonable.

No, not every bit of advice that was given works for me, but nonetheless I did get a lot out of this book. A lot of the advice is common sense and other stuff is like "why didn't I think of this myself?"

There are five sections that include: entertainment, relationships, personal improvement, home improvement, and money. Its a good basic guide for anyone that's looking to save without cramping your style. The authors write with wit and humor.

The book is small, pocket book style but still comfortable enought to curl up to.

Cheap ways TO... is fantastic. what a way to save money!!! you can plan a wedding, get higher education, find a pet, decorate your house.. for cheap!!!! the authors should be enshrined in the tightwads hall of fame!!!!!

Dr. Paul Meier is the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show "New Life Clinic" and has written many books. His personality on the radio is condescending and now I have discovered why--he's a jerk. At least he admits that he used to be. And he has written the book to prove it, entitled "Don't Let the Jerks Get the Best of You."

The idea for this book is great--dealing with the jerks you come in contact with. But during the reading of the book I discovered two things: first, he is really trying to get at the jerk within YOU (the reader), not in others. That's fine and he certainly convinced me that I'm a jerk at the highest level, but it didn't do much other than make me feel bad that I'm a jerk. It didn't help me much in dealing with others.

Second, he proves himself to be the utmost jerk through his constant claiming that he's NOT a jerk anymore! He gives three "levels" of being a jerk (everyone falls into one of the three categories), and of course he claims that he may have been level two at one point but now he is the lowest-level jerk. He even calls himself a "good guy" who "doesn't mean to do wrong." So when he mistreats his wife or kids or patients, he excuses it away as being meaningless since he doesn't intend on hurting them. Can't he see that INTENT may have nothing to do with it? A person who backs their car into your car may not "mean" to do it, but that is not an excuse! They did wrong, must take personal responsibility for it, learn to drive better, etc. Intent doesn't deal with consequences.

He then goes on to claim he has some "weaknesses"-- such as the fact that he like to pay for others meals or that he likes to spend all the money he makes on others! Wow--what weaknesses! He tells of how he invested lots of money in bad deals and the IRS charged him penalities--he again claims he was a well-meaning dope! Even in his proclaiming his weaknesses he comes across as a #1 jerk, not taking responsibility for his actions but claiming ignorance. He also humbly brags throughout the book (as he does often on his radio show) that he's a great husband and father and doctor--yet he tells stories of how he ignores his kids (one of his kids ran away from home as a teen), doesn't follow through on what he tells his wife, and he constantly pushes drugs. You would think the guy is a drug company rep if you listen to him on the radio--his solution to just about every psychological problem in life is drugs!

This is a frustrating book. The IDEA of it is great. But it's mostly about Dr. Meier being a jerk and him lording it over the rest of us. The solutions are few. This book needs some good objective editing and rewriting before it will be of value to those of us who are dealing with jerks every day, even ourselves.

I have read several of Dr. Meier's books and this is one of the best. It is an easy read and very funny in the right doses. I had a real jerk as a father-in-law and a bigger jerk for a husband. I wanted to try and understand why they acted the way they did. This book was very helpful in allowing me to be at ease with their behavior, knowing when I was acting in a co-dependent manner, and to know that their behavior was not going to change. I could recommned any book written by Dr. Meier and Dr. Minirth. They have written several books together. I could also highly recommend Restoring Margin to Overloaded Lives by Richard A. Swenson,M.D. If you buy this one get the workbook to go with it.

After ten or twelve pages my first observation was that Meier is very, very readable. His style flows effortlessly and goes down without a lot of chewing. He is also very transparent, using a lot of illustrations from his own life to make his points. He is very much a "one of us" kind of guy who has struggled with the same problems normal people have.

This book will enable you to recognize "jerky" behavior in yourself as well as others and better understand where it comes from (and how to change it). We run into jerks everywhere we go in life and the more skilled we are in dealing with them the smoother our journeys will be. This book will be enormously comforting if you have any abuse in your background.

Meier cites many spiritual truths throughout the book and writes from that perspective. If you are put off by spiritual things I recommend that you at least consider the wisdom of what he has to say. I read so many little passages out of it to my wife that she read it when I was done and we have recommended it to friends and family.

My biggest problem with this book was that it didn't cover alot of things I dreamed about. Great for a first time user because of the easy to use format and language. I myself could have done without the biblical references(after all we're not all Christians)

This is a very insiteful and valuable book. It goes into detail of all that is involved in the making of dreams. Where they come from, how they develop and how we can make sense out of their nonsense. Definitely worth reading a few times.

I found this book a great tool. It gives practical tools for breaking apart the symbols of your dreams. I bought this book two years ago and didn't read it right away. I did write down a few dreams at that time. Recently I picked up the book and looked back at those dreams and was blown away at the timing of the dreams to what was really happening in my life at the time. If you want a deeper understanding of yourself and a guide of being led by the Holy Spirit looking at your dreams is a must. As a Christian it was refreshing to have a book that spoke to me instead bordering on fortune telling that alot of dream books lead to these days.

I think many readers will find this books useful and sound. Whether you find it useful may depend on your past exposure to self-development or spiritual growth. It may also depend on of you are new to the idea of looking inside regarding withdrawal. If you already have a strong habits of introspection, and know why you withdraw, you may find the approach of the book simple or pithy or too conversational. (The books is more about withdrawal than about fear of or struggle with intimacy.) If you have not had much chance analyze your past, and want an approach that relies on a traditional foundation, then it book may be very useful to you.

One of the best things about this book is that he backs up what he is saying by scripture. So you know the book is really based on the Bible. He also tells a lot of stories about other people which makes you feel as if it is not just a bunch of information being shoveled on you. I am only on chapter 4 but I have already learned so much about myself and the things that I have hidden in my life and why I have hidden them. I cannot wait to get further into the book and to start to learn how to change it!

Hiding From Love provided me with the insight I needed to understand all the why's I had dealt with my entire life. At the age of 45 I was finally able to understand why I had felt so "unlovable", "insecure" and "stupid" as a child, that there were very valid reasons for my thinking that way about myself that were NOT MY FAULT. I began to see myself with confidence, and worthy of being loved, for the first time in my life! I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone struggling with childhood abandonment issues.

If I read one more book where the author is ADD and his message is "We ADDers are lovable people. You just have to learn how to handle us, work with us, adapt to us, bend yourself in a pretzel for us...."

I found this book the last thing any self-respecting, non-ADD spouse should read when trying to assess if the marriage can survive. If, however, you are a glutton for punishment and think that your marriage troubles are all your fault because you just don't understand your ADD spouse, then dig in.

A somewhat better book on the topic is Jonathan Halverstadt's "A.D.D. and Romance." He's a little more truthful. You can read it and assess for yourself.....am I willing to do the work and still have certain problems that will always be inherent to the marriage?

The Fowlers make it sound like ADD means you'll just have differences in the way you pack when moving. Not so. The differences can be profound and damaging.

I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITTING THIS BOOK. I HAVE ADHD, AND BOUGHT 2 BOOKS FOR MY CLOSE FRIENDS. NOW BEING ADHD, I AM NOT BIG ON READING, BUT MY FRIENDS SURE ARE, AND THEY FOUND IT SO HELPFUL IN RELATING TO ME, IN AN EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND MENTAL WAY. OUR RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO MUCH BETTER OFF. THE THINGS THAT RICK AND JERILYN ADVISE IN HANDLING AND DEALING WITH THESE VERY CREATIVE, AND AT TIMES HIGH STRUNG PEOPLE, IS VERY PRACTACULE. IN RETURN I HAVE FOUND OUT SO MANY THINGS ABOUT MYSELF. I RELIZED THAT HAVING ADHD HAS MANY BENIFITS, AND I LOVE EVERYONE OF THEM.

When I read an article based on this book, I cried! Finally I had found someone who knew what I was going through. My husband is very much like the husband who wrote this book and I was relieved to realize that he is not so odd! This book saved me! "Honey, Are You Listening?" gave me hope and practical solutions for the difficulties I face with my husband. I am finally able to understand my husband and this helps me to be more patient with him. With the suggestions in this book I am able to help my husband be a better version of himself and I am able to at least try not to ask him to do things that are beyond him. I now understand the most effective way to approach him and to talk over potentially explosive subjects with him. If you feel your spouse (or an adult you know)may have ADD... please get this book!!!!! You will forever be grateful to Rick and Jerilyn Folwer! I know I am!!!!!

I had hoped that this book would be more like "Intended for Pleasure," but it is more about case studies of troubles marriages and how negative emotions can affect the sex life in a Christian marriage. It's less of a manual, and more self-help.

Problems in the bedroom? Never fear. *** BEGIN HERE*** Whatever you do, please don't go $pending thou$and$ of dollar$ on marriage counseling (like me) BEFORE you check out this handly little "how to" book written by the experts. Sex in the Christian Marriage is an excellent resource for any Christian couple interested in achieving the true spiritual oneness that God intended marriage to be. New and old Christians (even the really old ones) will benefit from the anatomical and practical information regarding the differences in the sexes. The content has a distinctly straightforward medical spin and lays out the kind of information you would expect to get in a good premarital sex education class or at a marriage seminar, but you probably won't because most people are not willing to teach others the detailed educational info you will find in this book. Plus, the M.D.'s are shrinks and at least one of them is bolder than the average shrink.

Since lack of knowledge may be a hindrance to some couples I'd recommend reading it just to be on the safe side and to be certain both mates have the same intentions and are fully committed to a healthy biblical oneness in marriage. Authored by two Christian M.D.'s and ex-pastor, Richard Meier, now a Marriage and Family Therapist practicing at the Paul Meier New Life Outpatient Clinic in Richardson, Texas, along with his wife, Lorraine, they've utilized many years of counseling experience to provide sound medical knowledge on a variety of disorders and encouragement through case studies with some very happy endings. Those who did not live happily ever after, however, have not been included. If you have a resistant spouse, don't waste another moment waiting for them to see things your way, read this book and make practical applications in your personal behavior which will affect your marriage. God will sort things out. You may find your spouse pleasantly surprised when you take the initiative to spice things up a bit. Locate the local candle shops, bath and body shops, Christian music store and pick up a new nightie or two while you're busy filling up that shopping cart.

This book is a MUST for all couples with young children in the home. The Enemy likes to attack young fathers while young mothers are busy focusing on the needs of small children. Men are often working longer hours in order for their wives to stay home with young ones and men face many temptations in the workplace. Every father of preschoolers ought to carry a copy of this book in his briefcase for some light reading at lunchtime. Some men may need to carry it in their front shirt pocket as a reminder or as a badge of marriage. (Great stocking stuffer too, the book is just the right size for your love's Christmas stocking!) Some men may get fresh ideas after reading this book and realize that women would prefer their time and attention versus material items.

Those dabbling in cyberporn or who think just one visit to Hooters or the Cafe Risque' for lunch won't hurt anything are deceived. (It's much like Lays Potato Chips, it's impossible to stop after just one visit to the chip & dip bowl but those thin chips deceive the eye and when you take a look in the mirror the results begin to affect you sooner than you think). Any married man who is surfing the net in his spare time looking for pornsites or exploring the Sports Illustrated swimsuit video should seriously be focusing that attention upon his wife INSTEAD, that is, if he doesn't want to be the Enemy's next target. It can happen to you. You don't know what you have until you've lost it. Consider this paperback to be preventive medicine. I recommend this great little guide book wholeheartedly to all newlyweds and oldyweds alike. It's certain to motivate you to celebrate with your very best friend the marriage God blessed you with and to assist you in achieving true oneness as God intended. Submitted by V.L. Wight

"Elijah" is a decently written book that covers the life of Elijah. The main purpose of the book seems to be bringing present life-lessons from the prophe's life. This book is not a history book, instead it reviews what Elijah experienced, considers how he responded to those experiences, and then relates these responses to present struggles that the modern reader might have. The book is good for what it is meant to be.

I read this book to try to get an idea of who Caeser was, what his accomplishments were, and how the Roman Republic was transformed into an Empire. While this book did fulfill those goals, it was difficult to finish. To his credit, Meier drives home important points about his subject: the influence of Sulla, the importance of the achievement ethic, the paradox of the reactionary regime, so forth. But much of the book is not very understandable or interesting to a reader who is not avidly versed in Roman Republican history. In this sense, while I thought the book too long and drawn out, I would almost need to read it again to get most of the authors points! So, this is a good second book on Caesar, not the introduction I was hoping for. Finally, the end is quite abrupt, as only a few pages are dedicated to explaining the adoption of Augustus and Caesar's assasination, and Meier does not summarize well the lasting effect Caesar's legacy had on the Empire to be.

Meier considers his book a "scholarly biography," but it's intended for a general audience -- in omitting footnotes and even a bibliography, for example, he already sets his book apart from the usual scholarly studies. Meier has clearly done a great deal of research and thinking on the subject over a long period of time, and he readily presents the conflicting theories behind many events in and facets of Caesar's life. If you're looking for a detailed military analysis of "Caesar the General" and his campaigns specifically, this isn't it. The book is part biography, part character analysis; while the latter is always dangerous when dealing with a titanic historical figure like Caesar, Meier never stoops to the kind of superficial psychoanalysis that too often plagues biographies dealing with great figures from antiquity (such as Alexander the Great). He bases his ideas on the ancient sources and the work of prominent scholars throughout history. Meier's many questions and hypotheses are always considered and balanced, and often more than intriguing -- particularly interesting to me is the way in which he contrasts Caesar as a mover of events and as one being moved along by them at various times in this turbulent period. I often got the impression that I was reading the work of a scholar who was happy to free himself from the usual academic restraints and was simply letting all of his ideas and questions out of the bag, and that's refreshing. Meier does a fine job of synthesizing the life and career of a complicated, restless man and the development of a very complex era into a readable and fascinating book -- he covers all the various aspects of Caesar's life in a balanced way (the brilliant general, the ambitious politician, the shrewd diplomat, the writer, etc.). It's a bit plodding in spots, and it would help the reader to know the basic outline of the period before delving into the book, but overall it's a great read. This is one of the best biographies of Caesar available. My only gripes are the total absence of ANY references and the sloppy editing of this edition: the former was Meier's choice, the latter the oversight of the publisher of this edition.

Caesar, by Christian Meier is a no nonsense treatise on the life of Julius Caesar and the political maelstrom which surrounded it. Here, Meier strips the veneer away to show a man truly great, but also truly flawed.

From Caesars birth to the inevitable Ides of March, Meier educates, analyzes, and explains the person, the time, and the place with remarkable skill and detail. This isn't an edge-of-your-seat sort of reading experience. Instead, it is a comfortably patient, thought provoking book of tremendous scholarly value. Meier artfully avoids a teleological viewpoint striving successfully to explain what Caesar, Cicero, Cato, Pompey, et al, thought and saw then. We note clearly that their experience was much different than what we might see through 2000+ years of reflection.

Of particular interest is the juxtaposition between the Republic of Rome and Caesar. His thirst for recognition and the weakness of the Senate to shunt it presents paradox after paradox as Caesar struggles to control the political game. In the end, both Senate and Caesar submit to an undesired civil war. From there, the power struggle continues as does the edification of the reader.

Though the book may plod in places, these instances are brief and rare. It is well worth the time of any serious reader interested in early Rome and one of the most famous men in recorded history.