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Lunch » Tags » Books » Reviews » The Imposter - How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life » User review

Inspiring and Touching

  • Jan 16, 2010
  • by
Rating:
+5
Subtitled "How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life," "The Imposter?" takes its title from several people telling the author that people cannot really change and that if that statement is true, then he, the author, must be an imposter. The early years of Kip Kreiling's life were made up of physical abuse, crime, drug addiction, homelessness, drinking, being kicked out of school, and generally giving up on anything positive in life. His mother continually tried to reach out to him, but he rejected most of her efforts. For years, it seemed that any time Kip tried to turn his life around, he was knocked down again in the process. He tells his story in vivid detail so that readers can grasp just how down and out he was, yet we never lose sight of the fact that this was a young man trying to survive in the worst possible circumstances; we really empathize with him. Each chapter tells about Kip's life and then illustrates one of the eight principles he espouses for a more "abundant life," beginning with "You Can Completely Change." The other principles are about the determination needed to make a major change and turning your attitudes and goals into positive thinking. The idea that struck me the strongest was instead of eliminating negatives from life to focus on creating positives. The difference is not in the direct outcome but in how focusing on a positive goal is so much more productive than working to improve a negative. This is a much more profound idea than it appears on the surface, and a concept that definitely deserves examination.

Kip Kreiling is a very inspiring writer in that his ideas are very clear and he is incredibly open and honest. That Kreiling went from being a street thug to a motivational leader in industry as well as a devoted husband and father speaks volumes about his ideas. His Mormon faith also played a big part in this change, but he had to reach a place where he could accept these religious teachings and to surround himself with positive, productive friends again. The book is written in a style that teenagers can grasp and identify with, but readers of all ages will be able to take something powerful and positive from this book. Recommended!

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December 03, 2010
Wow, this sounds like an incredibly inspiring read! I'm going to have to add it on my TBR! Thanks so much for sharing :)
 
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More The Imposter - How a Juvenile ... reviews
review by . May 07
Insightful yet grounded without being too sanguine and didactic.
I will admit that I am not much of a reader of self-help/transformation books. The preamble for most of them starts off with, "Do you like the way things are going in your life?" Perhaps that's a cynical judgement call on my part, but I've never been wrong so far when dealing with books that fall into that category. The Imposter, however, is not like that. It is in a different league, because it possesses tidbits of the memoir genre, positive psychology, science, religious awakening, …
review by . February 11, 2010
"The Imposter" is the well-written "transformation memoir" of Kip Kreling. The author tells the dark story of his violent youth--numerous arrests,, abuse at home, drug addictions, runaways, drug dealing, robberies (both perpetrator and victim). As a young man, Kreiling was well on the way to a life in prison or bare survival on the edge of society.     But then comes the transformation, when Kreiling changed his life, quit drugs, went to college, and succeeded in business. The …
review by . April 27, 2010
I have a great deal of respect for author Kip Kreiling and what he has given the world in THE IMPOSTER? He has taken us into a dark place in his own past and decided to use his experiences to help others while helping us understand what we can do to break the cycle.    There is nothing worse than feeling like you are the only one having to deal with a bad situation. Kip lets you know that regardless of what you are faced with and how bad things might appear, the one thing you …
review by . July 02, 2010
I can't really bring myself to call this a self-help book; it reads more like a cross between a memoir and a psychology book. On the other hand, it helped me greatly, so maybe it is a self-help book of sorts. It's not hard to imagine that Kip might have picked up some wisdom during his hard fought transformation from a young criminal fleeing a troubled home to a successful father and husband. You also might imagine that someone in his position would write a book filled with aphorisms about "never …
review by . June 17, 2010
Kip Kreiling contacted me and offered me a copy of The Imposter. As a reviewer, I'm a little apprehensive when it comes to books that are published outside of the traditional route. I've read some pretty rough traditionally published books and some really, really rough self-published ones. But Kip's story intrigued me. He had a rough background and extreme addictions, failed or dropped out of or was expelled from many schools. So how could he end up becoming a power player in some pretty impressive …
review by . June 06, 2010
For the last decade, it's been easily observed that there are thousands upon thousands of self-help books conceived and written around the concept of helping any individual achieve life-alerting change. Everyone -- from self-help gurus to industry-leading professionals to curious politicians -- has jumped aboard this life-shaking franchise, offering up perspective after perspective about what steps are required to reach a life of successful living. While some of these books go to great lengths …
review by . February 04, 2010
Kip Kreiling's book is an inspiration to all to show that change is not only a possibility but can be made reality by just starting with a few small steps. He draws you in immediately by relating how he is in an executive dining facility and the waitress senses he doesn't belong and Kip himself starts to feel that maybe he is a "successful" imposter. He then proceeds to tell a brief summary of how he was a juvenile criminal and a drug user.       As Kip tells his tale …
review by . March 31, 2010
Kip Kreilig had a troubled childhood and he was involved with crime, drugs and alcohol. This book is a semi-telling of his transformation into a successful professional and certain principles he has recognized as having a transformative effect on his life. Mr. Kreilig hopes that, with this book, he can inspire and/or encourage others to achieve a positive transformation.    The main issue with this book is that it alternates between memoir and a semi-self-help book. This results …
review by . March 20, 2010
Review of: "The Imposter? How A Juvenile Criminal Succeeded In Business And Life."     Kip Kreiling's memoir about his mental and spiritual transformation is mesmerizing. I have read many books ascribed as transformation accounts couched in the self-development/self-help genre which promise to illuminate the reader's "consciousness," etc. However I find Kreiling's account unique in that it appears to be very honest and lucid without commercialization. I have have read enough …
review by . March 19, 2010
When the author contacted me about doing a review of his book, I very nearly said no. I get several review requests per week, so I have been forced to get choosier about the review copies I accept. But I took a closer look at the book description and changed my mind. We don't have nearly enough books that talk honestly about the shortcomings of our juvenile justice system. Perhaps Kreiling had something new and important to add?     I was a little put off by the large print of …
About the reviewer
Kathy Parsons ()
Ranked #102
I have been a private piano teacher since 1981. I have been writing reviews for a long time, and have my own review and interview site, MainlyPiano.com. I teach piano in person and online, so now I can … more
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First Printing Review

I just received your published book in the mail. Thank you. Your dedication to your mother brought tears to my eyes, which caused me to turn to your acknowledgement section. It affected me so strongly I had to leave my desk and go to a back room to finish reading it; tears were streaming down my cheeks. Your mother's love for you overwhelmed me. And you keeping the erector set that John gave you for all those years so touching.

I thought your story was truly amazing as you shared bits and pieces of it with me when we worked together at Tomax. Then, when I read your transcript, before your book was published, I was flabbergasted, for lack of a better word. Having read your acknowledgements section today it touched me so deeply. It really testifies that God knows every single one of his children and what their needs are and brings people into our lives to help us when we need it most. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing!.

Lastly, I truly hope your books gains the kind of momentum so that someone like Oprah picks it up. Your story needs and deserves a national audience. People need to know that it is possible to triumph over the most hideous of circumstances and how to do that. And, another reason the world needs to know your story is so the John's, Mr. Fosters, and Sims' of the world won't give up and will provide as much help as a hurting boy will allow them to give at that time with the hope that, even though it may seem futile at the moment, a ...
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Tags

Books, Nonfiction, Biographies, Kip Kreiling

Details

ISBN-10: 0615320554
ISBN-13: 978-0615320557
Author: Kip Kreiling
Genre: Biography
Publisher: TransformationHelp Press
First to Review

"Opening the Door"
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