Neale Donald Walsch: Beyond Religion
He is the American author of the …with God series. The Conversations With God series include the following books: Conversations With God (Books 1-3), Friendship with God, Communion with God, The New Revelations, Tomorrow’s God, What God Wants, Home with God: In a Life That Never Ends, and his latest book, Happier than God. There is also a published Conversations With God for Teens.
Walsch did not use the preaching method in narrating what he wanted to let the readers know. The books serves as a guide to the readers in assessing their beliefs and truths they hold in their lives. It is a very wonderful read; a book that touches the mind, the heart, and the soul.
The author is very clear about his point- the book doesn’t want to give the impression that what you believe is wrong, and what the author believes is right. His books are clear in conveying that faith is personal. And the books are willing to guide the readers into finding the truths in their hearts.
Beyond religion, Neale Donald Walsch works are guidebooks in developing a deeper sense of belongingness- a connection to the World, a recognition of the Self, and a partnership with the Highest Being.
Book Review: From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz
Ah, this book holds some sweet memories for me. It opened my world to the author known as Dean Koontz, and made me go into a Koontz craze, determined to read everything he wrote. It’s a powerful story that evokes every single emotion in the human body: From terror and hopelessness to joy and love. As always, the characters in this book are as solid as can be, full of so much depth that a person could wonder if they actually existed somewhere in the world. The plot is not only engaging for the ready, but action-packed, leaving little time to catch a breath before another development happens in the story. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story that is so powerful in meaning, you won’t be able to put it down till the very last sentence.
From the Corner of His Eye tells the story from several different points of view. You begin by getting to know a kind, sweet woman named Agnes who is about to have a child. A few pages later, Junior Cain is introduced, a man who is not what he seems. There are many twists throughout the story. You’ll end up adoring the love Agnes and her husband had for each other before a fatal car accident separated them. Naomi, Junior’s former wife, is to be pitied through the whole plot, though we never get to see what she thinks or feels- only how Junior himself thought of her. Several other characters are introduced, including Celestina, Agnes’ brothers Jacob and Edom, and the mysterious detective Vanadium. It is the children of the story however, Bartholomew and Angel, that will captivate the hearts of any reader.
As a writer myself, I find it hard to delve into the minds of children and somehow make them come to life. Koontz had no problem at all in doing so, with little Barty and Angel playing an integral part in the entire storyline as Junior Cain searches for them, desperate to get rid of his only threat.
I don’t want to give away anything else in the story. I will promise that it is the adventure of a lifetime however, and you certainly won’t be disappointed with this book. Maybe it’ll even change the way you think about things.
Time Traveler’s Wife
A favorite book by Audrey Niffenegger.
This is not your typical love story.The book talks about how one’s love can really stand the ultimate test of time. Claire Abshire found her soul mate in Henry DeTamble - a man he knew when she was still a child. She is an ordinary girl, and he is not; but attraction and destiny conspired to make their love story come true. Henry, the man Claire admired when she was still 6 year old and loved even more throughout her fading life, time travels. Claire fell deeply in love and managed to live with a husband who seldom lives in the now and occasionally goes back to the past and travels to the future. They shared a great love that allowed them to overcome every distress, nightmare, and sorrow in every single test of time.
Although the book generally gives the reader a heart-rending end, the excitement of love and the joy of loving are always present in almost every page. Definitely this is a book a true lover should read; and this is a story for every one who has loved, been loved, wanted to love and still loving.
This favorite love story will be on film this year according to the Internet Movie Database and will star Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana as Claire and Henry. Grab you copy of Time Traveler’s Wife and let yourself enjoy the thrill and happiness love brings.
Dan Brown: Digital Fortress
This is the first Dan Brown book that I’ve read and I think the author really deserve that much commendation not only for his every famous Da Vinci Code (which I haven’t read yet) but also for his other books which I believe would be as good as the others.
Digital Fortress is said to be a techno thriller that tells a story about a virtual attack on the National Security Agency’s baby - the TRANSLR which aside from decoding encrypted emails from terrorist that could inevitable endanger the country. This powerful machine can also intercept emails from private citizens so this machine’s ability drove former NSA employee and brilliant programer Ensei Tanakado to paralyze its operation. The story revolved around the characters Stratmore, Susan and her fiance` David and the death of Ensei Tanakado that brought about the problems in NSA that Stratmore was so eager to solve and in the way pulled in the efforts and talents of Susan Fletcher while dispatching her linguist fiance to find the key that would solve the problem.
The book is a gripping story that would bring about suspect twist and surprises. You wouldn’t want to put it down till you’re finally done.
Book review on Art and Agency
Art and agency : an anthropological theory / Alfred Gell
In this book, Alfred Gell formulates a visual art anthropological theory which focuses on the social context of art production, circulation, and reception. Gell shows how art objects embody mediate social agency as he explores the psychology of patterns and perceptions, art and personhood, the control of knowledge, and the interpretation of meaning, drawing upon a diversity of artistic traditions–European, Indian, Polynesian, Melanesian, and Australian. Gell also argues how the anthropology of art should address the workings of art in general.
book review on Art as Culture
Art as culture : an introduction to the anthropology of art by Evelyn Payne Hatcher
The book gives an overview of the cross-cultural study of art from an anthropological perspective by tackling the diversity of human nature. Exploring the ins and outs of ideas about art and its relationship to other things that people do, the author presents the impact of the vast changes in the world on art in all societies while giving focus on the rise of folk, tourist, and export art. According to Hatcher, art can be best studied by studying the where, how, who, why, what, when of art on the local level, then moving to understand the significance of patterns or systems that have yielded insights in the past. In this book, her cultural studies of native peoples in North America, Oceania, and Africa show how art is a locally specific and extremely significant feature of culture.
What if .. — The Invisible Plague
What if .. when you spoke … noone could hear you?
You are standing in a room full of people screaming at the top of your lungs and people just walk through you?
The Invisible Plague tells the story of mental illness and it’s history in society. We have evolved in our understanding, but these people get dismissed and often describe their existance as ‘invisible’ to the world.
In our world of the ‘normal’ people here ‘mental illness’ and everything after that is ignored or glossed over as ’symptomatic’. We stay connected to our labels as a society and are strangling the life out of our own people.
That is the story of the textbook ..
but most are to afraid to listen - including those who study the illness.
Ancient Writing for Children
My family recently reviewed some books on Egyptology for children and I have to say ‘Wow!’ I am impressed. The interactive nature of books nowadays blows my mind. There are books on Egyptian Hieroglyphics that have the stamps, clay, papyrus, etc in them along with the book so it enraptures active children. They just aren’t reading it on paper they are doing it in activity.
There was a book on ‘Dragonology’ referring to the Anglo-Saxon runes and how to translate them into English. There were also codes in both section of books on ‘Dragonology’ and ‘Hieroglyphics’.
Why would this be important to parents and book geeks alike? Because we want our children to feel the same love for books that we have and the more interactive the information the more catching it is to today’s children. Check these books out if your children have an interest in ancient writing and even if they don’t – it will open their world to a new way of thinking.
If you are wondering how to get your kids interested in ancient text my recommendation is have a husband into the movie and TV series ‘Stargate’!
the orange girl
by jostein gaarder
this is the first book written by gaarder that i’ve ever stumbled upon. and i don’t have any qualms about it. i like the way a father was talking about how he met “the orange girl”. it was simply written but it’s also profound, with insights about life, love and the chances we make. i finished reading it in one sitting! i just could not put it down. each turn of the page entices you to go on. and read more about this mysterious “orange girl” which captured the heart not only of little georg’s dad but of millions too.
Rogue(Drama)
Book’s Name: Rogue
Author: Danielle Steel
The chick-lit diva is back with another entertainer. Which stars Maxine Williams, a dedicated doctor with three great kids, a challenging career and a perfect new man in her life. Her only problem? An irresistible but utterly infuriating ex-husband, Blake the rogue! And why’s he a hurdle? Because he’s done the one thing that Maxine didn’t think was possible. Yup, he has changed. From globetrotting gladeye to a compassionate, responsible grown-up! This is the story of two people pursuing happiness from opposite ends, a journey of choices and chances that come together-just when life seems to have been successfully rearranged at last.
Hot tip: A feel-good read, perfect to reinstate your trust in romance!