Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Review: The Opa Way: Finding Joy & Meaning in Everyday Life & Work by Alex Pattakos & Elaine Dundon

The Opa Way: Finding Joy & Meaning in Everyday Life & Work by Alex Pattakos & Elaine Dundon

Link to buy The OPA! Way: Finding Joy & Meaning in Everyday Life & Work

Story Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review:

The premise behind The OPA! Way is that the Greek people have a unique approach to life that helps bring meaning to their daily activities. People around the world have a great deal to learn from this Greek philosophy, and by adopting the Greek approach, everyone's life can be improved. The word OPA! as a twofold meaning. First, it's a traditional Greek word that commonly expresses "joy, excitement, and inspiration." For the purposes of this book, it's also an acronym that represents the three components of the Greek philosophy of life: Others, Purpose, Attitude.

While researching The OPA! Way, authors Alex Pattakos and Elaine Dundon travelled through small towns in Greece and talked with the people they met. This research allowed them to identify key characteristics of the Greek way of life. They concluded that one shouldn't waste time chasing material wealth or professional success or even something as fleeting as happiness. Instead, personal fulfillment comes from living a life that has meaning. That can only be achieved through connecting with others in satisfying personal relationships (Others), being a positive force in the world (Purpose), and feeling content with what one has (Attitude).
           
This book presents a rather simplistic way of looking at both an entire culture and life in general, but the authors get points for enthusiasm. They clearly have great admiration for Greece and her people. The book is full of stories taken directly from their interviews with Greek citizens that highlight the tenets of The OPA! Way. The stories demonstrate how wise the Greek people are and how much can be learned from them. The book's authors also offer frequent quotes from Greek philosophers like Plato and Democritus that show how The OPA! Way has been a central part of Greek life for thousands of years.

One central element of the OPA! Way is that a person must have the right attitude in order to get the most out of life. By the same token, it's probably best to have the right attitude toward this book in order to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, this reviewer had difficulty adopting the appropriate attitude.

While authors Pattakos and Dundon take a utopian view of Greece, it was difficult for this reviewer to completely forget about the protests, strikes, and violence that erupted in Greece in the wake of its recent financial crisis. It wasn't addressed in the book, but in 2012, austerity measures were passed by the Greek legislature that increased taxes, decreased government spending, and reformed labor laws. The steps were necessary to save Greece from economic collapse. Many Greeks didn't want to lose their government-funded benefits, though, and they fought back – hard. Throwing pipe bombs at police doesn't seem like the behavior of a relaxed populace that's more interested in establishing meaningful personal connections than amassing material wealth. The contradiction was hard to ignore.

Overall, this is an interesting book with thought-provoking stories and quotes. There's certainly something to be gained here. Just don't fall into the trap of believing that any society is without its problems. No matter where we're from, we're only human, after all.


Reviewed by Peter

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Review: What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail? by Nina Lesowitz & Mary Beth Sammons

What Would you Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail? by Nina Lesowitz & Mary Beth Sammons 


Link to buy What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?: How to Transform Fear into Courage

Story Rating: 3 out of 5 

Blurb:

"What would you do if you know you could not fail?" These words, attributed to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, have inspired tens of millions to face their fears and dare to follow their hearts. This can-do compendium is a veritable tool kit for transforming readers from reticent to role model. From the authors of Living Life as a Thank You, this volume present true stories of ordinary people with extraordinary fortitude. Authors Mary Beth Sammons and Nina Lesowitz have gone to the front lines of adversity and fear to surface the brave hearts who took action before they were forced to, confronting and overcoming their fears in inspirational ways. From world-class athletes, to spiritual teachers, to cancer patients, to ordinary people who took extraordinary action to transform their lives, these courage warriors teach readers to turn apprehension into action. Enriched with motivational quotes and power practices, this courage guidebook advises how to live life with guts and gusto. Readers learn to face and transform their fear, apply the art of tenacity when times are tough, embrace the lessons and gifts of a crisis that lead to personal growth, and simple, effective, and proven methods for confidence and courage.

Review:

This book is meant to inspire readers with stories of everyday folks overcoming bad situations in their lives. The thing is though, that after reading a few of these stories it was a real downer. Yes, the people overcame their adversity by the end of their tale, but those back stories really started to take their toll. And for that one success story from escaping abuse, or losing a job, or defeating cancer there are how many who don't? 

The authors had an interesting concept but in the end it was a little too depressing for me, despite the happy endings.

Reviewed by Elizabeth

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Zombies: Not Just For Halloween!

One of the most popular shows on television today is The Walking Dead. In case you're behind on current events because you've been in a coma after being shot by a fleeing felon in Episode 1, this show is about zombies overtaking the world and the ragtag band of survivors who must fight for their lives against both the hungry undead and the evil (and sometimes also hungry) living. The show is based on a graphic novel by the same name.

The Walking Dead didn't invent zombies – they've been creeping people out for generations. Who hasn't watched the original black and white version of Night of the Living Dead on Halloween night and then been too freaked out to open the door for trick-or-treaters? Okay, maybe that's too much personal reflection. But zombies are definitely frightening, with their shuffling gate, voracious appetites, overwhelming numbers, and poor personal hygiene.

Because we can't get enough of re-animated corpses, plenty of books have been published about zombies. Fans can get their hands on The Walking Dead graphic novels if they're interested in reading about where the show came from and where it's likely to go in the next few seasons. There is also a wide variety of other books that focus on zombies. For instance, Slow Burn is the first in a popular zombie series, and let's not forget that quirky take on Jane Austen's classic romance,Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Unlikely as is it might sound, nonfiction about zombies is also available, including The Zombie Survival Guide.

An entire cottage industry has grown up in towns where TWD does its filming. "Walker Stalkers" are loyal fans who visit locations where the show is being filmed in hopes of catching a glimpse of a scene or meeting a cast member. A popular destination for Walker Stalkers is the city of Senoia, Georgia, which served as the setting for Season 3's zombie-free town of Woodbury. Now Senoia is playing host to TWD again as Season 5 filming is underway. Senoia businesses are capitalizing on the show's popularity by offering tourists a wide variety of merchandise. Visitors can browsezombie-themed merchandise like t-shirts and scented candles, or they can book walking tours of filming locations for both TWD and other TV shows and movies that have been made in Senoia.

However you choose to celebrate your love for the evil undead, have fun out there stalking the walkers!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Review: The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet: The 150 Most Delicious, Most Nutritious, 100% Vegan Recipes for the World's Healthiest Drink by Tracy Russell

The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet: The 150 Most Delicious, Most Nutritious, 100% Vegan Recipes for the World's Healthiest Drink by Tracy Russell

Link to buy The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet: The 150 Most Delicious, Most Nutritious, 100% Vegan Recipes for the World’s Healthiest Drink

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review:

Best Green Smoothies is more than a collection of smoothie recipes. Russell is a hardcore believer in a whole food vegan diet, and green smoothies are an important component of that lifestyle. All the recipes in this book are vegan, which means they don't contain milk or yogurt or any other animal products. That separates this book from many others on the market.

This book begins with an explanation of the benefits of green smoothies, including how this is a convenient way to eat more fruits and vegetables without having to spend half the day gnawing on raw kale. Russell also offers instruction on how to make a basic green smoothie (include one "base" fruit, one "flavor" fruit, liquid, and greens) and even how to fix a smoothie that turned out badly.

To call Best Green Smoothies a cookbook would be inaccurate, since all the ingredients are raw. The only appliance in use here is a blender, the choice of which Russell does discusses early in the book. It turns out not all blenders are created equal. To characterize this as a diet book would also be incorrect. Russell doesn't advocate replacing all meals with smoothies or going on a smoothie fast. Although there are sections of the book dedicated to different types of smoothies, including detox varieties, Russell points out that any radical diet is doomed to fail. Instead it's better to gradually switch to a healthy diet of whole foods that includes green smoothies, and this will lead to greater health and fitness.

You might be wondering at this point whether a vegan smoothie recipe tastes good. I had the same question, so I decided to give one a try. The Super Antioxidant Blast Green Smoothie sounded like a good choice because it called for pomegranate and banana, both of which I had in the house. It also called for 3 cups of baby spinach, which I didn't have. So the first substitution was two cups of organic kale, which I had purchased in case I wanted to try the smoothie book. The recipe also called for one pouch of frozen acai puree. I don't know what that is, and I couldn't even ask at the grocery store because I can't pronounce acai. So I substituted extra pomegranate and hoped it was something like acai.

The smoothie turned out okay, under the circumstances. First, I mixed the fruits and it looked dark pink from the pomegranate. Then I threw in one cup of the kale and everything turned an icky gray color. So I threw in the other cup of kale and everything turned green, which was way better than gray. The taste was all right, especially since I had feared the kale would be overwhelming. It wasn't; the banana was. So I threw in a splash of vanilla extract, which made things better, but the banana was still omnipresent.

Russell prefers smoothies to be room temperature, but that sounded unappealing, so I refrigerated all my ingredients before blending and threw in a couple ice cubes. Also, the texture might have been improved if I'd been using a more powerful blender. My blender is more than 20 years old and dates from when my now-husband and I got our first place together. Probably a more powerful blender manufactured in this millennium would have done a better job crushing the pomegranate seeds. There was also a psychological hurdle here. I'm not a vegan or even a vegetarian, so making a smoothie using just water without milk or yogurt felt wrong. Certainly this wouldn't be an issue for a vegan, however.

My plan is to try another smoothie tomorrow and substitute an apple for the banana. I must make another smoothie tomorrow because I've still got a fridge full of kale. A bunch of it cost 99 cents at Kroger, and it's too hard and leafy to eat on its own without blending it.

Speaking of extra kale, this book had the same problem as most recipe books, namely it calls for a little bit of a lot of different ingredients, and then you're stuck with the leftover ingredients. For instance, a number of recipes here call for ¼ of an avocado. What do you do with the remaining ¾ ? Once you're full of veggie smoothie, you might not be in the mood to eat the majority of an avocado, and it tends to turn brown in the fridge. If you need one stalk of celery, what should you do with the rest? And where do you get only one tablespoon of chia seeds? Don't even get me started on the mountain of kale lurking in my fridge as I write this. It's like a rainforest in there.

Aside from this complaint that I have with nearly every recipe book ever written, The Best Green Smoothies offers a lot of great ideas in an easy-to-digest format. Bon appétit!


Reviewed by Peter

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Review: And Give Up Showbiz? by Josh Young

Link to buy And Give Up Showbiz?: How Fred Levin Beat Big Tobacco, Avoided Two Murder Prosecutions, Became a Chief of Ghana, Earned Boxing Manager of the Year, and Transformed American Law

Story Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review:

After reading the complete title of Fred Levin's life story it reminds me of watching a movie preview and later finding out the best parts were in the five minute coming attraction. With the title giving a short description of how he became famous and rich the book seems to be titles the way Fred Levin wants his story told. In describing all of Fred's difficulties they all end with "happily ever after" story lines. Very few detractors are interviewed compared to the people who all shout his praise.

The book is an interesting read but mostly pro Fred Levin. It would have been interesting to hear more from people who lost against him so that the reader could get the two sides to the stories.

Reviewed by Joseph

Friday, November 14, 2014

Review: Finding Zoe: A Deaf Woman's Story of Identity, Love and Adoption by Brandi Rarus and Gail Harris

Finding Zoe: A Deaf Woman's Story of Identity, Love and Adoption by Brandi Rarus and Gail Harris

Link to buy Finding Zoe: A Deaf Woman's Story of Identity, Love, and Adoption

Story Rating: 4 out of 5

Review:

Finding Zoe is a memoir about the life of author Brandi Rarus, a woman who lost her hearing as a child then went on to become Miss Deaf America, have three sons with normal hearing, and adopt a little girl who is deaf. Throughout her life, Rarus experiences communication problems in her dealings with members of the hearing community, but it's not until she embraces the deaf community that she can finally communicate freely with others.

This book runs the gamut of Rarus's life, from her childhood through college, the beauty pageant days, and her eventual marriage and family life. It addresses the triumphs and tragedies of having children, both the biological and adopted varieties. There's also background here about the history of deaf culture in the United States and the education of deaf children.

Surprisingly, a substantial portion of Finding Zoe focuses on Zoe's birth parents, the circumstances of her conception, and the series of decisions that ultimately led to her becoming a member of Rarus's family. This is a meaningful addition to the book because it enables readers to understand how disparate threads came together in improbable ways to create a lovely tapestry. In this case, tragedies like unplanned pregnancy, illness, and family strife were all necessary in order to achieve the ideal outcome: A family becoming complete with the addition of a beautiful little girl.

Overall, this book is well written and seems like a good choice for readers interested in deaf culture or adopting a special needs child. Readers who simply enjoy a memoir that exposes them to a different way of life might also want to pick up a copy. This reviewer's concern is that Finding Zoe's appeal might be limited because of the book's emphasis on the deaf community and the special challenges of adopting. If a reader isn't interested in either of those subjects, they might keep walking past Zoe in the bookstore.


Reviewed by Peter

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Review: Ever the Patriot by Candace Riccio Salem

Ever the Patriot by Candace Riccio Salem

Link to buy Ever the Patriot: Recollections of Vincent J. Riccio, World War II Veteran and POW

Story Rating:

Review: 4.5 out of 5

This book clocks in at sixty-six pages and at first glance you might be tempted to say "Really?" However this book's short length actually gives a lot more to the reader than books that are much longer. This story is taken from video interviews and conversations recorded by family members about their father's service in World War II. This recounting of events is exactly what is needed to document veteran's stories before we lose them forever.

After reading Mr. Riccio's account which is his own words about his involvement in the War and his experiences as a POW, the words "Citizen Soldier" comes to mind. There are many books that have been written about Americans that fought in wars. This soldiers' story thankfully has been saved. These veterans went to fight and then returned home seeking to go back to their prewar lives. They wanted to forget and put behind them what they had gone through to bring home victory.

The author is the soldier's daughter and she has properly described him as a patriot. Her father tells his family that he doesn't consider himself a patriot, but a man who loves his country. True patriots usually see themselves in this light. They do not see themselves as heroes no matter what they have doneor accomplished. Hopefully this book will inspire readers to take steps to document their own family members before they find out it is too late. Riccio, the "Citizen Soldier" is an inspiration not only to his family but to all Americans.

Reviewed by Joseph

Friday, October 31, 2014

The Witches of Samhain

The Witches of Samhain     

For most people, Halloween means ghosts, pumpkins, trick-or-treating and of course witches. But the warty-nosed, pointed hat-wearing witch images that decorate homes and stores at this time of year don't represent the millions of real witches who live among us.

People who practice the ancient religion of Wicca often call themselves witches. Their faith predates Christianity and focuses on celebrations of the natural world, including the change of seasons and sanctity of all living things. Some witches belong to organized groups called covens where they practice rituals and celebrate holidays together. Many other Wiccans are solitary practitioners who adjust the faith's core beliefs to their own lives and needs. Because of this, Wiccans don't all share the same beliefs or worship the same way.

Samhain, or Halloween, is one of Wicca's major holidays. It represents the final harvest of the year. As the year draws to a close, the Wiccan goddess is commonly depicted as an old woman, or a crone. Samhain is the time of year when the veil between this world and the afterlife is at its thinnest, so it's the best time to communicate with departed loved ones. Hence the season's ghosts and spooky images.

If you'd like to learn more about Wicca and real-life witches, check out one of the many books that will guide you on this fascinating journey. Many books have been written about Wiccan history, including the popular The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. If you'd like to learn how to practice Wicca, Towards the Wiccan Circle is an ebook that can get you started, and Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner is truly a classic. There are even Samhain greeting cards that you can use to share the joys of this season with friends and family.

However you choose to celebrate, have a blessed Samhain!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Review: Sacred Success: A Course in Financial Miracles by Barbara Stanny

Sacred Success: A Course of Financial Miracles by Barbara Stanny

Link to buy Sacred Success: A Course in Financial Miracles

Story Rating: 5 out of 5

Review:

On its surface, Sacred Success appears to be designed to help women achieve financial security. It starts with author Barbara Stanny's story of how she spent years wearing figurative financial blinders while her husband threw away her money. When things eventually got so bad that she couldn't ignore the situation any longer, Stanny had to make some difficult changes. When the reader delves deeper, though, it becomes clear that this book is much more than just a primer on managing money.

Stanny says that girls aren’t taught to seek financial success, so by the time they're grown up, few women have a plan to achieve that goal. It’s not just about money, either. Certainly women need to have financial security just like men do, but Stanny points out that wealth isn’t usually the primary goal of most women. Instead if they took time to think about it, they would realize that their soul wants to achieve greatness in some way – often by helping others and improving their corner of the world. That revelation shifts the focus from simply earning money to identifying the pursuit that will fulfill a woman’s desire for greatness.

This book was a pleasant surprise. It was inspiring and well written and offered a clear step-by-step program to help readers reinvigorate their lives and find their purpose. Its title nearly prevented me from picking it up for fear of a heavy handed religious message, but that didn’t exist at all. Yes, it’s spiritual, but not religious. It’s nondenominational in its approach to the notion that God or the universe or whatever you believe in has a plan for you and it’s your job to figure that out. You won’t be happy or fulfilled until you are nourishing your soul by pursuing your purpose.

Another surprise here was that it didn’t really focus on money for a substantial portion of the book. That came later – after the more important work of figuring out a purpose, clarifying values, and determining how to avoid letting anything get in the way of that pursuit.

My only real complaint was that the book is marketed to women, while it can help anyone. Hopefully the focus won’t deter men from picking it up. We can all use a few miracles in our lives - whether they're financial or not - and Barbara Stanny has good ideas for helping readers manifest them.  


Reviewed by Peter

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Review: Stuff You Should Know About Stuff by Tripp & Tyler

Stuff You Should Know About Stuff by Tripp & Tyler

Link to buy Stuff You Should Know About Stuff: How to Properly Behave in Certain Situations

Story Rating: 5 out of 5

Blurb:

Do you know how to properly conduct yourself in a public restroom?
What about while in the midst of a profoundly awkward silence?
Have you perfected how to get out of helping your friend move?

If you answered no to those questions, fear not. You need Stuff You Should Know About Stuff, the book that future anthropologists will no doubt call "the Rosetta Stone of handling trivial life situations."

From the sketch comedy duo who created the viral videos “Sh*t Nobody Says” and “Things You Can't Do When You’re Not in a Pool," Tripp and Tyler bring you the written word in Stuff You Should Know About Stuff, a guide instructing you how to navigate the treacherous waters of life’s odd quandaries.

There are even photos and illustrations for people who enjoy photos and illustrations and stuff like that. You can read it from cover to cover or you can choose to educate yourself only in conjunction with your bowel movements. Totally your call there.

Stuff You Should Know About Stuff places the priority on the trivial experiences of life, because that's where we spend most of our time; trying to recover from going for the fist bump when a casual acquaintance wanted a high five.

Review:

This is one incredibly funny book. These two guys are hysterical and are like the male equivalent of Erma Bombeck. I can only imagine what they are like out drinking on a Saturday night. They talk about real life situations that a lot of people won't even say out loud (like bare asses on hotel comforters-- a very legit concern in my opinion). 

Now while this book is written more for men, as a woman I still loved reading this. And when I mentioned a few examples from this book to a male friend I did get a few "F*ck yeah, they're right on." And the urinal illustration was confirmed as being 100% correct.

This book is highly recommended if you are looking for some real laughs. 

Reviewed by Elizabeth

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Review: Jumping into the Parade: The Leap of Faith That Made My Broken Life Worth Living by Tim Brown

Jumping into the Parade: The Leap of Faith That Made My Broken Life Worth Living by Tim Brown

Link to buy Jumping into the Parade: The Leap of Faith That Made My Broken Life Worth Living

Story Rating: 3 out of 5

Review:

Tim Brown's Jumping into the Parade is a memoir that traces the author's successes and failures from childhood through adulthood. Following an aborted suicide attempt in his forties, he steps away from the ledge "both literally and figuratively" and manages to take control of his life. The book is one part recounting the stories of Brown's life, and one part inspiration for readers who seek to learn from his example, with a dash of faith thrown in to show how Brown sees God at work in his life.

This is a self-help book that's modeled after many others in the same vein. There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing new here, either. Yes, Brown had hardships in his life. Yes, he was depressed and nearly ended it all. Yes, he pulled himself out of his difficulties and made a conscious decision to be happy. The thing is that there are so many books like this out there that it's unclear what this one adds to the mix. For instance, the last chapter summarizes the lessons taught in the book. These lessons include such items as, "Learn from your experiences" and "Don't fear your fear." Good advice, sure, but it's been repeated elsewhere and these aren't exactly earth-shattering revelations.

One thing that seemed surprising about this book is that it was written before the author had much chance to see how well the changes he implemented in his life will work in the long term. Many of the changes happened in the past several years, and some are as recent as fall 2013. That being the case, it seems premature to say that the author's problems are permanently solved. It's unexpected that as early as fall 2014 he's already prepared to teach his secrets to others.

Overall, readers might identify with some of the personal experiences shared by Brown in his memoir. The book is told in an essay format with very little dialogue or action scenes. Some might prefer that style, while others might prefer it if he had chosen more of a "show, don't tell" strategy. If readers can gain insights and improve their circumstances through this book, then the author's mission will have been accomplished. But there's not much here that hasn't been seen in other similar works, and fans of this particular genre might walk away disappointed for that reason.


Reviewed by Peter

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Review: The One Week Marketing Plan by Mark Satterfield

The One Week Marketing Plan: The Set It & Forget It Approach for Quickly Growing Your Business by Mark Satterfield

Link to buy The One Week Marketing Plan: The Set It & Forget It Approach for Quickly Growing Your Business

Story Rating: 5 out of 5

Review:

Author Mark Satterfield puts his money where his mouth is in this book designed to help business owners attract new clients simply by following a series of easy-to-understand steps. First, he advises readers to identify their niche market and figure out what problem that niche market has that can be solved by the readers' businesses. For instance, if you're an interior designer looking for more clients, you probably know that many people would love your services, but they think they can't afford a designer. In that case, solve their problem by promising to help remodel on a tiny budget. From there, Satterfield helps readers launch an entire marketing plan focused on the niche market's problem that can literally be completed in a week. No, I didn't believe it either, but in reading the book, he made it seem entirely possible.

Satterfield seems to be putting his money where his mouth is here because he followed his own advice in writing this book. His niche market is business owners who want more clients. Their problem is that they think a full-on marketing plan to attract those clients is time-consuming and expensive. Satterfield solves that problem by offering simple, clear steps that cost little to implement and can net results in a matter of days. Nicely done!

The first half of the book gives the reader daily homework assignments to follow for five days in order to get the marketing plan off the ground. The book's second half is "strategic marketing boosts" which include ideas for blogging, social media, and creating joint ventures with other business owners. These aren't part of the basic marketing plan, so can be added on later if a reader chooses.

What's most appealing about this book is the step-by-step, fill-in-the-blanks format. Satterfield does the heavy lifting for readers in many cases. It seems to go back to his desire to solve a client's problems. If a reader of this book is a poor writer and worries about not being able to send out a coherent marketing email, Satterfield solves that problem by offering sample emails with blanks that can be personalized.

This is a recommended read for business owners looking to increase their client base. In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't try to follow the plan so I can't say for sure whether it works as flawlessly as Satterfield claims. Still, this book will remain on my shelf until I'm ready to embark on my next business venture. With Satterfield's help I identified my niche market as women who can't get what they want out of a relationship with a man. I'll solve the problem by booking clients who want me to come over after work with a bottle of wine and a bag of groceries. I'll cook, listen to their complaints about coworkers, and say they deserve to splurge on a spa day. There will be a foot rub after dinner. After they fall asleep on the sofa watching Letterman, I'll do the dishes, walk the dog, and let myself out. This is the best idea since the microwave oven and with this book's help, it will be just as successful.


Reviewed by Peter

Friday, September 26, 2014

The Bible: Fiction vs Nonfiction

Is the Bible fiction or nonfiction? For believers, it's clearly nonfiction, but nonbelievers would call it pure fantasy. The argument has raged for centuries, with no sign of stopping anytime soon, but while theologians duke it out, that leaves bookstore owners and librarians in a quandary: Where should they shelve their Bibles without offending anyone on either side of the debate? 

Mega-retailer Costco found itself in the midst of this debate last year when a pastor visited one if its stores in California and found a copy of the Bible amidst the fiction books. The pastor Tweeted about it, and the story became a national debate. Meanwhile a 7th grade student at a California school brought a copy of the Bible to school when his teacher said students were supposed to read a nonfiction book. When the teacher told him the book was fiction, all hell broke loose. Well, not all hell, exactly. But a bunch of folks had to sit down with the principal, which is essentially the same thing if we remember correctly from our school days.

Regardless of whether the Bible is fact or fiction, it has definitely inspired a great deal of literature of both the fictitious and factual variety. In nonfiction aisles at your favorite bookstore you'll find a variety of titles that help people interpret the Bible, such as The Everyday Life Bible: The Power of God's Word for Everyday Living, how the Bible's teachings can help people live their lives such as What the Bible Says about Love, Marriage, & Sex: The Song of Solomon, and of course inevitably there's The Bible for Dummies.

The Bible is also responsible for spawning a number of fiction titles. Some focus on particular characters from the Bible, including Desired: The Untold Story of Samson and Delilah and My Name is Lazarus. Some stories are based on parables in the Bible, which are fictional stories that Jesus told in order to teach lessons to his followers. One example is The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus.

Whether you believe the Bible is fiction or nonfiction, there are plenty of books out there to feed your interest in the book. Happy reading!

Friday, September 19, 2014

How to Talk to Hot Guys: The 9 Secrets of Getting and Keeping the Guy of Your Dreams by Mehow with David Crowther

How to Talk to Hot Guys: The 9 Secrets of Getting and Keeping the Guy of Your Dreams by Mehow with David Crowther

Link to buy How to Talk to Hot Guys: The 9 Secrets to Getting and Keeping the Guy of Your Dreams

Story Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review:

So apparently there's something called the "pickup community," and there are actually people who call themselves "pickup artists." Who knew? Mehow, the author of How to Talk to Hot Guys, is one of that community's best and brightest. It would be interesting to learn whether most members of this community identify as such, and whether they have a formal, organized group, kind of like the National Rifle Association with condoms instead of ammo. But I digress….
How to Talk to Hot Guys is designed to help women attract men. It's for readers who want to talk to hot guys in order to start relationships, as well as those who are looking for a one-night hookup with Mr. Sexy at the end of the bar. The techniques are essentially the same. You zero in on the man of your dreams – or at least a guy who doesn’t physically repel you – and engage in witty banter designed to keep the guy interested and a little off balance. In the process, you have time to determine if this is a guy who you'd like to spend time with. If he is, you can use your sense of humor to turn him into your helpless sex toy. Or the father of your children. Whatever. At that point, it's your call.

It's a great premise for a book. With the right zingers, the most desirable man is putty in your hands. Mehow even offers some suggestions for screening men to make sure you're getting a good one. After all, how many sane women want to embark on a drunken, drama-filled adventure with a non-famous, not-as-attractive version of Charlie Sheen? He also offers tips for women to help them avoid turning off decent guys. After all, how many sane men want to embark on a drunken, drama-filled adventure with a non-famous, not-as-attractive version of Lindsey Lohan?

This book has some flaws, though. First off, the conversation scenarios demand comedic timing and wit that most people don't have access to on the spur of the moment. Sure, if you're writing a book and you have months to think up clever come-backs, it looks easy. It probably wouldn't come as easily during real life conversations. Also, there are all sorts of rules and situations that were impossible to keep straight. Like when's the right time for "tease stacking" versus "sass" versus "harsh implied frames"? And what are "calibration" and "emotional value" again?
Finally, some of the recommended techniques seemed like they wouldn't attract a man so much as make him think you're either out of your mind or a total bitch. For instance, if a guy you've just met tells you, "I stopped playing football after college," a recommended response is, "Is that when you grew a vagina?" Now, that might be a good response for someone you already know fairly well, but walking up to a stranger in a bar and saying that might instead elicit a WTF? response from a lot of guys. Of course, if a man is put off when you talk about his late-onset vagina, then perhaps it's better to know that upfront before wasting too much time on him.

Reviewed by Peter

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Review: Sprouted Soul: Whole Souled Poems by Doobie

Sprouted Soul: Whole Souled Poems by Doobie 



Review:

Sprouted Soul Whole – Loved Poems by Doobie is a collection of rather short poems that describe the soul that learns to hurt and love over and over again. These poems range in descriptions from the use of sight all the way through various forms of weather. There is not a whole lot of description that can be given without giving away the poems.

Doobie provides very short poems that feel rather incomplete. These poems seem to just give a glimpse into the writer’s soul and what they feel when writing the poem. The best poetry comes from the heart and when a poet allows that emotion to shine so does the poem that they have written. Many of these feel as if the writer has forced the words to come forth making the poems lack the impact that the writer wants to convey. However, with all of that said it is obvious that Doobie has talent that as they write will come through so keep your eye on this poet. This particular set of poems receives a 3 out of 5 score simply because of the budding talent that is shown in these poems.

Reviewed by Unrequited Spirit

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Review: All You Need Is Less by Madeline Somerville

All You Need is Less: The Eco-Friendly Guide to Guilt-Free Green Living and Stress-Free Simplicity by Madeleine Somerville

Link to buy All You Need Is Less: The Eco-friendly Guide to Guilt-Free Green Living and Stress-Free Simplicity

Rating: 4 out of 5

At the beginning of Madeleine Somerville's All You Need is Less: The Eco-Friendly Guide to Guilt-Free Green Living and Stress-Free Simplicity, the author says that there should be more emphasis on the "reduce" segment of the environmentalists' "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" war cry. To that end, she focuses on strategies designed to help people acquire and use less stuff. Some of those strategies are more realistic and practical than others.

Everything lands on Somerville's chopping block, from personal care items, to home cleaning supplies, to clothes driers. The idea is that all the everyday products we purchase at the grocery store can be replaced with less expensive, more environmentally friendly alternatives. For instance, you can shampoo your hair with baking soda, shave with coconut oil, clean your home with vinegar, and hang your laundry on a clothesline outside to dry.

It almost goes without saying that Somerville is an advocate for rain barrels, backyard gardening with heirloom seeds, and cloth diapers, but she goes a step further with a chapter about how to improve your relationships and "green" your pets. It's all written in a friendly, easy-to-read style that usually tries to avoid inflicting crushing guilt trips on readers. 

A few things particularly stood out about this book:

1) The author is deeply infatuated with vinegar. She uses it for everything from first aid to housecleaning to hair conditioner. She admits that after using apple cider vinegar as conditioner, her hair might smell a little vinegary if it gets wet and you stick your nose in it, but she believes it's a small price to pay for not having to buy actual hair conditioner that's full of chemicals.

2) Some of the author's ideas are excellent and entirely possible for some people. Drying clothes on a line outside, for example, would work fine during dry, warm weather for people who have backyards with clotheslines. People living in apartments and/or in Minnesota in January are still going to need a drier. Plus there are plenty that are beyond the realm of how much trouble the average person will go to. For instance, traditional leg waxing is out. Instead, you're supposed to mix up a concoction of hot, sticky sugar and reusable cloth strips. Uh, no.

3) This book isn't just about using less stuff – it offers a new lifestyle. A reader can pick and choose which specific techniques work for him/her, but an environmental zealot can use the book to transform every aspect of his/her life.

As thorough and interesting and potentially useful as this book it, it did have a fundamental flaw. Many of the tips and techniques don't actually result in using less stuff; they just change which stuff you're using. For instance, let's say you want to use a skin moisturizer. Somerville says that instead of buying moisturizer which is specifically for that purpose, you should use coconut oil. And if you've got a cat, you shouldn't buy regular cat litter, but instead either buy the more expensive natural kind or make your own using shredded newspaper that you wet then mush together then dry in a process that takes 1-2 days.

Basically, you're not reducing anything. You're still buying and using stuff. You're just using stuff that's not as good as the stuff that you used to use. It's not necessarily even cheaper. Take coconut oil, for example. It's expensive and it comes in jars that you have to throw away, just like the skin lotion that it's supposed to be replacing. So why bother? I've tried to use coconut oil as a skin moisturizer. It's greasy and it gets oily spots on my clothes. The author advises readers to avoid that problem by toweling themselves off after using it, but that adds another step to my post-shower routine. And I smell like coconut, which isn't bad exactly, but it's not as nice as the fragrance in my skin lotion. So, to recap, people are supposed to stop buying expensive skin lotion which moisturizes their skin and smells nice. Instead they should buy expensive coconut oil, which moisturizes skin but leaves a greasy residue that needs to be removed and smells like coconuts. What exactly is being saved here? Especially if the skin lotion you already use is a natural kind that doesn't contain parabens or test on animals.


Overall, All You Need Is Less contains a lot of excellent tips. It's helpful to keep it in perspective, though, and remember that every little bit you do will help the planet. You don't have to follow all these guidelines to make your life a little greener. Realistically, there are a finite number of hours in the day to grow your own food, make your own baby wipes, and give your partner deep tissue massages instead of buying him/her anniversary gifts. And as for me, life's too short to have hair that smells like vinegar.

Reviewed by Peter