Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking (Penguin Health Care & Fitness) [Paperback]

Allen Carr (Author)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Health Care & Fitness | Publication Date: January 7, 1999

Allen Carr's hundred-cigarettes-a-day addiction drove him to despair, but after countless attempts to quit he discovered what the world had been waiting for - the easy way to stop smoking. Now recognised as the world's leading expert on helping smokers to quit, Allen Carr's informative, no scare tactics methods and techniques are a revelation for those desperate to kick the habit.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Allow Allen Carr to help you escape painlessly today Observer A different approach. A stunning success Sun I was exhilarated by a new sense of freedom Independent

About the Author

Allen Carr was an accountant and smoked 100 cigarettes a day until he gave up and wrote this bestselling book. He has built a hugely successful network of stop-smoking clinics across the world and is the author of The Only Way to Stop Smoking, How to Stop Your Child Smoking, The Easy Way to Enjoy Flying and The Easy Way to Lose Weight. In 2004 Allen published his bestselling autobiography Packing It In (Michael Joseph). He lives in Spain.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books; 3rd edition (January 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140277633
• ISBN-13: 978-0140277630
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (805 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #810,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Allen Carr was an accountant and smoked 100 cigarettes a day until he gave up and wrote this bestselling book. He has built a hugely successful network of stop-smoking clinics across the world and is the author of "The Only Way to Stop Smoking," "How to Stop Your Child Smoking," "The Easy Way to Enjoy Flying" and "The Easyweigh to Lose Weight." In 2004 Allen published his bestselling autobiography "Packing It In" (Michael Joseph). He was diagnosed with lung cancer in the summer of 2006 and died in November of the same year. It seems likely that the years he spent curing smokers in smoke-filled sessions at his clinics must have contributed to this illness, but Allen Carr remained positive; 'Given that I am informed that I have cured at least 10 million smokers on a conservative estimation, it's a price worth paying.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

308 of 315 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Quit Smoking- no if, ands, or butts., December 14, 2007

By 

Sharon R. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr's Easyway Method (Hardcover)

No need for a long review here. About the first three quarters of the book is spent exploding various myths and delusions about smoking (such as smoking relaxing you or getting rid of stress), which sets you up and gets you into the right frame of mind for actually quitting. At this point, the book wants you to continue smoking while you read it. In a nutshell, the easy way to stop smoking involves two things: one, deciding you are never going to smoke again, and two, don't mope about it anymore, rejoice. Sounds too simple, but after reading the first part of the book, this strategy will make more sense to you.

Lastly, the book cites two main reasons why you will fail: the influence of other smokers, and having a bad day. Having been around for 20 some years and being able to refine it with twenty years of feedback, I feel like this is one of the better books out there on non-smoking.

Also helpful: The Sixty-Second Motivator -short, to the point, and practical.

140 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another happy ex-smoker checking in, November 14, 2001

By 

Pam Gearhart "auntiepam" (Woolstock, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking (Hardcover)

I quit after 40 years of smoking at least one pack a day, and it was just as easy as Allen Carr said it would be. I think the key is to give in and accept what Carr is telling you.

I didn't think I was ready to quit. I thought I enjoyed smoking, and some days, a cigarette was my only incentive to get out of bed. I had bought the book on a whim, for some day far off in the future when I'd be "ready" to quit. I had bought a carton of cigarettes on Saturday, and then on Sunday I was bored and decided to read the book. Had my last cigarette before I was halfway through. Next morning at work, a friend asked me if I was ready to go outside for a smoke break and I said "Well, I don't smoke anymore, but I'll go outside with you."

No withdrawal pangs, just a feeling of relief that I didn't have to smoke any more, and that it wasn't going to be hard at all. All the smoking triggers that I worried about -- car trips, after meals, phone calls, stressful times at work or at home, leaving work and lighting up, having a beer at the bar -- none of those things triggered the urge. The urge is gone.

Wish I had found the book earlier.

119 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When are committed to quit, this book will make it happen, October 28, 2004

By 

Jeffrey S. Edney "EEngineer" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers Using Allen Carr's Easyway Method (Hardcover)

My wife tried every technique including the LungUSA program (Freedom from Smoking), counselors, the gum, willpower, etc. I came across this book in the mall, she read it, and quit. And she did it decisively. Don't buy this for someone you want to quit -- reserve it for when they are committed and struggling and need something to help them. The psychology is subtle but highly effective. I even bought a copy to put in the public library. It begs the question -- why hasn't it become popular here already?