The Present: The Gift That Makes You Happier and More Successful at Work and in Life, Today!
by Spencer Johnson

ISBN: 0385509308
Format: Hardcover, 112pp


Pub. Date: September 2003
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Incorporated
Hardcover, September 2003
Barnes & Noble price: $13.96

FROM OUR EDITORS
In Who Moved My Cheese? and The One-Minute Manager, Spencer Johnson, M.D., shared deceptively simple business parables that millions of readers took to heart. In The Present, he presents a little gem of a tale about a young man's search for a mysterious gift that a wise old man calls The Present. Opening The Present is half the gift.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
A Timely Gift From the Author of Who Moved My Cheese?

Dr. Spencer Johnson's stories of timeless, simple truths have changed the work and lives of millions of readers around the world. Now comes an insightful new tale of inspiration and practical guidance for these turbulent times.

The Present is the best gift you can receive because it makes you happy and successful!
Whether it means …
• Having peace of mind and feeling more alive; or
• Being more productive and more prosperous; or
• Finding whatever is important to you and to those you work and live with.

For over two decades, Spencer Johnson has been inspiring and entertaining millions with his simple yet insightful stories of work and life that speak directly to the heart and soul.

The Present is an engaging story of a young man's journey to adulthood, and his search for The Present, a mysterious and elusive gift he first hears about from a great old man. This Present, according to the old man, is "the best present a person can receive."

Later, when the young boy becomes a young man, disillusioned with his work and his life, he returns to ask the old man, once again, to help him find The Present. The old man responds, "Only you have the power to find The Present for yourself." So the young man embarks on a tireless search for this magical gift that holds the secret to his personal happiness and business success. It is only after the young man has searched high and low and given up his relentless pursuit that he relaxes and discovers The Present—and all of the promises it offers.

The Present will help you focus on what will make you happy and successful in your work and in your personal life. Like the young man, you may find that it is the best gift you can ever give yourself.

Spencer Johnson, M.D., is one of the most beloved and respected authors in the world. He has helped millions of readers discover how they can enjoy better lives by using simple truths that lead to fulfillment and success at work and at home.

Dr. Johnson is often referred to as the best there is at taking complex subjects and presenting simple solutions that work.

He is the author or co-author of numerous New York Times bestselling books including #1 International Bestsellers Who Moved My Cheese?—An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change In Your Work and In Your Life and The One Minute Manager®, the world's most popular management method, co-authored with Kenneth Blanchard.

After graduating with a B.A. in psychology from the University of Southern California, Dr. Johnson received his M.D. degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and completed medical clerkships at the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School.

He served as Director of Communications for Medtronic, the inventors of cardiac pacemakers; Research Physician at The Institute for Inter-Disciplinary Studies; Consultant to The Center for Study of the Person; and Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Business School.

His work has captured the attention of major media, including CNN, ABC, NBC, the BBC, Time, New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Business Week, Reader's Digest, Associated Press and United Press International.

Spencer Johnson's books are available worldwide in more than forty languages.

FROM THE CRITICS
Publisher's Weekly
Johnson's megaselling Who Moved My Cheese? helped readers cope with changes beyond their control. The author now proffers another easily digestible parable encompassing a related, but broader, topic: how to attain happiness and success in life. In large type that's easy on eyes both old and young (and that stretches this brief book past 100 pages), Johnson lays out a bare-bones tale of a man who learns a valuable lesson about living in the present from a wise old gent. Stuck in a rut in his job and personal life, the younger man learns about The Present, a three-fold way of living and working. Bit by bit, the old man explains how it works: in order to achieve bliss in life, it's important to pay equal attention to the past (learn from mistakes), the present (live in the moment) and the future (plan for it as best as possible, but don't "lose yourself in worry or anxiety"). The common-sense knowledge and concentration on living in the now lend a Zen feel to the story, and while Johnson's approach may border on the corny (everything runs smoothly for his characters, and they share with each other such tidbits as, "The Present is a gift you give to yourself. Only you have the power to discover what it is"), it's undeniably sound. Despite some awkward phrasings, Johnson's latest brims with good ideas for those feeling frustrated, stagnant, depressed or overwhelmed, and is bound to be embraced by the self-help-loving masses. Simultaneous Random House Audio. (Sept. 23) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Buy now and get an additional 5% off as a Thomas user.