Rating: Summary: When Pathologies Become a Sadistic Game Review: As a man, I like the advice the author gives to women about being independent, and "empowered" is great. There are a lot of women who get in to bad relationships because they have low self-esteem, and accept the abuse dealt to them. The problem is that this book takes this principle too far. I would suggest it to any woman who wants to avoid true intimacy for the rest of her life. Two paradoxical things happen to someone who has been victimized in the past - it sets them up to become good victims again, and it makes them that much better at being an abuser. I don't think there is any doubt that this book is solely aimed at women who have been abused in the past and, instead of trying to figure out how not to be abused again, are interested in "revenge" - becoming the abuser. Again, an excellent way to avoid intimacy, and avoid dealing with all of the feelings that are at the root of this behavior. This isn't to say that the methods in the book "won't work." There are plenty of men in the world with huge ego's to compensate for their own low self-esteem. Indeed, this book will help you find one and keep him under your thumb. But this isn't really what you want, is it?
Rating: Summary: Mixed feelings about this book Review: Although I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be quite humorous, I have mixed feelings about it. I agree with the parts that talked about having self-respect and not bending over backwards for someone that continues to treat you like dirt, valuing yourself as a woman, and not be "needy" desperate, and clingy...but the parts I don't really agree with are her advice on games and trickery to keep a man or get him to long for you. If your interested in someone and he's interested in you (and it's a mutual thing) by all means give him a call or at least act interested! Now if he starts acting "funny" and uninterested, that's when you stop calling him or even trying to show interest (whether you're a man or a woman). I'm just wondering if this book really worked, then why is SHE still single.
Rating: Summary: It's all there Review: As with any one-stop solution, everything in this book doesn't apply. Some things will probably work on some guys and not on others. Overall, I would have to say that this book is extremely accurate in respect to me. If I am dating a woman and am evaluating her as a wife, this will give my partner a considerable advantage in our relationship. Here's the problem. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If I had the power to read my mate's mind, I would not do it. Some things are often best left unknown. I was just recently "dumped" in a relationship. The woman I was with practiced a lot of these methods especially Rules 39, 11, 10, 23, 53, 57, 88, 92, & 96. All of them have the same thing in common, "the threat of no contact." I was devastated, and I needed considerable help in order to recover. My point is that while a woman reading this book will have an advantage, her man will be at a disadvantage. Relationships are about people not things. If you would like to manage a man like a thing, then this book will get you what you want. If you would like to protect yourself, then this book will definitely help you. By all means, buy it. What I would recommend is that you at least let the person you are dating know that you've read it. At least, give him the chance to understand the consequences of his actions. Otherwise while you may come out in control, there's a chance he may lose control. Finally, ask yourself a few questions. Are you an ethical enough person to practice such techniques? Would you want your man to practice the like techniques on you? This book is both funny and true, but the author fails to point out the potential negative aspects of these practices. It lacks compassion & perspective.
Rating: Summary: (a guy says) excellent Review: I can't stand giggly, chatterbox girls. This book tells girls how to not be like that & to be more mysterious.
Rating: Summary: Doormat to Dreamgirl Review: This book really helped me out and it really works. I can't wait until she writes another book. All the ladies that constantly give their men everything, and put them first for some reason always gets walked all over. The book gives you a step by step process of how to deal. You can always go back to review if you start to backslide. I'm sure we all have been through it and still might be, if you are unsure of what to do, get this book as a guide you will not regret it!
Rating: Summary: Best book on Relationships I have ever read Review: I've read a lot of relationship self help books including "The Rules". This books is excellent. This book is for those women who have, yes...been burned or who have a tendency to lose themselves in a relationship. If you've been with someone for years and everything is fine..then you don't need help. If you've have a string of great relationships then you probably don't need this book either. Unfortunately for many women out there...they have been burned by a bad relationship or have a tendency to bend over backwards for a man and lose their self respect for the sake of their relationship. This book is for these women. I really want to internalize the helpful and real messages in the book...so I'm almost finished my second round of reading it. Its entertaining all the way. After reading it even the first time, I saw where I went wrong in many of my previous relationships. Argov emphasies the time tested idea that you come first before anyone else. I've noticed that it is men who have given low marks to this book moreso than women. This is because men see the power it gives women to love and value themself before any man. There are specific "tactics" she explains. It is far from trickery though. And as even men have responded...her tactics work. Call them what you will, but there is little interaction between people which doesn't involved at least a little pre-planning, special manuvering, or cunning. Is this to say that when we read books about business...that those books are terrible because they use "trickery", manuvering and cunning to achieve company goals? Come on. Someone else mentioned that they didn't agree with a chapter about "faking an orgasm". Don't listen to that. Obviously that person did not even read the book or is not very bright because in that chapter, Argov is cleary making fun of the concept. She writes "I don't recommend that a woman fake an orgasm. This little lesson is a satire on the pressures women feel to perform...It is much more of a turn-on to a man when a woman is able to be herself and she's honest about what she likes and dislikes."(71) Finally, this book is NOT about playing games. Its about putting yourself first and taking responsibility for your own happiness, health, financial well-being, and rhythm. It is empowering and should be given to every woman who is having difficulty putting themself first and has a streak of nonfullfilling or short relationships.
Rating: Summary: THIS BOOK IS OFF THE HOOK Review: Most of the sappy books I've read about how to whine about your inner child were making me wonder if the people who write the book are crazier then the people who read them. Then I came across this book. Sherrie is sort of like an anti-hero. She doesn't hold herself up as perfect--and her humor that wins you over by the middle of the first chapter. And then...you can't put the book down. The title is misleading. This book is sarcastic but it's well written. And will hold your interest from beginning to end. I've read it three times, and I could read it three more and not get bored. Yes, it's THAT good.
Rating: Summary: On a Scale From One to Ten I give this book a Fifteen Review: I love, love this book. It is good natured, and very funny. It's intended to be tongue in cheek. Disregard the few angry one-star reviews are obviously written by the same scorned guy--and notice...he never does give a reason for why he doesn't like the book because obviously he hasn't read it. It's a very funny book and the content is pretty down to earth. "Down home" advice as we say in the South. If you don't buy the book, borrow it from a friend. Read it--or you'll be missing out on a laugh-out-loud experience.
Rating: Summary: Fascinating... Review: I ordered five books from Amazon on relationship self-improvement and I'm returning all of them except this one. But I must warn you, much of what Argove asserts is completely counter-intuitive.
Rating: Summary: Don't be a doormat -- read this book! Review: This is such a great book that I've been recommending it to all of my female friends and family. It illustrates to you why your relationships current and past have failed miserably and lets you know what you're doing wrong as well as how to approach it from a better standpoint. Basically, the author explains that women have been taught to be nurturers; A woman finds a man worth loving, showers everything and anything on them and *surprise!* they're abandoned. Why does this happen? Because women expect men to give back what they're giving them and it just doesn't work that way -- at least not in the beginning of any relationship -- it has to be built to that point (my parents were like this after years of marriage.) This extreme generosity on womens' parts comes across as if they're strictly living for their man's happiness (sometimes that's true, too, unfortunately) and unfortunately that tells the man that they're doormats. Plain and simple. The book explains that men want an independent woman. They don't want a mother, a babysitter or a slave -- they lose interest in them way too fast and the mystery is gone. Sounds easy enough to understand but if you read the examples and follow a few tips you'll be very surprised with the results. For example, the old telephone bit. DON'T wait by the telephone for the guy you're seeing. Go out, have a life outside of him and call back when it fits YOUR schedule, not his. Don't rearrange your plans around him and most of all don't leave all decisions up to him. I've had friends I'm with that when the phone rings, they ignore all their guests to go suck up to the guy they're after on the phone. Wrong. You make time for your man when you have the time -- not stopping your life. The two things I was surprised to discover is: 1.) Women have been taught in the past that appearance is everything they need to find a man -- and nothing else matters. No wonder women have been treated like doormats! If personality and ambition are ignored there's nothing left but appearance and 2.) Women need to be taught to have a life outside of their boyfriends/mates/husbands. Women have been taught by society that they need a man to complete their lives SO MUCH that they end up desperate and it shows to the man they're dating. Plus, it's the reason you feel that emptiness in a relationship -- you've lived so much for him that you forgot about yourself. It's really sad when you realize how passive society has made women unconsciously or consciously and you need to take that back. I'll give you an example I used: A guy who asked me out called me up and said: "Well, you can drive over here since I'm closer to where we're going." The passive/old me who was desperate would say: "Okay! Anything to make you happy because God forbid, I don't want to lose you -- that's how desperate I am." What I said instead was: "No, you asked me out so come pick me up." Lo and behold what did he do? He picked me up. Don't be afraid to put your foot down -- of course, be cool about it, not nasty and it ALWAYS works. Making plans? Don't drop them because he asked you out, plan around him. I have a friend who lives for her boyfriend and really could use this book but she's so far gone that I've given up hope. I can't tell you how many times she's cancelled on me at the last second because he decided he wanted to go out at that time. Wrong. You hate when your friends do that to you and you're disgusted with them for their attitudes -- so why on earth would you do it? Besides, he's more likely to call back when you don't offer everything on a platter at once -- including your heart; You lose mystery with him when you do that and he loses interest. Then we come to a very important chapter: If he knows you're not putting him in a cage -- he'll try and put you in one. This is where the mother/babysitter aspect comes in. He calls the shots -- with everything. What movies you watch, where you go, how you live your life and quite frankly this is where women get into relationships and suddenly realize they're unhappy -- but don't know why. It's because they've made themselves become little slaves to their men's happiness and they're not getting it back. In my opinion, if you're in this kind of a relationship it's hardly fixable but there are ways around that. Another example in the book was one woman let a man do his wash at her place and he ended up expecting her to do it all the time. He would just bring it over and not even ask. So, one time she dropped a pair of red panties in with his whites and when everything came out pink she said: "Oh, I'm just not good at this kind of thing." What was the result? He said: "You are NEVER doing my wash again." Problem solved. In fact, I gave this to my mother (who is a widow dating) and she was very surprised to realize how much advantage her boyfriend was taking over her. He would plan parties at HER HOUSE and she would do all the cooking and he never helped her pay for any of it. When she began to protest, he fought her on it. What ended up happening is she booted him out the door. In some instances, like I said, it's not fixable. But, was he worth keeping? She decided "No" and she has told me she is much happier. Have a guy tell you that he wants to see you and other people? Don't get on the floor and beg for him -- tell him: "Don't let the door hit you on the ***. I had one guy do that to me. We went out and he told me that he was going to see this girl he knew at work. So, when we were driving back to my place I said: "I understand about your needs to see other people," and he nodded and got this smile on his face. Then I said: "So since you're going to see someone else on Saturday I just wanted you to know that I have a date, too." That smile melted off his face so fast I could have died laughing. What ended up happening? He was so distracted by the fact that I was going out on a date that he didn't enjoy his at all. The VERY next morning he called immediately and asked if I wanted to go out. I hemmed and hawed and said: "Well, I'm pretty tired from last night, so no, but I can go out Monday evening." I was showered with attention Monday. Trust me - it works. Now, in defense of some of the male postings here (which make me laugh of course) NOT ALL MEN ARE LIKE THIS. But unfortunately, there are guys out there who are. Think of this book as a great guideline to weed those out. If guys like this are playing games, the best thing to do is to play YOUR WAY. You may not end up with the right guy if you have to but your self esteem won't be shot in the end when it's over and that little player will have learned something. Real men DON'T play these games, but do love independence in women. The only chapter I don't agree with would be the one on faking an orgasm once you get to an intimate point in the relationship. If you can't be honest with your lover and are more worried about his ego then you're setting a trap for yourself. Healthy, sexual relationships are all about honesty -- each of you telling each other what you want. Neither one of you are going to figure it out eventually. That never happens. I got this info from "Mars and Venus in the Bedroom" which you can find on Amazon.com. Explain what works, what doesn't, don't be harsh about it and it will all fall into place. Trust me on this one. So get this book if you've had your heart broken too many times. Remember, not all guys are like this but you can figure out which ones are (and... have a little fun with them in the meantime *devil grin here*) Real men don't play games with women and you'll figure out the real men from the weasels with this book. A MUST READ for you women out there sick of the games -- play them your own way! And trust me, it works!
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