Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #142097 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-01
• Released on: 2006-08-15
• Format: Bargain Price
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Canfield, the brains behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and Hendricks (Conscious Living) stay in the inspirational mode with this collection of dozens of entertainers, sports personalities, businesspeople, writers, environmentalists and activists telling up-by-their-bootstraps stories involving books. Some, like Dave Barry (inspired by humorist Robert Benchley) and Lou Holtz (David Schwartz's The Magic of Thinking Big) are well known. Other are recognizable for the products they've created: Craigslist founder Craig Newmark praises The Cluetrain Manifesto, which mirrored his own early belief in the power of the Internet. Among the more memorable contributions is that of 21-year-old Farrah Gray, who spent his early childhood on public assistance, read Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success at age 11 and made his first million at 14. Two contributors—motivational speaker Lisa Nichols and eBay COO Maynard Webb—cite Stephen Covey's best-selling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey himself was uplifted by heady reading—Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and E.F. Schumacher's A Guide for the Perplexed—both books, he says, affecting everything from his parenting to his teaching. It's a mixed bag, more uplifting than literary, but readers may find the book that turns them on the way these contributors were. (Sept.).
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Canfield, the co-creator and editor of the enormously successful Chicken Soup for the Soulseries, and psychologist and author Hendricks have surveyed 55 individuals--each of whom qualifies as a leader or a visionary in their respective fields--to compile a fascinating collection of stories about the undisputedly transformative power of reading. Representative actors, politicians, musicians, writers, athletes, psychologists, businessmen, human-rights advocates, and many others--both familiar and unfamiliar--talk about the one book that impacted their soul and changed the emotional, physical, spiritual, or material course of their life. What makes this especially intriguing reading is not only the diversity of titles cited as life altering and life affirming but also the instantaneously visceral reactions recounted by the readers. Well-known contributors include Dave Barry, Catherine Oxenburg, Kenny Loggins, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Lou Holtz, Max Edelman, Bernie Siegal, and a host of others. Not so much about the books themselves, but more about the absolutely magical power of the written word, this must-read is sure to provide inspiration, motivation, and a springboard for discussion among book people and book clubs everywhere. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Another helping hand for your journey
This is a wonderfully enjoyable and inspiring book. And the biggest inspiration comes from realizing that EVERYONE loses his way; EVERYONE reaches a point when he doesn't have a clue how to proceed; and EVERYONE, if he listens, will be given direction on how to get back on track for a new and better path than before. The books that make the big difference in the lives of each chapter's authors may not touch you at all. Their epiphany very likely won't be your epiphany. No matter---the point is that the right book was sent to the right person at his most needful time. The well known saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will come" is exemplified and underlined in every single chapter. I don't know about you, fellow reader, but that gives me one heckuva lot of comfort, this indication that the Universe has each one of us on it's radar and stands ready to step in when needed with helping hand extended. Our job during the tough times is to keep listening to that inner voice and not toss in the towel because there's more good stuff to come.

Inspiration for authors who need a reason to complete their book
Planning, writing, and promoting a book is hard work. It's very easy to wonder: "Is it worth it?" or "Will this book really make a difference?"

When faced with questions like the above, you'll want to reach for your copy of this book. It's a compilation of anecdotes and essays by a variety of successful individuals whose lives were changed by a book that they read. Contributors come from all walks of life; the only thing they have in common is that the turning point in their life was a book they read.

"You've Got To Read This Book!" is a "gratitude" book that provides a way for the contributors to express Thanks to the authors who changed their lives. This book can also change YOUR LIFE by inspiring you to continue writing a book that will have a similar effect upon your readers.

This is also a great guide to refer to if writer's block hits you while writing a book, and you need a reason to continue working on it (other than that you've already spent the advance!)

Not as good as I thought it would be.
This was a bit disappointing for me. I felt like I was reading a copy of readers digest, but for a lot more money. Although I found what some of these people have gone through to get where they are now worthy of applause, it just did't do much for me. To be honest...I did'nt need to read this book.