Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Like Christopher Moore? You will LOVE Ross Cavins!

Follow The Money: A Collection of Interconnected Short Stories
Author: Ross Cavins
Publisher: RCG Publishing
ISBN: 978-1438253961

I knew I had discovered a Kindred Spirit in author Ross Cavins when he started this collection of short stories with an all time favorite quote of mine from Moliere: "Writing is like prostitution. First You do it for love, then for a few close friends and then for money." This book is among the funniest I have ever read.

What I especially love is that the humor sort of sneaks up on you, and leaves you laughing out loud and gasping for breath. Thankfully, I was not reading in a crowded room. Laughing and okay, actually snorting my way through these stories, I marvelled at the bigger than life characters, and for many of them, they rang true as the personalities of some family members and friends, all of whom shall remain nameless.

From a couple of inept "good ole boy" kidnappers to a slimey but smart " investment" con man to a fast talking (and even faster thinking) young redneck fellow in a rush to get on with what he hopes will be a romantic evening with his girl, these are really great characters, each memorable and a little bit nuts. There are ten stories in this book, and it left me wanting lots more. All ten are excellently done, with great characters and innovative plot lines. I'm glad I don't have to pick one favorite, cause that would be tough. Each are unique and charming. The characters grow on you, and all of them could be the subject of a book by themselves. I really look forward to reading more by this funny, funny author. Read it all at once, or savor each story slowly, either way, you'll be glad to have followed the money.......what a ride!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Live A More Authentic, Peaceful and Meaningful Life

Housekeeping for the Soul: A Practical Guide to Restoring Your Inner Sanctuary
Author: Sandra Carrington-Smith
Publisher: O Books
ISBN: 978-1-84694-281-5

Imagine your emotional life and well being as a house, your home. That's the fascinating premise of this book, and it introduces us to a writer with much talent and insight.

We've all passed houses in well-kept neighborhoods that just didn't fit in. Maybe the unmowed lawn got your attention, or curtainless and dirty windows, or maybe just a general state of sadness or disrepair. Perhaps you've noticed the reverse....a home or two in a generally blighted and neglected neighborhood that stands out because of the flower bed in front, or the cleanly swept porch with a rocker, or a welcoming wreath on the front door. You just know that the people in these homes, be they the good or bad, have a different outlook on life and living than the rest of the neighborhood's residences.

One day, you realize that something has thrown your life out of balance. You've succumbed to that culture of chaos so prevalent today. Carrington-Smith has written possibly the most definitive handbook on moving your emotional wellbeing back into balance. Step by step, you will get everything you need, be it how to, self help or spiritual guidance. Consider it seasonal housekeeping for the soul.

The author has written the book in sections and chapters dealing with specific issues that may be a problem for the reader. The exercises are created in a way that allows you to work through each at your own pace. Given the fact that some may be more intense or difficult depending on your situation, this is a book to take slowly and with an open mind. Topics covered include the fear of change, mental clutter, problem avoidance, exploring relationships, moving beyond past experience and mistakes and more. Excellent points are raised, and it's an extremely thought provoking work. Affirmations and famous quotes are thoughtfully selected. I found the author's personal reflections and honesty to be most refreshing. This is a well written and practical book that can help anyone move towards a simpler, more balanced and peaceful life.

2012: Day of Reckoning Should we be worried?

2012: Day of Reckoning
Author: Daniel J. Gansle
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-7414-5695-8

By now, we've heard all kinds of conflicting beliefs and opinions on what will become of mankind, the planet and life as we know it after December 21, 2012.

The author, Daniel J. Gansle, is well educated in the area of Mayan culture, his university degree is in Cultural Anthropology with a concentration in Mesoamerican studies. He participated in a show on Mayan prophecy for the History Channel's documentary of 2009, Nostradamus Effect. Having viewed this documentary, I was especially looking forward to the more indepth research and interpretation I was certain would be in this book. I was definitely not disappointed by my high expectations of this book. In fact, I found it to be even more detailed, well written and fascinating than I could possibly have anticipated.

The book is divided into sections. The first section breaks down the background of the Mayans, giving the novice in the study of Mayan culture a broad base of understanding, yet also manages to share information that even those with some background in Mayan studies may be unaware of. The instruction offered to understand the Mayan Codices is exceptional, possibly the best I've seen. The next section, Prophecy, contains an outstanding explanation of New Age Movements to include harmonic convergence, psychic vision, channeling, astrology, numerology, UFOs, crop circles and more, each increasingly fascinating. This section also details the predictions of Nostradamus, galactic alignment, Planet X/Nibiru, pole shifts, timewave zero and more. The section that covers scriptual prophecy is very well done and complete, easy to understand and clarifying many common misconceptions. The book includes numerous figures, tables and illustrations, all equally informative and well written.

Regardless of your personal belief system or religious background, the author has presented an outstanding look at the 2012 debate. Highly recommended reading for all with an interest in this area.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Celebrating The Progress of Womanhood

Goddess Shift: Women Leading for
a Change
Editor: Stephanie Marohn
Publisher: Elite Books
ISBN: 978-1-60070-067-5

Women born in the new millenuim will have education, career and lifestyle options many of us could never have imagined, let alone have available to us. Tracing the feminist movement of the 70s, the changes thoughout the 1980s and 90s lead us to a reawakening of the nuturing power that women can have. Long before the image of God assumed the paternalistic attitude that is taught in most religions now, centuries of humans viewed the divine being or beings in a more nuturing, maternal manner, that of Goddess.

A stunning anthology of nonfiction articles, meditations, essays and reflections by many of the most recognizable and influential women of our time are brought together in this volume; Michelle Obama, Suze Orman, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelo and dozens more, women who are leaders in every facet of life and diverse fields of endeavor share with all women in the hopes of empowering us to reach our own individual heights of success and fulfillment. This is an anthology to treasure, to share with all the women you know and love, and to refer to again and again for encouragement, motivation and growth. A thoughtful and wonderful book to pass on to our girl children and grandchildren, this reader/reviewer will keep her copy and refer to it regularly.

A Fascinating Look at the How and Why of Brain Function

The Evolutionary Glitch: Rise Above the
Root of Your Problems
Author: Albert Garoli
Publisher: Loving Healing Press
ISBN: 978-1-61599-017-7

All human beings share a common trait: in one way or another, we want to move forward in life, improving ourselves and our situations. Maybe your goal is emotional improvement, educational, financial, career goals, relationship improvement, or a combination of these and other qualities. Regardless of our motivation and ambition, something often seems to be holding us back.

Bringing his experience and knowledge of eastern philosophies, ancient age-old wisdom, modern psychology and neurobiology, Dr. Garoli explains our brain's thought processes in a groundbreaking way that makes so much sense and offers a real clarity of the human situation and making changes. His premise: throughout the evolutionary process of brain development, a superimposed identify is formed. This identity is referred to as an evolutionary "glitch". This glitch seems to make life decisions for us. Use of this book shows you the six major types of personae evolutionarily acquired and how to understand, confront and overcome them.

The writing is easy to understand and the author's style is both motivating and empowering. A fascinating look at how we function, putting the tools of change easily within our reach. Very helpful to anyone wanting to make life changes, unsure of why it is so hard to do. If you have an interest in changing your life, or just like knowing more about how the brain and decision making processes work, you'll really learn alot from this book. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in brain function.