Monday, February 20, 2012

The 12-Best Dystopian Novels

Great Dystopian Novels - The 12 Best Dystopian Novels
Great Dystopian Novels - The 12 Best Dystopian Novels



Literature has been a defining part of culture since the beginning of language. The dangers of modern times have led to the writing of dystopian novels, novels which warn of an unhappy future. Many people think of Dystopian novels as purely science fiction-while science fiction is a natural fit for a dystopian story, not all dystopian books are considered science fiction. Without further delay, here are the 12 best dystopian novels.


#12 Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)
This novel isn't the 12th best on the list (it would be rated much higher in my opinion) but it's at number twelve because of the on going argument whether this is truly a dystopian novel or not. The definition of dystopia isn't necessarily clear, though the general definition is that it is a society in which misery and negative conditions prevail (or a seeming utopia gained at horrifying costs.)
As far as a dysfunctional society, the island with its stranded little boys is it, and once the conch shell is no longer seen as authority, everything breaks apart. If anyone wants to argue that an anarchy could work, this book would be an immediate argument against it. This is an incredible psychological work, and I'd say their society is definitely dysfunctional enough to count as a dystopia.


#11 The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)
This story comes from the first person Offred. Offred is a maid in a time when fertile women are forced to be breeding machines to keep the human population going. This takes place because the world is a post-nuclear world where many women can't have children. This is a very theocratic society, and this book tends to be very pro-feminist and anti-religious, which causes it to often be protested. This is a great dystopian tale that is frightening because the logic of how the society became the way it is happens to be very believable.


#10 Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984)
Most of William Gibson's novels revolve around a dystopian future society, but Neuromancer may be the best of them all. This novel won the sci-fi "triple crown" for writers by winning the Nebula, Hugo, and Philip K. Dick awards. In the seedy underground of a Japanese city, a computer hacker is hired to work on the ultimate hack. In a world flushed with AI, virtual reality, genetic engineering, and corporations overpowering nations, the adventure follows. Gibson beat many modern sci-fi writers to the punch, and this dystopian novel is one of the most influential in modern times.


#9 Iron Heel by Jack London (1908)
Iron Heel is an excellent dystopian novel about the rise of a tyrannical corporate oligarchy in the United States. This book doesn't pay attention to technology the way most future dystopian science fiction novels do now. This work stressed changes in society and politics, with the oligarchy formed by robber barons whom bankrupt all the middle class and seize power before enforcing a "caste system" of workers. This was a fantastic dystopian novel that was far ahead of its time.


#8 The Running Man by Richard Bachman (1982)
Written by Stephen King under the penname of Richard Bachman, "The Running Man" is a fantastic dystopian novel about a frightening future where ratings and entertainment takes form in a man hunt, and where even the "winners" are losers. This novel is far superior to the movie, and in my opinion is one of the best novels written by Stephen King. "The Long Walk" is also an honorable mention.


#7 Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks (2006)
I've probably read over 200 books the last two years, and among many good novels, "Armageddon's Children" has been one of my favorites. This is one of the best novels written by Terry Brooks, and takes place in a post apocalyptic world around 2100, following (among others) a lone remaining knight trying desperately to fight off the demon onslaught and a group of street gang kids who roam the remains of Seattle trying to survive. The fantasy world of Shannara was supposedly spawned from the post apocalyptic wastes of Earth, and this series bridges the gap between the two.


#6 The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)
This dystopian novel is another example of a post-nuclear world. This time the dystopia comes from a "need" for purity. As humans are being born with increasing levels of mutations and deformities, the state decides to execute anyone who isn't "perfect," meaning even one extra toe can be a death sentence. This attempt at forcing perfection in a post apocalyptic world is disturbing and effective, and has spawned many imitators.


#5 The Children of Men by PD James (1992)
Most people will know about the film with Richard Gere and Julianne Moore. The movie was very good, but is far different from the book. In this world, for reasons unknown, all men's sperm count plummeted to zero, and without reason or explanation, mankind now faces its own extinction. The fear mongering during this time has allowed governments extraordinary powers to keep the peace, and when a woman becomes pregnant, the implications are enormous.


#4 The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)
"The Time Machine" is one of the best science fiction novels to ever be written. This novel is the story of "The Time Traveler" who builds a machine that allows him to travel to the far distant future. While this might not seem dystopian at first glance, but a seemingly gentle and happy society is plagued by predators who harvest people for food...if that doesn't qualify as a crappy dystopian society, I don't know what does. The hero tells his story to a man of his time, grabs weapons, and goes back into the future never to return. This novel is where the term "time machine" even came from.


#3 1984 by George Orwell (1949)
This isn't the best written novel, but it is one of the big three of the dystopian science fiction novels. This could very well be the most recognizable of the big three, as "1984" is synonymous with tyrannical governments, fascism, and dystopian science fiction. Even the phrases "1984" and "Big Brother" are now part of the common culture. Orwell's detailed novel shows how a government can manipulate the people by manipulating the truth and manipulating the news. This book is the source for arguing against a far right government getting unfettered power.


#2 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
Guy Montag begins this classic novel as a fireman: meaning he is a man society calls on to burn all books, which are outlawed. Unlike "1984" or "Brave New World," "451" doesn't speak politically against the left or the right politically, but speaks against the dumbing down of society, specifically on how Hollywood pop culture slush and TV entertainment can create an entire nation of people who are not only incapable of fighting for their rights, but who don't even realize the importance of doing so. This is a brilliant novel that shows Guy going from soldier of the state to an independent free thinker who must go on the run to survive.


#1 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)
While this dystopian masterpiece and "Fahrenheit 451" could be interchangeable as the top two, "Brave New World" gets the nod because the writing itself is the best. This novel is incredible, showing a society where left leaning thinking and self hedonism is taken so far to the extreme that one person's utopia turns out to be an appalling place where the irony of a peaceful existence has caused society to lose all concept of art, honor, religious beliefs, or anything that often defines culture. The "utopia" has people who have no sympathy, no empathy, and this vision of a future is as chilling as any other on this list.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about dystopian fiction, please feel free to visit my website at http://www.squidoo.com/best-dystopian-novels
Shane Dayton - Author

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

5 Best Motivational Books

The 5 Best Motivational Books That Will Change Your Life 

by Michael Lee

I love reading books that inspire us to become more than who we are; and so far, I have come across some of the best motivational books you wouldn’t want to miss. These are some of my reviews of the most inspirational books out there.

The Best Motivational Book: The Secret

On the top of my list is The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. It is basically the book version of the world-renowned film of the same title, and it's a wonderful accompaniment to life.

What could be more motivating than a book that teaches you how to achieve everything that you’ve ever wanted to accomplish - whatever that may be - using the law of attraction? This is a book that says nothing is impossible and more importantly, makes you believe it.

The Second Best Motivational Book: The Alchemist

The most inspirational books aren’t always self-help in nature. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is a must on every person’s shelf.

The story is of a young shepherd boy named Santiago who goes on an exciting adventure to reach his dreams. The book is riddled with philosophies and talks about the importance of understanding your personal legend.

The Third Best Motivational Book: The Happiness Project

This book’s real title is The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Written by Gretchen Rubin, this is possibly one of the easiest and fun reads in the list.

While it is indeed one of the most inspiring books I’ve come across recently, it is never preachy as some books often become. Reading Rubin’s work is like reading the adventures of a good friend - funny, down-to-earth and downright inspiring.

The Fourth Best Motivational Book: Winning

One of the greatest books when it comes to management is Jack Welch’s Winning. Hype can sometimes make a book seem more successful than it really is, but Winning (co-written by wife Suzy Welch) is truly deserving of all its accolades.

In this book, the inspirational CEO talks about making the work environment more positive and how to be the best person you can be at work, among others. Packed with a lot of lessons in management, this book is worth every cent you pay.

The Fifth Best Motivational Book: Your Best Life Now

And finally, let me present to you Your Best Life Now. Joel Osteen is a pastor, but even if you’re not Christian, his book is a wonderful source of good advice and motivational tips. His book is simple and would be a wonderful companion to just about anybody.

When it comes to the best motivational books, everyone has an opinion. These are the books that made it to my list and I’m sure that you have your own set, too. I hope that these can help you live a better life.

To help you achieve your dreams in record time, I'd like to give you instant access to more than 100 of the best free self-improvement ebooks that could greatly change your life! Download them free at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm

Source: The 5 Best Motivational Books That Will Change Your Life

Monday, December 19, 2011

Ten Greatest Public Relations And Marketing Books

10 Must-Read Public Relations And Marketing Books By Ronn Torossian

10 Must-Read Public Relations And Marketing Books 

By Ronn Torossian



Owning 1 of the 25 largest US PR Firms, I am regularly asked about the best Public Relations books and as such, in no particular order wanted to offer my thoughts of the Top 10 PR books, and marketing books. This list is quite subjective, and one which is meant as a guidepost for those wanting to become the best in the industry – hence rather than reading books strictly about PR, related books are on the PR must read list.

In no particular order:

* “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie: This book has been called the Public Relations bible – Having sold over 15 million copies since 1st being published in 1937 as Carnegie states in the book “success is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." It’s a classic and a great one.

* “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell: An enjoyable, great read which tells us how "Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do.” Understanding the power of audiences and to whom, and how to communicate is a core necessary value for all in PR & marketing.

* “Crystallizing Public Opinion” by Edward L. Bernays: The first book by the man considered to be the father of public relations, Bernays combined crowd psychology with the psychoanalytical ideas of his uncle, Sigmund Freud, to become the first thinker to explain how PR could thrive by managing public opinion. Amazing how true that even today his book rings true, including the statement: "Perhaps the most significant social, political, and industrial fact about the present century is the increased attention which is paid to public opinion."

* “Thank You for Smoking” by Christopher Buckley: While the movie wasn’t great, the novel most certainly is. The book features a Big Tobacco representative who does a great job of defending not only tobacco companies but also those who partake in the dangerous habit of using their products. Good read.

* “Confessions of an Advertising Man” by advertising legend David Ogilvy – There are similarities between advertising and PR and understanding marketing and advertising from 1 of the greatest advertisers ever is necessary reading for all in PR. It’s a well written clean book which breaks out his concepts tactics, and techniques and are a must-read for anyone in business – and particularly marketing and PR.

* ”It's Not the Big That Eat the Small...It's the Fast That Eat the Slow: How to Use Speed as a Competitive Tool in Business” by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton. Media moves very fast, and as a 2011 survey indicated, being a Public Relations pro is the 2nd most stressful job in America. Moving fast is core to the PR business and necessary to thrive.

* “Reputation Rules: Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset” by Daniel Diermeier: This professor from the Kellogg School of Management tells us how “In our lightning-fast digital age, a company can face humiliation and possibly even ruin within seconds of a negative tweet or blog post.” Fascinating examination of understanding the importance of reputation.

* “Spin: How to Turn the Power of the Press to Your Advantage” by Michael S. Sitrick – Written by the founder of a major crisis PR firm, the book is an insider’s guide into the world of crisis communications. It’s a crisis PR handbook.

* “Game change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the race of a lifetime” by John Heilemann, Mark Halperin: "This shit would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."—Barack Obama, September 2008. A fascinating insiders take pulling back the curtain – and media insight on the fascinating presidential campaign which saw Obama’s rise to be the most powerful man in the world.

* “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations” by Ronn Torossian: Naturally, my PR book is a must read – it’s also the 1st book by the owner of a top 25 PR Agency. The book details how valuable public relations is - how public relations can define brands; help companies and individuals court the press or avoid it; grow business; resolve crises quickly; improve search results on Google and so many other things. Effective PR makes such a difference – and I have many case studies and great stories to illustrate it.

Buy this book at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-immediate-release-ronn-torossian/1102047620

So, there you have it – 10 must read Public Relations books. Now you have the required PR reading list.

Ronn Torossian is the Founder, President and CEO of New York-based 5W Public Relations, 1 of the 25 largest PR firms in the US. Ronn Torossian has overseen the rapid growth and expansion of the PR agency to the Inc. 500 list, as well as provided counsel to hundreds of companies, including members of the Fortune 500, Inc. 500 and Forbes 400.

A Touch of Greatness- The Greatest Self Help Book

A Touch of Greatness- The Greatest Self Help Book Ever Written



Author: A. Majid

In 1981, a little book called A Touch of Greatness was published. Not many know of this book and even fewer have heard of its author, Frank Tibolt. We heard about The Secret, we are attracted to The Law of Attraction, we are interested in Getting Things Done and we have read Think and Grow Rich and Pyscho-Cbynetics but this book tops them all.

Frank Tibolt born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania in 1897. He moved to Philadelphia after finishing his college and managed several business which includes the famous Lintons chain of family restaurant. It was during this time that he developed his passion for studying the method used by successful people. This passion was also behind his decision to create self-help courses.

Frank Tibolt wrote A Touch of Greatness at the ripe old age of 84 and he continued teaching, motivating and helping others until his death in 1989 at the age of 92.

A Touch of Greatness is the fruit of Franks work. It is a 12 chapter book which contains some of the most wise sayings you will ever read. In this book you will discover a simple technique used by one of Americas famous industrialist to achieve success. He paid what will amount about half a million dollars in todays currency for that knowledge. This lesson, which is in the first chapter of the book, can help you multiply your profits.

In lesson 9 of the book contains what is termed as the Conversation Alphabet. It contains many examples of how you can use this Alphabet and never be tongue-tied again. In chapter 10, How To Think Effectively and Make Correct Decisions, there is lesson where a technique called The Mind Stimulator is introduced. It will help you to be creative and innovative. It will help you to clear all those mental traffic jams that you have carrying with you.

A Touch of Greatness will teach you what the rich and successful know and do. It clarifies those laws that have brought them fame and fortune.Apart from revealing NATURE\'S GREATEST LAW, A Touch of Greatness will show you how to acquire and use the two most contributing factors to unlimited wealth and success. It also contains over 600 of the Worlds most inspiring tips and wise sayings.

I bought this book back in 1993 and over the years I have read and re-read the book more than a dozen times. Every time I read it I gain something new. I feel revitalized and motivated. It has helped me to be more organized in my work and to be clear headed at all times.

A Touch of Greatness is written in simple and easy to understand language. It is direct and does not hide behind fancy techniques. It doesnt suggest short-cuts. It is a powerful book and applying its lessons will bring about positive changes in your life. You will easily generate ideas, make yourself rich, start conversation with anyone, anywhere.

A Touch of Greatness is a gem and I suggest you take time to read it.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/a-touch-of-greatness-the-greatest-self-help-book-ever-written-4991084.htm

About the Author
Don't deny yourself the opportunity to read the greatest self help book ever written. Get your copy here

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Five Best Motivational Books

The 5 Best Motivational Books

That Will Change Your Life

Author: Michael Lee

I love reading books that inspire us to become more than who we are; and so far, I have come across some of the best motivational books you wouldn't want to miss. These are some of my reviews of the most inspirational books out there.

The Best Motivational Book: The Secret

On the top of my list is The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. It is basically the book version of the world-renowned film of the same title, and it\'s a wonderful accompaniment to life.

What could be more motivating than a book that teaches you how to achieve everything that you've ever wanted to accomplish - whatever that may be - using the law of attraction? This is a book that says nothing is impossible and more importantly, makes you believe it.

The Second Best Motivational Book: The Alchemist

The most inspirational books aren't always self-help in nature. Paulo Coelho\'s The Alchemist is a must on every person\'s shelf.

The story is of a young shepherd boy named Santiago who goes on an exciting adventure to reach his dreams. The book is riddled with philosophies and talks about the importance of understanding your personal legend.

The Third Best Motivational Book: The Happiness Project

This book's real title is The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Written by Gretchen Rubin, this is possibly one of the easiest and fun reads in the list.

While it is indeed one of the most inspiring books I've come across recently, it is never preachy as some books often become. Reading Rubin's work is like reading the adventures of a good friend - funny, down-to-earth and downright inspiring.

The Fourth Best Motivational Book: Winning

One of the greatest books when it comes to management is Jack Welch's Winning. Hype can sometimes make a book seem more successful than it really is, but Winning (co-written by wife Suzy Welch) is truly deserving of all its accolades.

In this book, the inspirational CEO talks about making the work environment more positive and how to be the best person you can be at work, among others. Packed with a lot of lessons in management, this book is worth every cent you pay.

The Fifth Best Motivational Book: Your Best Life Now

And finally, let me present to you Your Best Life Now. Joel Osteen is a pastor, but even if you\'re not Christian, his book is a wonderful source of good advice and motivational tips. His book is simple and would be a wonderful companion to just about anybody.

When it comes to the best motivational books, everyone has an opinion. These are the books that made it to my list and I'm sure that you have your own set, too. I hope that these can help you live a better life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/the-5-best-motivational-books-that-will-change-your-life-5137887.html


About the Author
To help you achieve your dreams in record time, I\'d like to give you instant access to more than 100 of the best free self-improvement ebooks that could greatly change your life! Download them free at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Three Great Books on Virtual Server Hosting

Three Great Books on Virtual Server Hosting

Three Great Books on Virtual Server Hosting


Virtual server hosting or cloud computing could be the latest phenomenon to have broken through within the IT world. Even though this may appear like an alien concept to the people who are not technically minded, virtualisation to be a concept, first surfaced inside the 1960s when computation scientist John McCarthy preached around the 'public utility'. Truly, we're no more while in the concept stage. Today, it is the conversation starter in every business.

Virtual hosting is among the most new way to compute and may be described as a pool of shared servers which often can deliver individual IT infrastructures for most different users. Virtualisation conserve money making a difference to your environment by eradicating the challenge of underutilisation of physical servers, so learning the realm of cloud computing needs to be a high priority for businesses coming from all sizes.

If you wish to explore virtual server hosting, there are several specialist publications on the market to help you get to grips along with it.

Here i will discuss a trio of books that might allow you to:

1. Cloud Computing for "Dummies" (2009) 
This book is quite obvious to see, so that it is suitable for readers of all levels. Even if you're not just a technology whizz, you are going to still discover the information provided on this printed guide quite simple to digest. Published by a team of experts, this is the very up-to-date summary of just what the recent technological revolution is about.

2. The Big Switch: Rewiring the World from Edison to Google
This publication is written that has a speculative approach, considering our computer revolution and discussing the possible advantages and disadvantages that any of us could face in the foreseeable future. Correlating today's IT developments with all the electric grid, The fundamental Switch takes us into days gone by and provides us a possible forecast of the future.

3. Executive's Help guide Cloud Computing 
Manufactured for absolute practicality, this book can advise business leaders of the best ways to advance forward inside of a world where clouds lead how. This is a non-technical guide that explains how organisations can conserve money while achieving significant growth.

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Monday, November 28, 2011

20 Greatest Self Development Books

The 20 Greatest Self Development Books
Ever Written


As a Life Coach I have read a LOT of self development books, probably in excess of 500 over the last couple of decades and I regularly get asked what are my favorites of of all time are. I usually shirk the answer because it is so subjective, but today I thought I'd take a stab at listing what I think are the best 20 ever written.

The following books are the ones that have stand the test of time for me, and me alone. What I mean by that is that I am fully aware that books like The 7 Habits, Flow and Think And Grow Rich were/are classics, and indeed, I enjoyed all of them.

However, I happen to think that there are now better, more accessible books out there, and as such none of the above make my list. Although, it has to be said, they would have done if I was writing a list of the 20 most influential self development books ever written. As would, almost certainly, The Power Of Now, How To Make Friends and Influence People, As A Man Thinketh and Get Things Done.

I'm also including books that you may not necessarily find in the self development isle of your local book store. I believe books on social and behavioral psychology that help us understand how, and why, we make decisions, can be just as useful for self development purposes as more traditional 'how to' kind of publications.

20. The Element - Sir Ken Robinson
I'm not sure if this book will stand the test of time because although it's about creativity, it's also about the education system as it stands now. Education sucks in this country (and the rest of the world I may add) and we need a fundamental overhaul from top to bottom and Sir Ken Robinson gets this.
Make no mistake though, The Element is not a rant, although Robinson could have been forgiven for allowing it to become one.
It is however, a fascinating insight into creativity and there are some great stories of people through sheer determination, refusing to allow their dreams and creative edge to be buried. If you are in any doubt at the whether this book is for you, go and watch Sir Ken deliver his brilliant speeches at Ted.com

19. Embracing Fear - Thom Rutledge
I love Thom Rutledge because he is a real person. He's a brilliant therapist that admits he had a huge alcohol problem and that his life isn't perfect or even close to being perfect. He's funny, intelligent and very, very good at what he does.
Embracing Fear is a thoughtful and amusing book with more of its fair share of A-ha! moments. If fear is a problem in your life then this is good a starting point as any and in my humble opinion is blows away the more celebrated "Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway"

18. The Motivated Mind - Raj Persaud
I bought this book a few years ago back in England and never finished it. However, I pulled it out a few months ago to find something I thought I had read in it and was amazed at how much great stuff I had missed out on.
Persaud has since been found guilty of plagiarism after he lifted a colleagues work in a medical paper he published, and that almost caused me leave it off the list. But that would be an injustice because it's an excellent insight into the human mind that deserves to be read no matter who wrote it.
It drifts between psychology, coaching and common sense and (he even takes time to slam Life Coaching!) and he's not the funniest dude on the planet, nor even in his own household I would imagine, but it's still a great book if you can track a copy down.

17. Don't Sweat The Small Stuff (And It's All Small Stuff) - Richard Carlson
This book sat in my bathroom for what seemed like years. It did for me over that time period what my iPhone with its Scrabble app does for me now, if you know what I mean.
DSTSM contains 100 short chapters of timeless wisdom. It's the kind of book that you can open, read a chapter and immediately be able to apply it to your life.
It's probably not earth-shattering and it may not necessarily help people to change permanently, unless they allow it to. However, it may well prompt them to pause and take stock which has to be the starting point for conscious change.

16. The Brain That Changes Itself - Norman Doidge
A fascinating and excellent book for sure and one that really opened my eyes to the potential of the human brain and what we can do at an individual level to maintain our own cognitive abilities.
The part that jumped out as me was the research that suggests there seems to be no real reason (drug and alcohol abuse notwithstanding) for the brain to deteriorate like it does in most people. And the predominant cause is through the lack of the right kind of stimulation, and not because of how old somebody is.
This book will be great if you ever bristle at people that claim others cannot change and use phrases like, "A leopard never changes its spots". This book gives you the scientific proof as to why that is, and I use a technical term now so Google it if you're not sure what I mean, total bollocks.

15. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - Robin Sharma
In a nutshell, a rather unhappy, unfulfilled but in terms of work, highly successful, attorney, has a heart attack. He starts to question the reasons behind his relentless pursuit of money and winning court cases at all costs. When he doesn't discover the answers he heads off to find himself an Indian guru or two hoping they can explain the meaning of life to him.
As you may have guessed, he does indeed find his purpose for existence as well as peace of mind and a nice saffron robe too.
When I first read this book I was quite indignant, because although Sharma uses other peoples quotes and ideas he attributes none of them. I kept thinking "Such and such said that" and that was "Such and such's idea"
I was being churlish and anal using that as a criticism because it's total jealousy because I didn't think of such a brilliant idea.
If you want a fast track to some of the best self development material (without ever knowing where it came from), this is the book for you. Whisper is quietly, you may even find mention of 30 day challenges years before another well known self-development guru supposedly invented them.

14. Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely
Most people presume they are a rational person making decisions in life based on cold hard facts. The reality is, everybody is irrational and we all make decisions often in spite of contradictory facts and evidence.
As a sales person I have intuitively known people are irrational for years, but I never realized that irrationality was so predictable and so exploited by advertisers and marketers.
'Predictably Irrational' explains why we procrastinate, why we like to leave our options open, often to our own detriment, the power of free, why people are dishonesty and the real cost to Society, the power of beliefs and the difference between social and market norms.
Some of the stories I have read or heard about before, but as a Professor of Behavioral Economics at MIT, there is a lot of his own work included that was new to me. The way he weaves it all together makes this a highly enjoyable and incredibly enlightening read.
If you want to know more about what makes you and others tick and be even more aware of how the less scrupulous sometimes use that knowledge to sell to you, then this is the book for you.

13. The Success Principles - Jack Canfield
I'm not even sure what I really think about Jack Canfield because he can sometimes appear smarmy and insincere and will be forever linked to the The Secret, which I didn't really care for.
However, my suspicion, for what it's worth is that Canfield is a genuine guy, but whether he is or whether he isn't, The Success Principles is an excellent read. In fact, it probably provided me with the biggest A-ha! moment in my life when Canfield told the old adage;
"If one man tells you you're a horse, he's insane.
If three men tell you you're a horse, there's a conspiracy.
And if ten men tell you you're horse, you need to get a saddle."
Reading that made me realized that I needed a saddle and that all the people telling me I was a negative person weren't delusional, I was.
One of the greatest collection of uplifting, inspirational and can-do stories mixed in with Canfields common sense wisdom make this a modern day classic, at least in my mind.

12. Awaken The Giant Within - Tony Robbins
Robbins is the easiest figure in the personal development field to poke fun at. After all, he's about 13 feet tall, is outrageously intense, appears to be Benjamin Button and has the shiniest teeth in Christendom. Yes, even shinier than Jack Canfields!
He also took NLP techniques largely developed by Bandler and Grinder, repackaged them, re-named them in some cases and then delivered them to the masses. To be fair, and to the best of my knowledge, he ever explicitly claimed credit and I'm not even sure he meant to mislead anybody, he just delivered some great information
Awaken The Giant Within introduces some very powerful NLP ideas that are relatively easy to employ and can be life changing, and the story about how Mr Honda started Honda Automobiles is worth getting the book for alone.
It's a long book though at well over 500 pages so if you like quick reads it wont be for you.

11. Learned Optimism - Martin Seligman
I recently re-read this a few years after I first heard it as an audio program and I got even more out of it the second time round.
It's important to understand the difference between optimistic thinking and positive thinking because they are not the same thing. The jury is out scientifically speaking, as to whether affirmations and positive thinking are always helpful. In fact, many people think they can actually be unhelpful in certain circumstances.
If you're being chased by a very hungry bear and you have 2lbs of live salmon wriggling around down your underwear, thinking affirmations and telling yourself not to worry because everything will be ok, probably wont help (not you or the salmon anyway, the bear will be fine with it).
Being optimistic that you have the power to change things however, would encourage you to look for solutions and in no time at all you'll have either tossed out the fish or eaten them and died from mercury poisoning
It is serious science that Seligman presents and leaning on cognitive behavioral therapy research to explain how we can make changes.
The remarkable conclusions about the benefits of thinking optimistically are readily accepted wisdom now and include, better health, better prospects for success at work and a longer life span. Not bad huh?

10. The Power of Full Engagement - Jim Loehr and Tony Shwartz
This book really does deserve all the praise it receives. It's the first book ever written (that I know of anyway) that transfers techniques developed by the authors to help athletes perform at a top-class level, to the world of business.
Loehr and Swartz suggest that you're only as strong as your weakest link and as such you need to get all aspects of your life right i.e. spiritual, mental, emotional and physical if you want to excel.
They talk about the need for proper nutrition, exercise and disengagement from work that includes family and social time. In short they take an holistic approach they know works with world-class athletes and reason it will be helpful to anybody. I happen to agree for what it's worth.

9. Prometheus Rising - Robert Anton Wilson
There is an NLP Presupposition that says 'The Map is not the Territory' This book could have been quite easily and accurately, called that.
Wilson was a maverick and a quite brilliant thinker, of that there is no doubt. PR gets a bit weird in places and his humor is somewhat off the wall, but there is a very important message pertaining to what we believe reality is, and probably more importantly, what we think it isn't.
The paradox with this book is close-minded my way or the highway types are the people that would get most out of it, but they are the least likely to read it. Or if they do read it they'll just dismiss Wilson as some pot smoking, liberal intellectual, which is of course is exactly what he was.

8. I Know What To Do, So Why Don't I Do It? - Nick Hall
Probably the best self development book you've never heard of and it has been criminally under-marketed. If you want to know how your belief system operates, how to tell in under 5 seconds whether you are in a creative mindset or not, how to set goals that will stick, how anchors or conditioned responses work and how to deal with stress, then this is the book for you.

7. Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Gilbert takes a look at how the brain works for us and sometimes against us. The twist is that he presents the information in such a manner that even I understood what he was talking about. Not only that, but he had me laughing out loud on several occasions and smiling almost throughout.
The book has a downside though. It will make you realize that you really aren't that unique. Heavens to Betsy, what am I saying, not unique? Well of course you're unique, but you don't really think that uniquely. You think you do, so that's the bit that might niggle you when you finally have to accept that your brain does a great job of fooling you for much of the time.
You'll learn why it's almost impossible to predict how you'll feel about things in the future, hence the reasons why we make so many bad choices. Why money has almost zero effect on your happiness levels and why it's literally impossible to know how happy somebody else is, even if they tell you!

6. Living As A River - Bodhipaksa
This is quite simply the best book on spirituality I have ever read and one I intend to revisit again in 2011. As I told my own blog readers, I found it almost impossible to review and it often left me feeling uncomfortable and frustrated. That may sound like bad thing but nothing could be further from the truth because those states often arise when we are being dragged out of our comfort zone and Living As A River certainly did that. Definitely for you if you like to stretch your thinking and ponder the bigger questions about life and existence. Note: This book is 100% dogma free so if you subscribe to one particular religion and like it that way, Living As A River will not threaten that and it certainly won't try and ram Buddhism down your throat.

5. Overachievement - John Elliot
I actually have this book as an audio program called The Maverick Mindset and if you can afford it I would say buy that rather than the book because it's outstanding!
There are so many great stories from his time as a Sport Psychologist at Rice University and whilst growing up with a father who worked with the US Olympic Ski team, that it's been a constant mine of information to me.
It is heavily sports slanted so if you hate sports, it may not be for you. But it will show you that you can think differently if you really want to and I have never had anybody that bought it tell me anything other than they loved it.

4. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
Some people miss the fact that this book can really help with personal development. It's the best book I have ever read on rapid cognition. Come to think of it, it's possibly the only book I have ever read devoted solely to rapid cognition.
If you want to understand the power of your unconscious mind and why you should trust it more often, Blink is your answer A few people panned it on release saying it encourages people to be lazy with how they think and not bother to analyze stuff.
I want to say they're idiots that have missed the whole premise of the book, but no Life Coach would ever say such a thing and they are entitled to their opinion.

3. How We Decide - Jonah Lehrer
'How We Decide' not only explains what is going on inside the brain as we make decisions and why we are sometimes so poor, but it does so in a manner that is accessible and interesting to most people. You won't get lost in academic jargon because what there is, is explained clearly and concisely.
Lehrer brilliantly uses real life examples of famous 'blow ups' and successes to explain what was actually happening inside the mind of the person at that time. Occasionally his facts are a bit off, saying Jean Van De Velde lost the British Open on the eighteenth hole, when in reality his total collapse meant a play-off he then lost, but that is a minor quibble.
'How We Decide' will help you understand your thought processes better, realize when to let your unconscious make decisions and when it's best to use your conscious rational mind. It even explains why so many people get caught up in credit card debt and others are prone to become addicts. Great stuff!

2. Your Brain At Work - David Rock
Quite simply it's the best book I have ever read on how the brain works. I don't mean in a dry academic way either, this is aimed squarely at the layperson looking to improve his or her performance in any area of life, but especially the work place.
The book is written in a very quirky and entertaining way.
There are two main characters (a married couple) that undergo numerous situations that put their brain under pressure. Rock firstly runs through the situations as most people would tend to try and manage it.
Then Rock explains what was wrong with their approach and what they could have done to have been more effective, and just as importantly, why they would have had more success.
Then he retells the story with the character acting in a more empowering manner with the new found information.
I learned so much from this book like we have 1/3rd of a second to intercept negative thoughts before we act on them. That it is now accepted the human mind can not hold 7 things is conscious awareness at once, as previously believed, but only 4.
I also learned what happens in the brain just before we get a major insight or new discovery and how we can make them more likely to happen. And why we often procrastinate and the reasons men more likely to do so than women.

1. Man's Search For Meaning - Viktor Frankl
Viktor Frankl spent four years in four different German run concentration camps during World War 2. His observations during that time led to his ground breaking development of the psychology field of logotherapy.
Logotherapy is almost anti-Freudian in its belief that human beings aren't wired up to seek pleasure, but to seek a meaning in life. Those that survived the horrors of places like Auschwitz for any length of time, more often than not had a strong purpose for existence. It is that, which Frankl believed drove them on and gave them hope, ultimately helping them to survive.
At times the book is both harrowing and depressing, but if you can look past the atrocities and the degradation of mankind, you'll find an uplifting book with some very dark humor.
The thing that makes this the greatest book of all time when it comes to self development, is that not only has everything Frankl observed since been supported by scientific research, but even more importantly in my opinion, it offers hope to every human being on the planet.

That no matter how desperate their circumstances they can prevail.

Tim Brownson is an Professional Certified Life Coach. and author from the UK now living in Florida. He is currently in the process of raising $1,000,000 to giveaway to good causes 1,000,000 copies of a book he has co-authored called How To Be Rich and Happy.

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