- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Other sellers (Hardcover)
-
All (6) from $1.99
-
Used (6) from $1.99
Ships from: Hillsboro, OR
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from: Mishawaka, IN
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from: Halethorpe, MD
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from: Richmond, TX
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from: Danville, CA
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
In this latest addition to the Chicken Soup family, children and grandchildren will relive memories of their parents and grandparents as they read stories of love, humor and wisdom.
Mark Victor Hansen is a co-founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Jack Canfield had been traveling around delivering key note speeches and organizing workshops to help audiences build their self-esteem and maximize their potential when he had an in-flight brainstorm that changed his life. While flying home from a gig, Canfield realized that the very same advice he had been delivering during his in-person addresses could potentially form the basis of a book. Canfield used inspirational stories he'd gleaned over the years as the basis of his speeches, and he thought it would be a terrific idea to gather together 101 inspirational stories and anthologize them in a single volume. Upon returning home, Canfield approached friend and author Mark Victor Hansen about his concept. Hansen agreed it was a great idea, and the two men set about finding a publisher. Believe it or not, the mega-selling series was not an easy sell to publishers. "We were rejected by 123 publishers all told," Canfield told Shareguide.com. "The first time we went to New York, we visited with about a dozen publishers in a two day period with our agent, and nobody wanted it. They all said it was a stupid title, that nobody bought collections of short stories, that there was no edge -- no sex, no violence. Why would anyone read it?"
Canfield wisely practiced what he preached -- and persisted. Ultimately, he and Hansen sold the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book to a small press based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, called Health Communications. The rest, as they say, is history. There are currently 80 million copies of the Chicken Soup books in print, with subjects as varied as Chicken Soup For the Horse Lover's Soul and Chicken Soup For the Prisoner's Soul. Canfield and Hansen ranked as the top-selling authors of 1997 and are multiple New York Times bestsellers. Most important of all, the inspirational stories they have gathered in their many volumes have improved the lives of countless readers.
This year, expect to see Canfield's name gracing the covers of such titles as Chicken Soup For the Scrapbooker's Soul, Chicken Soup For the Mother and Son Soul, and Chicken Soup For the African American Woman's Soul. He and Hansen have also launched the all-new "Healthy Living" series and 8 titles in that series have already been released this year. There is also the fascinating You've GOT to Read This Book!, in which Canfield compiles personal accounts by 55 people each discussing a book that has changed his or her life. The most compelling of these may be the story of young entrepreneur Farrah Gray, who read Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success at the age of 11 and made his first million dollars at the age of 14!
With no sign of slowing down, Canfield continues to be an inspiration to millions, who fortunately refused to give up when it seemed as though he would never even get his first book published. "Mark and I are big believers in perseverance," he said. "If you have a vision and a life purpose, and you believe in it, then you do not let external events tell you what is so. You follow your internal guidance and follow your bliss, as Joseph Campbell used to say."
Writing the first Chicken Soup book was a lot more daunting than Canfield expected. After the first three years of research, he and Mark Victor Hansen had only compiled 68 stories -- 33 tales shy of their goal of 101 stories.
Along with co-writing dozens of full-length books, Canfield also publishes a free biweekly newsletter called Success Strategies.
Some fun and fascinating outtakes from our interview with Canfield:
"My inspiration for writing comes from my passion for teaching others how to live more effective lives. I started out as a history teacher in an all-black inner city high school in Chicago, graduated to a teacher trainer, then psychotherapist, then trainer of therapists, then large group transformational trainer and then a writer and keynote speaker. All along the way, my desire was to make a difference, to help people live more fulfilling lives. That is what I still do today. Most people don't know this but I was not a good writer in college. I got a C in composition. Nobody would have ever believed I would grow up to be a bestselling author."
"I play guitar, and I am learning to play the piano. I love movies and some TV shows. My favorites are Six Feet Under, Grey's Anatomy, House and Lost. I love to play Scrabble, poker and backgammon with my in-laws, nieces and nephews. We really get into it. I love to travel. I have been to 25 countries and try to add two or three new ones every year."
My grandfather gave me the world when he gave me his love.
I never had to guess if the wonderfully weathered old man, whose eyes smiled brighter than his mouth, loved me. Unlike many of his generation, he believed in saying so. "DonÆt tell my other grandchildren," he would say with a voice become as familiar as my own heart-beat, while he gently herded me to an ice cream stand before supper, "but you are my favorite." It was high praise since I was the 24 th of 27 to be delivered into his happy embrace.
Grandpa would have done anything for me, but since love is all about the little things, he was always willing to busy himself with some project meant for my happiness. There was the double-benched swing, crafted in his farm workshop, upon which I spent endless afternoons inhaling the scent of spring wildflowers, while prairie clouds morphed from tempestuous oceans, to families of waddling ducks, to snow-crested mountain peaks only as far away as my imagination made them.
In the house, where my grandmother tended an oven that never went cold, I carried baskets full of romping kittens each spring, played tuneless melodies on an antique pump organ and felt safer than I ever have since.
Summer months meant that I could spend more time away from the confinements of city life. Only a twenty minute drive from our home, my mother often made the trip with me, past fields of golden wheat, and into the company of my grandfather.
On one visit that was meant to be short, I soon forgot myself in the midst of childish bliss. On a tireless red wagon, I pulled all the ingredients of a lemonade stand to the edge of my grandparentÆs property, where a county road intersected a sprinkling of homes, and where other children walked the dusty path to visit friends and family.
Excitedly, I peddled my refreshments to the few people who passed by, counting the meager change that was far from the point of my endeavor.
My enthusiasm withered, however, when the approaching form of my mother reminded me of an appointment I knew I would not be permitted to miss. "But who will sit at my lemonade stand?" I wanted to know, imparting it all the importance unlost innocence always does.
"I guess you will have to pack it away until another day," she replied with regret. Mournfully, I began to obey, slowly replacing my hand-made sign, cups and pitchers into the wagon before loading on the table and chair.
From the house, where I had been visible through the window, Grandpa came stepping across the expanse of grass with a stiffness reminding me my best friend was not my own age.
Without a word, he gently touched my cheek with a rough finger and bent to undo the work I had reluctantly done. He seated himself in the chair and unfolded a newspaper. "It is a nice day for lemonade," he said. "Hurry back and weÆll share some."
When we returned later, Grandpa was still at my post, the newspaper abandoned in favor of a needle and thread and some clothes in need of mending. In the small box where I had begun to deposit my earnings was more change than could be accounted for had the entire village showed up for a drink.
Together we sat by the road for a little while longer. As the sun began to go down and Grandma called us in for supper, we dismantled our stand and walked back to the house.
Darcie Hossack
¬2002. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Maladee and Hanoch McCarty. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street,
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.
Embers
Posted May 14, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I love to read books that are uplifting,have a sense of humor and that you can learn from others experiences. I just recently read Chicken soup for the grandparents soul. I found it to be all of these things.
One of the grandmothers wrote on how she did not put up her items out of reach for her grandchildren but allowed them to touch them with one finger. We did this with our 18 month old grandaughter and now she comes into our home and touches things with 1 finger. She loves it and so do we.
It is a positive enforcement for all of us. Thank-you for writting such a wonderful collection of memeories that touch all of our souls.
Anonymous
Posted August 28, 2006
I simply loved the book. I couldn't believe that they found so many good stories. The quality was pretty high. There were, out of 101 stories, only about 12 I didn't relate to in some way and there were about 16 that I think were among the most touching stories I've read in a long, long time. I got a lot out of it and in fact, i've lent it to friend after friend. It's getting a big worn from that.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 21, 2002
When I looked at the cover in the store, I thought 'just another book in that series.' And i thought it would be just for grandmas and grandpas. But when I thumbed through it, and read just a couple of the short stories, I relized that it was really funny and touching. I bought two of them. One for my Dad, the grandpa of my two kids and one for ME! The stories really really are great. I loved reading it. And I've been reading them aloud to my mother-in-law, who is in the hospital. It gives me something todo to help her a bit when I visit. I recommend this most highlly.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 30, 2002
I just don't know how the Chicken Soup people keep putting out such great books. There are so many of them and each has about 100 stories. Where do they get all of them? Frankly, after having read three others in the series, i didn't expect this one to be special in any way, but it surprised me alot. I found that the stories had such a wide variety of experiences that grandparents have today --- some that my own grandparents could never have had. I found just a few stories to be 'blah', but on the whole, most of the stories were either really touching or made me laugh out loud. I read several aloud to my children on the phoen becaause they reminded me of 5things that had happened in our house as my kids were growing up. This book is an affirmation of grandparenting.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
In this latest addition to the Chicken Soup family, children and grandchildren will relive memories of their parents and grandparents as they read stories of love, humor and wisdom.