Don't Call Me a Crook! by Bob Moore

Don't Call Me a Crook is at times amusing but at others disturbing. It does offer the rare opportunity of delving into a rogue's travels and view of the world.

Bob Moore was a survivor who kept cool under pressure, trusted his instincts and was extremely resourceful. He was also a funny Scotsman without intending to be and an excellent storyteller.

On the down side, Bob Moore was a liar, thief, racist, drunkard and murderer, with little to no remorse for those that he harmed. He seemed to think he was superior, even when he was scruffy and out of work. He referred to any race different from his own with a derogatory slang term. In the 20’s and 30’s this was more common, but that doesn’t excuse it.

Bob’s Crimes

If his slang gets confusing in Don’t Call Me A Crook! (Bob Moore, Dissident Books, ISBN: 9780977378807, 2009) there are handy footnotes with definitions included. It seems more authentic to keep the original written words intact anyway, and it made for a fascinating tale of a rogue who seemed slightly psychotic. It was originally published in 1935 without much fanfare and only recently was republished.

Death didn’t faze him and even when his hand caused the death, he brushed it off casually or excused it. He refused to admit that he was a crook (hence the name Don’t Call Me a Crook!) or thief and refers to stealing as swiping, as if that’s somehow better.

In between jobs he did a lot of stealing and conning, so the places he could travel became limited since victims of theft or police were after him everywhere. Anyone with money, jewelry or booze was a target to Bob. He still certainly made his rounds by traveling all over the world on ships. His escapades in England, China and the U.S. were particularly of interest.


Bob Moore and Women

There were several women he led on and charmed out of their money and he didn’t think twice about ripping off a boss on his way out the door. He would occasionally do favors for friends, but there was almost always something in it for him. That’s not to say he never had any sympathy for anyone, but he tended to favor drinking buddies with money.

At one point he did bow to family pressure and made an attempt at settling down and marrying in Glasgow. Since Bob seemed incapable of staying in one place or job too long, this didn’t work out.

 He describes his travels, experiences and associates so well that they’re easy to envision. An engineer by trade, Bob Moore had no problem getting jobs on yachts or ships. These were full of adventures including rowdy parties, pirate shootouts, fistfights and drowning. How anyone ever managed to survive this lifestyle full of danger, diseases and violence is a mystery. Whether everything Bob wrote is true or not is another mystery.

Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford

This book may help avoid years of therapy. Repressed memories, feelings and hidden aspects of individuals come to light with shadow work.

If negative aspects aren’t brought out into the open, they may become internalized and manifest themselves in addictions, depression or other illnesses.

Acknowledging and examining the dark side isn’t easy, but The Dark Side of the Light Chasers shows how to embrace the shadow so that it becomes integrated with other aspects of the personality.

Debbie helps make it real by bravely sharing personal information about her past struggles with addiction and anger. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers is based upon ideas she developed for a course to help embrace the shadow.

Projection

Qualities that might drive someone crazy are usually those that others see and hate in them. These negative qualities are mirrored back to reflect and project onto someone else. Once that’s acknowledged, it’s easier to completely accept and forgive the self along with everyone else.

When people can accept themselves, they no longer need to judge others. There is a freedom in embracing the shadow and when people stop finger pointing, it makes them easier to get along with.

Gifts in Hated Qualities

There are gifts in many qualities individuals may hate in themselves. For example “cheap” becomes thrifty and practical. Aggressive may become persistent and insistent. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers encourages people to list these qualities and find their hidden gifts so that they become easier to accept and integrate into the whole person.

Inventing New Interpretations

Instead of forgetting about the past, Ford encourages people to reinvent thoughts surrounding past incidents. Thoughts are something everyone can learn to control, so it becomes empowering to take responsibility for thoughts about individual memories.

Acknowledge Our Greatness

People are often told not to toot their own horn, so they may be uncomfortable embracing the great things about themselves. Debbie Ford also shows others how to embrace the good and let their light shine.

• There are effective exercises in The Dark Side of the Light Chasers: Reclaiming Your Power, Creativity, Brilliance, And Dreams (Debbie Ford, Berkley Publishing Group, 1998, ISBN: 1573220965) that help people to break down their walls and embrace their shadows. At the end there’s an important helpful chapter that shows how to create a mission statement and action plan for the future.

This is an excellent guide that gently helps examine individual’s hidden dark aspects. It sounds painful, but in the end it actually brings freedom and helps ends suffering.

About Debbie Ford

Debbie Ford is a popular speaker, coach and best-selling author. She runs a workshop entitled “The Shadow Process Workshop”. She’s been a guest on many radio and television programs including Oprah, Good Morning America and Larry King Live. For more information about her books or upcoming workshop topics see DebbieFord.com

Introvert Power by Laurie Helgoe

Instead of teaching people how to be extroverted, Helgoe shows others how to embrace their introverted nature and see it as an asset. This is a refreshing change from other books that hint that there’s something wrong with wanting to be alone.

Laurie Helgoe assures others in Introvert Power that it’s okay to refuse a party without excuses or explanations. When introverts do decide to attend, she has great suggestions on how to deal with crowds. Other options are to say no, go to a more intimate gathering or stay home and read a book without apologizing for it.

Introvert Statistics
According to Laurie's research in Introvert Power, introverts make up 57% of the population. Since extroverts are more visible and valued in America, there does appear to be more of them. Everyone has a balance of both but they may not admit to being more introverted if they think being extroverted is more desirable. Laurie Helgoe explains other reasons why commonly quoted statistics are outdated in Introvert Power.

Introvert Stereotypes

Introvert Power (Sourcebooks, 2008, ISBN: 9781402211171) is an educational book for introverts and extroverts alike. It examines stereotypes people may have about introverts. Some might be that introverts are anti-social, snobs or even mentally ill. There are extroverts that exhibit poor social skills and there are introverts that exhibit leadership qualities. Pegging one side with only negative qualities does a disservice to both.

Introverted Children

Not all children thrive with constant structured or scheduled activities. To encourage independence and creativity, it’s a good idea to allow time for solitary activities. That time away from noise and bustling is especially important for introverted children. Introvert Power offers ideas about how to support children overwhelmed with noisy classrooms or activities.


Differences Between Introverts and Extroverts

There are often misunderstandings between the two because introverts need time alone to gain energy, while extroverts need to be around people to recharge. Parties aren’t fun for everyone, nor is being popular or becoming extroverted always the goal. These are some of the extrovert assumptions Laurie addresses in Introvert Power. There are benefits to being introverted or extroverted and she helps points those out.

Introvert Power is one of the most enlightening and informative books about celebrating, understanding and embracing introverts. Laurie Helgoe also shares useful strategies on how to cope with challenges many introverts face and how to see strength in their solitude.

About Laurie Helgoe

Laurie is a psychologist, writer, actor and model. She has written four other books and also runs a design consultation service called INtrovert Style. For more information see her website WakingDesire.com