The first thing you’ll notice when listening to this audiobook is that the narrator is very annoying in her use of sarcasm while trying to get her points across. Although the audiobook is about an hour and a half in length, a good chunk of the time is spent making annoying sarcastic comments about how lifting weights won’t make you look like an “East German swimmer” and likewise. Even more annoying is the narrator’s tone of voice which doesn’t exactly come across as professional but I guess the target market of the audiobook is for “dummies” and not for regular normal people.

Anyways, on to the content of the audiobook which is surprisingly very well done and accurate as far as the fitness and nutrition tips go. The narrator guides the listener through the different fitness tips and scientific facts about how one should go about starting and succeeding in a fitness program throughout the audiobook. The level of knowledge in the material is targeted towards those who are oblivious to the obvious when it comes to fitness. The information presented is nothing new but well known industry standards on exercise and fitness. The book does live up to the claims it makes as it does provide the very basic ideas needed in order for you to be successful in getting into better shape but it could have been done in half the time.

Overall there’s nothing too special about Fitness for Dummies. This audiobook is a good start and attempt to help inform those wanting to know more about how their body works in relation to physical activity. But it’s a 60 minute program stretched out into an hour and a half. One thing is for sure about Fitness for Dummies, it won’t win any awards for best presentation or most innovative product. Definitely pass on this one if you know the difference between a good product and an overhyped, over marketed commercial.

The audiobook starts off by focusing on the causes of procrastination. The author and narrator of the audiobook, a self proclaimed recovering procrastinator, tells of her own personal story of procrastination and how it severely restricted and limited her life until she decided to stop the insanity and motivate herself into getting back on track.

Being a recovering procrastinator, the author, is an expert on the topic and thus displays a vast knowledge of the tips and strategies needed to conquer the dread. Listening to the audiobook it is clear that the author is very well versed and prepared in the audiobook presentation as it flows very well and many of the tips presented are very practical and worth trying if procrastination rules your life. Of one of the methods given to conquer procrastination and one of the most common and widely accepted strategies that all self help teachers agree with is the importance of writing and creating a list down on paper whether it’s your goals or a list of chores to complete. By writing down things on paper it instills in your mind what needs to be completed. Sounds simple but many people don’t do it and in return they either end up forgetting or leaving their tasks to the last minute. Of the advice given in the audiobook, many tips are psychological in nature in that the tips involve you changing the way you look and see things. Many people dread doing certain tasks and find excuses to leave them off until the last second. Listening to this audiobook will teach you to do the things you dread to do first before you do anything else.

The information presented in the audiobook isn’t the most original as much of the information and anecdotes are taken from previous audiobooks and lecturers but nonetheless, the audiobook does focus on the one thing it promises to help you conquer.

Overall the audiobook was very helpful to the 8 subjects that we gave to for a 2 week period. The subjects listened to the audiobook and for 2 weeks were told to follow the tips and strategies provided by the author. Of the feedback given to us after the two weeks, every single subject agreed that the audiobook was very helpful in changing the way they handled things. All said that the audiobook did eliminate a lot of their procrastination habits but admitted that they needed more time to get into the habit of things and to integrate the strategies into their everyday lifestyle. All subjects were satisfied with the results that they were able to obtain from the audiobook in regards to the claims that it made.

Overall we have no complaints about the audiobook as it is very well done and presented for the audiobook listener. The audiobook is quick moving and very witty in nature. The facts presented are valid and do not contradict each other. This audiobook gets our recommendation to those who wish to eliminate procrastination from their lives forever.

To start off the audio book, the narrator tells the listener that the approach of the book was to take a less cynical approach to a man’s relationship with a woman. In other words, the book wants to take a less sleazier approach to teaching men how to know what women want and what to do.

Men’s Health does a good job in conveying good typical information to the male listener with one small problem. Since the audio version is unabridged, which means the words being read come directly from the magazine, it doesn’t flow too well and actually becomes very, very annoying to listen to in a short amount of time.

There are two narrators, one male and one female, both reading the book. Both are horrible and annoying to listen to, especially the guy who sarcastically quotes the editors of Men’s health as referring to themselves as “chick magnets” at the beginning of the program.

The data and tips on attracting women are unoriginal and average at best. Many of the tips come from surveys of women that tell the magazine how they think a man should act when around them. This is clearly unscientific data that may or may not be relevant to the fact since these surveys aren’t even conducted with any control or filtering processes. You might as well ask your mother or little sister what they find attractive in men, at least you know that they’ll most likely give you a more honest answer!

If you have read the magazine before, you’ll know that Men’s Health as with all men’s magazines of late use a wise cracking style of presentation which works well in print form as it makes the reading more light and less boring but when it comes to audio book format, it fails miserably.

Overall, the content in the audio program is decent to average. The presentation and validity of the materials and facts presented are shamefully poor.

If your goal is to make yourself desirable to women, the best advice we can give you is to pass on this audio book and if you unfortunately already own it, you know where to put it…In the garbage!

The audiobook begins by differentiating between religion and spirituality. Spirituality according to the narrator is the direct experience to the sacred. The audiobook explains through different teachers of various religions, the important lessons that bring the listener into deeper spirituality within themselves and the world around them. The author does a very good job in explaining and rationalizing the spiritual aspect of the human being and creating credible legitimacy for the existence of the spirit. The anecdotes and the arguments used in the audiobook are very valid and display a great amount of knowledge and wisdom in their explanations. One of the main attempts of the audiobook is to break down the walls of religious conflict and to replace material needs and attachments which can never be satisfied with inner strength and knowledge of the self. As the author explains, we search for material things to satisfy our inner self but it is an impossible goal which can never be reached. “Freedom for attachment brings freedom from sorrow” are just one of the few quotes used by the author which brings perspective to the listeners of the audiobook.

The book flows very well from chapter to chapter and the narration is top notch. As a matter of fact this audiobook IS the reference for anybody looking to enlighten and fulfill their lives no matter what religion or beliefs they may have. Tackling a very difficult subject matter in religion, this audiobook does a very good job in its subjectivity to the issue at hand.

Many of the topics presented in the audiobook are very deep in nature and take a bit of thinking to truly understand.

This audiobook is recommended to everyone for its high quality and presentation of subject matter. Much time was put into producing this audiobook as you will be able to tell with the deep topics that are explored in great detail. As a matter of fact, this audiobook is so well done that there are very few if any weaknesses that can be found in the audiobook from beginning to end. This audiobook in both indispensable and invaluable. Go out and buy it and you won’t be disappointed.

Maybe its just because I found reading about Jesus in a new light, more interesting than reading about the older Biblical characters.

Regardless, it is fascinating and it sheds some light on other characters from long ago, who are not mentioned by name in the Bible. Zend and Zoroaster for instance. Zoroaster was the founder of the Magi (the wise men that mysteriously attended Jesus birth). He also started the Essence community (those who wrote the dead sea scrolls and had original copies of the bible, many written by Jesus himself.

The Essenes are not legend, they are archeological and sociological fact. But what they don’t know, is the community was started by Zoroaster for the purpose of eventually creating the most perfect “vessel” for the last lifetime of the master, Jesus, through voluntary selective marriages between with the highest consciousness members of the community.

If fact, Mary was initially just one of the candidates for being Jesus’ mother (Cayce speaks of this). By that time, after 500 years of the community perfecting themselves, Zoroaster had incarnated as Jesus’ physical father, Joseph. So Mary, her parents, Joseph, his parents, and Jesus were all Essenes (considered a Jewish sect, but actually with roots stemming from the Children of the Law of One, who Zoroaster was also a teacher of. You get the idea. Read the book.

According to Cayce, Zend was an earlier incarnation of Jesus, and was Zoroaster’s father. And where did the spiritual path called Zen come from – could there be any connection?

Zoroaster was a major influence in the East, and several religions have sprung up from his teachings, including Zoroastrianism. He was the first of that area and time to teach of the One God, the Universal Spirit.

Zoroaster also came up with the concepts of aligning with the forces of light, and fighting the forces of darkness.

This book is in my opinion, one of the most spiritually hard hitting and realization packed of the old Edgar Cayce books series. Full of truths that make you think.

It forced me to think, break through mental barriers, and brought me to new levels of understanding – still not as much as the “Lost Teachings” book by John Peniel (which I think was meant to be a clarification of the readings, and new information about what we must do to change before the end times hit, if we are to spiritually survive).

But in any case, it really changed my life. I read it over and over again as a teenager and adult, and really enjoyed it. And like “the Lost Teachings”, got more out of it each time.

Perhaps the readings it contained were considered to controversial, or too much over people’s heads, because as of the last time I checked, it was out of print. So unfortunately, you may have to try and find it online, at auction sites, or rare book sites (unless they’ve re-released it).

It has a lot of food for thought, including a mention of Jesus having some 28 previous lifetimes, including “Joseph” the son of Jacob (by the way TNT made a great movie about Joseph, which can often be found in video stars. In the Story of Joseph movie, Martin Landau plays Jacob. And when you know that Joseph was Jesus in a past life, you can see so clearly how Joseph was Jesus, just by observing the master’s qualities and virtues in Joseph.

When I first read it so many years ago, I was literally stunned, shocked, and thrilled. I still remember how taken aback, when I read about Jesus’ first life on Earth. And then the realizations that followed as I “digested” the full meaning and impact of it.

I won’t tell you what it said, because I want you to be able to experience the same thing.

The book also talks about Jesus’ other lifetimes, the real essence of His teachings, an interesting totally different viewpoint on astrology (still used by the Children of the Law of One) tying into incarnation on other planets, and much more.

If you want to learn a little more about the real, live Jesus, this is a great place for it.

But even though this is “just” an Edgar Cayce related book, I can’t say enough about it (which you’ll be able to tell by my review). It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever read.

And contrary to having someone “try and interpret and explain” the readings, once you’re done with this book, you will understand and be able to interpret them yourself. Many people have commented that this book “clarified” the Cayce readings for them, and changed their lives.

It substantiates all the revelations and realizations I’ve had while reading the Cayce material, and offered far more information, and a step-by-step guide to making the necessary spiritual changes we must complete very soon.

Many other people feel the same, and love the book. We just heard from a Cayce study group who thanked us for recommending it. They said after reading it, that their inner voice resonates so strongly with its truths and teachings, that they are certain the author is the spiritual messenger prophesied by Cayce as being so important, especially in these times.

An ancient spiritual tradition called The Children of the Law of One, was frequently mentioned in the Edgar Cayce readings.

Early in the book, the author talks about how he discovered an isolated monastery in Tibet. Finding a monastery in Tibet isn’t really “earth shaking” in and of itself. But this was a hidden, secret monastery that traced its lineage to Egypt, and prior to that, Atlantis. Now that’s earth shaking.

In fact, it’s almost unbelievable when you first think about it. For one, it’s hard to believe that any place on Earth could remain totally isolated and hidden for thousands of years, and especially in the 20th century. But a recent discovery by National Geographic of a lush, warm, sub-tropical valley amidst the stark and frigid Himalayas of Tibet, prove otherwise.

This area remained untouched and undiscovered until the winter of ‘98/’99 – it didn’t even show on satellite surveillance photos. But it was no secret to the still living monks of the Children of the Law of One. And it was forbidden for even Tibetan Buddhist monks, let alone outsiders, to travel to that area.

But John Peniel received a mysterious “invitation” of sorts & directions to it, just prior to committing suicide (explained in the book). After arriving at the monastery, the author became a novice monk, spending years learning their ways and ancient secrets. What he learned there, is what the book focuses on, and passes on to you and I. If your inner voice is like mine, inner “bells of truth” will be ringing off the hook.

His story makes for very fascinating reading for most people, yet it is simultaneously deep and profound. Basically, the teachings of this monastery were simply to be kind (rather than to follow any dogma), and to personally find, experience, and achieve harmony and oneness with God.

The book’s cover implies that the monastery and the community surrounding it, were the source of the legends of Shangri-La & Shambhala. After reading about the lifestyle of kindness, compassion, harmlessness, love and civility of the people living there, I believe it is the paradise described as Shangri la.

While it touches upon the mysterious archeology, ancient ruins and lost civilizations, that’s not what the book is about. It is about who we are, where we went wrong and got separated from God, and how to get back to Oneness with the Universal Spirit/God

According to Cayce, the Children of the Law of One are the world’s first spiritual order. And never once in the readings does he say it ever ceased to exist. In fact, some readings indicate that they are not only alive now, but will play an important role in the future, and opening the “hall of records”.

While no longer directly associated with Buddhism, Christianity & Judaism (and many more, including traditional, eastern, and alternative religions), the book details how those of the Law of One were their forefathers, and the founders of monasteries around the world before modern recorded history.

The book is primarily the story of one man’s inner journey of personal discovery, and his challenges & changes over time. But the teachings he encountered, and the texts he studied in their ancient library, open many doors.

The book thus touches upon, and elaborates on, a wide range of subjects mentioned in (or suggested by) the Cayce readings.

These include such diverse things as: Universal Laws; Using and interpreting dreams; Death and the near death experience; The battle between Atlantis and Lemuria; The nature of the Universe and a fascinating story of our creation; The true builders of the Great Pyramid, the properties of pyramids and the secrets of the Sphinx;….

….The Universal Spirit/ God, and the oldest known name of God that is actually a key to understanding the creation of all life – the Universe itself – which is what is really meant in Genesis as the word of God, and God being the word; The story of half animal/half human creatures Cayce called the “things”; Philosophy; Esoteric metaphysics, the function of crystals, energy and vibration;….

…..Soulmates; Spiritual teachers and how to tell if they’re real; The negative programming of the subconscious mind and how to reprogram it positively yourself; Psychic development, auras, prophecy, and predictions; The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essenes; The new age and channeling; Diet and the real pros and cons of being a vegetarian;….

…..Karma, reincarnation and past lives; The ancient records from the beginning of time to the end of the present; Earth changes, pole shifts and survival; Christ consciousness and oneness with the Universe; The history of Jesus & Thoth; Yoga & Zen; The secrets of Mt. Shasta; St. Germaine, alchemy and ancient races.

You name it, it’s here. It even includes a great self help program with meditations and affirmations used by the ancient spiritual tradition which can still be used to help improve your life.

As you can see, this book is far more in depth than Plato’s description of Atlantis.

Atlantis was “famous” for color/sound healing, which is also dealt with, along with “do it yourself” methods of reprogramming your own subconscious mind utilizing such technology that is available NOW. The book actually details a “self-help program” using Atlantean Vibrational Sounds! You can even get a CD or tape of these sounds, use them to induce a higher state of consciousness, and modify your own subconscious programming anyway you wish. Wow!

The history, philosophy and spirituality written about in this book are not only clearly compatible with the Edgar Cayce readings, but give them new life and clarity. It is quite exciting to read about this living group of people who were referred to in the Cayce readings – especially one that goes back to the days of Atlantis. The story also fills in some gaps in the readings, adds new information, and brings us up to date.

Recently, I made a startling discovery in the readings that seems to refer to the author of this book, and the teachings he makes public in it. In searching the Cayce CD ROM about “Law of One”, prophecy, the future, and in particular, the year ‘98, I found a fascinating reading. On January 19, 1934, Edgar Cayce gave a reading (#3976-15), which seems to make reference to the appearance of this author/teacher, and the teachings he brings.

It is an unusual reading, one I urge you to read yourself. Another being, someone named Halaliel, seems to be speaking through Cayce. This may mean nothing, but I noticed that the last part of the name Halaliel sounds phonetically similar to names of arc-angels (like Gabriel, Raphael, Michael). Anyway, the reading discusses Earth Changes, the time period of ‘58 to ‘98 “when His light would again be seen in the sky”, and the coming of a special teacher or messenger of God. If you’ve read Cayce, you know how cryptic the readings can be sometimes, and you’ll have to interpret this one for yourself. But best as I can interpret, Cayce/Halaliel is saying this person, who was yet to be born, was one of a group of spiritual beings present in spirit at the time of the reading. He says if you knew who was present, you would recognize some names, and be in awe. This yet to be born being is referred to as one of “them” (Halaliel’s group? The spiritual beings present?), and said to be known as a member of a sect or group (the Children of the Law of One?). The reading says that the person’s name, will be John Peniel (another angel-like name), and that people from a land who have had physical, mental, and spiritual regeneration, will proclaim that Peniel is giving to the world the new order of things. Cayce/Halaliel doesn’t seem to be referring to the new order of things in the sense of the “new world order”, but rather in a spiritual sense – a teacher that will make “…plain in the minds of men, that they may know the truth and know that the truth, the life, the light, will make them free”. After reading this book, I can proclaim the information in it, and the author, as representing such principles. By the way, while the name of the author is spelled Jon, not John, it is still phonetically the same as what was spoken by Cayce/Halaliel. Quite interesting as we enter ‘98. Highly recommended. The book is so popular it is usually backordered, except for ordering direct.

This sequel to the classic Dune impressively expands the Dune mythos. There are a few places where this leads to a feeling that some revisionism may have gone on between the first book and this one.

There is a greater sense of inevitability about Paul Atreides fate in this book and combined with his position of power at the start of the book means you never feel quite as involved as in Dune. Herbert still keeps you wishing that the heroes of piece will find a way out their tragedy right until the end. This is a more tragic story than the first book but as long as you have not been too conditioned to solely Hollywood endings it still holds a great deal of power.

Perhaps the Fremen, a warrior people tempered by the harshness of the planet Arrakis will help the Atreides to escape the trap they know they are stepping into. The Harkonnens already have a traitor within the Atreides’ ranks. Plus the Duke’s wife is a member of the secretive Bene Gesserit. How does their son fit into the Bene Gesserit’s generations long breeding program?

This is one of the classics of the genre and with good reason. Identification with the main character, Paul Atreides, is built right from the first page, as is the peril in which he is placed.

This is no walk in the park. Every victory taken by the heroes costs them a great deal and there is no guarantee of who will and will not survive until the end of the book. The type of conflict that might be the climax of a lesser book is used in ‘Dune’ simply to set things in motion.

This is a book that can inspire elation from a victory at the same time as sorrow from what that victory has cost. The mark of a classic that never fails to move.

(On a more personal note: My first reading of Dune coincided with the first time I heard ‘Up Here In Heaven’ by Chris De Burgh. The two complement each other well and are now inextricably linked in my mind.)

Well, Dirk Gently, for one. That’s why he runs a holistic detective agency and that’s why he starts off investigating a murder and ends up saving the entire human race.

This novel is where Douglas Adams combines his wonderful inventiveness and wit with a story technique that has finally been honed through the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide series.

Even the more bizarre ideas in this novel are worked smoothly into the plot, with the plot itself being a masterpiece of interconnected ideas that only all comes together at the end of the book.

This time they’re going to fight. But when you’re four inches high how long can stand up against humans even with the monster Jekub on your side.

This sequel to Truckers as just as accomplished as that novel. Terry Pratchett continues to find a fine balance between using the nomes to reflect on human peculiarities and allowing them their own peculiarities.

If you enjoyed the first book then you’ll enjoy this one. It’s as simple as that.

While being only sort of fiction this book is entirely funny. This is partly down to the authors’ writing abilities and partly down to their observation abilities because on reading this book so many of these situations will seem familiar.

Even the maps are funny. How many books can you say that about?

He’s heir to a fortune, has a planet for a godfather, and the family’s security chief is rumoured to even run checks on himself.

Nevertheless all the probability mathematics says he should have been assassinated. It’s worrying people more that it doesn’t seem to have worked.

One of Terry Pratchett’s rare comic science fiction rather than fantasy novels.

This book takes a few liberties with it’s underlying precepts. It could never be mistaken for an attempt to predict future scientific advances but then it makes no pretence that it wants to do so. It’s meant to be funny and at that it succeeds admirably.

If you’ve read the Discworld series then, as in Strata, it is interesting to see ideas and terminology in this novel that then made their way into Terry Pratchett’s later works.

The gods play games with mortal men and Rincewind and Twoflower will need Luck to be with them when Fate holds a grudge. They’ll need to survive trolls, dragons (who only exist if you believe in them), druids, heroes, the luggage (and that’s on their side), falling off the edge of the world and Twoflower introducing the concept of fire insurance to the venal Ankh-Morporkians.

This first Discworld novel gets the series off to a flying start with many features that persist throughout the series. There is Pratchett’s love of word play. His humour. A boat load of references to other works to spot if you are into that sort of thing but that do not get in the way of the story if that does not interest you. Also, of course, it introduces some classic Discworld characters, Rincewind, Twoflower, the Patrician, Death.

The series had not yet settled down though. The first two books in the series spoof established fantasy to a greater degree than the rest of the series. Although this is only relative to the rest of the series, there is still plenty of originality to enjoy here.

A slight improvement on Xenocide, the previous novel in the series. The solution that seemed so deus ex machina in Xenocide does in this book turn out to generate problems of its own. However, it does still leave you with the impression that Orson Scott Card was a little too keen to engineer a happy ever after for his best known series.

Paul leaves behind him his children, twins, who will take their place of power if they survive the intrigues of Alia, the Bene Gesserit, the spacers guild and everybody else who wants them dead.

The twins though have their own ideas and pursue the goal that Paul Atreides never dared to pursue.

The second novel, Dune Messiah, had a few moments that suggested a bit of revisionism had taken place as Frank Herbert introduced new concepts and you wondered why there was no mention of them in the original Dune. Having gotten this out of the way in the second book, Children of Dune, reads more smoothly.

As with its predecessors though it is not an easy read. You need to concentrate to completely follow the maze of twisty turny plots especially as Herbert has the confidence in his readers to not spell out every detail. Such concentration is rewarded however with a plot that pulls you onwards to the end.

And now they are in the ramptops and more powerful than Agnes, more powerful than Magrat (although possibly not more so than the nappies Magrat has to deal with), more powerful than Nanny Ogg, more powerful even than Granny Weatherwax. They might not be sneakier though.

‘Carpe Jugulum’ appears to be one of Terry Pratchett’s explorations of personality traits he does not like. There is a lot of exploration of the ways in which the vampires are nasty. Fortunately, it is done with his usual flair, style and humour.

Although with the new Captain Laser Attack machine installed in the Flying Swan and apparently immune to sabotage it might be better, in the view of the locals, if the place was razed to the ground anyway. Unless, that is, some way can be found to deal with both problems.

The Brentford series is here ably continued. If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it and here Robert Rankin keeps the same cast, location and tone that served him well in The Antipope.

Who else writes books where the secret of teleportation, the Great Pyramid, flying camels and the Ark of the Covenant all appear but don’t even merit a mention on the back cover?

Hopefully this won’t interfere with Brentford’s plans to hold their millenial celebrations a couple of years early. Needless to say Jim Pooley and John Omally are behind that idea. It could make them rich. Unless of course something were to go wrong!

A slightly disappointing novel. The rest of the Brentford series got 3 star where this one only merits a 2 star. This is because Robert Rankin gets too tricky for his own good in this novel. It works in some of his other novels but this one is part of an established series yet does not feel as if it belongs to that series.

And that’s one thing the producers of top alien soap opera “The Earthers” do not want to happen.

The best of the Armageddon series. This book almost makes sense! The alien tv producers is possibly one step too far though and brings the rating down a notch. The rest of the book could work on its own while the aliens appear to have been teleported in from one of his “tall tales” novels. They shouldn’t be there.

Apart from that it is the normal Robert Rankin implausible, insanely complicated plot that when centred on Earth is written well enough for you to forget how strange the book really is.