The Self-Help Shelf

The Island of the Four Ps
Ed Hajim
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510776173, $24.99, HC, 168pp

https://www.amazon.com/Island-Four-Ps-Modern-Preparing/dp/1510776176

Synopsis: "The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Yo=
ur Future", a spinoff of Ed Hajim's bestselling memoir "On The Road Less Tr= aveled", is a modern fable about a young man, Marketus, who leaves home for=
the first time and travels to an island on a quest to answer some of life'=
s basic questions.

"The Island of the Four Ps", is a conversation with the hero's inner voice,=
and is divided into four fundamental sections (passions, principles, partn= ers, and plans) which are the key ingredients to making a successful life.

This magical trip takes Marketus and his guide to four villages named after=
the four Ps. As he enters each place, Marketus places a green pea into a s= pecial device, which allows him to store his thoughts, retrieve them, and i= ntegrate them.

"The Island of the Four Ps" is an engaging tale that features full-color il= lustrations throughout in a parable comes to life in the most unusual way.

Critique: Engaging, thought-provoking, and ideal for anyone seeking or in n= eed of inspiration in our ever-changing and complicated world, "The Island =
of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Your Future" is reminisc= ent of such classic parable stories as "A Pilgrim's Progress" and offers a = timeless message and is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, a=
nd academic library Self-Help and Personal Transformation collections. It s= hould be noted that "The Island of the Four Ps" is also available in a digi= tal book format (Kindle, $16.99).

Editorial Note: Ed Hajim (https://www.edhajim.com), the son of a Syrian imm= igrant, is a seasoned Wall Street executive with more than fifty years of i= nvestment experience. He has held senior management positions with the Capi= tal Group, E. F. Hutton, and Lehman Brothers before becoming chairman and C=
EO of Furman Selz. Hajim has been the cochairman of ING Barings, Americas R= egion; chairman and CEO of ING Aeltus Group and ING Furman Selz Asset Manag= ement; and chairman and CEO of MLH Capital. In 2009, he became president of=
Diker Management and is now the nonexecutive chairman at HighVista Strateg= ies. In 2008, after twenty years as a trustee of the University of Rocheste=
r, Hajim began an eight-year tenure as chairman of the university's board.

The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care
Maybell Eeequay
Summerdale
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781837991013, $11.95, HC, 96pp

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Frogs-Guide-Self-Care-Affirmations/dp/1837991= 014

Synopsis: "Don't forget about the subtle magic that is happening all around=
you every day."

Meet the little frog! With its mushroom hat and endless collection of fabul= ous footwear, this adorable amphibian is here to be your new best friend. W= hether you need an emotional boost, some friendly encouragement or an hones=
t view on the world, the little frog will be your guide.

Created by the California-based artist Maybell Eequay, "The Little Frog's G= uide to Self-Care: Affirmations, Self-Love and Life Lessons According to th=
e Internet's Beloved Mushroom Frog" is a small volume of perfectly compassi= onate affirmations for yourself or others.

"The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care" features: More than 40 hand-drawn il= lustrations of the little frog; A series of beautiful life lessons and empo= wering reminders that it's okay to be gentle with yourself and to feel your=
feelings; and a humorous, no-nonsense approach to positivity.

These illustrations alone will fill your heart with love for yourself and o= thers, and remind you that it's brave and wonderful of you to exist!

Critique: "The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care: Affirmations, Self-Love an=
d Life Lessons According to the Internet's Beloved Mushroom Frog" is an upl= ifting little book comprised of positive affirmations on self-love and empo= werment -- all as told by the internet's most fashionable frog. Of special = appeal and value to readers with an interest in motivational self-help reso= urces, improving self-esteem, and enhancing the 'happiness' factor in their=
personal lives and the lives of their loved ones, "The Little Frog's Guide=
to Self-Care" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, pro= fessional, and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.

Editorial Note: Maybell Eequay (https://www.facebook.com/maybell.eequay) is=
an Oakland-based artist who works in many different mediums. Born and rais=
ed in the breathtaking St. Croix River Valley, Maybell draws a lot of inspi= ration from her childhood home life as well as her love of vintage children=
's books and knickknacks. Growing up in a creative household and the daught=
er of two artists, Maybell has been making art since she was old enough to = hold a pen. Today, she enjoys making art that has a vaguely nostalgic feel = paired with tender messages and light humor.

Pancakes for Roger
Susan L. Combs
Lioncrest Publishing
https://lioncrest.com
9781544528397, $25.99, HC, 216pp

https://www.amazon.com/Pancakes-Roger-Mentorship-Slaying-Dragons/dp/1544528= 396

Synopsis: In a world that can feel shaky and uncertain at times, one fact h= olds true: nobody gets anywhere alone.

Susan L. Combs has learned that lesson many times over, and she's held onto=
the advice that has guided her on her journey-one that's taken her from a = tiny town in Missouri to the hustle of New York City. She's faced immense p= ersonal grief and fostered immense growth, personally and professionally. T= hrough it all, she leaned on guidance from mentors in her life.

One of those key mentors was her father, Roger. He was a man who wore many = hats as: a judge, a veteran, a Two-Star Major General, a leader in his comm= unity, a loving husband (and, as we learn in "Pancakes for Roger: A Mentors= hip Guide For Slaying Dragons") one hell of a dad.

Though he passed away in 2018, his legacy lives on in "Pancakes for Roger" = and beyond, as a portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit the Un= iversity of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic in his honor.

"Pancakes for Roger" is comprised of a series of quick, straightforward sna= pshots delivered with no fluff and a whole lot of heart. The are life lesso=
ns Susan learned from Roger and others so that you too can lean on them as = you set out to slay your own personal dragons.

Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiri= ng, "Pancakes for Roger: A Mentorship Guide For Slaying Dragons" is a life-= enhancing, life-motivating, life-celebrating volume of personal transformat= ion wit and wisdom that is highly appropriate and unreservedly recommended = for personal, community, and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement co= llections. It should be noted that "Pancakes for Roger" is also available i=
n a paperback edition (9781544528403, $9.99) and in a digital book format (= Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Susan L. Combs (https://combsandco.com/susan-combs) is Pres= ident of Combs & Company, a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in = New York City. She has created a dedicated website for "Pancakes for Roger"=
at www.PancakesForRoger.com

Mastering Resilience
Lorry Leigh Belhumeur, Ph.D.
Muse Literary
https://museliterary.com
9781958714843, $24.99 Hardcover, $14.99 Paperback, $4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Resilience-Transforming-into-purpose/dp/19= 58714844

Mastering Resilience: Transforming Into Your Purpose features an 8-step for= mula for tapping into the underlying strengths of adversity to unfold the g= rowth and resilience that it offers. It is highly recommended for self-help=
readers interested in building new strengths against all odds. Contrary to=
popular belief, adversity can prove the impetus to positive change that dr= ives individuals to recognize and utilize their resilience for best benefit=
- but only if it's used appropriately. That's where Mastering Resilience c= omes into play, defining and encouraging a recognition of intrinsic values = that can create new, positive directions in life choices.

Chapters contrast the author's background and her work with others as they = chart a path through this process, revealing how these mindset shifts can u= ltimately contribute not just to better individual life and relationships, = but a better world: "When we respond with compassion, we're driven to make = the world a better place. That's why so many resilient individuals who have=
experienced childhood adversity are often driven toward helping profession=
s and positions: teaching, counseling, youth ministry, coaching, and mentor= ing. Our ability to be resilient in the face of adversity has a purpose."

Psychological studies, statistics, and revelations about challenges and cho= ices in life come into play as Dr. Leigh Belhumeur crafts a thought-provoki=
ng series of insights based on real-world examples and hard data. Powered b=
y discussions that encourage the reassessment of life and one's achievement=
s, Mastering Resilience contains the kinds of admonitions and encouragement=
that lead to a better understanding of one's place in the world and the po= tential for improving it: "It's important to note that these small steps ma=
y already be well within your comfort zone. To reach your full potential, r= emember that it's imperative to step out of your comfort zone to reach your=
true purpose, and to live your life according to your intrinsic values."

Readers need only be already interested in self-realization and change in o= rder to benefit from Mastering Resilience. Whether it's used for individual=
growth or in group settings to reach participants interested in life value=
s and world improvement, Mastering Resilience represents an opportunity for=
transformation. This makes it highly recommended for self-help libraries, = book club and psychology reading groups, and individuals who would take the=
next step into versatility and more effective living.

Root, Rise, Roar
Dawn King
Muse Literary
https://museliterary.com
9781958714539, $4.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Root-Rise-Roar-Transforming-Beautiful-ebook/dp/B0BXY= Y9FTG

Root, Rise, Roar: Transforming Trauma into Your Brave and Beautiful Life is=
a study that rests on Dawn King's career in behavioral psychology, offerin=
g an approach to life and recovery that promotes mindfulness, emotional hea= ling, and resilience. Rather than promoting King's own approaches, Root, Ri= se, Roar represents a collaborative mix of her insights and those of her cl= ients, documenting the varied processes by which survival becomes revival.

King's mother chose alcohol as a salve to hide her pain. She "was injured b=
y a partner who betrayed and pulverized her emotionally and mentally," and = her reaction to life created a distance from her family that led to profoun=
d emotional wounds on all sides before alcohol was finally set aside.

King acknowledges both the legacy of family patterns and the power availabl=
e to everyone to break them: "Looking back on my life, I see how my parents=
' traumas, thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours were transferred to me on very=
unconscious and seductively subtle levels. While genetics are undeniably i= nherited, I believe the learned behaviours of our parents or caregivers and=
environments as children have a constructive and destructive effect on us.=
We can also change them."

Root, Rise, Roar does more than document this path of destruction and rebui= lding. It provides a diverse set of keys to better understanding these chai=
ns and how best to break them, drawing important connections through seemin= gly simple approaches to revising life. These evolve on as basic a level as=
learning how to slow down and what to do with this added time, as well as = how best to place a value on it: "Slowing down allows more intentional awar= eness of making decisions. Impulse control is a problem in our culture, yet=
slowing down expands creative thinking and provides a space and place with=
in us of making and planning for possibilities. Doing more doesn't always e= qual doing our best."

As new possibilities evolve from addressing and challenging familiar patter=
ns of behavior and responses to life, the real potential of learning to liv=
e not faster, but better, are explored in a self-help inspirational guide e= specially recommended for high achievers who often approach their goals too=
measuredly or hastily.

Libraries and readers seeking a guide that introduces the paths to better l= iving will find the clear advice in Root, Rise, Roar an inspirational key t=
o building alternative choices in life. "So many of us have not grown up wi=
th any emotional fluency." Here is where the envisioning lessons begin, in =
a lesson plan that deconstructs the inherent rigidity of family patterns an=
d negative impulses: "As we understand the difference between constructive = and destructive behaviors, avoiding leaves our roots rotting in denial. We = cannot grow from there. We destructively ROOT and rigidly do not change, ca= using anxiety, depression, addiction, and other destructive behaviours we h= ave the power to change."

Root, Rise, Roar's ability to illustrate the process of embracing this powe=
r makes it a top recommendation for readers and book groups interested in d= iscussing and enacting new rules for living life in a different way.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(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=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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