The Essential Guide to Your 401(k)

Book Description

Written in an extremely lucid, informative style with vivid graphics and illustrations, The Essential Guide to Your 401(k) objectively guides you through all the complexities and opportunities of 401(k) plans.

Nearly 35 million people have 401(k), 403(b) or other defined contribution plans, which have replaced more traditional pensions and Social Security as a primary source of retirement income. Yet few who have these plans, whose value can total hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, truly understand the intricacies of these plans, the many benefits to exploit, and the many pitfalls to avoid.

Despite the reams of information available to people with these plans, many don't know which investments to make, how to determine if their investments are performing well, or the best choices to make when they change jobs, borrow against the plan, or retire and begin withdrawing from their account. Making the wrong choice can mean huge tax consequences, or even penalties.

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The Essential Guide to Your 401(k)
Kenneth M. Morris, Lightbulb Press Virginia B. Morris
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OG80UC

Customer Reviews:

It's PROVEN to work for me, don't even doubt it!.......2007-02-14

You absolutely need to keep score. Based on this book's advice that I had read in some other book, I was already following doing some basic scorekeeping of my own "productive work hours" every day in an Excel sheet. I have already seen the benefits of keeping track of how you are doing.

So the "scorekeeeping" strategy already works, it's proven.

This book explains how to it in more detail, whether you want to improve your own productivity or your employees'.

Of course, there are many uses of this book even if you don't run a business. You can improve your "focussed study hours" for example.

But keep in mind that you won't benefit from it by simply reading it, you will need to give about 15-30 mins. a day to doing your analysis. I do it, it has already proved useful, and I plan to implement scorekeeping stategies in as many areas as possible -- wherever I want to get more of what I want -- whether it is making more money, working out more hours a week, doing more productive work etc. etc.

hope this helps...

Simple to understand and simple to practice.......2001-03-05

This book assumes one thing - people like to win! People inherently want to succeed, but they often don't try or bother because they don't know how to win nor do think it matters if they do win, so they just go through the motions, never reaching their true potential. And the way most management operates today, they're pretty right. What this book points out is that in order to excel, people need to know HOW to win and to know IF they're winning or not. The simple way to enable that is to keep score. Keeping score keeps everyone focused on what is important (what's important is what's being scored) and gives them immediate feedback as to whether their succeeding or not. A company I worked for used this book's method, and it was amazing to see the score charts climb up as the workers started to quickly buy into it. (Not that the company wasn't without it's cynics). The whole idea is very simple and obvious and it was amazing to watch. People really do want to win, just get out of the way and keep score. The book does a great job of how to go about doing this, how to incorporate it into different facets of jobs, how to have the person score keep themselves and not have it be micro-managing, etc.

Book Description

Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Niels Bohr, Einstein. Their insights shook our perception of who we are and where we stand in the world, and in their wake have left an uneasy coexistence: science vs. religion, faith vs. empirical inquiry. Which is the keeper of truth? Which is the true path to understanding reality?

After forty years of study with some of the greatest scientific minds, as well as a lifetime of meditative, spiritual, and philosophic study, the Dalai Lama presents a brilliant analysis of why all avenues of inquiry—scientific as well as spiritual—must be pursued in order to arrive at a complete picture of the truth. Through an examination of Darwinism and karma, quantum mechanics and philosophical insight into the nature of reality, neurobiology and the study of consciousness, the Dalai Lama draws significant parallels between contemplative and scientific examinations of reality.

This breathtakingly personal examination is a tribute to the Dalai Lama’s teachers—both of science and spirituality. The legacy of this book is a vision of the world in which our different approaches to understanding ourselves, our universe, and one another can be brought together in the service of humanity.

Customer Reviews:

a wonderful prospect.......2007-09-16

This is an inexpressibly beautiful book, in which H. H. the Dalai Lama describes a kind of "middle way" between scientific materialism and spirituality without science. If only more people would embrace a combining of scientific endeavor with spiritual values as the Dalai Lama proposes here! We are extraordinarily fortunate that he has made his thoughts available to us at a time when both the wonders and dangers of science grow so rapidly and that he demonstrates the possibility of dialogue between a spiritual leader such as himself with members of the scientific community.

More to the Universe than Science.......2007-07-23

The Dalai Lama's genuine and insightful look at the parallels between the Buddhist faith and Science are quite refreshing. He does a good job demonstrating the limits of scientific observation, while also demonstrating a great appreciation for what Science has to offer Humankind. His comparison of the Buddhist concept of emptiness to the mysteries of quantum physics was fascinating. If you have not delved into the absurdly mysterious workings of quantum physics, I emphatically suggest you do so. I feel many scientists think that they can necessarily explain everything, while the Universe keeps suggesting otherwise.

This was my first exposure to Buddhism, and I found it much more reasonable and open-minded than mainstream Christianity. I am agnostic, but I have not felt that there was a God in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic sense (a tinkerer) since high school. While I am not planning on converting, I find Buddhism a much more palatable religious philosophy (but I digress). I sought this book as a different perspective from the all too often materialistic view point of Scientific Academia (I am a graduate student in biochemistry). In this sense the book was quite successful. I would have given 4 & 1/2 stars if that were an option.

Choppy but brilliant..........2007-07-06

This book lacks the fluidity one might be hoping for but, since it's translated from the words of the brilliant Dalai Lama, you will forgive the choppiness well before finishing the first chapter.

This book explains both the similarities and the differences between Buddhist thought and scientific exploration. The Dalai Lama speaks of the reasons why a religious or spiritual path should not ignore new discoveries in the scientific field but, instead, grow towards incorporating new findings in order to develop more soundly.

It's interesting to hear of the Dalai Lama's research on physics, quantum mechanics, evolution, the big bang hypothesis, the singularity, and more. He has met with some of the most prominent scientific researchers of our time and is truly working towards the unification of spirituality and science as well as the expansion of human understanding.

Though I have always had great respect for the Buddhist path, my admiration for Buddhist principles has increased since reading this wonderful book. Though it may not be an easy read for most, it is well worth the effort.

A Level-Headed Look at Science and Religion.......2007-04-19

As a Zen student with a Ph.D. in physics I often ponder the integration of scientific and religious world views. This is a bit easier for Buddhists because our religion places less emphasis on belief than other faiths do. I see science as a tool that uses measurement to understand nature, while religion deals with ethics and human experience. The Dalai Lama comes to similar conclusions, although more eloquently, in his book "The Universe in a Single Atom."

Both science and religion inspire a sense of wonder and help us understand our place in the cosmos, so comparing them, as the Dalai Lama does in this book, can be worthwhile. He writes well about science. I found his descriptions of physics accurate, although he missed some of the subtleties of the EPR experiment. As expected from a meditator, he points out that science has yet to explore subjective experience. The Dalai Lama draws parallels between the empirical exploration of mental states in the Tibetan tradition and the scientific method. This empiricism first drew me to Buddhism. In fact, my intimate thoughts and feelings have often seemed more immediate and real than some ghostly trace on an oscilloscope that represents "objective reality."

The Dalai Lama gently points out questionable assumptions made by scientific reductionists. For the most part I think his criticisms are valid. Although he's willing to abandon doctrines disproved by modern science, I wonder if the Dalai Lama would be willing to put the Buddhist bedrock teachings of karma and rebirth to the empirical test. If these are truly universal laws, they should be demonstrable by more than personal anecdote. I would have been interested if he'd discussed this more.

This is a fascinating, well-written book. I recommend it to fellow Buddhists and anyone interested in the interaction between science and religion.

Interesting, but somewhat abstruse........2007-01-22

Albert Einstein believed that Buddhism reflected modern science quite well. This book supports that contention. The Dalai Lama is clearly a great thinker with a deep interest in science. The early sections of the book deal with the relationship of Buddhism with relativity theory and quantum physics. The commonality of the Buddhist and modern physics ideas of reality and emptiness is striking, but I found the latter section on consciousness a bit harder to follow.

Reading this book gave me a feeling - but just a feeling - for Buddhism and the depth of Buddhist philosophy. In many ways, it appears to be as complicated and abstruse as modern physics. I would recommend this book to those interested in the more philosophical aspects of modern physics and to those who know about Buddhism and are interested in how it relates to modern scientific thought. However, if you are not interested in either of these subjects, this may not be the book for you.

The World of Physics (Vol 1-Aristotelian Cosmos and the Newtonian System; Vol 2-Einstein Universe and the Bohr Atom; Vol 3-Evolutionary Cosmos and the Limits of Science)

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The World of Physics (Vol 1-Aristotelian Cosmos and the Newtonian System; Vol 2-Einstein Universe and the Bohr Atom; Vol 3-Evolutionary Cosmos and the Limits of Science)
Jefferson Hane Weaver
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671642162

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God, the Atom, and the Universe.
James, Reid
Manufacturer: Zondervan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0310317614

Music of the Spheres: The Material Universe From Atom to Quaser, Simply Explained (Volume II: The Microcosm: Matter, Atoms, Waves, Radiation, Relativity)

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Music of the Spheres is a companion for life.

Music of the Spheres: The Material Universe From Atom to Quaser, Simply Explained (Volume II: The Microcosm: Matter, Atoms, Waves, Radiation, Relativity)
Guy Murchie
Manufacturer: Dover Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486218104

Customer Reviews:

Music of the Spheres is a companion for life........1999-04-28

I first read Music of the Spheres over 30 years ago and that now ragged hardbound copy I read as a teenager is still, as ever since first reading it, the first book pulled from the shelf when I am curious about some natural phenomenon or need to explain in detail some theory of science e.g. Relativity and Quantum theory to one of my children. His poetic elucidations of the workings of the universe both teach the mind and touch the reader's heart. This book, along with his, The Seven Mysteries of Life, will provide both the student and lay teacher ample sources of reference for things scientific for a lifetime. Patrick Stonehouse

El universo en un solo atomo/ The universe in a single Atom: Como la union entre ciencia y espiritualidad puede salvar el mundo / The Convergence of Science and Spirituality (Autoayuda / Self-Help)

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El universo en un solo atomo/ The universe in a single Atom: Como la union entre ciencia y espiritualidad puede salvar el mundo / The Convergence of Science and Spirituality (Autoayuda / Self-Help)
Dalai Lama XIV
Manufacturer: Grijalbo Mondadori Sa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Music of the Spheres: The Material Universe--From Atom to Quasar, Simply Explained, Volume II

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Music of the Spheres: The Material Universe--From Atom to Quasar, Simply Explained, Volume II
Guy Murchie
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K091KA

The Unseen Universe; or, Physical Speculations on a Future State

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The Unseen Universe; or, Physical Speculations on a Future State
Balfour Stewart; Peter Guthrie Tait
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1901 edition by Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London.

MAN'S EMERGING MIND, Man's Progress Through Time -- Trees, Ice, Flood, Atoms and the Universe

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MAN'S EMERGING MIND, Man's Progress Through Time -- Trees, Ice, Flood, Atoms and the Universe

Manufacturer: Dodd Mead & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000G3FYBQ

A Universe of Atoms, An Atom in the Universe

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A Universe of Atoms, An Atom in the Universe
Mark P. Silverman
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0387954376

Book Description

The essays in this book are based on researches the author has undertaken on a wide range of topics, some using equipment no more elaborate than what one can find in an ordinary kitchen, others making elegant use of sophisticated experimental apparatus. Presenting a personal odyssey in physics, Silverman investigates processes for which no visualizable mechanism can be given, or that seem to violate fundamental physical laws (but do not), or that appear to be well understood but turn out to be subtly devious. Written in an engagingly personal style, the essays will be of interest to students of physics and related disciplines as well as professional physicists. Though they deal with subtle concepts, the discussions use little mathematics, and anyone with a little college physics will be able to read the book with pleasure. Silverman's researches deal with in quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics, electromagnetism and optics, gravity, thermodynamics, and the physics of fluids, and these essays address .such questions as: How does one know that atomic electrons move? Would an "anti-atom" fall upward? How is it possible for randomly emitted particles to arrive at a detector preferentially in pairs? Can one influence electrons in London by not watching them in New York? Can a particle be influenced by a magnetic field through which it does not pass? A basketball is not changed by turning it once around its axis, but what about an electron? Can more light reflect from a surface than is incident upon it? "A Universe of Atoms" is the second edition of Silverman's "And Yet It Moves"; each essay in the earlier collection has been revised and updated, and some new essays on the uncommon physics of common objects have been added

The Art of Happiness & Universe in a Single Atom (2 Volume Set)

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The Art of Happiness & Universe in a Single Atom (2 Volume Set)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000F45IY4

Product Description

Brand new LEATHER BOUND 2 Volume set accented in 22kt gold! ! Titles include: THE ART OF HAPPINESS; THE UNIVERSE IN A SINGLE ATOM

Amazon.com

The hairiest heresy of evolutionary biology, the one most likely to get scientists figuratively burned at the stake, is the notion that any force more selective than blind chance could drive mutation. Such "directed evolution" smacks too much of a retreat into creationism for most science-minded readers to be comfortable with, but there's no a priori reason to reject the idea. Molecular biologist Johnjoe McFadden risks the Inquisition by suggesting just such a possibility in Quantum Evolution: The New Science of Life. Directed at a general but somewhat sophisticated readership, the book covers the basics of both standard evolutionary theory and quantum-level physics, then synthesizes them in an interesting theory of made-to-order mutation that explains enough to warrant attention and is, importantly, testable.

McFadden's writing is clear and sharp, and it shows a high regard for the reader's intelligence and patience for complex ideas. This is no airplane book--except for those already well-versed in the latest in both evolutionary theory and subatomic physics. The rewards of reading are great, and the author bows just enough to established theory that he might meet the fate of his intellectual predecessors. The ideas underlying Quantum Evolution may be right or wrong, but they challenge received wisdom without plunging into dogmatism--and that's good science. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

A brilliant new application of the principles of quantum mechanics to explain the origins of life. Living organisms are controlled by a single molecule--DNA. The study of modern physics tells us that the behavior of single molecules is governed not by familiar classical laws but by the strange laws of quantum mechanics. The biological applications of this principle have never been fully explored--until now. McFadden's novel theory of quantum evolution shows how quantum mechanics endows living organisms with the ability to initiate specific actions, including new mutations. This simple but staggering theory has radical implications. Debunking the recent propositions of evolutionary theorists, McFadden argues that evolution may not be random at all. Rather, it may be directed--that is, in certain circumstances, cells may be able to choose to mutate particular genes that provide an advantage in their environment. This property of living organisms to direct their actions undoubtedly lies at the core of the much disputed issues of consciousness and free will. 12 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

An Introduction for the Neophyte to the Subject of Quantum Evolution.......2007-02-10

If yours is a less-than-layman's knowledge of the biological sciences, biochemistry, systems theory, quantum electrodynamics, and genetics, fear not. Lads and lords alike will find this meta-disciplinary study entertaining, anectdotal, and edifying.

Spliced with the McKenna brothers' "The Invisible Landscape", 21st Century fusions of science and spirituality start to display their edge features. Interesting commentaries on the early evolution of chemical pathways and autocalytic cycles make this an important addition to the complexity theorist's library.

McFadden provides historical narratives to frame this essay, which make its strangely unorthodox probes into quantum observation within the sub-cellular landscape easier to digest. A popsci background in disciplines such as quatum mechanics, systems theory, and biology will make this a four-five day read. The author's argument is both challenging and controversial, but his case is vacuum-sealed.

Quantum B.S. .......2006-11-21

After reading just a few pages of this book I decided to ask for my money back.

First of all, quantum mechanics is hardly "physics' weirdest theory".
Second, the idea that quantum delocalization or superposition of states have any macroscopic existence in systems such as DNA is absolutely wrong. I base this upon a PhD in theoretical Chemical Physics,
and nearly 20 yrs working in the field of quantum mechanics with numerous publications in top physics journals. Why do I come to such a categorical pronouncement?
Consider the structure of DNA itself. The individual bases forming double helix DNA form nearly parallel
"rungs" along the DNA helix...much like a ladder. The electronic interactions between the bases are mediated by pi-pi stacking with typical energies for electron or hole transfer on the order of <0.1 eV. This is compared to the typical difference in oxidation or reduction energies between bases of ~0.5 to 1.0 eV. Consequently, statistically random sequences of bases will lead to localized conduction or valence band states along the DNA chain. There are NUMEROUS papers on this in the physics literature. It's called Anderson localization. A quantum state in a random potential is localized. Another source of randomization is the fact that DNA is biopolymer in solution. Hence the geometric fluctuations (librations, torsions, etc..) of the chain itself imparts a random character to the hopping energies between bases...this too localizes conduction and valence band orbitals. My own estimates for polyA-polyT type DNA d(AAAAAAAAAAA)d(TTTTTTTTTT) put this at 2-4 bases
Even the photo-excited states are localized. It is well known that the UV absorption spectrum of DNA is largely the weighted sum of the UV spectra of the constituent bases suggesting that the electronic interaction between bases is extremely weak....which is consistent with my claim that disorder induces localization of the electronic states in DNA.

Do quantum effects play a role in DNA...you bet! The electronic interactions, proton transfer between bases, ultraviolet absorption, and energy dissipation are necessarily described by quantum mechanics. In fact, we (i.e. researchers in this field) are working very hard at understanding how to describe these effects quantum mechanically and how these effects impact pyrimidine dimer formation in DNA, energy transport in DNA, and the early evolutionary pressure for DNA based life.

Please, Prof, McFadden, forget this new-age quantum consciousness stuff and learn modern quantum mechanics.

A Compelling and Insightful Read.......2006-11-09

The book Quantum Evolution, How Physics' Weirdest Theory Explains Life's Biggest Mystery, considers Quantum Evolution as an important factor influencing biological evolution and the human consciousness. A professor of molecular genetics, author Johnjoe McFadden provides a comprehensive account of the origins of life to the evolution of human consciousness. McFadden details how evolution, with an emphasis on Darwinian evolution, could not have occurred without the influence of quantum mechanics instigating specific molecular and cellular actions. He dismisses naturalism as the single cause of evolution and through a meticulous, well-researched account, details how cells contain order.

Dr. McFadden explains that Neo-Darwinism only illustrates evolution of species; it does not explain the origin of the first self-replicating subatomic particle. Neo-Darwinism only tackles evolution from life originating at the first single-cell, not the origin of the first rudimentary form of life. Using Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle as a source, McFadden articulates that a living cell measures its own internal state. According to McFadden, life is a cellular system engaging in internal quantum measurement for the purpose of replication.

With comical anecdotes, interesting insights into historical scientific scholars, as well as current scientists, Dr. McFadden explains the origins of life, its limitations, and how life has evolved to what we see around us. With easy to understand illustrations, and often taking complicated concepts and applying them to every day situations, the book details how particle manipulation in the quantum world could have boosted evolution, and explain the complexities of the mind, consciousness, and free will.

As discussed in the book, the mind and consciousness is a very complicated subject. It would be interesting to see how quantum evolution affects our way of thinking. For example, how does quantum evolution fit in with innate behavior, learned behavior, how we distinguish between right and wrong, moral and immoral? That is, how does quantum evolution tie in with the study of psychology?

As the author points out, the theory did not originate with him. He acknowledges and explains how others within the scientific field arrived at similar conclusions concerning the function of the subatomic world and its role shaping the universe we see today. Although a few concepts and ideas put forth may be complicated to those with little or no scientific background, the writing and science is clear and logical with many compelling points discussed.

I highly recommend this book to high school students and college students with a passion for the sciences and a desire to understand how we got here and the role Quantum Evolution played.

Tracy Roberts, Write Field Services Reviewer

This is It - a naturalist framework for the emergence of consciousness.......2006-10-28

Over the course of my lifetime, this is one of the most important books I have read.

Though it is only a theory, I am sure that quantum mechanical processes do play an important role in the development of life and complexity in the universe. This, the anthropic principle, the many worlds concept, some variant of philosophical panpsychism or monism, and the Reverse Zeno Theorem together may allow us to explain the apparent miracle of life and consciousness without resort to dualism and supernatural god concepts.

If quantum mechanics plays such a role in biological evolution and the operation of the mind, it opens up a world of grandeur, wonder and possibility that was completely lacking in reductionism and the Newtonian worldview. Perhaps as we grow past Newton, we can finally update Taoism to the 21st century; see Liebnitz's Monadology play out in our own lives, and see that quantum superposition offers a life for human beings with far greater beauty than all the fantasy worlds of religion combined.

Contrived, but believable.......2006-08-16

McFadden spends much of this book discussing the basics of evolutionary theory and quantum mechanics, which I suppose he is obligated to do if the book is targeted at people uninitiated in the basic tenets and developments in both those disciplines. However, to truly appreciate what the book is conveying, the reader needs to be quite well-versed in neoDarwinism and QM in order to really analyze the "new" messages in this book, and understand the implications. It is fairly involved reading, and I found it very interesting. However, to truly do justice to the important message the author is writing about, he needs to do a more rigorous job of explaining all the concepts that go into what is really a large edifice of assumptions that appears fragile to the touch. Of course, that would be too sophisticated for a general non-fiction book, and would be more appropriate in a journal publication. That being said, this book is no more fanciful and contrived than books on string theory, such as Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe", but is every bit as engaging in providing a new perspective on life, the universe, and everything!

In response to another customer's comments on this website, who states that McFadden makes an incorrect application of the uncertainty principle - I request him to clarify that point. While I feel that McFadden's arguments appear incomplete, they do not appear inaccurate. Certainly, nothing in his "primer" on QM is incorrect to my knowledge, and I am fairly well-versed in those issues. Furthermore, the reviewer also comments that McFadden was intellectually honest about the problems with evolutionary theory, but that is an inaccurate description. There are no "issues" with neoDarwinism that McFadden explores. NeoDarwinism only describes the evolution of species, it does not address the issue of the origin of the first self-replicator. NeoDarwinism simply assumes the existence of self-replicating molecules, if that - in actuality, it deals with evolution from the first single-cell life form, and leaves the job of explaining the origin of the first "lifeform" to physicists/chemists/geologists/whomever. One of the theories was the "chemical soup" theory, and this is NOT connected with neoDarwinism except by popular acceptance of a connection. It is here that McFadden honestly admits that there are unanswered questions.

Quantum Evolution. The New Science of Life

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Quantum Evolution. The New Science of Life

Manufacturer: W.W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HI67OS

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Good concept, short on substance.

Fans of Susan Isaacs take note:

delightful satire that rips the skin off the beauty industry

Smart, funny novel skewers the beauty industry

Smart, funny novel skewers the beauty industry

It's My Body and I'll Cry If I Want to
Sharleen Jonasson
Manufacturer: Bold Books and Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0968709400

Book Description

Beth decides to do her bit to help loosen the hold an increasingly unrealistic beauty industry has over women including, potentially, her own daughter (and also perhaps resolve the ongoing contest between herself and her bathroom mirror). So she signs on as a client at this institution devoted to improving appearances - and finds many things are not what they appear to be at all.

Download Description

Beth Middleton, lapsed feminist, is recently separated from her husband and the custodial parent of their frequently hostile 14-year-old daughter. A failed investigative journalist in a financial and career slump, she's wary of the offer, from an unconventional source, of an exceptional assignment: Will she infiltrate an elite beauty clinic to uncover details of a state-of-the art treatment soon to be unleashed on an unsuspecting market? The anti-beauty guerrilla who briefs her claims the treatment could expose millions of women to possibly mortal danger. Beth decides to do her bit to help loosen the hold an increasingly unrealistic beauty industry has over women including, potentially, her own daughter (and also perhaps resolve the ongoing contest between herself and her bathroom mirror). So she signs on as a client at this institution devoted to improving appearances -- and finds many things are not what they appear to be at all. It's My Body and I'll Cry If I Want To delivers a captivating look at the pursuit of beauty in the not-too-distant future. The plot is strikingly original and fast-paced, the writing is smart and funny, and the author clearly has a terrific sense of the absurd.

Customer Reviews:

Good concept, short on substance........2004-01-09

I couldn't wait to read this book, as it addresses the frequent questions of the middle-aged woman, who abhors the ravages of time on her physical beauty. So, when the protagonist, Beth, secretly infiltrates a private beauty institute, in order to uncover a fraudulent operation, I admit it was, at times, introspectrive and clever. But, the ending is a total disappointment and contrived. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my "aging" acquaintances.

Fans of Susan Isaacs take note:.......2004-01-06

If you're looking for a clever, socially conscious mystery that is funny without being frivolous and feminist without being doctrinaire, you've come to the right place. In Beth Middleton, author Sharleen Jonasson has created a "woman of a certain age" who is smart, sassy, and endearingly disheartened at her (frequent) glimpses of herself in baggy-ass sweats. When the story opens, Beth has hit a low point in her life: she and her husband have split, her teenage daughter is pierced in more places than she can count, and her work as a consultant bores her. During lonely nights at home she scours the fridge for food and drink, or works out on her annoyingly articulate exercise machine, which exhorts her to cut down on her fats even as she eyes the ice cream. Truth is, Beth's relationship to Beauty has always been ambivalent. So no one is more surprised than she is when an unusual assignment takes her to an island spa/resort (a former leper colony) where she finds herself investigating, not only a possible beauty industry scam, but also, her own long-standing and frequently contradictory beliefs about appearance and its importance in a woman's life. With rich characterisation and deft turns of plot, It's My Body and I'll Cry if I Want To offers a witty, satirical take on a serious social issue.

delightful satire that rips the skin off the beauty industry.......2003-01-07

Middle aged writer Beth Middleton wonders how her life fell into some sort of disastrous free fall. Her husband has left her after years of marriage, leaving her in financial trouble and raising their troubled angry fourteen-year-old mostly by herself. She hates her work, which barely pays the recurring bills and insures she ignores any self-indulgent pampering that she might fantasize.

A potential client Darby representing Perceived Ugliness Syndrome asks Beth to infiltrate The Beauty Institute to learn the secret of a new treatment to make women so beautiful that PUS believes it includes a side effect of making females look perfect in their coffins. Though wary, Beth needs cash and agrees to go deep undercover by posing as a customer of the Institute. Beth receives the full treatment until she feels competent to pen an article that ironically describes the mirror contradictions of the beauty industry. However, everything changes when she accidentally learns the secret of the new treatment, as nothing is what it seems in a world where beauty is skin deep.

IT'S MY BODY AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO is a delightful satire that rips the skin off the multi-zillion dollar beauty industry. Beth is an uplifting individual as she struggles to survive in a world in which beauty is everything while one's original DNA is too ugly to consider. The fast-paced story line is no powder puff as Sharleen Jonasson intelligently furbishes a delightfully amusing amateur sleuth industrial espionage tale that uses no gloss or silicon yet subtly applies cosmetics to condemn an industry.

Harriet Klausner

Smart, funny novel skewers the beauty industry.......2002-10-29

Is there a woman alive who's never looked in the mirror and felt inadequate? "Take back the mirror" by reading this novel that skewers the beauty industry with tongue-in-cheek humor and a rollicking plot. It's not preachy or angry, but still manages to seriously examine the issues around the effect of the media and the beauty industry on how we women feel about ourselves. The novel is highly entertaining as a story, and because of the unique way it treats the pursuit of beauty, you'll keep thinking about this book long after you put it down.

Smart, funny novel skewers the beauty industry.......2002-10-29

Is there a woman alive who's never looked in the mirror and felt inadequate? "Take back the mirror" by reading this novel that skewers the beauty industry with tongue-in-cheek humor, a rollicking plot, and believable, likeable characters. It's not preachy or angry, but still manages to seriously examine the effect of the media and the beauty industry on how we (women) feel about ourselves. I thought the novel was highly entertaining as a story, and also very thought-provoking -- the kind of book you keep thinking about long after you put it down.

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