Product Description

In this important book, Dr. Laura Schlessinger shows men and women that they can have a Good Life no matter how Bad their Childhood.

Not everyone will agree with—or appreciate--her succinct manner that drives right to the root of issues. Like her show, the book presents absolutes rather than possible alternatives. For readers looking for a definitive method for moving past childhood issues, Dr. Laura might offer the solution. Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

Pass
I would not recommend "Bad Childhood-Good Life" to anybody struggling with real childhood trauma.

While it did make a few accurate points here and there, most of the content was very topical and vague. The entire message of the book can pretty much be summed up with "Make sure you're praying to god, and get over it." Which is a nice idea but anybody that's ever had to deal with unresolved issues knows that if it were that easy, nobody would have problems.

I personally thought that some of the "caller" dialogue was crass and shallow (example: comparing the pain of an absent father to not eating a plate of spaghetti because there aren't enough meatballs in it? The fact that this woman has a doctorate is somewhat disturbing to me) and to say that this book skimmed the surface of any real psychological insight to anything would almost be giving it too much credit.

But like I said, there were a small number of points that would be useful to remember, and to somebody that is A) religious and B) not expecting to gain understanding of how the mind/body react to traumatic events, maybe you'd get something out of it. But if you've got real problems and are trying to learn something about yourself, haven't found prayer to be the cure-all, and would prefer something which was written by somebody with knowledge on the topic: you'd be much better off reading Toxic Parents or A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose instead.

A Roadmap to a Good Life
This book was recommended to me at an important point in my life when past childhood issues were bubbling up as if Pandora's Box had been opened.
Dr. Laura's own personal experiences as well as the numerous experiences of others create the mirror in which one sees one's self and how life has unfolded. Bad Childhood Good Life brings clarity to just about any situation. To the persons who believe he or she have not been affected by events in their lives, think again. I'm sure you'll find something just for you.

You Can Be Better than Your Past
This book makes so much sense, it helps you to realize that you don't have to be a slave to your past, that you are not to blame for someone eles's sickness. It helps you realize that we all have a choice, to live in the present and look forward to the future, that you don't need to keep digging up the Past.It helps you to realize that you are in charge.Get Out of Your Own Way at Work...And Help Others Do the Same: ConquerSelf-Defeating Behavior on the Job

Everyone can benefit from this books message.
Our family purchased this book over two years ago. We've given it as a gift to several family members and friends. This purchase was to a woman we've known since she was a teen. You don't have to have a totally messed up life to benefit from this book. You'll probably see your family, or a friend's family and have an Ah-ha moment. Enjoy a good read, and maybe a better life from today forward.

Don't bother reading
This book was a waste of time.Dr. Laura's supposed "insights" left me wondering if she thinks that the general public is lame.The advise given in the book could have been written by a six-year-old. ... Read more

Product Description
Following her previous New York Times bestsellers, Dr.Laura Schlessinger, the conscience of talk radio, now addresses an issue near and dear to her heart: the stupid things parents do to mess up their children. Never one to shy away from tough truths, Dr. Laura marshals compelling evidence for the widespread neglect of America's children and convincingly condemns the numerous rationalizations to excuse it. These are just a few of her hard-hitting points:

• Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them: "The cavalier manner in which our society treats child care, not as a matter of intimacy and love, but as a matter of convenience and economics, is deeply destructive to our children's sense of attachment, identity, and importance."
• Dads Need Not Apply: "Single motherhood may be more acceptable to society, but it is not acceptable to children; nor is it in their best interest."
• Brave New Baby: "In our society, reproductive freedom means anyone can decide to create a life by any means with no, and I mean no, consideration of what is in the best interest of that new human being."
• Spare the Rod: "Children without discipline often become adults with tempertantrums, defiance, rage, depression, anxiety, poor school and work adjustment, drug and alcohol abuse."

Customer Reviews (30)

Just like my mom said
I was scared I wouldn't be a good mother. My mother asked me one question "Will this child know that you love it?" I made a promise to my mother that this child would know EVERY day that it was loved. I listened intently when my daughter was speaking. I answered all the questions that she asked. I gave more attention than was asked for, but not so much I was a helicopter parent. When I entered the room the child was in and I hadn't seen her for more than an hour I bent down, grined from ear to ear, bear hugged the air out of her and ask her two or three questions (adults; if you dared interupt me during this you got a brush off from me.) I was never too busy being a grown up to nurture this little human.

Yes, I did all this. At 16 she still calls me mommy, she is independent but misses me if she is gone for more than three days. I spanked her once out of love when she was under two years of age and we still talk about how much good that did her. I was lucky enough to work and breast feed her at the same time. We discuss everything and make decisions based on what we both want and a little compromise. I dare you to find a more loving, well rounded, happy 16 year old anywhere.

GREAT BOOK
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK....IF YOU DON'T WANT CHILDREN, THEN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HAVING THEM....IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, THEN DON'T HAVE THEM....ET CETERA, ET CETERA....
BARBARA

The BEST informative book ever
Stupid Things Parents Do To Mess Up Their Kids: Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them

This is by far the most make sense information and Dr. Laura has really nailed this topic. She understands the commitment that people need to make to raise their children so they become the intelligent, caring, nurturing future generation we need in order for our world to survive. Thats it in a nut shell. Thank you Dr. Laura.

Sincerely,
Concerned Committed Parent

Self Help Parenting Book is Okay
A good piece if you have the time to sit through it. A bit more statistics than I was prepared for making it a hard to stay interested. The book does make some very good points, you just have to be patient (as with your children).

Hits the nail on the head
Reading this book made me so glad I made the choice I did to stay home with my kids.I have no sympathy or respect for women who are flying down the money trail while dumping their poor babies in daycare with strangers; what a long, sad, miserable day for a toddler (no matter what Mom wants to tell herself).And as far as the ever-popular "I can't afford not to work" excuse, then why did you have children if you can't afford them?My husband is in the military; we don't make much money but we would NEVER use that as an excuse to abandon our children day after day all through their fleeting and precious childhoods. This also applies to the single, never married moms who maybe should have considered getting married before getting knocked up; daycare all day AND no dad!Yippee!!Bravo to Dr. Laura for telling it like it is.Once you have that baby, it's not about YOU anymore! ... Read more

Product Description

In her most provocative book yet, Dr. Laura urgently reminds women that to take proper care of their husbands is to ensure themselves the happiness and satisfaction they yearn for in marriage.

Customer Reviews (181)

But everybody else in the world already knows this stuff
This is a really good book, for women who want their committed relationships to work, with mutual respect.If you read this, and apply the ideas in it, your man will take several deep breaths, and release a lot of tension in his body that blocked him from investing energy in the relationship.Americans read self-help books to learn what most other people learn young from family.The discussion of polarity is something all Latin, Russian, Oriental, and most indigenous mothers have with their daughters.There are about 25 companies that prosper connecting American men with Latin, Russian, and Oriental women.I wonder if there is a connection?The people who criticize Dr. Laura hate her in the way that some people hate black people, gays, or Hispanics, that is they hate her as a stereotype in their own heads, never having tried to understand what she is saying, and they don't seem to have read her books.I doubt she's perfect, and I don't agree with everything in the book.So what?Most people in the world understand that polarity means current, which means life.Lack of polarity- putting two negative poles together, which is what feminists seem to want, just means repulsion.I remember a Native American elder telling me respect is the center of the circle of community, because it leads to cooperation, which is how humans survive.Feminists exploit, they don't cooperate.Why any man in America would marry a feminist is beyond my comprehension, it would be like keeping a poisonous snake as a pet.I was married to not one but two of the unbelievably selfish, exploitative women Dr. Laura describes.The first one left our 4 year old daughter with me, so she could go play with a boyfriend.I got custody and raised my kid.The second one was worse, getting her out of my life felt magnificent.She was a total parasite.I am now married to a Spanish- Spain- woman, whose mother taught her this stuff when she was a teenager.Spanish and Hispanic women watch telenovela soap operas where the virtuous heroine goes through hell to find the prince- and then things are better.The evil women/men in the telenovelas always get punished, in the end, which is not unlike life.American soap operas portray and glorify the treacherous bitches as the heroines.People live their stories.American women compare their husbands to the centerfold men in the pornographic romance novels they read, which means real men always come off badly.Latin women aren't as demanding.I learned through great pain to have nothing to do with feminists, ever.Vampires only take blood; feminists take everything, and bitch because they didn't get more.Remember the joke about divorced Barbie costing $250, because she comes with Ken's house, Ken's car...Feminists plan this stuff in advance.I wear a huge wedding ring, and feminists have actually hit on me in front of my wife, and of course other public venues.I would sooner couple with a rabid tigress, than a feminist.I take my wedding vows seriously, and I read Dr. Laura for ideas on how to keep my marriage on a good footing.She doesn't know everything, but she does at least understand polarity, and she does criticize the acidic contempt feminists have for men.I have yet to see aman happily married to a feminist.Feminists believe that women need men like fish need a bicycle.Any man stupid enough to marry a feminist is like a Jew expecting love from a Nazi.Put Dr L's books on your shelf, lads.Test your fiancee', lads- if they hate Dr. Laura, or treat waiters and other service people badly, that is how you will be treated.Women do not change.If a woman is like the selfish grasping parasites Dr. Laura describes, cut it off, immediately, and ignore the sunk costs.Pain is a patient teacher, for those of you who cannot follow simple advice.

I can't believe anyone would actually be offended by this book!
How could anyone argue with the extremely valid points Dr. Laura makes in this intense wake-up call of a book? I mean really! I will agree that the tone of the book is somewhat overbearing and yell-y, but if I were her and had endured phone call after phone call after phone call of women making the same misguided complaints, I'd be ready to pull my hair out and want to yell at all of us, too! Ladies, it's pretty simple. If we want to be number one with our husbands, they have to our number one priority, too. That's what it boils down to. If you aren't willing to meet your husband's specific needs, whatever they may be, you have to be prepared for the fact that one day he may no longer be there for you to ignore and push to the side. I recently came much closer to that reality than I'd ever thought was possible with my husband. It's terrifying. I love him and I thought I was a good (enough) wife. I am kind and I don't nag or criticize. And I always feed him. :) But pretty much everything else Dr. Laura mentions in her book I was guilty of. Shame on me. This book has helped dramatically alter my perspective. I am now excited to be my husband's wife and take care of him! It is a joy and a pleasure. And no, I'm not some repressed, submissive doormat - I am a woman who wants a happy, fulfilling marriage and who wants her husband to be happy, too! What's wrong with wanting to take care of your husband??? Isn't he supposed to be the love of your life?

Dr. Laura hits the nail on the head.
I've implemented the praise steps when outlined, and see immediate changes in my husband and me.

Man's perspective...this book is right on.
My wife and I got married a little over a year ago. I'm now 26 and she's 22. From day one after we got married, my relationship with her went from wonderful to bad, to worse. Dr. Laura describes exactly how I feel. I fell in love with a woman who praised me for me. Who loved and trusted me because she felt I was at least just a little bit better than the average guy. I worked hard in school while she worked this past year. I am soon to enter pharmacy professional school and she is now going to school full time. I like my ego stroked, I'll be the first to admit. I don't think it's unreasonable for a wife to at least tell her husband that he is better than the other guys she meets. What I get however is that she is constantly unhappy for no reason, nothing is ever good enough. Our apartment is too small, I don't dress well enough, I don't get her flowers often enough. She even likes cooking and we don't have kids so cleaning is not that big of a deal for us. She wants a pet, she wants a baby, she complains that she has to work too hard at Good Will. It's always some negative outlook. She refuses to come with me to spend time with my parents (who live 45 minutes away), she threw a fit that she didn't get the Christmas or birthday that she wanted. She is too sensitive and acts on any emotion she ever feels and anything that goes wrong is always my fault. I literally can't be happy when my wife isn't happy, just like any good husband (as Dr. Laura describes). After dealing with this for a year, I am now taking steps to get counseling involved, but in reality, it's all right here in the book, that she refuses to read. If I had to summarize what this book is trying to teach, it is to "Find something to be happy about because if you picked a good husband, he will be happier, if not completely happy, when his wife is happy; otherwise he won't ever be happy and your marriage just won't work." I'm the type of guy (which is very common according to the book) that reacts very well to positive reinforcement, and I just totally try to wash my hands of people who try to guilt trip me or coerce or whine and nag me into being perfect.

Love this book!
These ideas may seem old fashioned but Dr. Laura is right on with how to take care of your husband. I will be having all of my daughters read this book before they get married! ... Read more

Product Description

1. Stupid Secrets
Withholding important information for fear of rejection

Much of the book has been created from letters written by listeners of her show. These personal anecdotes are used to illustrate points and provide examples we can all relate to; given their tremendous variety, you're sure to find some that click with you. They make the book an easily absorbed read and provide a welcome break from Schlessinger's angry tirades on premarital sex, addiction, and the general "stupidity" of the human race. Behind her anger, you'll find suggestions on taking time to really listen to each other, ways to respect each other's needs without catering to selfishness, and a firm belief that relationships are nearly always worth saving. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Not completely sold...
There seems to be a spate of "holier than thou" authors pedalling, at times, insufferable judgements on a generation where mistakes are at last available for them to be made.

Her opinions are valid - at times - especially where she states that children are feeling less and less important. And that there has been a breakdown in society of a moral and ethical nature, however, in order for life (as we know it) to change we all need to breakdown to be rebuilt.

We are in new times. Perhaps I am an optimist and perhaps my faith in the human ability of being "sick of being sick and tired" that one day they will want change the life they lead is a child like fantasy... but i have it...

Her sexist and patronising comments about women being more like men than women these days sadly shows her lack of compassion or even want of understanding. Women have for hundreds of years been on the back foot of society. Not privy to the development of a nation or the right to express freedom of speech. And then, not that long ago, won the right to vote which subsequently helped other achievements be made.

The second world war brought a need for women to enter the workforce as men were fighting. This shot women's rights to the forefront of the political agenda.

Women have only been "free" (in some societies) for barely a hundred years. And it is only right that they will want to do all the things that men have been granted the freedom to do. Therefore the homes that women once held are going to fall apart, the state of the nation's health will grow increasingly because the home cooked meal is no longer the preferred option.

But that does not mean that this is a bad thing.

It means that things have to change if we are to continue as human beings. But, that also means an acceptance that we no longer live in a 1950's post-atomic world.

Acceptance seems to be lacking in her work. Perhaps I need to persevere and find out more about her thinking.

I will say this, a hundred years ago children were treated far more disgustingly then they are today. Even thirty years ago...we are far from a perfect society that is for sure. But to say that we are heading for disaster is ludicrous. The world is shifting, thoughts are shifting, enlightenment is coming.

Ridiculous!
According to Dr. Laura, having sex with multiple people, having sex for fun, practicing S&M, practicing oral or anal sex, living with your significant other without being married and being sexually experimental are all horrible, terrible things that ruin relationships.In some cases, yes, these can ruin relationships but this book makes anyone who has ever done any of the above out to be a bad person.Dr. Laura's books are a waste of paper and a waste of time.

hated it
i hated all the preaching and negative slurs.she is too uptight and conserative. hated it.

Don't make the same mistake Eli did.Stand up for the right!Stand up for Justice.
1. Love is a choice. A decision to honor and keep the vows, covenants, and promises made at marriage. Love understands the faults and follies and weaknesses of one another, accepts those deficiencies or realities, works to find solutions and breakthrough those realities (soul search, seek therapy, take risks, and spiritually develop), and enjoys newfound intimacy and affection - a new song. Millions can work through their problems with support from family, friends, and other individuals with shared interest.

2. Avoid secrets, they destroy trust and betray confidences. A secret is deceptive and a form of lying.

3. Emotions can be labile, vulnerable, situational, unpredictable, and without IQ. Compassion and empathy towards your spouse may not be the emotion of the day.

4. Most divorces are caused by materialism, a form of idol worship, a false religion. Materialism pulls man away from devotion to God and love for his fellow man. It is difficult to think of the well-being of you wife when you fascinated with the next ATV or tool. We love what we covet.

5. Married couples are healthier, happier, and wealthier.

6. Increasing attention one towards another is a great method to increase emotional feeling towards each other. Attention suggests importance. Importance is valuable. People like to feel valuable and wanted.

7. Save you devotion for your husband or wife. This technique helps avoid the pitfall of falling in love with another person, who is not your husband or wife. Run away from fantasy. "Stay clear"; time and distance are your friends. A powerful punch or kick can cause great damage, called Infidelity. Stay out of range. Preserve your commitment to your spouse and family.

8. Date the people you are considering eligible partners for marriage. You don't have time to waste. America is a rich culture, but time is a rare commodity. Use your time wisely, don't experiment, don't fantasize, go for the gold. Avoid men, who will not work, like the plague. A man must be willing to cross alligator infest swamps to keep you happy. That is the best choice. Avoid a slough-oriented man, as a piece of wisdom. Ask yourself, "Can I see this woman interacting wonderfully with my mother? Will she be kind, understanding, friendly, and helpful?" If the answer is no then dump her. It is not worth the risk.

9. Build integrity and character through hard work. Avoid self-abusive behavior and devaluing thoughts and actions. Avoid situations where misunderstandings and hurtful emotions could arise and unwanted children result, from inappropriate physical intimacy, before marriage. Sudden intimacy without commitment will bring immediate rejection and devaluation. Be loyal to yourself as a child of God. Remember, who loves you and focus on that vision. Everyone is worthy of being loved and capable of loving. Be a person with a open heart and wisdom.

10. Two thirds of divorces are initiated by women, often, over the notion of rights and happiness. The feminist movement has been devastating to families. Violence, drug and alcohol, neglect and abandonment, and promiscuous infidelity are not the primary reason for breakup in a marriage, now. The primary reason is philosophical. The liberation of women occurs when they become enlightened, the "Feminine Mystique". They leave seeking careers, education, and social freedom. The birthplace of women's rights and the destruction of family. Men have become wary of women, as result of this philosophy. Men and women don't want to be used.

11. Take accountability for your actions, your attitudes, and your expectations. You have the "Power" to determine your marriage and relationship to members in your family. It is a choice. Power to choose is divine. The power to act and not to be acted upon.

12. How does having babies out of wedlock with the concomitant problems of poverty, lack of father, and childcare elevate a woman's status?

13. Woman want to be loved, respected, have a loving husband, enjoy a family, and receive warmth from those they know. Men want to protect their family, provide for the needs of family members, and be respected and revered. Men and women want self-actualization. I believe self-actualization is seeing your children repeat successful parent skills learned from their parents. Generations of successful, healthy, and happy posterity is my definition of self-actualization.

14. Divorce starts with selfish attitudes about "what I deserve" and ME. Complaining starts about not having enough.

15. Don't tolerate disgusting, horrendous, destructive, immoral, cruel, stupid, and evil behavior. Don't use the phrase, "I love him" to justify tolerance of unacceptable behavior. Remember Eli in the Old Testament. Eli would not stop the immoral behavior of his two sons and as a result Israel rejected the Lord as King and select another king. Sad. Eli could have stood up to his sons, even if it meant losing his life. It would have been better for him rather than angering the Lord.

Great Book
Great book, Dr. Laura has a great no nonsense way of telling you like it is! ... Read more

Product Description
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is the incredibly popular and controversial psychotherapist who hosts a nationally syndicated, top-rated midday radio talk show. She has strong convictions and doesn't hesitate to voice them to callers. She urges women emphatically to lose a domineering jerk of a lover and pick one of the "good guys," to stay home and parent the babies they've made, and to follow the dream rather than some dreamboat. Above all, she exhorts women not to blame anybody or anything but themselves if they're unhappy and their lives seem a mess.

10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives uses real-world examples from Schlessinger's radio show and private practice to drive the message home. And the message is that our reticence to be bold and brave often makes us act like stupid, submissive victims. Once we muster the courage to take responsibility for our own problems and to tolerate the discomforts of risk, the possibilities for personal growth and joy are limitless.

If you're looking for an all-approving hand to hold, you won't find it here. If you're prepared to take a clear-eyed look at your self-diminishing behavior and to make the move to a quality existence, there's no one better than Schlessinger to keep you honest and to cheer you on. One thing's for sure: You'll never look at your relationships, behaviors and decisions the same way after you've finished reading this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (91)

A MUST read for every woman.
I realize that a lot of people have either negative or mixed feelings about Dr. Laura but I urge you to give this a chance.This book is mostly a compilation of stories from her radio show. In each chapter, she shares situations people have called in about and what her advice was.I have to say that if you have ever felt like you were wimpy in a relationship..the one being stepped on..you need to read this.I gained so much strength from considering her reasoning on several points.I will never settle again for a relationship that is not good for me. I've even sent this book to several friends who were struggling with self esteem and not being valued in their relationships.Thank you, Dr. Laura.

Excellent!!!!
Thank you for your prompt and courteous attention to our order. The book was received ahead of expected due date and was in excellent condition. Again thank you very much.

Smooth Transaction
Great condition and smooth transaction. Good communication and price too!Will buy again. Thank you...

Dr. Laura Tells All to Women
I had listened to Dr. Laura for some time on a local radio station.Some time ago, I purchased and read her book entitled "Ten Stupid Things Men Do To Mess-Up Their Lives" and found it to be current and useful.Just recently, I re-read that book and thought the companion book entitled "Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess-Up Their Lives" would be useful to my teen-age granddaughters and daughters by affinity.I purchased several copies of the book for these women and even took the occasion to read the hard-cover book.I was not disappointed, as her words should be very helpful to women to have real personal growth in becoming the people that God intended.

Satisfactory
The book was in the condition it was described to be and was received in a timely manner. I was pleased with this purchased. ... Read more

Product Description
The reason so many Americans feel lost and unhappy, explains Dr. Schlessinger, is that we have abandoned the high road and indulged in the feel-good pop psychology of the last decade. Mistaking fun for happiness, we have set ourselves up for "short-term thrills and long-term agony."

"How could you do that?!" she asks. In this wise and witty book, she topples the lame excuses we try to make when we do the wrong thing. Americans know what the right thing to do is, she asserts. We just try to take the easy way out. In seven chapters, she challenges us to find our Character, Conscience, Courage, Self-respect, Morals, Integrity and Principles by discussing such issues as love versus lust, irresponsible parenting and the mindless pursuit of happiness at the expense of others. Her message is simple: If we discipline ourselves and accept responsibility for our actions, we will ultimately enjoy a life of richer quality and greater satisfaction.

Written in her unmistakably lively and outspoken style, How Could You Do That?! is a refreshing, and sometimes tough argument for the need for values and character. "Get a grip," says Dr. Laura, "it's time to grow up."Amazon.com Review
Laura Schlessinger takes the quotation marks off the phrase"bad behavior," and makes an impassioned argument against theself-indulgent subjective morality rampant in our society.Following her previous New York Times bestseller, 10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives, Dr. LauraSchlessinger -- the internationally syndicated radio superhost whoreaches 15 million listeners per week -- argues effectively that doinggood leads to feeling great. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Dr Evil writes a book
What a joke! She write a book on character and uses the "n...." word on radio. This woman looks like her head should pop out of a jack in the box to scare children!!! The book's a joke!!! She doesn't follow her own advice!!! Why should you follow hers!!!

Not worth the time
The book is a collection of stories from the callers on her radio show and a discussion of how we as humans make less than desirable choices in life.The book is only 269 pages so it should have been a quick read but I found reading it to be slightly tedious. I just couldn't get into, like I said the book is full of examples but lacks any flow to the stories. The only connection being we all make dumb choices in life.
Dr.Laura used the book to express a strong opinion on childcare and relationships in general. She often uses the pages to convey her stance on two parent families and having one parent at home. I have to agree with her, I'm sure the best solution is having at least one parent at home rather than two full time working adults. Yet, there are times I felt like she was saying if your children are raised with two working parents or in a single parent home they will turn out to be hooligans.I am the product of a divorced, single parent working mother home and I think I turned out ok. I finished high school, went to college, and didn't have any children at a young age, as Dr.Laura would have you believe happens to everyone from this predicament.
There are a few parts of the book that made me stop and really think about the situations and how they applied to my life so it wasn't a total loss.

Some good points...but...
Schlessinger uses many examples from her audiences through the years to give advice in her book.Although there are some good points to the book--determining consequences before taking action, doing the right thing and taking responsibility for one's actions--it is weakened dramatically by the books limited focus, the author's self-righteous attitude and a prescribed set of rigid behaviors.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Plays better on radio.
A 2007 Summer mini review

I have been listening to Dr. Laura on and off for several years.I do not always agree with her stances or advice but more often than not I have. I listen to her on on and off, because I can not always stomach her crassness and bluntness.I decided to read her book and see if this would be a happier medium for us.

What I found is that the majority of the book is based on transcripts of calls and correspondence from her radio program.While I expected this, I did not expect that those would be the best and most coherent parts of the book.I agree with the premise of her book stated clearly in the title. The overall impact of this message was greatly diminished by the disjointedness between the callers faxes and radio transcripts and her overall writing style.If this book is any indication, she has a better "voice" for radio.

Changed My Life
This book has changed my life. It made me relize how my choices affect my life and the lives of others. I recommend this book to anyone who is unclear on what life path to take. I have a very large collection of books in my home, I rank this book as one of the best in my collection. It has helped my world become a better place. If you are looking for a better tomorrow, read this book. ... Read more

Product Description

En la obra más desafiante que haya escrito hasta el momento, la Dra. Laura recuerda con urgencia a las mujeres que deben cuidar y tener contentos a sus esposos para garantizar su propia felicidad y la satisfacción que anhelan en su matrimonio.

Product Description

In the long-awaited follow-up to her groundbreaking, million-copy bestseller The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, Dr. Laura now focuses on how men and women need to understand and appreciate the uniqueness of masculinity and femininity; what the best ways to relate, caretake, and nurture each other are; and how to bring a marriage back from the brink of disaster.

Customer Reviews (9)

Wonderful book!
I have read and listened to Dr. Laura.I truly enjoyed The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage. Through her antidotes she helped me realize that my marriage is not all about me.Contrary to popular opinion, marriage is about serving each other and caring about each other, not necessarily only about myself.I would recommend this book to anyone who is planning on marriage, newly wed, and those of us with a few years under our belts.

Excellent book
I like to listen to Dr. Laura's radio talk show when I'm out doing errands at lunch.I decided to buy the book and was glad I did!It's easy to read and the advise is great.It's a nice reminder that attitude, respect, and appreciation are important skills in any spousal relationship.Her advice is practical and works.I definitly recommend this book to any married woman and am loaning it out to my sisters and girlfriends.

Proper book for couples
I enjoyed the book from a male perspective. I don't know why Dr.Laura is controversial. Most of what she says is common sense that people forget to think about. I don't know if the book is going to save anyones' marriage, but it might make a few more harmoneous relationships out there.
The book is more valuable if both spouses are willing to read it.

Dr. Laura Rephrased: Women, give up everything!~
After you read this book you get these wack ideas
1) Women give up everything and anything that makes your husband the slightest bit upset. This includes your career.

2) Put your husband first but dont expect the same..his job, his friends and his activities are more important than you. Get over it.

3)Men have basic needs; women just have wants. If your man makes money, he has lived up his part of the bargain. Again, get over it! He doesnt have to support you emotionally by talking ot you or spending time with you. Again, your needs are nonexistent. Woman, you want to much!

4)Women must work on marriage. Men just have to be money to be declared a good husband.

Dr. Laura is #1
Both my husband and I enjoyed reading this book.It helps us communicate as well as remember how to appreciate one another and be more loving to one another.We have only been married two years but I know that this book will be a good reference in the years to come. ... Read more

Product Description

Dr. Laura Schlessinger reveals how to bring a marriage back from the brink of disaster.

Customer Reviews (123)

Most people in the world learn this at their parents' feet
Americans read self-help books to learn what most other people learn young from family.The discussion of polarity is something all Latin, Russian, Oriental, and most indigenous mothers have with their daughters.There are about 30 companies that make their money connecting American men with Latin, Russian, and Oriental women.I wonder if there is a connection.The people who criticize Dr. Laura hate her in the way that some people hate black people, gays, or Hispanics, that is they hate her as a stereotype in their own heads, never having tried to understand what she is saying.I doubt she's perfect, and I don't agree with everything in the book.So what?Most people in the world understand that polarity means current, which means life.Lack of polarity- putting two negative poles together, which is indeed what feminists seem to want, just means repulsion.I remember a Wampanoag elder telling me respect is the center of the circle of community, because it leads to cooperation, which is how humans survive.Feminists exploit, they don't cooperate.Why any man in America would marry a feminist is beyond my comprehension, it would be like keeping a poisonous snake as a pet.I was married to not one but two of the unbelievably selfish, exploitative women Dr. Laura describes.The first one left our 4 year old daughter with me, so she could go play with a boyfriend.I got custody and raised my kid.The second one was worse, getting her out of my life felt magnificent.I am now married to a Spanish- Spain- woman, whose mother taught her this stuff when she was a teenager.Spanish and Hispanic women watch telenovela soap operas where the virtuous heroine goes through hell to find the prince- and then things are better.The evil women/men in the telenovelas always get punished, in the end.American soap operas portray the treacherous bitches as the heroines.People live their stories.American women compare their husbands to the centerfold men in the romance novels they read, which means the men always come off badly.Latin women aren't as demanding.I learned through great pain to have nothing to do with feminists, ever.Vampires only take blood; feminists take everything, and bitch because they didn't get more.I wear a huge wedding ring, and feminists have actually hit on me in front of my wife, and of course other public venues.I would sooner couple with a rabid tigress, than a feminist.I take my wedding vows seriously, and I read Dr. Laura for ideas on how to keep my marriage on a good footing.She doesn't know everything, but she does at least understand polarity, and she does criticize the acidic contempt feminists have for men.I have yet to see aman happily married to a feminist.Feminists believe that women need men like fish need a bicycle.Any man stupid enough to marry a feminist is like a Jew expecting love from a Nazi.Put Dr L's books on your shelf, lads.Test your fiancee', lads- if they hate Dr. Laura, or treat waiters and other service people badly, that is how you will be treated.Women do not change.If a woman is like the selfish grasping parasites Dr. Laura describes, cut it off, immediately, and ignore the sunk costs.Pain is a patient teacher, for those of you who cannot follow simple advice.

READ THIS BOOK!
No matter what your marital situation, you need to read this book.It is very insightful, and will help so long as both of you read it, or you put into practice in a new relationship.Love Laura!

WOW
I'm a strong-willed professional woman. My marriage was falling apart. This book REALLY made me stop and take a look at my husband like the manly man he is. Almost overnight, the 'little things' really added up, and we are happy again!
Take a look, it just may be worth it to you as well.

Dr. Laura Wants You Back in the Kitchen, Ladies!
While there are a few nuggets of ordinary wisdom in this work, mostly it's a Jeremiad against feminism and a call to a return to "Leave It to Beaver" America, with Daddy sallying forth each day in quest of the bacon, and Mommy at the door, slippers in one hand and martini in the other, when he gets home.

Sure, it makes sense to treasure your partner, and let her or him know it, but Schlessinger's message of "recovery" from feminism is facile nostalgia.

Her support for her arguments?The "feedback" she gets from her radio listeners, who are hardly likely to be applying a critical ear or eye to her views.

Marriage indeed needs care and feeding, but we need not go back to antiquated gender stereotypes for guidance.

Strong Opinions and Simple Solutions
I read and loved two of Schlessinger's earlier works, The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands and Woman Power: Transform Your Man, Your Marriage, Your Life, so when I spotted this in my local library, I didn't think twice about reading it. The context of this book is relatively simple, but it really resonates with me and how I think. Probably half of the book is taken up with quotes from Dr. Laura's readers and listeners on various topics related to marriage, which I appreciate because it means that this isn't just a preachy "only my way works" self-help book, but a book chock full of experiences of many, many other married couples. One chapter in and I knew this book was gold - and then practically demanded my husband read it right after me. (We'll see how that goes.) I even shed a few tears at the end over a 57th birthday love letter a man wrote to his wife.
While some people will likely take offense at some of Dr. Laura's very strong opinions about the man and woman's role in marriage - man goes to work, woman stays home and takes care of home and children - I happen to agree with her as I am a stay-at-home mom myself. But even she admits to necessary exceptions to that rule in some circumstances - such as an injury preventing the man from working, and the woman choosing to take a job to pay for "luxuries." She had much to say about the negative effects that extremist feminism has had on marriage and child-rearing - and how to reverse those effects in the reader's own marriage, backed up with example after example from other married couples. While many counselors and therapists will simply listen to you verbally bash and complain about your spouse for session after session, she constantly brings the focus back to the complainer and encourages that person to do the changing he or she wants to see in the spouse. Her belief is that in most marriages, if one spouse gives what the other person wants, then that person will reciprocate. Dr. Laura's goals were very simply love and happiness in marriage, which everyone wants when they get married but often forget how to "do." Following her own KISS principle - "Keep it simple / small, stupid!" - she breaks down how to reach those goals very quickly and efficiently.
... Read more

Product Description
For every woman who wants to know what her man is thinking.

Internationally syndicated radio superhost and columnist, controversial psycho-therapist, and author of the break-out New York Times bestsellers How Could You Do That?! and Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives, Dr. Laura Schlessinger is back with Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives.

In ten vital, compelling chapters, Dr. Laura speaks her mind on:

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent product :-)
Great to be able to listen to a book instead of having to read it.

Love this book! Saved my marriage
I LOVED this book!It literally saved my marriage.I would highly recommend this book (or book on CD; I bought both) to any woman who is having marital problems, or even anyone who just wants a better marriage.Dr. Laura has hit the nail on the proverbial head!The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands

top billing
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to live a happy and healthy life with their partner.It is very enlighening and it changed my life.Please read it with an open mind and your world and your partner's life will open wide.Thank you, Dr. Laura!!

Very Up Front
Purely Dr. Laura.Very Up Front.I wish I had had this with my first marriage.Something every woman needs to listen to.Our attitudes get a little selfish every so often.Very good!

Speedy Delivery!
Thanks so much for the quick service and the product was in great condition.No problems at all. ... Read more

Product Description
Children's welfare is the driving force behind Dr. Laura Schlessinger's mission. A devoted mother to her son, Deryk, she identifies herself as "her kid's mom" because that's her most important job.

Never one to shy away from tough truths, Dr. Laura marshalls compelling evidence for the widespread neglect of America's children and convincingly condemns the numerous rationalizations to excuse it. Parents, special interest groups, and professionals in education and psychology all contribute to a dangerous trend that places adult fulfillment above obligation to children. Parenthood by Proxy addresses the serious causes and effects of this national crisis, among them the high rate of divorce, serial marriages, single parenting, the premature sexualization of children, dual-career families, disdain for religion, the redefinition of immoral behavior as lifestyle choices, and societal intolerance for the concept of judgment.

In Parenthood by Proxy, Dr. Laura exhorts parents to make their own children their top priority and, if necessary, to change their lives to do so. In her inimitable, straight-shooting style, Dr. Laura entreats parents to involve themselves in their children's hearts, minds, and souls, to cherish and protect them, and to commit to the essential task of teaching them right from wrong. She acknowledges that parents no longer get much support from neighbors or public and private institutions, but she urges mothers and fathers to work even harder to counteract the prevailing culture of selfishness and irresponsibility.

Parenthood by Proxy covers all aspects of parenting, from childbearing to discipline, from multiple families to being role models. Dr. Laura also tackles such cultural and societal concerns as abortion, modern sexuality, drug and alcohol use, violence, discipline, and a child's right to privacy.

Parenthood by Proxy is a passionate and provocative summation of the perils of parenting and a road map to safety for America's families. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

Dr. Laura has transformed our life with her words
I am very lucky to find Dr. Laura before I became a mom. If I did not listen to her, I will definitely keep working at my career and thinking I am doing the right thing (and the best thing) for my children.But reading this book and listen to her show make me realize quickly what a child need. They need a mom! I shared this book with my husband and we decided I will stay home with our children. When we put our family first, everything else seems to prosper. We are really happy and thriving family and I thank Dr. Laura for opening my eyes.
Also I recommend another book for all moms who just have babies or who want to stay home with their children. LILY WANG's BABY HAIKU: What your baby want you to know. She stays home with her two children and she wrote those heart-warming poems after she sends her children to sleep. If she can figure out a way to realize herself while stay home with her babies, I can too.

Stay at home if you can
If, and "if" is the key word here, if you can arrange to stay at home with your children, you should.
After listening to Laura's advice, I found out that I was missing the most important years with my kids and decided to stay at home. After all, children are our most valuble resource and they deserve our love and undivided attention.

Not her best effort
I am no fan of the Dr. Laura show but I usually enjoy her as an author (particularly the Ten Commandments and Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives). I don't always agree with her, but I'm willing to listen to anyone make a sensible compelling argument--from Hillary Clinton to Rush Limbaugh.

This is one book that could honestly be a pamphlet--or better yet simply read any of her other works and her opinions on this matter will be reiterated time and time again. Her basic premise is that putting a child in day-care is awful and families who do so in the name of providing a better life for their kids are REALLY interested in providing a better life for themselves, thus they are selfish. Rather than her engaging style which she uses in other works Dr. Laura writes this as a dissertation citing everything from the Bible to Time Magazine to support her views.

Both my wife and I are in the health-care professions which allows us a good amount of flexibility in our scheduling--which allowed us to keep our daughter out of day care---but we realize we are incredibly lucky to have that ability--and certainly don't condemn other loving parents.

Dr. Laura seems to think that the two parent families who are putting their children in day care all have 6 bedroom homes with 2 SUV's and make annual trips to Fiji and they are unwilling togive up this lavish lifestyle for the Children. From my perspective the people with the large homes/SUV's are the one's who DON'T have both parents working--it's the "regular folks" like myself and my wife who drive used cars, clip coupons, rarely go anywhere and simply want a nice home in a safe neighborhood in a solid school district that Dr. Laura alienates time and time again.To suggest that everyone who can't afford to have a full-time stay at home Mom NOT have children is beyond insulting.

I'm not giving the poor review, however, because I disagree with her premise--I'm giving it because the book is incredibly repetitive and tedious reading. She's a pretty good writer. This is a pretty bad book.

I agreed with everything she was saying about parenthood
I do believe we need to do more for our children and parents, especially for the mothers. This book talks about the importance of having a dad in a child's life, stupid reasons why to have kids and why we need to be there for our children and raise them also.I also agree with her that a child needs both parents, a mom and a dad.

Well this says it all
"My moms were better parents than 99% of the straight parents out there"

The fact that you believe this shows what was wrong with your parenting relationship.Even those of us doing all the "right" things still would not pretend that we are better parents than this one or that.

Your two moms are still not a mom and a dad. They may have been wonderful, but they are still not equal to an equally good mother and father, I think that is always Dr. Laura's point and I agree. And I speak from experience having an absolutely wonderful lesbian sil who raised her 3 children after abandonment with her companion. These children still missed out on a father. Truth is truth. Why can't people accept that without getting so defensive? ... Read more

Product Description
Everybody knows the Ten Commandments, right? Let's see. There's something about stealing, lying, murdering...ah...but that's only three...what are the rest? More people claim to live by the Ten Commandments than seem to know what they are, let alone what they mean. And in this modern, jet-propelled, nuclear, genetic-engineered world, how important are they?

Each day we make innumerable decisions about things that don't really seem earth-shattering in importance. So what if we break a promise? So what if we are married but find passion in another bed? So what if we are too focused on work, TV, or clubs to spend time with family? In The Ten Commandments, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, America's "Mommy" and the conscience of talk radio, reminds is that it is in everyday decisions that we give meaning to our lives or diminish it; andshe shows us why adhering to the higher ideals and consistent morality found in the Commandments can create a life of greater purpose, integrity, value, and lasting joy.

The Ten Commandment'sare the first direct communication between a people and God. Designed to elevate our lives above mere frantic, animal existence to the sublime levels humanity is capable of experiencing, they are the blueprint of God's expectations of us and His plan for a meaningful, just, loving, and holy life. Each of the Ten Commandments asserts a principle, and each principle is a moral focal point for real-life issues relating to God, family, sex, work, charity, property, speech, and thought. These principles, and the Commandments they are based upon, are as relevant today as they were in Biblical times.

Written in collaboration with Rabbi Steward Vogel, The Ten Commandments is a modern application of God's laws, incorporating lively discussion on the Bible and the Judeo-Christian values derived from it. Filled with passion, emotion, and provocative, profound insight. The Ten Commandments will move, enlighten, inspire, educate, and entertain you. You won't be able to look ateven mundane moments in your life the same way again.

I am the Lord, your God, who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery
Acceptance of God as the ultimate author of morality and leaning of life.

You shall not recognize the gods of others in My presence
Beware of idolatry. Attaining money, power, stimulation, professional success, and accumulating possessions, while legitimate pursuits, are not the ultimate purpose of life.

You shall not take the Name of the Lord, your God, in vain
How we acknowledge or deny God and godliness through our words and deeds.

Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it
Recognize the value of time by refocusing on the most important elements of life; family, obligations to others, prayer, kindness, justice, and decency.

Honor your Father and your Mother
The obligation to parents reinforces the concepts of treating others responsibly in spite of sentiment or situation.

You shall not murder
Each human being is the essence of uniqueness, yet equally created in God's image. Not only can a life by physically taken, but demoralization and humiliation can kill our souls.

You shall not commit adultery
Sexual relations are made special and whole through a consonantal marriage. The honoring of commitments provides the family stability necessary for individual growth and health, community peace, and societal welfare.

You shall not steal
Respecting the property and reputation of others provides mutual safety, peace, and prosperity.

You shall not bear false witness against your fellow
While we should keep far from falsehood, knowing when information could or should be shared can make the differences between destroying and helping others.

You shall not covet
Desire for the possessions of others destroys relationships and leads us to violate the other Commandments.Amazon.com Review
When it comes to the Ten Commandments, many theologians andspiritual leaders agree: the classic golden rules remain the bestguiding principles available. Syndicated radio psychologist Dr. LauraSchlessinger utilizes these sacred Commandments to speak from herfavorite pulpit of "do the right thing" therapy. Fans of Dr. Lauradelight in her uncanny skill for zeroing in on the moral indiscretionsand confusion at the core of most people's problems. With the TenCommandments to back her up, Dr. Laura offers readers a day-to-daycontext for making healthy, loving, and morally correct choices. (Sohopefully they can avoid the emotional pickles that her call-in guestsfrequently find themselves in.)

The esteemed Rabbi Stewart Vogel is the cowriter. As a result, thenarrative fluctuates between real-life moral struggles (often based onpeople who've called into Dr. Laura's show) and biblical quotationsthat lead into intelligent, brief sermons. Readers who hunger for aclearer understanding of how the Ten Commandments can be applied tomodern life will certainly be satisfied. Topics include "You Can'tShip God by UPS," "Which Vows Hold Water," "Honor Your Parents ... orElse," "Teachers Are Not Pets," and "Holy and Unholy Sex." --GailHudson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

The Ten Commandments
It is a great book with modern day applications of the ten commandments as a guide for successful living. It is an easy read and very well written. If you want to change your life,this is a book that you should read.

A life-changer--for the better!
This book not only explains the history and theology of each of the Commandments, but also describes their influence on law, morality, and society today, and provides helpfully detailed examples that really get you thinking in broader terms about a great many things.

For example, it's one thing to understand that murder--the taking of an innocent life--is wrong. It's also not too hard to understand that lying about someone is wrong. But to make the leap that lying about someone (perhaps because you covet something they have and are envious!), leading to that person's inability to get a job and support their family, is essentially symbolic murder. Dr. Laura challenges her readers to really extrapolate the meanings behind God's laws, and I personally feel a greater respect for my fellow man having read this book. It's heavily highlighted and my family has spoken about it at length!

The Ten Commandments: The Significance of God's Laws in Everyday Life
A terrific book to give anyone, at any time, preferably before they make a mess of their life!


Blessings to Amazon!

Good insight to the 10 Commandments (not 10 Suggestions)
First of all, I should state that I am a Christian, so certainly there were going to be some areas that I disagreed with the conclusions of two orthodox Jews, including a rabbi. (I am friends with a rabbi from the conservative branch, and we think alike in many different ways despite the fact that we disagree on many issues of theology.) But except for the additional analysis that could have been given from the Christian New Testament, there's not much more I could add to what the authors had to say here. Dr. Laura and the rabbi challenged me personally in several ways that were refreshing. They had good insight into thinking that would challenge anyone who wants to, as Dr. Laura states, "do the right thing." It's not always easy, but following the moral will of God is what He intends if we hope to have a complete and fulfilling life. I think it's pretty clear that, despite theological differences that people from different religions might have, we can pretty much see here how morals come from a source outside ourselves (conscience) or society. It could have only come from God Himself. Without these standards, anything goes. I believe the position advocated by Dr. Laura and the rabbi makes much more sense than anything the atheist or secular humanist has to offer. It's an easy-to-read book and is worth the time and effort to pick it up.

Good Book
While the Ten Commandments may be hated by many and loved by few Dr. Laura gives some practical applications on how they can improve your life. [...] ... Read more

Product Description

They number in the millions and they are incredibly important to families and to our society, yet they are underappreciated, little respected, and even controversial.

Customer Reviews (66)

Reassurance of making the "stay at home" choice
I didn't know what to expect with this book but am VERY glad to have purchased it.In a society that deems children and parenting as unworthy and useless and with nobody in my area being a stay at home mom, I felt/feel occasionally if I made the right choice.This book is "proof in the pudding" that in order to have our society and future of our country be what most complain it should be, it starts with mom's being mom's and being there for their children and not sending them to daycare, where as it turns out, most kids don't want to be there.It also makes marriages better when the man knows his wife needs him as her "protector" so she can raise their children with the morals and values they want them to have. A must read for any working mom wanting to be with her children or just feeling like she should be home but doesn't feel it's the right choice.

Perfect
This is the perfect pick-me-up as a parent.It is a difficult choice to stay home with your children and probably the highest ranking on any list of personal challenges in life, but this book helps me feel empowered by my difficult decision and boisters my spirits when things get hard.I recommend this book to all my stay-at-home mom friends and even find myself quoting it to the ones who've chosen to work.Great book.Great help.

Assumes that once you stay home, life will become perfect!
As someone who has read many books and has researched the stay-at-home vs working mom debate,I was interested in reading this book...not necessarily because I am a fan of Dr. Laura's.Given the title of the book, the reader should obviously assume that there will be a bias toward the stay-at-home moms.However, in her preface, Dr. Laura swears up and down that she is not joining the "Mommy Wars" nor 'bashing' working moms. The sarcastic tone and condescending manner in which she presents this statement is both nauseating and leaves a bad taste in the readers mouth from the get-go.

While I think that Dr. Laura definitely makes her case for stay-at-home motherhood as a viable option to create a nurturing and loving home for a child as well as to provide a 'division of labor' that can make married coupledom less of a struggle, the overall tone (as one prior reviewer so eloquently stated) is a little too "Pollyanna-esque" to seem believable.Additionally, her lack of facts and reliance solely on anecdotes and letters from her listeners and readers makes the material even less palatable.

In her book, in each chapter, she makes her 'case' for SAHM-hood using what seems to be the most sugar-coated examples she can find (i.e. 'trading time with co-workers for 'gooey stickey kisses').While I am not one to bash SAHM's, I will say that she definitely tries to convince the reader that once they stay home, things will be 'perfect'.Your marriage will be amazing, your home will be fabulous, and your children will be angels.While I know there are times she refutes this and admits that the work is hard, the 'evidence' she portrays is clearly to the contrary.Additionally, she attempts to convince the reader that selling one's decision to become a SAHM to her husband is as simple as telling him that he will have a clean house, good kids, and a warm dinner (all while rubbing his shoulders of course) and then POOF! he will change his mind.This chapter was frankly, ridiculous, and seemed to infantilize men.It also didn't present alternatives to if the husband said anything other than 'yes dear'.

The other Pollyanna-ing that drove me near insanity in this book was the fact that she did not present any less-than-perfect-case-scenarios....husbands leaving, passing away, becoming ill/disabled/unable to work.This DOES happen and has happened to many SAHM's in the past...leaving them stranded.Again, while not naysaying SAHM-hood, I think that this is a fear that keeps many women from making the decision to stay home and to have neglected that topic was irresponsible on her part...once again, rubbing one's husband's shoulders and telling him he's 'the man i can depend on' is apparently enough to keep away cancer, accidents, mental illness, and layoffs!Also, she seems to assume that once you stay home, you become a perfect wife who is always up for sex, looking sexy, and whose husband would never DREAM of leaving!

Finally,the last vomit-worthy issue that makes this book a '1-star' to me is the overuse of reader's letters and comments (obviously letters from Schlessinger-sycophants) that either 'guilt' readers into wanting to stay home/feeling guilt about their choice not to OR infantilize the SAHM choice in such a manner that is nearly embarassing. In regards to the 'guilt' issue, Schlessinger, in a nearly pathetic and disgusting attempt to make her point, uses a letter from a writer whose child was killed as an adult...the writer was so glad that she had been able to spend time with her child as a SAHM.In her letter, she stated that Dr. Laura should go on to preach the values of SAHM-hood because parents never know how long their child will be with them.While I understand the writer's gratitude for the time she spent with her now deceased child and am sympathetic to her cause, to use this example as 'proof' that SAHM-hood is the 'way to go' is sickening.The guilt-inducing point Dr Laura is making here is disgusting and in poor taste not to mention exploitative of this woman's heart-wrenching situation.

In regard to using reader's letters that are near embarassing to prove her point about SAHM-hood, just pick the book up yourself and look for italicized letters from writers.You will find a host of stories about 'kissing gooey fingers', 'wet sloppy kisses', etc.While I would not downplay these women's experiences and think that those little things are extremely valuable, it is also disrespectful to SAHM's to make the point that 'gooey kisses' are their only reward for staying home.Many women find a sense of spiritual and social satisfaction as well as a host of other benefits from SAHM-hood....to boil it all down to lovey-dovey anecdotal stories is insulting and borders on offensive...Dr Laura doesn't seem to take into account that a woman reading this book considering SAHM-hood may find that to be a huge turn-off.'Well Susie, what do you do?' 'I get gooey kisses from my son all day'.Please. Many women seriously considering SAHM hood are looking for reasons and responses that they can use to defend their choice, should they come upon that situation and the gooey-gooeys just aren't going to cut it for some.A professional, educated woman that is making decent money in her career that is considering making this huge life change may need a little more of a push than knowing she will trade her work life for cookie-baking and nose-blowing.

To sum my review up, I think this book guilt-trips working moms (shocker!), insults stay-at-home-moms, and does nothing to convince those 'on the fence'.

A Terrific Inspiration for Young Mothers
Having been a professional mom, ie SAHM, and now entering into my "Grandma" years, I thought this book was just terrific! It's a testiment to all the self-sacrifice that goes into being a full-time mom.Thanks, Dr. Laura, for putting into print what this profession is all about!

"Dr" Laura
Laura Schlessinger is not a licensed psychologist. She has no business writing under the name "Doctor" unless she is writing a book on human physiology. That's what her degree is in. She is misrepresenting herself to the public as a doctor of psychology, and if she were licensed, she would be breaking the code of ethics for psychologists which specifically prohibits the misrepresentation of your degree or qualifications to the public. Shame on her. ... Read more

Product Description

Living life is about action: courageous, benevolent, worthy, Wise, and productive action. Start living with some help from Dr. Laura Schlessinger.

Dr. Laura: Upset feelings can lead us to behaviors of either retaliation, self-abuse or perpetual negative rumination--if you let them.Any of those behaviors feed back into growing those upset feelings and letting them take solid root.The term "acceptance" seems so incomprehensible to so many people.Acceptance means that you stop fighting "it".When people call in their 30’s and 40’s still complaining that some parent, friend, or relative isn’t giving/doing what they’d like…I tell them it is time to stop being surprised that an alligator isn’t friendly in the bathtub.It’s an alligator--and that’s how alligators behave.Meanwhile, the new lovely people and circumstances of their lives are lower priority because they’re still fighting for the "old stuff" to miraculously change--as though that would really make any true difference in their lives. I tell them to let go of their end of the tug-of-war and walk away towards what is and can be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Dr Laura
Dr. Laura is a B*** and works hard to break up families. Don't listen to her she will break up your family.

On target!
This was my first Dr. Laura book. I enjoyed the content so much. Practical, enlightening, and good insight to getting on with your life in a much more positive expression. Easy to read, real life examples and hard hitting but helpful. There is too much emphasis on blah, blah, blah in the world, this tells you to get past the junk and savor the good in your life because the other zaps your valuable energy. For me is was time well spent!

Compassionate and Life-Changing
I have mixed feelings about Dr. Laura; she has some excellent advice, but I also disagree with a lot of what she has to say.She has a well-deserved reputation for slamming callers on the air.Given that, and the title of this book, I was somewhat wary.Fortunately, what I got was a fantastic book full of compassion and practical advice that could be applied to any aspect of my life.Whatever your thoughts of her, whether you find her brilliant, a hypocrite, love her or hate her, this is is a fantastic book EVERYONE should read.

I've read quite a few self-help books, and I can't help but feel that this is the only book I'll ever need.It does not offer a magical way for your problems to disappear, and it doesn't allow you to be the host of your own pity-party.Many, many of the problems in our society are directly related to people's failure to acknowledge their own responsibilities. STOP WHINING START LIVING is a step in the right direction.This book doesn't make you do silly exercises or try to sell you snake oil.It just coaches you on how to shift your outlook in a more productive and satisfying manner, for the benefit of yourself and those around you.

Mildy good self help book
I loved Dr. Laura's show when it was on a channel where I could hear it.Her books are pretty good too.This particular book seemed like a mix of her other titles, just spanning all topics such as marriage, parenthood, SAHM's etc.I like the excerpts from the listeners...she couldn't make that stuff up.I left the book feeling like using some of the concepts in my life such as shutting up the negative and complaining talk realizing it is polluting the air and getting me no where.And I guess that was her purpose so mission accomplie'.

Wow...What a difference!
I have always loathed Self-help books and I wasn't too happy when my mom bought this book for me. Luckily I got bored at work one day and decided to read it. Once I started, I could not put it down. I'm a person who has dealt with many disappointments, only to realize after reading this book, many of them are my own fault! Dr. Laura makes being happy so simple. I have realized I am in control of my attitude and I can fake it until I make it!!
I have been the happiest, most non-whiny, upbeat person since I read this book. Even after the first day of reading, I had a whole new outlook, and when my boyfriend came home to a clean apartment and a non-nagging girlfriend after fighting for two weeks, he couldn't keep his hands off of me!
READ THIS BOOK!!!! I don't think there is a person out there who couldn't benefit from it!! ... Read more

Product Description

Dear Parents,

This is the first in what will become a series of books designedto suggest subjects worthy of discussion with your children as theymature in their curiosity about important life issues. As adults wethink the way adults do, and we often forget how we thought as chil-dren. We have forgotten some of our fears, worries, complaints, andconfusions, which were products of our innocence and fantasies col-liding with real-life experiences and challenges.

One of the most important means of showing our children thatwe love and care about them is to understand how they think andwhat they feel. In doing so, we reinforce them on their journeythrough life and give them a solid road map to guide them throughlife's challenging terrains. The best way to understand and help ourchildren is to talk with them.

Reading WHY DO YOU LOVE ME? to your children will open the door to incredible and moving discussions on love as both a feeling and a responsibility.

From one parent to another, I hope you'll be moved.

Shalom,Dr. Laura Schlessinger

The mother here is never shown to be distracted, overwhelmed, snappy, orsad. And parents may bristle that there's no real discussion of theexistence or whereabouts of a parent's love when working, absent, sick, ortired. (Dr. Laura would ask now, "Who cares? It's your kids we're thinkingabout here.") But this story is meant purely to comfort the young child whofears that their parents' love comes and goes at whim. At that, it fullysucceeds. (Ages 3 and older) --Jean Lenihan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Why Do You Love Me?
I received the book fast and it was in the condition I was expecting if not better.

Why Do You Love Me?
I had a very ill little boy who sometimes would feel so sick and in pain, this would cause him to yell and hit. When he would feel better he would apologize and would ask me if I still loved him? I would tell him that "No matter what I will always love him". Everytime I would read him the book he would feel so much better! I read him this book everyday time and time again until he died. I know that he knew how much I loved him and this book made it easier for him a 7 year old little boy to understand the unconditional love mommy felt.

Don't like the author, but LOVE the book
I have never been a fan of Dr. Laura, and I was annoyed when my mom bought this book for me to share with future children of mine.Now, seven years after she gave it to me, it is one of my 2 1/2 year old son's favorite books.We pulled it off the bookshelf one night after a particularly rough day, and he really seemed to understand the premise of the book - that I will always love him no matter what...even when he throws two-year-old tantrums all day!Now whenever we've had a rough day together, he asks for the "Sammy" book.He cuddles right into my arms and we talk about how much we love each other, no matter what.Based on the reviews of Dr. Laura's other books, I have no intention of ever reading them to my son, but this one will always be a favorite.

My son loves this book!
My 5 year old son absolutely loves this book!Whenever it's time to read books this is always in the pile he brings to me.It brought about a lot of questions he had and always makes him smile!!

We Own a Ton Of Childrens Books and Read Nightly to Our Kids
My seven-year old son has picked this one out several times to read.The subject of "Why Do You Love Me?" is a subject that all kids think of when they get in trouble, big or small.It explains the love of a parent being there like the sun behind the clouds, always present.I like the illustrations and my son noticed how the book makes the kid in the book seem real.For example, Sammy cleaned his room and yet was toys tucked under the bed and behind the door.I'm looking forward buying her other children's books to share with my kids. ... Read more

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Woman Power: for the woman who wants to ensure for herself -- and for her man -- the marital happiness and success everyone dreams of!

Customer Reviews (27)

most people in the world learn this at their parents' feet
Americans read self-help books to learn what most other people learn young from family.The discussion of polarity is something all Latin, Russian, Oriental, and most indigenous mothers have with their daughters.There are about 24 companies that prosper connecting American men with Latin, Russian, and Oriental women.Could there be a connection?The people who criticize Dr. Laura hate her in the way that some people hate black people, gays, or Hispanics, that is they hate her as a stereotype in their own heads, never having tried to understand what she is saying.I doubt she's perfect, and I don't agree with everything in the book.So what?Most people in the world understand that polarity means current, which means life.Lack of polarity- putting two negative poles together, which is indeed what feminists seem to want, just means repulsion.I remember a Wampanoag elder telling me respect is the center of the circle of community, because it leads to cooperation, which is how humans survive.Feminists exploit, they don't cooperate, and they exhibit toxic contempt for men.Why any man in America would marry a feminist is beyond my comprehension, it would be like keeping a poisonous snake as a pet.I was married to not one but two of the unbelievably selfish, exploitative women Dr. Laura describes.The first one left our 4 year old daughter with me, so she could go play with a boyfriend.I got custody and raised my kid.The second one was worse, getting her out of my life felt magnificent.I am now married to a Spanish- Spain- woman, whose mother taught her this stuff when she was a teenager.Spanish and Hispanic women watch telenovela soap operas where the virtuous heroine goes through hell to find the prince- and then things are better.The evil women/men in the telenovelas always get punished, in the end.American soap operas portray the treacherous bitches as the heroines.People live their stories.American women compare their husbands to the centerfold men in the romance novels they read, which means the men always come off badly.Latin women aren't as demanding.I learned through great pain to have nothing to do with feminists, ever.Vampires only take blood; feminists take everything, and bitch because they didn't get more.Remember the joke about divorced Barbie costing $250, because she comes with Ken's house, Ken's car...feminists actually plan for this, before getting married.I wear a huge wedding ring, and feminists have actually hit on me in front of my wife, and of course other public venues.I would sooner couple with a rabid tigress, than a feminist.I take my wedding vows seriously, and I read Dr. Laura for ideas on how to keep my marriage on a good footing.She doesn't know everything, but she does at least understand polarity, and she does criticize the acidic contempt feminists have for men.I have yet to see aman happily married to a feminist.Feminists believe that women need men like fish need a bicycle.Any man stupid enough to marry a feminist is like a Jew expecting love from a Nazi.Put Dr L's books on your shelf, lads.Test your fiancee', lads- if they hate Dr. Laura, or treat waiters and other service people badly, that is how you will be treated.Women do not change.If a woman is like the selfish grasping parasites Dr. Laura describes, cut it off, immediately, and ignore the sunk costs.Pain is a patient teacher, for those of you who cannot follow simple advice.

An anomaly among pop psych books...
Dr. Laura does a good job explaining how men, not only woman, can have "self-respect," even in our culture where boys are not taught to respect their bodies, but sacrifice them.In America, where many women feel they've been "oppressed" by diamonds and demands, and now feel entitled to be treated as princesses without acting like princesses, here is an author who slashes through the overlooked double standards and puts everything on the table.

I read it 2 years ago...
*Wow! Actual accounts, facts, of other guys feeling, having the same or worse experiences than us guys....
*Read it you'll like it enought to buy it again if you loose it.

P.S. I didn't give it five stars because I'm a hard critic.

A great change in philosophy for this era
These days men are expected to be the leader while their authority as leader is stripped from them thus destroying leadership rule 101. This book helps clarify issues as men see it. Just great it was written by a woman

Influence!
The truth is we can influence others. The thing we need to realize is the difference between influencing and manipulation! Some men are just not worth our effort though! Ask yourself, is this worth fighting for and am I the only one fighting for it? ... Read more

Product Description

Buy three and save!! $48.00 value for $39.95!

Contains 10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Thier Lives, How Could You Do That?!, and 10 Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Thier Lives.

All read by the author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

BUY THE BOOK .
THIS MIGHT BE OKAY IN ADDITION TO THE BOOK. ALL OF HER AUDIO IS ABRIDGED. YOU DON'T GET IT WITHOUT READING THE BOOK IN MY OPINION. ... Read more

Product Description

Los Diez Mandamientos son la primera comunicación directa entre las personas y Dios. Están diseñados para elevar nuestras vidas por encima de una frenética y salvaje existencia hacia los niveles sublimes que la humanidad es capaz de experimentar, y constituyen el esquema de las expectativas que Dios tiene de nosotros y de Su plan para que vivamos una vida significativa, justa, cariñosa y santa. Cada uno de los Mandamientos afirma un principio, y cada principio es un punto moral central para asuntos de la vida real que se relacionan con Dios, la familia, el sexo, el trabajo, la caridad, la propiedad, la comunicación verbal y el pensamiento.

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Stop the Left from Policing Your Mind
Our freedom to speak our minds is under attack. Like the Thought Police of George Orwell's 1984, powerful special interest groups on the Left are mounting a withering assault on our rights in the name of "social equality." Liberty has been turned on its ear as the rights of the few restrict the freedom of everyone. In The New Thought Police, author Tammy Bruce, a self-described lesbian feminist activist, cuts through the deluge of politically correct speech and thought codes to expose the dangerous rise of Left-wing McCarthyism. Provocative and persuasive, this book is a clarion call to anyone interested in preserving liberty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (166)

Unconsciously reveals - in part - how money controls American propaganda
Published 2000 so somewhat outdated, though in a way this can help give perspective. The material is mediocre - all the topics are north American 'news' items, formatted as separate pieces thrown together under chapter headings. Important, trivial, joke, and irrelevant items follow one after another. The cultural stuff is almost exclusively film and corporate magazines and other material. It's obviously aimed at a mass market of people assumed - probably rightly - to be 'dumb' - with the accompanying tripe - 'award-winning'.

She assumes the naive modern American dream:-- the Civil War was about freeing slaves/ Walter Cronkite was truthful/ Martin Luther King was a great reformer/ 'for over 300 years, people have left everything behind... [for] freedom' when in fact many came for money, and many kept connections with their roots/ the 'Holocaust' happened as in the media.

To keep this review short, I'll make notes:--

[1] Secrecy. Steinem, Ireland, Friedan are revealed to be 'communists'. NAACP gets some mentions, including its handling of Rosa Parks. So does ACLU with its 'pro bono counsel'/ and the ADL 'one of the more respected Jewish hate-monitoring groups'. All this of course shows the Jewish influence which is at least officially unmentioned. It's difficult to tease out the other threads - obviously other groups have interest groups too.

[2] Examples of money. By comparison with national scams, the sums are tiny, of course. Note therefore the evasion of serious issues involving money including the likely funding of anti-free speech groups:--
* Jesse Jackson has three homes.
* NOW - National Organisation of Women, only a few thousand members - took $800K during Clinton/Lewinsky (1995 on)
* 'ebonics' invented to try for money for bilingual teaching

'The left's assault on free speech' is something of a code phrase. If you want to understand the bizarre way some crimes are ignored and others made into endless 'news', and how pressure groups work and laws become corrupted, this unfortunately isn't the book.

Amazing clarity and ease of reading
Tammy Bruce, like so many authors, has a large axe to grind. She does it very well. This book is very easy to read, educational, and enjoyable.

Perhaps part of my reason for enjoying it that I have had similar experiences with the Left Wing Thought Police. Since I happen to believe that the extremes of both parties are two wings of the same bird of prey, I tend to offend a few people. The Right may be indignant, but the Left has actually wished death upon me as well as banning me from several political web sites. Once for telling a joke, once for mentioning a new Bilderberger book, and once for 'questioning' Israel. OK, the denizens of the far right have been equally nasty to be honest. Yes, I do have several 'black eyes' in my political past.

Ms. Bruce knows well of that which she speaks of. She was the leader of the L.A. chapter of NOW for many years. NOW never completely accepted her because of her refusal to follow all of the rules of a cult like organization. The radical left is barely more tolerant than, dare I say, Stalin, Hitler, and Mao.

The amazing thing is that liberalism evolved with the Jeffersonian ideology that people ought to be generally free to both think and say that which they feel is appropriate. What happened?

Can we trust political extremists? I think not.

Red or Blue, an important read
Full disclosure: I am one of the 40% (and growing) Independents in America, and I have lived in Socialist countries. No matter your party affiliation, this book is important. Conservatives will of course read it and say "No kidding".But Liberals should also read it WITH AN OPEN MIND to see if just maybe the Left has become the Totalitarian group saying "Shut up" to whatever they disagree with. Freedom of speech is what separates us from dictatorships...if citizens can't express themselves, what's the point of America?

DANGER: Contents Hazardous To Your Mental Health!
If you value ideology over common sense, appreciate fractured, narrow-minded, skewering over thoughtful, considered discussion, and get pleasure from vile fear/hate-mongering, this is the diatribe for you.Like another reviewer, I too read it in a day - but not because it was an "easy read," rather I was inclined to hurry up and see if she/the book contained even the least bit of substance.Okay, truth be told, I was pretty sure I knew where she/it was heading within the first few pages, but I didn't want to judge to hastily, thinking that I knew it all, and/or that I was right even at the expense of those niggling and inconvenient things called "facts."I just wish Ms. Bruce would have been as conscientious in her approach to writing this tripe.I could go into an erudite, incisive, and lengthy, 1,000 to 2,000 word withering attack on this book to counter some of the similarly lengthy, insipid praises written by other reviewers who - I think I can reasonably assume - get all their national and international news from the likes of Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and others of their ilk at FOX News.I COULD write one, but I won't waste the time.Why?Because reasonable people (you know, the ones who elected our current President) don't believe ANY of this poor woman's ranting fantasies, and the ones that do are obviously so lacking in intellectual capacity, and fruitful imagination (i.e. doctrinaire oriented, narrow-minded ideology) that nothing I - or anyone, for that matter - write would ever get through to them, or make them reconsider their "opinionated" opinions.I suppose it is possible that I - in the words of our communicator extraordinaire, George "Dubya" Bush - "misunderestimate" them...NAW!

OK, but some crazy ideas
This book was OK, but not great. Tammy Bruce speaks the truth about mind control and the media hype. We are now being judged on our opinions and not our actions. However, the way she has written the book does not do it justice. In this book and earlier books she makes statements such as liberals and PC people think child sex is OK and gays want to ctach AIDS as some mark of respect? Sure there may be some loonies out there, but most of the left PC are not this crazy. By including these far out examples it makes the rest of the examples less believable ... Read more