Timequake

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Think of Timequake, Kurt Vonnegut's 19th and last novel (or so he says), as a victory lap. It's a confident final trot 'round the track by one of the greats of postwar American literature. After 40 years of practice, Vonnegut's got his schtick down cold, and it's a pleasure--if a slightly tame one--to watch him go through his paces one more time.

Timequake's a mongrel; it is half novel, half memoir, the project of a decade's worth of writer's block, a book "that didn't want to be written." The premise is standard-issue Vonnegut: "...a timequake, a sudden glitch in the space-time continuum, made everybody and everything do exactly what they'd done during past decades, for good or ill, a second time..." Simultaneously, the author's favorite tricks are on display--frequent visits with the shopworn science fiction writer Kilgore Trout, a Hitchcockian appearance by the author at the book's end, and frequent authorial opining on love, war, and society.

Book Description

There's been a timequake. And everyone--even you--must live the decade between February 17, 1991 and February 17, 2001 over again. The trick is that we all have to do exactly the same things as we did the first time--minute by minute, hour by hour, year by year, betting on the wrong horse again, marrying the wrong person again. Why? You'll have to ask the old science fiction writer, Kilgore Trout. This was all his idea.

Customer Reviews:

Cosmic Author Rip-Off.......2007-09-28

Readers may be interested to learn that in chapter 63 of "Timequake" a speech given to the character Kilgore Trout (Vonnegut's parody version of Theodore Sturgeon) was clearly borrowed from Chapter 29 of Sturgeon's 1958 novella "To Marry Medusa" - a meditation on how the human eye and mind can travel from star to star faster than light.

Did I Miss Something? No, This Book is Just Awesome.......2007-08-19

This was only the second book by Vonnegut I have read. I bought this and Slaughterhouse 5 the day he died. Thinking, oh man that sucks he died, I never read anything by him. So maybe I did a dis-service to myself, reading one of his last works first.

About halfway through the book, I began to think maybe this book was "too smart" for me. Why was the author breaking the 4th wall like he was doing demolition work on an office building? Maybe there's something here I am not getting.

I think I was wrong. I think this book was Vonnegut's last chance to put into writing many of his own private musings, anecdotes, old jokes, family history, biographical info, not to mention his own private thoughts on a multitude of topics.

It was a great read and a wonderful insight into what seems to be a great man, a credit to writers everywhere and one hell of an American author!

Shaken, Not Stirred.......2007-07-17

Don't be fooled by the "plot" descriptions of a "timequake" making everyone have to do the same things over again from the last ten years. That makes up possibly 1% of the this novel. Another 50% is dedicated to Vonnegut's memoirs with the balance being dedicated to the life and stories of the fictional Kilgore Trout.

What this book ends up being is one of those rambling yarns Abe Simpson might spin that starts, "Back in my day..." There's no cohesive narrative in the slightest and you know what, that's OK by me. I've never read any Vonnegut except a short story back in high school (I hated that story, BTW) so maybe this wasn't the place to start, or maybe it was a great place to get a little background--if you believe anything Vonnegut tells you. After reading I'm a little dubious about what is fact and what is fiction, but now I'm rambling.

The simple truth is that Vonnegut's writing is so smooth and so funny that the lack of cohesive narrative or characters or any of that jazz one excepts from a book in the "Fiction" section isn't all that disconcerting. There are some great insights into life, history, science, and writing that are worth reading even if they aren't "true" as in actually having happened they're true in spirit and that's what's important. More to the point, this book is so short that I breezed through it in about 5 hours.

So if you're going on a trip, why not take along something that will make you think instead of another crime story or romance novel or Hollywood gossip rag? You'll be better off for it.

On a side note, it was eerie reading this a few months after the author passed away. (I trust I don't need to include a spoiler warning for that.) Vonnegut makes several references to his death--and those of various relatives and acquaintances. Most disturbing was he predicted he would still be alive in 2010. He ended up a little short from that mark, but in the meantime he accomplished far more than most of us.

That is all.

what if.......2007-06-21

...and just what would happen if we had to repeat the 1970s all over again. And couldn't change a thing. Would we really want to change anything, or could we bear to do it all over again.

That is what is asked, and how much does free will really enter the picture....

Vintage Vonnegut, on a lighter existential diet...

Thank you, Mr. Vonnegut, for a Wonderful Book........2007-03-25

Kurt Vonnegut is a science fiction writer the way I'm a water drinker, it just isn't sufficient definition. Timequake, tentatively his "last" novel, was by his own admission a failure - an abysmal attempt at writing a complete novel. Rather than abandoning the effort he regrouped, kept some parts and rewrote the whole thing, but in true Vonnegut style his rewriting is a monologue mixture of memoir, opinion, political and social commentary, and lessons on how to live a life worth living. In the first reading he comes across as somewhat bitter for not being everything he thinks he could be and in turn we as humans aren't everything we could be as humanity. On second reading it comes across less as bitterness and more as hope that we can learn from Kurt Vonnegut a lesson or two and make our own lives both more enjoyable and more enjoyable for those around us.

The premise of the book is science fiction. Kilgore Trout experienced the timequake differently from everyone else because he knows what's happening and still can't do anything about it. A timequake is like a needle skipping on the vinyl record of space/time, causing all events to repeat over a given period of time. In a very real way it's a commentary on determinism, where Vonnegut shows that without the belief that we are controlling our own actions and making a difference in the world, life isn't worth living. As I alluded to in the opening of the review, the science fiction isn't the crux of the story, it's just a convenient circumstance with which Vonnegut can make his points and have a conversation with the reader.

I think the central theme of the novel was death, and in particular family death. As he contemplates the lives of people around him, from his ex-wife to his brother and sister to Isaac Asimov to the very real alter-ego Kilgore Trout, he wanders from the value of their lives to the importance of their deaths. Often he brings his own mortality into the mix, and he successfully explores the meaning of life as a consequence of the reality of death. It's for this mixture of philosophy and practicality that I give this novel 5 stars. It's worth it because not only was it an enjoyable read and a bizarre journey with the man I consider America's finest novelist, but it was a book that taught me something about myself and made me want to be a better person, to fulfill ambitions that upon my own mortality will perhaps have made my life worth living.

Thank you for that, Mr. Vonnegut.

- CV Rick

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Timequake
Kurt VONNEGUT
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Timequake
Kurt Vonnegut
Manufacturer: G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTCOCW

Product Description

here's been a timequake. And everyone--even you--must live the decade between February 17, 1991 and February 17, 2001 over again. The trick is that we all have to do exactly the same things as we did the first time--minute by minute, hour by hour, year by year, betting on the wrong horse again, marrying the wrong person again. Why? You'll have to ask the old science fiction writer, Kilgore Trout. This was all his idea.

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Timequake

Manufacturer: Recorded Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0788718703

Product Description

At the pinnacle of his phenomenal career, one of Americas wittiest and most unconventional writers has re-invented fiction. Over the years, Kurt Vonnegut has tickled our funny bones and tugged at our heart strings with tongue-in-cheek appraisals of societys foibles and absurdities. Now, his latest creation is a witty memoir of observations about life, as he has lived and observed it, for more than seven decades. What if a bored universe decided to stop expanding for awhile and back us all up to the year 1991? Imagine reliving an entire unremarkable decade of déjà-vu without the benefit of free will. Picture the havoc when reruns are over, and people, free to choose again, have forgotten how. It seems that a book whose three protagonists are the author, his alter ego, and a conscious universe would be a challenge to read aloud, but narrator Norman Dietz does a remarkable job of making it sound easy. Be prepared for laughter and tears once again.

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 15, number 6 - December Dec 1958: The Eye and the Lightning; Catching Up with Newton; The Pink Caterpillar; Timequake; Little Old Miss Macbeth; Honeysuckle Cottage; Wish Upon a Star; Dream Girl; Somebody's Clothes

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FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 15, number 6 - December Dec 1958: The Eye and the Lightning; Catching Up with Newton; The Pink Caterpillar; Timequake; Little Old Miss Macbeth; Honeysuckle Cottage; Wish Upon a Star; Dream Girl; Somebody's Clothes
Robert P. (editor) (Algis Budrys; Isaac Asimov; Anthony Boucher; Miriam Allen deFord; Fritz Leiber; P. G. Wodehouse; Judith Merril; Ron Roulart; Cornell Woolrich; Walter Tevis) Mills
Manufacturer: Mercury Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IA9W4M

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Idoomlas [Timequake]
Kurt VONNEGUT
Manufacturer: Magyar Konyvklub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ILO0PC

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Timequake
Kurt Vonnegut
Manufacturer: PUTNAM
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OL2G02

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Timequake
Robert C. Lee
Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0664326986

Timequake Alert: Why Payment by Results Is the Worst 'New' Reform to Shake the Educational World, Again and Again.: An article from: Phi Delta Kappan

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Timequake Alert: Why Payment by Results Is the Worst 'New' Reform to Shake the Educational World, Again and Again.: An article from: Phi Delta Kappan
Wade Nelson
Manufacturer: Phi Delta Kappa, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Phi Delta Kappan, published by Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 5078 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Timequake Alert: Why Payment by Results Is the Worst 'New' Reform to Shake the Educational World, Again and Again.
Author: Wade Nelson
Publication: Phi Delta Kappan (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: Phi Delta Kappa, Inc.
Volume: 82 Issue: 5 Page: 384

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Timequake.: An article from: World Literature Today

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Timequake.: An article from: World Literature Today
Daniel R. Bronson
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on March 22, 1998. The length of the article is 509 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Timequake.
Author: Daniel R. Bronson
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1998
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v72 Issue: n2 Page: p376(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Three years have passed since erotic, willful Dara Prince disappeared from Winston, West Virginia, leaving a note saying she's run away. Now a body has been found in the creek. A body, Christine Ireland suspects, that could very well belong to her adopted sister Dara. Deputy Sheriff Michael Winter certainly seems to think so. But if Dara's dead, who's been sending Ames prince the letters he cherishes: always with a different postmark and always signed with his missing daughter's initial?When Dara's diary turns up unexpectedly, Christine is plunged into her lost sister's dark and mysterious world. Clearly, in the days before her disappearance, Dara was certain somebody was stalking her. As past melds hauntingly with present, people who knew Dara are meeting tragic fates. Now, someone is watching Christine's every move--perhaps just the way they once watched Dara, right before she died. If, indeed, she really did die....

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not as good as In The Event of My Death.......2005-09-20

I read In the Event of My Death by Thompson first, and loved it so much I immediately bought If She Should Die. I was slightly disappointed, as it was a bit boring at first and the characters were not well developed. However, the killer was a suspense right until the end, which I liked. I will continue to recommend and buy Thompson's books. I plan to read Since You've Been Gone next.

Just my honest opinion.......2005-07-12

I got this book solely based on the reviews. I was curious as to why the opinions of the readers differed so much. I understand both sides to the reviews.
The book started out a little slow at first and did not grab my attention until a few chapters in it, but then it became quite suspenseful and kept you guessing up to the end. However, the author did not have as many red herrings as she should have making the killer somewhat obvious.
I did feel that it was a bit wordy in parts. I don't mind details, but they do have to pertain to the plot as much as possible or describe a place, situation or character. I found myself skipping some of the trivial aspects that clearly did not need mentioning but in briefer explanations. That is just my opinion though. My only other qualm with this particular authors writing is how she separates sections with numbers. I don't get it, but it must be a writers thing.
All in all, the book was quite suspenseful once you got into it. I do agree with some of the others that no one should write a review if they do not read the entire book. There have been plenty of novels that I was unable to get into, yet have five star ratings. I know that it was just the frame of mind that I was in at the time.
I had no problem getting swept up with this story once I read the first twenty pages. The author continuously poses new questions to the plot to keep the reader guessing. And even though you may guess who the killer is, you still aren't sure why until the very end. It was a good mystery.
I debated on giving this four stars and still am not sure why I only chose three because I did enjoy it, but it just seemed to be missing something that I can not explain and did not seem up to some of the other books I have read that I gave 4 stars to. That does not mean that another person would not think this was one of the best books they have ever read. Hence, why the reviews are so mixed. You really have to read it yourself to form your own opinion.

EXCELLENT BOOK.......2005-02-18

This was the first book I have read by Ms. Thompson. Anyone who says this is a bad book needs their head examined. All I can say is go out and buy a copy now. Great book for suspense lovers.

Excellent....by far the best!.......2004-11-17

I was shocked when I read that some people were disappointed with this book. Out of the six books that I have read by Ms. Thompson, this one was definately the best.

I'm sure you've read the summary, so I won't bother repeating it. Let me just say that she casts a spell of unbelievable twists that forces you to turn each page. I couldn't put the book down and even found myself reading it at work! She has a way of really connecting you to the characters and I felt like I knew Dara personally. I give it 5 stars...I even adopted a kitten afterwards just to name it Rhiannon.

Intro to Thompson doesn't fail.......2004-10-15

Thompson did a fabulous job of outlining a complex plot and keeping the reader guessing "Who Done It" in this suspense novel about a girl who goes missing three years ago only to be found after a flood upends her body.
The book was fast-paced, witty and detailed accurately police procedures (a big plus in my eyes). My only regret is that the romance was buried within the plot and wasn't developed more. There was a budding sense of connection between Michael and Christine, but it wasn't brought to life, giving it tension and solid reality.

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If She Should Die
Carlene Thompson
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739439731

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If She Should Die
Carlene Thompson
Manufacturer: Doubleday Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739440101

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If She Should Die
Mary Linn Roby
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0451043995

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If She Should Die

Manufacturer: Popular Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GYL93C

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If She Should Die
Forbes Rydell
Manufacturer: Popular Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q0PG44

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If She Should Die

Manufacturer: Popular Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BD1E3I

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If She Should Die
forbes rydell
Manufacturer: Doubleday,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FM8VO0

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If She Should Die
Mary Linn Roby
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J4IMFW

A Stranger in My Grave, Some Must Watch, If She Should Die

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A Stranger in My Grave, Some Must Watch, If She Should Die
Margaret, Ransome, Stephen, & Rydell, Forb Millar
Manufacturer: Walter J. Black
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UUCEMC

Customer Reviews:

She's Back!.......2001-10-05

Sonya Blue, Nancy Collins's unforgettable vampire slaying heroine returns in this very violent and gripping adventure.This time Sonya who is only known as The Stranger enters the sinister
city of Deadtown.Deadtown is the bloody battleground of two competing vampire lords, Sinjon who has ruled the city for almost two centuries and Esher the utterly ruthless younger vampire who wants the city for himself.They both traffic in drugs and use psychotic gangbangers as their armies.Sonya befriends Cloudy, a aging hippy and Ryan a young boy who's mother is controlled by Esher. Sonya decides to detroy both vampires, who are called Kindred in the novel.This short novel is filled with scenes of very graphic violence and visceral action sequences.The characters like the brave boy, Ryan are also very well drawn and the villians such as Esher and his sadistic vampire henchwoman, Decima also are memorable.My own complain of this book is that is really is a dark fantasy remake of two films: Yojimbo and Clint Eastwood's spaghatti western fistful of dollars.Once I knew the similarities between the book and those movies I guessed what would happen next in the plot and I was right all of the time.If u seen these movies you will remember what does happen in the novel as well.But other than that be prepared as Sonya Blue puts you under her spell as she puts the vampires dead under for good!

Another GREAT book by Nancy Collins.......2000-01-23

Great book, I rate it at the top of all the books written by Nancy Collins (with Sunglasses after dark and Angles on Fire). I enjoyed the story line revolving around the battle for "Dead Town" and the gang/vampire warfare. The construction of the characters was very well conceived and excitiong to read. Again, a great book....

WOD fans will pick this apart........1999-07-07

Collins tried to blend an elsewhere established character into the brilliantly realized World of Darkness, and the effort fell flat. It would have been a similar endeavor for someone to write a novel about Batman throwing down with Brujah street toughs on the mean streets of Gotham, thus running afoul of the city's Prince. The story in A Dozen Black Roses was fairly contrived, and the characters lacked a certain panache. Perhaps the thing that annoyed me the most though was the way Collins went through the entire book without introducing Sonja Blue by name until the very end. She simply refers to Sonja as "the stranger". I felt that it was a pretty lame literary device.

Violence is pornographic in its excessiveness.......1999-04-07

Don't get suckered in by the other glowing reviews. I loved Nancy A Collin's character Sonia Blue from the book Sunglasses After Dark and followed the character faithfully through the trilogy. The character was witty, fresh, and the combination of violence and humour was absolutely great. I did note that the third book in the trilogy was not as great and that trend seemed to have carried into this new latest Sonia Blue adventure. None of what I loved in the first two parts of the trilogy is here in this book. I have usually have no problem with violence in books or in other media. However, in this book in particular, it was gratuitous to say the least and pornographic in its excessiveness. While there's violence aplenty, including an arm chopping, machete wielding henchman, gone is the caustic, fresh wit of the Sonia Blue I loved. Instead, the attempts to be hip and speak in a street parlance seemed forced. Perhaps Sonia works best when she is playing off of a character like Palmer in " In the Blood" ( the second book in the trilogy), but in this latest endeavor, there is no such character for her to play off with. As a result, the book is decidedly flat, using violence to make up for a lack of wit and creativity. I spent good money on a bad book. Don't do the same.

less charming than the sonja blue trilogy.......1999-01-27

It's definitely a nice book to read, but after finishing it, I felt more like having seen a motion picture in the cinema than enjoying some piece of literature. by the way: Ms. Collins definitely has a problem using german words/names, I nearly could assume some kind of quabbalistic intention ;-)

A Dozen Black Roses: Poetry from A Dark Side Dweller

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A Dozen Black Roses: Poetry from A Dark Side Dweller
Drk Siren
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413787460

Book Description

This is a collection of poetry from a woman who has seen many sides to life. Included are poems that will make you feel the reaches of the darkest tunnels within yourself when you think you are the only one feeling those things, bringing a glimmer of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They will also let you know that you are most assuredly not alone. Poetry about what most will not even dare to put to voice, let alone to words. She calls herself The Siren, a name given to her, and most who know her have always found it befitting. She calls her style of poetry DrkErotica/Gothic, feeling that is the best way to classify her free style and the things she writes about. So open your mind and hear The Siren's call.

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Dozen Black Roses
Nancy A Collins
Manufacturer: WHITE WOLF INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UCGUUM

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practical understanding of child development

I was impressed enough with this book to order his others

Self-esteem Revolutions in Children:understanding & Managing

Self-Esteem Revolutions in Children: Understanding and Managing the Critical Transitions in Your Child's Life
Thomas W. Phelan
Manufacturer: Parentmagic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Self-Esteem | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Development | Child Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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All About Attention Deficit Disorder: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment: Children and Adults

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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

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ASIN: 1889140015

Customer Reviews:

practical understanding of child development.......2007-08-01

Very helpful in terms of understanding child development, children's needs and particularly vulnerable times for them. I liked Phelan's practical approach, very down to earth - there is no way you can make a child have good self esteem. He blows many myths out of the water and hopefully makes it much less threatening to be parents, it is not "all your fault".

I was impressed enough with this book to order his others.......2000-07-08

This book makes some very accurate and useful observations, chief among them:

Self-esteem comes from tangible experiences, not just touchy-feely, feel-good platitudes mouthed by adults -- children see through those.

Each child has a "Great Evaluator" (internal critic) that is always monitoring the child's performance and pushing for improvement. This is necessary for the child to develop, but sometimes this internal critic can be misled and a child can become too self-critical.

Life is not always supposed to be too comfortable for kids -- some discomfort is necessary for growth. Likewise, a parent's job is not always to make a kid feel good.

The author then goes on to elaborate on each of these and his other observations, giving specific advice to parents on how help the child accurately see themselves and build real, not phony, self-esteem.

Self-esteem Revolutions in Children:understanding & Managing.......2000-07-02

The book is divided into three main parts and goes into detail on why self-esteem is important. I felt this was information I already knew. However, the most helpful part of the book was the last section where it discussed how to manage your childs self-esteem.

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