BOOK REVIEWS
rapport book review
How To Live In The Here and Now
Paul Jones £14.99, Books
I enjoyed reading this book and think it would be enlightened, mostly through practising mindfulness,
useful to many people, whether they are suffering as opposed to truly being enlightened. This is best
from anxiety, depression, boredom, intrusive thoughts, demonstrated by there being no mention of intuition,
insomnia, or any other mind-based malady. Clear the ability to go beyond the five senses, and the
and simple explanations, accompanied by cute author’s dismissal of epiphanies as being unnecessary.
diagrams and metaphors, help you to become more However, from a purely practical perspective, this
conscious of your own conscious processes, whilst minor objection is irrelevant, and does not detract
powerful exercises are included for training your from the usefulness of the book. In fact, it could even
unconscious mind to be in “Uptime” (experiencing be argued that “practical enlightenment” is more
the World at Large) by default, as opposed to being in useful than “absolute enlightenment” right here right
“Downtime” (living inside your head). The end result now because one can use it very effectively to fit in
is a book that really does show you how to live in with the world as it is today, instead of trying to live
the here and now. My only complaint is the author’s in accordance with how things should really be and
use of the word “enlightenment”, when what he struggling against a largely unenlightened society.
presents is only a way to behave as though you were Ian Bolton, Book Review Panel
They Did You Can: How To Achieve Whatever You Want
In Life With The Help Of Your Sporting Heroes
Michael Finnigan £12.99, Crown House Publishing Ltd
This book for Young Adults focuses on helping the is put across powerfully, particularly with some of
reader develop their mental skills to be successful the examples that show even the best go through
at sport. Though, as the author notes, these skills difficult times. Occasionally I wondered how a
can apply to other aspects of life. There are lots Young Adult would react to some of the language
of practical exercises to work through. Everything and cartoons used – older teenagers might feel the
from identifying thought patterns through to book is aimed at the younger end. However, it is a
defining goals. Each chapter is supported by long time since I fell anywhere near this age range
anecdotes from well-known sports personalities. so who am I to judge! I’d recommend this book
There is also a chapter aimed at teachers/coaches/ for all those Young Adults who want to aspire to
parents, emphasising how they can provide the great things and who want to know how to put the
support a young person needs to succeed. A key mental, as well as physical, effort in to get there.
message in the book is to take responsibility. This Alison Clayton-Smith, Book Review Panel
Transforming Tales – How Stories Can Change People
Rob Parkinson £17.99, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
It’s not until you start delving into the subject of and effect positive change in a client or audience.
stories, that you realise how widespread they are in In Transforming Tales the author offers advice and
our lives. They are more than the straightforward exercises on how to use these techniques to elaborate
narratives we heard during our childhood, or the more basic themes for those who are keen to make more
involved plots in the novels we read today, all written use of the story in their work. Dotted amongst the
with the aim of entertaining us. They are also present information and advice, there are plenty of examples
in everything from advertising to dreams, from jokes of tales with different messages from a variety of
to therapy. Parkinson covers an awful lot in his book cultures.There’s something for everyone in this book,
– from the history of the story, the various types of from those who are interested in the history of the story
stories that exist, to how similar threads and messages to those, such as therapists, who want to use them to
appear in stories in different cultures around the world, change behaviour. Parkinson says that stories exist to
together with suggestions on how to improve your expand the mind; I would say his book does that too,
storytelling skills. Those familiar with NLP will know giving readers the skills and confidence to effect great
all about using language, metaphors, symbols, trance change with the simple art of storytelling.
induction and visualisation to get a message across Elaine Morrisroe, Book Review Panel
rapport - Autumn 2009
| 47
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56