Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book, with a few problems, but still very good
Review: This book would get five stars from me if it weren't so long. On page 272 of this rambling marathon of words, there is an absolutely fantastic self-administered test that's kind of an emotional general battery of questions. It alone is worth the price of this book. The few chapters that follow it describing the test's findings are also excellent. There's also a short test of the severity of one's depression toward the front of the book that's very good. It yields a number that tells you if your depression is mild or severe or at a dangerous level. But this book is TOO LONG! Seven hundred pages of ideas that could have easily been conveyed in two or three hundred pages. I think I read that Dr. Burns favors a combination of drug therapy and cognitive therapy over twenty times. I really only needed to read that once. This one's like going to a flea market. You have to sort through lots and lots of rather dull, uninteresting text to find the jewels. But to be fair to the author, there ARE jewels in this one. I recommend it highly, even though it's parity on brevity and conciseness.
Rating: 
Summary: Best of the Self-Help Books
Review: I have been dealing with anxiety and depression for many years and have read just about every type of book imaginable. The only reason I'm writing this review is that I found this book to be the best overall work I have ever read in the realm of self-help psychology. One of the greatest parts about the book is that Dr. Burns' model of cognitive behavioral therapy is very thorough, yet it is easy to understand and incorporate into one's daily living. He recommends cognitive behavioral therapy as the first line defense in dealing with mood disorders. However, the beauty of the book lies in the fact that Dr. Burns does not simply dismiss psychotropic medications. He clearly states that medications in addition to his therapeutic techniques are wholly appropriate for many people. In fact, it this updated edition he goes into detail about the different classes and types of drug options available on the market today. This approach is refreshing for someone who is benefitting from the use of medication and wanting to incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy into their recovery without having to read a book which outright dismisses the role of medication in treatment. Also of special significance is his list of 10 'Cognitive Distortions'. Here, he lays out a plan for recognizing faulty thinking, how these thoughts affect our moods, and how to correct these distortions. In summation, Dr. Burns' book is a practical encapsulation of the ideas and theories of some of the great pioneers in the field of mental health such as Drs. Abraham Low, Albert Ellis, and Aaron Beck. If you made it this far to decide whether or not to buy this book, read some of the other reviews then put it in your cart.
Rating:
Summary: good range of cognitive skills....
Review: ....and I've found it useful in working with my therapy clients--but be informed that if you want to know more about what's under your "negative" feelings, you won't find it here. The down side to a purely cognitive approach is its assumption that feeling "good" is the optimal goal, whereas vital individuals feel comfortable in their entire range of feelings.
Rating:
Summary: The book is not a cure-all but has good principles.
Review: Dr. Burns has been criticzied for being shallow, and preaching quick-fixes to emotional problems that aren't real. This is not true. For those that understand that no one has a cure-all method to mental health Dr. Burns writings offer some good principles that help people learn how they perceive the world and how that effects their mental state. These principles do work, I have used them and found them to be good tools for working through my problems with other people.
Rating:
Summary: Feeling Good
Review: "Feeling Good" is a wonderful addition to the literature in psychology. I found it to be easy to read and helpful, not just for people who are depressed, but for anyone who wants to feel better. His style of counseling may seem a little harsh at times, but he does a good job of making his points clear. His basic belief about life is wonderful--there is nothing to stop you from feeling good.
Rating: 
Summary: One of three that works for me.
Review: As a consumer of mental health services and the related books, I think I have read most of what is available. Undoing Depression is clearly the best, followed by Breaking the Patterns of Depression. Feeling Good has been helpful in keeping me on track after the others have reached through the fog that envelops my control panels. As my wife put it, it's like the recipes you can use after you first decide you want to cook something and have secured the necessary ingredients.
Rating:
Summary: Learn to Combat Depression
Review: This book and the Workbook, by Burns will enable you to recognize and then prevent the thoughts that lead to depression. There is also helpful information on medication. If you experience depression, buy this book. If your marriage is also affected, you may also want to buy, "Love Is Not Enough" by Aaron Beck MD
Rating:
Summary: I use it in my practice and in my life.
Review: I agree with an Ohio reader that there are "four solid books that every therapist should recommend to a person who truly has Depression...and this is one of them [referring to Undoing Depression]. Take it from someone who has fought this horrible disease for 20 years.....this book WILL help you (the other three books are: The New Feeling Good Handbook and the two Depression Workbooks." I use them all in my practice and in my life.
Rating:
Summary: It Works
Review: This book was recommended by my therapist re low self-esteem. I went out and immediately bought it and have not put it down since. When I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning feeling low or when I feel alone in the world I pick it up and read it. And I always walk away with a new understanding in my behaviour and with new insights on how to repair the damage already done. I'm also learning how not to let new negativity enter my life. I highly recommend this book and any other book written by this gentleman. Cognitive therapy "where have you been all my life".
Rating:
Summary: An aid to dealing with automatic negative thoughts
Review: I found this book to be a wonderful addition to antidepressants and psychotherapy. After about a year of being on antidepressants and dealing with some deep lifelong issues, my therapist recommended this book to me. It is _not_ a substitute for professional help for people who are suffering from a clinical depression. I wouldn't have been able to make use of it totally on my own without the help of therapy and medication to deal with the bleakest parts of my depression. But once I was on the road to being emotionally healthier, this book was an additional guide, and I would count it among the most influential books I have ever read. I can say that it changed my life, my outlook on life, and my ability to enjoy life. I recommend this book highly for anyone who is at a point where they are ready (and able) to seriously look at their own thought processes and how they contribute to their moods and attitudes.
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