The Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten Principles for Total Emotional and Spiritual Fulfillment

This is an inspirational and practical guide for creating the kind of true freedom we are all seeking, the freedom that comes from knowing how to tap into a powerful inner state of confidence, clarity, and peace, and how to protect it from all of lifes ups and downs. With her trademark blend of wisdom, compassion, and warmth, De Angelis shows us how we tend to sabotage our own search for happiness and offers invaluable tools for building an inner center of emotional and spiritual self-reliance. Secrets about Life Every Woman Should Know invites the reader to discover a source of real emotional security.

In a muddled though earnest attempt at philosophy based on her 30 years of meditating and spiritual study, De Angelis shifts further away from her core area of expertise: love and sex. (After many bestsellers, De Angelis first moved in this direction with Real Moments.) Playing on the title of one of her most popular books (Secrets About Men Every Woman Should Know), this latest effort offers a watered-down version of Eastern philosophy aimed at teaching her readers about the purpose of life. Ranging from the teachings of Rumi and the Buddhist nun Pema Ch?dr?n to Dan Millman and Alan Cohen, the text offers worthwhile points to contemplate, but too often they lack originality: the purpose of life is growth; change is inevitable; obstacles are lessons in disguise; everything you need to be happy is inside you; fear suppresses the feeling of being alive. Most fervent on the subject of love, De Angelis propounds loving one's self abundantly, illustrating her points with examples of mating and dating. This material, as well as De Angelis's highly personal tone and candid revelations about dramatic events in her life (a flood, disappointing relationships, business problems), will likely draw her usual fans, though perhaps not new ones. Agent, Harvey Klinger. 5-city author tour; radio satellite tour. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Of course, it seems logical that happiness can and should come from within, and waiting for it to come from outside through other people, our work, or life experience can be disappointing. However, logic is one thing; living as though we know we are responsible for our own happiness is something else--it is too easy to depend on (and blame) others or our situations for our unhappiness. De Angelis, a popular author on relationship topics, recognizes this dichotomy and keeps hammering home the point that real happiness cannot come from outside ourselves. She offers 10 principles designed to force readers to focus inward and change what can be controlled--our thoughts and feelings--and stop worrying about what we cannot control, such as the behavior of others. The 10 chapter titles contain the 10 principles and include "Change Is Inevitable, So Stop Resisting and Surrender to Life's Flow" and "Fear Will Steal Your Aliveness--Make Your Courage Bigger than Your Fear." For all self-help collections. Marlene Chamberlain