James's bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:40:50 -0700 60 James's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 1776 17874646
Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats, who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands Washington, who had never before led an army in battle.

The darkest hours of that tumultuous year were as dark as any Americans have known. Especially in our own tumultuous time, 1776 is powerful testimony to how much is owed to a rare few in that brave founding epoch, and what a miracle it was that things turned out as they did.

Written as a companion work to his celebrated biography of John Adams, David McCullough's 1776 is another landmark in the literature of American history.

©2005 David McCullough; (P)2005 Simon and Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon and Schuster Audio Division, Simon and Schuster Inc.]]> 12 David McCullough James 4
David McCullough is not only a master researcher, his narration skills are admirable as well.]]> 4.08 2005 1776
author: David McCullough
name: James
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2017/09/20
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves:
review:
This book brought the events and people surrounding George Washington and the birth of the United States to life. If you have images of willing, honorable men lining up to fight the British, this book will end that mythological tale. Harrowed, malnourished, and depressed, these men were anything but capable and yet, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in history.

David McCullough is not only a master researcher, his narration skills are admirable as well.
]]> Brave New World 13536832 On the 75th anniversary of its publication, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before. Cloning, feel-good drugs, anti-aging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media: has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 A.F. (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.]]> 8 Aldous Huxley James 4 3.48 1932 Brave New World
author: Aldous Huxley
name: James
average rating: 3.48
book published: 1932
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves:
review:

]]> Synapse 44441975 384 Steven James 0785225250 James 4 3.70 2019 Synapse
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/09/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Introvert’s Edge to Networking: Work the Room. Leverage Social Media. Develop Powerful Connections]]> 52611570 Finally - A Networking Book for Introverts!

The sequel to Pollard’s international bestseller: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone, selected by BookAuthority as the #2 “Best Introvert Book of All Time� and listed by HubSpot as one of the “Most Highly-Rated Sales Books of All Time.�

Introverts across the world have been sold a lie: One of the biggest myths that plagues the business world today is that our ability to network depends on having the “gift-of-gab.� This is non-sense. You don’t have to be outgoing to be successful at networking. You don’t have to become a relentless self-promoter. In fact, you don’t have to act like an extrovert at all.

The truth is, introverts make the best networkers...when armed with a plan that lets them be their authentic selves.

Matthew Pollard, an introvert himself, draws on over a decade of research and real-world examples to provide an actionable blueprint for introverted networking.

In this paradigm-shifting book, you’ll discover how to:

â—� Overcome your fear and discomfort when networking
â—� Turn networking into a repeatable system
â—� Leverage your innate introverted strengths
â—� Target and connect with top influencers
â—� Leverage the power of virtual and social networking

Whether you’re a small business owner struggling to make a living or a professional who’s hit a career plateau, The Introvert’s Edge to Networking is your path to a higher income and a rolodex of powerful connections.]]> 256 Matthew Owen Pollard 1400216680 James 5 business-books
I first heard about Matthew on a podcast two years ago when he was talking about selling for introverts. I devoured his first book, and soon became a raging fan. When I heard he was releasing a book on networking for us quiet folk, I had to be an early reader.

See, I'd gotten better at my sales conversations because of Matthew, but I still felt ill equipped to "network" -- you know, that four-letter word most of us despise doing. He did not disappoint.

Matthew provides an easy-to-follow framework to help us get over the awkwardness (smarminess?) of networking and use our natural skills of listening and asking questions to our advantage.

Instead of being quiet, standing in a corner, or worse: that weird dead-end conversation that just peters out, I now have a system to have conversations with the right people saying the things that make them pay attention (if they're someone who would be great to know) or helps you move on when it's somebody who isn't.

In short, this book can help any introvert OR networking-novice extrovert to be more natural, engaging, and seemingly intuitive at making connections in person or online.

This is a book every business owner, solopreneur, or job seeker should have in their arsenal.]]> 3.85 2021 The Introvert’s Edge to Networking: Work the Room. Leverage Social Media. Develop Powerful Connections
author: Matthew Owen Pollard
name: James
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/18
date added: 2021/01/26
shelves: business-books
review:
If you're an introvert, heck, even if you're not, and you have to engage professionally with others who seem more outgoing, talkative, and charismatic than you... GET THIS BOOK!

I first heard about Matthew on a podcast two years ago when he was talking about selling for introverts. I devoured his first book, and soon became a raging fan. When I heard he was releasing a book on networking for us quiet folk, I had to be an early reader.

See, I'd gotten better at my sales conversations because of Matthew, but I still felt ill equipped to "network" -- you know, that four-letter word most of us despise doing. He did not disappoint.

Matthew provides an easy-to-follow framework to help us get over the awkwardness (smarminess?) of networking and use our natural skills of listening and asking questions to our advantage.

Instead of being quiet, standing in a corner, or worse: that weird dead-end conversation that just peters out, I now have a system to have conversations with the right people saying the things that make them pay attention (if they're someone who would be great to know) or helps you move on when it's somebody who isn't.

In short, this book can help any introvert OR networking-novice extrovert to be more natural, engaging, and seemingly intuitive at making connections in person or online.

This is a book every business owner, solopreneur, or job seeker should have in their arsenal.
]]> <![CDATA[The School of Intentional Living: A Real-World Approach to Living Life on Your Terms]]> 53981395
Written by founder of The Intentional Living Academy, Sean Rosensteel, this book draws on fundamental lessons from school to provide readers with an actionable and empowering way to love the life they truly deserve.

Covering the importance of finding your purpose, how to organize your priorities and quit wasting time on distractions, and the essential differences between proactive and reactive living, this groundbreaking book offers powerful methods for escaping the beaten track and creating your ideal life.

The School of Intentional Living is a must-read for anyone feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or searching for a change.]]> 162 Sean Rosensteel 1735178942 James 5
Some of the concepts in this book are nothing new: tasks, projects, time blocking, etc., but the framework he's created so all function together along with school grades (what a concept!) are life-changing ideas. I'm still in the midst of incorporating each piece of this system.

I'm so happy this book came into my life at a time I desperately needed structure. Solid teaching, solid writing, no fluff.

If you think you hate structure but your life is suffering from any degree of disorder, GET THIS BOOK.]]> 4.26 2020 The School of Intentional Living: A Real-World Approach to Living Life on Your Terms
author: Sean Rosensteel
name: James
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/07/06
shelves:
review:
The simplicity of Sean's elegant life management system blew me away. After being bankrupt in every area of his life, both figuratively and literally, Sean started to cobble together a system of improving himself over the following 10 years.

Some of the concepts in this book are nothing new: tasks, projects, time blocking, etc., but the framework he's created so all function together along with school grades (what a concept!) are life-changing ideas. I'm still in the midst of incorporating each piece of this system.

I'm so happy this book came into my life at a time I desperately needed structure. Solid teaching, solid writing, no fluff.

If you think you hate structure but your life is suffering from any degree of disorder, GET THIS BOOK.
]]> Bad Witch Burning 50028605 For fans of Lovecraft Country and Candyman comes a witchy story full of Black girl magic as one girl's dark ability to summon the dead offers her a chance at a new life, while revealing to her an even darker future.

Katrell can talk to the dead. And she wishes it made more money. She's been able to support her unemployed mother--and Mom's deadbeat-boyfriend-of-the-week--so far, but it isn't enough. Money's still tight, and to complicate things, Katrell has started to draw attention. Not from this world--from beyond. And it comes with a warning: STOP or there will be consequences.

Katrell is willing to call the ghosts on their bluff; she has no choice. What do ghosts know of having sleep for dinner? But when her next summoning accidentally raises someone from the dead, Katrell realizes that a live body is worth a lot more than a dead apparition. And, warning or not, she has no intention of letting this lucrative new business go.

Only magic isn't free, and dark forces are coming to collect. Now Katrell faces a choice: resign herself to poverty, or confront the darkness before it's too late.
]]> 341 Jessica Lewis 059317738X James 0 to-read 4.02 2021 Bad Witch Burning
author: Jessica Lewis
name: James
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Avery Cates: The Shattered Gears (short story)]]> 23849493 30 Jeff Somers James 0 to-read 4.20 2014 Avery Cates: The Shattered Gears (short story)
author: Jeff Somers
name: James
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/07/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us]]> 6452796 The New York Times bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation

Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others). In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.

Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live.]]> 242 Daniel H. Pink 1594488843 James 0 to-read 3.94 2009 Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
author: Daniel H. Pink
name: James
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/06/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Relic Hunters (The Relic Hunters #1)]]> 37643959 A lethal secret society. A priceless stolen treasure. A map worth killing for.

Relic smuggler and expert thief Guy Bodie is a tough man in a dangerous world, loyal only to his elite team of five. But when one of them betrays him, landing Guy in a hellish Mexican prison, he finds himself making a bargain with the most unlikely new the CIA.

There is a catch. In return for being released from jail, Guy must work for the CIA, helping them solve the most audacious heist in history. As Guy knows, six of the Seven Wonders of the World have long been lost. But with the help of the CIA, he learns that the destroyed Statue of Zeus still exists—and it’s in the hands of a powerful secret society.

A prize worth killing for is also worth dying for, and this one has left a trail of bloodshed that goes back centuries. Can Guy and his new team—a group of renegades chosen for their unique skills—hunt down the legendary relic once and for all…before they are added to its list of victims?

Revised This edition of The Relic Hunters includes editorial revisions.]]> 286 David Leadbeater James 0 to-read 3.81 2017 The Relic Hunters (The Relic Hunters #1)
author: David Leadbeater
name: James
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/03/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Where the Crawdads Sing 36809135
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.]]> 384 Delia Owens 0735219117 James 0 to-read 4.35 2018 Where the Crawdads Sing
author: Delia Owens
name: James
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Mud 29465705
Now Adem will do whatever necessary to keep his new young charges safe, even if it means risking all to get rid of the box. Their saving grace comes in the form of an angel who offers to set Adem free of the box's magic by granting his greatest desire--making him human.

But first, Adem must bring back the angel's long-dead human love from the Underworld. In doing so, he will risk breaking the barrier between the realms, a cataclysm that could launch the Third Realm War. To set things right, he may be forced to give up his the only thing he's ever truly wanted...a chance at a soul of his own.]]> 296 E.J. Wenstrom 1944728015 James 0 currently-reading 4.50 Mud
author: E.J. Wenstrom
name: James
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen]]> 34460583 New York TimesĚýbestselling author Donald Miller uses the seven universal elements of powerful stories to teach readers how to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their businesses.

Donald Miller’s StoryBrand process is a proven solution to the struggle business leaders face when talking about their businesses. This revolutionary method for connecting with customers provides readers with the ultimate competitive advantage, revealing the secret for helping their customers understand the compelling benefits of using their products, ideas, or services. Building a StoryBrand does this by teaching readers the seven universal story points all humans respond to; the real reason customers make purchases; how to simplify a brand message so people understand it; and how to create the most effective messaging for websites, brochures, and social media. Whether you are the marketing director of a multibillion dollar company, the owner of a small business, a politician running for office, or the lead singer of a rock band, Building a StoryBrand will forever transform the way you talk about who you are, what you do, and the unique value you bring to your customers.]]> 228 Donald Miller 0718033329 James 0 to-read 4.25 2017 Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
author: Donald Miller
name: James
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself]]> 1963638 The Untethered Soul offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.

Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.

Copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness. Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.]]> 183 Michael A. Singer James 0 to-read 4.19 2007 The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
author: Michael A. Singer
name: James
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Story: Recapture the Mystery 40000653
Prepare for Story to give you a new look at the Gospel and the fresh vision of God.]]> 209 Steven James James 5
This is not a dry Christian how-to book; it's a reminder of promises and love that surpasses anything we could ever imagine.]]> 4.75 2006 Story: Recapture the Mystery
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.75
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/07
date added: 2019/02/25
shelves:
review:
The master storyteller brings new life to the greatest story of all. I've struggled with my faith in these modern times yet Steven James reminded me that truth is not religion. Truth is a love story waiting for anyone who seeks it.

This is not a dry Christian how-to book; it's a reminder of promises and love that surpasses anything we could ever imagine.
]]> Turning Pro 14912777 148 Steven Pressfield James 0 to-read 4.14 2012 Turning Pro
author: Steven Pressfield
name: James
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Boy's Life 36505403 An Alabama boy’s innocence is shaken by murder and madness in the 1960s South in this novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of Swan Song.

It’s 1964 in idyllic Zephyr, Alabama. People either work for the paper mill up the Tecumseh River, or for the local dairy. It’s a simple life, but it stirs the impressionable imagination of twelve-year-old aspiring writer Cory Mackenson. He’s certain he’s sensed spirits whispering in the churchyard. He’s heard of the weird bootleggers who lurk in the dark outside of town. He’s seen a flood leave Main Street crawling with snakes. Cory thrills to all of it as only a young boy can.
Ěý
Then one morning, while accompanying his father on his milk route, he sees a car careen off the road and slowly sink into fathomless Saxon’s Lake. His father dives into the icy water to rescue the driver, and finds a beaten corpse, naked and handcuffed to the steering wheel—a copper wire tightened around the stranger’s neck. In time, the townsfolk seem to forget all about the unsolved murder. But Cory and his father can’t.
Ěý
Their search for the truth is a journey into a world where innocence and evil collide. What lies before them is the stuff of fear and awe, magic and madness, fantasy and reality. As Cory wades into the deep end of Zephyr and all its mysteries, he’ll discover that while the pleasures of childish things fade away, growing up can be a strange and beautiful ride.
Ěý
“Strongly echoing the childhood-elegies of King and Bradbury, and every bit their equal,� Boy’s Life, a winner of both the Bram Stoker and World Fantasy Awards, represents a brilliant blend of mystery and rich atmosphere, the finest work of one of today’s most accomplished writers (Kirkus Reviews).]]> 625 Robert McCammon James 0 to-read 4.47 1991 Boy's Life
author: Robert McCammon
name: James
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones]]> 40121378 Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving—every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:
-ĚýMake time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
-ĚýOvercome a lack of motivation and willpower;
- Design your environment to make success easier;
- Get back on track when you fall off course;
...and much more.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.]]> 319 James Clear James 4 4.34 2018 Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
author: James Clear
name: James
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2019/02/01
shelves:
review:

]]> I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) 41804
I, ROBOT

They mustn't harm a human being, they must obey human orders, and they must protect their own existence...but only so long as that doesn't violate rules one and two. With these Three Laws of Robotics, humanity embarked on perhaps its greatest adventure: the invention of the first positronic man. It was a bold new era of evolution that would open up enormous possibilities—and unforeseen risks. For the scientists who invented the earliest robots weren't content that their creations should ' remain programmed helpers, companions, and semisentient worker-machines. And soon the robots themselves; aware of their own intelligence, power, and humanity, aren't either.

As humans and robots struggle to survive together—and sometimes against each other—on earth and in space, the future of both hangs in the balance. Human men and women confront robots gone mad, telepathic robots, robot politicians, and vast robotic intelligences that may already secretly control the world. And both are asking the same questions: What is human? And is humanity obsolete?

In l, Robot Isaac Asimov changes forever our perception of robots, and human beings and updates the timeless myth of man's dream to play god. with all its rewards—and terrors.
--front flap]]> 224 Isaac Asimov 0553803700 James 4 4.22 1950 I, Robot (Robot, #0.1)
author: Isaac Asimov
name: James
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1950
rating: 4
read at: 2019/02/01
date added: 2019/02/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds]]> 41721428 New York Times Best SellerOver 5 million copies soldFor David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare -- poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him "The Fittest (Real) Man in America."In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.]]> 366 David Goggins 1544512260 James 2 4.30 2018 Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
author: David Goggins
name: James
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2019/01/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control]]> 20454074
A child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later. What will she do? And what are the implications for her behavior later in life?

The world's leading expert on self-control, Walter Mischel has proven that the ability to delay gratification is critical for a successful life, predicting higher SAT scores, better social and cognitive functioning, a healthier lifestyle and a greater sense of self-worth. But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught?

In The Marshmallow Test, Mischel explains how self-control can be mastered and applied to challenges in everyday life—from weight control to quitting smoking, overcoming heartbreak, making major decisions, and planning for retirement. With profound implications for the choices we make in parenting, education, public policy and self-care, The Marshmallow Test will change the way you think about who we are and what we can be.]]> 336 Walter Mischel 0316230871 James 3 3.70 2014 The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control
author: Walter Mischel
name: James
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2019/01/17
date added: 2019/01/17
shelves:
review:
A great, in-depth explanation of a well-known study. While interesting in venturing into other similar studies and findings, I think the science could have been shortened and the application/lessons longer. I feel like the author, likable as he is, is a little too used to academic journals and possibly most of his explanations might have been best served in an extended appendix.
]]> Deep Fathom 294045
Now, with the United States on the narrow brink of a nuclear apocalypse, Kirkland must pilot his oceangoing exploration ship, Deep Fathom, on a desperate mission miles below the ocean's surface. There, devastating secrets await him--and a power an ancient civilization could not contain that has been cast out into modern day, where it will forever alter a world that's already racing toward its own destruction.]]> 450 James Rollins 0380818809 James 4 Action packed fun. 4.08 2001 Deep Fathom
author: James Rollins
name: James
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/14
date added: 2018/12/14
shelves:
review:
Action packed fun.
]]> <![CDATA[Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It]]> 26156469 A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating � effective in any situation.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most � when people’s lives were at stake.

Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.]]> 274 Chris Voss 0062407805 James 5 4.35 2016 Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
author: Chris Voss
name: James
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/12/08
shelves:
review:
Amazing insight on tried and true negotiation tactics peppered with fascinating stories.
]]> <![CDATA[The Business of Being a Writer]]> 35960731
The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early-career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about making money from their work or for working writers who want a better understanding of the industry. Writers will gain a comprehensive picture of how the publishing world works—from queries and agents to blogging and advertising—and will learn how they can best position themselves for success over the long term.]]> 313 Jane Friedman 022639316X James 5 4.40 2018 The Business of Being a Writer
author: Jane Friedman
name: James
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/08
date added: 2018/12/08
shelves:
review:
This book confirms that Janet Friedman knows this industry better than anyone else I'm aware of. A must read for any serious writer.
]]> <![CDATA[Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself]]> 10127008
The relentless pursuit of high self-esteem has become a virtual religion—and a tyrannical one at that. Our ultracompetitive culture tells us we need to be constantly above average to feel good about ourselves, but there is always someone more attractive, successful, or intelligent than we are. And even when we do manage to grab hold of high self-esteem for a brief moment, we can't seem to keep it. Our sense of self-worth goes up and down like a ping-pong ball, rising and falling in lockstep with our latest success or failure.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to self-esteem that many experts believe is a better and more effective path to happiness: self-compassion. The research of Dr. Kristin Neff and other leading psychologists indicates that people who are compassionate toward their failings and imperfections experience greater well-being than those who repeatedly judge themselves. The feelings of security and self-worth provided by self-compassion are also highly stable, kicking in precisely when self-esteem falls down. This book powerfully demonstrates why it's so important to be self-compassionate and give yourself the same caring support you'd give to a good friend.

This groundbreaking work will show you how to let go of debilitating self-criticism and finally learn to be kind to yourself. Using solid empirical research, personal stories, practical exercises, and humor, Dr. Neff—the world's foremost expert on self-compassion—explains how to heal destructive emotional patterns so that you can be healthier, happier, and more effective. Engaging, highly readable, and eminently accessible, this book has the power to change your life.]]> 320 Kristin Neff 0061733512 James 4 4.11 2011 Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
author: Kristin Neff
name: James
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/12/08
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review:
An eye-opening experience into the truth about confidence and self esteem and their treacherous dark side. Everyone needs to read this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong]]> 31706504 Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Eric Barker reveals the extraordinary science behind what actually determines success and most importantly, how anyone can achieve it. You’ll learn:


� Why valedictorians rarely become millionaires, and how your biggest weakness might actually be your greatest strength
� Whether nice guys finish last and why the best lessons about cooperation come from gang members, pirates, and serial killers

� Why trying to increase confidence fails and how Buddhist philosophy holds a superior solution
� The secret ingredient to “grit� that Navy SEALs and disaster survivors leverage to keep going
� How to find work-life balance using the strategy of Genghis Khan, the errors of Albert Einstein, and a little lesson from Spider-Man

By looking at what separates the extremely successful from the rest of us, we learn what we can do to be more like them—and find out in some cases why it’s good that we aren’t. Barking Up the Wrong Tree draws on startling statistics and surprising anecdotes to help you understand what works and what doesn’t so you can stop guessing at success and start living the life you want.]]> 224 Eric Barker 0062416170 James 5 4.06 2017 Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong
author: Eric Barker
name: James
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/12/08
shelves:
review:
Surprisingly informative, fun, and well researched.
]]> Norse Mythology 37903770 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780393356182

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki—son of a giant—blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose, these gods emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.]]> 301 Neil Gaiman James 4 A wonderful retelling. 4.11 2017 Norse Mythology
author: Neil Gaiman
name: James
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/21
date added: 2018/10/21
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A wonderful retelling.
]]> <![CDATA[The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)]]> 32075671 An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062498533 can be found here.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.]]> 454 Angie Thomas 0062498533 James 0 to-read 4.46 2017 The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)
author: Angie Thomas
name: James
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/10/07
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals]]> 35138433 New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt wants readers to know that it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, he thinks that this is the year readers can finally close the gap between reality and their dreams.

In Your Best Year Ever, Hyatt shares a powerful, proven, research-driven system for setting and achieving goals. Readers learn how to design their best year ever in just five hours

- three simple ways to triple the likelihood of achieving their goals
- how to quit-proof their goals
- what to do when they feel stuck
- and much more

Anyone who is tired of not seeing progress in their personal, intellectual, business, relationship, or financial goals will treasure the field-tested wisdom found in these pages.]]> 272 Michael Hyatt 0801075254 James 5
This well-researched book revealed the errors in my approach and has reconnected me to my deeper reasons why--it reunited me with my drive. This next year is looking brighter than ever.]]> 3.84 2018 Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals
author: Michael Hyatt
name: James
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/07
date added: 2018/10/07
shelves:
review:
I've been setting goals for years and have read many books on the subject. Despite early accomplishments, I've plateaued. Though I was hesitant to buy yet another book on the subject, I'm glad I did.

This well-researched book revealed the errors in my approach and has reconnected me to my deeper reasons why--it reunited me with my drive. This next year is looking brighter than ever.
]]> <![CDATA[The King (Patrick Bowers Files, #6)]]> 15806971
Patrick Bowers has pursued the nation’s fiercest serial killers—and now one elusive foe is back for revenge.

Settling into a new post at the FBI academy, Patrick and his fiancée, Lien-hua Jiang, are planning their future together with his stepdaughter, Tessa.

But just when his life seems normal, a demon from the past returns to draw him down a dark road he hoped had closed forever. Forced into a desperate hunt to save the two women he loves most, Patrick is in a race against time to stop an international conspiracy from becoming the most widespread act of terrorism in U.S. history.]]> 499 Steven James 0451239784 James 5 4.41 2013 The King (Patrick Bowers Files, #6)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/03
date added: 2018/10/03
shelves:
review:
Best so far in the Patrick Bowers series. The ending was a little predictable but satisfying nonetheless. A well crafted suspense that kept me guessing on the other storylines.
]]> <![CDATA[Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction]]> 15842650
Praise for

“Jammed with storytelling wisdom.� � Fast Company ’s Co.Create blog

“This is the kind of book you leave sitting out for all to see . . . and the kind of book you will find yourself picking up again and again.� � Kirkus Reviews online

“If you’re looking for a handy guide to not just crafting imaginative fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, but to writing in general, be sure to pick up a copy of Steampunk Bible author Jeff Vandermeer’s lovingly compiled Wonderbook ." —Flavorwire

“Jeff Vandermeer and Jeremy Zerfoss have created a kaleidoscopically rich and beautiful book about fiction writing.� � Star Tribune

“Because it is so layered and filled with text, tips, and links to online extras, this book can be read again and again by both those who want to learn the craft of writing and those interested in the process of others.� � Library Journal]]> 332 Jeff VanderMeer 1419704427 James 0 currently-reading 4.33 2013 Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction
author: Jeff VanderMeer
name: James
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/09/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Hope I Screw This Up: How Falling In Love with Your Fears Can Change the World]]> 32333190
If Eckhart Tolle and Jim Carrey had a baby, that baby would be Kyle Cease.

After twenty-five years of achieving what he thought were his dreams of being a headlining touring comedian and actor, Kyle Cease suddenly discovered that the belief that “When something happens, I will be happy� is a complete lie. With nothing more than an intuition, he decided to quit his stand-up career at its peak, and now—as a transformational comedian, he brings his one-of-a-kind self-help wisdom to sold-out audiences in his Evolving Out Loud Live stage show.

In I Hope I Screw This Up , he disarms readers as he leads them to their own personal breakthroughs, helping them to recognize that actual happiness and fulfillment is available to them—not in some distant future, but right now. As he has shown audiences all over the world, when you embrace your pain, fear, and vulnerability instead of pushing it away, you will discover an authentic creativity and power that is truly unstoppable.

Using self-deprecating personal stories, hilarious observations on life, and poorly drawn illustrations, Kyle unravels the deepest issues standing between us and emotional freedom. From discovering the never-ending opportunities that come from playing—and going with whatever comes up in the moment—to learning to let go of what feels heavy in our lives, this book is a journey into the endless possibility that can appear if we just dare to let go of our fear of screwing up.

This is not motivation. This is not inspiration. This is true transformation.]]> 256 Kyle Cease 1501152092 James 4 3.72 2017 I Hope I Screw This Up: How Falling In Love with Your Fears Can Change the World
author: Kyle Cease
name: James
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/09/25
date added: 2018/09/25
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]]> <![CDATA[99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style]]> 162074 207 Matt Madden 1596090782 James 5 3.89 2005 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style
author: Matt Madden
name: James
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/09/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction]]> 53343 On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get through the day, as almost everybody does in the age of e-mail and the Internet. Whether you want to write about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts or about yourself in the increasingly popular memoir genre, On Writing Well offers you fundamental priciples as well as the insights of a distinguished writer and teacher. With more than a million copies sold, this volume has stood the test of time and remains a valuable resource for writers and would-be writers.]]> 321 William Zinsser 0060891548 James 4 4.23 1976 On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
author: William Zinsser
name: James
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1976
rating: 4
read at: 2018/09/19
date added: 2018/09/19
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]]> <![CDATA[The Essential Habits Of 6-Figure Bloggers: Secrets of 17 Successful Bloggers You Can Use to Build a Six-Figure Online Business]]> 41559764
The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Secrets of 17 Successful Bloggers You Can Use to Build a Six-Figure Online Business is a one-of-a-kind guide to boost your reach and propel you towards commercial goals. With detailed interviews and practical examples, Miller’s insight will help you break through stubborn blocks keeping you from living your dream life. By implementing her three patterns of success, you’ll turn your personal message into a fulfilling way to make money from anywhere in the world.

In The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Bloggers, you’ll common traits of popular content creators so you can cut straight to the best strategiesHow to pick a social media niche so that your work stays profitable and excitingSix proven monetization systems to reap your project’s rewardsMethods to help keep you on track so bad days won’t interrupt your journey to the topTips on how to think bigger so your ambitions continuously increase, and much, much more!The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Bloggers is a must-have resource for those looking to score big in this competitive arena. If you like personalized exercises, organized frameworks, and authoritative insights, then you’ll adore Sally Miller’s eye-opening handbook.

Buy The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Bloggers to earn a great income from what you love today!]]> 140 Sally Miller James 0 to-read 4.03 The Essential Habits Of 6-Figure Bloggers: Secrets of 17 Successful Bloggers You Can Use to Build a Six-Figure Online Business
author: Sally Miller
name: James
average rating: 4.03
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/09/04
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams]]> 20775498 Do you dream of being a Published Author?
In today's competitive marketplace, to get published, you need three elements.
First, you need the insider knowledge about how book editors, magazine editors and literary agents work. If you don't understand their needs, then you will never be able to meet their expectations.
Second, you need the skills to provide these publishing professionals with what they need. Finally, you need to bring strong storytelling to your writing. These pages provide step-by-step guidance on each of these essentials.]]> 286 W. Terry Whalin 1630471097 James 0 to-read 4.54 2009 Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams
author: W. Terry Whalin
name: James
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking]]> 8520610 The book that started the Quiet Revolution

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.Ěý

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content.]]> 333 Susan Cain 0307352145 James 4 4.07 2012 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
author: Susan Cain
name: James
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/08/21
shelves:
review:
Susan gives introverts permission to be themselves and to excel by adding power to their skills by becoming assertive without losing their sense of self.
]]> <![CDATA[Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence]]> 35128554 Find the courage to create your best writing life. Whether you're a fledgling writer or a veteran with years of experience, fearlessness--that elusive blend of self-acceptance, confidence, and curiosity--is the defining quality of those who find fulfillment and success. Truly fearless authors banish writer's blocks with ease, receive critiques gracefully, and infuse their passion for the craft into every word they write. Filled with insightful wisdom and practical advice, Fearless Writing teaches you how to thrive as a writer, no matter your genre or career path. You'll learn how ĚýĚýĚý•ĚýFind and enter a Flow state in which writing is a natural, deeply satisfying process.ĚýĚýĚý•ĚýQuiet both internal and external critics and embrace the inherent value in your work.ĚýĚýĚý•ĚýUse love, emotional engagement, and curiosity as the guiding principles for what you write and how you share it with others.ĚýĚýĚý•ĚýOvercome rejection, procrastination, and other obstacles that stifle your creativity.From the blank page to the first draft, and from querying to marketing, the writing life is filled with challenges, roadblocks, and new experiences. With Fearless Writing, you'll find the inner strength to embark on a bold journey--and build a lifelong career in the process.]]> 242 William Kenower 1440349878 James 5 In my conversation with Bill, I shared my struggles with a plot point in my current project. In one sentence he nailed the real issue, "You're resisting the story that wants to be told."]]> 4.30 Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence
author: William Kenower
name: James
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/18
date added: 2018/08/18
shelves:
review:
I met William after a workshop he gave of the same title. Intrigued by his talk, I bought the book. At its core, this book exemplifies the notion that the opposite of fear is love. If you're not loving the process and art of writing, you need this book.
In my conversation with Bill, I shared my struggles with a plot point in my current project. In one sentence he nailed the real issue, "You're resisting the story that wants to be told."
]]> <![CDATA[Not Nice: Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, & Feeling Guilty... And Start Speaking Up, Saying No, Asking Boldly, And Unapologetically Being Yourself]]> 36505071 507 Aziz Gazipura James 5 3.97 2017 Not Nice: Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, & Feeling Guilty... And Start Speaking Up, Saying No, Asking Boldly, And Unapologetically Being Yourself
author: Aziz Gazipura
name: James
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/14
date added: 2018/08/14
shelves:
review:
Great refresher on setting boundaries, but goes beyond those to another practical level of communicating with authenticity.
]]> <![CDATA[The SIMPOL Solution: A New Way to Think about Solving the World's Biggest Problems]]> 38710740
Blending politics and psychology, The SIMPOL Solution shows how through simultaneous action--through cooperation--we can overcome the problems we face today and our children will face tomorrow.

The authors argue that the chief barrier to tackling pressing international issues is a vicious circle of destructive global competition, in which nations, corporations, and citizens are helplessly caught. Our current economic system--which rewards corporations and nations that offer the greatest profits no matter what the social costs--has the effect of hollowing out national politics and encouraging either voter apathy or populism championed by the Far Right.

The good news is that it doesn't take masses of people to break this vicious circle and initiate lasting change. In fact, key transitions in human history were initiated by small numbers of activists. Already endorsed by leading policy-makers, visionaries, and public figures, this exciting book offers everyone a way to become a part of this important worldwide movement for change.]]> 253 John Bunzl 1633883930 James 0 currently-reading 0.0 The SIMPOL Solution: A New Way to Think about Solving the World's Biggest Problems
author: John Bunzl
name: James
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/07/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Power of TED (*The Empowerment Dynamic)]]> 28269192 192 David Emerald 0996871802 James 5 4.16 The Power of TED (*The Empowerment Dynamic)
author: David Emerald
name: James
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/06/27
date added: 2018/06/27
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[The Queen (Patrick Bowers Files, #5)]]> 10337453
In his most explosive thriller yet, bestselling author Steven James delivers a multi-layered storytelling tour de force that not only delivers pulse-pounding suspense but also deftly explores the rippling effects of the choices we make.

The Queen is a techno-thriller that will leave you breathless, offered by the author Publishers Weekly calls a "master storyteller at the peak of his game."]]> 517 Steven James 0800733037 James 5 4.32 2011 The Queen (Patrick Bowers Files, #5)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2018/06/27
date added: 2018/06/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within]]> 44905 336 Natalie Goldberg 1590303164 James 0 to-read 4.21 1986 Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
author: Natalie Goldberg
name: James
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1986
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/06/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1)]]> 2429135
An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.]]> 480 Stieg Larsson 0670069019 James 0 to-read 4.17 2005 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1)
author: Stieg Larsson
name: James
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/06/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Writing Without Rules: How to Write & Sell a Novel Without Guidelines, Experts, or (Occasionally) Pants]]> 36800276
Most writing guides imply--or outright state--that there's a fixed, specific formula or list of rules you must follow to achieve writing and publishing success. And all of them are phonies. Well, not completely. There are real, applicable techniques and strategies in any writing reference to help you.

But the idea that there's only one way of writing? Nuts!

With unconventional approaches to the craft, fresh angles on novel writing and selling, a healthy dose of humor, and no promise of refunds, Writing Without Rules is for those writers who have tried and tried again--and are ready to success on their own terms. In these pages, accomplished author Jeff Somers will show you:
The key to a successful writing career is doing the actual writing, no matter the circumstances.
Fantastic ideas are available everywhere--you just need to know how to tap into sources through a variety of approaches.
Important craft aspects that you should focus on, such as characters and dialogue, while spending less time on others, like setting.
Effective ways to get published--whether it's traditional or self-publishing--and how to supplement your income.
Whether you're a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in-between, Writing Without Rules is for those writers who are looking for a fresh take on tackling the challenge of writing and selling a novel, and building a career. As Somers will show you, it's less about being perfect in everything, and more about having the confidence to complete everything.]]> 256 Jeff Somers 1440352925 James 0 to-read 4.13 2018 Writing Without Rules: How to Write & Sell a Novel Without Guidelines, Experts, or (Occasionally) Pants
author: Jeff Somers
name: James
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/06/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Outsmart Yourself: Brain-Based Strategies for a Bettery You]]> 36043556 0 Peter M. Vishton 1629973408 James 4 4.09 2016 Outsmart Yourself: Brain-Based Strategies for a Bettery You
author: Peter M. Vishton
name: James
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/06
date added: 2018/06/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bishop (The Patrick Bowers Files, #4)]]> 6973755 524 Steven James 0800733029 James 5 4.41 2010 The Bishop (The Patrick Bowers Files, #4)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/04/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives]]> 2255 217 Dan Millman 1932073205 James 0 to-read 4.13 1980 Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
author: Dan Millman
name: James
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Knight (The Patrick Bowers Files, #3)]]> 6420553 The Knight, the third installment in the bestselling series of thrillers featuring FBI criminologist Patrick Bowers, the stakes have never been higher.

Agent Bowers is used to tracking the country's most dangerous killers, but now it looks like a killer is tracking him. When he realizes the murderer is using clues from an ancient manuscript as a blueprint for his crimes, Bowers faces a race against time to decipher who the next victim will be and to stop the final shocking murder--which he's beginning to believe might be his own.

Gritty, chilling, and intense, this psychological thriller is guaranteed to keep readers up all night.]]> 494 Steven James 0800732707 James 4 4.39 2009 The Knight (The Patrick Bowers Files, #3)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/14
date added: 2018/02/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Thinking, Fast and Slow 11468377 Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities—and also the faults and biases—of fast thinking, and reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behavior. The impact of loss aversion and overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the challenges of properly framing risks at work and at home, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning the next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems work together to shape our judgments and decisions.

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you think about thinking.]]> 499 Daniel Kahneman 0374275637 James 0 to-read 4.17 2011 Thinking, Fast and Slow
author: Daniel Kahneman
name: James
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/01/19
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Rook (The Patrick Bowers Files, #2)]]> 3546298 Full of fast-paced action and mind-bending plot twists, The Rook is an adrenaline-laced page-turner that will keep readers up all night. Book 2 in the Bowers Files, this riveting look into the criminal mind is the perfect follow-up to James's well-reviewed The Pawn.]]> 492 Steven James 0800732693 James 4 4.28 2008 The Rook (The Patrick Bowers Files, #2)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/19
date added: 2018/01/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone]]> 34556334 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A timely and important book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection

Look for Bren� Brown's new podcast, Dare to Lead, as well as her ongoing podcast Unlocking Us!

HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK

"True belonging doesn't require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are." Social scientist Bren� Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives--experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging.

Brown argues that we're experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, "True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that's rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it's easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it's a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It's a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts." Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, "The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand."]]> 5 Brené Brown 0525494901 James 5 4.20 2017 Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
author: Brené Brown
name: James
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/12/11
date added: 2017/12/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention]]> 30634240 Does it feel like you work in a "red ocean filled with sharks?" Eat or be eaten. Fierce competition. Continual battling over scarce resources. What if there was another path? What if you could create your own blue oasis where profits are higher, marketing is as natural as breathing, and competition is nearly nonexistent? This nirvana can be a reality when you practice the principles of Giftology. In this unusual un-marketing resource you’ll discover� *Why Giftology isn’t an expense…it’s an investment that can pay off with huge dividends. *How to practice Giftology on a tight budget� it’s easy and very effective. *How Giftology turns existing clients into your best salespeople. *Why (and how) gifts with a relatively low value can trump something expensive. *When is the best time to send gifts? (The answer may surprise you.) *How to unleash a “Referral Factory,� a small army of influencers vouching for you--no gimmicks, no catches. *Find out how Giftology can transform your supply chain. *The ten worst gifts…definitely avoid these. (This info’s available in the expanded bonus resource. Just click the link inside! It’s my gift to you.) The average person is hit with at least thirty thousand messages a day, courtesy of that “red ocean filled with sharks.� Giftology neutralizes that deadly philosophy and equips you with every tool you need to make your message a priority. Every time. Get your copy today!]]> 184 John Ruhlin 1619614340 James 4 4.05 2016 Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention
author: John Ruhlin
name: James
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2017/12/11
date added: 2017/12/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules]]> 22030486
Award-winning novelist Steven James explains how to trust the narrative process to make your story believable, compelling, and engaging, and debunks the common myths that hold writers back from creating their best work.Ditch your outline and learn to write organically.Set up promises for readers - and deliver on them.Discover how to craft a satisfying climax.Master the subtleties of characterization.Add mind-blowing twists to your fiction.When you focus on what lies at the heart of story - tension, desire, crisis, escalation, struggle, discovery - rather than plot templates and formulas, you'll begin to break out of the box and write fiction that resonates with your readers. Story Trumps Structure will transform the way you think about stories and the way you write them, forever.]]> 306 Steven James 1599636557 James 5 4.39 2013 Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2017/11/15
date added: 2017/11/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Several Short Sentences About Writing]]> 13155290 you write.

Several Short Sentences About Writing is a book of first steps and experiments. They will revolutionize the way you think and perceive, and they will change forever the sense of your own authority as a writer. This is a book full of learning, but it’s also a book full of unlearning—a way to recover the vivid, rhythmic, poetic sense of language you once possessed.

An indispensable and unique book that will give you a clear understanding of how to think about what you do when you write and how to improve the quality of your writing.]]> 224 Verlyn Klinkenborg 0307266346 James 0 to-read 4.13 2012 Several Short Sentences About Writing
author: Verlyn Klinkenborg
name: James
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/10/27
shelves: to-read
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]]> The Marsh King's Daughter 32889533
Helena Pelletier has a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a business that fills her days. But she also has a secret: she is the product of an abduction. Her mother was kidnapped as a teenager by her father and kept in a remote cabin in the marshlands of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Helena, born two years after the abduction, loved her home in nature, and despite her father’s sometimes brutal behavior, she loved him, too…until she learned precisely how savage he could be.

More than twenty years later, she has buried her past so soundly that even her husband doesn’t know the truth. But now her father has killed two guards, escaped from prison, and disappeared into the marsh. The police begin a manhunt, but Helena knows they don’t stand a chance. Knows that only one person has the skills to find the survivalist the world calls the Marsh King–because only one person was ever trained by him: his daughter.]]> 310 Karen Dionne 0735213003 James 0 to-read 3.85 2017 The Marsh King's Daughter
author: Karen Dionne
name: James
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/10/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Big Lie: Exposing the Nazi Roots of the American Left]]> 35092275
But in fact, this audacious lie is a complete inversion of the truth. Yes, there is a fascist threat in America—but that threat is from the Left and the Democratic Party. The Democratic left has an ideology virtually identical with fascism and routinely borrows tactics of intimidation and political terror from the Nazi Brownshirts.

To cover up their insidious fascist agenda, Democrats loudly accuse President Trump and other Republicans of being Nazis—an obvious lie, considering the GOP has been fighting the Democrats over slavery, genocide, racism and fascism from the beginning.

Now, finally, Dinesh D'Souza explodes the Left's big lie. He expertly exonerates President Trump and his supporters, then uncovers the Democratic Left's long, cozy relationship with Nazism: how the racist and genocidal acts of early Democrats inspired Adolf Hitler's campaign of death; how fascist philosophers influenced the great 20th century lions of the American Left; and how today's anti-free speech, anti-capitalist, anti-religious liberty, pro-violence Democratic Party is a frightening simulacrum of the Nazi Party.

Hitler coined the term "the big lie" to describe a lie that "the great masses of the people" will fall for precisely because of how bold and monstrous the lie is. In The Big Lie, D'Souza shows that the Democratic Left's orchestrated campaign to paint President Trump and conservatives as Nazis to cover up its own fascism is, in fact, the biggest lie of all.]]> 256 Dinesh D'Souza James 0 to-read 4.11 2017 The Big Lie: Exposing the Nazi Roots of the American Left
author: Dinesh D'Souza
name: James
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/10/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Scrivener Essentials: A Quick Start Visual Guide For Windows Users]]> 23197876 Imagine if you could use Scrivener for Windows like a seasoned professional, knowing the keyboard shortcuts, what the tools on the toolbar do; flying through the application and creating an amazing story without being distracted by having to look up how to use a feature every time you want to use it.

In the back of your mind you know that the Scrivener software you bought is going to simplify your writing process and help you become more productive. You have heard about the cool split screen views, virtual cork boards and the collections feature where you can process all instances of a document at once even though you have it in several different collections.

But best of all you’ve heard that you can export your content to multiple platforms without having to change the original draft document! Imagine the time you are going to save. Not to mention that if you can format your own work for export you will no longer be held hostage to the whims and schedules of anyone else.

The problem is, before you can do all that, you have to learn how to use the Scrivener software. This can be time consuming if you try to learn from the Scrivener users manual which is highly technical and includes every conceivable function and feature of the software. Don’t get me wrong. The Scrivener users manual has every bit of information you will ever need regarding Scrivener because it is supposed to be like that, but it sure is difficult to weed out the bits that pertain to the project you want to write. I know because that is the way I had to learn it.

What I would have liked was a Scrivener essentials guide with:
Plenty of pictures, so that you can instantly recognize the regions of the user interface. Arrows pointing right at the buttons mentioned in the instructions, making them easy to find. Instructions embedded into the images they refer to so that they don’t drift onto the next page because of the personal settings on your Kindle. No distracting instructions for Macintosh users that send you on a wild goose chase after functions that are not supported by Scrivener for Windows.
So I wrote a guide just like that. In it you will learn to:
Open a project and customize your workspaces. Toggle between normal Text Editing Mode, Cork Board Mode and Outlining Mode and how to use each of them as well as how to use the distraction free Full Screen Mode. Split your screen to have two documents or two versions of the same document open at once. Manage your files and folders, whether you are starting from scratch in Scrivener or want to import your content from another writing application pre-sorted into chapters or sections. Make use of Scrivener’s editing tools like collections and snapshots (which takes a snap shot of the current state of a document so that you can revert to it if you don’t like your subsequent edits.) Compile your work for export to your agent, as a paperback or as an eBook. How to download some tools so that you can preview your content before you send it out.
If you are ready to improve your writing process, scroll up, click the buy button and start making the most of your Scrivener Software today!



]]> 140 Karen Prince James 0 currently-reading 4.12 2014 Scrivener Essentials: A Quick Start Visual Guide For Windows Users
author: Karen Prince
name: James
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/28
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less]]> 18077875 Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized?
Are you often busy but not productive?
ĚýDo you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people’s agendas?

If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the EssentialistThe Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done.Ěý It is notĚýĚýa time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter.Ěý

By forcing us to apply a more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy � instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us.

Essentialism is not one more thing â€� it’s a whole new way of doing everything. A must-read for any leader, manager, or individual who wants to learn how to do less, but better, in every area of their lives, Essentialism Ěýis a movement whose time has come.]]> 260 Greg McKeown 0804137382 James 4 4.05 2011 Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
author: Greg McKeown
name: James
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2017/09/28
date added: 2017/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #5)]]> 31450561
Mary DiNunzio wants to represent her old friend Simon Pensiera, a sales rep who was wrongly fired by his company, but her partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company. When she confronts Mary, explaining this is a conflict of interest, an epic battle of wills and legal strategy between the two ensues—ripping the law firm apart, forcing everyone to take sides and turning friend against friend.

SOMETIMES LOYALTY CAN BE LETHAL.]]> 341 Lisa Scottoline 1250099714 James 0 currently-reading 3.97 2017 Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #5)
author: Lisa Scottoline
name: James
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done]]> 34303495
According to studies, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. You’ve practically got a better shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina than you do at finishing your goals.

For years, I thought my problem was that I didn’t try hard enough. So I started getting up earlier. I drank enough energy drinks to kill a horse. I hired a life coach and ate more superfoods. Nothing worked, although I did develop a pretty nice eyelid tremor from all the caffeine. It was like my eye was waving at you, very, very quickly.

Then, while leading a thirty-day online course to help people work on their goals, I learned something surprising: The most effective exercises were not those that pushed people to work harder. The ones that got people to the finish line did just the opposite� they took the pressure off.

Why? Because the sneakiest obstacle to meeting your goals is not laziness, but perfectionism. We’re our own worst critics, and if it looks like we’re not going to do something right, we prefer not to do it at all. That’s why we’re most likely to quit on day two, “the day after perfect”—when our results almost always underper­form our aspirations.

The strategies in this book are counterintuitive and might feel like cheating. But they’re based on studies conducted by a university researcher with hundreds of participants. You might not guess that having more fun, eliminating your secret rules, and choosing something to bomb intentionally works. But the data says otherwise. People who have fun are 43 percent more successful! Imagine if your diet, guitar playing, or small business was 43 percent more suc­cessful just by following a few simple principles.

If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder, since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.]]> 208 Jon Acuff 1591847621 James 5
Perfection is the enemy and if you're tired of setting big goals and failing, then you need to read, neigh, study this book.]]> 4.29 2017 Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done
author: Jon Acuff
name: James
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/09/25
date added: 2017/09/25
shelves:
review:
If you've been through Jon's 30 Days of Hustle program, then this will be a lot of rehash of the principles learned there. However, if you're like me and enjoyed the 30DOH but then went back to the old way of trying to accomplish goals, this is a good refresher.

Perfection is the enemy and if you're tired of setting big goals and failing, then you need to read, neigh, study this book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Pawn (The Patrick Bowers Files, #1)]]> 1832623
Cunning and lethal, the killer is always one step ahead of the law, and he's about to strike again. It will take all of Bowers's instincts and training to stop this man who calls himself the Illusionist. And just when the pieces start to come together, Bowers realizes they're not quite adding up. Can he unravel the pattern and save the next victim? Or will the Illusionist win the game by taking one of his opponent's pieces? Thrilling, chilling, and impossible to put down, The Pawn will hold suspense lovers in its iron grip until the very last page.]]> 427 Steven James 0800732405 James 4 4.14 2007 The Pawn (The Patrick Bowers Files, #1)
author: Steven James
name: James
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2017/09/20
date added: 2017/09/20
shelves:
review:
Steven James is a consummate storyteller. A great suspense/mystery with fun twists and turns and plenty of humor. It's nice to have a self-effacing protagonist in Patrick Bowers. I can't wait to read the next one.
]]> <![CDATA[DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community]]> 26483784 304 Gabriela Pereira 1599639343 James 0 currently-reading 4.24 2016 DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community
author: Gabriela Pereira
name: James
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/09/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)]]> 9969571 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

IN THE YEAR 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.]]> 480 Ernest Cline 030788743X James 4
I would not have read this book had it not been for the buzz of the upcoming major motion picture. Anything good enough for Spielberg is good enough for me and I was not disappointed.

There are a couple of annoyances in the book, though. Parzival suddenly having just the relic to solve the current problem and interrupting the flow of the story with the explanation of how it came to him. Also, sometimes the nostalgia is too overdone as if Cline is humble bragging his obviously deep understanding of 80s and 90s pop culture. Nevertheless, neither are so heavy handed as to distract too much from the story pace and the ending that came with some unseen and pleasant twists that were well done.

Possibly the only people who hate this story are of the Simpson's Comic-Book Guy type snobs who are themselves too knowledgeable of such things and skeptical of anything that is nothing more than a fun ride.]]> 4.21 2011 Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)
author: Ernest Cline
name: James
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2017/08/31
date added: 2017/08/31
shelves:
review:
Truth be told, I'm not a gamer and, if Parzavil and Aech of the story are level 10 nerds, I'm only around a 4. Despite both these handicaps, the story is still told in a way that even I, a non D&D player, could not only grasp but follow along with page flipping furiousness.

I would not have read this book had it not been for the buzz of the upcoming major motion picture. Anything good enough for Spielberg is good enough for me and I was not disappointed.

There are a couple of annoyances in the book, though. Parzival suddenly having just the relic to solve the current problem and interrupting the flow of the story with the explanation of how it came to him. Also, sometimes the nostalgia is too overdone as if Cline is humble bragging his obviously deep understanding of 80s and 90s pop culture. Nevertheless, neither are so heavy handed as to distract too much from the story pace and the ending that came with some unseen and pleasant twists that were well done.

Possibly the only people who hate this story are of the Simpson's Comic-Book Guy type snobs who are themselves too knowledgeable of such things and skeptical of anything that is nothing more than a fun ride.
]]> <![CDATA[Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People]]> 32165078 Do you wish you could decode people? Do you want a formula for charisma? Do you want to know exactly what to say to your boss, your date or your networking partner? You need to know how people work.
As a human behavior investigator, Vanessa Van Edwards studies the hidden forces that drive our behavior patterns in her lab--and she's cracked the code. In Captivate she shares a wealth of valuable shortcuts, systems and behavior hacks for taking charge of their interactions at work, at home, and in any social situation. These aren't the people skills you learned in school. This is the first comprehensive, science backed, real life manual on human behavior and a completely new approach to building connections.
Just like knowing the right formulas to use in chemistry, or the right programming language to write code, the hacks in this book are simple ways to solve for people. For example:
- The Social Game Plan Every party, networking event and social situation has a predictable map - discover how to work a room and the sweet spot for making the most connections.
- The 7 Microexpressions Learn how to speed-read the 7 universal facial expressions and how they can be used to predict people's emotions.
- Conversation Sparks All conversations can be hacked--if you know how certain words generate dopamine in the people you meet.
When you understand the laws of human behavior you can get along with anyone, and your influence, impact, and income will increase as a result. What's more, you will improve your interpersonal intelligence, make a killer first impression, and build rapport quickly and authentically in any situation--negotiations, interviews, parties, and pitches. You will never interact in the same way again.
*Bonus PDF included with quizzes, graphs, and illustrations.]]> 0 Vanessa Van Edwards 1524750964 James 5 4.29 2017 Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People
author: Vanessa Van Edwards
name: James
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/08/16
date added: 2017/08/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Spellbinding Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Achieving Excellence and Captivating Readers]]> 25573345 Elevate Your Writing from So-So to Spectacular
Ěý
Great writing requires more than an original idea, compelling characters, or a scintillating plot. An author needs all of these to be successful, but writing—and writing well—also demands an entirely different skill set.

Spellbinding Sentences arms you with the tools you need to master the power of the English language. In this book, you’ll learn the different qualities of words and the many ways those words can be combined to create sentences that hook readers. You'll emulate sentences from your favorite writers, practice professional techniques, and develop your skills one step at a time. The result?Ěý Your ability to craft excellent sentences will become second nature—and those sentences will hold your readers spellbound, page after page.
Ěý
“Get this book and profit from it!”—Ursula K. Le Guin

Ěý“Barbara Baig’s Spellbinding Sentences is a tribute to the pleasure and vitality of the English language. Never prescriptive and always clear, this enlightening book is sure to help all those wishing to add grace and strength to their writing.â€� —Jane Brox, award-winning author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light, one of TIME magazine’s top ten nonfiction books of 2010

�Spellbinding Sentencesis sophisticated and down-to-earth at the same time. Barbara Baig has distilled decades of experience into this wise book.� —Edward Dolnick, New York Times best-selling author of The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece

]]> 304 Barbara Baig 1599639157 James 0 currently-reading 4.31 2015 Spellbinding Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Achieving Excellence and Captivating Readers
author: Barbara Baig
name: James
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/08/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Creating Lasting Change 26147062 647 Anthony Robbins James 0 to-read 4.21 2008 Creating Lasting Change
author: Anthony Robbins
name: James
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for]]> 33027982 Bestselling author and creativity expert Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is in fact a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

For centuries, the myth of the starving artist has dominated our culture, seeping into the minds of creative people and stifling their pursuits. But the truth is that the world's most successful artists did not starve. In fact, they capitalized on the power of their creative strength. In Real Artists Don't Starve, Jeff Goins debunks the myth of the starving artist by unveiling the ideas that created it and replacing them with timeless strategies for thriving, including:


steal from your influences (don't wait for inspiration),
collaborate with others (working alone is a surefire way to starve),
take strategic risks (instead of reckless ones),
make money in order to make more art (it's not selling out), and
apprentice under a master (a "lone genius" can never reach full potential).
Through inspiring anecdotes of successful creatives both past and present, Goins shows that living by these rules is not only doable but it's also a fulfilling way to thrive.

From graphic designers and writers to artists and business professionals, creatives already know that no one is born an artist. Goins' revolutionary rules celebrate the process of becoming an artist, a person who utilizes the imagination in fundamental ways. He reminds creatives that business and art are not mutually exclusive pursuits. In fact, success in business and in life flow from a healthy exercise of creativity.

Expanding upon the groundbreaking work in his previous bestseller The Art of Work, Goins explores the tension every creative person and organization faces in an effort to blend the inspired life with a practical path to success. Being creative isn't a disadvantage for success; rather, it is a powerful tool to be harnessed.]]> 240 Jeff Goins 0718086287 James 4 3.92 2017 Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for
author: Jeff Goins
name: James
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/08/08
date added: 2017/08/08
shelves:
review:
If you're expecting a diatribe of pump-ups saying that today's artist need not starve, think again. Instead, Jeff Goins goes back in time to show successful artists from every medium have not only survived but thrived with some basic strategies. If you're a creative who's doubting the marketplace, buy this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One]]> 25701358
Not only will you be given the necessary knowledge to change any aspect of yourself, but you will be taught the step-by-step tools to apply what you learn in order to make measurable changes in any area of your life. Dr. Joe demystifies ancient understandings and bridges the gap between science and spirituality. Through his powerful workshops and lectures, thousands of people in 24 different countries have used these principles to change from the inside out. Once you break the habit of being yourself and truly change your mind, your life will never be the same!]]> 0 Joe Dispenza 0991434862 James 2 3.74 2012 Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One
author: Joe Dispenza
name: James
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/27
date added: 2017/07/27
shelves:
review:

]]> American Gods 567724
Shadow spent three years in prison, keeping his head down, doing his time. All he wanted was to get back to the loving arms of his wife and to stay out of trouble for the rest of his life. But days before his scheduled release, he learns that his wife has been killed in an accident, and his world becomes a colder place.

On the plane ride home to the funeral, Shadow meets a grizzled man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A self-styled grifter and rogue, Wednesday offers Shadow a job. And Shadow, a man with nothing to lose, accepts.

But working for the enigmatic Wednesday is not without its price, and Shadow soon learns that his role in Wednesday's schemes will be far more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. Entangled in a world of secrets, he embarks on a wild road trip and encounters, among others, the murderous Czernobog, the impish Mr. Nancy, and the beautiful Easter -- all of whom seem to know more about Shadow than he himself does.

Shadow will learn that the past does not die, that everyone, including his late wife, had secrets, and that the stakes are higher than anyone could have imagined.

All around them a storm of epic proportions threatens to break. Soon Shadow and Wednesday will be swept up into a conflict as old as humanity itself. For beneath the placid surface of everyday life a war is being fought -- and the prize is the very soul of America.

As unsettling as it is exhilarating, American Gods is a dark and kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an America at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Magnificently told, this work of literary magic will haunt the reader far beyond the final page.

Source: harpercollins.com]]> 465 Neil Gaiman 0380973650 James 3 4.04 2001 American Gods
author: Neil Gaiman
name: James
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/25
date added: 2017/07/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise]]> 26312997 "This book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about."--Seth Godin, author of Linchpin

"Anyone who wants to get better at anything should read [ Peak ]. Rest assured that the book is not mere theory. Ericsson's research focuses on the real world, and he explains in detail, with examples, how all of us can apply the principles of great performance in our work or in any other part of our lives."-- Fortune

Anders Ericsson has made a career studying chess champions, violin virtuosos, star athletes, and memory mavens. Peak distills three decades of myth-shattering research into a powerful learning strategy that is fundamentally different from the way people traditionally think about acquiring new abilities. Whether you want to stand out at work, improve your athletic or musical performance, or help your child achieve academic goals, Ericsson's revolutionary methods will show you how to improve at almost any skill that matters to you.

"The science of excellence can be divided into two eras: before Ericsson and after Ericsson. His groundbreaking work, captured in this brilliantly useful book, provides us with a blueprint for achieving the most important and life-changing work possible: to become a little bit better each day."--Dan Coyle, author of The Talent Code

"Ericsson's research has revolutionized how we think about human achievement. If everyone would take the lessons of this book to heart, it could truly change the world."--Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking with Einstein ]]> 336 K. Anders Ericsson 0544456254 James 3
Ericsson is the researcher behind the mythical 10,000 hour expert narrative that's been propagated in business circles. The book's purpose seems to be about setting the story straight. While 10,000 hours is an admirable target, it is by no means an average. One does not become an expert only after hitting this target and not everybody who hits this target is necessarily an "expert". Skill level is more attached to types of practice and the mindset behind the practice than the number of hours logged. If you're not sure you're practicing correctly, or you feel like you've hit a plateau, then this book will be a tremendous help.

If there are any downsides to this book it might be that the case studies and examples were a little heavy handed, and perhaps overdone, but I expect nothing less from a research scientist.]]> 4.18 2016 Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise
author: K. Anders Ericsson
name: James
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/17
date added: 2017/07/17
shelves:
review:
My purpose for reading this is my curiosity about how we learn and develop. This book certainly covers that and many other facets but could be over-done for some readers.

Ericsson is the researcher behind the mythical 10,000 hour expert narrative that's been propagated in business circles. The book's purpose seems to be about setting the story straight. While 10,000 hours is an admirable target, it is by no means an average. One does not become an expert only after hitting this target and not everybody who hits this target is necessarily an "expert". Skill level is more attached to types of practice and the mindset behind the practice than the number of hours logged. If you're not sure you're practicing correctly, or you feel like you've hit a plateau, then this book will be a tremendous help.

If there are any downsides to this book it might be that the case studies and examples were a little heavy handed, and perhaps overdone, but I expect nothing less from a research scientist.
]]> To Kill a Mockingbird 2657 "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film.]]> 323 Harper Lee 0060935464 James 5 4.25 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird
author: Harper Lee
name: James
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1960
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/05
date added: 2017/07/05
shelves:
review:
The best novel I've read (so far). A difficult topic as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of a child trying to make sense of it all. Beautifully done with a perfect ending.
]]> The Lord of the Rings 33 One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings to him, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.]]> 1216 J.R.R. Tolkien 0618640150 James 5 4.52 1954 The Lord of the Rings
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: James
average rating: 4.52
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/06/24
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World]]> 25744928 One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results.

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way.

In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill.

A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world.]]> 296 Cal Newport 1455586692 James 3
In the end, I think it could have been condensed with less anecdotes and stories, but overall convincing and informative.]]> 4.16 2016 Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
author: Cal Newport
name: James
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2017/06/21
date added: 2017/06/21
shelves:
review:
A well researched book on the value of working with single, focused, attention on a single piece of work and how to develop it. It expands into other productivity suggestions and Cal nearly wages a full-out war on social media but relents to say, and I agree, that it is up to the individual to determine if social media is useful to their main objective. For most the answer is no.

In the end, I think it could have been condensed with less anecdotes and stories, but overall convincing and informative.
]]> <![CDATA[Revision & Self-Editing: Techniques for Transforming Your First Draft Into a Finished Novel]]> 2319168 Spot and Fix Manuscript Missteps

Don't let the revision process intimidate you any longer. Discover how to successfully transform your first draft into a polished final draft readers won't be able to forget.

In Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell draws on his experience as a novelist and instructor to provide specific revision tips geared toward the first read-through, as well as targeted self-editing instruction focusing on the individual elements of a novel like plot, structure, characters, theme, voice, style, setting, and endings. You'll learn how to:

•Write a cleaner first draft right out of the gate using Bell's plotting principles
•Get the most out of revision and self-editing techniques by honing your skills with detailed exercises
•Systematically revise a completed draft using the ultimate revision checklist that talks you through the core story elements


Whether you're in the process of writing a novel, have a finished draft you don't know what to do with, or have a rejected manuscript you don't know how to fix, Revision & Self-Editing gives you the guidance you need to write and revise like a pro.]]> 266 James Scott Bell 1582975086 James 4 4.18 2008 Revision & Self-Editing: Techniques for Transforming Your First Draft Into a Finished Novel
author: James Scott Bell
name: James
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2017/06/16
date added: 2017/06/16
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]]> <![CDATA[TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking]]> 25897871 A New York Times Bestseller

For anyone who has ever been inspired by a TED talk�
Ěý
...this is an insider’s guide to creating talks that are unforgettable.
Ěý
Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, spreading knowledge, and promoting a shared dream. Done right, a talk can electrify a room and transform an audience’s worldview. Done right, a talk is more powerful than anything in written form.
ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý This book explains how the miracle of powerful public speaking is achieved, and equips you to give it your best shot. There is no set formula; no two talks should be the same. The goal is for you to give the talk that only you can give. But don’t be intimidated. You may find it more natural than you think.
ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý Chris Anderson has worked behind the scenes with all the TED speakers who have inspired us the most, and here he shares insights from such favorites as Sir Ken Robinson, Amy Cuddy, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Salman Khan, Dan Gilbert, Mary Roach, Matt Ridley, and dozens more â€� everything from how to craft your talk’s content to how you can be most effective on stage. This is the 21st-century’s new manual for truly effective communication and it is a must-read for anyone who is ready to create impact with their ideas.]]> 288 Chris J. Anderson 0544634497 James 3 4.16 2016 TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
author: Chris J. Anderson
name: James
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2017/06/13
date added: 2017/06/13
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A terrific overview of modern speaking in a multi-media world. Less to do with techniques and tricks and more focused on becoming real, engaging, and, most importantly, connected to your audience (even if you're only talking about expense accounts and not a fantastic breakthrough in sociology).
]]> <![CDATA[Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success]]> 16158498 Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common.

For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return.

Using his own pioneering research as Wharton's youngest tenured professor, Grant shows that these styles have a surprising impact on success. Although some givers get exploited and burn out, the rest achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. Combining cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories, this landmark book shows how one of America's best networkers developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in television history toiled for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have anticipated Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed - without ever looking at a single number.

Praised by bestselling authors such as Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh, Dan Ariely, Susan Cain, Dan Gilbert, Gretchen Rubin, Bob Sutton, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, and Seth Godin-as well as senior leaders from Google, McKinsey, Merck, Estee Lauder, Nike, and NASA - Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. This landmark book opens up an approach to success that has the power to transform not just individuals and groups, but entire organizations and communities.]]> 320 Adam M. Grant 0670026557 James 0 to-read 4.05 2013 Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success
author: Adam M. Grant
name: James
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/05/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Complete Guide to Article Writing: How to Write Successful Articles for Online and Print Markets]]> 17677823 The Complete Guide to Article Writing provides a compass for freelancers and students of journalism looking to write successfully on a wide variety of topics and for many different markets -both in print and online. From researching and interviewing to writing features, reviews, news articles, opinion pieces, and even blog posts, this one-stop guide will illuminate the intricacies of article writing so you can produce entertaining, informative, and salable articles.

- Learn how to write coherently, cohesively, and concisely.
- Choose the proper structure for the article you want to write.
- Weave narrative and fact seamlessly into your pieces.
- Develop your freelance platform with the latest in social media outlets.
- Pitch your ideas like a pro.
- Develop a professional relationship with editors.
- And much more!

Modern journalism can be a treacherous terrain, but with The Complete Guide to Article Writing as your companion, you'll not only survive the journey -you'll be able to write pieces that inform, entertain, inspire, delight- and sell!]]> 304 Naveed Saleh 1599637340 James 0 to-read 3.86 2013 The Complete Guide to Article Writing: How to Write Successful Articles for Online and Print Markets
author: Naveed Saleh
name: James
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/05/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft]]> 10569 (back cover)]]> 320 Stephen King 0743455967 James 5 4.33 2000 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
author: Stephen King
name: James
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2017/05/15
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review:
If you're a writer or/and Stephen King fan, the only way you'll dislike this book is if you hate - HATE - mild swearing.
]]> <![CDATA[How to Make a Living As a Writer]]> 23513697
More writers are making money today than at any other time in history. For centuries few have been able to support themselves from the quill or the keyboard alone.

Not anymore. With the rise of ebooks and indie publishing there are now more opportunities than ever for writers to generate substantial income from their work. And there is still a traditional publishing industry that needs new talent to keep growing.

In How to Make a Living as a Writer, you'll learn the secrets of writing for profit and increasing your chances of making a living wage from your work. Here are some of the subjects covered:

- The 7 Secrets of Writing Success
- The 8 Essentials of Your Writing Business
- How to Reach Your Goals
- Keys to a Winning System
- How to Stay Relentless
- Unlocking Your Creativity
- How to Write More, Faster
- Comparing Traditional and Self-Publishing
- How to Go Traditional
- How to Go Indie
- How to Form Multiple Streams of Writing Income
- How to Write a Novel in a Month
- How to Choose Non-Fiction Subjects
- How to Keep a Positive Mental Attitude
- Resources for Further Study

And much more, all to help you write what you love and earn what you’re worth.

James Scott Bell has made a living as a writer for nearly two decades, and shares with you everything he knows about the best practices for turning your writing dream into a reality.]]> 258 James Scott Bell James 5 4.22 2014 How to Make a Living As a Writer
author: James Scott Bell
name: James
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2017/01/08
date added: 2017/05/15
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review:
Clear, concise, and almost zero fluff. Nearly 100% useful and actionable content. A great book for writers who don't know where to start in regards to a career.
]]> <![CDATA[Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)]]> 17333324
On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.]]> 386 Ann Leckie James 0 to-read 3.98 2013 Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)
author: Ann Leckie
name: James
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/05/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Atlas Shrugged 662 This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators?

Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s motor � and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story.

Tremendous in its scope, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life � from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy � to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction � to the philosopher who becomes a pirate � to the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph � to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad � to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels.

You must be prepared, when you read this novel, to check every premise at the root of your convictions.

This is a mystery story, not about the murder � and rebirth � of man’s spirit. It is a philosophical revolution, told in the form of an action thriller of violent events, a ruthlessly brilliant plot structure and an irresistible suspense. Do you say this is impossible? Well, that is the first of your premises to check.]]> 1168 Ayn Rand 0452011876 James 0 to-read 3.67 1957 Atlas Shrugged
author: Ayn Rand
name: James
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1957
rating: 0
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date added: 2017/05/13
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]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business]]> 12609433
Marketers at Procter & Gamble study videos of people making their beds. They are desperately trying to figure out how to sell a new product called Febreze, on track to be one of the biggest flops in company history. Suddenly, one of them detects a nearly imperceptible pattern—and with a slight shift in advertising, Febreze goes on to earn a billion dollars a year.

An untested CEO takes over one of the largest companies in America. His first order of business is attacking a single pattern among his employees—how they approach worker safety—and soon the firm, Alcoa, becomes the top performer in the Dow Jones.

What do all these people have in common? They achieved success by focusing on the patterns that shape every aspect of our lives.

They succeeded by transforming habits.

In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.

Along the way we learn why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. We visit laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. We discover how the right habits were crucial to the success of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and civil-rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. We go inside Procter & Gamble, Target superstores, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, NFL locker rooms, and the nation’s largest hospitals and see how implementing so-called keystone habits can earn billions and mean the difference between failure and success, life and death.

At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work.

Habits aren’t destiny. As Charles Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives.]]> 375 Charles Duhigg 1400069289 James 3 4.13 2012 The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
author: Charles Duhigg
name: James
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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date added: 2017/05/13
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]]> <![CDATA[Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions]]> 1713426
Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't possibly be caught?

Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?

Why do we go back for second helpings at the unlimited buffet, even when our stomachs are already full?

And how did we ever start spending $4.15 on a cup of coffee when, just a few years ago, we used to pay less than a dollar?

When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're in control. We think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we?

In a series of illuminating, often surprising experiments, MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. Blending everyday experience with groundbreaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities.

Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same "types" of mistakes, Ariely discovers. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable--making us "predictably" irrational.

From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, Ariely explains how to break through these systematic patterns of thought to make better decisions. "Predictably Irrational" will change the way we interact with the world--one small decision at a time.]]> 247 Dan Ariely James 5 4.12 2008 Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
author: Dan Ariely
name: James
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2008
rating: 5
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date added: 2017/05/13
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]]> <![CDATA[The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over (The Like Switch Series)]]> 21412226
The Like Switch is packed with all the tools you need for turning strangers into friends, whether you are on a sales call, a first date, or a job interview. As a Special Agent for the FBI’s National Security Division’s Behavioral Analysis Program, Dr. Jack Schafer developed dynamic and breakthrough strategies for profiling terrorists and detecting deception. Now, Dr. Schafer has evolved his proven-on-the-battlefield tactics for the day-to-day, but no less critical battle of getting people to like you.

In The Like Switch , he presents these techniques for how you can influence, attract, and win people over. Learn how to think and react like your favorite TV investigators from Criminal Minds or CSI as Dr. Schafer shows you how to improve your LQ (Likeability Quotient), “spot the lie� both in person and online, master nonverbal cues that influence how people perceive you, and turn up or turn down the intensity of a relationship.

Dr. Schafer cracks the code on making great first impressions, building lasting relationships, and understanding others� behavior to learn what they really think about you. With tips and techniques that hold the key to taking control of your communications, interactions, and relationships, The Like Switch shows you how to read others and get people to like you for a moment or a lifetime.]]> 288 Jack Schafer 1476754489 James 4 3.88 2015 The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over (The Like Switch Series)
author: Jack Schafer
name: James
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2017/05/13
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]]> The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle 11275
In a Tokyo suburb a young man named Toru Okada searches for his wife's missing cat. Soon he finds himself looking for his wife as well in a netherworld that lies beneath the placid surface of Tokyo. As these searches intersect, Okada encounters a bizarre group of allies and antagonists: a psychic prostitute; a malevolent yet mediagenic politician; a cheerfully morbid sixteen-year-old-girl; and an aging war veteran who has been permanently changed by the hideous things he witnessed during Japan's forgotten campaign in Manchuria.

Gripping, prophetic, suffused with comedy and menace, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a tour de force equal in scope to the masterpieces of Mishima and Pynchon.]]> 607 Haruki Murakami 0965341984 James 4 4.16 1994 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
author: Haruki Murakami
name: James
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1994
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Art of Extraordinary Confidence: Your Ultimate Path To Love, Wealth, and Freedom]]> 30741498 364 Aziz Gazipura 0988979861 James 5 4.21 The Art of Extraordinary Confidence: Your Ultimate Path To Love, Wealth, and Freedom
author: Aziz Gazipura
name: James
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Solution To Social Anxiety: Break Free From The Shyness That Holds You Back]]> 21207828 232 Aziz Gazipura James 5 4.10 2013 The Solution To Social Anxiety: Break Free From The Shyness That Holds You Back
author: Aziz Gazipura
name: James
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2013
rating: 5
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]]> The Shack 1812457
In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!]]> 248 William Paul Young 0964729237 James 0 to-read 3.73 2007 The Shack
author: William Paul Young
name: James
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2007
rating: 0
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]]> Bird by Bird 12543 A newer edition of this title can be found here.

"Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. [It] was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said. 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'"

With this basic instruction always in mind, Anne Lamott returns to offer us a new gift: a step-by-step guide on how to write and on how to manage the writer's life. From "Getting Started,' with "Short Assignments," through "Shitty First Drafts," "Character," "Plot," "Dialogue." all the way from "False Starts" to "How Do You Know When You're Done?" Lamott encourages, instructs, and inspires. She discusses "Writers Block," "Writing Groups," and "Publication." Bracingly honest, she is also one of the funniest people alive.

If you have ever wondered what it takes to be a writer, what it means to be a writer, what the contents of your school lunches said about what your parents were really like, this book is for you. From faith, love, and grace to pain, jealousy, and fear, Lamott insists that you keep your eyes open, and then shows you how to survive. And always, from the life of the artist she turns to the art of life.

]]> 238 Anne Lamott James 3 4.24 1994 Bird by Bird
author: Anne Lamott
name: James
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1994
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage]]> 34189313
Using the science of habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a “push moment.� Then, she’ll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self.

It takes just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do you’ll be in great company. More than 8 million people have watched Mel’s TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world’s largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.

In The 5 Second Rule, you’ll discover it takes just five seconds

- Become confident
- Break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt
- Beat fear and uncertainty
- Stop worrying and feel happier
- Share your ideas with courage

The 5 Second Rule is a simple, one-size-fits-all solution for the one problem we all face—we hold ourselves back.]]> 263 Mel Robbins 1682612392 James 5 3.89 2017 The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
author: Mel Robbins
name: James
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2017
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible]]> 113935 291 Brian Tracy 1576753077 James 2 4.24 1989 Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible
author: Brian Tracy
name: James
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1989
rating: 2
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]]> <![CDATA[Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life]]> 155981 Positive wisdom and helpful insights on how to be a successful person

Happiness and success are habits. So are failure and misery. But negative habits can be changed--and Psycho-Cybernetics shows you how!

This is your personal audio guide to the amazing power of Psycho-Cybernetics--a program based on one of the world s classic self-help books, a multimillion-copy bestseller proven effective by readers worldwide. Presenting positive attitude as a means for change, Maltz s teaching has the ring of common sense.
Psycho-Cybernetics-is the original text that defined the mind/body connection the concept that paved the way for most of today s personal empowerment programs. Turn crises into creative opportunities, dehypnotize yourself from false beliefs, and celebrate new freedom from fear and guilt.

Testimonials and stories are interspersed with advice from Maltz, as well as techniques for relaxation and visualization. Dr. Maxwell Maltz teaches you his techniques of emotional surgery --the path to a dynamic new self-image and self-esteem and to achieving the success and happiness you deserve!
]]> 288 Maxwell Maltz 0671700758 James 4 4.22 1960 Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life
author: Maxwell Maltz
name: James
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1960
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals]]> 9744815 Read Heidi Grant Halvorson's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community.

Just in time for New Year's resolutions, learn how to reach your goals-finally-by overcoming the many hurdles that have defeated you before.

Most of us have no idea why we fail to reach our goals. Now Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, a rising star in the field of social psychology shows us how to overcome the hurdles that have defeated us before.

Dr. Grant Halvorson offers insights-many surprising-that readers can use immediately, including how to:

� Set a goal so that you will persist even in the face of adversity
� Build willpower, which can be strengthened like a muscle
� Avoid the kind of positive thinking that makes people fail

The strategies outlined in this book will not only help everyone reach their own goals but will also prove invaluable to parents, teachers, coaches, and employers. Dr. Grant Halvorson shows readers a new approach to problem solving that will change the way they approach their entire lives.

Watch a Video
]]> 288 Heidi Grant Halvorson 1594630739 James 4 4.13 2010 Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals
author: Heidi Grant Halvorson
name: James
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2010
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time]]> 84699
Climb the ladder to personal success?

The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.

In Never Eat Alone , Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.

The son of a small-town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A-list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.

Ferrazzi's form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship-building from the crude, desperate glad-handling usually associated with “networking.� He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:

Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.

“Ping� constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time—not just when you need something.

Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event� “invisibility� is a fate worse than failure.

In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.

Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,� and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic.]]> 309 Keith Ferrazzi 0385512058 James 3 3.84 Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
author: Keith Ferrazzi
name: James
average rating: 3.84
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]]> <![CDATA[Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement]]> 8676 Anthony Robbins calls it the new science of personal achievement. You'll call it the best thing that ever happened to you.
If you have ever dreamed of a better life, Unlimited Power will show you how to achieve the extraordinary quality of life you desire and deserve, and how to master your personal and professional life. Anthony Robbins has proven to millions through his books, tapes, and seminars that by harnessing the power of the mind you can do, have, achieve, and create anything you want for your life. He has shown heads of state, royalty, Olympic and professional athletes, movie stars, and children how to achieve. With Unlimited Power, he passionately and eloquently reveals the science of personal achievement and teaches you:
* How to find out what you really want
* The Seven Lies of Success
* How to reprogram your mind in minutes to eliminate fears and phobias
* The secret of creating instant rapport with anyone you meet
* How to duplicate the success of others
* The Five Keys to Wealth and Happiness
Unlimited Power is a revolutionary fitness book for the mind. It will show you, step by step, how to perform at your peak while gaining emotional and financial freedom, attaining leadership and self-confidence, and winning the cooperation of others. It will give you the knowledge and the courage to remake yourself and your world. Unlimited Power is a guidebook to superior performance in an age of success.]]> 426 Anthony Robbins 0684845776 James 4 4.23 1986 Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement
author: Anthony Robbins
name: James
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1986
rating: 4
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]]> 48 Days to the Work You Love 74022 48 Days to the Work You Love is not so much about finding a new job. It is more about learning who we are really called to be. According to the author, failing to make that fundamental discovery is why so many people find themselves in jobs they hate. But now, thousands upon thousands are finding the work they love thanks to practical advice from leading career counselor Miller.

Conversational and creative, Miller helps readers see clear patterns form from which we can make successful career and job decisions by understanding our God-given skills and abilities, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions.

48 Days to the Work You Love provides a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating that plan into meaningful and fulfilling daily work.]]> 240 Dan Miller 0805444793 James 4 3.81 1996 48 Days to the Work You Love
author: Dan Miller
name: James
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1996
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck]]> 22571775 The get ready, get going guide to navigating career change and doing work you love

New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff has drawn millions of online fans who love his refreshing mix of humor, honesty, and wisdom about the world of work. Now he offers his most important book yet, a guide to making big career changes—by choice or necessity—and escaping the horrible feeling of being trapped in the wrong job.

Acuff finds it amazing that people spend more than eighteen years studying and preparing for college, but little or no time honing their careers between graduation and retirement. He offers an empowering tool he calls the Career Savings Account, which will change the way readers think about their skills, relationships, character, and work ethic. He also shows that if you’re on the wrong track, you already have what you need to change it—even if your family and mortgage mean you can’t simply pick up and move for a new opportunity.

Throughout the book, Acuff features inspiring and funny true stories—not merely his own, but those of friends who restarted their careers after a layoff, an extended maternity leave, or simply the realization that they were suffering fifty weeks a year just to pay the bills and enjoy two weeks of vacation. Everyone can benefit from Do Over, from new graduates to fiftysomethings and beyond.
]]> 288 Jon Acuff 1591847613 James 0 to-read 4.04 2015 Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck
author: Jon Acuff
name: James
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2015
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]]> <![CDATA[Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job]]> 10836740
I have.

At first I thought I was the only one who felt that way, but then I started to talk to people and realized we're becoming the "I'm, but" generation. When we talk about what we do for a living we inevitably say, "I'm a teacher, but I want to be an artist." "I'm a CPA, but I'd love to start my own business."

"I'm a _____, but I want to be a ______."

All too often, we hear that dreaming big means you quit your day job, sell everything you own, and move to Guam. But what if there were a different way?

What if you could blow up your dream without blowing up your life?

What if you could go for broke without going broke?

What if you could start today?

What if you already have everything you need to begin?

From figuring out what your dream is to quitting in a way that exponentially increases your chance of success, Quitter is full of inspiring stories and actionable advice. This book is based on 12 years of cubicle living and my true story of cultivating a dream job that changed my life and the world in the process.

It's time to close the gap between your day job and your dream job.

It's time to be a Quitter.]]> 242 Jon Acuff 0982986270 James 4 3.91 2011 Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job
author: Jon Acuff
name: James
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2011
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Start.: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters]]> 17249189 Wall Street Journal best-selling author Jon Acuff reveals the steps to getting unstuck and back onto the path of being awesome.

Over the last 100 years, the road to success for most everyone has been divided into predictable stages. But three things have changed the path to success:

Boomers are realizing that a lot of the things they were promised aren't going to materialize, and they have started second and third careers.

Technology has given access to an unprecedented number of people who are building online empires and changing their lives in ways that would have been impossible years ago.

The days of "success first, significance later," have ended.

While none of the stages can be skipped, they can be shortened and accelerated. There are only two paths in life: average and awesome. The average path is easy because all you have to do is nothing. The awesome path is more challenging, because things like fear only bother you when you do work that matters. The good news is "Start" gives readers practical, actionable insights to be more awesome, more often.]]> 272 Jon Acuff 1937077594 James 3 3.95 2013 Start.: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters
author: Jon Acuff
name: James
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2013
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Win Friends & Influence People]]> 4865
Since its release in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 30 million copies. Dale Carnegie's first book is a timeless bestseller, packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.

As relevant as ever before, Dale Carnegie's principles endure, and will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age.

Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.]]> 288 Dale Carnegie James 5 4.22 1936 How to Win Friends & Influence People
author: Dale Carnegie
name: James
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1936
rating: 5
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