5 stars (The Most Powerful Book I've Read This Year!) - I think this book must be the source of the old saying, "Good things come in small packages." I've known Cynthia casually for about three years and knew she was working on a book, so when she called and offered to send me a review copy, I was delighted to get it. When it arrived, however, I admit I was surprised at how small it was. At 112 pages I wasn't sure how important a book it would be. Having read it over the weekend, I now believe this little "manual" is destined to for great things. Dr Barnett has packed amazing material into ten short chapters that made me cry, laugh and certainly inspired me. Her sub-title is, "10 Powerful Strategies for Hitting the High-Notes in Your Life" and she more than fulfills her promise. In a busy world where we "don't have time" to read, this little gem is perfect. Precisely because it is short and powerful and practical, I think it is destined to be a best-seller, perhaps a classic. Like "The Richest Man in Babylon" (less than 100 pages) or "As A Man Thinketh" (about the same length), both written about a hundred years ago and still in the best-seller category, this is one of those books that I'll stick in my briefcase and read over and over again. Her "lessons" are right on the money, and the stories and examples are appropriate and very motivating. This is one of those few, wonderful books that I'll use as a model for my own writing, and that's about the highest praise I can give. Her story-telling is absolutely marvelous. The one criticism that will be leveled against the book is that it's a "woman's book." It's written by a woman and nearly all her examples are about women over-coming obstacles, dealing with difficulty and achieving in life, and while some men will find that off-putting, that's a shame. These are principles about how HUMANS achieve greatness and we men need examples of these truths just as much as women. Buy and read this book. Buy extra copies for... E2i Books :: Psychology :: Personal Growth - General :: Cynthia Barnett :: :: Stop Singing the Blues- 10 Powerful Strategies for Hitting the High Notes in Your Life