5 comments about The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens.

1. I selected the CD abridged version of this book after loving the book and wanting my son to get the content. The points were not developed or illustrated enough to have the content be memorable.



2. My parents bought this book last year for me as a christmas present. It was a nice idea but i am capable of be coming sucessful without the help from a book. At first glance this book turns off teens all together. It looks like the awful pants someone in their 50's would wear. The font is not eye catching and all together it reminds me of a book i would have to read in health class that told me to plan for the future and create goals . not that those are bad ideas . i myself being sixteen just didnt want to even go near this book .



3. My 16-year-old stepson was assigned this reading for his academic/social coaching blocks in school. It's an excellent read; life skills for everyone!



4. The book was very interesting to read and kept my attention through the whole book. Many of the ideas presented here I have used and if you seriously try to follow its suggestions then your life could be drastically improved.



5. A while back I worked for a school for struggling teens, and this was recommended reading for the students and I decided to pick it up to see what it was all about and loved the way the material was presented. At that time my daughter was about four and was irrelevant to her so after reading it for my job I just put the title back on the shelf and just remembered the title when my daughter became fourteen. I re-read this book and decided to give it to my daughter before the struggling began and boy am I glad I did. The format is great for her and she devoured the book. She seems more confident and sure of her self as Sean Covey uncovers the secret of way teens deal with today's issues in their lives. It is a fun to read book for teenager to read and uses language that is appropriate for them. It is starting to open line of communications between the two of us and that feels great.

5 comments about Before You Meet Prince Charming.

1. I have an 11 year old daughter who is in middle school. The phrase "My friend is dating so and so" is a phrase I hear often. What does it really mean for an 11 year old to be dating, well I am not really sure. What I am sure of is that, it is obvious that many of these very young girls and boys are developing an interest in the opposite sex. It would be my guess that parents are not looking down the road to what this really means.
   I was interested in boys at a very early age. I was not given guidance on having a pure relationship or coached on the repercussions of early relationships and how they would effect me long term.
   This book says it beautifully. It is written for the pre teen to teen who is thrown into a world of thinking you must have a boyfriend to be acceptable. It coaches you through using a story about a princess and then following each chapter there is a life application portion. The story is so well written you can't wait to see how it turns out.
   I recommend every parent to read the book and see for yourself how moving and touching the story of someone who chose to wait makes a differnce. It is an encouragement to all.



2. I really appreciated this book, and wish I had read it when I was 10-12 years old. There are true examples from people's lives which helps make it more applicable, and then there are suggested activities, such as asking your mother for tips, praying for an hour, etc. If you actually try them out, they are useful. Some of it was convicting, and some of it was entertaining. There's a running story of a princess and peer pressure she faces as she waits for her prince. And she doesn't idly sit by waiting, either. There are also little cartoons illustrating various points. I recommend this for all young ladies and girls, especially those seeking to please God.



3. love the book my brother is reading and he loves it as well he's using it to help him be the prince charming he needs to be



4. I purchased this book for my 13- year old grandaughter. It is just wonderful!! She said it talks about things she did not know, but she is impressed. Thanks!



5. This is an amazing book. It captured my attention from the start. Every dad should read this book and every pastor should do the same. This is well written and based on God's Word. The message is powerful. Keep up the good work and God Bless you! Pastor fred

5 comments about The Power of a Praying® Teen (Power of a Praying Series!).

1. I bought this book for my daughter, she learned a lot from it. She has also recommended it to friends to also purchase it.



2. I haven't asked the oldest recently if she has read it all or parts. But I liked what I seen in it. and plan on keeping to share with others as well. Again love Stormie Omartian.



3. We purchased a few of these books after having bought one for our sons to read. Every time they read a chapter we asked them to share with us the parents what they had learnt from it. When they had finished reading the entire book we realised how much the book had changed our sons temperament. Therefore we decided to purchase a few more of the books to be used as study material for the youths in our church.



4. I have read several of Stormie's books for women and adults, and knew that her selection for teens would be great to share with my mentees. I wasn't disappointed. This book is very appropriate for teens 13-17 and covers topics necessary for young believers. The book has much spiritual meat for teens; it doesn't just gloss over subjects but digs deep and confronts your current thinking while inspiring you to move closer to God by doing his Word and through prayer.
   
   The chapters are just 5-7 pages, giving opportunities to practically apply the Word Stormie shares in increments. The topic mirror those in her other books on prayer, so I recognized the concepts immediately. I think this speaks volumes to the integrity of the topics covered--what is appropriate for adults and their walk with God is essential, practical, and do-able for teens.
   
   Stormie's approach isn't cheesy or corny and is currently being well received by my mentees who are 16 from an urban area. I cannot recommend this highly enough for parents, older siblings, or mentors to pass along and read with their teens.



5. I bought this for my little brother as a Christmas gift and he's loved it. He was 12 at the time and I think he liked that it said Teen on the front.

5 comments about Dateable: Are You? Are They?.

1. The book is pretty straight forward about relationships in general. I appreciated the approach and wish someone would have clued me in to this concept early on. He is rather harsh so don't dive in without preparing yourself to be offended. Many of my youth did not agree at first because they did not want to believe these things to be true. It took me about two classes to convince them that I knew them to be true because of my own experience. The doodles on each page are pretty awesome as well. Definitely a book I would recommend to youth and their parents alike. Look for his other contributions as well, they all are a great addition to any church or youth minister's library!



2. I wish every young girl could read this book. My daughther has actually thanked me for it~! Many of the older girls said they had wished for a book like this when they started dating. Kids need to read books that guide them. This one does.
   
   MOM'S......order this book for your teenage daughters!!!



3. i was sick and read this book for two days straight and finished it. i am a fast reader though. anywho its a fun read, deffinatly not stiff. the writer makes you think as well as smile. i would recommend this book to anyone that is in or wants to be in a relationship.



4. This is a great book for teens who are starting to date in middle and high school. It has clear advice concerning guy/girl interaction, understanding the opposite sex, dressing appropriately (and modestly), and appropriate physical boundaries in a relationship...all things that teens need to know. That aside, this is a book that is focused, as I said, towards middle and high school aged teens who aren't ready for serious relationships leading toward marriage. The authors advocate dating for fun and as a learning experience for later relationships, and stress from the very beginning that the reader should not expect their current relationships to last. If you're looking for a book that endorses dating only as a way to meet a marriage partner, I suggest the books I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship by Joshua Harris. He challenges the popular notions about dating and advocates more of a courtship model for relationships that is based on respect between the individuals involved as brother and sister in Christ.



5. This book has been very good for our 14 year old son to read and discuss with his Dad and I. Our son was feeling confused about how much it hurt when a girl likes him one day and seems to hate him the next! This book helped him figure out he shouldn't give his whole heart to a 14 year girl because they aren't married and she isn't ready to handle his heart with as much care as a wife needs to. There are great chapters on personal responsibility about purity for him and her and protecting your girl/boyfriend from yourself. The book points out how good it is for girls to be mysterious instead of yapping his ear off with all her complaints about life thus far; then the next chapter is directed towards guys and how to live an exciting, interesting life instead of chasing girls.
   
   One thing to note is the authors say blunt things like "oral sex is sex" but that only happens once. This sentence can be whited out or discussed, depending on how much your child hears at school. I was shocked to learn what my kids already know after asking them if that sentence made them uncomfortable like it made me feel. They said that sentence is tame compared to what is said in the Jr. High by teachers and kids.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: 101 Stories of Life, Love and Learning (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. I am not a teen anymore, but a decade ago, I was. I never went to a public school, or delt with teenage dating, drugs, suicide, sneaking around, or all of that drama. I purchased this for a special teen in my life who has had to go to public school and face all of that. I read it before I gave it to her, and I think I learned some things that enter into the "average teen's" life. I hope she enjoys it, and learns, laughs and grows as I did.



2. This book was a wonderful and uplifting read. A lot of the passages will be in the back of my mind for a long time. The stories with love, hope and forgiveness really hit home for me. The only thing that I would like to see more in this book is poetry.
   
   You would like this book if you love the feeling of being thankful of what you have. It makes me think to be kinder to people and to be happy that people are how they are and no one should try to change them. That some people are there to help and some people are there to be helped by people. I just think that this book will make so many people's lives so much brighter after having read it.
   
   The thing that really got me was one of the stories that had a little brother that had cancer and it made me think of my little brother and what would my life be like without him. The day I read that story I went home and gave him a big hug and I told him that I loved him.
   
   The parts with thoughtful words and deep thoughts always make me think. I love to read about people's problems and how they overcome them. I just think that it is good to know that someone might be going through the same problems with boys, parents, school, drugs and tons more things that make your head spin every day, and things that you feel like there is no way out of that situation.
   
   All in all I thought it was a good book.



3. My daughter started reading this book at age 12, and has had it for 2 years. She still loves to go back and read selections of love, hope, courage. Give your teenager something worth reading! :)



4. I bought this book as a gift for my 16yr old niece. The very next day, she told me how much she loved the book. She even cried reading it. I think it's nice to find reading materials that can move the minds and feelings of teenagers.



5. I skimmed through the book before I gave it to my granddaughter who just turned 13. I thought it had some well written stories that a teenager can relate to and a lot of food for thought. She was so happy to get it, since she had the one for pre-teens also and really liked it.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul - 101 Stories of Changes, Choices.

1. My children(9 ,11) start off the day every morning before school reading an uplifting and meaningful story.



2. very goodb value had to buy for school summer reading program. my daughter even liked it and she hates to read.



3. My ten year old daughter really loves this book. She is not very keen on reading, but will sit down and read the chicken soup books. She chose this book as one of her birthday presents!



4. It is sometimes hard to find things to do with your preteen. They are at an age when they want more independence from mom and dad. This book is a great connection - you can cozy up and read a few selections at a time - it's a great way to have fun, and spend time bonding with your preteen. You can then use the stories, or lessons learned for great conversation pieces for discussion.



5. My parents are divorced and reading about how other kids dealt with it really helped me get back on my feet even though they've been divorced for like four years. Reading about how other kids got out of bad situations made me feel lucky because now I know how much worse they have it opposed to me. I know it's hard to deal with these things at first but too many kids dwell on how it stinks to have divorced parents and they don't use this time to try to do something to help yourself or something. If you want to make a difference get off your butt and try to make that difference.

5 comments about The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge.

1. "The Teachings of Don Juan A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" by Carlos Castaneda was a real pioneering anthropological study of shamanism, and a door-opener into the prevailing 1960's and early 1970's sub- drug culture.
   
   Carlos Castaneda gave us a new look into the possibilities of various realities and perceptions not really understood, and only discussed at late evening dinner parties, or in the dorm rooms of various colleges or, perhaps a sociology classroom here and there.
   
   For some reason, the fact that Castaneda was using drugs for research and personal understanding made the book easily more acceptable to a variety of his readers.
   
   I first read the book about 40 years ago. At the time I thought it was superb. However, upon re-reading it (at age 62), it simply didn't have the same powerful grasp it once held.
   
   The initial meeting between Castaneda and the alleged "Don Juan" is interesting reading as is the recruitment process into the shadow-world of the shaman. Naturally, there are psychotropic drugs involved, but it seemed to me that page after page, after page was nothing more of recounting his "trip" experience from the three major sources of Yaqui wisdom; Peyote, Jimson Weed, and Mushroom.
   
   The use of such drugs obviously enhances the ideas of what we today would call; "Shape shifting," Astral Projection, and various other rather well known terms in today's
   "witchy" terminology.
   
   Although, Mr. Castaneda followed this publication with numerous other related stories, I think he probably spent too much time and focus on the drugs for surely...there was much more knowledge passed on other than the collection, preparation, and usage of various hallucinogens.
   
   None the less, the book remains a major pioneering feat, and is interesting especially, if you are reading it for the first time. It is a contemporary real life story of "The Sourcer's Apprentice" with Carlos Castaneda playing the role of Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse."
   
   Regardless of my somewhat prejudicial summary, there are some very good points of wisdom handed down by Don Juan that should be remembered by any generation who has an interest in anthropology, sociology, and or, just plain...entertaining reading.



2. Well, I finally got around to reading this book after having friend after friend suggest it. I am very interested in esoteric knowledge (I will not demeen the book or esotericism with the term New Age) and was hoping to get a fresh perspective on it; and one that was more local (as in my neck of the woods) to boot. I, as an American, have a shamefully low amount of knowledge of Native American tribes and their beliefs. I must be frank about that so as to not imply that I have read other books on Native American spiritually and can judge it on that level. This is for all intents and purposes my introduction to this field. I also have read none of the author's later works so I do not know how they add to or complement this book. I can however say that I doubt this is that place to start if one is seriously interested in this specific subject, nor does this book contain any spiritual insights that cannot be found elsewhere and in far more intellectual contexts (here I would suggest that any searchers of such wisdom turn to the Vedas, Buddhist scripture, the New Testament, the Edda...all written by far more advanced people and containing universal knowledge that Castaneda's book, by definition, cannot as it deals mostly with altered states of consciousness through use of local flora...and fauna, in a rather repulsive scene that seems highly unlikely to endeer the practioner to the animal community he is trying to befriend).
   
   As a story it is rather interesting and hard to put down. Don Juan is certainly an interesting character although I suspect that Castaneda does not do him justice as Castaneda seems to me to be of average intelligence only, although blessed with a quest for adventure and knowledge. I use the incredibly useless attempt through the second half of the book as an example to give a "scientific" explanation of Don Juan's theology, for lack of a better term. Anyone with half a brain can skip all of this as it contains information that, if not grasped by the reader in the first section, will certainly not be made more comprehensible to said reader by adding a college-freshman level anthropological analysis.
   
   To sum up, there is no harm in reading this book and since it clearly has changed a number of lives for the better and opened up the minds of many others I would certainly recommend reading it if you are interested. To others with a more serious desire of attaining spiritual wisdom and are intellectually up for a much more demanding quest I think you will find this to be nothing more than a fun story of a Yaqui and his American apprentice (whether real or not). I am glad to have read it.



3. Thanks to conscientious reviewers here speaking out about this book (and its sequels) for what it is: a wholesale literary con job. I post this review in order to lend my voice to others raised in concern about this. If "Teachings of Don Juan" had been offered honestly, as a novel, would it have been reviewed as a good one? I doubt it, but we'll never know. For it captured attention by claiming to be anthropology, nonfiction. The circumstances and events recounted in its pages were supposedly true, and actually happened. Or so we were told by its author and publisher. For readers, THAT was the primary basis of interest in it.
   
   Back in the 1970's I read the first couple Don Juan books in a spirit of trust. I accepted them as presented: ethnography, nonfiction, true or at least honest reports of anthropological field work. Later I learned there was nothing truthful or honest in Castaneda's writing about "Don Juan's teachings" despite the misimpression perpetrated -- deliberately -- by the book's claim to nonfiction status.
   
   I was not pleased to find out my trust had been abused, that as a reader I'd been played like a violin as a reward for my interest. "It's your fault for having been interested, don't blame Castaneda" -- is that the deal? Doesn't life strip us of our innocence quickly enough in its own way, without being aided and abetted by con artists and their handiwork? But looking around at comments here, seems there are other ways of looking at this "sadder but wiser" dilemma -- from all the glowing 5 star reviews and incoherent praise still heaped upon this book by some readers.
   
   Back when "Teachings ..." came out -- and still nowadays, to some extent -- the wilderness of mind had been dramatically revealed, for the first time in the history of our civilization, by personal experiences of many inquiring people with peyote, LSD, etc. Consciousness-expansion opened upon a vast, compelling inner realm, hitherto unfamiliar and unexplored in Western culture (though long familiar in the East, where yoga and various forms of meditation have been intensively practiced for several millennia). With their provocative intensity and vivid intimations of profound meaning, psychedelic experiences impelled many to seek out guidance, food for thought, answers to questions ages-old but newly realized; and difficult to even word clearly, much less discover answers to. This was the atmosphere in which the Don Juan books were presented, and their effectiveness as bait to hook the unwary metaphysical seeker seems pretty clear.
   
   The search for some kind of spiritual, metaphysical or transcendent knowledge, truth or understanding -- sparked in many by direct personal psychedelic experiences -- expresses something acutely real and essential in the human equation. It deserves to be treated with honesty and respect. But obviously, it can also be exploited in a crass, reprehensible manner as a vulnerabilty or weakness by clever manipulators; whether they are the Elmer Gantry type (using old time religion) -- or psychedelic pied pipers surfing the waves of the new age. It's unacceptable, and there can be no excuses, contrary to the unpersuasive, presumptuous attempts at justification offered by many.
   
   Thinly masked beneath a beguiling surface, the Don Juan books express values antithetical to personal growth or self-realization, authenticity, pursuit of truth, and humane regard for ourselves and others. Castaneda's great contribution is a morally toxic perspective that we're all fools, and nothing matters, so there's no point in caring about anyone or anything except one's own self. To heck with whoever or whatever, and yippee for each of us at everybody else's expense. His writings are a Trojan horse, trickery disguised as a gift.
   
   The message is masked with a lot of verbal gobbledy-goop, Rorschach ink-blot nonsense readers are put upon to ascribe meaning to -- about being "impeccable" and "a warrior's predilection" and ... etc. It goes on and on in a dense fog machinery. He even makes up new nonsense meanings for words (like tonal, and nagual) he ripped from anthropo literature (where they actually have definitions referring to realities of Mexican lore and teachings). But boiled down, his gist is we can be predators or prey, that's the choice we have. Honesty, trying to relate, or seeking connection, that's for [...]-- alienation and lies are what makes the world go around. And it's exhilarating, liberating, because it means we don't have to worry about anything, because we're all just gonna die sooner or later so -- whatever. Yippee.
   
   As a con artist who got rich selling this snake oil medicine, Castaneda has become a towering inspiration of the worst kind to others. A new generation has "gotten it" and followed suit, leading to a whole raft of similarly phony exploitative works pretending to be something else less despicable and more worthy or our interest and attention.
   
   For anyone interested, there is DeMille's book "Don Juan Papers." Also, visit sustainedaction dot org -- an excellent website exploring the legacy and fallout of the Castaneda phenomenon. It proves much darker and more disturbing than one might imagine; even if you already know the Don Juan books -- to this day still classified as nonfiction, presented as real life accounts -- were sheer fabrication, cleverly geared to deceive readers.



4. I read Don Juan when he first hit the scene. I found that my 20-something nephew-in-law informed me he was into metaphysical things and so I bought him this intro to Don Juan to see if he could find the same things I found in the book. I hope he has.



5. Every Seeker has at some point experienced an unexplainable moment. These are great opportunities to expand your perceptions to begin to believe in something greater then yourself that cannot be explained by your culture, current beliefs or family. Any of Carlos Castanada's books will give you the opportunity to discover another perspective about what reality really is. For those who call themselves Seekers - looking for the meaning of life - this is a foundational book. This was the first book I read that started me on the path to greater consciousness.
   
   I cried, I laughed and I journeyed deeply into the heart of this incredible mystic; with him into the meaning of and purpose of life. I found many answers to my questions and was very inspired by Carlos Castaneda to continue my search even deeper into the mysteries of the human spirit and mind. I thank him as a student would thank a teacher with deep love and gratitude for his contribution to greater consciousness for us all.
   
   Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation & Prayer (based on the 22 major arcana of the tarot)

5 comments about Don't Check Your Brains at the Door: A Book of Christian Evidences (Know What You Believe and Why).

1. The authors furnished one of the first popular apologetic books aimed at Christian youth. The catchy title tips the reader off to the style and content of this attention-grabbing work. I purchased it for my teens and I also read it. I enjoyed the quick pace and smooth approach that DCYBD employed.
   
   The authors cover:
   - how to ask questions
   - critical thinking
   - defending the truth of the Bible
   - apologetics for the person and work of Christ.
   
   I recommend you purchase it for your teen and pick up one for yourself. It is thoughtful, stimulating, and it won't bore your High School or College age children.
   
   By Mike A Robinson author of: "What is Truth? How Kids Can Prove God Exists" and other Christian books including:
   Letter to an Atheist Nation: Presupositional Apologetics Responds To: Letter to a Christian



2. This book showed me how to think differently when people put me on the spot, because of my faith. Very good book!



3. This is a good basic apologetics primer for its intended audience - teenagers.
   
   It has some very good information about the historical evidences of Jesus and his resurrection. It is also good at exposing several of the myths about Christianity.
   
   This text is certainly very basic in comparison to McDowell's 'Evidence That Demands A Verdict', C.S. Lewis' 'Mere Christianity', or Lee Strobel's books, 'The Case For Christ' and 'The Case For Faith'. I would recommend all of these books for adults or teens looking for more indepth treatment of evidences for the Christian faith. As a starting point for high school or younger kids, this is a pretty good one.



4. I had a good time reading this book, and I think the authors came up with some very convincing arguments. I disagree with them on some things -- for instance, although I'm a born-again Christian I have no problem with evolution. But I don't expect to agree with everything in a book, and there's no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater. (What a horrible image that is!)



5. The purpose of this book is to act as a FAQ concerning religion and how it fits into their life. According to the authors, they do this by bringing to light evidence that proves that the way of Christianity is the true path for a happy life, however the supposed evidence is merely Bible passages. The rest is the author preaching almost archaicly, about the danger of the devil's temptation and the glory of God. It doesn't have the free-thinking and open feel that is necessary for a book targeted towards teenagers. The rest of the language feels dated, as is expected for a book written in 1992, however I doubt it would have impacted teens then either. It isn't funny, it isn't "real", nor will it satiate curious minds about what Christianity really is about. Really, for a book targeted at an audience with questions regarding their faith, it is remarkable that it is so reliant on the reader blindly believing it.

5 comments about Journey To Ixtlan.

1. As per my other reviews for the first two of Carlos Castaneda's books `The teachings of Don Juan' and `A separate reality' the question as to fiction or `something else' still stands. This 3rd book however still holds the same magic as the other first two books and I am eager to read the next book `Tales of Power'.
   
   This present book deals with Don Juan teaching Carlos how to become a hunter and a warrior. The philosophy behind this very fascinating and even if the book is fiction; you can certainly learn something here.
   
   Dreaming & Astral travel: A very nice practice given on page 112 regarding strengthening one's experience. Don Juan tells Carlos to look at ones hands when he becomes conscious in his Dream. He tells him that he can use other objects (4 at most to start with) to look at, this until he loses focus and then should look at another object. Don Juan also gives another practice regarding astral travelling to imagined places. This is a very similar practice that I've seen from Gnostic practices.
   
   I love the teachings of Don Juan regarding Shadows in this book Don Juan tells Carlos to look at the shadows to delve into the spiritual and gain great understanding and insight. Never really looked at this before and am very intrigued as to wether this would really work.
   
   Once again we find Carlos having to deal with his `Worthy adversary' in this book i.e. a witch intent on attacking Carlos. I'm interested to know what happens between these two as I further read Carlos Castaneda's books.
   
   Non-doing & stopping the world: Surely there is profoundness to real spiritual practices and teaching here. What a wonderful way at looking at this. We have all been taught 'to do', from the youngest of years. According to Don Juan, this doing holds the very fabric of our reality together. One must go against this and learn the art of Non-doing. The philosophy is not as straight forward as you may think. This philosophy is truly insightful and must be read to truly be understood and appreciated; too much for me to go into with this review. Just on this point, this is another reason why people must re-read Carlos's books i.e. once is not enough to allow this to sink in. All in all a wonderful book to expand ones potential as to the `non-ordinary reality'.



2. The only way to the other end of reality is through conquering the mind and senses. Techniques given in this book are very good. Where you will go using them depends on your ideal, your understanding of God.



3. I was recommended this book by a few family members. I have had my share of experiences and consider myself a spiritual, if not "mystical" person. I approached reading this book as something of a zen guide like the books I read in my late teens like Dan Millman's "The way of the Peaceful Warrior," among others. I was deeply, deeply disappointed.
   
   Where do I start. Well, let me begin by saying that Castaneda cannot write. The literary content of this book deserves one star, and that's only because it is written in [mostly] complete English sentences. Second, it has no sense of narrative. It is neither driven by a plot or by an overarching concept, unless the vague and amorphous "search for power" amounts to something of a plotline. Third, I was not engaged by Castaneda, and I could care less for his search for power; nor does don Juan provide us with any information regarding the search for power. Merely a series of random and incoherent acts that supposedly help one attune themselves to their inner power. Rather, we're taken along for the ride - poorly - as Castaneda and don Juan take endless hikes in the desert and meander along various hilltops and describe hallucinations of bushes. I'm just not sure what that is supposed to convey to the reader. He doesn't give any tangible or practical advice, and for someone who does not have access to don Juan, the journey seems moot. Don Juan is constantly and annoyingly laughing and "cackling" away at questions posed to him, and condescendingly dismisses questions. He may be an all powerful warrior, but he seems quite simple to someone that only knows him through Castaneda's portrait. The message, whatever it is, was completely lost on me. I found reading it all the way to the end to be my ultimate sacrifice and eventually, the mission that would bring me power. I told myself that if I could finish it, then I am the ultimate warrior...
   
   I tried to take away one positive thing from the book, if only to be able to share it with the family members that recommended it (so I don't completely hurt their feelings). I salvaged this quote: "A warrior on the other hand is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. But once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment." Wow, that's deep.



4. Castaneda's books are garbage designed to make money from gullible hippies, and there are plenty of them still around. Caveat emptor, to say the very least.



5. That might not come from reading this book alone, as it is the third most believable of the series. When I was a student, I like many others I know who will confess to having read a Castaneda book or two when pressed, went through a couple of years of Castanedism, reading the 8 classics 2 - 3 times each, and even the later four, quite different books a couple of times. Being someone who likes to give the benefit of the doubt until conclusive evidence proves otherwise, I must admit to only getting suspicious by this, the third book. The second book, A Separate Reality, picks up on the supernormal happenings, but still these are within the realms of possibility, when one considers Spiritualist literature. By Tales of Power, when at the end Carlos throws himself off a cliff and only survives by becoming pure perception, bouncing elastically back and forth 17 times between the two inherent realms of all creation, the tonal and the nagual, the game was up. In Carlos' terms, my assemblage point had just experienced a considerable shift into the realms of disbelief. The cocoon had burst. I read the remaining books still interested, but with the growing realization that I'd been had. Bizarre ideas not found in any other spiritual traditions, such as the necessity for people on the path of knowledge to kill their children to reclaim the power they'd lost to them, plus fill in the holes in their cocoons the children had caused, made me wary. This was surely not a philosophy the whole world should turn to, or else we'd be living in a fearful, lonely world with every man for himself.
   
   However, this would be fine if the books weren't made out to be non-fiction. While I have seen these books placed with science fiction books in many libraries, in most European bookshops they're still sold with real, non-fiction 'Mind, Body, Spirit' books. The reason I give this book such a low rating is that an intensive study of his works, the books by his various colleagues, plus Richard De Mille's intelligent criticisms, can only lead to the conclusion that Castaneda, the writer, used Don Juan and Carlos, two fantasy characters, to verbalize his own beliefs, which were culled from his own spiritual and academic experience. That there are not some useful nuggets of wisdom, or advice in these books I do not deny. That is their very attraction, plus the belief that it all really happened, and is a new spiritual revelation. But as these are mixed up with increasingly bizarre assertions and beliefs (by the Art of Dreaming it seems all pretence at non-fiction had been given up), it is doubtful whether a lifetime devoted to these practices (as opposed to say, real shamanic practices) would lead to spiritual improvement. If you must have a Castaneda book in your library, rather get The Wheel of Time, a selection of the spiritual highlights of the first eight books, but consider it rather 'The best of the personal philosophy of Carlos Castaneda' than anything to do with Don Juan or Shamanism. This understanding may not have the romantic mix of wild Mexican deserts, ancient wisdom, wise old men and naive westerners which captures the hearts of so many, but it is a lot closer to the truth.
   
   The anonymous ghost-writer at Schuster and Schuster who corrected Peruvian immigrant Castaneda's English for at least all of his earlier works (a sample of his writing from 1969 reveals it was still far from perfect, not like what is in books), giving the books their special character, certainly deserves more credit than he or she gets. But they are not written well enough to succeed as fiction, hence their continued classification as non-fiction, besides the intense academic embarrassment it would cause copyright holders UCLA to have to admit such a dramatic change in classification, from fact to fantasy, after having previously given the author a doctorate for his work! I give this book one star on the basis that any book claiming to represent the truth which is later found to be fraudulent deserves no stars by definition, so I must give the minimum rating allowed. The day this book is reclassified as Fiction, I will up my rating to 3 stars though, as it is a quite entertaining and authentic piece of fiction-posing-as-non-fiction.

5 comments about Be True to Yourself: A Daily Guide for Teenage Girls.

1. This is good book ruined by a terrible seller. If you wish to purchase this item, make sure you go through someone other than Bookling_is_reliable. I ordered books through them and they never showed up. After emails of them saying they would show up, it never happened. Don't throw money down the drain.



2. This book includes short and valuable message for young girls. The easy, flowing style and the short pointed messages attract the attention of our girls, who don't have the patience to read through long articles and complicated messages. I was harsh judging Ms. Ford's new book because I was comparing it to the book that she co-wrote with her mom: "between mother and daughter". However; given Amanda's young age, the content of her messages, and the likable style absolutely redeemed this work in my eyes.



3. I bought this book for a friend of mine daughter especially because she has special needs. What I love about this book is that it connects every issue they go through in such a simple but powerful way. A great way to keep your teens connected to the parents.



4. I would not have purchased this book had I known it was written by a 21-year-old. Having said that, I have two 14-year-old granddaughters who receive NO beneficial information on maturing, sexuality, dating, etc., from their parents. I left this book in their bedroom at my house, and they asked me, "Is that book for us?" I said yes, and they responded, "That's good, because we have been reading it." They seemed to like it, so it is a useful tool for stimulating discussion at the very least.



5. Being a teenager in today's world is difficult, but with this book it makes our lives a bit more bearable. Teenage girls are bombarded with "perfect body" images all over the media, which creates a warped body image, and are pressured to have a boyfriend and receive good grades. Be True To Yourself has a worthy piece of advice for every day of the year. It includes party ideas, advice on school, parents, popularity, and boys, self-esteem boosters, perspective on life, and reassurance that everything will turn out right in the end. Amanda Ford's witty writing went straight to my heart, and at the final page of this book I felt like I knew her personally. This book's helpful hand helped me through many tough times, and I recommend for every teenage girl to read it also.