Rating: 
Summary: consumeristic
Review: If you're looking for books on simplicity, look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: 800 pages of platitudes
Review: I'm guessing the length as the book is unpaged but it's about 2 inches thick. Here is a sample sentence :"Learning the soul craft of seasonal healing can bring new depth to our journey toward wholeness". Here is typical advice, given over and over and over again: "clean out your closet, clean out your spice rack, put together some new outfits, switch to wedge suede sandals, buy yourself flowers, browse in a boutique, take in a movie, be grateful for what you have, skip work and get a European body wrap or a cosmetic makeover, light scented candles, treat yourself to an ice cream cone, light a pretty candle" and so on, ad nauseum. The book is full of contradictions and is incredibly shallow. I can't begin to fathom how this treacle could have "changed my life" for so many readers. I found it a complete waste of money and especially time as it is so long and so repetitive. Obviously I'm in the minority which is why I took the time to send in my review - to balance the scales a bit. If you like this type of thing, try Alexandra Stoddard - she gives better advice and is a much better writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Start The New Year Discovering Your True Self
Review: This book can be read like a collection of short stories, opening it at random and reading the chapter that jumps at you. Every chapter opens with a quote by a famous writer or other famous person. It is a very timely book to buy at the beginning of the year since it is structured as a book of days, one chapter a day. The first quote of the book summed it all for me: "... You must first BE who you really are, then, DO what you need to do, in order to HAVE what you want." This and other parts of the book echoed another book, called "WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK" by Ariel & Shya Kane, which I read recently and is about being who you really are, living your life to your fullest potential by living in it each moment. I highly recommend you buy and read both books to start the New Year and the(official) new millennium in a new way, discovering your true essence.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply abundant!
Review: I read this book every year from the 1st of January, every day, till 31st December and start over, since 1998! So one can see this will be the 4th yr that I will be reading it and every time I find something more, something precious, some new insight that I missed last time. This book is a treasure of sorts, a thought for everyday and an action for each day too that has the capability of changing your life......I have to thank Sarah for writing this wonderful book and enriching my life.
Rating:
Summary: Totally fabulous and inspirational
Review: Simple Abundance is a life-changing experience. This book will take pride of place on your bookshelf for many years to come. For those in Australia, the book has been changed in accordance with our seasons so there is no excuse! There are things you will read in this that you will remember forever. :)
Rating: 
Summary: Sound Bite Spirituality, Awkwardly Written
Review: This book was recommended to me by a friend who enjoys it. I have talked with her and read the positive reviews--and must confess I just don't get it. Ms. Ban Breathnach seems to have had enough good ideas for a nice article--techniques such as the gratitude journal can be useful, although they are pretty well known. This book, however, is based on a quest that only took one year--and is still unformed. Because of the day-by-day format, she does not even develop her themes in any consistent way. One is faced with short ruminations--sound bite spirituality that is often trite and unformed. There is a disturbing underlying layer of materialism in all this--cutting pictures of nice homes out of women's magazines, buying special treats. Many women give themselves over to caregiving, and need to take care of themselves. This book, however, had no depth. Nice quotes--but no real examination of deeper spirtual commitments and values beyond some unformed view of a self-defined, and often selfish, "authentic self." Some of its advice is so superficial as to be dangerous--women may take large steps without really thinking through the long-term ramifications. To me, this is spiritualilty for members of a rich society who have an emptiness but are not willing to devote the time and work to seek true spirtual depth. Ms. Ban Breathnach has not, why should they? It is hard for even spiritual masters to write about this material in anything but platitudes--and both the format of this book and the writer's ability make this a book repetitive and full of cliches and strained metaphors. The wirter also has an irritating habit of quoting as an author's opinion the words they put in the mouth of one of their fictional characters. She shows no sense of irony, or that blessed gift of humor. Read some of the works she recommends, such as A Path With a Heart by Jack Kornfield. He has been on the path quite a while and presents a deeper reality that is equality accessible to the west--and he's witty.
Rating:
Summary: Rediscover Yourself
Review: When you need a break. Sit and read the book learn again or for the first time how to take care of you.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Its Weight in Gold.
Review: This amazing and powerful book has touched me on many levels. I have owned it for more than three years, and whenever I've needed a little help, or a word of inspiration, I have picked it up off the nighstand to reflect on the insightfulness of Ban Breathnach's essay of the day and I have never been disappointed. When I first purchased this book, I handed it to many who came into my home; professing the value of the wonderful daily meditations. Time and time again, I watched people look up their birthday as the words that they would read first. Amazingly, many people lifted their eyes with a feeling of gratitude for finding something that related specifically to them. How astonishing - since I've read the book through many times and have not found astrological references. Does serendipity trulu exist - do people find what they want to hear when they need it? ... and I know that this is not a book for everyone. If you are open minded and wise enough to embrace the parts of a "self help" book that are relevant to you and disregard the rest without disdain, then you will find enjoyment in the pages of this amazing book.
Rating:
Summary: Get ready for a little introspection...
Review: I was given this book as a gift and looked at it as a nice addition to my book collection...but as Career Planning and Development Host for BellaOnline, and as someone who had managed to "lose herself" in caring for others, as I read this I realized that I had been given an indispensable tool in helping rediscover myself! So many of us spend time as caregivers for others, always taking care of the family, the house, work... we often have a tendency to lose ourselves in the process. This wonderful daybook, designed to be read and worked through one day at a time instead of digested in one sitting, gives you the tools, and yes, the permission, to take the time to search inside yourself. Remember, take what you need out of it - you don't have to get caught up in the sections that are not you (I will never have a perfectly clean house so I didn't focus on that area, and that is fine!)... but you will be able to find out more about who you are. As a college instructor for employability and lifeskills, I would also add that many of these activities are used both in classes and in coaching to help students and clients discover their true passions. Well worth reading - even more worthwhile if you are willing to actually do some of the exercises. Take a little time each day for you - you are worth it!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful words of wisdom
Review: I bought this book a few years ago, and it was just what I needed to bring me back into the world after the year or so of intense child-rearing that my son demanded. I have read many of the reviews here, specifically looking for the negative comments, and find that I agree with those I would characterize as well thought out. I find her to be a bit too shallow, concerned with appearances, and she spend lots of time urging you to buy things. On the other hand, she can't make me more shallow, or buy anything I don't want. I read her thoughts and suggestions, and used what I needed. And she had far more days of writing that included what I needed, than useless stuff. I found quite a few favorite authors from her suggestions. many of her end of the month suggestions were silly, but many were very nice celebrations. Mostly though, they inspired me to write my own calender of what I enjoyed.
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