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.
Vampire Chronicles
The movie adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire made me very much eager to read the book. Lestat’s character is truly very mysterious though a bit scary and arrogant while Louis played something akin to a woman’s role in Lestat’s life. Very gayish as most vampire movies I’ve read take on more of sensual romance rather than sexual. My interest in vampire novels and stories has more than perked up when I read Anne Rice books.
In the Interview with the Vampire, Lestat’s character was more of an antagonist, playing a ruthless vampire master who created his mate in Louis. Louis got tired of Lestat’s abusiveness and manipulations and chose a much nicer vampire master, and betrayed Lestat along the way. The book was very eerie and disturbing, giving us a glimpse of the life of night creatures.
In the book Lestat however, Anne Rice gave readers a better understanding of Lestat’s character. His lifemates, adventures and misadventures. In here, he is no longer the ruthless, manipulative and abusive vampire master. He rather became a figure for hero worship.
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.
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho is known for his bestseller book titled “The Alchemist” in 1988. It is said that it is the most sold book in this time. He is a Brazilian and his passion in writing proves by many books that become bestseller like “Eleven Minutes.”
The Alchemist is the first book that I read. It’s about signs and motivations to reach your dreams. I like this book because it inspires me and help me to dream.
On the technical sides, he uses places and events that is easily imagine by the readers. His forms of writing is easy to understand.
After I finished “The Alchemist” book, I tried “Valkyries”, “The Devil and Miss Prym” and “Like The Flowing River.” All of these is about a journey,struggling to some conflicts, and resolutions in the end. In short, it gives lessons and inspirations about life.
Book Authors
I love to read but lately, I haven’t read a real book because all got to read are ebooks. It’s the “in” thing nowadays because one can read it anywhere as long as there’s a computer or a laptop. In my case, I read it from my laptop and most of my favorite books are in that format.
I have a few favorite authors and I make it a point to read their latest novels. It includes J.K. Rowling of course, of the Harry Potter series, Sophie Kinsella from the Shopaholic series fame, and Sidney Sheldon definitely is on the list. I have other authors in mind but these three I got to really follow the books that they released. Although with Sheldon, I haven’t read any latest book but I have read his old novels way back and those were full of suspense and the resolution can only be found at the end due to its many twists. I’ve been tempted a number of times to check the last page for the ending but then decided against doing it for the sake of not ruining the suspense.
Rowling is on top of my list simply because of Harry Potter which is also my all-time favorite book. I can go on and on just reading all the books and it never fails to excite me just the same. What she created was pure magic and up to now, I have been waiting patiently for my Hogwarts letter.
Kinsella’s heroine in her Shopaholic series is adorable albeit an impulsive buyer. I liked it because I can somehow see myself in her but I’m changing for the better. The book has inspired me a lot and it’s comforting to know that I am not the only one with that problem.
I have yet to read books from other authors but it’s one of my goals this year. I plan to read many interesting books and those that I can learn from.
Uh-Oh
Some Observations From Both Sides of the Refrigerator Door
by Robert Fulghum
Fulghum’s philosophical views on the dailiness of life never fail to enchant me. I like the way he talks to his reader, on a new light… from both sides of the fridge door.
“I believe in both Show and Tell. My attitude is that I’m always talking to one person, and if I am going to address you in any form, I ought to give you every advantage I can to understand what I have to say.”
Indeed I admire authors who use high-fallutin’ words to convey their preternatural talents. But sometimes, readers don’t get the gist. They get caught up in the barrage of novel vocabulary terminology that their cerebral cortex leaves them in frustration… and utter confusion.
I like simplicity. Of uncomplicating things… and to see them as they are. I emphatically do not mean to disparage one’s intelligence. But in my own opinion, one’s thoughts and ideas are well-remembered when his audience understands him clearly. Then again, these are just my two cents. It may or may not matter to you.
Edwin Black
I hold tribute to this investigative journalist. He is a genius of a writer and has literally pulled his audience into his research. There are pages and pages of biblography in the back of his books. After writing IBM and the Holacaust and War on the Weak I am suprised he hasn’t been shot yet. His parents were in Nazi concentration camps and when they visited the National Holacaust Museum later there was an IBM machine as part of the display. Noone really had much to say about it either, which was interesting to Black. He swore to his parents to find the connection and he did in a revolutionary way in IBM and the Holacaust.
He has won countless awards for his journalism and he continues to be very impressive and going strong.
Anne Waldman
Okay, Anne Waldman is not my favorite author… But, I’m going to write about her anyway, because I have to respect her.
Waldman is a Beat Poet, meaning that she was hanging out with Allen Ginsberg, and the boys. The whole concept behind the Beatnick poets was to create a new type of poetry that was “free.” It was the poetry that juxtaposed the hippie movement, and is seen in the philosophies of the Beats, from freedom of thought and choice to political statements with the poetry. All of the poetry written by the Beats is to make these types of statements in order to get people to protest, fight, etc.
There are quite a few Beats left, Waldman being one. And they are still on their way to political fights, voices about how the world needs to change, etc, etc.
Here’s the thing about Waldman. I’ve been “required” to read a few of her books, which are layered, thick, difficult to read and even though they are for having a voice about these political issues, they seem a little chaotic to me.
But, the real reason why I’m saying this is because I’ve seen this woman do her performances quite a few times, because she lives and teaches 30 miles from where I live. Everything in her poetry and books reflects her performances with the same darkness, chaos and confusion. Her performances, and her attitude seems to be just as thick.
So, the reason why I love her and dis-like her is because she has definitely transformed poetry and caught with the right people and the movements going on. Not only this, but she has stuck with it for years. Something a lot of poets don’t do. However, she seems to be simply a figure head of these movements. The reflection in her poetry and prose doesn’t offer this same basis and philosophy…but instead offers confusion.
So, in the world of poets, and writers, pay attention to Waldman, simply to decide if she is really being the voice that she has proposed to be.
“Rumi”
Lately, I’ve been using Rumi’s poems as my “Bible” every morning. For those of you who didn’t catch the ‘fad’ of Rumi, he was a poet and mystic from the mid-1800s. His poems are great not just as poems, but also as supplements to help you with life.
As I’ve been reading Rumi, I’ve been realizing something about poetry and poets. There are two types of poets. The first are those that are able to describe themselves as prophetic poets, where what they have to say also tells something about characteristics, living or even the future. The second type of poet is a social poet, who is interested in the dealings of the day and responds to them.
Since I’m writing about Rumi, you probably know which one I prefer. Actually, both of them have a great place among poets, and I think need some extra respect, but poets like Rumi create an extra space for thinking that moves from the head and to the heart. Not only that, but it is something that you can apply to your daily life and what you are doing.
One of the things I’ve caught about the Rumi style is that he puts stories inside of the stories which are inside of the poems. He does this like his poems are teachings, used to tell someone and enlighten them through the analogies of the stories that he uses. This is something that is rarely seen, and adds on a certain multi-dimensional approach to his poetry.
So, in honor of Rumi, here’s one of his poems that I will leave you with.
“Dervish at the Door
A dervish knocked at a house
to ask for a piece of dry bread,
or moist, it didn’t matter.
‘This is not a bakery,’ said the owner.
‘Might you have a bit of gristle then?’
‘Does this look like a butchershop?’
‘A little flour?’
‘Do you hear a grinding stone?’
‘Some water?’
‘This is not a well.’
Whatever the dervish asked for,
the man made some tired joke
and refused to give him anything.
Finally the dervish ran in the house,
lifted his robe, and squatted
as though to take a sh**.
‘Hey, hey!’
‘Quiet, you sad man. A deserted place
is a fine spot to relieve oneself,
and since there’s no living thing here,
or means of living, it needs fertilizing.’
The dervish began his own list
of questions and answers.
‘What kind of bird are you? Not a falcon,
trained for the royal hand. Not a peacock,
painting with everyone’s eyes. Not a parrot,
that talks for sugar cubes. Not a nightingale,
that sings like someone in love.
Not a hoopoe bringing messages to Solomon,
or a stork that builds on a cliffside.
What exactly do you do?
You are no known species.
You haggle and make jokes
to keep what you own for yourself.
You have forgotten the One
who doesn’t care about ownership,
who doesn’t try to turn a profit
from every human exchange.’”
Daisy Zamora “The Violent Foam.”
I am completely in love with poetry and the new forms of poetry that are continuously emerging. One of the authors that I have learned to love is Daisy Zamora. Her book “The Violent Foam” is fantastic.
Zamora is from Nicaragua and is known as one of the most renowned poets of the area. She was honored in 2006 as the Woman Writer of the year - a high honor for the Central American region. She has five books of poetry out right now, all which are focused on human rights and revolutionary concepts.
A couple of years ago, I had the bounty of meeting Zamora at a workshop that I was taking. There is one thing that she said that I will never forget. She was speaking about the culture of poets and the differences. (This is a huge paraphrase). During the time, she was living in America (California) and had several of her poems translated into English while moving this way. She said that she was continuously in culture shock. Most people would think of Nicaragua as a 3rd world country that was always in upheaval and violence. But, she also said that it was easier for her to live there than in America. Mostly because America was constantly in psychological battles. Along those lines, she said that in Nicaragua, she could expect to be respected because she was a poet, while in America, poets were considered flakes and secondary. (Again, a huge paraphrase - but a definite insight into ‘cultural differences.’)
So, with that said - everyone should be familiar with Zamora. Here’s a poem from her book “The Violent Foam” to get you started.
“THE FOREIGNER
She wants to forget what’s gone
beneath some sky
her nostalgia wishes
she’d confuse with her own.
Her children’s laughter
- the one intimate thing
where everything is alien -
floods the air with innocence.
And she reaches to touch the distance
- stone cold and definitive
as a tombstone.”