Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I just tossed "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "Ego Is the Enemy" into the trash. Both books are completely useless and pointless. I'm trying to read more often now but I'm coming across a lot of worthless books. I can't believe the price of these books too.
I think these empowerment books are a scheme to prey on people who are desperate for help. Some of these books have chapters that keep saying the same thing. Why are there 12 chapters but only 5 of them present new ideas?
And don't get me started on those Malcolm Gladwell books. All these books get 4.5 stars on amazon.com and I don't understand how.
I think it depends on your attitude going into the book. If you crack open the book with the attitude that it is a scam, then when you are done with the book, you will have thought you were scammed. If you go into the book genuinely looking for guidance and/or advice, you might be able to pick up a few things within the book to help you with your situation. I think self help books are a definite example of YMMV.
I think it depends on your attitude going into the book. If you crack open the book with the attitude that it is a scam, then when you are done with the book, you will have thought you were scammed. If you go into the book genuinely looking for guidance and/or advice, you might be able to pick up a few things within the book to help you with your situation. I think self help books are a definite example of YMMV.
I had a very positive attitude going into the books though.
It's just that after reading each chapter I realized that the methods weren't useful. Each step of the way I would say "Wow, I don't think this would work with the vultures at work." I would say "Yeah, this wouldn't help with the ladies." It got to the point where I would say "Who would this work on??"
I think these books can offer some good tidbits here and there, but I do feel for the most part these books are all the same. I've read quite a few based on recommendations from my sister or friends and they have all said exactly the same thing.
I just tossed "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "Ego Is the Enemy" into the trash. Both books are completely useless and pointless. I'm trying to read more often now but I'm coming across a lot of worthless books. I can't believe the price of these books too.
I think these empowerment books are a scheme to prey on people who are desperate for help. Some of these books have chapters that keep saying the same thing. Why are there 12 chapters but only 5 of them present new ideas?
And don't get me started on those Malcolm Gladwell books. All these books get 4.5 stars on amazon.com and I don't understand how.
What a joke!
How to Win Friends and Influence People was written in the 1930's. While it might have been useful in the 40-50's, and of interest up til maybe 1980, the world has changed and people think differently now. I think read it, take what you can use and donate it.
When I used to work at Borders, in our store we called self-help the woo-woo section. Take that as you will.
When I used to work at Borders, in our store we called self-help the woo-woo section. Take that as you will.
I asked a worker at the Barnes and Noble (Caucasian woman in her 60s), for some help finding books and she pretty much said the same thing. I'm paraphrasing but she said I skip "Think and Grow Rich" since it's a self help book which doesn't really offer anything. She said instead I should look into the other books I had in mind, "How to Make Money in Stocks" and "The Intelligent Investor."
I just tossed "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "Ego Is the Enemy" into the trash. Both books are completely useless and pointless. I'm trying to read more often now but I'm coming across a lot of worthless books. I can't believe the price of these books too.
I think these empowerment books are a scheme to prey on people who are desperate for help. Some of these books have chapters that keep saying the same thing. Why are there 12 chapters but only 5 of them present new ideas?
And don't get me started on those Malcolm Gladwell books. All these books get 4.5 stars on amazon.com and I don't understand how.
What a joke!
I enjoy reading Malcolm Gladwell.
I do agree that many self help books are not very deep. Since I don't know what sort of self help you need, I wonder if reading other sorts of books might not be better.
But I learn more about myself and others from reading good fiction than I ever would from reading shallow self help books.
Why not read a bio of Gandhi or Albert Schweitzer? You might learn a lot about life from their lives.
I'm with you. I may be the only female who wasn't inspired by "Eat, Pray, Love." (Book and movie.) Just a privileged woman who supposedly found herself by traveling to exotic locales on her publisher's dime. Didn't get inspired by "Wild" either. Enjoy some of Brene Brown's books, but lately they have been only so-so.
Although I love to read, I get more personal development insights, tips, and inspirations from watching 15 minute TED talks.
I do enjoy some of the more Westernized Buddhist books. And ther's been a few on happiness that have been pretty good.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
