What do you think?
The Imposter - How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life
LEARN the secret to Benjamin Franklin's success
DISCOVER how Abraham Lincoln turned enemies into friends
SEE the evidence that proves human beings are not primarily driven by instincts - that we can change
LEARN how Hernan Cortez launched one of the most successful military conquests in history and how that insight can help you
DISCOVER the real reason why the Iron Curtain fell
SEE why rats weaned themselves off of heroine - on their own!
FIND out how a hardened, modern-day Juvenile Criminal found lasting happiness
Am I dead? I watch from above as my abused body lay motionless on the shoddy bed below me. My mind does not want to face the truth . . . As a result of a drug overdose the author experienced an epiphany on how people can beat addiction, which he describes in chapter Two.
Each chapter is filled with visceral accounts of modern day challenges, both personal and professional, and how you can overcome them. From the slums of Georgia to the castles of Europe, be entertained and inspired at the same time.
Is someone you love struggling with the challenges of our modern addiction, weight control, a troubled child, or an overwhelming business challenge? Do you need to change something in your life but don t know how to start or how to finish? Have you wondered if people can really change? If they can, are there steps or methods that can propel the change? If so, The Imposter will inspire you.
The Imposter describes how the author, Kip Kreiling, transformed from a hardened juvenile criminal to a highly successful corporate executive, husband, and father. Through his journey, he discovered 8 principles of human transformation that will help anyone achieve their aspirations.
DISCOVER how Abraham Lincoln turned enemies into friends
SEE the evidence that proves human beings are not primarily driven by instincts - that we can change
LEARN how Hernan Cortez launched one of the most successful military conquests in history and how that insight can help you
DISCOVER the real reason why the Iron Curtain fell
SEE why rats weaned themselves off of heroine - on their own!
FIND out how a hardened, modern-day Juvenile Criminal found lasting happiness
Am I dead? I watch from above as my abused body lay motionless on the shoddy bed below me. My mind does not want to face the truth . . . As a result of a drug overdose the author experienced an epiphany on how people can beat addiction, which he describes in chapter Two.
Each chapter is filled with visceral accounts of modern day challenges, both personal and professional, and how you can overcome them. From the slums of Georgia to the castles of Europe, be entertained and inspired at the same time.
Is someone you love struggling with the challenges of our modern addiction, weight control, a troubled child, or an overwhelming business challenge? Do you need to change something in your life but don t know how to start or how to finish? Have you wondered if people can really change? If they can, are there steps or methods that can propel the change? If so, The Imposter will inspire you.
The Imposter describes how the author, Kip Kreiling, transformed from a hardened juvenile criminal to a highly successful corporate executive, husband, and father. Through his journey, he discovered 8 principles of human transformation that will help anyone achieve their aspirations.
312 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 20, 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 Kip Kreiling had something new and important to add?
I was a little put off by the large print of the book when my copy arrived. It makes the book bulkier than it need be, and implies a readership it probably doesn’t have—the elderly? The very young?
I started to read, and large print was forgotten, as I fell into the story. This was a heck of a story. One with which, unfortunately, I was all too familiar from my own experiences, raising my son as a single mother. Those preteen and teen years can be so very difficult for boys and young men growing up without good, strong male role models, and having a father present doesn’t in and of itself fill that gap. It depends on the type of father. But I could relate to young Kip’s mother painfully well, the heartbreak of watching a son struggle to find his place in a world that makes a molehill of a youthful mistake quickly turn into a mountain of trouble. What should be a “teaching moment” or a wake-up call often gets turned into a downward spiral by a juvenile justice system that is often predatory and punitive rather than caring and rehabilitative.
With Kreiling’s misadventures with drug use; gangs or kids simply gone wild; with the idiocy of the current juvenile justice system—“They were turning me into a harder criminal than I already was.” (page 35)—and an educational system that has been broken for a long time; with a society in general that treats our youth as second or even last priority; a foster system that started as a good idea but is now more infamous for abuse cases than rescue stories; we are all in trouble. This cannot go on.
I read with excitement, because Kreiling was telling a story that needs to be told. I’m glad to see he is an enthused marketer as well, doing everything he can to promote his book. Good. I have visions of this book being passed around juvenile delinquent homes and youth prisons, even adult prisons, with its basic message of hope: everyone can change. Indeed, perhaps that is the thought behind the large print, because those who languish in prison more often than not come from backgrounds of poverty and little to no education, so whatever can be done to make this easier to read is a good idea.
A better idea: another round of editing that goes deep with cuts and brings the writing, which is not bad but not yet up to par, to the level this memoir deserves. Personally, my suggestion would be to lose the eight principles of change and to simply write his story, tell it like it was and how it is now. Write the memoir, skip the rest. Let the story tell its own lessons, rather than inserting an artificial listing of principles, or morals, at the finish of most chapters. After all, none of the lessons are particularly memorable, and certainly nothing we haven’t heard before. Principles of change such as (paraphrased)—change your environment and you will change yourself; don’t plan for failure; choose your friends carefully because you will mimic their behavior; get disciplined in pursuing your dreams, and so on, appear in countless variations in a thousand self-help books and many are already a part of the commonly known 12-step programs that, frankly, do it better.
When Kreiling wrote about his own life, I was mesmerized. This was honest, raw, ugly, real. This was good and inspirational storytelling, with plenty of conflict and obstacles to be overcome, a hero that kept falling but still had something of integrity buried deep in him right from the start, keeping the reader interested and rooting for him to survive. One only had to look closely enough, and through caring eyes, to see the potential and root for it.
While some of Kreiling’s intellectual explorations are mildly interesting, they, too, tended to distract from the meat of a great story. I had to think of one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read: Monster : The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member by Sanyika Shakur, who today works to end gang violence. Had Kreiling stuck to his memoir, his good message would surely have more power and less of a didactic tone. Instead, Kreiling veers into side stories about Abraham Lincoln and Ben Franklin and Ayn Rand and young Gisela, a brainwashed Communist who sees the light by spending time with a tour group of boys (including Kreiling) from the free West. These tour group boys understand that they will not change Gisela by preaching to her. They instinctively understand that she will learn in a more meaningful way simply my observing what freedom looks like in her peers from the free world. Kreiling would do well to apply the same wisdom to his book.
Mind you, those side stories are interesting, and I could relate. I, too, traveled behind the Iron Curtain as a young woman. I, too, was drawn to Ayn Rand’s philosophy, and I even went through some of the same internal debates as Kreiling, wondering how and if Rand’s objectivism could fit with Christianity. I suspect if I ever met Kreiling, we’d have a heck of a lot to talk about and a great deal of experiences on which to compare notes. Yet crowding all these tangents into one book is just that, overcrowding, and dilutes from the purity of his message.
This message is too important to miss. Kreiling has all the requirements to be the one to tell it. He has been to those darkest of places. He has hit despair, seen the insides of prisons, and he has known what it means to sink into and to beat an addiction and to relapse and have to beat it again. He knows what it means to betray and be betrayed. And there is no more powerful storyteller than he who knows and tells it from the heart.
Kreiling has lots of heart. Or call it conscience. It is his heart and his conscience—and a keen intelligence that makes itself known even when still uneducated—that save him and save this book. Kreiling has led a remarkable life. Today a successful businessman, husband and father, he has proven that change is possible. He has shown that any addiction can be overcome. These are the makings of a great story. Cleaning away the frill and the fuss, this great story could really touch many hungry hearts and minds, those like his, despairing to keep hope alive.
Four stars for message, three stars for execution.
~Zinta Aistars for The Smoking Poet, Spring 2010 Issue
I was a little put off by the large print of the book when my copy arrived. It makes the book bulkier than it need be, and implies a readership it probably doesn’t have—the elderly? The very young?
I started to read, and large print was forgotten, as I fell into the story. This was a heck of a story. One with which, unfortunately, I was all too familiar from my own experiences, raising my son as a single mother. Those preteen and teen years can be so very difficult for boys and young men growing up without good, strong male role models, and having a father present doesn’t in and of itself fill that gap. It depends on the type of father. But I could relate to young Kip’s mother painfully well, the heartbreak of watching a son struggle to find his place in a world that makes a molehill of a youthful mistake quickly turn into a mountain of trouble. What should be a “teaching moment” or a wake-up call often gets turned into a downward spiral by a juvenile justice system that is often predatory and punitive rather than caring and rehabilitative.
With Kreiling’s misadventures with drug use; gangs or kids simply gone wild; with the idiocy of the current juvenile justice system—“They were turning me into a harder criminal than I already was.” (page 35)—and an educational system that has been broken for a long time; with a society in general that treats our youth as second or even last priority; a foster system that started as a good idea but is now more infamous for abuse cases than rescue stories; we are all in trouble. This cannot go on.
I read with excitement, because Kreiling was telling a story that needs to be told. I’m glad to see he is an enthused marketer as well, doing everything he can to promote his book. Good. I have visions of this book being passed around juvenile delinquent homes and youth prisons, even adult prisons, with its basic message of hope: everyone can change. Indeed, perhaps that is the thought behind the large print, because those who languish in prison more often than not come from backgrounds of poverty and little to no education, so whatever can be done to make this easier to read is a good idea.
A better idea: another round of editing that goes deep with cuts and brings the writing, which is not bad but not yet up to par, to the level this memoir deserves. Personally, my suggestion would be to lose the eight principles of change and to simply write his story, tell it like it was and how it is now. Write the memoir, skip the rest. Let the story tell its own lessons, rather than inserting an artificial listing of principles, or morals, at the finish of most chapters. After all, none of the lessons are particularly memorable, and certainly nothing we haven’t heard before. Principles of change such as (paraphrased)—change your environment and you will change yourself; don’t plan for failure; choose your friends carefully because you will mimic their behavior; get disciplined in pursuing your dreams, and so on, appear in countless variations in a thousand self-help books and many are already a part of the commonly known 12-step programs that, frankly, do it better.
When Kreiling wrote about his own life, I was mesmerized. This was honest, raw, ugly, real. This was good and inspirational storytelling, with plenty of conflict and obstacles to be overcome, a hero that kept falling but still had something of integrity buried deep in him right from the start, keeping the reader interested and rooting for him to survive. One only had to look closely enough, and through caring eyes, to see the potential and root for it.
While some of Kreiling’s intellectual explorations are mildly interesting, they, too, tended to distract from the meat of a great story. I had to think of one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read: Monster : The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member by Sanyika Shakur, who today works to end gang violence. Had Kreiling stuck to his memoir, his good message would surely have more power and less of a didactic tone. Instead, Kreiling veers into side stories about Abraham Lincoln and Ben Franklin and Ayn Rand and young Gisela, a brainwashed Communist who sees the light by spending time with a tour group of boys (including Kreiling) from the free West. These tour group boys understand that they will not change Gisela by preaching to her. They instinctively understand that she will learn in a more meaningful way simply my observing what freedom looks like in her peers from the free world. Kreiling would do well to apply the same wisdom to his book.
Mind you, those side stories are interesting, and I could relate. I, too, traveled behind the Iron Curtain as a young woman. I, too, was drawn to Ayn Rand’s philosophy, and I even went through some of the same internal debates as Kreiling, wondering how and if Rand’s objectivism could fit with Christianity. I suspect if I ever met Kreiling, we’d have a heck of a lot to talk about and a great deal of experiences on which to compare notes. Yet crowding all these tangents into one book is just that, overcrowding, and dilutes from the purity of his message.
This message is too important to miss. Kreiling has all the requirements to be the one to tell it. He has been to those darkest of places. He has hit despair, seen the insides of prisons, and he has known what it means to sink into and to beat an addiction and to relapse and have to beat it again. He knows what it means to betray and be betrayed. And there is no more powerful storyteller than he who knows and tells it from the heart.
Kreiling has lots of heart. Or call it conscience. It is his heart and his conscience—and a keen intelligence that makes itself known even when still uneducated—that save him and save this book. Kreiling has led a remarkable life. Today a successful businessman, husband and father, he has proven that change is possible. He has shown that any addiction can be overcome. These are the makings of a great story. Cleaning away the frill and the fuss, this great story could really touch many hungry hearts and minds, those like his, despairing to keep hope alive.
Four stars for message, three stars for execution.
~Zinta Aistars for The Smoking Poet, Spring 2010 Issue
September 21, 2013
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, recovery, business, ethics, difficult choices, et cetera. The language is straightforward, and the simplicity mirrors that of how most young adult novels are fashioned. The potency of The Imposter lies in its intentness, for the honesty is palpable.
What I liked about this book is that the author-Kip Kreiling-is the proof of what he's written about. His life is the testimony. He details the step-by-step process of his own transformation from vicious, often drug-induced juvenile criminal who would blatantly show his gun as one would a middle finger in a moment of rage, to a successful, philanthropic businessman with a happy marriage and a loving family. That is a stark and unlikely contrast indeed, for statistics often show that when a person is treading on the road of criminal rebellion, they stay on the trail of criminal defiance, often to the bitter end to permanent imprisonment or even worse. That, for the most part, is often the criminal's only consistency. Hence, what was the turnaround? First, at 17 years-of-age, it was a religious conversion to his Mormon faith, a profound happening that graced him with the gift of quitting hardcore drugs cold turkey. It allowed him to see the woundedness in others as he himself was wounded, thus transforming his circular perception-with heightened depth-of his environment and everything contained therein. But even when a religious conversion happens, it does not make all things easy squeezy lemon easy, as they say. If anything, it creates only the foundation, not the walls and roof. Often, people are grateful for the radical change for the better, despite the fact that they really had nothing to do with it. So, it leaves them with the question, What now? In Kip's case, even though he consciously didn't want to, he reverted back to his crippling bad habits via the aid of a co-worker at a limo service nicknamed Mean Irene and her friend crystal meth. And the addictive cycle started all over again. Gradually and with much struggle and hard work, he climbed out of this, too, and garnered a new enlightenment. Though he never doubted his religious conversion that started him on to the path of health and betterment, he knew that he could not change himself for religion alone. He had to change himself for him and his own individual worth. And in The Imposter, Kip showcases that one positive transformation often leads to another. It is not easy, and he makes no bones about it; he himself would attest that he was the lab rat for that evolution. Aside from himself, however, he offers historical transformative examples, citing specifically Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, two truly compelling case studies. And while religion is often a catalyst for improved lives, it does not have a monopoly on that. Even as a stand-alone, money can be a reason why people change and not religion. Read chapters five and six for further elaboration. The causes for improved change have a wide spectrum and Kip cites what he believes were his personal impulses. Yet, he offers a plethora of instances whereby the reader simply can't help but ponder to what degree and what level of quality he or she is fully living their life. Through his own life development, he is offering a microscope of self analysis for others. The reader has to do the hard work.
At the beginning of The Imposter, the scene is set at a high end restaurant frequented by CEOs, COOs, CFOs and other folks in the upper echelons of the business world; people are at ease, comforted, comfortable and confident. Because they were blessed to have a unified, loving, organized and structured upbringing, they possessed all the necessary ingredients to later lift them to the pinnacles of business success. Kip Kreiling did not have that. He had chaos, inconsistency, violence and hard-bitten cynicism imbued into him, components that very rarely catapult a person to any kind of success. Yet, he managed to sit in that restaurant among the elite. And though he privately doubted whether he really belonged there, whether he was in actuality an imposter with a nice suite, degree and salary, deep down, he knew otherwise. He envisioned something better and worked hard for it. The Imposter is not a typical "self-help" book, a genre I normally dislike. It is a book of constructive insights learned through the school of hard knox, tenacity as well as a sundry of epiphanies.
What I liked about this book is that the author-Kip Kreiling-is the proof of what he's written about. His life is the testimony. He details the step-by-step process of his own transformation from vicious, often drug-induced juvenile criminal who would blatantly show his gun as one would a middle finger in a moment of rage, to a successful, philanthropic businessman with a happy marriage and a loving family. That is a stark and unlikely contrast indeed, for statistics often show that when a person is treading on the road of criminal rebellion, they stay on the trail of criminal defiance, often to the bitter end to permanent imprisonment or even worse. That, for the most part, is often the criminal's only consistency. Hence, what was the turnaround? First, at 17 years-of-age, it was a religious conversion to his Mormon faith, a profound happening that graced him with the gift of quitting hardcore drugs cold turkey. It allowed him to see the woundedness in others as he himself was wounded, thus transforming his circular perception-with heightened depth-of his environment and everything contained therein. But even when a religious conversion happens, it does not make all things easy squeezy lemon easy, as they say. If anything, it creates only the foundation, not the walls and roof. Often, people are grateful for the radical change for the better, despite the fact that they really had nothing to do with it. So, it leaves them with the question, What now? In Kip's case, even though he consciously didn't want to, he reverted back to his crippling bad habits via the aid of a co-worker at a limo service nicknamed Mean Irene and her friend crystal meth. And the addictive cycle started all over again. Gradually and with much struggle and hard work, he climbed out of this, too, and garnered a new enlightenment. Though he never doubted his religious conversion that started him on to the path of health and betterment, he knew that he could not change himself for religion alone. He had to change himself for him and his own individual worth. And in The Imposter, Kip showcases that one positive transformation often leads to another. It is not easy, and he makes no bones about it; he himself would attest that he was the lab rat for that evolution. Aside from himself, however, he offers historical transformative examples, citing specifically Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, two truly compelling case studies. And while religion is often a catalyst for improved lives, it does not have a monopoly on that. Even as a stand-alone, money can be a reason why people change and not religion. Read chapters five and six for further elaboration. The causes for improved change have a wide spectrum and Kip cites what he believes were his personal impulses. Yet, he offers a plethora of instances whereby the reader simply can't help but ponder to what degree and what level of quality he or she is fully living their life. Through his own life development, he is offering a microscope of self analysis for others. The reader has to do the hard work.
At the beginning of The Imposter, the scene is set at a high end restaurant frequented by CEOs, COOs, CFOs and other folks in the upper echelons of the business world; people are at ease, comforted, comfortable and confident. Because they were blessed to have a unified, loving, organized and structured upbringing, they possessed all the necessary ingredients to later lift them to the pinnacles of business success. Kip Kreiling did not have that. He had chaos, inconsistency, violence and hard-bitten cynicism imbued into him, components that very rarely catapult a person to any kind of success. Yet, he managed to sit in that restaurant among the elite. And though he privately doubted whether he really belonged there, whether he was in actuality an imposter with a nice suite, degree and salary, deep down, he knew otherwise. He envisioned something better and worked hard for it. The Imposter is not a typical "self-help" book, a genre I normally dislike. It is a book of constructive insights learned through the school of hard knox, tenacity as well as a sundry of epiphanies.
November 15, 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 to define what measure of success defines a successful person, very few of them -- at least, so far as I've read or are aware of -- have lived a life like Kip Kreiling, experienced the highs and lows of his youth and teens years, and have been able to muster the courage to confront that past in his present in the form of a book designed to help others achieve personal success.
Kreiling's THE IMPOSTER is a bold read. While no doubt most of us lack the courage to discuss even a few dubious choices we've made in our 'reckless youth' (much less possess the willingness to put it down in black & white and share it with family, friends, AND total strangers), Kreiling embraces his past -- from his days essentially running wild without the guidance of adult role models, from his life & times experimenting and dealing various mind-altering substances, from his involvement with sellers and dealers and crooks and criminals of every element. While other writers who've embraced writing about such lifestyles have either deliberately or inadvertantly glamorized it for readers, Kreiling never retreats from discussing his own responsibility contributing to the choices he made. He willingly balances the pros and cons of decisions he made, all through the skillful process of exploring a life -- where he started, where he went, and where he is today -- with hope of demonstrating for others how to reach toward effective self-awareness step-by-step.
What I admired most about THE IMPOSTER is the fact that -- whether intentionally or not -- Kreiling demonstrates to me that true life-altering change is precisely an all-or-nothing proposition. Any person can choose to reach for a quality destination; any person can make steps incrementally closer and closer to the goal of choice; but only a person of clear, unshakable, well-founded commitment will reach a position of happiness-of-self. In other words, most "seven best steps" books can be adapted to essentially any career (i.e. becoming an effective leader, becoming an effective assistant, becoming an effective subordinate) ... but does that make you an effective 'person' if you're not entirely happy with yourself? Does it mean anything if you're the best you can be at work but less-than-stellar around the house? Kreiling's focus is on the heart, the soul, the matters of where one is in one's own universe.
On those strengths, I felt I connected with THE IMPOSTER's tale. On those merits, I think it succeeds. Simply, I need not have been involved in crime or drugs to benefit from the author's observations, confessions, and ultimate triumph over a life that has been. Kreiling took me there, showed me what I needed to see, and taught me what I needed to know.
Of course, I can see from the reviews of others that Kreiling's experiences have meant different things to each them, and, to me, that demonstrates the effectiveness of the author's ability to reach out and 'touch' a broader audience. Businesspeople have benefited from his story and advice. People of faith have met his message and embraced it. No doubt, the book is probably of tremendous praise from people in social work and crime prevention. It's a personal tale about an immensely personal journey, and I think it deserves to be read for that reason alone. Will you take something different from it? Possibly, yes. Are Kreiling's steps adaptable to other lifestyles? Maybe a bit more than most. Will it touch me personally? Well, now ... there's the rub. It did for me, and I think it could for you, too.
Kreiling's THE IMPOSTER is a bold read. While no doubt most of us lack the courage to discuss even a few dubious choices we've made in our 'reckless youth' (much less possess the willingness to put it down in black & white and share it with family, friends, AND total strangers), Kreiling embraces his past -- from his days essentially running wild without the guidance of adult role models, from his life & times experimenting and dealing various mind-altering substances, from his involvement with sellers and dealers and crooks and criminals of every element. While other writers who've embraced writing about such lifestyles have either deliberately or inadvertantly glamorized it for readers, Kreiling never retreats from discussing his own responsibility contributing to the choices he made. He willingly balances the pros and cons of decisions he made, all through the skillful process of exploring a life -- where he started, where he went, and where he is today -- with hope of demonstrating for others how to reach toward effective self-awareness step-by-step.
What I admired most about THE IMPOSTER is the fact that -- whether intentionally or not -- Kreiling demonstrates to me that true life-altering change is precisely an all-or-nothing proposition. Any person can choose to reach for a quality destination; any person can make steps incrementally closer and closer to the goal of choice; but only a person of clear, unshakable, well-founded commitment will reach a position of happiness-of-self. In other words, most "seven best steps" books can be adapted to essentially any career (i.e. becoming an effective leader, becoming an effective assistant, becoming an effective subordinate) ... but does that make you an effective 'person' if you're not entirely happy with yourself? Does it mean anything if you're the best you can be at work but less-than-stellar around the house? Kreiling's focus is on the heart, the soul, the matters of where one is in one's own universe.
On those strengths, I felt I connected with THE IMPOSTER's tale. On those merits, I think it succeeds. Simply, I need not have been involved in crime or drugs to benefit from the author's observations, confessions, and ultimate triumph over a life that has been. Kreiling took me there, showed me what I needed to see, and taught me what I needed to know.
Of course, I can see from the reviews of others that Kreiling's experiences have meant different things to each them, and, to me, that demonstrates the effectiveness of the author's ability to reach out and 'touch' a broader audience. Businesspeople have benefited from his story and advice. People of faith have met his message and embraced it. No doubt, the book is probably of tremendous praise from people in social work and crime prevention. It's a personal tale about an immensely personal journey, and I think it deserves to be read for that reason alone. Will you take something different from it? Possibly, yes. Are Kreiling's steps adaptable to other lifestyles? Maybe a bit more than most. Will it touch me personally? Well, now ... there's the rub. It did for me, and I think it could for you, too.
January 20, 2010
A Novel Approach to Self Improvement
Kip Kreiling takes a different approach in writing his rather supportive book on self-improvement. He weaves his points for addressing, coping with, and achieving change in our lives by sharing his own life journey, a very rocky road from childhood crime, homeless street person, addiction and incarceration and a near death experience - all prior to the age of 16 - followed by his own story of success in becoming a highly regarded corporate executive and finding comfort in the roles of a traditional family man. Yes, there are many self help books out there that have the same premise: bad boy sees the light and becomes a guru to help others to find the way to make changes and achieve success. But where Kreiling succeeds in his goal is his decision to make his book both a running novel (albeit true) and simply slipping in his 8 postulates for making changes in lives. This approach makes for 1) more interesting reading about a very troubled boy and his descent into darkness and subsequent steps toward making life work for him instead of victimizing him and 2) he delivers his help on a more personal level rather that a boring list of 'how to' steps. It helps that Kreiling is a very visceral and interesting writer about the underbelly of society!
Challenged in an elegant dining club, once the author had become a corporate executive, with the ominous words from a female colleague -"People never really change" - and we are off an running to see how Kreiling DID change and the eight principles of change he has outlined within the context of his fascinating encounters with life's hurdles. Those principles are 1) You can completely change, 2) Turn your transformation goal into an imperative - turn it into a compelling desire, 3) By changing what you believe, you change who you are, 4) By changing your actions, you can change who you are - Mind to Muscle Metamorphosis, 5) By transforming your environment, you can transform who you are. The Fire Precedes the Bloom, 6) Do not make major changes in your life on your own, get resources to help you, such as time, people, experts, and sometimes money, 7) Learn to focus your energy on creating positives, 8) Be an optimist.
By weaving these thoughts through a fast reading book that is rich in stories and fascinating incidents Kip Kreiling succeeds where others have failed. Just as you can't summarize a life so fully lived in a brief paragraph, so also you can't expect to follow these principles without the aid of the author's unique presentation. This is a well-written, very helpful book about positive change and growth - right when we need it most!
Grady Harp
Kip Kreiling takes a different approach in writing his rather supportive book on self-improvement. He weaves his points for addressing, coping with, and achieving change in our lives by sharing his own life journey, a very rocky road from childhood crime, homeless street person, addiction and incarceration and a near death experience - all prior to the age of 16 - followed by his own story of success in becoming a highly regarded corporate executive and finding comfort in the roles of a traditional family man. Yes, there are many self help books out there that have the same premise: bad boy sees the light and becomes a guru to help others to find the way to make changes and achieve success. But where Kreiling succeeds in his goal is his decision to make his book both a running novel (albeit true) and simply slipping in his 8 postulates for making changes in lives. This approach makes for 1) more interesting reading about a very troubled boy and his descent into darkness and subsequent steps toward making life work for him instead of victimizing him and 2) he delivers his help on a more personal level rather that a boring list of 'how to' steps. It helps that Kreiling is a very visceral and interesting writer about the underbelly of society!
Challenged in an elegant dining club, once the author had become a corporate executive, with the ominous words from a female colleague -"People never really change" - and we are off an running to see how Kreiling DID change and the eight principles of change he has outlined within the context of his fascinating encounters with life's hurdles. Those principles are 1) You can completely change, 2) Turn your transformation goal into an imperative - turn it into a compelling desire, 3) By changing what you believe, you change who you are, 4) By changing your actions, you can change who you are - Mind to Muscle Metamorphosis, 5) By transforming your environment, you can transform who you are. The Fire Precedes the Bloom, 6) Do not make major changes in your life on your own, get resources to help you, such as time, people, experts, and sometimes money, 7) Learn to focus your energy on creating positives, 8) Be an optimist.
By weaving these thoughts through a fast reading book that is rich in stories and fascinating incidents Kip Kreiling succeeds where others have failed. Just as you can't summarize a life so fully lived in a brief paragraph, so also you can't expect to follow these principles without the aid of the author's unique presentation. This is a well-written, very helpful book about positive change and growth - right when we need it most!
Grady Harp
June 5, 2015
"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 cover accurately calls this a "transformation" memoir; once Kreiling has established the basics of his descent into a troubled life, he focuses on that principles of that transformation that redeemed his life, with examples from his life after the transformation.
Some things that stand out about "The Imposter?"
--Unlike many writers who are primarily public speakers, teachers, or pastors, and very good with the spoken word but less so as writers, Reiling is a good writer. The story flows well, with good transitions. While it is clear that he has honed the details in public presentation, the book is better than just a transcript of a speech.
--While Kreiling believes that his transformation was God-given and spiritual in nature, he generalizes his principles of transformation so that anyone could feel comfortable reading and applying them.
--When introduced to Ayn Rand and her philosophy of the mind and will, he struggles to reconcile those philosophies with his adopted and heart felt believe in God and Christianity. This is a struggle I have also faced as a dedicated Christian who enjoys the truth and strength of Rand's philosophy, but with an unresolved guilt about the conflict with my Christianity. Kreiling's approach to reconciling these opposite approaches is interesting and useful (see Chapter 6).
--The title of the book plays on the "imposter syndrome" as described by Wikipedia:
Regardless of what level of success they may have achieved in their chosen field of work or study or what external proof they may have of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced internally they do not deserve the success they have achieved and are actually frauds. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they were more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.
Kreiling faces this internal struggle as he opens the book at a black-tie event at an exclusive private club, displaying again his writing skill as he describes the sweat on his brow as he remembers, and flashs back to scenes from his troubled past.
A worthy effort and and well worth the time to read.
But then comes the transformation, when Kreiling changed his life, quit drugs, went to college, and succeeded in business. The cover accurately calls this a "transformation" memoir; once Kreiling has established the basics of his descent into a troubled life, he focuses on that principles of that transformation that redeemed his life, with examples from his life after the transformation.
Some things that stand out about "The Imposter?"
--Unlike many writers who are primarily public speakers, teachers, or pastors, and very good with the spoken word but less so as writers, Reiling is a good writer. The story flows well, with good transitions. While it is clear that he has honed the details in public presentation, the book is better than just a transcript of a speech.
--While Kreiling believes that his transformation was God-given and spiritual in nature, he generalizes his principles of transformation so that anyone could feel comfortable reading and applying them.
--When introduced to Ayn Rand and her philosophy of the mind and will, he struggles to reconcile those philosophies with his adopted and heart felt believe in God and Christianity. This is a struggle I have also faced as a dedicated Christian who enjoys the truth and strength of Rand's philosophy, but with an unresolved guilt about the conflict with my Christianity. Kreiling's approach to reconciling these opposite approaches is interesting and useful (see Chapter 6).
--The title of the book plays on the "imposter syndrome" as described by Wikipedia:
Regardless of what level of success they may have achieved in their chosen field of work or study or what external proof they may have of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced internally they do not deserve the success they have achieved and are actually frauds. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they were more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.
Kreiling faces this internal struggle as he opens the book at a black-tie event at an exclusive private club, displaying again his writing skill as he describes the sweat on his brow as he remembers, and flashs back to scenes from his troubled past.
A worthy effort and and well worth the time to read.
December 21, 2012
Kip Kreiling had a tough childhood and was headed down a road leading to lifetime imprisonment or early death until he transformed his life and became a successful, productive member of society. I do not normally read a lot of nonfiction, and especially not books in this genre, but when this one was offered to me, I decided to give it a whirl. I really enjoyed the author’s straightforward style, and the way he would describe often complex issues in a way that nearly anyone could understand. I especially appreciated his explanation of socialism. Most of all, though, I appreciate that the author managed to completely transform his life and goes out of his way to reach out to others in need of such transformation themselves.
If there is anything lacking in this book, it is more of his back story. The book began with the author flashing back to his illustrious past, but rather than taking us through the steps he followed to transform himself, the story jumps from his lifestyle of stealing and selling drugs to suddenly attending college and going on mission trips to Europe. To me, these missing details are the most important part of his story. I wanted to know exactly the steps he took from living on the streets to obtaining a university degree, but that part of things was glossed over.
The book is not a biography, though, but rather filled with pointers on how to achieve a positive mental state that can open doors to success. The author references experts in several fields, and I especially enjoyed the asides about Ben Franklin. The tips he gives are sound, as well, showing how all transformations begin in our minds, and how an idea can be brought to fruition. Without once being preachy, he explains that there are no magical formulas for success, but rather how the right attitude can help bring it about.
Though I would have liked to read more in-depth information on how the author pulled off his personal transformation, this was a decent read with good, sound suggestions that could be followed no matter what type of personality is involved, and I can think of several people to whom I will recommend it.
If there is anything lacking in this book, it is more of his back story. The book began with the author flashing back to his illustrious past, but rather than taking us through the steps he followed to transform himself, the story jumps from his lifestyle of stealing and selling drugs to suddenly attending college and going on mission trips to Europe. To me, these missing details are the most important part of his story. I wanted to know exactly the steps he took from living on the streets to obtaining a university degree, but that part of things was glossed over.
The book is not a biography, though, but rather filled with pointers on how to achieve a positive mental state that can open doors to success. The author references experts in several fields, and I especially enjoyed the asides about Ben Franklin. The tips he gives are sound, as well, showing how all transformations begin in our minds, and how an idea can be brought to fruition. Without once being preachy, he explains that there are no magical formulas for success, but rather how the right attitude can help bring it about.
Though I would have liked to read more in-depth information on how the author pulled off his personal transformation, this was a decent read with good, sound suggestions that could be followed no matter what type of personality is involved, and I can think of several people to whom I will recommend it.
April 15, 2010
A Standout, April 14, 2010
By Laurel
This review is from: The Imposter - How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life (Paperback)
I read a lot of self-improvement books, not because I'm ambitious or work in a challenging field, but because I had a weird upbringing and have a lot of physical problems, so I have to use the best possible techniques of success and efficiency in order to function in a relatively normal way.
I was happy to take advantage of the chance to read "The Impostor" because it sounded like just the sort of book I like, along with adding a new twist to the category -- being written by someone who became successful after a very troubled youth.
The book opens with the author at a swanky private club, about to receive an award for exemplary work. Kip contrasts the luxurious surroundings with memories of his violent, impoverished childhood. Yet on the way to the club, a colleague declared that it was impossible for people to change. Really? How could he be here, then?
There are seven chapters, each one based on a principle which Kip both demonstrates through his own life, and explains how to implement in your situation. Some of the principles aren't especially ground-breaking, but even familiar ideas like "By changing what you believe, you change who you are" (Chapter 3) are presented with vigor and fresh insight, making them compelling.
Some of the ideas were even new to me, and will be extremely helpful.
Overall, "The Impostor" is touching, honest, and inspiring, while being very practical. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. Even if, for some strange reason, you're not particularly interested in the self-improvement aspects, the memoir portions were fascinating. Really, I had no idea the issues facing an up-and-coming young drug dealer, nor what an overdose might feel like!
March 7, 2010
From an early age, Kip Kreiling stole from his family, set fires, was arrested, and ended up in juvenile detention centers. He spent time in group homes, street shelters and living with foster families and, between the ages of 11 and 26, moved 34 times among these facilities. By the time he was 16, he had been arrested 13 times and was a drug dealer and small-time crime operator. His mother was told by a counselor that Kip would most likely spend most of his life in prison and to let go of her son. So, how did Kip go from this traumatic, damaging lifestyle to obtaining a master’s degree in business and working for companies highly regarded in the business world? The author explains his eight principles of transformation in this insightful, moving book.
This isn’t your typical self-help book heaped with platitudes and banal statistics. The author uses his life story as an exemplar as he explains the principles he utilized to transform his life. His story is intriguing and the historical anecdotes he presents interesting and on-point as he takes his reader on his journey toward changing negative behavior to positive in an effort to lead a better, more productive life. His plan doesn’t limit itself to those dealing with addiction but reaches out to everyone. Even those who may feel their lives don’t need changing or improving will benefit from reading this book. Its positive format and didactic message are uplifting and eye-opening and truly inspiring.
This isn’t your typical self-help book heaped with platitudes and banal statistics. The author uses his life story as an exemplar as he explains the principles he utilized to transform his life. His story is intriguing and the historical anecdotes he presents interesting and on-point as he takes his reader on his journey toward changing negative behavior to positive in an effort to lead a better, more productive life. His plan doesn’t limit itself to those dealing with addiction but reaches out to everyone. Even those who may feel their lives don’t need changing or improving will benefit from reading this book. Its positive format and didactic message are uplifting and eye-opening and truly inspiring.
February 21, 2010
More than a memoir, and certainly much more than one more tragic childhood story, Kip Kreiling's "The Imposter - How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life" resonates with sound, well-researched principles that can guide and transform your life.
His childhood and adolescence predicted an alarming and probably short future, but one day, he had what he calls a "spiritual awakening." But it's not so simple. It isn't as though he simply turned things around. Like most growth, there were spurts forward and then backward, and in this process, he began thinking about what it would take to change his life.
His views include such ideas as "burning boats," "mind to muscle to metamorphosis," "the fire precedes the bloom," and "reality slicing."
In other words, some things have to be cast aside, while new ideas and new ways of perceiving our lives have to take the place of the old ideas.
His emphasis on choosing positives reinforced all that I have learned so far...you really cannot ever make positive changes if you dwell on the negatives.
This is a fascinating journey, and it is one that I'm sure many readers will sign on to join. Five stars.
His childhood and adolescence predicted an alarming and probably short future, but one day, he had what he calls a "spiritual awakening." But it's not so simple. It isn't as though he simply turned things around. Like most growth, there were spurts forward and then backward, and in this process, he began thinking about what it would take to change his life.
His views include such ideas as "burning boats," "mind to muscle to metamorphosis," "the fire precedes the bloom," and "reality slicing."
In other words, some things have to be cast aside, while new ideas and new ways of perceiving our lives have to take the place of the old ideas.
His emphasis on choosing positives reinforced all that I have learned so far...you really cannot ever make positive changes if you dwell on the negatives.
This is a fascinating journey, and it is one that I'm sure many readers will sign on to join. Five stars.
January 12, 2010
At the beginning of the book, Mr. Kreiling was told by a person that people don’t change. Yet Mr. Kreiling is proof that people do and can change. I liked that Mr. Kreiling shared how he turned his life around and made The Imposter not really about his memoir but more of a guide on how to change and become a better person like he did. Each chapter focuses on different points that are important to changing your life. It does start a lot with the mental aspect.
All of the advice Mr. Kreiling shared in this book was useful and easy to read. I found it interesting how Mr. Kreiling not just shared how his tips helped him but even how you can identify the information in this book with famous people. One example found in Chapter Seven titled: Tragedy at the Altar talks about the relationship between President Abraham Lincoln and Edwin M. Stanton. The Imposter is a feel good book. I congratulate Mr. Kreiling on his current success and future endeavors. He has come a long way from being the young boy who was almost destined to spend the rest of his life in prison.
All of the advice Mr. Kreiling shared in this book was useful and easy to read. I found it interesting how Mr. Kreiling not just shared how his tips helped him but even how you can identify the information in this book with famous people. One example found in Chapter Seven titled: Tragedy at the Altar talks about the relationship between President Abraham Lincoln and Edwin M. Stanton. The Imposter is a feel good book. I congratulate Mr. Kreiling on his current success and future endeavors. He has come a long way from being the young boy who was almost destined to spend the rest of his life in prison.
August 8, 2011
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 in a book that jumps around a lot, not only in chronology, but in its thematic structure. I think this book could have benefited from better editing.
Regardless of its editing problems, this is a book that actually makes you pause, think and internalize its message. The book, and its message, was actually inspiring and I quite liked it. So, if you can look past the way it is structured, and its editing, and focus on its message, you will be pleasantly surprised.
*I received this book free from the author for the purposes of a review.
The main issue with this book is that it alternates between memoir and a semi-self-help book. This results in a book that jumps around a lot, not only in chronology, but in its thematic structure. I think this book could have benefited from better editing.
Regardless of its editing problems, this is a book that actually makes you pause, think and internalize its message. The book, and its message, was actually inspiring and I quite liked it. So, if you can look past the way it is structured, and its editing, and focus on its message, you will be pleasantly surprised.
*I received this book free from the author for the purposes of a review.
February 24, 2010
This book has good intentions and plenty of energy. The author really does come across as sincere in his desire to pass along some tips for success in life, but it would have been helpful to read a few more details of just how he managed to succeed at the businesses where he worked as he turned himself around. We get plenty of details of his past indiscretions, but scanty details on the mechanics of his success. However, what really holds me back from giving the book more stars is the production. This book desperately needs a thorough editing job -- there are just too many gaffes. It is an interesting, and at times inspiring story that deserves a more inspiring presentation. Ultimately, it is hard to believe that someone so successful as the author could not muster the editorial and publishing resources to have his story presented in a more professional manner.
January 27, 2011
I have to say that I didn't totally read it. I heavily skimmed. It is a great story to tell, which is why it has two stars instead of one, and I'm glad he tried to tell his story. It wasn't cohesive for me and was written in a way that I couldn't keep my head in it. It jumped around a lot from being a Memoir, to giving advice to help others, to other themes. So I'd 'get the gist' of the next several pages and skim on. With some better editing it could be a great story of triumph, hope and survival for struggling teenagers and parents of struggling teenagers to gain hope from.
I think it may be self-published.
However, I know others have really enjoyed it a lot and learned and gained a lot from it. So maybe I just read it at the wrong time and couldn't stay focused and wrap my head around all the jumping.
I think it may be self-published.
However, I know others have really enjoyed it a lot and learned and gained a lot from it. So maybe I just read it at the wrong time and couldn't stay focused and wrap my head around all the jumping.
January 25, 2011
This was a great book, (even with a few typos--self published)
It is an incredible story of our power to create true change in our life.
He teaches some profound principles, though familiar, presented in a fresh way and
supported by his fascinating life experiences. I'm so impressed by the
circumstances he overcame, and could see the Love of God working in his life.
This validates not only the great worth of each soul, but also the
unlimited potential each of us has to change, even when the odds are
stacked heavily against us.
It is an incredible story of our power to create true change in our life.
He teaches some profound principles, though familiar, presented in a fresh way and
supported by his fascinating life experiences. I'm so impressed by the
circumstances he overcame, and could see the Love of God working in his life.
This validates not only the great worth of each soul, but also the
unlimited potential each of us has to change, even when the odds are
stacked heavily against us.
March 26, 2010
A book with potential to guide real change in the reader, but it desperately needed a good editor. The biography side was at times intense, heartbreaking and inspiring while the motivational aspects were thought-provoking.
December 13, 2010
I enjoyed the book. There was a part in the middle that I kind of got lost and lost my attention, but when I came back and read the rest, I really enjoyed it. I hope those I know and love can find that much success and joy in life and overcome their own challenges!
September 7, 2011
Although not the best written book I've read, I really enjoyed the message of this book that people can change and become better people. Kip had a very rough childhood and youth and was a criminal, but he transformed himself into a good man.
March 2, 2010
This book had some good lessons about how a life can change. I recommended it to one of my students at the school where I work. Easy read and enjoyable.
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