Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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175 of 177 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DON'T get the WRONG book! Get ISBN 0671700758, January 6, 2002
There are two versions of the book that look almost exactly the same on the outside but their contents are very different:
#1) "Psycho-Cybernetics" by Maxwell Maltz, M.D.,F.I.C.S [1960 ISBN 0671700758]
#2) "Psycho-Cybernetics" by Maxwell Maltz FOUNDATION & Bobbe Sommer [1993 ISBN 156731306X].
Make sure you get the original 1960 written by Maxwell himself. The 1993 "update" is so painful to read because the new author, Bobbe Sommer literally QUOTES Maxwell Maltz repeatedly while trying to add her own insightful messages. For example, on page 3 of her "update", she states:
"Whether we realize it or not," Maltz wrote, "each of us carries..."
Well, if you just read the original 1960's book, your eyeballs don't waste time on the "Maltz wrote" phrase altogether... duh!...because Maxwell was the one who wrote it!
The only reasons to endure Bobbe Sommer's endless "Maltz said....; Maltz learned that...; Maltz studied...; Maltz wrote...; Maltz realized..." is if she added some totally mindblowing ideas OR contradicted his work. In my opinion she didn't.
BTW, I was not prejudiced by reading the original first and then reading the 1993 update to see if it was any better; I actually (and unfortunately) read the 1993 book first. I thought the 1960 original was out of print but I accidentally stumbled on the original copy at Border's Books. I read a chapter and realized his true words were so much more inspirational. Not dry and academic like Bobbe Sommer's version. I think the publisher of the new book was deliberately trying to confuse the public by making the cover look the same as the old one. I think it's borderline unethical...buyer beware!
Apparently, Amazon's algorithm to link up user reviews with books is heavily based on the book's title. Most of the time, this works great when there's a paperback and a hardcopy version of the same book. But in this case, the 1960's book and the 1993 are completely different and should not point to the same user reviews! All the glowing reviews listed below? They are the same for both titles. You really don't know which book the reviewers were praising. I'm going to guess it's the 1960's version. See for yourself, plug in either ISBN #s and you'll get the identical list of user reviews.
BTW, this Amazon loophole gives me a great idea: I can write a new book about how to become a master at appraising and certifying jewelry like wedding bands and title it "Lord of the Rings"--and shazam--Amazon's engine will give my book the 5 stars and all the wonderful reviews of Tolkien's classic.
I give 5 stars for Maltz's 1960 original. I give 2 stars for Bobbe Sommer's update. Again, if the ISBN is 0671700758 click "add to cart". If it says ISBN 156731306X, try again.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Revelation for Underperformers & Procastinators, December 28, 1999
I have not read the original book by Maxwell Maltz yet, but after reading this book I will.I was a newcomer to the conceptual ideas contained in this book. In the UK no-one seemed to know Maltz or his theory. The ideas and the way this book was written are conducive to a clear understanding and application of Maltz's theory. As a newcomer I can recomend this book on it's own merits. It is clearly written, the theory is clearly laid out and in simple terms. The theory itself is breathtakingly simple, but the repercussions on areas such as goal setting and goal attainment are INCREDIBLE. I had always grown up to understand that it is Willpower that will conquer all, and goal success can only be attained by using willpower. Everytime I tried to use willpower I seemed to fail. This theory explains why failure will occur, and what to do about it, and how to set goals and achieve them. If you are a failed goal setter, who habitually prefers procrastination than action, this book and application of the theory, will change your life. Application of the theory contained in the book will have a profound affect on your life. Highly Recomended
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The origional is wonderful, 2000 is not!!!, November 2, 2002
By A Customer
I read the origional book by Maltz 15 years ago and it really helped to change my life. I'm always picking up self help books because I believe if you get at least one new idea from it,then it is worth it. Well I can't really say that I got much from this book, nothing actually.
I picked it up mainly because I wanted to see how Dr. Maltz's ideas are viewed with the advancements in the field of psycology. I saw that it mentioned something about the right and left hemispheres of the brain which was something that the original did not touch on.
This version by Bobbe Sommer is long and drawn out, just filled with story after story after story, that really never address anything. A book just needs to tell a person the technics, don't give a thousand case studies. Sure the origional version gives a few examples, be they had a point to them.
The author claims that this book speaks in a language that people can understand today and not in the "outdated language" of the origional. All she does is use a few references that have happened since the origional and mention a few modern appliances that weren't around back then.
If you want something that will make a difference, buy the origional Psyco-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. The ideas were true then and they are true now. If some of the expressions seem outdated, you know how to update it in you own mind. The truth of the book still stands strong today. I'm pulling my old copy off of shelf and reading it again.
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