The Self-Help Shelf

Quitting: A Life Strategy
Julia Keller
Balance
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781538722343, $29.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Quitting-Strategy-Perseverance_and-Science-Giving/dp= /1538722348

Synopsis: Simone Biles quit the Olympics. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle qu=
it The Firm. Millions of people have quit their jobs, seeking happiness and=
defining success on their own terms. Is it a mistake? With the publication=
of "Quitting: A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance -- and How the New=
Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free", Pulitzer prize-winning journalist = Julia Keller reveals that it's not! And, in fact, it might even save your l= ife.

Diving into the neuroscience of nope and the cultural messages that drive o=
ur reluctance to throw in the towel, Keller dismantles the myth of persever= ance once and for all. Because grit isn't always great. Sticking it out doe= sn't always pay off. And quitting can be an unexpected act of self-love.

"Quitting: A Life Strategy" humanely reminds us that, in order to live mean= ingful, satisfying lives, sometimes we have to say "no" -- full stop. With = Keller's guidance, readers will learn the art of the quasi quit, see how qu= itting makes space for key breakthroughs, navigate the relationship between=
quitting and our public lives, manage quitter's guilt, and more.

As she weaves reportage from the front lines of scientific research, incisi=
ve pop culture commentary, and conversations with people who have made prof= ound change in their own lives, Keller gives her readers the rationale and = confidence they need to pull the plug. Ultimately, quitting becomes a chanc=
e to shape our lives without fear -- at work, at home, in our relationships=
, and beyond.

Critique: An original, thought-provoking, deftly written, and iconoclastic = contribution to the every expanding library of self- help books, "Quitting:=
A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance -- and How the New Science of Gi= ving Up Can Set You Free" stands out. With a very special recommendation as=
a pick for personal, professional, community, and academic library Self-He= lp/Self-Improvement collections, "Quitting: A Life Strategy" is also availa= ble in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) for readers with an interest =
in success/motivation/happiness DIY instructionals. It should also be noted=
for librarians and the general public that "Quitting: A Life Strategy" is = also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9= 781668631058, $40.00, CD).

Editorial Note: Julia Keller (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Keller) i=
s the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a former cultural critic at the Chic= ago Tribune. She is the author of many books for adults and young readers, = including A Killing in the Hills, the first book in the Bell Elkins series = and winner of the Barry Award for Best First Novel (2013); Back Home; and T=
he Dark Intercept.

The Well-Lived Life
Gladys McGarey, MD
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781668014486, $27.99, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Well-Lived-Life-102-Year-Old-Doctors-Happiness/dp/16= 68014483

Synopsis: Dr. Gladys McGarey (co-founder of the American Holistic Medical A= ssociation), began her medical practice at a time when women couldn't even = own their own bank accounts. Over the past sixty years, she has pioneered a=
new way of thinking about disease and health that has transformed the way =
we imagine health care and self-care around the world.

With the publication of "The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old Doctor's Six S= ecrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age", Dr. McGarey shares her six ac= tionable secrets to enjoying lives that are long, happy, and purpose-driven=
:

1. Spend your energy wildly: How to embrace your life fully and feel motiva= ted every day.

2. All life needs to move: How to move - spiritually, mentally, and physica= lly - to help let go of trauma and other roadblocks.

3. You are here for a reason: How to find the everyday "juice" that helps y=
ou stay oriented in your life's purpose.

4. You are never alone: How to build a community that's meaningful to you.

5. Everything is your teacher: Discover the deep learnings that come from p= ain and setbacks.

6. Love is the most powerful medicine: Learn to love yourself - and others =
- into healing.

Here Dr. McGarey shares her own extraordinary, practical, and inspiring sto= ries providing the reader with a kind of 'eternal wisdom' drawn from her ea= rly childhood in India and a chance encounter with Mahatma Gandhi, to her l= ife as a physician and a mother of six, to her survival of both heartbreak = and illness. And she doesn't just look backwards, she looks forward. At ove=
r a one hundred years old, Dr. McGarey has an inspiring plan for a healthie=
r and more joyful future for all.

Critique: A simply fascinating read from cover to cover, "The Well-Lived Li= fe: A 102-Year-Old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Ag=
e" by Dr. Gladys McGarey is an extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly reco= mmended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Biog= raphy and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for pe= rsonal reading lists that "The Well-Lived Life" is also readily available i=
n a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged a= udio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797162591, $39.99, CD).

The Inward Outlook
Laura Basha, PhD
www.whitebirdrising.com
She Writes Press
https://www.shewrites.com
9781647424732, $16.95

https://www.amazon.com/Inward-Outlook-Conscious-Choice-Practice/dp/16474247=
39

The Inward Outlook: Conscious Choice as a Daily Practice promotes a new out= look on life based on intersecting personal messages and perspectives with = influences from within. It advocates tapping into internal thinking, data, = and information which belays repetitive automatic thinking routines in favo=
r of a more mindful approach to life. The exploration and definition of an = "inward outlook" and how it can appear on many different levels (through in= teractions that become more compassionate and kind to self as well as other=
s) creates an invaluable dialogue that leads to new insights and focusing m= ethods. Self-help libraries interested in transformational encouragement an=
d processes that support it will find The Inward Outlook a fine catalyst fo=
r supporting and identifying revised and more effective approaches to life = and self.

Finding Clarity
Marc Lesser
New World Library
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608688333, $18.95

https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Clarity-Compassionate-Accountability-Relatio= nships/dp/160868833X

Finding Clarity: How Compassionate Accountability Builds Vibrant Relationsh= ips, Thriving Workplaces, and Meaningful Lives considers professional commu= nication and basic concepts key to fostering compassion and accountability,=
using mindful concepts as a building block for facing and directing emotio= nal conflicts for long-term benefit. From understanding and honing new valu=
es and approaches and supporting them to engaging readers on the subject of=
personal and professional communication breakthroughs, Marc Lesser creates=
a method for getting unstuck. This opportunity promotes a new vision of in= terpersonal and business communications, drawing important links between ac= hieving clarity and being more effective in the world. Business and self-im= provement libraries alike will find these processes invite discussion and c= hange.

Mentors and Tormentors: On the Journey to Self-Respect
Tim Jones, MD
Christian Faith Publishing
https://www.christianfaithpublishing.com
9781639032587, $18.95, PB, 232pp

https://www.amazon.com/Mentors-Tormentors-Self-Respect-Tim-Jones/dp/1639032= 584

Synopsis: Don't be fooled. At first glance, Wendall is just another middle-= class fourteen-year-old. But on closer inspection, he is so much more.

Wendall is naive, sheltered, and insecure. But fortunately, he discovers a = cure for his youthful shortcomings. He cannot control his curiosity. No mat= ter how embarrassing, Wendall must know why people think, feel, say, and do=
sometimes-crazy things.

During a span of four inquisitive years, his view of the world is transform=
ed by a colorful cast of small-town characters. Some are mentors; others ar=
e tormentors. However, each is a specialist who thoroughly comprehends a sp= ecific facet of human nature: happiness, manipulation, and saying no, to li=
st only a few.

But Wendall isn't just a passive student. He gets his hands dirty when his = father transplants the family to a rundown farm. Our nosey hero then battle=
s a sadistic psychopath, gets cheated by a con man, and talks a best friend=
back from a botched suicide attempt.

Mentors and Tormentors is not just another predictable, coming-of-age story=
.. Rather, it is an instruction manual detailing how to handle yourself and = other people. Wendall's adventures add some fun and entertainment, which ba= lance and reinforce the seriousness of the lessons.

Think of "Mentors and Tormentors" as a collection of modern fables with eac=
h chapter having a specific, applicable message. But unlike Aesop's fables,=
these truths don't stand alone. They coalesce and reveal the secret to enj= oying life with complete peace of mind.

Critique: Although "Mentors and Tormentors" is a work of compelling fiction=
, it is based upon author Tim Jones personal experiences, with the lessons = and characters being loosely based those of thousands of emergency room pat= ients he has treated as a physician for more than thirty years. A fascinati= ng, informative, insightful, and memorable read from first page to last, "M= entors and Tormentors" will prove to be a welcome addition to community lib= rary collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mento=
rs and Tormentors" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.4= 9).

Editorial Note: Tim Jones is an emergency room physician. The greatest trag= edy that he sees in that capacity is when a young person who attempts or co= mmits suicide. What went wrong? How did this happen? How did they get overw= helmed and how could they have been helped? I have learned that a person's = self-respect determines the quality of every aspect of their life. Many of = the patients he treats in the ER are manipulated, unable to say no, overloa= ded by the demands of others, bullied, conned, or beaten down physically an=
d emotionally. Over the past thirty years, he have given the same advice to=
thousands of people to help them build their self-respect and take control=
of their lives. "Mentors and Tormentors" is the summary of that advice tol=
d by remarkable people who teach their lessons to a young teenager. To lear=
n more his readers are well advised to visit www.mentorsandtormentors.com

Who You Are Is How You Lead
Rachel L. Rider
Muse Literary
https://museliterary.com
9781958714720, $24.99 Hardcover/$14.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Who-You-Are-How-Lead/dp/1958714720

Who You Are Is How You Lead is for any leader who has felt exhausted by the=
effort, and who seeks insights on how to better guide others without impac= ting personal survival mechanisms or sacrificing personal life outside the = company. As Rachel L. Rider says, this book is a tapestry of experiences re= flected not just by the author, but those around her.

It echoes her years of working with executives frustrated by their successe=
s as much as their failures and surveys the patterns of achievement that de= mand a more complex skill set from business leaders.

The premise of her guide is clearly stated from the start: "No one tells yo=
u that there is an unwritten part of your job description as a leader. At t=
he highest levels of the organization, there is an implicit list of skills = required to succeed, skills that you've likely spent little time developing=
.. It was most likely your ability to execute that drove your progress and p= romotions until now." These undiscussed skills can lead to success conundru=
ms that stymie leaders unless this book is employed as a guideline for iden= tifying, understanding, and ultimately disrupting the patterns that can sty= mie upward-bound leaders in many different ways.

Examples abound, from survival mechanisms that translate to superpowers to = handling company acquisitions challenges and considering the lessons of ada= ptation that lie in seeming untenable situations. All these issues are ceme= nted by real-world experiences from Rider's life and those around her, brin= ging a grounded sense of life experience to the table that reflects not jus=
t one, but a range of business and personal adaptation processes.

Libraries and readers from business circles would seem the likely audience = for Who You Are Is How You Lead, but ideally the concept of leadership patt= erns and lessons won't be limited to this audience alone. Many a collection=
and book reading group devoted to empowerment and pattern-breaking choices=
will find much fodder for discussion in this book's premises on how to "dr= eam bigger" rather than just being known as an "anchor in the storm."

How to Love Yourself: In Less Than a Week & Also for the Rest of Your Life Rachel Madorsky, LCSW
Muse Literary
https://museliterary.com
9781958714119, $10.99 Hardcover/$4.86 Paper/$4.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1958714127

How to Love Yourself: In Less Than a Week & Also for the Rest of Your Life = provides readers with permission to love themselves more fully, which trans= lates to a less judgmental attitude and more acceptance and love for others=
, in turn. Self-love does not usually come as an inherent part of nature, b=
ut is a practice that needs honing and exercise like any other routine. How=
to Love Yourself provides short, simple, but powerful admonitions designed=
to teach readers this process of greater self-love throughout the day.

These hard-hitting insights are useful whether contemplated individually to=
help drive the day's decisions and experiences, or utilized in a group set= ting either by book club discussions interested in self-improvement routine=
s or in psychological circles: "In any given moment we can love ourselves m= ore by reminding ourselves to let it be easy." As easy as it should be to s= elf-love, many similar-sounding titles make such a production out of the ef= fort that ordinary readers may be stymied by the process. How to Love Yours= elf creates quick, inspirational, digestible insights in how to incorporate=
these practices into daily routines and the busiest of lives. Its messages=
make How to Love Yourself a strong recommendation for any self-help, self-= improvement, or group effort.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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