TIPS FOR GETTING MORE OUT OF READING A SELF-HELP BOOK

One of the best ways to have someone you care about understand you better and understand him or her better, is to read the same book. You can read the book at different times, take turns reading chapters, or read sections aloud to each other. This will help you be what I think of as a Book Buddy with a close friend, family member or partner.

Many people find it easier to read the book after your Book Buddy has finished reading it. Try reading the same book and use a different color highlighter to mark the sections that seem most important or that you would like to discuss with your Book Buddy.

Set aside some stress-free time after you have both read the book and talk about the highlighted sections. Taking the time to share your thoughts about a book you have both read can lead to greater understanding and all kinds of discoveries!

Enjoy !

After the Diagnosis: From Crisis to Personal Renewal for Patients with Chronic Illness, JoAnn LeMaistre, Ph.D

This easy-to-read book is ideal for patients and family members. Dr. Le Maistre describes the normal stages and challenges of coping with chronic illness using case examples.
Ulysses Press, P.O. Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703- 3440, SBN: 1-56975-046-7.
Order via Amazon.com

Aging with Grace, Power and a Plan, Lucy Scott, Ph.D.

A hands-on guide for women making some of the most challenging transitions of their life. Dedicated to helping women plan and make choices before life chooses for them, this guide provides practical advice and worksheets.

To order contact: Lucy Scott, Ph.D., 451 Vermont Ave, Berkeley, CA94707 or email lscott611@aol.com

Believing in Ourselves: A Celebration of Women
Essays by Nancy Carson, photos by Jennifer Jones

"Believing In Ourselves is a book of beautiful photos and compelling essays profiling thirty-five women who have succeeded in achieving extraordinary personal goals or overcoming significant hardships in their lives." - From the Editorial Review on Amazon.com
Find out more about Believing in Ourselves.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (Anchor Books, 1994)

This excellent book describes the process of "Freewriting," a writing technique for getting in touch with one's emotions, learning more about yourself and improving your communication. The New York Times described it as "hilarious, helpful and provocative."

Contact: The First Four Minutes Zunin, Leonard & Natalie (Ballantine Books, 1972)

"In four minutes, you will know if the person you are talking to is someone you're interested in. Yes, it only takes about four minutes to decide. Yet in that brief time, you and your partner will have made an indelible impression on one another. Contact: The First Four Minutes shows you how to make that impression a positive one and to develop the skills that will make you an interesting conversationalist to anyone-from a casual acquaintance to your spouse."  From Amazon Review

Elderhouse: Planning Your Best Home Ever, Adelaide Altman

"Very useful for women and men moving into their older age - the new kind of age where the concern is maintaining autonomy and control over their live"  —Betty Friedan
Chelsea Green Publishing Co, Vermont, 2002. 

Exit Strategies: A Plan and A Place For Your Estate Information(TM) interactive CD and workbook, Jeanne K. Smith

This wonderful software program provides you with a place to record your vital personal information and wishes. Enables family members to know what to do in times of crises such as a disaster, an incapacity or death.
www.exitstageright.com

It's Your Body... Ask! Questions to Ask Your Physician About Breast Care, William H. Goodson III, M.D.

This small, easy-to-read guide has important information and resources to help women deal with questions and concerns about breast cancer.
Available from Amazon.com, Powells.com or the publisher: Fort Alexander Press, PO Box 59-1721, San Francisco, CA., 94159-1721. Order Desk (415) 923-3942, Fax orders: (415) 776-1977

Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal, Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

Beautifully written, powerful book, combines stories about serious illness, different ways of finding meaning and joy while dealing with health crises.
Riverhead Books, New York, 1997. ISBN Number: 1-57322-610-6.
Order via Amazon.com

Legacy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Personal History, Linda Spence

Easy-to-read book written to help a family elder write their memoirs. Gives helpful suggestions of questions to ask and ways to interview a family member.
Swallow Press, Ohio University,1997. ISBN: 0-8040-1002-3

Mainstay: For the Well Spouse of the Chronically Ill, Maggie Strong

This powerful book "..speaks out for the well spouse whose needs and struggles are often overlooked and little understood. 'Mainstay,' a deeply loving account and a helpful guide, is a source of potential strength for the unnamed millions who are struggling to care for their chronically ill loved ones." —Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Penguin Books, New York,1988. ISBN: 0-14-01.1978 7

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life Marshall B. Rosenberg (PuddleDancer Press, 2003)

This important book presents ways in which peaceful communication can create compassionate connections with family, friends, at home and in the workplace. Dr. Rosenberg helps readers identify and articulate their feelings and needs, express anger fully, and explore the power of empathy in order to speak honestly without creating hostility. "Nonviolent communication can change the world. More importantly, it can change your life." - Jack Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul Series 

Opening Up: The Healing Power of Confiding in Others, James W.Pennebaker

"Dr. Pennebaker has demonstrated that expressing emotions appears to protect the body against damaging internal stress and seems to have long-term health benefits." -Daniel Goldman, The New York Times
New York: Morrow, 1990. Available at Powell's Books at Powells.com or at Amazon.com

Ragged Edge Magazine: The Disability Experience in America

This magazine is published by and for members of the radical disability rights movement.

The Art of Condolence — What to Write, What to Say, What to Do at a Time of Loss, Leonard M. Zunin, MD and Hilary Stanton Zunin

This beautifully written book offers gentle and practical guidance for those who want a better understanding of grief, or want to comfort or reach out to someone dealing with the loss of a loved one. "A sensitive and helpful guide for comforting people who face a loss. Very worthwhile reading."— Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, author of On Death and Dying.
Harper Perennial, New York, 1992. Available at bookstores, including Hallmark's Gold Stores and at Amazon.com

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life, Nancy L. Mace & Peter V. Rabins.

"An admirably realistic guide to caring for people with Alzheimer's." -- Michael Greenberg, New York Review of Books. The Johns Hopkins University Press; 4th edition, 2006.

The Woman's Book of Resilience: 12 Qualities to Cultivate, Beth Miller, Ph.D.

This wonderful, accessible book is a practical guide to bouncing back from challenges. "We know that resiliency reigns because we survive to tell our tales of misfortune, trauma, abuse. Indeed, we are built to be able to go to the edge of life and come back with heart and soul elevated. . . . We are built to be resilient, to be able to take sure and steady steps over rocky terrain." From Amazon Review
Conari Press, 2004.
Order via Amazon.com

Too Nice for Your Own Good: How to Stop Making 9 Self-Sabotaging Mistakes Duke Robinson

"If you're so nice, why isn't your life better? Renowned minister Duke Robinson says that well-intended nice behaviors burn us out, bottle us up and create barriers between us and those important to us. We strive endlessly for perfection, take on too much, stifle our anger, tell little lies and fall prey to other self-defeating behaviors. He outlines nine mistakes nice people make daily and shows how to correct them. Learn how to say "no" and avoid burnout; tell others what you want and actually receive it; express anger in ways that maintain your valued relationships; respond effectively when irrationally criticized; avoid giving advice and rescuing people. This remarkable book will empower you to get what you need . . . and still be a nice person!" " Editorial Review, Amazon
Warner Books, 1997. Order via Amazon.com

Wise Choices Beyond Midlife: Women Mapping the Journey Ahead
Lucy Scott, Ph.D.; Kerstin J. Schremp,Ph.D.; Betty Soldz, BSW; Barbara Weiss, MSW.

This well-written, easy-to-read guidebook is designed for women who want to create a greater sense of community and independence for the second half of their lives.
To order contact: Lucy Scott, Ph.D., 451 Vermont Ave, Berkely, CA 94707 or email lscott611@aol.com

Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives, Louise DeSalvo

This book is an excellent guide for anyone who wants to explore their emotional history, look at painful events in their lives, and gain deeper understanding of themselves. Using her practical advice, both new and experienced writers will find ways to safely and comfortably write about their personal life stories.
Harper San Francisco, 1999. Available at Powell's Books at Powells.com  or at Amazon.com

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within , Natalie Goldberg

Excellent introduction to the freeing concept of free-writing. "With insight, humor, and practicality, she inspires writers and would-be writers alike to take the leap into writing creatively and well."  Order via Shambhala Publications, 1997

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