Rating: 
Summary: Something More - Inspiring Reading
Review: I had already read Simple Abundance (SA) and found that very uplifting. I bought SA for my friends and mother. I just finished Something More and found it a wonderful book too. I was especially moved by SBB's section on the passing of the neighborhood child. Her writing seems so very personal and deeply moving to me. Each chapter and section gave me so much to think about. I loved it and would highly recommend it. Her writing has really changed my life for the better and for what it's worth my deepest thanks and gratitude go out to SBB for sharing the works with me. This book and SA really made a positive difference in my life.
Rating: 
Summary: A disjointed, disappointing book....
Review: I have loved SIMPLE ABUNDANCE, Sarah Ban Breathnach's preceeding book, with a passion. She inspired me, uplifted me and helped me through a sad chapter in my life with her book. Unfortunately, just as Simple Abunandance lifted me up, I found SOMETHING MORE to be depressing, angry and very disjointed. I had a hard time following the author's train of thought. Was she expressing spiritual insights ? Where was she taking all these anecdotes ? Did she have a POINT ?I realize that no one book is going to have all the answers for all people, but I have found this book to start down many fascinating paths, but explore none of them. I also found that the author's divorce was clearly reflected in the way she wrote this book. I heard a lot of anger and bitterness, which while understandable in a grieving woman, is unattractive and difficult to read in a book that's meant to inspire and uplift. One particular anecdote involved a terrible tragedy befalling a family's loss of 6 year old daughter. I found the description of this to be profoundly peculiar and in very poor taste. I was struck somewhere between feeling deep empathy for a young mother in crisis and being disgusted by some make-believe rituals prior to burial. I found there to be a few thought provoking chapters but overall, I simply didn't care for this book. I did find her title appropriate---this book left me wanting SOMETHING MORE !
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting
Review: I'm currently going through a divorce that is my choice not my husbands. My sister-in-law gave this book to me for Christmas and told me how it helped her through her divorce from an abusive husband. Choosing to leave your husband fills you with so many second guesses and fears for the unknown future. Reading this book filled me with confidence and made me feel absolutely sure that I was doing the right thing. After reading the experiences of other women, I was surprised how many had gone through the same thing I was going through. The quotes alone all through the book were enough to be inspiring!
Rating: 
Summary: Refund Please!
Review: It did not take long for me to run back to the bookstore and demand a REFUND.
Obviously Breathnach has chip on her shoulder -- and used this book as a vehicle for its expression!
Rating: 
Summary: Some valuable insights, but often frustrating
Review: Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self is an unusual book. I have never read the author's celebrated Simple Abundance, so I had no basis for comparison with her previous work. Something More is different from most self-help books that I've read in that it's more of a meditation than a specific framework for solving particular problems. The book's intention is to inspire women to search for "something more" in their lives through a collection of the author's personal experiences and examples from lives of other women, both fictional and real. She draws lessons from these assorted stories and presents them in a series of short, often one- or two-page chapters. There are also a number of exercises at the end of six sections of the book, aimed to give the reader an opportunity to rediscover her "authentic self." I found the book to be frustrating at times. First of all, the short sub-chapters are often disjointed and there appears to be very little flow in the development of ideas. Rather, the entire book consists more or less of short meditations, some of which are quite insightful, while others are simply impenetrable. Second, the author was trying to resolve some deep personal issues while working on this book, and this unfortunately taints both the lessons and the overall mood of the book. Recently divorced, she was clearly still very bitter. For this reason, she can often come across as advocating selfishness to women, although I think that this is merely her way of dealing with a personal disappointment and struggling to regain self-confidence. Finally, the exercises that she suggests might be helpful to some (especially people who have saved many mementos from their childhood, since her idea of rediscovering your authentic self involves going through these old items), but they struck me as somewhat contrived and ultimately not very helpful. Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading the book and appreciated some of its insights. Some of the discussion is quite thought-provoking and can certainly help one gain confidence, self-awareness, and resilience, especially in difficult times of one's life.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightened Self-Interest, not Selfishness
Review: I bought this book a couple of years ago, read it from cover to cover, then placed it in my bookshelf. I picked it up again this weekend and wondered why I put it on the shelf in the first place. I guess I was not ready. Warning to the people pleasers: it can wake you up. Sarah was not suggesting that women should abandon their families. In one story, a woman chose to work out the issues with her husband instead of engaging in an affair with what could have been her "soul-mate." In another story, a mother discovered her love of birds, which did not involve the abandonment of her children. In yet another story, a copywriter followed her husband around the world while writing biographies about various people. To those who believed she was condoning selfishness, what book WERE you reading? Sarah encourages enlightened self-interest. She does not give you step by step instructions, your authentic self is your own. She does encourage you to listen to that still small voice within, re-discover your hidden passions, have respect for yourselves. If you don't do it, something will happen and you will be forced to do it. If you have a charmed life, congratulations. You don't need this book. Continue to focus only on the happy-happy things. However, I think all of us will face disappointment and adversity at some time in our lives. To recognize our authentic selves will help us get through those tough times, whether we are married or single. No matter how old we are. Whether or not we have children. Is there no room in this world for sadness and despair? I can sense the bitter overtones too, however, I don't see it as a distraction. She is giving us the gift of sharing her experience with the world. I believe it helps others who have experienced setbacks in life to not feel alone. I don't see how a single woman can be discouraged getting married after reading SM. If anything, I believe she will acknowledge her gifts and know who she is. Instead of asking a man, "Aren't I worthy?," She can look him in the eye and say, "I am worthy." She will marry a man worthy of her respect instead spending her life with someone who treats her like day old Krispy Kreme doughnuts (I do understand, however, that for some people a doughnut is a doughnut, but I digress...) SM is not for everyone. I for one am inspired. It is helping me to find a balance between the needs of my soul and the needs of the world. For too long I've let other people's opinions determine who I was and how I felt about myself. I don't believe any book can satisfy everyone. If SM did not resonate with you, express your authentic self, but don't discourage others from reading it. Let them read the book themselves.
Rating:
Summary: A book for every woman....
Review: I'm 25 and it was great for me, passed it along to relatives in their 30s and 40s and was loved also. Buy it for all your girlfriends....about love, relationships, family, career, etc.
It covers many issues women go through, I think everyone can relate to some part of it!
It's great to read (with fantastic quotes!) and it's even better when utliize your own journal (as advised in the book) to "excavate your authentic self"...I have only begun, but anm enjoying the journey!
Rating: 
Summary: I loved this book.........
Review: This book could not have touched my life at a better time...it was extremely helpful in the decision to end my 11-year marriage and get on with my life. I found the quotations to be alittle distracting in the beginning because there are so many of them however, over the weeks of reading they sent me deep in thought and I realized that while they are quotes, their meaning was no less valuable. I have recommended this book to all my girlfriends because I think every woman will see and realize alittle (or alot) of herself in the pages of this book and also because as difficult as life can be these days, it is so vitally important to our emotional, spiritual and physical health to be no less than true to yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I purchased the audio tapes, I found them to be enlightening. The author touched upon many issues that I either did not see myself or did not want to see. I felt as though she were right in the room speaking directly to me. On many occasions I felt she comforted me in all the things bothering my soul. I found this book to be helpful and informative and has assisted me in making positive changes in my life. I am on the road to living my Authentic Self!
Rating:
Summary: she wrote what my heart was saying
Review: I love this book! The quotes at the beginning of each section were worth the read alone, but then you get into the core of the book and it is equally as good. I have owned this book for 2 years, and I NEVER get tired of reading it. Sometimes I put it away for awhile, then it is like a good friend- you can just pick it up and start again at any point, without missing a beat.
Well worth the money, but you will read it so much, you will end up wishing you bought the hard cover. Enjoy!
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