Leo Tolstoy
Author
Princes & Toads
Princes & Toads is about how to have a healthy and loving relationship
with yourself and with your man.
This book is an extremely user-friendly guide packed with sharp-witted, self-contained "telling it like it is" gems inspiring self-confidence and self-respect. What makes this nugget format paperback unique is that it may be used in a multitude of ways:
- You may peruse it cover to cover if you are interested in the complete process of preparing for, finding and keeping a loving and healthy relationship with a man.
- You may focus on the chapter you are curious about: self-love, the hunt, the nuts and bolts for keeping a relationship healthy and loving, deciding whether or not to keep or throw away your prospect, commitment and marriage.
- You may randomly open the book and select a particular nugget to contemplate as your "thought for the day."
- You may benefit from skimming through the guide and attending to nuggets that speak to you.
The illustrations add a humorous and inviting touch and there is an exercise section for those interested in going beyond an intellectual understanding of the text.
Review
Despite her book's fairy tale title, Dr. Tobler's practical guide to finding the man of one's dreams counsels women to forget fairy tales and to concentrate on real life.
Tobler's straight-talking humorous book reads quickly. Her thorough knowledge of the subject shines again and again in her short paragraphs or "nuggets". This seasoned psychologist's understanding of how women sabotage their own search for Mr. Right consistently hits the mark prompting the reader to linger over the "nuggets" and to study her insights.
The final section of the book, particularly, encourages the reader not to put it down too hastily. Twenty-some pages of structured exercises, both writing exercises to complete in a journal and talking exercises to work through with a friend or prospective mate, encourage the reader to let the wisdom of the book sink in.
To prepare the Prince-seeker to find a man worth keeping, Tobler demolishes various myths that keep women unhappy and men irresponsible. She is optimistic - convincingly so - about any woman's prospects for success. Any relationship problem, in the upbeat practitioner's view, can be solved. All sorts of marital issues as well as how to know which man to keep and which to throw away are dealt with swiftly and provocatively.
If after reading the nuggets and completing the exercises the reader still considers finding her Prince Charming unlikely, there is a section of practical hints on how to find the right psychotherapist.
Ultimately, Tobler's message is that developing a strong and healthy relationship with oneself is within every woman's power, though perhaps not all women can overcome early conditioning without professional help.
For any woman, self-love is the essential first step toward finding and keeping the right man with whom to enjoy a gratifying life-long relationship. A woman who regards herself highly would never dream of entangling herself in a relationship with a toad.
In the long run, it will be Tobler's kind of woman who will come to change the world. As she points out, if all women insisted upon good men, men would be forced to measure up!
Reviewer Janet Reno, author/writer