Who moved my Cheese? - Dr Spencer Johnson

'An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life'

The cover alone would have put me off reading this little 'self help' book, with endorsements by various newspapers and big bold text telling me that it's sold over 24 million copies!  But about four people at work had been singing it's praises....and it's only very short.

So short in fact that it only took me about an hour to read - more of an article than a book.

The basic premise of the book is that it uses a short parable about four characters in a maze looking for cheese to show how we can better deal with change in our lives.

So, learn how you deal with change, which one of the characters you are and how you can change to be one of the others - very few of us are one of the two mice; Sniff who sniffs out change early, or Scurry who scurries into action.  Many more of us are more like one of the Littlepeople; Hem, who denies and resists changea he fears it will lead to something worse; or like Haw, who learns to adapt when he sees that change to lead to something better.

A very interesting book, an excellent way of getting across a simple message, which really we all know - but fear!

15th June 2010

Lent to me by Gee.

The Luck Factor - Richard Wiseman

This is the third Richard Wiseman book I've read this year, and I think I'm upto date with all his published work! But as popular psychology it's really enjoyable to read, and you feel like you are learning something as well.

The basic premise of the book is that everyone can be lucky - it's just a state of mind. Wiseman presents scientific studies to support his ideas about how we can be lucky.

He puts forward the idea that there are four principles to luck -

1. Maximise your chance opportunities
2. Listen to your lucky hunches
3. Expect good fortune
4. Turn your bad luck into good

Each one is explained with examples, and then in the next part of the book he gives practical ways of increasing your luck, in fact throughout the book you are encouraged to take part in tests and tasks.

I've always considered myself to be lucky, but I truly do think that some of the ideas in this book will help me increase my luck.

In fact it's already had an affect. Whilst sitting on a train to Manchester reading about 'maximising your chance opportunities' I looked up and noticed that the woman sat opposite me was familiar. More than familiar I realised that although I didn't know her personally I did know that she was an archaeology lecturer at a local university. Within minutes we were talking, and was telling her about my photography business, before we parted when I got off the train she asked me to email details of my website and she would forward them to all the staff in the department - result!!

The other main idea from the book that will stay with me is the notion of 'turning bad luck into good'. This is about perception, believing that what at first appears to be bad luck will probably turn out to be good luck. In my case this is things like being made redundant (both times have actually ended up being the best thing that ever happened!) and my parents dying so young and so close together (obviously terrible, but also had some very positive outcomes for me).

As with Richard Wiseman's other books I would certainly recommend this one - as you can see, I'm becoming a bit of a fan of his!

Bought on Green Metropolis
10th - 24th December 2009

:59 Seconds, think a little change a lot - Richard Wiseman

Another book by Richard Wiseman, this time exposing modern day mind myths, debunking many of the things trotted out in 1000s of self-help books published each year.

Each chapter takes a different topic, such as 'happiness', 'motivation', 'relationships' and 'parenting', and looks at the myths that are often put forward for achieving a 'better life'.

Professor Wiseman reviews the scientific work that has been done over the years looking at ideas such as 'brainstorming', 'positive thinking', 'body language' and how to encourage your child to achieve - he looks at what has been proved to work, and what is complete rubbish - and I guarantee you'll be surprised at some of the findings.

Each chapter is rounded off with a short explanation of the relevant findings, hence the '59 seconds' - the idea is to distill the scientific data into a minute (or just under!) of easy to understand instruction or information.

Wiseman's writing style is easy to read and enjoyable, and some of the work he has done (not to mention other scientists) is truly fascinating.

Bought in Waterstones

8th - 19th November 2009

The spend less handbook - Rebecca Ash

365 tips for a better quality of life while actually spending less.

This book looked interesting, save money and have a better quality of life - I'll go with that!

But I have to admit it was a bit of a disappointment, although the opening chapters about happiness and the pursuit of more 'things' was interesting the main body of the book - the 365 tips - was quite frankly un-original, and in many way unhelpful.

Maybe it's me. We I live a relatively frugal life, we rarely eat out or visit the theatre/cinema, we don't buy expensive ready meals or eat take aways, all our clothes are from charity shops and we don't allow supermarkets and big stores to fool us into thinking that BOGOFFs are good value.

So, although there are lots of ideas very few of them are new to me - and to be honest short of taking up the advice to jack it all in and go and live in another country (which without a job would be more difficult in my opinion), there is little that this book can tell me.

If you are already careful with your money and don't waste cash on extravagances there is little here for you.

Just to give a flavour of the advice: -

• make a shopping list and stick to it
• don't buy on credit
• avoid branded goods
• mend and make do
• don't live in London
• renovate don't replace
• cut up credit cards
• get an extra job
• plan to work for longer
• don't give adult children too much money
• turn down the thermostat
• line-dry your clothes
• shower don't bathe
• don't travel first class unless you really have to
  

What makes me laugh is that this book was so obviously written for 'young wealthy Londonites' who have fallen on hard times, with suggestions such as 'a friend of mine got so fed up with paying £40 a month for a haircut that he shaved it all off' or 'be aware that branded goods - such as Diesel jeans, Elle MacPherson underwear or Jamie Oliver saucepans - are manufacturers ways of getting you to spend a fortune on things that cost a small amount to make'.

Does any man REALLY pay £40 a month for a haircut, and do people REALLY feel that having Jamie Oliver saucepans will make their cooking better?

No, this book had potential but for me didn't really live up to it. Shame.

Bought on Green Metropolis. 5th to 13th July 2009