I recently finished reading Attitude is Everything. I have to say that I am very impressed. When you first hear about a book on the topic of attitude, you think that there's going to be a lot of hype and "rah-rah" stuff. That wasn't the case here. Rather, I found that there were plenty of specific and practical tips for success. A perfect example is the chapter on "networking" -- there were many techniques about "communication" and "follow-up" that I've been neglecting. Reading these suggestions made a positive impact on my business. In fact, I ordered ten additional books and have been sending them to business colleagues and prospects. Finally, what also impressed me is the sincerity of the author. I could tell that he not only believes what he's saying, but that he's applied all of these principles in his own life. It was nice to read something written "from the heart." I highly recommend this book.

I am reading this book, and I have learned that if you change your attitude, you change your life. You are energized, again and again. You begin to see new possibilities. You move into action. You achieve extraordinary results. Develop your incredible potentials. There are few successful people because there are few individuals who make a commitment, follow through with a positive attitude ... and have the persistence to get the job done. Success is a state of mind. You have the potential to become more than you ever dreamed. You have greatness within you... and your attitude is the key to unlocking that potential. NOW is time to take control of your attitude and start creating miracles in your own life.

Just read this book before an interview, and your energy and power will be with YOU. Good luck.

A great book about PMA and how to chage your life for the better. This is an easy to read book with all of the tips on success you'll ever want. Thank you Jeff, your "Attitude" is an inspiration to us all!

Reading "Into the Rising Sun" takes one to places of great emotion and leaves the reader's mind going over and over what those courageous Forces went through and had experienced. If you want the truth of battle and just what took place, this is the book to read. Mr. O'Donnell's book "Beyond Valor" is emotionally charged reading. Now, "Into the Rising Sun" gives oral histories a new and deeper perspective. The variation of Airborne, Rangers, Marine Raiders, Paramarines and Merrill's Marauders' stories go to the heart. From bloodshed, cannibalism, distribution of body parts on the battlefield to the compassion of Marines taking care of a crying baby are just a part of what can be found in the author's expertise of drawing out the many stories of these great men. For those that returned -- their lives went on building families and careers, but feeling and knowing that they had done the job of their country's call. They are the forerunners of our Elite & Special forces of today of whom we can be so very proud.
Mr. O'Donnell, thank you for bringing to 'life & lite' one of the greatest wars of time and introducing us to yet, more of it's 'heroes' as no other as done.
Recommend: Beyond Valor, Author Patrick O'Donnell

Despite the publicity,inside and outside historical circles, of such oral historians as Ambrose and Gerald Astor, Patrick O'Donnell must rank as a "rising star" in the genre of the art of interviews. His current work is nothing less than brilliant covering a subject that has been somewhat neglected--the land war in the Pacific and Asia. INTO THE RISING SUN grips the reader with accounts of combat that are nothing less than compelling,fascinating and mesmerizing. Of particular interest is the section on Merrill's Marauders, one of the least researched units during the war. O'Donnell, as in his previous work on the European war, organizes his work into chonological sequence thereby providing the reader with not only a factual based account of World War II, but a topical one as well. But what makes the book so thought-provoking is O'Donnell's ability to evoke emotion from these men who were tempered by an economic depression which had existed for more than l0 years prior to Pearl Harbor. The stereotype of the hardened veteran, oblivious to any feelings at all, is dispelled in INTO THE RISING SUN as numerous vets disclose (many for the first time) their perspectives on seeing friends and the enemy meeting sudden and horrendously violent deaths. As is widely noted, the World War II generation is passing on at the rate of more than l000 per day but with works such as INTO THE RISING SUN their legacy will continue so that future generations can understand (and appreciate) what these men did in the most difficult of circumstances. Of the spate of World War II books release in the past few years, this one must rank as a true contribution to the literary side of the war.

Into the Rising Sun is simply the finest oral and narrative history on the Pacific War. After reading this book I felt like back in time with these heroic soldiers and Marines. This book takes you to the sharp end of the combat, placing the reading in foxholes, trudging through jungle swamps, or facing the full-weight of Japanese banzai attack. Each story is seamlessly integrated into a narrative and a part of a larger whole that covers all of the major campaigns of the Pacific and Burma.

The stories hit you like a sledgehammer. Robert Moore describes America's first contested assault landing on the tiny island of Gavutu a few miles off Guadalcanal.

"Over 30 dead. Many were shot in the head. Brains were all over the place. I'll never forget this."
After being discharged for his wounds on Guadalcanal Moore reenlist in the Merchant Marines and ironically gets dropped off at Iwo Jima months after the battle only to find almost his entire platoon buried in the cemetery.

Harry Clark who describes his condition after trudging through New Georgia's jungle swamps for over a month. "I had dozens of ulcers on each leg and they went right down to the bone. Our medic used o keep us going by putting cotton on a pencil and putting it down and taking the puss out. We were all ill from every illness you could get from the jungle. I weighted ninety-seven pounds."

One of the Marines describes an all night assault by the Japanese on their positions on Guam's Hill 40.

"They pulled on all-night assault. They hit our positions hard and had visible targets for an hour. We could see them moving forward; their helmets would throw a shadow on their faces." ....the next day there were hundreds of bodies lying out in front of us. You feel guilty killing guys that were wounded. I cut a guy's throat with a my knife. That hurts. [Chocks up] I've never really talked about this to anyone."

Merrill's Marauder veteran Ed McLogan describes Sgt. Roy Matsumoto's amazing exploits that saved the battalion: "We vacated and booby trapped our foxholes after the after Roy crawled behind their lines and found out were and when they were going to attack." Matsumoto went back behind Japanese lines, again, the next morning. "He ordered them to Charge! Charge! In Japanese, and we mowed them down."

11th Airborne Division, Medic Bernard Coon describes the heartache of a man dying in his arms. "Our medic got shot through both femurs and was heavily bleeding. We had no instruments - we last them on the jump - we couldn't do anything for him. He turned to me and asked, "Are am I going to die?" and I said yes, you are." We started talking about baseball and slowly he bled to death. I had to go through his pockets and pull out pictures of his family."

A Marine describes the opening assault on the beaches Iwo Jima's Beaches:

"I was only twenty years old and my birthday was on the twenty-eighth. I thought to myself, "God am I ever going to make twenty-one?" The ramp went down, and honest to God the, bullets came in. Many of the men were machine gunned to death. I was pulling bodies of my men aside as I tried to make my way out."

This book is a watershed in the reporting of battlefield accounts. Anyone interested in World War II, the heroism of American fighting men, or both, will surely want to read this splendid tome. THIS BOOK IS BEYOND FIVE STARS!!

The genius of Dusty Baker's book is that the swing is broken into components, each with a mnemonic phrase, which makes understanding and remembering the key concepts easy for the youngest player. The kids that I have coached who have lost form on their swing, can get their groove back by a single suggestion of, "Ike to Mike" or "Inward Turn." This book is not only for the very young hitter, there are sections on pitch recognition, offensive strategies, and the mental aspects of hitting. I highly recommend this book for dads or youth baseball coaches so they can teach their players proper, and easy to learn hitting technique, and have them remember, and use, the knowledge.

This book is the best I've seen for developing proper fundementals for hitters at an early age. The drills depending on age group will give a coach a working program to follow. Repetition of proper fundementals is critical knowledge for any coach. The book has been endorsed by many proven hitters. It is a great reference book also for problem solving drills depending on the swing flaw. Thanks Dusty, even though I grew up as an AL fan watching G.Brett in KC.

PS. Pitching - see Dick Mills

I have coached for 5 years and read books by Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn. I found this book to be the most complete guide to a good swing than the rest. Ted was a dead pull hitter and Tony was an opposite field hitter. Their styles are hard to duplicate. Dusty Baker brings it all to life in this book in a way that every Dad can understand . If you think your kids coach is going to know how to coach hitting think again. It's worth the money to see the extra hits!

Bev Cobain has written a concise and informative book on mental illness that most teens will find easy to understand. The book is mainly about depression, but also explains other mental illnesses that are often experienced with depression, such as bipolar disorder, addiction and eating disorders. She presents the basic facts about mental illnesses including their possible causes and effects, different types of treatments, excellent tips on how teens can help themselves and some important resources for additional support and information. Cobain also includes short autobiographical stories by young people who have successfully dealt with these problems. Teens may find these stories easy to relate to and, hopefully, inspirational.

Although the book is informative, I don't think that it lives up to its subtitle that indicates it is a "Survival Guide." When a teenager reaches the point where he or she truly believes that nothing else matters, this book doesn't hit hard enough to invalidate that opinion.

This book extends a compassionate, knowledgeable, hand to teens trying to understand the complex and frustrating dynamics of living with depression. Author Bev Cobain demystifies mental health terminology with staightforward explanations about the various kinds of depression and the difference between "the blues" and more serious kinds of depression that need attention.

This is an interactive book where teens are shown how to take an active role in doing things to help themselves stay healthy. Young readers will find themselves in one or more of the stories told by eleven teens from many walks of life as they describe their struggles with depression. The stories demonstrate that young people can do something about depression and have hope for the future.

Parnts, school counselors, mental health providers, physicians and others who work with depressed teens, will find useful, practical, information in this book. Any depressed teen luckly enough to receive this book from a caring, concerned adult will find comfort. Indeed, it may save a life.

A great starting point for teens who are going through unipolar or bipolar disorders (whether they are currently receiving treatment or not), Bev Cobain presents the complex issues at hand in very understandable terms and constantly reiterates the important points that depressed teenagers or teenagers who know friends who suffer from depression must take to heart. The little footnotes at the bottom of most pages are very helpful, just in case the reader decides to skim through or jump around the pages so that every necessary information is readily accessible. The useful diagrams and tips also give depressed adolescents a great way to take action immediately and perhaps feel some sense of accomplishment and progress (in fact the mood chart was something two of my past therapists used). The anecdotes, which represent teenagers each coping with different circumstances, put real faces to the more clinical aspects of the book and serve as examples of points made in the previous pages. There are a few holes in the book, however. Perhaps more information on the specific medications will have a reassuring effect on teens who will be taking them. Also, the issue of hospitalization was covered, but more facts about what actually goes on in them may have helped (although, yes, the experience differs with the quality of the hospital itself). Finally, a small section on the various personality disorders may help those teens who suffer from them because they share similar symptoms. Despite these questions, however, the book is an excellent aid for teens who go through what is often described as the "downward spiral."

Being from Dallas, where Jeff Crilley is a local celeb, I was fortunate enough to obtain an advance draft of Free Publicity. This book is short, a very quick and easy read, but amazingly useful. Crilley illustrates his techniques with entertaining stories and actual scripts that everyone can understand and adapt to their own businesses. For the past several months my company (collectibles auctioneer HeritageRarities.com) has been applying the principles outlined in this book. Crilley's advice really works. Heritage had NEVER, in our previous 27 years in business, received so much publicity as we have in the past few months. Our recent rare coin and comic book auctions have been covered in virtually every TV, radio and print media venue throughout the USA, and numerous international outlets as well. And we've picked up lots of new clients. It's just amazing! I plan to buy dozens of copies for my coworkers.

A new PR "how-to" book has hit the scene, but this one has a twist - it is written by a practicing broadcast journalist.

Jeff Crilley of Dallas' Fox 4 News channel went to lunch with a PR pro friend last year to give her some insight into getting coverage for her clients. After his frank discussion of what she was doing wrong, she suggested he should write a book.

Unlike a lot of people who are told they should write books who actually don't, Jeff did - titled "Free Publicity." And, as near as he can tell, he's the first non-PR person to write a PR how-to book.

You can tell the book was written by a TV journalist because it is short, informative and very to the point - written in clear and concise language. For busy PR people who often don't take our own sage advice to keep it simple, this is an easy read (it takes maybe an hour and a half to finish).

Further, it is really more than just "spying on the enemy," so to speak. Jeff's book does make great points about what works - and what doesn't work - in getting the media's attention. He also discusses in-depth what times you should be looking out for as "slow" times and how to best take advantage (or know when to avoid) what he calls a media "feeding frenzy."

Jeff's book is a bit like a journalist manual, and he stresses how timing is everything. He's frank about what journalists think about lame pitches. But, he's also not ashamed to admit that even the most off-the-wall story, pitched at the right time, can get a lot of exposure (enter the "Elvis chicken"). I recommend this book for the seasoned PR pro and for anyone who is just trying to figure out a way onto the media's radar screen.

(Reprinted from my internal newsletter)

A new PR "how-to" book has hit the scene, but this one has a twist - it is written by a practicing broadcast journalist.

Jeff Crilley of Dallas' Fox 4 News channel went to lunch with a PR pro friend last year to give her some insight into getting coverage for her clients. After his frank discussion of what she was doing wrong, she suggested he should write a book.

Unlike a lot of people who are told they should write books who actually don't, Jeff did - titled "Free Publicity." And, as near as he can tell, he's the first non-PR person to write a PR how-to book.

You can tell the book was written by a TV journalist because it is short, informative and very to the point - written in clear and concise language. For busy PR people who often don't take our own sage advice to keep it simple, this is an easy read (it takes maybe an hour and a half to finish).

Further, it is really more than just "spying on the enemy," so to speak. Jeff's book does make great points about what works - and what doesn't work - in getting the media's attention. He also discusses in-depth what times you should be looking out for as "slow" times and how to best take advantage (or know when to avoid) what he calls a media "feeding frenzy."

Jeff's book is a bit like a journalist manual, and he stresses how timing is everything. He's frank about what journalists think about lame pitches. But, he's also not ashamed to admit that even the most off-the-wall story, pitched at the right time, can get a lot of exposure (enter the "Elvis chicken"). I recommend this book for the seasoned PR pro and for anyone who is just trying to figure out a way onto the media's radar screen.

While I enjoyed the Finder's Stone Trilogy very much, Azure Bonds did not immeadiately grab my enthusiasm. But after a couple of chapters I was hooked. Novak and Grubb are a great team.

If you like fantasy stories, check this one out. At the very least you won't be disappointed you read the book.

This was one of the best novels I have ever read. Each character has their own distict personality and the plot is very original. It was the first fantasy novel I ever read, and got me totally hooked. I read Azure Bonds when I was in 6th grade and I still remember the story. Unlike some series where the sequels are disappointments, the other two books in the series are just as good, if not better. It's nice to read a book now and then where there is a woman as the hero, and Alias is a tough one at that. There were no annoying characters that one might find weren't important to the storyline. I'd definitely recommend this book to any fan of fantasy novels.

This book is one of the best Sci-Fa I have ever read. The books lets you in to the head of the heroine - Alias and lets you share her travels and quest to descover her own history, one that apparntly many other people and creatures doesn't want her to find out ! A great storyline and Imagination makes you stretch your own mind as does Alias's and be suprised at the discoveries - just like her.

A MUST to any Sci-Fa reader.

This is a very good and captivating book and something every rodeo fan should read. If you want to learn more about bull riding legends like Don Gay, Myrtis Dightman, Wacey Cathey, Tuff Hedeman, Lane Frost, Jim Sharp and Ty Murray, this is probably the only place you can find it told so colorfully and honestly. It is also nice to read about the days when the world's top bull riders were cowboys and actually competed at rodeos, and not the pretentious PBR events. It also takes a look at how bull riding's popularity surged in the 90s. I just hope a similar book on bronc riders comes out soon.

The sequence in which the book is written adds variety and develops a love for the top riders, such as Tuff Hedeman and Ty Murray. I closed the book with a great feeling of satisfaction and felt a yearning to read and learn more. I would recommend this book to anyone with even the slightest interest in bull riding.

Best nonfiction book about professional bull riders you'll find. Coplon weaves through a bull riders world both in and out of the arena. Be ready to shake the dust off your back when you finish this book--you'll feel like you've been on the back of Bodacious. Coplon makes you feel like you're partners with the top bull riders--Tuff Hedeman, Ty Murray, Cody Lambert, Jim Sharp, and legend Lane Frost. Read how the Professional Bull Riders Assoc. began and will continue to grow for decades. Best rodeo book I've ever read-again and again and again.

This book is awesome. It doesn't hold anything back and tells you things about steroids that you dont see in any other book. The picture library in the back is unbelieveable an super clear. I love how Jeff Summers tells you stories about his own personal experiences with steroids and voices his opinions lound and clear. This is a must read for everyone... "Newbie" or "vet"! The Manufacturers guide is huge and very comprehensive. The Cycles section is great. The entire book is a solid 5-STARS!!!

This is one of the best books I've read about steroids. And I have read a lot of them. Jeff Summers has a way of writting that makes it so fun and easy to read and understand. Plus there are a ton of personal stories that really separate it from the other books on the subject. It is truly a wealth of honest and truthful information from one of the most stand up guys in the industry. I learned a lot more than I ever expected!

I have been working out for 5 years yet still new to the steroid side of bodybuilding. This book was very enlightening and easy to read just as the title implies. Anyone considering steroids should buy this book. Great book 5 Stars!

Renato's Luck, from the first word to the last visual, is the perfect read for anyone seeking a renewed taste for life. Jeff Shapiro has taken the Italian culture and woven a tale of hope, faith, and new-found happiness throughout his characters. Renato, in particular, becomes the small town hero of a delightful Tuscan town. Every character that Renato encounters shares a unique tale, simple yet so very Italian. Amazing for an American expat living in Tuscany. The visuals in this book are so precise that anyone who has visited Siena, Montalcino, or anywhere in Tuscany for that matter will no doubt be transported back to the tranquility of the Italian countryside. I loved the Italian phrases throughout the book, including their incredible translations! Bravo, Jeff Shapiro. Bravo, indeed. A must read for all!

Having returned from a few months in Italy, I have wanted to stay in touch with all the "life" that Italia offers ... this book is a wonderful way to recapture the experience. The way Shapiro builds his characters and their dilemma, he really wraps the reader into Sant'Angelo. Che bello ... bravo Shapiro!

I highly reccommend Renato's Luck to anyone who enjoys a chraacter driven novel full of interesting yet familiar characters. I found Renato and his fellow Tuscan villagers to have sharp insight into the absurdities and joys present in everyday life. Renato confronts the fears and challenges we all face as we get older and begin to question the choices we have made in life. The answers that Renato finds to these questions point to important truths that are present in our own lives.

The Arena Football League (AFL) describes itself as the "50-Yard, Indoor War on the Floor." Though viewed by most fans as the minors of the National Football League (NFL), the AFL is in many ways much tougher. Most of the players play both offense and defense, they can't duck out of bounds, they always play on hard, artificial turf, and their salaries - by NFL standards - are pitiful. Jeff Foley's War on the Floor is an excellent look into this hardscrabble world of tough guys playing a tough game.

Foley, by his own admission, is not a tough guy. A scribe by profession, Foley write about the Albany (New York) Firebirds (now the Indianapolis Firebirds) not from the safety of press row but from the combat zones of the locker room, the practice fields, and the arena itself. Though he has no organized football experience himself and though slight in stature (5'8", 185), Foley convinced the team's owners to let him go through training camp as a player and try to appear in a pre-season exhibition game as a wide receiver. The story Foley tells is wonderfully entertaining.

When the 2000 pre-season workouts began, Foley was excited, anxious, and nervous, much like all the real ballplayers trying to make the squad. Then, as the double sessions intensified, Foley begins to question his own judgment and starts to worry about his health and safety should he really catch a pass in front of an angry linebacker or defensive back.

War on the Floor isn't just a football journal, however. Foley enlivens his prose with stories of his own youth and his personal life, so the reader has a real feel for this participatory journalist. He really is an average guy living out the fantasy of the average fan. One of the funniest scenes in the book occurs when Foley, along with all of his teammates, must see how many times he can bench press 225 pounds, 40 pounds more than his weight.

Foley also brings to life the stories of his colorful and hardworking teammates: "Touchdown" Eddie Brown, Mike "The Axe" Waldron, and Sean "Tusk" Tremblay, among others. Though these players will probably never cash an NFL paycheck, their love and passion for the game is obvious, and as Foley's teammates, they rally around him and his quest to make an on-field, game-time reception.

In addition to his 300 pages of stories and detailed descriptions, Foley includes 12 pages of photographs from his excellent adventure. The final photo shows a post-game Foley standing next to a fan holding a sign that reads, "Put the Journalist In." Believe me, if you're a football fan, Foley is one journalist you'll want in your library.

People often wonder what it would be like to live life over again - what they might change if they knew what they know now. I used to think that maybe I could have been more of an athlete and maybe a football player...but this book made me happy to be where I am, which is in the stands, where I belong. This book provides you a fabulous firsthand look at the life of a football player from inside the locker room and on the field. It's sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but very entertaining the whole way through.

Even though it's the Arena League and not the NFL, it's no less of an accomplishment to make it to this level of competition. This really hits home when Jeff describes one player who quit the Firebirds training camp saying that he had no idea that guys in this league were as good as they were.

The opportunity for a writer to join a team in this manner to get this perspective and this story may never happen again, so if you ever thought you'd like another shot at life to become one of those guys you see on television, read this book...then join me in the stands.

Jeff Foley has done what most every American male wishes they could do - play professional football!! In his book, Jeff puts the reader through try-outs, practice, road trips, physicals, the locker room, pre-game nerves, and most importantly, the game itself. The reader gets to "feel" what it is like to be a part of the Arena Football League.

Well written, well told, and a great read! For fans of football, sports, or just good books, War on the Floor will not disappoint!