Catfish 48
Andrew Bushard
---------------------------------
Reviews

Books

Aiello, Josh with illustrations by Matthew Shultz
	2004:	60 people to avoid at the water cooler. New York : Broadway Books.

Sometimes satirists are too cynical, but these portraits are generally very right on, if a little exaggerated. Particularly interesting is the fact that I read some of this book while at work. Enjoyable. Creative.

Bender, Sue
	1995:	Everyday Sacred: A Woman’s Journey Home.  New York: 				Harper San Francisco.

A book with a lot of the themes I’m trying to learn about now.  The book wasn’t quite what I thought it would be, but it did teach about the art of thankfulness.  It gave me some important things to reflect upon, especially the author’s metaphor of the Buddhist begging bowl.  

Black, Jan and Greg Enns
	1997:	Better Boundaries: Owning and Treasuring Your Life. Oakland, CA: 			New Harbinger Publications.

Great concept for a book. The problem is I already discovered this idea myself months ago. The analogies are fabulous in here; for me I used the barbed wire and other security apparatus of Southern Africa to encourage myself to protect and defend myself better.

Beaudry, Ann E and Bob Schaeffer.
	1986:	Winning local and state elections : the guide to organizing your 			campaign. New York: Free Press.

An insight or two, standard fare, but a good blow by blow manual for electoral politics.

Blanchard, Ken and Phil Hodges
	2005:	Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Model of All 			Time. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

I thought I had read all the good works on servant leadership, then I saw this one and it's one of the best. Unlike the others, there is a very heavy emphasis on evangelical Christianity. The other works are more general in spiritual orientation. 

I do think the book is noble and if Jesus is the way they say he is, he is a good leadership model. The book is very in depth, and perhaps unlike the other books, specific about how to implement servant leadership. 

I'm not sure I think servant leadership is the absolutely best paradigm, though it is one of the best ones. Servant leadership demands than leaders put the needs of others first. It makes me wonder: why can't the leader advance his or her needs at the same time the follower gets his or her needs met? Stephen Covey says we should look for ”win win situations.” But suggesting that we always need to put others’ needs first suggests when it comes to needs one wins and another loses. I prefer what people like Jim Rohn call "Enlightened self interest", which Rohn described so well as, "There is nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, just as long as you serve others." 

This book like other servant leadership books is big on shaming people for wanting attention and recognition. I would like to think such things are not inherently wrong, rather it depends how you get them! Dale Carnegie says, “everyone wants to feel important”, while this work says we need to sacrifice the desire to get recognition. I think Carnegie is more realistic.

Braiker, Harriet, Ph.D.
	2001:	The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome. New 			York: McGraw-Hill.

The servant leadership stuff I read says to “always put others first.” This book on the other hand acknowledges that some of us always do that and it gets us (and them) nowhere fast. I seriously have this problem, so this book helps awaken me to the troubles of trying to please people while sacrificing myself in the process.

Cameron, Julia: illustrated by Elizabeth Cameron
	2005:	How to Avoid Making Art (Or Anything Else You Enjoy). New York, 			NY: Penguin Group. 

Some great reminders and kicks in the pants. This book sobers you up in a light style and enables you to see what's important. Great cartoons too! Bravo illustrator!

Canfield, Jack and D.D. Watkins
	2007: 	Key to Living the Law of Attraction: A Simple Guide to Creating the 			Life of Your Dreams.  Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, 			Inc.  

Great material and it’s one of those bold titles that live up to its name.  Problem is I have already gone through this information in other sources, so it was a rehash, but if you never heard of the Law of Attraction, then this would be a perfect place to start.  The cover is beautiful.

Cardinal, Catherine
	1998:	The Ten Commandments of Self-Esteem. Kansas City : Andrews 			McMeel. 

I was looking for something more in depth, but this book has it right.

Carlson, Richard, Ph.D.
	2006:	Don't Get Scrooged: How to Thrive in a World Full of Obnoxious, 			Incompetent, Arrogant, and Downright Mean-Spirited People. New 			York: HarperCollins.

I have looked at other stuff by Richard Carlson, but could never get completely through it, but this one had a neat little twist to it and the style carried me through. 

Carnegie, Dale
	1936:	How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Pocket Books.

I finally read this motivational classic. I love how in some points Carnegie is more realistic than other motivational writers/speakers. Carnegie, for example tells us “everyone likes to feel important”, while you have many other writers/speakers going on and on about how we need to subdue the ego. Of course, Carnegie is also often idealistic about human nature. His techniques may work with most people, but I doubt if "Give honest and sincere appreciation" while do much to change the Hitlers, Bin Ladens, and Stalins of this world. A little of the advice is questionable, such as suggesting it's better to hold back the truth than offend someone. It makes me think of people like Bill Clinton, folks I definitely don't want to be like that. I opt instead of Herbert M. Shelton's saying "Give us truth though the heavens may fall", but perhaps there is a middle ground between telling the truth and also treating people with respect. I love all the political examples, as I seek to win friends and influence people for political purposes!  Overall, a
great psychological guide at how to improve the way you relate to people and being someone who has failed miserably with that, I seek to embrace its wisdom. 

Carnegie, Dale
	1984: 1944:	How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (Revised Edition).  				New York: Pocket Books.

I have a major problem with anxiety, and although I have dug deep and have eliminated a great deal of it, there is still plenty more.  So this book is much needed.  Lots of good rational perspectives, yet my anxiety remains, so I trust the wisdom of this book will sink in.  I’m impressed at how Carnegie tackles anxiety from many different angles, and he includes stories from others, so you don’t need to rely on just him.  

Carville, James and Paul Begala
	2002:	Buck Up, Suck Up, and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Secrets 			From the War Room. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

I knew Carville was the best in campaigning and since I seek to do that myself soon, I thought I would learn from the best and I will tell you his advice is right on! 

Carville, James
	2000: Stickin: The Case for Loyalty.  New York: Simon & Schuster.

A much needed antidote to a treacherous world in which it often seems you can’t count on a soul.  Moving and Touching.  Emotional and rational.  A further bonus is the fact that Carville delves into the various types of loyalties and the various dilemmas that can arise.  Ultimately inspiring.  

Cayce, Edgar
	1973:	Auras: An Essay on the Meaning of Colors. Virginia Beach, VA: 			A.R.E. Press.

Short and sweet. I'm skeptical of the accuracy of his claims, but it is fascinating to ponder the psychology of colors.

Clive, Madeline
	2006:	Pinch a Penny Till It Screams: Everything You Wanted to Know 			About 	Frugal Survival Skills But Didn’t Know Where to Look.  			Minneapolis: 	Lucerna Publishing.

Common advice, but hey’ it’s from the Twin Cities.

Coulter, Ann
	2007:	If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans. New York, 			Crown Forum.

I've been reading a lot of inspirational books lately, so this is an odd addition. The last couples of days, I was in the mood for this book. Although I don't love what she loves, I hate what she hates, liberals! So I do enjoy her stabs at liberals; not her praise of neoconservatives. 

Covey, Stephen
	2004:	The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness.  New York: Free 			Press.

The main thesis “Find your voice and help others find theirs” is the call to self actualization and it’s what Free Press Media is all about, so I am in agreement and am inspired with the general message.  Covey errors only in being too idealistic ,as I don’t believe this stuff will work with the Fred Phelps, Jeffrey Dahmers, and Adolf Hitlers of the world, or with less notable but ever disturbed and tormented people.  He says “there is no silver bullet”, but his book suggests to me he does think there is one.

Demarias, Ann and Valerie White.
	2004:	First Impressions: What You Don't Know About How Others See 			You. New York: Bantam Dell. 

As a person who generally comes off completely wrong, this book of pointers for conversations really serves me well and is insightful.

Eggelletion, Andrew Michael
	2004:	Thieves in the Temple: America Under the Federal Reserve System.  			Los Angeles, CA: Milligan Books.

An eye opener.  I started to hear about the powerful Federal Reserve and had to read more.  Thanks to Eggelletion, I learned more.

Ellis, Albert
	1999:	How to Make Yourself Happy and Remarkably Less Distrubable. 			Atascadero, CA: Impact Publishers. 

The whole point of the book is to rid yourself of rigid and disabling mental and emotional states for their own sake. I don't care about doing such for its own, but it's only relevant to me to the extent it impacts my ability to achieve my goals. Since I haven't achieved my goals, I am asking myself a lot of questions and searching in a lot of places. I believe in aiming high, so it bothers me that Ellis tells people that high goals are usually unrealistic. Fuck that. I was pleasantly surprised and how much swearing Ellis uses. Swearing surely makes the book less dry than some psychology books.

Fountain, Elizabeth Haas
	1994:	The Polished Professional. Hawthorne, NJ: Career Press, Inc.

One thing that kills third parties and anti-government activists is they are often not professional enough, so this book helps remind me of ways to be more professional.

Ford, Debbie
	2003:	The Right Questions: Ten Essential Questions to Guide You to an 			Extraordinary Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Some of the suggestions are thoughtful and profound and the rest for the most part all, yet sadly like many motivational speakers Ford sugar coats reality though not as bad as some.

Ford, Debbie.
	2008:	Why Good People Do Bad Things: How to Stop Being Your Own 			Worst 	Enemy.  New York: HarperCollins.

An insightful look into a prime dynamic of human psychology: projection and mask wearing.  It sparked some introspection on my part and although such was hard, it helps me become the person I want to be.

Gibbs, Nancy and Michael Duffy
	2007:	The Preacher and the Presidents: Billy Graham in the White House.  			New York: Hachette Book Group USA.

I read another biography about Billy Graham, which was too laudatory, but this one was better and more realistic, as it fairly delved into the whole essence of Billy Graham, particularly as it related to his relations with presidents.  One of the more intriguing books I have read lately.  Billy Graham is not a person, I have always wanted to read about, but now he is, and since I love politics so much, his role in that is ever fascinating.

Godin, Seth: illustrated by Hugh McLeod
	2007: 	The Dip: The Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (and When 			to Stick).  New York: Penguin Group.    

This book is a great guide to being perseverant, which is something I have long loved.  I can’t say this book is a revelation, because I had already learned the difference between being perseverant about means vs. ends, but this book is good affirmation.  This book advocates the perfect balance to really get ahead.

Goldberg, Bernard
	2005:	100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken is #37).  			New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

I love the hard hitting nature.  I don’t share his neoconservative viewpoint as a whole, but on many things, he is dead right and he opens my mind to see more of what is wrong with society.  The book is written in about the perfect style: intelligent and thought provoking, yet at the same time a page turner.  Some things spark your mind here!

Golden, Catherine M. 
	1996:	The campaign manager : running & winning local elections. Ashland, 			OR : Oak Street Press.

A readable guide to running a campaign correctly. A lot of it is common sense rather than entirely new, but there are some excellent perspectives, and as a whole package it gives you a lot to think about.

Gray, John
	2004: 1992:	Men are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: The Classic 				Guide 	to Understanding the Opposite Sex.  New York: 					HarperCollins Publishers.

Of course, I have heard a lot about this book, and now I have finally read it.  I wouldn’t say it’s authoritative, but it is a great supplement to the other books I have read about romantic relationships.

Gregory III, Leland H.
	1999:	Presidential Indiscretions: The Unofficial, Unexpurgated Guide to 				Naughty Behavior Kept Under Wraps [Or Under the Covers] 				By the White 	House!  New York: Dell Publishing.

Amusing and interesting. 

Haanel, Charles F
	2007: 	1917:	The Master Key System: Your Step By Step Guide to Using the 			Law of Attraction.  New York: Penguin Group.

Dense and abstract.  A more lengthy explanation of what I read elsewhere.  I hung with it in hopes of discovering some brand new insight, but none came.  Instead, what I got was a thick explanation of the law of attraction.  

Hart, Louise
	1994:	On the Wings of Self Esteem: A Companion for Personal 				Transformation.

The book is based on the beautiful metaphor of a butterfly, More inspirational than practical.

Hirschfield, Mary, J.D., Ph.D.
	1992:	The Adult Children of Divorce Workbook: A Compassionate 				Program for Healing From Your Parents' Divorce. New York: St. 			Martin's Press.

Exploring every last part of my soul (which I have realized is necessary to achieve my dreams), I am led to this book on divorce since it is something that happened to me in my youth and I haven't dealt with it enough. The book gives you some things to think about. I was intrigued by the book's comparison between adult children of divorce and adult children of alcoholics.

Hogan, Kevin
	1996:	The psychology of persuasion : how to persuade others to your way of 		thinking. Gretna : Pelican.

Much better than the other persuasion book mentioned in this issue, though this book covers a little bit of the same territory, it covers other great stuff, and is an excellent handbook.

Huffman, Felicity and Patricia Wolff
	2007:	A Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend: For Every Guy Who Wants 			to Be One For Every Girl Who Wants to Build One. New York: 			Hyperion.

I love learning how to be a better mate and understand women better. This book is fun, yet down to earth and fair to men. Informative and I learned some things.

Hurley, Willard F.
	1997: 	Love Busters: Overcoming the Habits That Destroy Romantic Love.  			Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Bookhouse Company.

An insightful look at preventing romantic disasters.  Useful for anyone wanting the best in a relationship.  

Jeffords, Jim with Yvonne Daley and Howard Coffin.
	2003:	An Independent Man: Adventures of a Public Servant.  New York: 			Simon 	and Schuster.

I was at the library looking for a biography about a maverick; I was thinking Sarah Palin or Ron Paul, and then this book fell into my lap.  Previously, I had barely given any thought at all to Jim Jeffords, but he is definitely a maverick.  That goes to show, keep looking and you will find something powerful.  This book is indeed touching.  It mentioned his reserved nature and his whole life in politics slowly but surely led up to the climax of breaking free from the two party system.  I’m inspired.  I am debating whether it’s more gutsy to stand inside one of the two parties and be a maverick, or be a maverick from the outside.  To me, it seems that the logical conclusion of being a maverick, having your maverick tendencies increase as time goes on, is to break free from the party of the two you’re in, and Jeffords’ life seems to exemplify that.  

Johnson, Kaylene
	2008: 	Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned the Political Establishment 			Upside Down.  USA: Tyndale Publishers Inc.

Much too brief.  It barely scratched the surface of Palin’s life and influence.  However, still, I did take away something powerful: Sarah’s maverick self took a lot of risks in life and they were generally all rewarded.  It takes courage and wisdom to take risks like that!

Karasik, Paul
	1990:	Sweet persuasion : the illustrated guide to closing the sale. 				Weehawken, NJ : Business Institute.

Easy to read and a good format, and hopefully informative as well.

Katz, Howard 
	1979:	Honest Money Now!  New York: Books In Focus, Inc.

I’m starting to learn about the gold standard and the problems of paper money, so this book gives me a lot to think about and it whets my thirst for more.

Kirk, Lawrence
	1986: 	The Secrets of Money: The American Dream Revealed.  Vista, CA: 			Alta Vista Books.

Since it’s hard to find books critical of the Federal Reserve, I’m glad I stuck with this book as a couple of the chapters in the end criticized the Federal Reserve; otherwise, this book furthers my understanding of economics.

Landophi, Suzi
	1996:	The Best Love, the Best Sex: Creating Sensuous, Soulful, 					Super satisfying Relationships. New York: G.P Putnam's Son.

A sexual manifesto, but not the free for all type that is so common, Landophi perfectly blends sexual responsibility and freedom while conveying the message in a personal tone. I applaud her for encouraging women to enjoy sexuality and not just see it as something for men. After all, call me strange, but I would hate to think a woman is doing me a favor by making love to me: I want her to enjoy it too. She has an excellent view of sexuality that is very empowering.

Leman, Dr. Kevin and Randy Carlson
1989: Unlocking the Secrets of Your Childhood Memories. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Great introspective prompting. I need this type of thing to get where I want to get in life which is very far!

Loehr, Jim and Tony Schwartz
	2003:	The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the 			Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. New York, NY: Free 		Press.

The authors believe you need breaks to be at your best and that you need to be well balanced to be at your best. This is refreshing.

Martin, Justin
	2002:	Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon.  Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.

A great biographer is one that gets you to further appreciate or appreciate in the first place a person without sugarcoating or lionizing the person.  I already was an admirer of Nader, and this book furthered my appreciation for him.  Engrossing!  Of course, I was already very familiar with  Nader’s life, yet this book was powerful in how comprehensive it was and how it gave me additional details and insights into this man.  It was ironic.  I was wanting to find a good biography, so I thought I would get Obama’s book, but that book looked too long and this one fell in my lap!  I picked it up and was swept away.  It’s more appropriate too since I identify ten times more with Nader than Obama.  The author noted that Nader was a “pragmatic idealist” and also that Nader was apart from the hippies as he and his crew were respectable and diligent.  Pragmatic idealism is so appropriate to me.  It’s what I want to achieve.  I find Nader’s way to be a third way since we look at the establishment and how stifling that life is, then we look at hippies and how destructive and stupid that life is, and then we have people like Nader, that take the best of both: the respectability and diligence of the establishment with the desire for a better world of the hippies.  This is the type of life I want to live.  The book has left me with tons of things to ponder!  

Matalin, Mary
	2004: Letters to My Daughters.  New York: Simon and Schuster.

The book is about mother daughter relations, nevertheless, the book is full of wise and refreshing insights on a variety of matters, so it is applicable to everyone.

Robert McConell Publications
	1999:	Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified and Applied. New York, NY: 			Simon 	and Schuster. 

This is a good middle ground between the overly simple "Robert's Rules in Plain English" and the extremely in depth "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised". Robert Rules makes one more professional and thus it's good to learn about it, because formality leads to legitimacy. I don't care about the dogmatic defense of democracy implicit and explicit in such books, but I do love the formality of it.

Mortensen, Kurt W. 
	2004:	Maximum influence : the 12 universal laws of power persuasion. New 			York, Amacom.

The book started on the note that it was about positive influence and not coercion and manipulation, yet the book read as essentially a social psychology/behavior modification manual. Much of which I had already heard about in my college and graduate school classes, so the book was disappointing.

Norman, Andrew
	2008: 	Mugabe: Teacher, Revolutionary, Tyrant.  Stroud, Gloucestershire: 			The History Press, Ltd.

The author gives a good introduction to the topic.  The author is not neutral in tone; it is clear the author thinks Mugabe is a bad person.  Informative and the style captures your attention.

Paul, Ron
	2008:	The Revolution: A Manifesto. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

Although Paul is dogmatic about libertarianism, his voice is refreshing. He introduces new ideas that no one else talks about such as the gold standard. I love talk of revolution, even though his revolution is a bit different than the one I have in mind. His revolution is based on the Constitution; while mine is not.

Pease, Barbara and Allan
	2000:	Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps: How We're 			Different and What to Do About It. New York: Welcome Rain 				Publishers.

A fascinating book about gender differences which I read quickly. It both crystallizes things I learned before and presents some new things to deep my understanding. It makes ever so much since.

Pipe, Jim: illustrated by David Antram
	2007:	You Wouldn’t Want to Be Cleopatra: An Egyptian Ruler You’d 			Rather Not Be.  New York: Franklin Watts.

I love the pictures and the approach is so interesting.  Actually, even though things were tough in some ways, I would indeed want to be Cleopatra.

Plonka, Lavinia
	2007:	Walking your talk : changing your life through the magic of body 			language. New York : Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin.

After reading the great body language book by Norman Pease, Gestures, I've come across a lot of mediocre body language books, but this one is excellent. It gave me another piece in the puzzle of becoming a leader. 

Poor, Deborah Day, LCSW
	2005:	Peace At Any Price: How to Overcome the Please Disease.  Highland 			City, FL: Rainbow Books, Inc.

A wise look at people pleasing.  Despite the books I read on this and the wise suggestions, I still can’t shake it!

Prospere, Peter
	1996:	The secrets of successful selling. Miami, FL : Integrated Marketing 			Systems.

A short little book, but packed with valuable info.

Ross, Percy: with Dick Samson
	1987: 	Ask for the Moon and Get It!:  The Secret to Getting What You Want 		By Knowing How To Ask.  New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

I remember reading Percy Ross’s column years ago in my Grandma’s newspaper and now I read his book to advance along further in self actualization.  Useful and I plan to photocopy the condensed ten rules of his.

Richardson, Cheryl
	2002:	Finding Your Passion.  Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.

Though the message seems geared to the yuppie audience, the message of self actualization is one of the best beautiful messages around.  Cheryl Richardson is doing a good thing.

Schwartz, Dayelle Deanna.
	2000:	How to Please a Woman In and Out of Bed. Holbrook, MA: Adams 			Media 	Corporation.

I found the tone of the book patronizing. I was offended by the author's suggestions that men are focused first and foremost on sex. The author had the gall to suggest that men don't do self help. I read zillions of self help books especially these days. Then I'm told that most men are like that, so I guess this book is not directed to me, I guess I'm different. I'm not asexual; just not as consumed by sex as most men. I was able to look past this, because I wanted to learn how to become more sensitive to the needs of women.

Scholastic, Inc.
	2004:	100 People Who Changed America.  New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Brief profiles about people most of us have heard, but there are a few people I didn’t hear of before.  And there are a few new factoids about these folks.  

Shapiro Barash, Susan
	2006:	Tripping the Prom Queen: The Truth About Women and Rivalry.  			New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Eye opening and fascinating, revealing the dark side of female interaction which is valuable to both women and men.

Sheehan, Sean
	2004:	Cultures of the World: Zimbabwe.  New York: Benchmark Books.

As usual with this series, this book was readable and informative, lots of excellent photos.  The only problem is that this book does not seem to accurately portray the condition there given current events.

Slansky, Paul
	2008: 	Idiots, Hypocrites, Demagogues, and More Idiots:  Not So great 			Moments in Modern American Politics.  New York: Bloomsbury.

A great compendium with creative and witty titles for each section.

Various Writers
	2006:	The Dog Dialed 911: A Book of Lists from The Smoking Gun 				[website].  New York: Little, Brown, and Company.

Absorbing and entertaining.

Warner, Brad
	2003:	Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, and the Truth about 			Zen. Somerville MA: Wisdom Publications.

This work is much like the work "Dharma Punx", which involves a punk rocker finding Buddhism. This work additionally enabled me to understand some Buddhist concepts better. 

Washburn, Harry and Kim Wallace
	1999:	Why People Don't Buy Things: five proven steps to connect with your 			customers and dramatically increase your sales. Reading, MA: 				Perseus Books.

This is a book about advertising and sales, yet it is crucial to my work as a revolutionary, since politics is like sales. This book helped unravel a major epiphany, that should serve me really well in the future, so I applaud the book for enabling me to actualize myself.

Wirt, Sherwood Eliot
	1997: 	Billy:  A Personal Look At Billy Graham, The World’s Best-Loved 				Evangelist.  Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

This book comes from the perspective of a gleeful disciple of Graham’s, thus the book is entirely positive.  Thus, the book is not a full view of Graham, since no one is perfect as the saying goes.  I wonder what Wirt said when 5 years after his book, tapes of Graham making anti-Semitic remarks to Nixon came to light.  This perspective indeed shows part of Graham’s life, but remember, it’s only part.  I wanted to get a more objective view of Graham, so after reading this work, I got another fairer look at Graham.  Ultimately, indeed Graham has some positive traits and his life is fascinating.

Zimmerman, Dorris.
	2005:	Robert's Rules in plain English. New York : Collins.

I wanted a more condensed version of Classic Robert's Rules, but this one was way too simplistic. It glossed over a lot and took away a lot for being so light and brief.

Audio

Author Unknown
	1997:	More Than a Gut Feeling II. Des Moines, IA: Business Advantage, 			Inc.

I thought this audio tape was a general work about intuition, but in reality it turned out to be a work about interviewing and since I'm a leader, it might come in handy some day.

Dead Kennedys
	2007:	Milking the sacred cow. Los Angeles, CA : Manifesto Records.

Great band. I heard all these songs before as I am a big fan of the group. Since I broke some of my cds, it's good to have some of the skipped songs again.

Dyer, Wayne
	1991: 	The Universe Within You: Your Secret Source of Strength.  Chicago: 			Nightingale-Conant.

I have read and listened to many works by Wayne Dyer so many of the things he says, I have heard before.  Still, they say “repetition is the mother of learning”, plus, even though 90% of the talks may be the same stuff, the 10% which is new stuff can y benefit you.  Interestingly, there was one new insight here which came to me at exactly the right time (which Wayne Dyer says happens when “you are on purpose”), so even though I had heard so much of this before, that little bit of new inspiration was well worth it as it’s what I need and it explains so much.

Feinstein, John: read by Richard Davidson
	2002:	The Punch.  Prince Frederick, MD: Recorded Books, LLC.

This book got me more interested in things basketball.  The author is a great storyteller; perfectly winding together the past and the present and he does justice to the perspectives of both Rudy and Kermit.

Foller, Ken: read by Barry Morse. 
	1985:	On the Wings of Eagles. Downsview, ON: Listen for Pleasure, Inc.

When Ross Perot ran for President in 1992, he was my guy. I was only 14 at the time, but it seems that then my third party colors started to arise. Given, how interesting Jesse Ventura's life is and  how interesting Ross Perot's life is, I would like to think that third party guys are more interesting than the major party candidates. This tale here affirms that since planning and executing an operation for freeing your employees from an Iranian in the mist of a major Revolution is about as cool as you get, plus it refutes anti-capitalist naysayers who suggest CEOs don't care for their employees. A sign of a great boss is one who will break you out of prison!

Larsen, Earnie
	1984:	Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families: How to Understand Your 			Past and Take Control of Your Future. Brooklyn Park, MN: E. 			Larsen Enterprises, Inc.

The title suggests the book is about dysfunctional families in general but, it's about alcoholic families, so all the much the better. Since I have read and listened to a lot of stuff about adult children of alcoholics, so there is little new, so instead I look at this as a reaffirmation of what I already know and a reaffirmation of the fact I'm going in the right direction. 

Larsen, Earnie.
	1989:	Building Self Image. Brooklyn Park, MN: E. Larsen Enterprises, Inc.

Motivational, but not specific or concrete. 

Lavigne, Avril
	2007:	The Best Damn Thing. New York: Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

I'm generally not a fan of pop music, yet I adore the music of Avril Lavigne. This is her best album to date and she remains the hottest celebrity I know.

Mandela, Nelson: read by Danny Glover
	1994:	Long Walk to Freedom (abridged). Los Angeles, CA : Time Warner 			AudioBooks.

Since Mandela is revered all around, even by soccer mom types, I stayed away from this, however, I'm glad I listened to this because as a burgeoning revolutionary, his words were informative and inspiring. It's too bad, I had to listen to an abridged version. It's interesting how people think of revolutionaries as crazy and dangerous, but in the end, they become our biggest heroes.

NA
	1974:	American crisis : the last days of the Nixon Presidency. Encyclopedia 			Americana/CBS News Audio Resource Library.

I think people go overboard with making Nixon a villain. Nearly every other president did bad shit too, yet arbitrarily Nixon is deemed as the worst villain. Other presidents deserved impeachment a lot more than Nixon and I must say given the situation, Nixon made some persuasive speeches which made it sound like he was resigning at the end of a term, rather than in the middle of one. 

No author given
	1976:	America's leaders [sound recording] : [200+ years of presidential 			history]. Orlando, Fla. : Keelington Productions

Since I am soon due to run for office, it helps me to have a review of all our presidents up to Ford, so I can learn about both the good and the bad. 

Nightingale, Earl.
	1972:	Seed for achievement [sound recording] : the treasures you have to 			invest. Chicago : Nightingale-Conant Corporation.

It sounds a lot like karma!

Nightingale, Earl
	1972:	Your empathy-ego balance [sound recording] : employing 				understanding and drive. Chicago, Ill. : Nightingale-Conant.

Nightingale says something that few other motivational speakers say, something that is unbelievably on target. 

Nightingale, Earl
	1972:	Communication Without Words: body language, actions speak 			louder. Chicago, IL: Nightingale-Conant.

The presentation was laconic to the point of being almost pointless, since it barely scratched the surface. Or so it seemed. However, listening to this let me realize an important insight: politics is like sales and if I want to advance the revolution and actualize my leadership (which I'm focusing on now), I should look for sales books. 

Osteen, Joel
	2004:	Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living At Your Full Potential.  USA: 			Time Warner AudioBooks.

It’s great that Osteen stays away from the fire and brimstone approach which is all too common, which his critics say he should use.  His message is one of hope and inspiration, refreshing from a Christian perspective.  I gained some spiritual insights here.    

Peale, Norman Vincent
	1992:	The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide To Mastering the 			Problems of Everyday Living [abridged].  New York: Simon & 			Schuster Audio.

A big disappointment.  This book is so beloved and so perpetually referenced that my expectations were high.  I, in fact, tried to read the book version but couldn’t get into it.  Dr. Norman Vincent Peale is an evangelical Christian as are a number of inspirational writers, so that I don’t hold against him.  The problem is this book hits you over the head with Christianity.  In essence, instead of the book being just a psychological self improvement manual, it’s proselytizing.  Contrast Zig Ziglar for example.  Ziglar is a Christian too, but his works are usually of great value if you’re not a Christian; Ziglar doesn’t make every example every sentence, every bit of information he shares proselytizing.  To Peale, “the power of positive thinking” amounts to little more than “READ THE BIBLE”.    

Popcorn, Faith.
	2000:	EVEolution: The Eight Truths of Marketing to Women. Novato, CA: 			Soundelux.

A great book for better understanding women. Since I want to attract women to my political party, this is ideal.

Toasters
	Year Unknown: One More Bullet.

I'm more into the type of ska with punk like beats, but this is alright if you're in the mood for mellow music.

Timmons, Jeffry A. 
	1995:	The Keys to Entrepreneurial Success. Kansas City, MO : Center for 			Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Although I don't plan on starting a business, I am a political entrepreneur, so the words here inspire me further.

Tracy, Brian
	1995:	The psychology of selling [sound recording] : [the art of closing the 			sale]. New York : Simon & Schuster Audio.

Good psychological insights. I am beginning to see the importance of learning about selling for my political efforts. This should get me far as few other political persons would get books and tapes about selling.

Ziglar, Zig
	1993: Changing the Picture.  Carrollton, TX: The Zig Ziglar Corporation.

I have generally thought of Ziglar to be a great motivational speaker even with his evangelical Christian bent, but here nearly everything he says is entirely right on and I am further impressed by his depth of social understanding.