Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The circus came to town and excitement was in the air in many small towns across America. It was the 1930's in Jacob's memory. Even when Jacob was living in a home for the aged in his nineties, the circus was still traveling to a town nearby. That year was no exception. He remembered vividly how he had been a part of the circus. The other retirement home residents were excited too, remembering from their childhood days. For Jacob, it was different. He was really there.

When the Great Depression had struck and then suddenly his parents died in a car accident, his class days as a veterinary medical student were over. There was no money to pay for his expenses and he needed to find work just to survive. He was now flat broke. He joined the hobos on a freight train and headed out of town. He didn't know where he would end up. Well dressed but penniless, he soon discovered that he was on a circus train.

The train was part of the Benzini Brothers circus. They were known as the Most Spectacular Show on Earth if only by their own estimation. He was able to get hired on for a menial job until it became known that he was just shy of his degree in veterinary science. Suddenly, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. While there, he saw this most beautiful girl on a horse and was taken in by her. Marlena was an equestrian circus star but was married to the animal trainer. Jacob Jankowski is invited to join Marlena and her husband August for dinner in their private railway car. There is nothing that would have stopped him. He was excited to go and had a fine time.

The circus lifestyle was exciting to a twenty three year old in the company of a pretty circus star and an interesting trainer. They were the privileged set with the circus and had the best food and drink available just like the owners had. Jacob was now in good company. His budding romantic relationship with Marlena was done quietly and August didn't seem to suspect their interest.

Uncle Al, who owns the circus, doesn't always run the business well. He does some cruel things to keep the circus solvent. Occasionally, he would have some workers thrown off the train at night. He'd feed his dead animals to the lions. Sometimes he wouldn't pay his workers. When other circuses went out of business, he would buy parts of their operations for little money and then not have enough for his regular payroll. He did pick up some interesting additions. One purchase brought a huge elephant named Rosie to the menagerie. Al was delighted that now he not only had a vet with a Cornell education but his own elephant too.

Rosie was a smart animal but stubborn. The animal trainer was mean to the elephant but Jacob could get her to do a lot with his kindness. Marlena was also good with animals and recognized the abuse her husband was giving Rosie. August became suspicious one day of their relationship and beats up Jacob and abuses Marlena. Then she leaves him and goes to live in a hotel when she is not performing. Al tells Jacob that Malena and her husband need to get back together for the sake of the circus's survival and he was holding Jacob responsible. He told Jacob that if they didn't reunite, he would throw his roommate Walter off the train as well as Camel, another friend. They would be red lighted.

Jacob continues to visit her in her hotel room and it wasn't long before they were sleeping together. They then declare their love for one another. When Marlena returns to perform her act, she refuses to let August near her. Al is disappointed and becomes angry. He needs them to get back together. His circus depends on it.

One night, Jacob carried a knife between his teeth and jumped on top of the train. He was going to go along the top of the moving train to Augusts' train and then try to kill him. Jacob couldn't go through with it. He returned to his train and discovered that his friend and roommate had been red lighted. Probably he would have been thrown off, too if he had been home when the men came to do the dirty deed.

When the story is nearly over, some of the "red lighted" circus hands come back. They are now seeking revenge upon the owner. They release the animals and cause a stampede during a live performance. There is panic in the aisles; August is killed by Rosie the elephant. August split his head when the stake was pulled out of the ground. Jacob witnesses the incident and can't save August. Uncle Al is also found dead. The circus is then shutdown.

Marlena and Jacob leave, taking Rosie and some of the other animals with them. They begin their life together. Jacob and Marlena married and had 5 children. Seven years were at the Ringling Bros. circus and then Jacob got a job as a vet for the Chicago zoo.

At the end of the story, Jacob is at the retirement home, waiting for his family to pick him up and take him to the circus. He finds out no one is coming for him after all. He can't go to the circus. Then, Jacob goes to the circus, on his own. He meets Charlie the circus manager and asks if he can help by selling tickets. Charlie agrees to even let him come with the circus if he wants. Jacob accepts the offer and believes he has finally come home.

John Sprague is an American currently working in the mideast. He enjoys writing and working on his websites in his free time. He has a new site at http://www.marketingkindreds.com. His website has photos of the mideast and marketing articles that you may be interested in viewing. There are also website analysis tools and articles on genealogy and DNA.

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The Killing Circle by Andrew Pyper

Don't be put off by the title of this book, as it is written by a very good young Canadian author who has become much respected for his work both in Europe as well as America.

This is a compulsive read about a journalist named Patrick Rush who is also a single father and a failed novelist. Patrick decides to join a creative writing circle in Toronto. At the same time there is a murderer loose in the city who attacks his victims at random, leaving cryptic notes beside the bodies for the police investigators.

The circle meets each week for four weeks under their organizer, Conrad White, a strange but influential man who does not teach writing, but rather, facilitates it; the idea being to get the seven members to think and maybe write about their own lives, or a variation thereof. Each week the members will read out loud their new additions to their ever growing work.

It may be more than a coincidence that one of the circle named Angela starts to write a story about a child abductor named Sandman. Could the murderer who is at large in the city be the Sandman? Each time the circle meets, the more Patrick finds fiction blending with reality and he begins to believe that maybe he is being stalked by the Sandman. It isn't until his son, Sam, is snatched, that he realizes that he has to become much more involved in the murky lives of some of the seven members, if he is to find out about this mysterious character.

As the characters' secrets are exposed, so the twists and turns of this well written novel begin to make sense. It naturally becomes a page-turner as Pyper cleverly controls the tension. Without giving away the ending, suffice it to say that we have an individual in Patrick who for lack of a life story cannot write a good novel, but somehow ends up involved in a fascinating story that literally takes over his life.

This is a writer to watch for if you enjoy a good mystery/thriller. This book I would not classify as a thriller, but an excellent mystery; a fact which pleases me as we do not have to plough through the endless Hollywood style gruesome details of the victims.

It is exciting to find a really good Canadian mystery writer with a style that is readable and compelling, who does not rely on any silly grammatical antics to sell his work.

This book review has been written by Jeremy Moray who is the owner of the website http://www.jeremysbookreviews.com a site that has over 150 reviews of books from different genres. This site will be added to as I read more books that I enjoy.

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My Review of The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

Amir and Hassan grow up together in Afghanistan. They are from totally different backgrounds. It doesn't matter to this boy but once in a while, Amir will talk down to his friend who is a Hazara. Then he catches himself and feels bad about it. They are like family and grew up together. Amir is the privileged son of a well to do Pashtun business person. Amir is educated and can read. Hassan, whose father is a servant, is illiterate and has a harelip too. One thing that they have in common is, neither of them has a mother at home and they both are excellent kite runners.

In Afghanistan, kite running is a very competitive sport. Hassan is a very good runner and helps his friend many times, since he has the gift of being able to calculate in his head exactly where the kite will land. He doesn't need to keep his eyes glued to the kite like most need to do. He is Amir's trusted assistant and friend and very clever at the game. Amir, knowing where the kite will land is a valuable asset and helps them to successfully win races and beat out other competitors. This lucky day, Amir and Hassan had won the local tournament by working together. Baba who rarely gave his son praise, gave much praise to Amir that day. He couldn't stop bragging about him for a change.

Meanwhile, Hassan goes to fetch the cut kite that is their main prize. Unfortunately, Hassan runs into the local bully who was always picking on the two younger boys. Assef didn't like Hassan mainly because he was a Hazara. Their tribe and religion was considered inferior to the proud Pashtun's. Of course, he didn't like Amir either because he hung around with the Hazara boy.

That day, Assef and two of his friends caught Hassan as he was about to retrive the trophy kite. Hassan refused to turn the kite over to him so Assef attacked the younger boy. He was assaulted and raped by the mean bully who was also a pervert. Wondering where his friend was, Amir ran into the rubble of Kabul to find him. He searched everywhere. When he hears the voice of Assef, he hides in fear. He is a witness to the assalt of his friend but he is too scared to do anything. Amir felt ashamed.

Amir's father loved both the boys although he usually puts down his son for not being brave. Amir also fears his father's blame is because his mother died giving birth to him. Rahim Khan, his father's friend, better understood how Amir acted and tries to compensate and make him feel good about himself. He supports his interests in writing which had been another source of his father's disappointment. Right then, he was receiving the praise from his dad. This was something that he always had hoped for, but on the inside, he was feeling really bad right now for other reasons. He had seen a horrible act being done to his best friend and he did nothing. He was frozen. Assef, the notoriously mean and violent older boy who had sadistic tendencies, had violated his friend. He also remembered a day in the past when Assef was going to hurt him. Hassan stood up for him that day with his trusty sling shot and threatened to shoot Assef's eye out if he touched his friend. Assef backed off that day but promised to get his revenge.

For some time after, Amir couldn't look his friend in the eye and Hassan doesn't mention the incident. Amir feels ashamed and unsure of himself and also can't understand why Hassan said nothing. Amir begins to wonder if Hassan may know that he knows just what had happened. Amir starts to avoid him. He is also annoyed that his Baba pays so much attention to Hassan. He secretly decides Hassan needs to go away and he then works up a plan.

Amir frames his friend as a thief and Hassan confesses to the false charge. His father still forgave the boy and didn't want him to have to go away. Hassan and his father named Ali, leave the property anyway. Baba had previously told Hassan and his father that there would always be a place for them there. Once Hassan leaves, Amir no longer is reminded of his being a coward but the guilt remains.

In a few years, the Russians come to Afghanistan and Amir and his father go to Peshawar and eventually to California and freedom. Amir always remembers what he did back there. They miss their nice home in Kabul but they surround themselves with other Afghan people who have also gone to America. Their housing is now a rundown apartment building. His father works at a filling station and they supplement their income with sales at the Sunday flea market where they see other countrymen. Amir takes classes at a community college to build up his writing skills. One Sunday he meets a girl there and eventually it develops into a romance.

Soraya and her family are kind to Amir and his father. Amir's father is then diagnosed with a terminal illness and goes down fast. Nearly on his deathbed, he tells his son that he will ask Soraya's father for permission for his son to take her hand in marriage. This is how it is done back home in Afghanistan. Amir is delighted that his father is able to do this for him before he dies. Soraya's father accepts the arrangement and the two of them marry. Not long after, Baba dies. Still later, Amir and Soraya discover that they can not have children.

Amir then becomes a successful author. Years later, Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan, who is also near the end of his life. His one dying wish is that Amir will come to see him one last time in his native land. He tells Amir that he will tell him how he can be good again. Amir goes, not knowing exactly what he meant by that.

Rahim Khan fills him in on all the things that have happened back in Afghanistan and about Ali and Hassan. Ali was killed and Hassan had a wife and son. The son is named Sohrab. Rahim returned to his father's house to care for it and invited Ali and Hassan back. The Taliban made him leave and took over the house. Hassan refused to give up the house and both he and his wife were killed. The son was the only one who survived besides Khan.

Rahim then tells him that Ali was not Hassan's real father but Baba was. Hassan was your half brother. He thought he should know. Amir felt terrible. Then Khan tells him the real reason he called him to come back there.He wanted Amir to go to Kabul and rescue Hassan's son, from an orphanage. Amir's head was spinning by this time. Khan assured him that since Sohrab was his blood relative, he needed to do the right thing. He also told Amir that he knew what happened to Hassan and this was his chance to make things right and feel good again. He knew it bothered Amir all these years. Amir went reluctantly although he knew it was the right thing to do.

Amir returns to Taliban Kabul with a travel guide. Farid and Amir search all the orphanages looking for Sohrab. They finally find where he had been. He discovers that a Taliban official had taken him from the home. Amir had to go to a soccer match to look for a man who took the boy. The guide Farid had managed to get an appointment at the official's home and said they had business to discuss.

Amir came wearing a fake beard and a pair of sunglasses. Amir met with the official who recognized him even in his disguise. The official is Assef from his childhood. Assef asks about Hassan, Ali and Baba. Sohrab is being held captive at his house dressed like a little girl and Amir wondered if he was being assaulted by the man. Amir asked him to set the boy free and he would take him out of there. Assef agreed to let him go provided Amir could beat him as they would fight over the child. Amir fought hard but was losing at it. Sohrab used his slingshot that his dad had taught him to use. The rock knocked out Assef's left eye. Amir and the boy escaped and drove away with Farid.

Sohrab and Amir head to America. He promises the boy that he will never have to go to an orphanage again, following a long adjustment period, Sohrab refused to speak or even look at his new mother. He was finally coming around. They had had a terrible time. Sohrab had been emotionally hurt deep inside and it took a long time before he felt good about himself again.

Amir had spent a great deal of time talking about his father and one day, he started to respond to them. He finally had a chance to be renewed and whole again. During their kite running in America, Sohrab began to interact with him. Amir takes the kite one day and looks at Sohrab and says "For you, a thousand times over." This is a phrase that Hassan had said many years before and more recently to his own son. Almost a smile came to the boys face. Now there was hope. Amir now had a son and he felt good again.

John Sprague hails from Hampden Maine. He is presently in Iraq working as a contractor. They say it is safe over here now but only time will tell. In my free time, I do a lot of reading and enjoy writing. Please let me know what you think of my writing and if you enjoy any of my work. Let me know if I can be of help to you. Please email me or visit my picture website at http://johnsprague.ws.

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A Review of Maudiegirl And The Von Bloss Kitchen by Carl Muller

Maudiegirl Esther Kimball's first husband, Campbell, died on the voyage to Ceylon. Her second, Kimball, succumbed to malaria. She then married Cecilprins and became his tower of strength. This is how Carl Muller describes - for want of a better word - the heroine of Maudiegirl And The Von Bloss Kitchen.

The book continues the story the author began in the award-winning The Jam Fruit Tree, a tale of Burgher life in Sri Lanka. If "heroine" was a slightly inappropriate description of Maudiegirl, then "story" is certainly not a description of this book's plot. Simply put, the book presents a picture of life within the Burgher community, an island within an island. It illustrates, but does not lead. Read it for an experience, not a journey.

Nominally Dutch, but Sinhalese-speaking, Asian born but with European aspirations, the Burghers are a wholly integrated race apart. The names survive - Van Der Poorten, Caspars etc - but the identity is merely confused. Whose isn't?

Most of this Burgher family's life revolves around food and sex, not always in that order. Sustenance and procreation occupy most of the time, with recreation - usually in the form of sex - taking up the rest. Maudiegirl is the pillar of the household, probably of the community. She brings people together, solves problems, disposes wisdom and occasional rebuke via her cooking. She has a recipe for every occasion. Her meals can cure ills, solve problems, offer advice, and her cooking skills are recognised throughout the Von Bloss family, even the community. The cooking's unfamiliar and complex mix of influences, European, Asian, Dutch, English, Sri Lankan, Indian and American, reflect the community in which they live and its place in the world.

A woman who can't conceive eat too much fish. Need something stronger. Stewed eel works wonders. Only wonder what. Dunnyboy expose himself in public. Big thing. Worries sisters. Eat pork pie. Daughter need baby. Need hammering. Make plum pudding (dried fruit only, butter a pan, boil or steam for four hours). Problem solved.

Carl Muller's style is pithy, occasionally playful, often funny, always earthy, sometimes vaguely embarrassing. He sails metaphorically close to winds and occasionally obfuscates via the inclusion of unexplained, un-translated Sinhalese words and phrases. He makes no excuse for this, and invites the interested reader to find a Sinhalese speaker to help translate this world language and explain, and thereby intensify the experience and promote communication between races and cultures. So there!

Maudiegirl And The Von Bloss Kitchen, this part novel, part cookbook, thus records the day-to-day, reflects life and opens a window onto a perhaps unique culture that is in no way special. There is no plot, no obvious sequence of events, only everyday life as it predictably and unpredictably unfolds. It is also a superb cookbook, recording the recipes of an expert cook. And refreshingly, whatever she cooks and in whatever style, no-one ever seems to dislike anything, pick at their food, question its authenticity, count its calories or even mention omega-3. It's the food of a living culture.

Philip Spires
Author of Mission and A Fool's Knot, African novels set in Kenya
http://www.philipspires.co.uk
Migwani is a small town in Kitui District, eastern Kenya. My books examine how social and economic change impact on the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is bound up with their home area, but whose futures are determined by the globaised world in which they live.

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Book Review for "White Tiger"

Book Review for: White Tiger
Chronicles of Kassouk, Book 1
Written by: Vijaya Schartz
Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-936000-31-9
Ebook Format
5 Stars

Reviewed by: S. Burkhart

Schartz has created a world rich in futuristic mythology with "White Tiger," Book One in the Chronicles of Kassouk. Tora is a human soldier whose loyalty to the Emperor is without question. As she follows Field Marshall Killion to war, she meets a man called Dragomir who challenges all that she knows to be true about the world.

The novel is set on the plant of Kassouk. The plant's natural climate is Arctic. Humans settled there after leaving a decimated Earth. They know the planet as New Earth.

The Godds have also come to Kassouk, but it's obvious they are an alien race. There are no female Godds so they mate with human females called Valshas. Their children are known as mutants. The Godds provide for the humans, but they also have enemies - the Reptoids. When the Reptoids shoot down the weather satellite that controls the weather, the climate on Kassouk becomes frigid. The Godds prepare to leave, but only after harvesting their female mutant children's eggs.

Tora, daughter of a great general, realizes there is change in the air when the satellite is shot down. The Reptoids and Zerkers pursue the humans of Kassouk, and so Tora takes her company White Tiger, and follows Field Marshall Killion's army into battle.

Along the way, she meets Dragomir, a man who ignites the more passionate, baser emotions in her. Dragomir confesses to be a mutant, but harbors secrets. He warns Tora of a human traitor and leaves after the couple share a forbidden night of passion.

Can Tora find the traitor to the human race and rekindle the love she shared with Dragomir.

Schartz's writing is crisp, original, and filled with creativity. The plot is smooth, action-packed, and moves fast.

"White Tiger" uses a good economy of words to explain the rich mythology and exotic locales of Kassouk without weighing down the reader.

The novel has a strong supporting cast that quickly endears itself to the reader. Driana is a loyal friend, Leah is a clever and beautiful mutant, Phaleg is the fierce Reptoid leader, and Khor and Kasil are the heartless Godds.

Dragomir is honest and loyal, brave in the face of adversity. His only weakness is his love for Tora. Tora is also loyal to her beliefs and exhibits a courage to be admired.

The love scenes are sensual and tasteful. From the first page to the last, "White Tiger" will take the reader for a breathless ride filled with action, adventure, myths, and love.

StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steph_Burkhart

Suze Orman's Women And Money - Book Review

Author: Lucas
This article is a short review of Suze Orman's book Women & Money: Owning The Power To Control Your Destiny. Women & Money is a very good book that I would recommend to all women who do not have experience in the area of personal finances. This book is very basic and simple and is not something for women that already have a lot of experience with personal finances. For others that do not have experience they must realize the importance of educating themselves on the basics of personal finances. They need to be prepared to take control of their financial situation just in case an unexpected situation like death or divorce comes about. Women also need to take a more active role in their families personal finances simply because two minds working on something are always better than one. In this book Orman does a great job of explaining this and also giving women ways to become more involved.

In Orman's book she starts out by talking about the dysfunctional relationship that women often have with money. She does a very good job of using a level yet authoritative tone in giving out practical and useful financial advice Suze goes into great detail about why women often leave the handling of money to men and also why women should be more involved. Suze mentions that women are just as capable as men in handling money but that they often choose to leave the job to men. In this book Suze gives out a few reasons why women often leave personal finances to men including that women feel that coveting money is wrong and also that women are more team-oriented. Suze says that women are usually scared to admit that they want a lot of money because they fell that it is wrong. Suze also says that often times women end up making less than men because they are more team oriented and concerned that everybody makes a good and even salary rather than fighting for every dollar they can get added to theirs.

The first half of Women & Money is based solely are the psychological and mental aspects of personal finances. It is centered around the attitudes and perceptions that women have toward money. The first half of the book is not much of an actual financial planning tool but still does do a great job of preparing women to learn the actual mechanics of personal finances.

The second half of Women & Money includes the meat and potatoes of personal finances. In this part of the book Orman gives her readers a step by step plan for how to actually get their personal finances in order. This plan includes Orman's 5 step "Save Yourself Plan". In this plan Suze gives out 5 very simple steps that anyone can easily follow in order to take control of their personal finances. Suze also sets up a time schedule of five months to implement this plan with a goal of finishing 1 step each month.

The first step in Orman's plan is to establish a checking and savings account. In this step Suze suggests that her readers setup a bank account that they have complete access to and suggest that it be a high yielding savings account and a standard checking account.

The second step in Orman's plan is to check your credit score. Here Suze suggests that each women find out what their score is and if needed they should take the necessary steps to improve/establish it. Suze also touches on the importance of paying down your debts here.

In the third step Suze talks about the importance of investing for retirement. Here she goes into great detail about how important it is to begin saving for retirement. This chapter includes information on 401K's, IRAs, and Roth IRAs.

In the fourth step of Orman's plan she talks about all of the importance must-have documents. Here she goes over wills, living trusts, and much much more.

The fifth and final step in Orman's plans talks about protecting your home and your family. In this last step she talks about the importance of renters or home owner's insurance, personal liability insurance, and life insurance.

Overall, I think that Orman's Women & Money book is a good read for any women that are looking for information about personal finances. This book could help many women to realize thee importance of taking an active role in personal finances and help them to see why they should be involved in family money decisions.

Jesse Chettle is a self-made Personal Financial Advising expert who specializes in giving out free Personal Financial Advice over the internet. You can visit his Personal Finances - Money blog to learn more about Women and Money by Suze Orman .

This article is free for republishing
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Magician: Master by Raymond Feist – Book Review

This is the second book in the Riftwar Saga and we watch as our main character goes from apprentice to master. But we also witness the writer (Raymond Feist) go from apprentice to master.

This book is the second book in Feist’s Riftwar Saga (the first book is Magician: Apprentice) and in this book we see not only the transformation of our main character from apprentice to master but we also see this same transformation in Feist’s writing. The tone, texture, and richness of this novel is significantly different than the first book. In this book Feist builds us a big world and takes us for a grand adventure. He opens up two worlds for us and introduces us to a lot of new characters and a very big story. In this volume Feist also goes from Apprentice to Master.

There are four books in this series. The first is Magician: Apprentice, the second is Magician: Master, the third is Silverthorn and the final book is A Darkness at Sethanon. This is the current version but there is an earlier version that combines the first two volumes and it is simply entitled: Magician. This single version of the first two novels is uncommon. As Feist’s writing gained in popularity the publishers split up that first book into two volumes and reprinted them.

The Basic Premise of the series

The plotline of the series of books is that a rift is opened up between two worlds and through this rift people and things can pass. A warrior empire is using this rift to conquer the world of our main characters which is called Midkemia and the main characters are Pug (a magician in training) and Tomas (an aspiring warrior). The setting is very much high medieval period with kings, castles, dwarves, elves, magicians, and much of the expected epic fantasy fare.

This second book begins about four years after the second book and one of the unique things about it is that we spend a fair amount of time on the other world which is named Kelewan. That world too is also very much high medieval Europe but of course with its own customs and idiosyncrasies. One thing of note is that horses are totally alien to their world which creates some nice side developments in the story.

I approached this shifting to the other world with some trepidation because, after all, they are the bad guys and I don’t really want to get to know them! But, it works extremely well and this shifting gives us some really good (and necessary) developments in the story.

Overall perception and analysis

This book is substantially different than the first one. We go from a pretty straight-forward epic fantasy theme to something that is significantly more textured and rich. It feels like there might have been four years of Feist’s writing skill development between the first and second book. The first book was more about introducing us to the characters and the story and this second book takes a bigger and more ambitious look by introducing us to the two worlds involved. It’s ambitious and it works well. There are some outstanding dramatic scenes and events that really leave an impression.

A Mild Criticism

This book deals with two worlds. And each world is complete with its own politics, empires, barons, blood lines, warlords, and all the requisite political maneuverings for power and wealth. This political infighting means that it gets a bit complex at times. A lot of different characters are introduced and sometimes this gets to be a bit too complicated for my taste.

Conclusion

Something really great about this book is that it and the first magician book can be read as a satisfying single work without having to continue through more books in the series. This book brings about a conclusion to the story begun in book one. And, one of the things that I like best about this book is that once we come to our dramatic conclusion we don’t find our characters sitting under a tree and living happily ever after. There is another forty or so pages that draw us further into some interesting developments which of course draw us into the next novel.

If you are looking for a new world to explore and a new series to sink your teeth into the Riftwar books are an excellent choice. There are currently over twenty books that take place in the Riftwar series and the latest book was released in early 2008 (Wrath of a Mad God). And a new series begins with the release of Rides a Dread Legion in early 2009.

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About the Author

Love Fantasy? Check out the authors website: The Fantasy Guide – Your guide to Fantasy Books

For more insights and articles about epic fantasy visit his site at: Epic-Fantasy.com - The webs only epic fantasy site.

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Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist – Book Review

There are a lot of epic fantasy series out there. But very few of them have withstood the test of time. This book is one of the best books in the genre of modern epic fantasy and it is the first book in a series called the Riftwar Cycle. If you are looking for an epic fantasy series to dig into this is a perfect starting point.

There are a lot of epic fantasy series out there. But very few of them have withstood the test of time. This book is one of the best books in the genre of modern epic fantasy and it is the first book in a series called the Riftwar Cycle. If you are looking for an epic fantasy series to dig into this is a perfect starting point.

The setting and the scene of the novel

The setting is medieval fantasy complete with castles, humans, dwarves, elves and all kinds of wondrous creatures. It would seem at first glance to be standard fantasy fare but there is a nice twist; in this world magicians can open portals called rifts between worlds and it is through one of these rifts that an invading army passes. And this is where our story begins, with two young men called Pug and Tomas in the beginning of an invasion into their world called Midkemia. Pug is struggling with the challenge and mystery of becoming a magician and this is where the title of the book is taken from.

About the Story: Just a darn good story and in no time at all you are going to be engrossed in the story and the characters. What more can you ask for? This is not your typical pulp fiction. It is well written and very satisfying. I don't want to tell you much more but there is adventure, traveling, magic, introspection, questions, battles, and even a castle siege. If you give this book 30 pages you will be hooked.

About the Magic: The title of the book (Magician: Apprentice) is almost a warning bell for me because I have read too much fantasy where magicians and wizards cast all kinds of fireballs, spells, and what not - and it tends to be an easy way for the writer to get out of a tough plot point - just create a new spell that gets you out of a jam! Not so in this book; the magic is subdued and makes a lot of sense. It is just a job well done in this regard.

Reverence to Dwarves and Elves: This book predates the Lord of the Rings movies so these races of creatures weren't the household names they are today. Feist presents them to us in the way they should be presented; as mysterious and wondrous creatures to be admired. He very clearly expresses this awe and you feel it.

Only really half a book: This book is actually only half of what Feist wrote for his first book. It was a big book so the publisher broke it up into two halves. The first half is Magician: Apprentice and the second half is Magician: Master. So if you decide to get this book I highly recommend you get the second one too. You are going to want to start on it right away because the first book does come to a good climax there is still a lot to be resolved. You will need the second book for this.

About the Riftwar Cycle:

The Riftwar Cycle is a series of books that revolve around the battle between Midkemia and Kelewan. These are the two worlds where the rift has been opened. And the books in the series take place on both worlds with a variety of characters and stories. Magician: Apprentice is the first book of a series called the Riftwar Saga After apprentice comes Magician: Master then Silverthorn and finally A Darkness at Sethanon.

If you are looking for a big story to sink your teeth into this is perfect. Well written and lots of the books are already out so you don't have to wait for the next one. And there are more coming. Book 3 of his Darkwar Saga is scheduled for release in March 2009 and book 1 of his new series (the DemonWar Saga) is scheduled for release later in 2009.

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About the Author

Love Fantasy? Check out the authors website: The Fantasy Guide

For more insights and articles about epic fantasy visit his site at: Epic-Fantasy.com

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"The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More" - Chris Anderson (Book Review)

Anderson's Book "The Long Tail" details the shift from a hit-driven entertainment and media industry into one in which hits lose in importance, while much of the profit lies in selling the hundreds of thousands of non-hit titles.

The author of “The Long Tail” is editor in chief of Wired magazine, a publication that has been observing (and sometimes hyping) the transformative energy of new media for a long time now.

In this book, he details the shift from a hit-driven entertainment and media industry into one in which hits lose in importance, while much of the profit lies in selling the hundreds of thousands of non-hit titles. A crucial insight came when the CEO of a “digital jukebox” company asked him to estimate what percentage of the 10,000 albums available on the jukeboxes sold at least one track per quarter. Anderson guessed 50 percent, but was off by a wide margin, as the surprising answer was "98 percent".

The author then started investigating sales of web-based companies such the music service Rhapsody, DVD rental service Netflix and online retailer Amazon. What he found was that while traditional retailers (think in this case Tower Records, Blockbuster and Waldenbooks) make most of their profits through a relatively small number of hits out of a restricted number of offerings, these new companies can expand their range of items enormously (at extremely low cost to them) and make substantial profits in the “long tail” of non-hit items that would not be profitable for brick-and-mortar stores.

Anderson develops the concept into the central metaphor of a society characterized by abundance of content, rather than by scarcity (as when people had only a few TV stations and whatever local record or book stores offered). Instead of a hit-driven culture, we are moving into a niche-driven ones, in which online aggregators (Amazon, eBay, iTunes, etc.) and filters (google, blogs, etc) offer an unprecedented variety of niche markets for almost any conceivable taste.

At times, the argument seems a bit forced (as when the author includes Wikipedia in his discussion), but overall, “The Long Tail” is an insightful and useful book.

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About the Author

Pamela Bruce lives in Austin, TX. She is the owner of Love Beads Unlimited and sells the sterling silver and Swarovski crystal bead jewelry she designs and creates on her website at http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com

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Book Review: Toxic Deception

In the book, TOXIC DECEPTION, authors Dan Fagin and Marianne Lavelle talked about the ways and means today's manufacturers were able to hide their "deceptive practices", and keep harmful products in the market even with the availability of safer and cheaper alternatives.

According to the book, there are secret industry documents and internal records from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), showing how the chemical industry distorted scientific studies to produce results that are according to their advantage. They have twisted facts and figures to mislead the consumers on the dangers of four (4) common chemicals investigated in Toxic Deception. In addition, the book also told about EPA's inaction to stop these chemical manufacturers from making their products available to consumers.

At present, all four chemicals remain in the market and are reported to be in wide use despite significant evidence that they cause cancer and other terrible health problems. These chemicals are usually present in the pesticides commonly used in households.

The book relates that scientific studies have come out with evidence that children are more than twice as likely to acquire leukemia if pest strips have been used in their homes. Similarly, dogs have 30 percent probability of contracting lymphoma if their owners spray 2,4-D on their lawns. 2,4-D is the name of the most common herbicide in the market.

Unfortunately, federal health agencies have all but abandoned the long-term testing of chemicals on animals. This type of testing has been the only method known to accurately predict a substance from causing cancer in humans. The authors contend that the change was brought about by the barrage of public relations produced by the big chemical industry players. Animal-rights advocates are no match to the manufacturers' clout and financial advantage. This was during the time when information came out that the manufacturers' products cause rat tumors and abnormalities.

On the EPA's part, instead of conducting their own tests, they often evaluate and rely on the tests that have been designed and conducted by the chemical manufacturers themselves. On other occasions, it was found out that the EPA evaluated the tests conducted by companies hired by the manufacturers.

In effect, the federal government provides the opportunity for these chemical manufacturers to test the toxic effects of their own products and produce results that are advantageous to their cause. One review provided a perfect description: "It is a fox-guarding-the-henhouse system that lends itself to manipulation and even outright fraud."

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About the Author

For additional information and comments about the article you may log on to http://www.personalinjurydefenders.com

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Sailing - A book review

Here is my review on this book “The Complete Introduction to Laser Racing” by Ben Tan.(ISBN9971-88-759-2).

This 260 pages book is a very comprehensive book which will appeal to both novice and competent Laser sailors. There are 15 chapters, of which 8 chapters are written by the author, namely Dr Ben Tan. The rest of the chapters are contributed by other prominent Laser sailors who are champions in their own right. Steve Cockerill, a very experienced Laser sailor also contributed a chapter entitled “Preparing the Laser”.

The first chapter outlines the reasons that the Laser becomes the choice of sailors in competitive racing. Laser racing can raced competitively up to the Olympics . even the veterans races are well participated. Laser sailors can sail competitively up to older years.

The next few chapters cover the various aspects of boat rigging, sail tuning, racing techniques. A sailor can clearly understands how the boom vang (kicker) and mainsheet tension, cunningham (downhaul) and outhaul affect the sail trim. For e.g. the Cunningham affect the upper third of the sail. The middle third of the sail is controlled by the boom vang (kicker) and the lower third is determined by the outhaul. It shows the sailors how to trim the boat in different wind conditions. In light wind wind, the sail should be fuller. In strong wind, the sail should be as flat as possible to spill the wind at the top of the sail. When sailing upwind, the sailor need to hike out in order to keep the boat as flat as possible. The Laser class typically has a very large fleet. Sailors can lose or gain places within seconds of rounding the marks. Being able to pass the boats at the marks involve both superior boat handling and sound knowledge of the racing rules and a war chest of tactical tricks.

The next two chapters cover the topics; wind patterns and currents. It shows how geography and land forms affect the wind strength and how the sailors can capitalize on this knowledge to have an edge over other sailors. Tide tables give us a large-scale impression of the strength and the directions of the currents. Contour maps show the underwater topography, but do not indicate current directions. Sailors can pick these skills by spending more time on the water.

Sailing fitness and sailing nutrition is also covered. These few pages show the right exercises to develop the right muscles that will give the sailors the added tenacity to last the many races that the regatta required. Nutrition also play a big part especially before the races and during the races.

One important chapter covers the psychology behind a champion sailor. Physical fitness is imperative to last a regatta over a few days. Even more critical is the sailor’s mental preparation and mental fitness.

The author close the book with a chapter on how to plan a training program to prepare for the regattas.

Overall, the book contains many tips which the serious sailors can take home to improve their skills and bring their sailing to a higher level.

I hope you had enjoyed reading the book review.

I had enjoyed sailing very much that I had started a blog to share my experience. Here is the link to know more about Singapore sailing news, http://www.singaporesailing.com and other sailing information, http://www.goecities.com/okokkeon111.

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About the Author

i am passionate about sailing and wishes to share my experience. In addition to share singapore sailing news and in the region

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Book Review ~ Healthy at 100 by John Robbins

I thought this was going to be a book about nutrition but I was wrong...

That's only half of the story. The real message of this book is about love, and caring for each other.

John Robbins didn't disappoint me. He cares deeply. About people, about the planet and about our relationship with each other.

The book looks for inspiration at the healthiest traditional cultures we know of, the Abkhasians, Vilcabambans, Hunzas and Okinawans. These cultures are well known for producing very old healthy people so it makes perfect sense to study them, find out what they can teach us...

The teachings go way beyond nutrition and exercise though. They go further into cultural attitudes and beliefs that have powerful outcomes when it comes to the health of the people. It turns out for example, that all these cultures placed tremendous value on the elderly. Old folks enjoyed the very highest status in these societies. So much so, that often we see the elderly exaggerating their real age.

These special places certainly didn't have the youth and beauty obsessions of modern Western society. Young, old and very very old lived together, worked together and played together.

We also see 'inclusive' mind-sets. Very rarely if ever were people shunned or discarded by these communities because of disability or infirmity. All were respected for their special gifts whatever abilities they may or may not have.

The focus on love in this book goes further though, than looking at how people interact and care for each other in the long-lived cultures. It shows us just how important loving relationships are to our health and well-being. 'Loneliness will kill you faster than cigarettes' we're told and there's solid science to back it up.

It's something I've felt deeply in my own reflections on life. How the modern world puts so much pressure on the individual, instead of people supporting each other. Once you're old enough to work in Western society, it's all down to you. You must compete with your peers for the best jobs, study harder, work harder to get on and up. It's all about ME against the world. That's how it feels. I have to WIN at life and if that means doing my fellow man down so be it! There's got to be a better way.

These traditional cultures do show us a different way but it's difficult to see how these ideas could be applied to modern life in a massive way. It's going to be up to individuals to try and create communities and I'm sure there are many alternative communities out there run by forward thinking people. The big message is 'get support', get loving relationships and close human bonds in your life or else your health will suffer.

If we don't have this in our lives, then surely we don't feel safe. It's a big world out there to be alone in. If you've got kids, you'll know how deeply you feel the need to protect them and surround them with a loving, nurturing environment so they can feel safe and grow in confidence.

So, let's start caring for each other!

Diet-wise the message was no big surprise. All these cultures ate whole foods and ate a whole load of plant-based stuff. Fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Only the Abkhasians and Okinawans ate significant amounts of animal foods in their diet – The Abkhasians 10% and the Okinawans 16% (by weight). The other two cultures ate 1% only but John Robbins notes in the book that all traditional cultures include some animal foods.

To my mind this is extremely telling. I believe that traditional wisdom is gained over a long, long time. Practices that are observed to work are passed on from generation to generation. There's probably a very good reason why we don't see any traditional cultures that are purely vegan.

The macronutrient ratios of the first 3 cultures turned out to be very similar: Carbohydrate 69-74%, Protein 10-13%, Fat 15-18% of calories.

I was a little disappointed that the Okinawan figures weren't included with the other 3 cultures in the table giving us overall statistics on these diets, based on percentage of calories. I can only imagine that the Okinawan diet didn't quite fit in as well with the overall message of the book, which is heavily focused on plant-based diets. Giving the percentages by weight isn't really very meaningful.

I was also disappointed that there is no nitty-gritty in this book. A distinct lack of information on how to apply this to everyday life. What should I eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and how much? We are left to work it out for ourselves. Some will be able to do that but I feel most will not do it. I think you've got to make things simple for people to follow, tell them exactly what to do. It's just too confusing otherwise. Maybe it will be in a follow-up book :).

In terms of these kind of diets being optimal, I think to get rid of all animal foods is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Of course, all four of these cultures do include some animal foods but John Robbins tends to extrapolate this into the realms of vegan diets which they clearly aren't. John even talks about the benefits of fish in the diet and the importance of omega-3 which seems confusing and off-track with his main message of veganism?

Also of course, these diets contain quite large amounts of grains which are not natural foods for humans. If you compare these overall diets with what most people are doing they are clearly a million miles ahead... All whole foods, mega portions of fruits and vegetables and so-on. In my view as I said, and as the Okinawans and Abkhasians shows, it's entirely possible to be very healthy with small amounts of animal products — they may even be vital. I believe that if you're going to follow a dietary model, then you should follow all of it and not pick out the bits that suit your ethical philosophy. Or at least acknowledge the risk you take by doing so.

Grains in the modern world can be a double edged sword. They aren't without their uses despite being unnatural for humans to eat.

You may have noticed me referring to the healthiest of societies in the past tense. It's very sad that in all of the ancient traditions, the modern Western values and ways of life are slowly but surely encroaching and only the oldest maintain the traditional ways and values.

Don't let my minor protestations put you off this book. This is a hugely positive and life-affirming book. It had me wet-eyed on more than one occasion with very moving stories and anecdotes. The main message is a beautiful and timely one. We need to return to a simpler way of life that does less damage to both ourselves, our fellow humans and the whole of the natural world.

If you like a bet and you want a sure-fire win with little risk then this diet is for you (as long as you can tolerate grains!). The facts speak for themselves and this book is a diamond as a reference source alone with hundreds of scientific studies listed and quoted.

I do think that improvements are possible by means of less grain and food combining and so-on but like I say… you pay your money and take your choice.

The Verdict 4.5 / 5

This is a safe bet with a good chance of seeing 100 if you follow the advice but may not give the absolute best results. Whatever you decide to bet on, this book is visionary — a must read. Well done JR!

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About the Author

Mike Kinnaird has studied health and nutrition for over 20 years, to overcome long-term chronic illness. Discover the 7 sure-fire steps to beating bad habits and kickstarting your health... Receive your free email mini-course at Mike's natural diet website.

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Book Review: A History of the World in 6 Glasses

World History is a long and complex topic. Though many accomplished authors such as Bill Bryson and H. G. Wells have attempted to condense history into a single book, very few have succeeded. There is just too much of it. Attempts to boil down the last 10,000 years have resulted in either superficial books with very little depth, or great textbook like tombs too inaccessible for the casual reader.

Happily, A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage succeeds where others have failed. Standage's book does this by sacrificing the breadth of every possible topic for an impressive depth and focus. Instead of trying to sum up the complete history of man, this book spotlights a single topic, in this case beverages, and then takes the reader on a journey through time to see how his topic interweaves the past. Standage is a delightful writer, mixing his light hearted style with exceptional historical savvy not just on the topic of drinks, but throughout.

Despite my now positive opinion of this book, I have to confess that when I first picked up A History of the World in 6 Glasses, I did not expect to enjoy it. Not only am I skeptical of any book claiming to sum up the antiquity of man in 300 pages or less, but I myself do not drink any of the 6 beverages this book discusses. As such, learning the history of these drinks did not sound immediately appealing. However, what I quickly learned is that this book is not a history of 6 drinks, but rather just as the title states, a history of the world, told through the story of 6 drinks. As the book points out in the introduction, second only to air, liquid is the most vital substance to man's survival. The availability of water and other drinking sources have "constrained and guided humankind's progress" and "have continued to shape human history". Throughout time, beverages have done more than quenched our thirst; they have been used as currencies, medicines, and in religious rites. They have served as symbols of wealth and power, as well as tools to appease the poor and downtrodden.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses is broken down into six sections, one for each drink, the first of which is beer. Man's first civilizations where founded on surplus cereal production, much of which was brewed. Ancient day beers were high in vitamin B, a vitamin previously only obtained through meat. This allowed the population to focus their nutrition efforts more and more on cereals, effectively ushering in the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Additionally, because early beers were boiled (to convert more starch into sugars), the beer was significantly safer to drink than water. This significant improvement in lifestyle "freed a small fraction of the population from the need to work in the fields, and made possible the emergence of specialist priest, administrators, scribes, and craftsmen." Not only did beer nourish man's first civilizations, but in many ways, made them entirely possible.

Wine, the next beverage in the book, played a major role in the flourishing Greek and Roman cultures. As wine did not originate from the Mediterranean, the Greek's desire for this drink opened up vast seaborne trade, which spread their philosophy, politics, science and literature far and wide, and still underpins modern Western thought. A History of the World in 6 Glasses points out how these advancements originated and grew at formal Greek drinking parties, called symposia. The Romans, who absorbed much of Greek culture, continued the strong use of wine. As the book notes, if you trace the wine drinking areas of the world on a map, you will find you have traced the Roman empire at its height.

After a thousand years of hibernation, Western civilization was awakened by the rediscovery of ancient knowledge, long safeguarded in the Arab world. However, in an attempt to circumvent this Arab monopoly, European monarchs launched massive fleets into the sea. This age of exploration was greatly enhanced by the Arab knowledge of distillation, which made a whole new range of drinks possible. A History of the World in 6 Glasses describes how these condensed forms of alcohol (namely Brandy, Whiskey and Rum) were so popular, especially in the new American colonies, that "they played a key role in the establishment of the United States."

The fourth beverage presented in this book is coffee. Because of its sharpening effect on the mind, coffee quickly became the drink of intellect and industry. Replacing taverns as the sophisticated meeting place, the coffeehouse "led to the establishment of scientific societies and financial institutions, the founding of newspapers, and provided fertile ground for revolutionary thought, particularly in France." A History of the World in 6 Glasses goes on to recount the intricate effect coffeehouses had on Victorian culture, going so far as to dedicate an entire chapter to what the book calls "The Coffeehouse Internet".

Even though the inception of tea date back many thousands of years, it didn't take hold upon western culture until the mid-seventeenth century. Once established as England's national drink, the importing of tea from first China and then India led to trade and industrialization on an unprecedented scale. A History of the World in 6 Glasses describes the immense power of the British East India Company, which "generated more revenue than the British government and ruled over far more people", wielding more power than any other corporation in history. This imbalance of power had an enormous, far-reaching effect on British foreign policy, and ultimately contributed to the independence of the United States.

Like most of the drinks discussed in A History of the World in 6 Glasses, Coca-Cola was originally devised as a medical drink. More than any other product, Coca-Cola has stood as the symbol of America's "vibrant consumer capitalism". Rather than shrink at the challenge, Coca-Cola took full advantage of the challenging times it found itself in, gaining ground through the depression, and then traveling alongside our soldiers into WWII, becoming a global phenomenon. According to the book, Coca-Cola still accounts for "around 30 percent of all liquid consumption" today.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses makes it clear that the history of mankind is a history of our consumption. Whether we are drinking "liquid bread" in Mesopotamia, pondering revolution in a Coffeehouse in Paris, or throwing tea leafs into the ocean in Boston, these drinks have had a profound impact on who we are. As Standage says in the introduction to his book "They survive in our homes today as living reminders of bygone eras, fluid testaments to the forces that shaped the modern world. Uncover their origins, and you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again." I highly recommend this book to anyone thirsty for knowledge about the world around them... or even if they're just thirsty for a good drink.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Jeff Beck:
Jeff Beck is an entrepreneur and founder of several notable companies, including the Book Price Comparison website CompareBook.com. Visit CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for A History of the World in 6 Glasses and other great books.

Book Review: Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, & Dismissed

Almost everyone has been fired from a job, and just about everyone has a story to go along with it. Annabelle Gurwitch, the actor and screen writer, decided to capitalize on this fact by compiling and editing a collection of humorous "down-sizing" stories in her book Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized & Dismissed. After being fired by the media icon (and consequently her idol) Woody Allen, Annabelle decided to take her story to the publishers- along with several other tales from well known actors and media personal, including Bill Maher, Tim Allen, Tate Donovan (actor and director in The O.C.), Harry Shearer (actor in This is Spinal Tap), Dana Gould (writer for The Simpsons), Bob Saget and more.

The book is divided into five chapters: The Job So Terrible You Can Only Hope to Be Fired, The Firing You Didn't See Coming, The Time You Deserved to be Fired, The Time Getting Fired Leads You to Something Better, and The Time You Had to Fire Yourself. Each chapter is as witty as the last, and will keep you reading and laughing through till the next. And with over a dozen "tales of the canned" in each chapter, you will have plenty of laughing to enjoy.

Many of the true stories found in this book are so funny, they will have you laughing out loud. The story of Paul Feig (director of Arrested Development and The Office) losing his Ronald McDonald gig because of a magical comparison between a rubber chicken and Chicken McNuggets he made to a group of school kids while wearing the clown suit will probably remain with me for the rest of my life. In another favorite story, Jeff Garlin (actor in Curb Your Enthusiasm) explains how he was fired for throwing a bowl of Fruity-Pebbles at a hotel wall... and all just because they stuck. Larry Charles (writer for Senifeld) reminds us that Taxi companies should never offer employment to a teen-age kid who has just acquired his license that very day; wrecking his cab before he even got it out of the parking lot. Stories like these are worth the price of this book alone.

To round each story off, the book also includes "Fired Facts": brief and amusing factoids about being fired, and the workplace in general. For example: "Increased risk of heart attack faced by employer firing an employee in the week after wielding the ax: 100%". What a great way to end your career - with your former boss in the hospital!

While Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized & Dismissed is entertaining (being fired with the line "Take that hanger off your head, you idiot!" may be the best thing that has ever happened to me), it completely fails to connect with the reader. Each story falls into one of two major camps: meaningless high school jobs that no one regrets losing, and glamorous Hollywood jobs that, while interesting, are entirely foreign to the average reader.

In the introduction to this book, Annabelle Gurwitch concludes "So you were fired. Welcome to the club. We've been waiting for you." However, this book fails to present any "club" you or I are ever likely to be a member of. While almost anyone can related with being fired from a job, the stories in this book are quite different from any workplace axing I have experienced. And unless you have felt the horror of losing a job because your character was shot in the last episode, you will probably be unable to relate as well.

If you are looking for a light, entertaining read to get you through the work week, I would recommend Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized & Dismissed. Though the book will probably not help you reminisce about jobs long past, that may be for the best. What better way to forget about your own "down-sizing" experiences that to hear the stories of a celebrity with their head on the chopping block.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Jeff Beck:
Jeff Beck is an entrepreneur and founder of several notable companies, including the Book Price Comparison website CompareBook.com. Visit CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, & Dismissed and other great books.

French Women Don't Get Fat - Book Review

French women seem to enjoy breads, desserts, and wine, but then don't gain the weight. American women, on the other hand, just think about snacking and magically put on ten pounds. In her bestselling book, French Women Don't Get Fat : The Secret of Eating For Pleasure, Mirelle Guiliano reveals the secrets that French women have at staying healthy and trim.

French Women Don't Get Fat begins with the account of the author, Mirelle Guiliano, growing up in France. By a stroke of luck she was sent to America in her teenage years as an exchange student. In America, she was introduced to brownies and cookies – which quickly became favorites. In no time at all, Mirelle put on twenty pounds. When it was time to return home she was a little nervous about what her family and friends would think of the "new" Mirelle. The story of seeing her family for the first time after being away is funny and heart wrenching at the same time. I can't do justice to this story, so I would recommend buying the book and reading it on your own. Later, her mother set up a secret meeting with their family physician, "Dr. Miracle", who helped her to shed the extra pounds, and more importantly, taught her how to live like a French Woman.

This book is not a miracle diet. In fact, French Women Don't Get Fat isn't a "diet" book at all. What it does is suggest ways to help you live a balanced, healthier lifestyle. The first thing the book suggests is to take an inventory of what you eat for a couple of weeks. By looking at your food journal, you should be able to see what your "offenders" are – meaning what foods you are overeating. For example, Mirelle's offenders were sweets. Once you recognize what foods you are eating out of balance, your next step is to identify why you overeat in this category. For example, if your "offender" is bread, you might notice that you are eating a lot of bread when you go to restaurants. You could then decide to only have one slice before your meal comes. The book also discusses changing the way you think. You aren't skimping on the bread because you are depriving yourself something you love, you are merely saving room for other things. The pleasure of most foods is in the first few bites, as French Women Don't Get Fat points out. After that we are just eating on autopilot. If you can avoid eating without thinking, you can avoid eating excess food. French women eat with their heads and do not leave the table feeling stuffed or guilty.

Another secret of the French this book points to is drinking more water. We all know that water is good for us, but how many of us really drink as much as we should? The secret is to add water to your daily routine. Drink a glass of water before you eat your breakfast. Once you have established this as part of your routine, then add another glass before going to bed. French Women Don't Get Fat reminds us that sleeping is a very dehydrating process. When both of these are routine, make it a habit to drink water each time you pass a water fountain. French women drink water all throughout the day.

Once you are drinking more water, you will probably feel healthier than ever. Since water has no calories, no preservatives, and nothing extra added, you might find that you are interested in the ingredients of the other foods you are consuming. Have you ever read the list of ingredients in a frozen dinner? What is all of that stuff? Why are we consuming things we can't even pronounce? Another key to eating like the French is what the author of this book calls "Ritual Preparation." While she lived at home, Mireille's mother prepared almost all of the food that she consumed. None of it was filled with preservatives, and most everything was fresh. French Women Don't Get Fat recommends going to the market several times a week, and selecting the freshest ingredients. By market the book is referring to a farmers market, and not the supermarket. Quality ingredients equal quality food. When you are eating quality, you won’t need the quantity to make up for the lack of taste. Also, set the table like you would find at a restaurant – real napkins even. The extra attention to details will help you remember to savor your food. Also, sit down as a family, and turn off the television. Make meal time a ritual.

According to this book, you also need to move like a French woman. We aren't talking about hours of grueling exercise at the gym. What we are talking about is adding more movement to your daily routine. Walk to work, or if you work too far, then get off the train one stop early and walk the rest of the way to work. Or, add in a daily walk before eating breakfast. Take the stairs instead of the elevator when possible. French Women Don't Get Fat advised to not avoid precious steps: think of ways to add in more movement to your daily routine.

This book also includes recipes for foods such as Grilled Spring Lamb Shops, Asparagus Flan, Cauliflower Gratin, Grilled Chicken with Rosemary, Egg Omelet with Mixed Herbs and Ricotta Cheese, among many others. Since the French enjoy bread so much, recipes for Baguettes and Croissants are included too. The book has menu ideas as well.

If you need a good book to inspire you to lose a little weight so that you feel good about yourself, then French Women Don't Get Fat is where you should turn. Because the focus of this book is not about depriving yourself of good things, but about making focused choices to help you accomplish something even better, you will be motivated to change a few of your bad habits into good habits – and therefore live a more fulfilled and slimmer life.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Jeff Beck:
Nicole Beck is a homemaker and loving mother of three. With her free time (which with three is hard to come by), she enjoys reading steamy novels. She buys all her books from the book price comparison website www.CompareBook.com

Visit www.CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating For Pleasure at www.comparebook.com/review/French-Women-Dont-Get-Fat_1400042127.html

Don't Get Organized Without It - The Power Of Simplicity

Patty Kreamer is a professional speaker, author, consultant and residential and corporate organizer. Patty is the President of Kreamer Connect, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based company that helps individual and corporate clients become more productive and perform better while at the same time simplifying their work and lives. Patty has created the twenty-six week e-course Making Life Simple... Again!" and authored the book "But I Might Need It Someday". She is the President of the National Association of Professional Organizers - Pittsburgh chapter and President of and The National Speakers Association - Pittsburgh chapter.

The Power of Simplicity is a softcover book including a foreword, acknowledgements, introduction and an author biography. It is organized in the following chapters:

Chapter 1: Imagine the possibilities of simplicity
Chapter 2: Tackling the physical side of simplicity
Chapter 3: Confronting the emotional side of simplicity
Chapter 4: The Power of pause
Chapter 5: Taking inventory
Chapter 6: See it, say it, believe it…And it will come
Chapter 7: Dealing with procrastination…NOW!
Chapter 8: Take time to make time
Chapter 9: So many choices…not enough time
Chapter 10: Speaking simply…

When I began reading this book I was struck by a profound statement made by Patty in the introduction. She says "The issue is that as human beings, we tend to allow life to be difficult. Unfortunately, we are not alien creatures that would be satisfied with just the basics of survival: air, water, food, and shelter." Human beings complicate their lives endlessly and then find themselves trapped in overwhelm, depression and physical complaints triggered by their inability to make good choices.

You no longer have to be trapped. The Power of Simplicity will teach you that everything boils down to a choice. Patty defines choice as:

CHOICE

Contemplate
Having
Only
If
Considered
Essential

In addition to choice Patty defines clutter as nothing more than unmade decisions. Don't think that Patty drops these bombs and then walks out the door leaving you dumbstruck. She sticks by you throughout the book giving you concrete examples of making better choices and simplifying life the easy way. She teaches you how to make life more enjoyable not only for yourself but also for your family, your friends and your co-workers.

If you are overbooked, under stress, disorganized and at the breaking point then you need to read The Power of Simplicity. Think of Patty as your friend and this book as a step-by-step instruction manual for living a healthier and more simple life.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Bonnie Jo Davis:
Bonnie Jo Davis is a voracious reader and book reviewer. To purchase the book "The Power Of Simplicity" visit www.byebyeclutter.com/books.htm. For more information on the groundbreaking simplicity e-course "Making Life Simple... Again!" visit www.byebyeclutter.com/MLSAHome.htm

Momfulness: Mothering with Mindfulness, Compassion, and Grace - Book Review

As mothers, we all know that there is a thread of magic that runs just beneath even the most mundane moments of our lives. But sometimes, we have to do something to find it. We have to do something to remember how very lucky we are to be running around in a mess of a house making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Denise Roy's new book teaches how to find this thread – and gives us practical suggestions for pulling it up to reveal the grace and the beauty that motherhood brings into our experience as nothing else can.

Denise Roy is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a mother of five. She is also an experienced spiritual guide for mothers. Her previous book, My Monastery is a Minivan, has been a title on my shelf that I have returned to again and again. This book is a series of essays, straight from Roy's real life, which help to bring my focus back to my spiritual center when I get off balance.

In Momfulness, Roy's approach is somewhat different. Just as motherhood is a continual back-and-forth between the practical and the sublime, the routine and the transcendent, the nose-wipes and the deep-snuggles – Roy's new book alternates between reflections and practical tips; stories and suggestions.

Momfulness is arranged around a series of lessons that most of would agree are natural to the journey of motherhood: presence, attention, compassion, embodiment, the sacred in all things, and community. There are six chapters devoted to each of the lessons, and each begins with a quotation (including those from some of my own favorite writers, such as Brenda Ueland, Anne Lamott, and Thich Nhat Hahn) followed by a story or essay. Each chapter concludes with practical steps you can take to weave this lesson into your daily life.

The reflective pieces are where Roy really shines. Roy's honesty is refreshing, and she is skilled at showing how even the most ordinary moments can present a pathway to a richer world if we can take the time to notice and to embrace them.

Such a book is a gift for those times when we need to be able to look on our children with a renewed appreciation and to see the gifts that they present to us in every moment of motherhood.

Momfulness is a quick read and great for study groups, particularly a regular church group or mom's group.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Jamie Jefferson:
Susie Cortright is the founder of www.momscape.com and susies-coupons.com Visit her site today for the latest coupon codes and special offers, especially for busy parents: www.momscape.com/coupon-codes

Book Review of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

If you haven't read "7 Habits" yet, it MAY NOT be time to read it now.

I have noticed that you can't or shouldn't read it until you're ready. Let me explain that:

I read it in 1993 when I was 20. If I had read it when I was 19, I would have gotten nothing out of it. To be honest, when I did read it, it really was an answer to my prayers.

There are concepts in this book that are so powerful, that even just reading them (without consciously putting them into action) changed how I live.

For example, I continuously found myself comparing what was happening in my life to what I had just read. If someone said an insulting thing to me, my initial feeling would be anger, but on the heels of that thought would come something I'd read in 7 Habits. I'd be thinking, "Hey! That reminds me of when Covey wrote about ___________." And by the time that thought was gone, so was the negative situation.

Thinking became a whole lot of fun!

Even the first 3 Habits were enough to get me incredibly excited about interaction with others. You could live 1000 years and not come up with these concepts on your own.

The 4th habit was my favorite. It's called "Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood". I wish I did this more...now that I'm married! But back then, this helped me to become a very good "Speaker". I could talk to people and help them not "drown for psychological air" around me. People want to be understood. If you argue your point all the time, no one feels understood and ideas are harder to be put into action. ANY IDIOT CAN ARGUE! The whole world seems to place a huge importance on debate...and being able to destroy other people's points of view with your logic and wit.

But that's not strength. Like I said: any idiot can argue. Not 1 in 1000 people can REALLY consider another person's opinion as being the right one. Even fewer can actually stop and say to themselves: "I'm positive that I'm 110% right and that other person is wrong, but who knows? Maybe I am wrong. Let me consider their point and listen to what they need to express."

Now that is real strength.

I once shared this concept with an opinionated individual. They started yelling at me and saying I was wrong and that if you know you're right, you need to stand up for yourself and prove the other person is wrong. With a grin on my face, I replied, "Maybe you're right". LOL! They didn't even pick up on the fact I had just done to them what I was advocating.

It's amazing what happens to people when you state back to them what you think is the point they're trying to make. You'll end up starting a lot of your sentences with: "...so, what you're saying is....". Once you begin to show the person you're not there to argue, their backs go down; the urgency in their voice drops; they calm down; and then they listen to your point without fighting.

As Covey explains, the best way to influence others is...to be INFLUENCED.

It's such a good book and it's filled with principles that will help you in all your dealings, but I find you have to be in a position in your life to put it into action. It will work great if you can practice it every day in a setting as:

-a family member dealing with difficult situations
-a manager
-a salesperson

...or anyone who needs to deal with people day-to-day. If you feel a strong need to know how to deal with others more effectively, maybe you're ready for this book now.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Shawn Bremner:
Shawn M. Bremner writes book reviews on his site at Books To Read Before You Die and loves to collect Inspirational Quotations.

Book Review: The Bottomless Well: Why We Will Never Run Out of Energy

For anyone who has any interest in energy, its cost, future and the political debate over this precious resource- The Bottomless Well is a must read. This book is an intriguing insight to the other side of what most of us have been led to believe on the environmentalist monopoly of the subject. The Bottomless Well makes the case that most of the things we think we know are mostly myths- because we really don't understand what the essence of energy is in the first place. The book demonstrates how a better understanding of energy will radically change our views and policies on a number of very controversial issues. The Bottomless Well also explains why demand for energy will only continue to increase, why most of what we believe is "energy waste" actually proves out to be a benefit for all; why more efficient vehicles, engines, and light bulbs will never lower demand, and why the earth's energy supply is actually infinite.

The Bottomless Well goes on to point out that that the cost of energy has increasingly less and less to do with the actual cost of fuel. With roughly five percent of the world's population, America consumes over 25 percent of the world's natural gas, 43 percent of its motor gasoline, 25 percent of its crude petroleum, 23 percent of its coal, and 26 percent of its total electricity production. But the book points out that most our energy consumption isn't for locomotion, lighting, or cooling. What we use energy for, mainly, is to extract, refine, process, and purify energy into ever higher states of efficiency. The more efficient our technology, the more energy we actually consume; not save, because the cost to reward ratio is so positive for the consumers of this highly refined energy. The book also point out that the competitive advantage in manufacturing will soon be shifting decisively back toward the U.S.: the human demand for energy will only continue to grow and is indeed insatiable; raw fuels sources are not running out; and America's relentless pursuit of high-grade energy does not add chaos to the global environment but rather restores it to order. Indeed, expanding energy supplies mean higher productivity, more jobs, and a growing GDP. Across the board- energy isn't the problem, energy is the solution.

While the conventional wisdom holds that energy consumption is the problem and certainly some would disagree from an environmental impact concerning (at lest fossil fuel) energy consumption, The Bottomless Well argues that from an environmental perspective it also makes sense to use energy in an ever more efficient state. For example America, unlike most of the poor developing countries, is a net carbon sink. That is, despite all the pollution produced in America, there is more CO2 PPM upwind of America on the Pacific side then there is downstream of it over the Atlantic. This fact is undisputed, but although the book does offer some anecdotal reasons why this might be the case there is no definitive evidence to explain this unexpected phenomenon.

I would strongly recommend The Bottomless Well to anyone, no matter where they might stand on the issues of energy, the environment or politics. The book breaks the mold on many of our conventional views of energy, how we use it and why. At very least The Bottomless Well opens the door to another school of thought, not to mention a healthy debate about energy policy and our future.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About John Woolf:
John Woolf is the founder of several successful Internet technology companies including the Book Price Comparison website www.CompareBook.com Visit CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for The Bottomless Well and other great books.

Book Review: The Straw Bale House

If we learned anything from childhood, it was not to build our houses out of straw. After all, that big bad wolf was just waiting to blow it down. But that was before the world knew the numerous advantages of using compressed straw bales, as a key building material as outlined in the book The Straw Bale House. This easy to understand book is comprehensive in its education on how to build with straw- so that no wolf (or tornado for that matter) can ever blow it down. The book covers why and how to build with straw bales, while also illustrating necessary details to create an aesthetically and sound home at an affordable price. To portray this point, The Straw Bale House provides a good number of enlightening black and white diagrams as well as impressive color photographs. I would have to say The Straw Bale House is the Bible of straw bale construction books and therefore an indispensable starting point for anyone looking into the straw bale home concept. After purchasing the book (well worth the price) I had no reservations about going ahead with my own project and building with straw bales. Both new and experienced builders will appreciate the clear, simple instructions and diagrams, as well as practical explanations for dealing with building codes and insurers.

The Straw Bale House also nurtures you on the many practical advantages of building with compressed straw bales. In addition to being inexpensive, straw bale serve as a clean, and lightweight building material that is easy to work with. The book discusses the many important advantages straw offers such as super high-energy efficiency (a need in today’s high heating costs), superior fire resistance, while at the same time seismically correct. In addition, this all-natural material, as a recycled agricultural byproduct of grain production, is a sustainable, renewable resource. While enthusiasts of straw bale construction praise this method of building for the aforementioned reasons, the actual reason so many people are turning to straw bale homes is because they are so often extraordinarily beautiful and inviting, as The Straw Bale House's many color photographs displays. Clearly, inexpensive doesn't have to mean low quality nor unattractive. The natural materials used in creating a straw bale home exude a lot of chi. And so does this book. The Straw Bale House would be a good addition to any coffee table.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About John Woolf:
John Woolf is the founder of several successful Internet technology companies including the Book Price Comparison website www.CompareBook.com As a pragmatist of the world around him, he is both a critic and crusader on international politics and energy policy as it relates to our security and our impact on the global environment. Visit CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for The Straw Bale House and other great books.