The Nine Fantasies That Will Ruin Your Life and the Eight Realities ThatWill Save You

Rating:
Summary: Practical, not preachy
Review: The title caught my eye, so I decided to give this book a read. I am glad that I did. I saw a lot of myself in some of the "call-in's" questions. I thought that Dr. Browne's advice was useful and practical---in other words, good common sense. I really enjoyed the "Soulmate" part of the fantasy half, as well as the "Romance" part of the reality half. I have been fighting some emotional demons of my own lately, and reading these two sections really helped me see my situation from outside of myself. Is there stuff in this book that I've heard before? Yes, but what is nice is that it is written and can be referred to again and again. I also like Dr. Browne's flow in the book---funny, but to the point. It makes it very easy to read. I work and go to school part-time, plus I have a family. I found that I was able to read this book in less than a week at different intervals. I don't know if this is a book that will "turn your life around", but I know that, for me, it's a book that can be used as a good reference tool when I feel those old demons creeping up on me again.

Rating:
Summary: Practical, not preachy
Review: The title caught my eye, so I decided to give this book a read. I am glad that I did. I saw a lot of myself in some of the "call-in's" questions. I thought that Dr. Browne's advice was useful and practical---in other words, good common sense. I really enjoyed the "Soulmate" part of the fantasy half, as well as the "Romance" part of the reality half. I have been fighting some emotional demons of my own lately, and reading these two sections really helped me see my situation from outside of myself. Is there stuff in this book that I've heard before? Yes, but what is nice is that it is written and can be referred to again and again. I also like Dr. Browne's flow in the book---funny, but to the point. It makes it very easy to read. I work and go to school part-time, plus I have a family. I found that I was able to read this book in less than a week at different intervals. I don't know if this is a book that will "turn your life around", but I know that, for me, it's a book that can be used as a good reference tool when I feel those old demons creeping up on me again.

Rating:
Summary: Great straightforward no-nonsense advice!
Review: This is a great book. The author doesn't mess around, she tells it like it is. If you want reality, prepare to get it. This book is a great tool to get yourself on the right track and keep you there by helping you see destructive patterns of living life in fantasies. It shows you there are other choices to make, once you recognize your own fantasy patterns. Now that you see the patterns you can choose reality and embrace it! I have also read two of John Gray's Mars and Venus books, and even though I learned alot from them, his hard hitting themes of "love your enemies," and "love the people who have hurt you," is a little hard to take. Joy Browne doesn't mess around, as she helps you take responsibility for your own actions, teaches you how to change what you can control and how not to be consumed by the things you can't change. A great book from a no-nonsense author! Thanks! A Sailor on Ice!

Rating:
Summary: Yikes the lottery! Careful on the soul mates!
Review: When I was a kid, I used to dream of winning the lottery. I'd imagine the millions filtering in -- all the items I'd buy from the Montgomery Wards catalogue -- I'd even take a mid-afternoon nap to dream of such prizes. Well, thankfully I never won. My life probably would have turned out much differently and instead of working as the editor with the brillant Dr. Joy Browne, I'd probably be in a Graceland-like mansion -- somewhere on a super highway -- watching soap operas, eating chips and telling my friends, "Stop askin' for my money!" In her book, "The Nine Fantasies," Dr. Browne can convince anyone to get on with and conquer life's every day problems concerning love, relationships, family and feelings of insecurities. While you might tuck your fantasies away in your back pocket, you'll use Dr. Joy's right-on tips for living a more reality-based life that really is the only secret to happiness. Life isn't about a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It's about traveling on a road, getting thrown off the road, coming back and finding your own salvation. I promise you, Dr.Joy will see to it that you get there. Enjoy, she's a wonderfully insightful woman and always full of magical advice that always seems to fit just right.