Excellent book, but not for everybody
340282
I would probably have given this book 5 stars if I were in its targeted audience, but I'm not.  Although I read widely in the literature of nature study, I am not a trained biologist.  Consequently, the argot made much of this book very heavy going for me.  The long (142 pages) chapter on communication, full of scientific nomenclature and chemical names, was particularly difficult, as was the, frankly, rather boring treatise on the ponerine ants.  On the other hand, the last two chapters on leafcutter ants and nest finding strategies were very interesting.

The book is beautiful to look at, with many color plates.  It would have been nice if some sort of scale indication was included with each plate to give some idea of the size of the insect depicted.

In summary, this book is not for the layman.
3923268
I was excited to get this book and I hoped it would help me understand Hinduism and - by association - Christianity. But it did so much more than that. It helped me view my life and my purpose on Earth in a whole new light. It has helped me piece together and connect the dots between my spiritual being and my scientific mind.

This book is definitely not for everyone. The reason I gave it 4-stars instead of 5 is because it comes across as extremely "preachy", incredibly biased, and too often repetitive. However, this is a religious/spiritual book so I didn't expect a book of hard facts and history.

It's an amazing book and if you have an open mind to new ways of life, then this is a great book to pick up.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
3255693
This is a very good book. But it is important to note what it is and what it is not. It is a very good book for what it is, and not a very good book for what it is not. Keeping that in mind might have assisted some of those who are expressing disappointment in it.
This is a book for those who are not experts but would like to learn about the marriage issue and matters implicated in the marriage issue, such as the rights of children and religious liberty. Given the books breadth of coverage, it is not surprising that Anderson necessarily summarizes a lot of scholarship without always going into the level of detail that experts might desire.
Still, Anderson cites his sources throughout, and anyone who cares to explore these important questions in detail can easily check his work by examining those sources. So, this is not a book for the intellectually uncurious.
This is also a book for people with open minds. Anderson offers reasoned arguments, extensively researched, drawing from an impressive variety of academic disciplinesmoral philosophy, social science, jurisprudence, and law, to name a few. His arguments are accessible to anyone who cares to reason along with him.
Those who are averse to reasoned arguments will not like this book very much, nor benefit from it. So, it is not a book for those whose minds are closed by bias and dogma.
For the intellectually curious and open-minded, this book is a must-read.
1532449
In all probability I never would have picked this book up on my own, but now that I have
I find it hard to put down.  Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was not written
to change the world; it was written by a man who learned to change himself.  This book
was also not written to be a self-help book that gives easy answers.  Most of its answers
aren't that easy to come by; this book has very challenging ideas and concepts that at
times take a great deal of patience and gumption to wade through.  One can't pick it up
expecting a light, easy read.  And as the title itself should imply, it is not for adventure
buffs, romantics, or people who need a lot of character action in their reading.  It is for
those who wish to broaden their views of understanding their world.  I've used quotes
from this book on different occasions in conversation or for school reports.  The things
Robert Pirsig has to say apply to many facets of life, or rather they can apply to as many as
the reader wants them to.  This book can only be read with time and an open mind.  If the
reader has these two qualities, I highly recommend it.
37042
It is difficult to review this book. It is excellent and a must for everyone who - for whatever reasons - is fascinated by the figure of Isis. Since I am one of them I just had to recommend it. But, to be fair, there are aspects I miss in this book. For me, an important aspect of Isis is her role as a fighter against evil. The central myth about Isis describes her fight against the evil Set, who not only commits the cut-up murder of Osiris but even molest the child Horus. In both these cases Isis intervenes and saves Osiris as well as defend Horus. Unfortunately the book somewhat downplays these aspects of Isis. This probably has something to do with the fact that the book partly is inspired by New Age philosophy, which is often quite non-dualistic in its worldview.  But, on the other hand, it is a quite encyclopaedic work, where the reader will get information about a lot of aspects of the Goddess. And it has many wonderful pictures... So in spite of the fact that I miss an emphasis on those aspects of Isis that is quite important for me I really enjoyed this book. I can very much recommend it.
4302914
I really enjoyed this book.  The ideas are very interesting, and well presented.  I must admit to being a bit shocked at some of the other reviews.  It is true that the main thesis is that georgraphic factors predict success of a society, but I don't see how that qualifies as "politically correct"  -  it's just a hypothesis which may, or may not, be accurate.  He doesn't suggest that it is wrong to have alternative hypotheses.  The idea that it is "anti European" to me could only eminate from a reader who assumes European cultures are innately superior intelectually, because I see nothing anti-anybody in it.  The local successes of a wide range of cultures within each continent are explained using the same ideas.  There is a pretty large difference between being anti-European and suggesting that the success of European (Eurasian, actually) culture does not stem from innate superiority.  Whether you end up agreeing with Diamond's views or not, I think there is much to enjoy in this book, and his thesis is at least worthy of consideration.  Right or not, I learned a lot about the early histories of a lot of different cultures, about what is required for the development of agriculture, and was stimulated to consider the possible consequences of becoming an agriculture-based society.
2004053
This book is excellent; though not for those that are new to the agenda of the elite. I state this because it's written on the basis that the reader actually understands that we are slaves to Corporatism; those that control every facet of our lives including both needs and wants. Recommended for those whom are awake, but would like the greater details of putting it all together.
117996
As a newcomer to Hermetics, I was excited to read Mr. Baines' book, and although it is very informative in many of the background precepts of this Secret Science, the basic principles of which are found in the Kybalion, I have to say this text is not for everyone.

To paraphrase the book's opening, this is not a new-agey, happy and simple path to follow; the book outlines a very high level of mental focus and spiritual training that not everyone would be able to even get half-way through, let alone to the level of an Initiate. If you're looking for a book that gives you things the sugar-coated path, look elsewhere...
300065
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the problem is that it I rate it highly not from an objective opinion but rather a subjective one. The book reminded me of my own childhood in Canada, even though mine was not in a Hutterite community. She also has a family history very similar to my own, which caused a great bit of excitement.
The book does provide a good picture of Hutterites however, and in a manner that is not simply black & white. Kirkby is in an excellent position to give this look into Hutterite culture because she has positive personal experience, however she is not currently Hutterite and her family's reason for reason was not over doctrinal disagreement but because of interpersonal conflict. This provides a somewhat romantic view of Hutterite culture, which could not be given from someone who is currently a Hutterite nor by someone who is an objective outsider. 5 stars.
1531510
This book was a great read and I recommend it for most people, especially anyone who believes Milo is a "hate-filled, homophobic, white supremacist, alt-right leader".  He explains his views well and in an amusing way.  It helps that his opinions are filled with common sense.

I gave it 4 stars simply because I know that the book isn't for everyone, even people who would agree with Milo's political views.  There is a lot of strong language and adult themes dealt with in the book.  Just be aware that these exist if you are thinking of recommending this book.
4817570
The book is not, and should not, be of interest to everyone. On one hand Focault's basic thesis is worthy of consideration. It was quite predictable. Even though I was not familiar with him or his ideas, I immediately suspected that he would argue for some sort of relativism. There is no doubt that what constitutes mental illness is largely the result of popular consensus and "expert opinion." As a history it is a excellent, as a work of theory, it is also engaging. In the few pieces of pure theory I have perused I've found baseless hypothesis supported by hopelessly illogical arguments cloaked in impenetrably  confusing jargon. This book, on the other hand, is quite accessible, in spite of being translated from French. While his basic contention is very hard to refute, I find it impossible to completely agree with it. The exploration of how industrial societies produce neuroses and/or do not accept neurotics is beyond the scope of this review---but there are many factors that go into the development of mental illness. Focault focuses only on one of them in this book.

Focault chronicles the evolution of Western's civilization's conception of madness, which may not be the most interesting topic. The antiquated paradigms of science are of interest only to historians of science; most of us want only the cutting-edge. Yet, there is some benefit to exploring outmoded means of thinking; sometimes there is virtue in their reasoning, even if their conclusions, or explanations for their conclusions, are wrong. The book has a few wonderful stories. My favorite is about the inmate who was able to withstand incredibly bitter winters without clothes, blankets or heat sources. It nicely illustrates the power of the mind and the power of madness itself.

 Focault's central point is correct, but there are disorders that have clear biological causes and are alleviated greatly by drugs like lithium. Other disorders, like ADHD, appear to be fabricated illnesses with diagnostic criteria so vague that they are applicable to nearly everyone. It seems odd that restlessness in preadolescent boys is now considered an incurable disease. Having an abundance of energy and being bored by school subjects, and the boring ways in which they are presented, strikes me as a sign of good mental health, but my views are not sanctioned by any large organizations.

Fair warning: this is not the sort of book one brings to the beach; it is not the sort of book one can read quickly.
4447041
Is a great book which gives you a big but detailed picture of the understandig we have about the universe, but it's not for everyone. I got stuck in many pages and had to read them again and again, look for answers in Google, etc., and I am used to process quantitative information and abstract models.
1768081
I really enjoy reading Chris Crouch's books.  This book and his work are excellent but certainly not for everyone. If you're the thinking type, you may reassess your workday or at minimum pick up a couple new ideas.  The format is simple and easy to understand spotlighting some solid ideas that purposely go much deeper than they may initially appear. Certain concepts discussed in this book have changed the way that I view work and life in general.  My internal barometer of a "productive workday" has been shaped largely in part to Mr. Crouch's writings.
4517137
Potential readers should start by considering what this book *isn't*. It's not an "erotic" book, intended to titillate. It's not a "how-to-make-your-hot-marriage-hotter" book or a "how-to-be-a-better-lover" book. Neither is it intended for couples whose marriages are extremely dysfunctional, erotically or otherwise. It also might not be helpful for people who don't have a regular sexual partner. With some modifications, it might be helpful for gay and lesbian couples.

It's possible that some of the negative reviews on Amazon have come from people who did not have realistic expectations of this book.

This is a self-help book for couples in committed loving relationships, who are having trouble getting normal enjoyment from sex. Couples having problems in bed with ordinary issues like modesty, female orgasm (that isn't usually a problem for men), difficulty becoming aroused, difficulty expressing tenderness and affection during sex, clumsiness and inexperience, and so on, will find they are guided toward easy and friendly solutions.

In most cases, the underlying problem for such couples is poor communication. Many couples find it difficult to *talk* productively about such intimate and potentially humiliating matters, even though they are *doing* it all the time! That's unfortunate and unnecessary, of course. The author provides a wide variety of ideas, techniques and structured experiences that will help couples overcome these barriers to enjoyment of sexual love.

Sex counselors and all-around marital counselors have been recommending this book for years, and still do. It's a classic. If you look at the list of other titles Amazon customers considered, you can see that this book is one of the best of its type.

The author previously wrote a self-help book for "orgasmically challenged" women. That does not mean she is biased in favor of women, or unable to understand the male point of view. She's a seasoned professional perfectly able to understand the sometimes-differing needs and feelings of men and women. She handles these topics even-handedly, with a compassionate light touch. Highly recommended.
3357425
This is a well written book and is a good book. Although, I think that the multi level marketing is not for everyone. But is definitely for some people.
4416879
This book holds within it great knowledge but for some people they would find it heard going. It is not for everybody but I loved it.
260143
This book is excellent, but there are certain vital aspects that are kind of left out. I do understand why Dr. Amador probably did this; it's a book about how to deal with loved ones who refuse to admit they're sick, so it can't go off into too many tangents. What it doesn't do is to make it clear that *not all mentally ill people are like this!!!* Some of us are NOT in denial and DO have insight. Some of us KNOW we're sick and we DO need help (that's why we take our meds exactly the way our doctor told us to!) The only problem, then, is that anyone reading this book is likely to get the impression that nobody with a severe and persistent mental illness admits it or is able to admit it. This is so untrue. To be fair, Dr. Amador does say in the beginning that as many of 50% of all of us SPMI folk are med compliant, but that's the only place where this is said and it's easy to forget.

I'd like to see someone explore the issue of the 25-50% of people with SPMI's who ARE compliant with their meds. We're out there! I should know-- I'm one of them. YES, I'm bipolar, and I'll need medication until the day I die, so *give me the pills!* That's pretty much my attitude. The capper to it all is that I have a closed head injury from a car accident, and an MRI certainly DOES show that I have frontal lobe lesions. Hey, guess what... I'm still not in denial about having BP. The least attractive thing about it is that I can get pretty self-righteous about people who don't take their meds, complete with the "if I can do it, anyone can" attitude. ;) But still, I would really like to see Dr. Amador (or another author) address why and how some patients are fully compliant. What are they doing that the others are not doing; what are they avoiding that others are falling into? Are there warning signs that even the compliant folks might go off meds? If so, what are they? Are certain subtypes of mental illnesses more likely to cause people to be compliant? Less likely? I think there's so much that could be learned by looking at the people who have SPMI's but are not covered in this particular book. Other than that, though, it's a great book. :)