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the books – smells like content
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What are some books that teens should read before the age of 21?
My plan is to grow with a good head on my shoulders and I think that books are the key. I like books with meaning, but are not we all? I need books on love, friendship, hope, family, life, happiness, the soul, knowledge, etc, etc. I was thirteen, and I read everything. Any books with good lessons, and are evident only breath taking? Thanks!
I think these books are absolutely perfect for you, are just what you're looking for, and are classics so they are the things I think everyone should read: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Emma by Jane Austen Persuasion Jane Austen Sense and Jane Austen Sensiblity Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte "Jane Eyre by Bronte Charlottle Trust me you'll love them! They have all the qualities I have mentioned and they are timeless and loved by so many people! I could read them all several times and never get tired of them. All are good lessons and are just having normal breathing!
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the books – smells like content
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Larry Tye is the author of the book Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend. The book is published by Random House and is currently available in hardcover or Kindle versions.
One of the immediate challenges Larry faced when writing this book was quantifying the accomplishments of Satchel Paige, especially since record keeping and historical information was not as diligently kept in that era.
He did some painstaking analysis attempting to determine the total number of games that Satchel pitched, so he chose the major league record holder Jesse Orosco as a comparison. Orosco appeared in 1252 games, and as Larry explains, that accomplishment generally occurred between April and October. Satchel pitched “from April to April” and based upon his legendary status was expected to appear in any game that his team was scheduled to play. Based upon his research, Larry has determined Satchel appeared in approximately 2500 games.
Larry also came to the conclusion that the claims that Satchel made regarding wins, shutouts, no-hitters.. all of the big pitching categories.. would have set or broken major league records, had he not been excluded from playing there until the end of his career.
Satchel understood that the great white players such as Joe DiMaggio for example, received treatment from others that would help propel their star status and legendary accomplishments. He knew if he was going to ensure his own legacy, he would need to do that self promotion himself. In a way, it’s as if Satchel Paige understood in this early era the importance of having a personal brand. He even contributed to discrepancies about his age in order to make his accomplishments more extraordinary. We hear that one of the greatest mysteries of the 30’s and 40’s was the true age of Satchel Paige!
One of the most interesting parts of the book revolves around a comparison of Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige, regarding interactions with baseball fans. Larry comes to the brilliant conclusion that although Babe Ruth was a great ambassador for the game and was adored by every fan of the day, Satchel had the daunting task of achieving that same status, while overcoming the incredible prejudices that white America had for black players, and black human beings in general. So without diminishing the following of Ruth, Satchel did something even more extraordinary.
During the time leading up to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier for Branch Rickey, it was Satchel Paige who attracted the attention of the media and fans to the Negro Leagues. He was the one who made the effort to demonstrate the skill of the ballplayers in the league, and he would take credit for getting a backup second baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs in front of Branch Rickey in the first place. Rickey made the choice of Robinson for a number of reasons including personality, age, willingness to play in the minor leagues, and an understanding that he would have to turn the other cheek to the challenges that would be heaped upon him.
We finish the podcast with Larry telling us the great tale about Satchel’s last appearance pitching for the Kansas City A’s, owned by the great Charlie O. Finley. Satchel was 59 years, 2 months and 8 days old at the time. Finley set up a rocking chair near the bullpen and hired a nurse to rub up Satchel’s arm. He came into the game to pitch three innings, and included in this moment is the fact that Carl Yastrzemski was the last to get a hit off of him. It completed the great family accomplishment in which Yaz and his Dad both got a hit off of Paige, as Carl Sr. had played against him in a semi-pro league on Long Island.
Although there might have been some sense of exploitation with this event, Satchel did what he wanted to do, which was get a paycheck from Charlie Finley and play the game that he loved!
The books is called Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend. The author is Larry Tye.
the books – smells like content
Books are necessary in a child’s life. Books are introduced in the life of a child early in life to encourage the child to develop a good reading culture since there are different levels of learning that takes place through reading books. Children literature is very simple and easy to understand basing on the level of brain development and concentration they have.
There are different types of books suitable for the different ages of children. The books written for children use languages and animations like cartoons and pictures to help the content of the articles memorable as they read. The books are always accompanied with colorful drawings and art work that interest children. Children between the ages of four and eight have books that have fewer words and more pictures. As they grow this is reduced and the words are increased. The titles are also interesting and their covers given good colors to encourage the kids to want to read.
When shopping for books for your children, it is advisable to shop with them and allow them to choose the books they want unless they have been requested by the teachers. This will encourage them to read the books they chose. You can look at the best books on the Internet and check whether they are available in your stores. There are books that can be found online to ensure your child gets the books that are necessary for their growth. Read along with the young kids and guide the ones who can read on their own. The story books are the children’s best books followed by fiction and magic, games and activity books, and the schools books. Develop the child’s reading culture early and be an example to them by reading your own books or their books together. Create a friendly environment for reading by reducing noise, having enough books for the children to read and encouraging them to read.
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“Your Money Milestones: A Guide To Making The 9 Most Important Financial Decisions Of Your Life” by Moshe A. Milevsky, PH.D. is not like so many of the personal finance books you find. Milevsky states that he deliberately didn’t include the common, and he says tiresome, financial advice you find in so many other places. Advice such as “buy low and sell high” or “live within your financial means.” Nor does he include “buy term insurance and invest the difference” or “buy stocks for the long run.” He also omits “keep an emergency reserve of three month’s salary” and “education pays.” Those topics are NOT what this book is about.
I’ve read many books on personal finance, and I’ve seen all the above numerous times. Milevsky’s “Your Money Milestones” really is different from most of the finance books I’ve seen. Milevsky does have a PH.D. and he’s a university professor. At times that does come through in this book. It reads a bit like an academic text in some parts. This is especially true when using his four guiding principles that are based on addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.
The book has nice main chapters that focus on nine money milestones in a person’s life. Milevsky himself says the number 9 is debatable and subjective. A person may have only 7 or maybe 12 important financial milestones during a lifetime. Milvesky says don’t quibble about this number. He decided to write about these nine, and that’s what the book is about.
The nine milestones the books focuses on are:
1. Is the long term value of an education worth the short-term cost? Interesting chapter on human capital and how investing in it pays off.
2. What is the point of saving money forever? This chapter discusses smoothing consumption and income.
3. How much debt is too much and how much is too little? The chapter does not tell you to get out of debt, but rather discusses optimal debt management strategies.
4. Are kids investments and can marriages diversity? The chapter looks at a couple of family matters in relation to money.
5. Government tax authorities: partners, adversaries, or bazaar merchants? My favorite chapter. His advice about the looking at the after-tax basis needs to be looked at more than people do, and I agree that we want to make sure our perpetual tax partner (the government) doesn’t get more than their fair share of our hard earned cash.
6. Can you eat your house or will it ever pay dividends? Buying a house is often one of the biggest financial decisions for most families. Here are some things to think about that aren’t taught in many books.
7. Insurance salesmen and warranty peddlers: are they smooth enough? Good advice on insurance and warranties. Story of the salesman trying to sell him a boat policy when he didn’t have a boat made me chuckle, because I’ve seen similar examples.
8. Portfolio construction: what asset class do you belong to? A few things to think about when investing.
9. Retirement: when is it time to shutter the well and close the mine? Pensions and annuities for your later years are an important consideration.
Each chapter has a short summary of how the mathematical principles apply to the concepts in that chapter. Sometimes I felt it was a bit forced to fit into this model. I’m betting if you love math, you’ll connect with the principles. If you hate mate, you won’t care for them so much.
What I really like about this book is that it looks at some very important money matters differently from most of the financial books on the shelves. Money and our finances are important. It is a major part of all of our lives, some more than others, but important to all. This book makes you look at some of your biggest financial decisions in a different way, and that thinking is extremely important. You don’t have to agree with everything he writes or suggests. But thinking about the topics and issues he raises will be more than just an academic exercise. I believe reading this book and thinking about the concepts Milevsky presents will enable you to make better financial decisions when you reach those milestones in your life.
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Book Review for: “Babies in the Bargain”
- Written by: Mona Risk
- Wild Rose Press
- ISBN: 1-60154-514-2
- 204 pages
- Print/Ebook
- 4 Stars
Reviewer: Steph Burkhart
Risk pens a solid character driven story that will tug on the heartstrings with “Babies in the Bargain.” A contemporary romance set in Washington, D.C., “Babies in the Bargain,” heroine, Dr. Holly Collier, has a tough schedule to maintain, but when Dr. Marc Suarez comes back into her life, Holly’s schedule, and her heart, are challenged in more ways than one.
Dr. Holly Collier has one more year left in her neonatology training before she has to take her exams. She very dedicated to her young patients, but her world becomes unsettled when an old flame, Dr. Marc Suarez is hired as an anesthesiologist. Holly and Marc had a budding relationship seven years prior, but when he traveled to Puerto Rico to help his family, the relationship fell apart.
Marc is thrilled to see Holly again, but doesn’t understand why she’s so aloof. Tragedy brings them together when Marc’s brother, Carlos, and Carlos’s wife, Lydia, are killed in a traffic accident, leaving behind a baby son. Marc is devastated and vows to raise the young boy, who he names Paulito. Holly, moved by what has happened to Marc, reaches out to him. Marc and Holly draw closer as Holly cares for Paulito when Marc takes his brother back to Puerto Rico for his funeral.
Holly is impressed with Marc’s efforts to take care of the baby. When Marc spontaneously asks Holly to move in with him, Holly agrees, but dare she give the dashing doctor, and her heart, another chance at love?
Risk’s writing is easy to read and engages the reader right away. The plot flows well and there’s never a dull moment.Risk uses a good economy of words to give the reader vivid descriptions of Marc and Holly’s world, making it easy for the reader to picture the book’s setting.
Marc and Holly are complex characters that are a joy to watch grow. Holly’s dedication to her medical career is admirable, but it’s rewarding to watch her grow in compassion and love as she cares for Paulito. Marc is a nice guy who is put in a tough situation. It’s heartwarming to see how he steps up to care for his nephew. As Marc comes to trust Holly, it’s nice to see him confide his problems to her. “Babies in the Bargain” is sophisticated for romance readers. The love scene is sensual and tasteful. Overall, the story is one that will leave the reader believing in the power of true love.
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…..—–>??? books
THEAM what is the main plot of these books: Code Orange by Caroline B. Conney scorpion hosue nancy by the farmer by Petterson Haddix turnabou Margret is also diffrenct between plot and theme??
The plot concerns the plot. The incidents in the book of engaging characters. The broad theme is the idea of history. Ideas that the author is trying to convey.
Sophie’s World is one of the most unique novels I have ever read in my life, and I am proud to say I own both the hardcover and softcover versions of the book as well as Jostein Gaarder’s other works.
Sophie’s World will provide readers with not only an intriguing fictional plot, but a history lesson on philosophy as well.
Prior to Sophie Amundsen’s fifteenth birthday, she receives a mysterious letter in the mail from one Alberto Knox, a friendly philosopher who begins to educate Sophie on the history of philosophy dating back to Socrates and working its way up to the present time. As Mr. Knox teaches Sophie about philosophers throughout time, Sophie soon begins to receive other strange letters written between another teenager named Hilde Moller Knag and her father Albert. A complicated mystery arises from the exchanges of all these letters between the novel’s characters, and creates a fantasy-like, Alice-in-Wonderland-type feel.
This novel is a great substitute for a boring philosophy textbook, which in my opinion is a dry subject to begin with. Sophie’s World is probably the best way to learn about philosophy! Even more redeeming is the fictional portion of the novel, so although readers may grow bored and want to skip over the philosophy lesson bits, you’ll still find yourself being pulled in enough to finish the entire lengthy book.
Personally I thought the philosophy lessons were tiresome, but Jostein Gaarder paints such a beautiful picture and story that Sophie’s World truly is compelling.
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Edward R. Rogaishio writes a collection of poems, stories and thoughts in a rather unconventional genre in “Midnight to Infinity, The Humor and History of a Mischievous Artist.” Part auto-biography, part poetry, part diary, part philosophy, his voice is universally human. A sensitive, caring, loving man, with a depth of life experiences and an intrinsic appreciation of nature and beauty, Edward R. Rogaishio takes the reader into his world. A world that occupies his mind at times during the twilight of an evening when his body is tired but his thoughts are too stimulating to succumb to fatigue. A time when the unhurried events of his daily schedule allow for the freedom of his cognitive adventurism; boundless journeys into the past and ponderance of his future. A time when he is touched by his family, his ancestors, and friends – enjoying the reunions and fanciful exchanges in his mind. He thinks in a dimension where his words are often put into a literary pentameter with clever associations and rhymes – a wordsmith’s factory with thoughts going in and poetry being extruded. All this, and more, make up a robust 300 page diversity of humor and history, from indeed the mind of an artist.
Ed is a mensch, a real person with an undeniably spirited love of life. His narratives captivated me, especially his observations while traveling behind the Iron Curtain on goodwill missions of cultural exchange. Having my own personal heritage stem from Lithuania and Russia, and understanding much of the history, he shed an immense amount of clarity to my own understanding my ancestor’s plight.
If you think of his stories as a picture frame, then his poetry is his art, making his book become a masterpiece. A work of art that adorns a home library rather than a wall. Besides being an accomplished painter of which his cover abstract art of blue and white waves illustrates, Edward R. Rogaishio’s poetry has an illuminating and uplifting theme to most of it. Oddly whimsical, in a way reminiscent of the work by Ogden Nash, his poems take on clever and quite unpredictable prose, at times teasing the reader as to thinking what possibly could be his next line.
So when you consider the sheer volume of his epic quality poetry, his heart-felt stories, his observant narratives and add in a score of photographs and illustrations, you get a book – a unique book – a book of a life, the life of what all will call “a friend” once having read. To Mr. Rogaishio, I toast you with a glass of Stolichnaya in my left hand, and with my right hand pointer-finger snapping my lower jawbone down by the base of my ear by my neck, and I salute you with a Nazdarovia.
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Everyone is talking about the new HBO miniseries The Pacific. While it is well scripted, brilliantly performed, and visually realistic, what really has critics’ attention is its jumbled storyline. Herein, they say, lies the series’ real strength. So why is it that when we have no overarching narrative, we get bad marks in creative writing, but when Tom Hanks does it, he gets his own miniseries?
Historically, war stories have been told from a zoomed-out perspective that focuses on major events and overall movements. This is a tidy, logical, and totally misleading way of representing war. Just ask any veteran. With time, however, war stories have become increasingly fragmented, switching from the historian’s perspective to the combatant’s. With this trend comes a heightened awareness of – and ambiguity toward – the morality of individual actions during war.
With technological developments immensely increasing our capacity for destruction, the last century has forever changed the way the world looks at combat. WWI started with the assassination of one man and spiraled out of control into a thirty/plus-nation massacre. WWII had an unprecedented fifty million civilian casualties – many of whom were not simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s no wonder that the way war stories are told increasingly reflects a frustrated, absurdist point of view.
Joseph Heller’s 1961 novel, Catch-22, is one of the finest examples of war satire. It follows – if you can justify using that word – a Captain Yossarian, who is hell-bent on getting out of fighting in WWII because he thinks “every one of them” is trying to kill him. Every one of whom? Them. His dream is to get discharged on grounds of insanity, but obviously he can’t request to leave outright. After all, only sane people would want to stop fighting, which means the only people qualified to leave are the ones who want to be there in the first place. Now you see why the novel coined the term “catch-22″.
Heller’s novel is filled with enough circular reasoning to give Lewis Carroll a run for his money. If the idiocy of the plot itself isn’t enough to drive the point home, the plot structure certainly will: its forty-two chapters shuffle through time unannounced and incessantly, leaving us readers just as disoriented as the soldiers themselves. Mercifully, Catch-22 is hilarious, which seems to suggest that sometimes, there’s really nothing you can do but laugh.
Another WWII novel in this vein is Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, which he published in 1969 based on his experience as a prisoner of war during the Allied bombing of Dresden. Its protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, is an optometrist who is woefully unprepared for the war. At one point, he is saved from extremely friendly fire by the fortuitous arrival of German soldiers, who take him and his would-be assassin prisoner. Because they are locked safely away in a Dresden slaughterhouse, Billy and the other prisoners miraculously survive the demolition of the city.
If this all sounds unsatisfactorily straightforward to you, you’ll be happy to hear that Billy is also involuntarily time-tripping between different moments in his life, taking you, the reader, along for the ride. Among these moments is his future life as an abductee on the planet Tralfamadore, where he lives in captivity with another abductee, also from Earth, who happens to be a female porn star. Living with the Tralfamadorians teaches Billy that because there’s no such thing as linear time, there’s also no free will, which keeps Billy from getting too worked up about the whole thing.
So, the next time you sit down to watch a dizzying installment of The Pacific, keep in mind that it’s books like Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse-Five that inspired its unusual piecemeal structure. After all, who wants to stay focused on the big picture when there doesn’t seem to be one.
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Dr. Simeon, the first man to use and promote HCG for weight loss, provides a detailed diet protocol you are supposed to strictly adhere to if you want to eliminate excess weight at a rate of one to two pounds a day. The original diet guide is found in his book entitled “Pounds and Inches”. The book serves as a sort of master blueprint for people wishing to lose weight. Any deviation can cancel out whatever you have achieved and can even set you back to square one.
The diet strictly limits calorie intake to not more than 500 a day. The original daily menu as formulated by the Doctor will definitely present a lot of difficulties for dieters. For breakfast they are not supposed to take in any solids. Coffee or tea without sugar and only one tbsp of milk allowed within 24 hours period. For lunch there is 100 grams of meat stripped of all traces of fat, or fish (with exception), one type of vegetable, fruit and one stick of bread. You cannot do anything with the meat and fish but broil or grill. You are to have the same food as you had for lunch but you can have some variety by choosing other kinds of meats, fishes, vegetables or fruits.
The prescribed diet is enough to make dieters, who must be used to stuffing themselves full with all sorts of foods, cry contemplating the hunger fangs they are sure to experience. It’s the good thing the diet guide provided in the book included a three day load- up period. During which is set to start simultaneous with the first daily HCG ingestion, dieters are allowed to eat -calorie rich foods – as much as they can. The purpose obviously is to lessen the hunger fangs during the diet period proper and stock up on energy-boosting fats in preparation for calorie starved days.
The book “Pounds and Inches” also describes diet phases. There are two, not counting the load-up period; the 500 calorie a day diet to last 72 hours after the last HCG ingestion and the maintenance period. In the latter, some starch and fats are gradually introduced in the diet but under close supervision. Just about all kinds of foods are permitted except for fast foods and heavily processed foods.
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Mark Twain
My book review is on Mark Twain Social Critic by Philip S. Foner, published by International Publishers in 1958, and has 440 pages. This book is meant to bring Twain’s thoughts and ideas together and present them into book form to give everyone an idea of what Mark Twain thought and felt about the time he had lived in. Mr. Foner examines Mark Twain’s thinking on a number of issues, including his views on society, politics, and religion. In this book, after doing much research on Mark Twain, Foner has attempted to show why Twain felt the way he did and where some of his ideas possibly came from. Hopefully, this book review will show why and how Twain fits into the broad spectrum of American ideas through his thoughts on society, politics, and the religious principles of America during the late 1800’s.
Twain’s view on religion was shaped by his parents and other relatives, including his uncle, John Quarles. Quarles was a Universalist – “a believer in the doctrine that all mankind will be saved and not only the elect; that truth and righteousness are controlling powers in the universe, and that Good must therefore triumph over Evil.(165)” Twain’s mother was a Presbyterian, while his father had no use for church, yet even his mother was somewhat liberal in her thinking. According to Foner, Twain was also exposed to Deism when he read The Age of Reason as a cub pilot on the Mississippi, and this must have unsettled Twain’s wavering Presbyterianism. (170) Twain thought a lot of Christians were hypocrites, especially wealthy Christians, because they seemed to worship profit and also wanted to be considered good Christians at the same time. Twain called Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, Connecticut, the “Church of the Holy Speculators” because of the conduct of its wealthy pew holders. (180) Foner also says that Twain thought John D. Rockefeller was just as hypocritical because Rockefeller was saying that God gave him the money because he extracted it from his competitors. Foner writes that Twain wrote an unpublished comment in “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” which is, “There are Christian Private Morals, but there are no Christian Public Morals,” Twain wanted people to “throw away their public morals and use none but their private ones henceforth in all their activities. (185)” Foner thinks Twain wanted people to discard conventional faith and make one to help civilization, to quit being blinded by traditional theology. Twain seemed to be disgusted by the clergy who exalted imperialism and tried to justify their support of imperialistic ideas. Twain wrote, “If Christ were here now, there is one thing he would not be – a Christian. (20 0)” Foner claims Twain wasn’t an atheist, which I would a gree with, but, I think Twain was hoping for humans to become better than their natures, but was constantly disappointed by some Christians lack of ethics.
As for politics, Twain lived during a period of history in which the United States had fought a Civil War, then had to deal with Robber Barons and Imperialism. Twain worked for a Senator in 1868 and was disgusted by the elected helping big businesses destroy independent small business. Twain writes, “The government of my country shuns honest simplicity, but fondles artistic villainry; and I think I might have developed into a very capable pickpocket if I had remained in public office a year or two. (86)” Twain saw men like Jay Gould, James G. Blaine, and William Tweed manipulate or outright rob Americans of the money entrusted to them by bribing others and making sure they never got caught being corrupt. Foner says that Twain used the power of satire to communicate his feelings to the people and arouse them to action. Mark Twain was so disgusted with people who used their wealth just for themselves, that he and Charles Dudley Warner wrote The Gilded Age in 1873 . Foner thinks the two men wrote it to portray American realities during President Grant’s administration that was being served as an agency for the Robber Barons and they thought no other contemporary novelists were portraying America realistically. (92) In 1876, even though Twain was disgusted with both political parties, he campaigned for Rutherford B, Hayes who called for an end of corruption through civil service reform. Twain was on the Republican bandwagon until James G. Blaine became the Republican Presidential candidate in 1884, so Twain supported the Democrat, Grover Cleveland. This was only because Twain was against Blaine more than he was for Cleveland. Twain was never for party allegiance, he upheld his belief in political independence and thought Americans should keep their principles no matter what, even if that meant voting for someone outside their party. As for imperialism, Twain criticized how the United States acquired Hawaii though American busines s ventures to keep Europe from getting a foothold there, and he argue d, “The property as got to fall to some heir, and why not the United States? (311)” During the Spanish-American War in 1898, Twain supported American intervention in Cuba, but criticized the war in the Philippines as a war of conquest. Twain concluded this, says Foner, by reading the Treaty of Paris and being convinced the war for humanity had become a war for conquest. (332) Twain was convinced imperialism would destroy the nations’ democratic heritage and the United States would become a dictatorship of wealth. (392) Foner shows how Twain was influenced by the politics of his day and how much it affected Twain’s writings. If Twain were alive today, he would probably make some of the same arguments.
As for American society, Twain was for the equal rights of women, and for the creation of labor unions. Twain had heard Anna Dickinson, a woman’s rights lecturer in early 1867, but wasn’t converted to her cause because “she used arguments that would not stand analysis. (116)” Later that year, Twain began to support female suffrage, especially since he was friends with a staunch suffragette, Isabella Hooker Beecher. Twain, Foner says, concedes that justice was on the woman’s side and they deserved to get the vote. As for workers, Twain thought they had a right to leisure and enjoyment of life, but it would take force to get results and until the worker was organized was when they would get results from the power arrayed against them. (216) Twain followed the Knights of Labor and when they won a victory over railroad tycoon Jay Gould in 1885, Twain “hailed it as a triumph for all who believed in democracy. (219)” Everyone else viewed the Knights as socialists and a menace, but Twain felt labor unions were a good thing and would replace rule by capitalists. Eventually, Twain thought the government should take industries out of private hands and operate them for the good of the people, which was an influence by William Dean Howells, who had become a socialist. According to Foner, Twain did not believe that socialism would remedy the crimes of capitalism, he thought organized labor was the way to remedy problems, and said of the working class, “They are the creators of wealth; they build civilization; and without them no civilization can be built. (236)” I think Twain was probably ahead of his time when it came to the rights of women, but without some money backing up the worker, the worker wouldn’t be able to build civilization, and the business wouldn’t survive with either.
In conclusion, Philip Foner wrote a solid book about Mark Twain being a social critic. The book was filled with many ideas and thoughts about civilization that Mark Twain held. Reading this book helped me to see how and why Mark Twain developed some of his beliefs and how it affected some of the books he wrote. For those who would like to know why Mark Twain was critical of the times he lived in, then Mark Twain Social Critic is something you should read.
Bibliography
Foner, Philip S. Mark Twain Social Critic. New York: International Publishers, 1958, 1966.
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Hope for Healing – for Victims of Autism
“Defying Autism” is the story of the journey of the Cunningham family. It is an account of the day to day struggles and heartache of caring for their son James in his fight against the disease of autism. James was formally diagnosed “classically autistic” after months of frustration throughout a downward curve in his learning skills. The diagnosis devastated his parents Tom and Karen Cunningham.
In her narrative Karen compares their story to a season of life. The story chronicles the early days of their marriage, the joy seeing baby James develop, and the events leading up to the diagnosis. Each chapter details another season in the development in the life of their son James and through the subsequent struggles they faced as parents and caregivers.
Chapter titles include: “The Santa Ana Winds,” “Tornado Watch, “Possible Flooding,” and “Tsunami.” Karen kept looking for a rainbow of hope. She talks about navigating through the fog, working through state agencies, CPS caseworkers, and the discovery of the Gospel Revelation Ministry.
Karen subtitled the book “A Miraculous Story of Hope.” Although few deny the ability of God to heal with miraculous power, many will struggle with the concept of healing as a result of the doctrines of demons and exorcism. “Defying Autism” testifies of James being miraculously freed from the disease and bondage of autism.
The flow of the narrative is gripping. I appreciated Karen’s transparency in revealing her emotions, fears, doubts, and her vulnerability which allows the reader to empathize and identify with her personal anguish.
“Defying Autism: A Miraculous Story of Hope” is written to help and encourage others struggling, hoping, and believing for a miraculous healing.
Creation House, 978-1599796284
As Reviewed for Midwest Book Review.
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Three Mistakes of Life, portrays the life of three friends in Ahmedabad. The story is an amalgamation of political outburst, riots and unacceptable love of the protagonist with his friend’s sister. Though in this novel Chetan revealed about a situation existing in Gujarat, he could not depict actual happenings and this is where he couldn’t attract the full attention of his admirer. The book however did nothing in comparison to the first one.
Two States: a story bringing to light his marriage with Anjali. Two State is an actual story of any intercaste love affair. The happiness in being with each other and then the pain on departing is very intensely mentioned and described by him. He clearly acknowledges that true love is sure to win everybody’s heart though lately. In this book their intimate relationship has been put into words with such flow of passions that it did not appear malicious while reading. In fact the novel was not only inflated but admired by the masses.
In each of his books Chetan Bhagat has tried to give something new to his readers. Sometimes he was successful whereas sometimes he could not meet their expectations. However, he still remains the lovable writer of the generation. If the readers have keenly noticed,all his books bear a number. The main reason could be his career as a banker, hence all expect his upcoming book to have the number 4.
There are number of bookstores that provide works of Chetan Bhagat. Coralhub.com is one of them and promises quality in its services.
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I really love this article, because it records my first real step in becoming a consciously sustainable person. I don’t mean becoming eco-friendly or environmentally conscious or any other nebulous phrase that suggests some effort at environmental awareness without really being concrete enough to define a measurable standard.
I have taken tentative steps before, but now that I have done my research, I know what true sustainability is, I know that is our highest goal, and I know how to get it done. I chose to start this journey to full sustainability by starting to become a producer. Yes, of course I will still consume, and for right now there a lot of holes in my game, but I am becoming a producer as well, and it feels pretty damn good.
I bought All New Square Foot Gardening because I had heard good things about it, and I wanted to start growing my own fruits and vegetables with the least amount of hassle. I happen to know that hydroponics is the most efficient way to grow anything, but it is a pretty complicated place to start. Square Foot Gardening seemed to be a good simple solution from the outside looking in. But would it deliver?
After reading it and buying the materials for starting my own square foot garden, I have to say it truly does provide a very easy way to start growing your own food. Among the many fantastic things about this method is that it can be done in any living setting, even an apartment balcony. I strongly recommend this book to people like me who do not want to deal with the hassle of gardening. The author Mel Bartholomew provides a step by step process for building your planter box, mixing the perfect soil, planting, growing and harvesting. No fertilizers. No pesticides. It is good stuff.
It took me less than a week to read the book, purchase the materials, put the box together, mix the soil and plant my veggies. The author does not mention costs, so I am going to list my costs for materials right here, for your benefit:
This was more than I expected, but most of the costs are one time. The only ongoing costs are for compost and seeds. If you compost yourself, that line item is eliminated. With Mel’s technique, seed use and waste is significantly reduced in comparison with tradition row gardening, so seed packets can last as much as five years.
So what is the payoff?
I will have to wait and find out for myself, but according to the book, here is an example harvest from a 4×4 box:
I priced out this theoretical harvest at my local supermarket, and it came to over $115.00. If you have two growing seasons per year (this is typical), you will be in the bonus after the second harvest.
You have probably heard a million times about “getting back in touch with nature”, so I’m not going to bore you with that. What I do want to say is that the project is a lot fun, it is a fantastic way to beautify your yard, it has endless possibilities for adaptation and creativity, and it is one of the greenest things you can do. Sometimes I think green can be summed up in one sentence: make it yourself, or buy local. That is the long and the short of it.
The book is far more detailed and complete than this little summary suggests, so I strongly urge you to buy it, read it and make it happen in your garden.
There are a few other items I would like to mention before I sign off that I will be expanding upon in future blogs.
As I mentioned before, my researched has determined that hydroponic agriculture is the most efficient, and I love the idea, but it does require more upfront cash than a square foot garden.I will be pursuing this in the future though, so stay tuned.
One technique I will be testing in future growing is living water. I am not doing it in this first season, so this first yield can be considered as a control in my little experiment. For those of you who are not familiar with the work of Victor Shauberger or Masaru Emoto, water can have amazing regenerative and vitalizing properties given the correct energetic charging. As with hydroponics, I will elucidate in the near future.
OK, one last near future note. One method which is outside of the square foot gardening book that I did experiment with is the seed planting process mentioned in Anastasia, the first book in the Ringing Cedars series. I am late to this party, having just finished the first book, but all I can say is wow. That book has already contributed mightily to the shifting of the paradigm and the material is great, but I am not going just take it at its word. I will review that book in the near future, and let you know just how effective the practical advice in that book is based upon how my crop turns out.
That is all I have for now. Happy Passover, and love to all,
Millard
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~The danger is that, instead of understanding, we only seek to quell~
Karl Menninger
Should we lock up criminals so they cannot offend again? Should we penalize them so they learn from their mistakes? Should we punish them to make up for what they did to others? Carl Menninger considered these and other questions when he took stock of the criminal justice system, psychiatry and our national response to crime and criminals in 1966.
His book, The Crime of Punishment, was recently republished. Has anything changed since 1966? In some ways, yes. Prisons have been modernized. Alternatives to incarceration have appeared. Specialized courts seek to understand the needs of the chemically addicted, the mentally ill and veterans among others. But do we know any more about crime and criminals than we did in the nineteen sixties?
In his exhaustive treatment of the topic, Menninger admitted that he was not capable of saying what motivated criminal acts and doubted whether anyone else could either. When asked, the best criminals can manage is: It seemed like a good idea at the time.
If we do not know what motivates crime, how can we prevent or minimize it? A good question but one which does not trouble most of us. As a society, we think more about the deeds than those who commit them. We quickly turn our thoughts to the best punishment for each crime.
But what does punishment accomplish? We hope to deter future crime by the threat of punishment. We hope convicts will mend their ways. We hope victims will feel vindicated. Unfortunately none of these seems to happen as a result of the noble efforts of our criminal justice system on our behalf.
If punishment does not work, what does? Maybe we need to return to where crime begins, in the human mind. What happens in the minds of criminals remains largely a mystery, even to themselves. We do have some hints though.
We know that many criminals feel powerless, hopeless and frustrated. They have very little sense of personal value. Crime, particularly the violent type, gives criminals at least a fleeting sense of power and control in their lives. For a few minutes they feel competent. Long term consequences do not enter the picture since the future is usually bleak for them anyway.
I do not suggest that we excuse criminals’ actions due to their shortcomings or release them from responsibility for their actions. But crushing their spirit only increases their tendency toward continued violence. Killing them only makes us a more violent society.
We love to hate those who get caught committing crimes. We see it a little differently if we know the person involved, or if by some chance it is us. We make allowances for their life situation or difficulties. Specialized courts for certain populations have lowered recidivism rates considerably among these groups. Perhaps understanding the circumstances of other criminals can reduce our overall crime rate.
Life Lab Lessons
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Meticulously articulated, Carla Lee Suson tells a tale of horrific terror, personal revenge, and future politics in her masterpiece novel, Independence Day Plague. Incorporating an insider’s view into the government’s military sanctioned secret biological weapons industry, the story takes place in the not-too-distant future, 2026 – the 250th Anniversary of America.
Police need to unravel the trail of a “lone wolf,” a self-made domestic terrorist; set against the backdrop of the nation’s 4th of July gala celebration being planned in the Metro-DC area. With sub-plots of international tensions posturing the USA against China over a satellite incident and military actions, all hell is about to break loose if this cat-and-mouse hunt isn’t solved in time. The clock’s ticking, and millions of lives depend on it.
Carla Lee Suson’s authenticity to detail is extraordinary. Well researched and having lived in the worlds she wrote about, her book transported me into the tributaries of the government’s secret programs with, at times, an eerie attention to detail. The future events imagined and portrayed in her book all have their roots in reality. She created a high level of credibility to her story by keeping within the bounds of believability of future events as well as her characters’ motivations. Thus she authored a book I was immersed within while reading, and found to be as enjoyable as a blockbuster feature movie.
Picked up by Fireside Publications, Independence Day Plague is an unforgettable 249 page literary experience. Clad with cover art of an ominously penetrating stare of a woman wearing a gas mask, with the clear blue sky behind the iconic Washington Monument, the cover suggests a threat not seen nor sensed. I consider myself fortunate to have read this so early in the book’s release, as I can only anticipate the frenzy of followers yet to echo my praise. A book, I can honestly say, “I was holding my breath until the end!”
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Chris Duff has always been a man more at home in the water than out of it. He was working with the US Navy in Holy Loch, Scotland in 1982 when his enlistment period ended. Faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to re-enlist, he opted to return to civilian life. Soon the dream of an Irish journey would be born.
Chris tried several trades, at one point working in upstate New York as a butcher’s assistant to an old couple from Ireland. When he asked where the old man was from he was told the Aran Islands. For those of us who love Ireland it brings delightful visions of stone cottages and late night music sessions into our heads. The couple pulled a coffee table book off a shelf and opened it to some striking images of the Aran Islands and its people – rough seas, steep rock cliffs, stone houses, skin-covered boats called currachs and rugged, wind-worn faces. Our man Chris was captivated by the wild sea surrounding that beautiful island and a seed was sown in his brain that would grow and give birth to a life-changing Celtic adventure fourteen years later.
Chris’s decision to kayak around Ireland was not the first such journey for him. He embodies the spirit of adventure that many of us only dream about. He had kayaked around the US and Canada – twelve months and 8000 miles. He had also circumnavigated Great Britain – five and a half months and 3000 miles. Ireland, however, with its wild seas and unprotected west coast, with powerful waves meeting the first landfall of Europe, would be a different story entirely.
The starting point is Dublin’s famous River Liffey on June 1, 1996. The sacred vessel of the journey, an eighteen foot sea kayak loaded with one hundred pounds of food, water and camping gear, a journal wrapped in plastic for safe keeping and a map of the Irish coast carefully splash-guarded at the helm. As Chris begins his travels he shares with us his blessings – ten years of carpentry work had allowed him to save enough to take this precious time off for this adventure, to “take the time and just be quiet for a few months.” Few of us have ever know that luxury but he has worked hard for it and appreciates it; lucky for us he shares every moment so we can enjoy it vicariously through his words.
What struck me most about Chris’s writing is the mystery and wonder with which he regards the beauties of nature around him, particularly the west coast of Ireland, where stark cliffs are pounded by strong seas and winds whip wildly. At times he kayaks into sea caves along the coast and paddles in the semi-darkness and one feels his reverence for what nature has wrought in our landscape.
Ireland’s coastline is simply mad with bird life, particular the islands off the coast. At one point a large-winged fulmar watches him curiously, floating in the air and staring him in the eyes. Chris says to him “You are so beautiful my friend. What have you seen and where have you been today?” There is a timelessness in the eyes of such a bird, that can make us feel our insignificance in the face of Mother Nature. Chris visits islands rich with bird colonies – cormorants, puffins, shags, fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, razorbills – by the thousands. They are all very tolerant of his presence and simply accept him rather than flying into a frenzy at his approach as one would expect. It’s a bird watcher’s paradise.
Along the journey, Chris visits numerous islands – some with names that sound familiar like Skellig Michael and Clare Island, others that are tiny dots on the ocean landscape. In foul weather he sits out the wind and waves, peering from his tent at the storm outside, waiting for a break in the weather. He takes us with him as he sleeps in a beehive hut or paddles under a waterfall near Dingle Bay to take a cold freshwater shower or even goes religiously pub hopping from session to session in the busy pub town of Dingle.
What is remarkable is that unlike many with Irish ancestry, Chris Duff did not come to Ireland to seek his past. He wanted to enjoy a challenging kayaking journey and be alone with the winds and the waves. The powerful force of the Irish landscape and the Irish people, however, makes its mark upon him. He begins to feel not only a sense of belonging but a sense of wonder and of loss. As he walks through tangles of wildflowers on a deserted island, he comes across ruins of stone cottages and chapels and the history of the place pours forth to ensnare him as it has done to so many others. He muses:
“Across the narrow waterway two stone house ruins stood bathed in the last rays of sun. The island, radiant in the evening light, looked as if it was an enchanted fairy tale land. Shadows of stone walls divided green meadows, and the cap of rock that broke through at the top of the island looked like a place where fairies might dance…”
I found it a pleasure to travel the circumference of the Emerald Isle with a philosophizing “American canoeist.” His courage in the face of the wild waves of the west coast is mind-boggling to a land lubber like myself. At one point he lands safely on some remote shore only to be greeted by a local emergency crew that was looking for him. Someone had spotted him “struggling” in the waves and thought he was in distress. Meanwhile he had been having the time of his life happily battling the waves!
The names of the landmarks of his journey ring like a cast of famous actors with cameos in a blockbuster film – Mizen Head, Dursey Head, the Skelligs, Dingle Bay, the Blaskets, The River Shannon, Galway Bay, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, Clare Island – and more! The list goes on. It truly is a cast of remarkable characters and keeps you guessing which one will walk on stage next.
When visiting the Blasket Islands, which were abandoned reluctantly by the villagers in the 1950’s, Chris comments that in a kayak the paddler always sits facing forward. In the traditional Irish currach, however, the oarsmen face the rear of the boat and watch their wake. This last view of their island must have been quite painful for the villagers as they rowed further and further away from the ancestral home of their kin.
The people along the way are uniquely Irish. Whenever Chris emerges from the sea, seemingly out of nowhere, he is met with remarks of disbelief. “You’ve come from Dublin in that?! I think y’er mad.” The kindness to strangers has always been the hallmark of Irish hospitality; thousands of years ago it was actually mandated by the Brehon laws of the land. It simply seems second nature to a generous people. The fishermen who casually hand him a few lobster claws or some cleaned fish for his dinner, along with advice about his crossing. The housewife who makes him dinner and asks him to join the family by the fire for a night of storytelling. The couple who rise at dawn to see him off on the next leg of his journey. The fellow kayaker in Galway who gives him a place to stay and relax after a spell of bad weather and helps carry his heavy kayak through the crowded streets of the city. It is only sadly in the north of Ireland, where the troubles were stil l raging, where his knock at a door is met with suspicion and fear rather than a smile and a warm welcome by the fire.
Ireland is a revelation to our kayaker friend. He is awed by the natural beauty of windswept islands and cliff-lined coasts, drawn to the friendly people, bewildered by the sheer volume of history bursting from the seams of the landscape and humbled by the mysterious sacredness he feels. He has a gift for storytelling, for describing a scene down to the last rays of the sun, that may well be proof of his Irish ancestry.
To those who are faint of heart, there are scenes in this book which are truly harrowing. Chris paddles over waves that would frighten the be-jaysus out of you and me and navigates around submerged rocks that could puncture his wee kayak and drown him. But truth be told, he does finish his journey safely. As the old saying goes, he “lives to tell the tale.” So enjoy every beautiful and hair raising second of it!
Copyright Janet McGrane Bennett 2010
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When one thinks of the background of athletes in the sports of boxing, mixed martial arts, and kickboxing it is very rare that anyone would think of a former Harvard student being an expert in that field. However, that is the case with author Sam Sheridan, who wrote a novel a few years ago called A Fighter’s Heart. As previously mentioned, Sheridan is a graduate from Harvard and when he was in school at the Ivy League university he got involved in boxing, which prompted further interest in pugilistic sports. The novel profiles Sheridan and the sports he covers as he traverses the globe to get a feel for why people fight and the mentality of the competitors. One of the drawbacks of combat sports is that often times on the mats that people train on, they can pick up an infection such as toenail fungus since the mats are unclean. This can result in needing to use fungus toenail laser treatment or Long Island fungus toenail treatment. Along the way he also experiences th e different sports for himself, completely immersing himself in the culture of whatever sport he is profiling at the moment. A fairly simple read and very intriguing, it is no wonder that A Fighter’s Heart was at one time on many different best sellers’ lists.
The novel begins with Sheridan briefly explaining his interest in fight sports and his background. After graduating from a prestigious prep school on the east coast he went into the Merchant Marines for a while to participate in the military. After that adventure, he went to Harvard and graduated with a degree in art. Fresh out of Harvard Sheridan went on a boat trip around the world on the yacht of a family friend and wound up in Australia. Australia is the setting for Sheridan’s realization that what he really wants to do is explore the culture of fighting. Working out at a gym in Australia in the art of kickboxing, Sheridan is told that training at a gym in Thailand for Muay Thai, a form of kickboxing, for a few months is worth years at any other school in any other country.
Needless to say, Sheridan winds up going to Thailand. Working out at one of the more famous gyms, called the Fairtex gym, Sheridan finds out some incredible facts and gets top notch training. Sheridan learns that Muay Thai is a way out of poverty for many people, much like boxing in the United States, and that fighters typically begin having fights at age six or seven and are considered at their peak at seventeen. After participating in a Muay Thai fight of his own, which he wins, Sheridan moves back to the United States.
The novel continues as Sheridan travels to Oakland to train with and pick the brain of an Olympic medalist in boxing and then moves on to Rio de Janiero and subsequently Japan to work in Brazilian jiu jitsu with famed heavyweight mixed martial artist Antonia Rodrigo Noguiera. The lowlight of the book for many people; is when Sheridan discusses dog fighting and how it is popular in many different countries. Despite his attempts to explain it away as a dog showing love for his owner, there is really nothing that can take away from the disgusting brutality and senselessness of dog fighting and it really taints the book that it is even brought up.
Despite the obvious low point, the novel is still an excellent read and very satisfying to those already interested in combat sports and people who may be looking to learn more.
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World Passport for Global Managers
Author: Walter Vieira
ISBN: 9788178061849
Pages: 168
Price: INR 150.00
The book ‘World Passport for Global Managers’ has been written purposely to acclimatise those who keep moving or are inclined to move from place A to B or from one country to another for business, study or travel. And what does it familiarize us with? The book includes practically all important basics about the characteristic behavior, etiquette and manners practiced in day-to-day life by people in different countries. It makes us aware that a custom accepted at one place may not be so elsewhere. It may even be a subject matter of scorn.
Why learning such mannerisms has suddenly acquired importance? Simply because being unaware could hurt host’s sensibilities and create bad vibes between the host and the guest. Take the RIGHT FOOT forward. Moreover, globalization is pushing businesses into every corner, taking people along in the process. Tourism is another factor attracting billions of men and women to distant lands, different cultures. People mingle with one another. Faraway, when you meet someone you ponder how to greet, how to receive, how to speak, what to say, how to eat, where…? Different language, different manners stand as verbal barriers. You think of millions of questions but no satisfactory answers.
Each chapter is loaded with information that is guaranteed to make us take on the world confidently.
This book will motivate you to read more, observe more and learn more, about the different ways in which people do things and how they are different from one another. The knowledge gained will be helpful in behaving appropriately in varied situations. Basic theme being -’show consideration for others’. Remember etiquette is connected to success -especially on the global platform – ‘manners maketh the successful man’.
The author Walter Vieira helps stop all such mental pounding by presenting in a lucid and lively language his first-hand cultural observations, acquired over 4 decades of working across continents, and prepares us to understand subtle nuances attributable to various country customs and mores. This book tells you how to behave in varied circumstances. Smart tips in verbal and non-verbal communications, business etiquette, human skills etc., hone our sense of civility for ultimate business success. Ideally suited for people in IT, BPO, KPO sectors and others who move in cross-cultural societies.
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The basic premise of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series of books is that the business world is made up of largely 4 types of individuals:
1. Employee (E) – has a job.
2. Self-Employed (S) – owns a job.
3. Business Owner (B) – owns a business system.
4. Investor (I) – makes money work for them.
Identifying where you are in this Cash-flow Quadrant can largely be determined by where most of your income comes from. What affects which quadrant we decide to generate our income from is a due to internal differences in our core values, interests, outlook, life stage etc.
We can actually earn income from each of these 4 quadrants simultaneously if we so choose but most of your income will likely come from one quadrant. Whilst financial security can be found in each of the 4 quadrants, the skills and tools required and attained in ‘B’ or ‘I’ quadrants will help you achieve financial freedom more rapidly.
Traditional schooling teaches us largely to focus on become an Employee (E) or a high-paid Self-Employed(S) individual such as a doctor, lawyer or accountant. Whilst there is nothing wrong per se in this idea, it becomes a problem if your primary goal is to attain financial freedom. Financial freedom is seldom to be found in the Employee (E) or Self-Employed (S) quadrants.
The attainment of financial freedom requires a high level of financial intelligence. You need to be ready to move beyond job security (in the ‘E’ quadrant) in order to begin your journey towards financial freedom. Be under no illusions though, it is a bumpy, windy road laden with risks that need to be constantly managed; it is NOT for you if you want a secure, normal life. However, if you are prepared to make the leap, the prize at the end of this particular journey is financial freedom.
In my view, the words ‘financial’ and ‘freedom’ go hand-in-hand. You can never really be truly “free” in the modern world we live in unless you are financially free. The whole purpose of life is to generate and experience more life. Money allows you to “live” more life. Financial freedom is when you have enough wealth (assets and cash-flow) to allow you live more life on a sustainable basis.
Changing quadrants is a life-changing experience and often requires a fundamental shift in ones core values in order to come about. It requires massive action and massive personal transformation. You will be required to step outside your comfort zone. Once you have crossed the proverbial Rubicon, or as Kiyosaki puts it in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, ‘crossed from the left side of the quadrant into right side’, there is generally no turning back. However, it is important to note that success is not guaranteed. For example, 80% of businesses start-ups never get to celebrate their 5th birthday. And of those that have become a successful, many successful “B’s” have lost their money through over-confidential forays in the “I” quadrant. The road to financial freedom is littered with casualties and people who turn back on their goals out of fear.
In summary, the rules of the game are totally different in each quadrant. They are completely different worlds and require different mindsets, tools, skills and behaviour. Continuous learning and education will be your constant bedfellows in order to help you on this journey through each quadrant.
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A book about a cat in a library? How interesting a story can that be? The answer is – VERY interesting! Dewey is a great book – the biography of a real cat in a real library, Spencer Public Library, Spencer, Iowa, USA. I read the jacket, and knew I was in for a treat!
A ginger kitten, found in the library book return chute, on the coldest Iowa morning ever. With frost bitten paws, but still trusting, loving. It seems no matter what the animal or what it has had to endure at the hands of a cruel human, they know when they are in good hands – they have a 6th sense about these things.
Well Dewey Readmore Books – as he was christened by the townsfolk – although full of mischief, like any kitten, felt the love from the humans he had been dumped on, and he returned it 10 fold! He lived happily in the Spencer Public Library for 19 years. First becoming a town celebrity, revered by the townsfolk, and then becoming an international celebrity. People travelled from all over the world to meet him. Travelling 100’s, even 1000’s of miles, sending Christmas and birthday cards. Amazing the effect he had not just on the town, but on the world.
I knew this book would be sad, and in some places it really is. But also funny and, dare I say it about a book, “cute”. It is a touching and entertaining tale, sensitively written by Myron – the lady who found Dewey on that fateful January morning. Vicki loved Dewey, as if he were her own, and although he belonged to the town, in his heart he was hers.
This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it even made me relate it to my own cats! The ending – I wont spoil it – touched me to the core. Dewey loved everyone he came into contact with, and shared something special, and something of himself with every single one of them. He knew who needed his comfort, having that 6th sense, not just to know when he was in the right hands but also to know when his special comforting nature was needed by those around him. He forged hundreds of deep and loving friendships with the unlikeliest of people and many of those are described in the pages of the book.
For a cat to have had such an effect on so many people’s lives, truly shows how special Dewey was. This book also highlights the beauty of owning pets and the rewards one can get from it. A special book, it truly is worth the price and the time invested in reading it. Buy it now its purr-fectly enchanting!
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This chapter of the ‘Y’ saga creates excellent context for the rest of the series. We finally begin to understand the motives of several of the main characters. The group has finally made it to Japan, where they have begun their frantic search for the missing Ampersand. Alison and Rose head for Alison’s Mother’s lab while Yorick and 355 head to Tokyo for the capuchin. When Alison and Rose find that the lab has been torched and there is no sign of the Alison’s family, they head for a secret garden in the city that her mother kept. They find her mother, but they also find the Ninja Toyota who has lost Ampersand. After a few stabbings and a sword fight, Toyota takes Alison’s mother hostage and leaves both Alison and Rose wounded. The deal is, Alison can have her mother back as soon as they bring Ampersand to Hong Kong.
Elsewhere, Yorick and 355 discover an incredibly advanced android man (mandroid) that has been pimped out by an ex-cop. This ex-cop is named You. You tells them that she had Ampersand at one point but was forced to sell him to the Yakuza for self preservation. The funny thing is, the Yakuza is now run by a Canadian pop-star that was stranded in Japan when the plague hit. With the help of You, Yorick and his friends infiltrate the Yakuza building to rescue Ampersand, and they aren’t sure they are going to make it out alive….
We finally get a glimpse of Alison Mann’s backstory, how she came to resent her family so much and how she came to grips with her sexuality; also why it is so hard for her to open up to anyone. At the end, Alter rears her ugly head and extorts some information from some of Yorick’s old friends in Kansas. The only good thing about this is that we finally get to see what her back story is.
Understanding these motivations adds a great deal of depth to the story. Earlier, I didn’t realize how shallow some of the characters seem, but after the revelations presented here, I am excited to re-read the old volumes in context.
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In Enemy Hands, is the sixth book in the Honor Harrington series. I almost want to call this book On Basilisk Station part 2 because there are a lot of parallels to be drawn between the two books, I will get into that later. In this book Honor is offered a new command in her native Manticore Navy. Currently, she is a full admiral in the Grayson navy, in fact she is its second ranking officer. The new command she is offered in the Manticoran navy is vastly inferior, she is to command a squadron of armed merchant ships, not even real warships!
Of course she accepts, mostly to get back into Manticoran uniform and to start her rehabilitation. This post was mostly offered as a political move. The opposition to the current government suggested her for this post, partly in fact because it is so dangerous that she has a good chance of not surviving it. But, even they realize how effective of a combat commander she is. Manticore is losing more and more merchant ships in the wild Silesian sector, and something must be done.
There is not as much politics in this book as there was in the previous books, which is a nice refresher. We are also introduced to the Andermani empire as well as one of their highest ranking admirals. The book also spends a large amount of time in the perspective of some Havenite officers (some we saw in Flag in Exile) and we see that they are normal people and overall quite decent.
Seeing the Havenite officers as real people and not monsters is quite important at this part of the storyline. They just went through a major coup and the new regime seems obsessed with killing its own people to keep them in line. In the previous book that is mostly what we hear about, the excessive in-fighting and killing and the reign of terror. Seeing that Haven still has good people in it helps us realize that this war is not the Good vs Evil fight it was first seen as.
There are a number of parallels to draw between ‘In Enemy Hands,’ and ‘On Basilisk Station,’ the first book in the series. The ships Honor is given to command are similar in that they are both armed in ways that break from the traditional warship model. In the first book, she was given a light cruiser with vastly underpowered armaments to prove a point. In this book, her merchant cruiser is not a real warship, and as such is not expected to stand up to more than one or two warships. However, its unconventional weapons are very powerful and mark a new direction in Manticore’s ship technology. Also, her main task is not to provide wartime support but to act as a policewoman. In Basilisk Station she was to act as customs patrol for the Basilisk system. In this book she is to help protect merchantmen from pirates. In both, she uncovers plots by Haven while doing her police duties and stops them cold, thus sparking some diplomatic sanctions against Haven that go on behind the scenes.
Overall, this is a great addition to the Honor Harrington series. It is full of action, both space combat and hand to hand combat. The Havenite point of view is valuable to help put some of the series into perspective and is wonderfully portrayed. Some future story threads have their beginnings in this book too so it is a very important piece of the entire puzzle. It’s Geektime gives In Enemy Hands a prestigious 10 on the d10 of enjoyment.
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What kind of bookstores book signings allow self published books?
I do not know of any libraries that allow the firm books self published books. I'm assuming Borders and Barnes & Noble, because they only want to sell books published traditionally. So if you want to organize a signature Book, who do I agree with? My book is an urban fantasy (it is a real world and there are no mythical creatures. The element of fantasy is just magic). I need good answers please.
I dare say this, lol, but I've heard a PublishAmerica (the tabloids) author saying that she was able to score a signature with a library local, because the fantasy was selling well locally, and they wanted to quickly schedule a signing for his book. The downside was the editor. The perpetrator ordered many books for his signature and the editor was too late to get delivered and the author felt the pressure of the bookstore that wanted to quickly set a firm, and had fear that they would resubmit the offer. There are many problems with PublishAmerica, so do not even think of them as its editor, else you will regret it and waste of his book on them. I have also heard of a self-published authors who are capable of signings and get one or two of your books stored at local bookstores. You must get out and visit all the bookstores and convince the manager to take the book and possibly let you have a signature. If you have a local fan base is ready and willing to show up and buy your book, I can only make it easier to imagine that we do not know with certainty. It is not entirely impossible, but you have to go out and convince each local library. Some libraries are open to local authors and do not forget the small independent bookstores. There are other places you can book signings, as Shoppes coffee. There is a local author in my city that is having its debut in the signature of a local glass factory. Take it where you can get. The problem can be expected is that, as an unknown, self-published, no one has heard of you or your book, so you might have a problem for people to attend a book signing. Unfortunately, one of the dangers of self-publishing. See some writers' websites and message boards for other ideas. absolutewrite.com / forums has posted some authors do it. Good luck.
Walk Like You Have Somewhere To Go is an autobiography written by NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal’s mother, Lucille O’Neal. The book details Lucille’s hardships through life from becoming a teenage mother to conquering alcoholism, and dealing with her son’s rising fame; all the while relying on motivation and faith to help her. Lucille also introduces the term “mental welfare”, which she uses to help describe her mental health condition as it progresses over the years.
Overall, Walk Like You Have Somewhere To Go feels incredibly short in length, and I would have liked more specifics on how push comes to shove in terms of motivation and also how God plays His role. Lucille tells us about the EVENTS that lead to her life rejuvenation, but she goes into even less detail about her thoughts and feelings. Lucille quotes scripture throughout the book and we read a timeline of her life, but again, more bulk behind what drives her to do certain things would make the book infinitely more motivating.
I didn’t find Walk Like You Have Somewhere To Go incredibly memorable and I found it to be very similar to other autobiographies written by celebrities. I recommend this book to fans of Shaquille O’Neal and to mothers of well-known media icons or celebrities.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
the books – smells like content
One of my passions is reading and passing on information that I find valuable and that I believe will help you be more successful.
I absolutely loved David Meerman Scott’s book The New Rules of Marketing and PR and he doesn’t disappoint in World Wide Rave. ~ Creating Triggers That Get Millions of People to Spread Your Ideas and Share Your Stories.
This book has become a trusty reference guide and source of inspiration. Dog-eared pages & multiple sticky notes peek out to remind me of new projects and ways to really engage and build relationships with social media.
While I’m not going to give you all of the content, I will share some points that really stuck with me and I encourage you to add this to your learning library. Especially if you’re still mystified by social media. Trust me, you need to dive in NOW. To start, my personal tip is to be you and be authentic. With that being said, here are some things I love about what Meerman-Scott shares.
First, I love the use of the word “rave” in the title. Think about it…do you want people to “rant” or to “rave” about your business? While it’s true that people share negative stories regarding customer service and brand experience far more often than they share the good things – I think we all strive to be a business person that receives the “rave.”
Some of the key points Meerman-Scott shares:
*Nobody cares about your products except you (it’s true – they care about what you or your product will do for them).
*Offer something for nothing (not a new concept but a new approach – ditch the “opt-in” in some instances & be of service).
*Engage your audience – don’t talk at them – talk with them (incorporate video, conversations and feedback in what you do).
These points are crucial to your social media success. Often traditional marketers, both Internet and ad agency types, jump on the bandwagon of social media and damage their brands and reputation by using traditional or direct response techniques. This not only alienates people you should be building relationships with (potential clients, customers and colleagues), it’s a clear sign that you haven’t done your homework. Not a slick way to win new business or build relationships.
I’ve actually received a lot of flack for giving away a free press release template, too. My traditional mentors say I should be selling. I say it’s a relationship building, lead generation tool that comes from the heart. The bottom line?! Do what feels right to you. Grab a copy of this book and start building social media relationships the right way. And, most important, be of service.
the books – smells like content
