EMPOWERMENT

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with BEFORE THE BEGINNING IS A THOUGHT and YOU CAN ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT.]--Phil Murray is a British motivational expert whose advice is straightforward: You can actualize any reality you desire if you believe in yourself, set challenging goals, and stay connected with others and the universe. At first, his enthusiasm is a bit much, but it grows on you. The impact of the audio is magnified by well placed music, rich visual language, and affirmations and mental exercises that are pretty effective. More than any authors/presenters in recent memory, Murray has a combination of sincerity and boyish charm that gives him the influence he has. The author's personality is not the whole message, but it certainly makes what he says easy to put into practice. And all of this happens without any stories of past failures or current personal struggles. He's a true winner with valid ideas about personal growth and a gift for expressing them in a colorful way. It's not new stuff, but it's delivered by a genuine winner and ought to be more available in this country. T.W. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 01]