Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 241.4
EAN: 9780385518581
ISBN: 0385518587
Label: Doubleday
Manufacturer: Doubleday
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2008-07-15
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: 2008-07-15
Studio: Doubleday

In his first major work since the publication of his phenomenal bestseller The Five Love Languages, Dr. Chapman delivers a powerful plan for whole-life happiness, with simple yet intensive exercises and wisdom for finding the life you have always wanted. The way in which our individual lives are improved, says Chapman, is through improving each relationship in your life: with your parents your children, your coworkers, and your spouse, and for all human interactions that form the foundations of our lives. With breakthrough strategies for developing new ways of accepting and responding to the gift of love, Love as a Way of Life nurtures the essential qualities of Kindness, Patience, Forgiveness, Courtesy, Humility, Generosity, and Honesty. Memorable real-life stories and inspiring advice make this an ideal book to share with others, fostering meaningful conversations about the incredible possibilities that emerge when love becomes a habit.
In his previous work, Dr. Chapman brought to light the different ways people express love, but in Love as a Way of Life he reveals that every aspect of your life can be improved by placing love at the center of everything you do. As Rick Warren does in The Purpose Driven Life, Chapman illuminates the profound influence of spiritual insight and understanding on our daily lives.

Using real-life anecdotes, he examines the obstacles and misunderstandings that undermine relationships, and provides quizzes and exercises to help readers evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses. Rich in wisdom and inspiration, Love as a Way of Life is an invaluable guide to creating fulfilling and satisfying relationships and reaping the joys of living a love-driven life.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Practical and Relevant Info that helps you Love those around you in an Authentic Way
Comment: This book is full of practical, real information to help you love in a very authentic way those you encounter on a daily basis. Plenty of real-life examples provides both ideas and motivation to put real love into your life. Chapman does a fabulous job on this one!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: This book is a keeper
Comment: Gary Chapman does a great job of applying practical advice to areas of life that should be simple but, because of sin, aren't. I enjoyed his way of breaking love into 7 aspects that can be applied as we live, act, think about others and about how we treat them.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent read on relationships
Comment: This book has been a proven point that basic manners and morals are diminshing in the world todady. A lot of what Dr. Chapman talks about are things that parents used to teach their children. Many parents do not have time to put as much emphasis on the basics any more and some children do not take the time to listen enough to understand how valuable some things are. It even reminded of some of the things that I used to do as a second nature that I no longer do but will strive to make a better effort. He is an awesome writer. This is a book that would be beneficial to anyone that is struggling with relationships in general.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Nothing Revelatory
Comment: This book is reveals nothing more than basic commonsense and good principles in any relationship. Chapman uses recent news stories as examples, no research a first hit Google could not accomplish and insight is rudimentary at best. For example, devil incarnate, Charles Roberts, who blew the brains out of five Amish girls (ages 6-13)was used as an example of Amish principles of forgiveness and love that shocked more than the killings. Further, Chapman cites Roberts suicide note saying he had been regretful for the last 20 years after molesting 2 girls (girls who 20 years later say it never happened) as if Roberts had received the expression of love the Amish gave, maybe somehow he would have been a better person - give me a break. Interestingly, Richard Nixon is used as an example of someone who could not grow close and love and had lack of integrity, ultimately ended his presidency. Had Chapman actually researched Richard Nixon, and ignored simplistic revisionist historians, he could have used Nixon as an example of someone who had extraordinary love of family and of country. For examples: Nixon received scholarships to Yale and Harvard, but chose to take on a father role to help out his mom and ailing brothers during financial hard times rather than running off to the east where he could have easily earned room and board for himself; Nixon also drove around prospective wife Pat on dates with other guys when he was trying to gain her attention, a special love I could never imagine and exceeds much of Chapman's weak rhetoric; Nixon also publicly forbade the Republican party from pursuing recounts and investigations into voter fraud that more than likely would have given him 1960 election against Kennedy as to avert a constitutional crisis; moreover, Nixon resigned, not as lack of integrity, but because of it to avert disruption of impeachment as love of country more than love of self. Said to be shifty and heartless why would Nixon step down or resign rather than stand and fight - much better an example of lack of integrity would to have used Bill Clinton when he lied to our country, courts, and wife and put our country in turmoil over cheap sex in the Oval Office.

I cannot imagine people in relationships so dysfunctional that paying for this advice in office or book form would be so valued or life changing, but more power to him if he can help.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Self improvement with a refreshing focus on others
Comment: If you use some of the ideas Gary Chapman shares in his "Love as a Way of Life", you will improve the quality of life for yourself and everyone around you. This is self-improvement with the focus on treating other people better, a refreshing switch from many self-help programs.
Mr. Chapman uses short insightful stories about people he has helped as a marriage and family life counselor, to suggest to readers how they can easily apply techniques to improve themselves, and affect family, friends and strangers in an upbeat way.
He discusses seven virtues: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty and I imagine all of us can improve in some of these areas.
He gives fun little questionaires including "How patient am I?".
I turned to the chapter "Making love a way of life in the workplace", since I spend so many hours at work Monday through Friday, and I aim to make those hours pleasant, and even joyful at times. He has a lot of focus on marriages and family and tells some sweet stories about long successful marriages, which are great inspirations.
In the chapter on courtesy he offers advice like "Make requests, not demands" and "Once a failure has been confessed and forgiven, never bring it up again." These are good suggestions to keep in mind and to follow.
Everyone I know admits that they are impatient, for example. Forgiveness is another area that many of us can use help in achieving. Every reader will find helpful tips here, for some aspects of their life that can use rejuvenation.
Terra Hangen, author of Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your HolidayA Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holidays

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