Anything Is Possible by Cosentino

Anything Is Possible by Cosentino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Cosentino is Australia's premier illusionist - a magician to his fingertips, a man who constantly challenges our notions of what is possible. This is his thrilling and inspiring story.
Cosentino is Australia's premier illusionist and escapologist - a magician to his fingertips, a man who constantly challenges our notions of what is possible. The LA Times has said of him that 'Cosentino mirrors the legendary Harry Houdini' - and like Houdini, he is a true pioneer and trail blazer. Cosentino was the first Australian magician to have his own prime-time TV shows and these TV spectaculars have now been broadcast in over 40 countries. Recognised by his peers as the 'International Magician of the Year', he has become one of Australia's most popular live performers and continues to stage his award winning live show to full houses across the globe. But Cosentino's greatest trick of all? Well, that's something completely different. It was learning how to read.
He was a twelve-year-old boy with learning difficulties, teased and isolated, who struggled with reading and schoolwork. But one day, in a library, he found an illustrated book about magic - and that unlocked something in him. That magic book not only inspired him to learn to read, it propelled him on an extraordinary journey - from a shy boy with low self-esteem to the international star that he is today. This is an uplifting and wholly compelling story for anyone who ever dreamed of achieving the impossible.
'Cosentino's story will provide inspiration for both adults and teenagers, in fact,for anyone who wishes to succeed, to persevere against the odds, and to overcome periods of self-doubt. This is not just a celebrity memoir and it is more than a book about magic. It is a book about self-belief.' Bookseller + Publisher

MY REVIEW: I’ve been interested in stage magic ever since I was a child. I used to spend a lot of time doing card tricks and, in high school, one of my best friends and I actually invented a disappearing pen trick! I have watched Cosentino on TV and enjoyed his performances very much. So I was pleased to discover he’d written an autobiography. The book is written in an easy to read style and it was great to hear how Cosentino managed so many challenges on his road to success. I particularly enjoyed reading of the influences on Cosentino in the boxes dotted throughout the book. An enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

BLIND SIDE by Jennie Ensor

Blind Side by Jennie Ensor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Can you ever truly know someone? And what if you suspect the unthinkable? London, five months before 7/7. Georgie, a young woman wary of relationships after previous heartbreak, gives in and agrees to sleep with close friend Julian. She’s shocked when Julian reveals he’s loved her for a long time. But Georgie can’t resist her attraction to Nikolai, a Russian former soldier she meets in a pub. While Julian struggles to deal with her rejection, Georgie realises how deeply war-time incidents in Chechnya have affected Nikolai. She begins to suspect that the Russian is hiding something terrible from her. Then London is attacked... Blind Side explores love and friendship, guilt and betrayal, secrets and obsession. An explosive, debate-provoking thriller that confronts urgent issues of our times and contemplates some of our deepest fears.

MY REVIEW: Really enjoyed this book. Underpinned by a continuous sense of unease and not knowing where it’s going. It’s suspenseful, and thought-provoking. Ensor is a good writer and gives us a story that has some substance and depth without losing the thrills. It’s great for a debut novel. There are so many themes. It would make a great book to read for a book club. If you like an intelligent psychological thriller, then don’t miss it!

View all my reviews

FOUNDATIONAL FALSEHOODS OF CREATIONISM by Aron Ra

Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism by Aron Ra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Religious fundamentalists and biblical literalists present any number of arguments that attempt to disprove evolution. Those with a sympathetic ear often fail to critically examine these creationist claims, leading to an ill-informed public and, perhaps more troubling, ill-advised public policy. As Aron Ra makes clear, however, every single argument deployed by creationists in their attacks on evolution is founded on fundamental scientific, religious, and historical falsehoods–all of them. Among their most popular claims is that evolution is a religion, that there are no transitional species, that there are no beneficial mutations, and that supposedly sacred scripture is the infallible word of God. Yet, as the evidence and data plainly show, each of these claims is demonstrably and unequivocally false. There is simply no truth to creationism whatsoever, and the entire enterprise rests on a foundation of falsehoods. This book explains and exposes the worst of these lies, and should be read by all who honestly care about following the evidence no matter where it might lead in pursuit of the truth.

MY REVIEW: This book is a must read for anyone interested in the debate about evolution and creationism. Aron Ra has spent decades interacting with creationists, understanding their arguments, and developing responses to them. The book is a compelling read. It is one of the clearest articulations I have read of major creationist beliefs and assumptions and the reasons they fail when compared to the actual evidence from science. The discussions of each of the 15 falsehoods is rich and in depth. There are some beautifully incisive passages with delightfully pithy turns of phrases. I have a couple of criticisms. It’s a long book at 440 pages and there are times when Ra perhaps strays a bit away from the focus of a chapter. Ra’s passion for this topic is evident. Unfortunately, he sometimes becomes emotive and condescending when discussing creationists. Two things that would improve the book: some visuals would be great (the whole book is text) and there needs to be references for sources and a bibliography. A great book and well worth the investment of the time to read it.

View all my reviews

WHY ISN'T GOD NICE? by Kurt Bruner

Why Isn't God Nice? Trusting His Awful Goodness by Kurt Bruner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Long-time pastor and director of Open Doors, Kurt Bruner explores who God is, how He works in our lives, and how we can see Him at work. An Awful Goodness was written out of a desire to know God as He is rather than as we wish Him to be. Doing so requires confronting some unsettling questions like why a God of love sometimes seems so unloving. We celebrate a God who is nice: One who rescues, rewards, and redeems. But what about when He deserts, disciplines and damns? Is God schizophrenic, moving in and out of opposing personalities? One minute, gentle shepherd: the next, angry judge? How does that reconcile with the image of God popular in evangelical churches – loving, forgiving, and shepherding us? Below the surface – on the level of reality that goes deeper than sentimental feelings – we know that if God is only love, He isn’t enough. He must also be absolutely just, dreadfully mighty, and perfectly holy. He needs to reward what is right. But He also must punish what is wrong. He needs to redeem the lost. But He must also thwart the wicked. God never intended for every snapshot to be taken from His “best” side and when we worship only part of God we worship a false God. But we seem to prefer the partial phony to the awful reality. More importantly, how does a person going through hard times learn to embrace a God who can allow such difficult circumstances?

MY REVIEW: An inadequate treatment of the problem of evil. The argument is basically that God (the Christian god) is like a parent. If a parent truly loves their children, they'll often seem bad in the way they treat us - for the child's own good, of course. And God wants to bring justice to those who perpetrate evil. The logical conclusion is that, when bad things happen to Christians, it's because God is either causing them or allowing them. This explanation has never been satisfactory and this book doesn't improve the argument. Sure, the author writes well and he tells some nice stories to illustrate his point of view. But that doesn't mean the argument is any good. For anyone who appreciates the complexity of life and the incredible suffering experienced by people in the world, this explanation just doesn't cut it.

View all my reviews

ABSOLUTE POWER by David Baldacci

Absolute Power by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: In a heavily guarded mansion in a posh Virginia suburb, a man and a woman start to make love, trapping Luther Whitney, a career break-in artist, behind a secret wall. Then the passion turns deadly, and Luther is running into the night. Because what he has just seen is a brutal murder involving Alan Richmond, the president of the United States, the man with...Absolute Power.

MY REVIEW: An enjoyable crime thriller. Moves along at a great pace with some some surprising twists and turns and a nice ending. Good one for holiday reading!

View all my reviews

SCARED YET? by Jaye Ford

Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: She fought back. She won. Now the nightmare begins...When Livia Prescott fights off a terrifying assault in a deserted car park, the media hail her bravery. And after a difficult year - watching her father fade away, her business struggle and her marriage fall apart - it feels good to strike back for once. But as the police widen their search for her attacker, menacing notes start arriving. And brave is not what she feels any longer ...Someone has decided to rip her life apart, then kick her when she's down. But is it a stranger or someone much closer to home? In fact, is there anyone she can now trust?When her family and friends are drawn into the stalker's focus - with terrifying consequences - the choice becomes simple. Fight back, or lose the people she loves the most...

MY REVIEW: A straightforward crime novel. It was good enough that I didn’t guess the perpetrator. Easy to read. Liked the fact that the main protagonist was a strong female. Some good suspense. A good, enjoyable holiday read that is light and undemanding. ***1/2

View all my reviews

DRAW TO WIN: A CRASH COURSE ON HOW TO LEAD, SELL, AND INNOVATE WITH YOUR VISUAL MIND by Dan Roam

Draw to Win: A Crash Course on How to Lead, Sell, and Innovate With Your Visual Mind by Dan Roam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Dan Roam's brilliant strategies for creating images, sharing them and explaining them have finally been distilled into a "best of" handbook for busy readers who need to digest the takeaways, fast. Since his first book, The Back of the Napkin, Roam has argued that imagery is the most powerful tool for leadership, innovation, and sales. Even though we live in an era of big data, one great picture is worth a million numbers (not to mention a thousand words). A clever idea, visually expressed, can resonate with everyone from the CEO down to the newest intern. The best news is that you don't need to be an artist to create attention-grabbing images. Roam can teach anyone with a pen and paper to translate business ideas into engaging and clear images. He identifies the types of pictures that work best in various settings and shares the basic shapes that all business pictures can be built from. This is an indispensable handbook for business leaders struggling to communicate more effectively in a world that everyday becomes less verbal and more visual.

MY REVIEW: Great book! I found this wandering in a bookstore and it captured my attention. I learned so much reading this book. I have always been interested in mind mapping because of its visual element. Dan Roam broadened my horizons about the way in which simple drawing can be so powerful in communicating ideas of all sorts. I’ve started using the ideas in this book in my own professional life — and, while I am still learning, it has created a fresh shift in my thinking. I’m planning to use these ideas in my teaching of online classes next semester. If you are interested in expressing yourself clearly and creatively in professional life, check this book out. I’ll pursuing more of this author’s books in the future.

View all my reviews

Brainwalker by Robyn Mundell

Brainwalker by Robyn Mundell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Fourteen-year-old Bernard thinks outside the box. The only problem is that neither his school nor his ultra-rational physicist father appreciate his unique ideas. When he reacts to a stressful situation at school by mooning the class, his suspension sends him straight to his father’s workplace. After his frustrated father leaves him unattended, Bernard does what any teen would do: wander into the particle accelerator and accidentally get transported through a wormhole!

It doesn’t take long for Bernard to realize he’s in deep trouble. Not only did the wormhole drop him in the middle of a civil war over a depleted resource, but the battle is actually taking place inside his father’s brain. Bernard has one chance to save the dying side of his father’s creative brain from the tyrannical left side. Can he use his outside-the-box thinking to save his father’s life?

Brainwalker is a young adult sci-fi fantasy novel that turns the world of neuroscience on its head. If you like incredible fantasy worlds, fast-paced entertainment, and the human mind, then you’ll love Robyn Mundell and Stephan Lacast’s amazing journey inside the brain.

MY REVIEW: An enjoyable fantasy sci-fi that is more fantasy than science. I suspect young teens will enjoy this. I don’t think it is as fast-paced as the book description implies, but it is well-paced. The author makes use of a somewhat simplistic left/right split brain idea to good effect. The creatures are interesting and the plot is original.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley with an invitation to write an unbiased review.

View all my reviews

THE PAINTED BRIDGE by Wendy Wallace

The Painted Bridge by Wendy Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A spellbinding tale of secrets, lost lives, and a Victorian woman seizing her own destiny
Just outside London behind a tall stone wall stands Lake House, a private asylum for genteel women of a delicate nature. In the winter of 1859, recently-married Anna Palmer becomes its newest arrival, tricked by her husband into leaving her home, incarcerated against her will and declared hysterical and unhinged. With no doubts as to her sanity, Anna is convinced that she will be released as soon as she can tell her story.

But Anna quickly learns that liberty will not come easily. And the longer she remains at Lake House, the more she realises that -- like the ethereal bridge over the asylum's lake -- nothing is as it appears. Locked alone in her room, she begins to experience strange visions and memories that may lead her to the truth about her past, herself, and to freedom - or lead her so far into the recesses of her mind that she may never escape…
Set in Victorian England, as superstitions collide with a new psychological understanding, this elegant, emotionally suspenseful debut novel is a tale of self-discovery, secrets, and search for the truth in a world where the line between madness and sanity seems perilously fine. (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: An excellent read. There was real tension as Anna tries to survive and escape from her confinement. The Victorian culture was very well described and I learned a lot about what that period believed about mental health and its treatment. The experiments by a doctor that tries to work out how to read photographs to diagnose mental illness were intriguing — and loosely based on phrenology which was considered to be a science at the time. It’s a beautifully written novel with great plot development and interesting characters. Liked it a lot.

View all my reviews

BEAUTIFUL TO THE BONE by P G Lengsfelder

Beautiful to the Bone by P.G. Lengsfelder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Who can survive the siren call of beauty?

When four-year old Eunis Kindsvatter leaves her Minnesota farmhouse for the very first time, it’s because her mother drags her to a doctor . . .with the hope he’ll absolve her for Eunis’ face. It’s albino with a grotesque birthmark. “An unnaturally ugly thing,” according to Momma. Though the doctor finds nothing physically wrong, Eunis is kept isolated from the world, Momma filling her with tales of fearful gods, demons and prophecy.

Eunis begins to experience unpredictable hypersensitivity to people and places. She instinctively gravitates to water and to Freyja, the Norse goddess of beauty, Momma’s ideal. Determined to be of value, Eunis embarks on a journey to quantify beauty, to protect future generations from the pain she’s experienced, and someday “make everybody beautiful” —through science.

But Eunis’ obsessive research into beauty draws her into a world of unreliable voices, unforeseen pleasures, dangers and death. In Beautiful to the Bone, Eunis must fight for her sanity and reconcile the gap between the science of beauty and the incalculable qualities that draw us to it. (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: I really enjoyed this book. The plot is quite different to anything I’ve read before and I was never sure where the story would lead me. The character of Eunis is deeply and richly drawn and I felt the pain of her need to pursue an objective understanding of beauty. The book is beautifully written with evocative language and genuine empathy for the characters. It was thought provoking and its exploration of beauty, and what it is, made me reflect on my own notions of beauty and the tendency I (and perhaps all of us) have to see beauty as only skin deep rather than what is at the heart and soul of an individual. An excellent read.

View all my reviews

DIVINE HIDDENNESS AND HUMAN REASON by J L Schellenberg

Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason by J.L. Schellenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Why, if a loving God exists, are there "reasonable nonbelievers," people who fail to believe in God but through no fault of their own? In Part 1 of this book, the first full-length treatment of its topic, J. L. Schellenberg argues that when we notice how a relationship with God logically presupposes belief in God, we have grounds to conclude that there would be no reasonable nonbelievers if theism were true, and thus given their existence grounds for atheism. This argument, he maintains, is not defeated by any of an array of counterarguments seeking to justify divine hiddenness drawn from the work of such writers as Pascal, Kierkegaard, Butler, and Hick, and from the author's own imagination arguments meticulously scrutinized in the book's second part. Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason has generated a great deal of interest and discussion since its first publication in 1993 and continues to set the agenda for work on its issues today." (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: A fascinating argument against the Christian God's existence. This book is a challenging philosophical read but worth every minute. It's a detailed, rigorous argument. The author has an excellent understanding of the various Christian arguments and counter-arguments. In fact, in order to ensure he has considered every possible opposing arguments he even comes up with new ones that haven't been developed before - and then responds to them. This is a must-read for Christian and atheist apologists alike. Should generate a long and interesting conversation!

View all my reviews

THE WARLORD'S SON by Dan Fesperman

The Warlord's Son by Dan Fesperman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: In a riveting tale of intrigue and betrayal, a journalist and his aide infiltrate Afghanistan on the eve of the American invasion.  Skelly, a jaded war correspondent, is looking for one last scoop.  Najeeb, his translator and guide, is an educated young man from the Pakistani-Afghani border with a secret past, a history with the Pakistani secret police, and his own motives for this risky adventure. Together they join a Warlord’s caravan as he seeks to start an uprising that will liberate the country from the Taliban. Along the way, they stumble onto what they think might just be the story of a lifetime. What they find is a shady world of hidden agendas, shifting allegiances, and sudden betrayals--a world where one wrong move would get them both killed and the only hope for survival lies in their loyalty to each other.

MY REVIEW: Really enjoyed this engaging story. The writing is excellent and very evocative. The descriptions of the various aspects of Afghan culture, politics, and history are informative but never overwhelm the narrative which moves along at a good pace. The characters are interesting and the story is intriguing.

View all my reviews

THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM by Marcus Ferrar

The Fight for Freedom by Marcus Ferrar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: The fight for freedom – waged by warriors, democrats, politicians, slaves, civil rights leaders, free-thinkers and ordinary human beings – has stirred passions for thousands of years. This moving narrative recounts the exploits of leaders such as Spartacus, Boadicea, Lincoln and Gandhi, through to heroes of the modern age – Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi. Their enemies have been despots – for example Persia’s Emperor Xerxes, Stalin and Hitler – but sometimes also religions, ideologies, and even liberation movement leaders who became new tyrants.

MY REVIEW: This was a great read and I learned a lot. It is disturbing that so many people in the world, through history, have had to live under such oppression and had their human freedoms ignored or deliberately taken away from them. This easy-to-read history read like a novel and I found it inspiring and informative.

View all my reviews

MURDER IN WASILLA by Mary Wasche

Murder in Wasilla by Mary Wasche
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A chilling tale of crime and romance in small town Alaska. A Boston law school graduate, new to Alaska and in over his head with his first big case, must defend an innocent man accused of murdering a kindergarten teacher whose naked, half-frozen body he spotted along the shoulder of an isolated highway. As Preston Mills adjusts to life on the Last Frontier, he falls hard for the defendant's spunky and appealing daughter. The crime very nearly goes unsolved due to the unique method of murder.

MY REVIEW: A fairly straightforward, easy to read, crime romance with more romance than crime. It’s a fairly mild read compared to a lot of modern crime fiction but it was enjoyable. The relationship at the centre of the story was more interesting than the crime itself — although the method of the crime was intriguing.

View all my reviews

WASTELAND GODS by Jonathan Woodrow

Wasteland Gods by Jonathan Woodrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: After the brutal murder of his son is broadcast over the internet, Billy Kingston becomes consumed with alcoholism and thoughts of revenge.
But his outlook changes when a divine being named Dr. Verity offers Billy the chance to not only find the man responsible for his pain but to remove him from this world before he can commit the murder.
When the deal with Verity takes a wrong turn, Billy moves to the small, remote town of Benton Lake and the chance of a new life. Only Dr. Verity isn’t through with him yet. Not by a long shot...

MY REVIEW: A strange story. In one sense, you don’t really understand what’s going on until the last chapter. I would have liked more hints in the story pointing toward the ending than it being a complete surprise. The strength of the book lies in the exploration of the experience of loss and grief. There are moments of genuine suspense and horror but I didn’t find them always believable. The writing is good and I will check out the author’s next book. (NB: I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.)

View all my reviews

THE LIFE OF I UPDATED EDITION: THE NEW CULTURE OF NARCISSISM by Anne Manne

The Life of I Updated Edition: The New Culture of Narcissism by Anne Manne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Far from being the work of a madman, Anders Breivik's murderous rampage in Norway was the action of an extreme narcissist. As the dead lay around him, he held up a finger asking for a Band-Aid.

Written with the pace of a psychological thriller, The Life of I is a compelling account of the rise of narcissism in individuals and society. Manne examines the Lance Armstrong doping scandal and the alarming rise of sexual assaults in sport and the military, as well as the vengeful killings of Elliot Rodger in California. She looks at narcissism in the pursuit of fame and our obsession with 'making it'. She goes beyond the usual suspects of social media and celebrity culture to the deeper root of the issue: how a new narcissistic character-type is being fuelled by a cult of the self and the pursuit of wealth in a hypercompetitive consumer society.

The Life of I also offers insights from the latest work in psychology, looking at how narcissism develops. But Manne also shows that there is an alternative: how to transcend narcissism, to be fully alive to the presence of others; how to create a world where love and care are no longer turned inward.

 

MY REVIEW: A very in-depth, richly textured discussion of narcissism. Of particular interest are the case studies analysing real people that have demonstrated narcissistic personalities. Like the best books, there are things to disagree with. The writing is engaging and easy to read. The greatest temptation in reading a book like this one is that of labelling people you know -- so take care! It is hard to disagree with the thesis that our culture is becoming increasingly self-centred.

View all my reviews

JESUS BEFORE THE GOSPELS by Bard D Ehrman

Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the Savior by Bart D. Ehrman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: The bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus, one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today examines oral tradition and its role in shaping the stories about Jesus we encounter in the New Testament—and ultimately in our understanding of Christianity.

Throughout much of human history, our most important stories were passed down orally—including the stories about Jesus before they became written down in the Gospels. In this fascinating and deeply researched work, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman investigates the role oral history has played in the New Testament—how the telling of these stories not only spread Jesus’ message but helped shape it.

A master explainer of Christian history, texts, and traditions, Ehrman draws on a range of disciplines, including psychology and anthropology, to examine the role of memory in the creation of the Gospels. Explaining how oral tradition evolves based on the latest scientific research, he demonstrates how the act of telling and retelling impacts the story, the storyteller, and the listener—crucial insights that challenge our typical historical understanding of the silent period between when Jesus lived and died and when his stories began to be written down.

As he did in his previous books on religious scholarship, debates on New Testament authorship, and the existence of Jesus of Nazareth, Ehrman combines his deep knowledge and meticulous scholarship in a compelling and eye-opening narrative that will change the way we read and think about these sacred texts. (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: A brilliant book carefully argued. I found this very enlightening. I also heard Bart Ehrman recently debate an evangelical historian on this book’s ideas and Ehrman, in my view, definitely came out ahead. Ehrman writes with clarity and is very engaging to read. He makes sophisticated concepts easy to understand. Ironically, Ehrman is more respectful of the text as a critical historian than some fundamentalist Christians are when they try to make the biblical books perfect communications from God. If you are looking for a provocative, fresh approach to understanding the way in which the stories about Jesus developed over the decades following his death, check out JESUS BEFORE THE GOSPELS. Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

THE CREEPSHOW by Adria J Cimino

The Creepshow by Adria J. Cimino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Wanda Julienne was the perfect employee. Until she had a baby.
Wanda, a thirtysomething single mother, returns to her job at an international financial services firm after maternity leave and finds her world turned upside down. The colleague who filled in for her made disastrous errors that should have cost him his position. Instead, management pressures Wanda to repair the damage overnight and take on new assignments that are a sure recipe for failure. Add in a dose of sexual harassment and Wanda, who can’t afford to lose her job, feels trapped.
Slowly, she discovers that other colleagues have experienced similar treatment, but no one wants to talk about it.
At home, the situation isn’t much brighter. Wanda struggles to balance her baby’s needs and her tough work schedule. Her best friend, Galina, and the ex-boyfriend Wanda never thought would return try their best to offer support, but the attention only suffocates her.
Wanda turns her back and isolates herself, submerged in a downward spiral, until Galina suggests a way out—but the exit won’t be without drastic consequences. (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: I received a copy of this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program so didn’t know much about it at all. As I started reading, I thought the themes were significant and contemporary — the treatment of women by employers after they have had time off work to have a child and various forms of oppression and harassment in the workplace. But I was ultimately disappointed in this novel. The book is written in a very simple style with what I would consider a quite low reading level. In the end, the story finished very abruptly just as it had the potential to move into a good legal thriller. The story has great potential that it just doesn’t achieve.

View all my reviews

RANDOM REFLECTIONS OF A LOONEY BIN by Gordon M Kerkham

Random Reflections of a Looney Bin by Gordon M. Kerkham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Gordon Kerkham knows that some people will be offended by the term “looney bin,” but in his opinion, that’s what they were and what they are—and as such, that’s what they should be called. Too many “professional mental healthcare” centres, in his experience, are little more than dumping grounds for the people we don’t want to see or acknowledge in our world—those living with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.
As a nurse, director of nursing, consultant, and head of professional health education at a university, he has earned his opinion of the system. In Random Reflections of a Looney Bin, he lifts the veil that surrounds an area that most people are not willing to explore. Offering passage into a hidden world, this memoir shares his memories of life in a variety of mental healthcare facilities and his work with aged, handicapped, and psychiatric patients.
He writes in what he calls “true myth” style, meaning his reflections represent mostly the truth with some of the folklore and myth that accumulates through time. His aim is to show that these events all happened—and are still happening today in many parts of the “civilised” world. In his own experience and in those shared by caregivers in other locations, he has concluded that regardless of location, these facilities have more in common than most might want to believe.

MY REVIEW: Let me get this out of the way first: this book desperately needs a proper proofread and editing. There are punctuation and grammatical errors throughout that are incredibly irritating and detracts from the positive qualities of this memoir. Having said that, the stories are quite interesting and Kerkham can does a good job of telling them. This volume covers the author's training as a psychiatric nurse in the days when the main focus was on custodial care and up to the time when the transition was starting towards more professional approaches to the care of the mentally ill. The book is easy to read (apart from the poor editing). There are some pretty amusing moments and some pretty questionable staff. Check it out if you'd like a light, fun (and occasionally tragic) look at what mental health care used to be like. Let's hope the editing and proofreading happens in the next edition because, unless it does, I won't be reading the author's next volume about his experiences learning about general nursing.

View all my reviews

THE ZEN OF LISTENING by Rebecca Z Shafir

The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction by Rebecca Z. Shafir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: TV, radio, traffic, telephones, pagers - our minds are bombarded daily by constant noise and clutter. No wonder so many people find it increasingly difficult to listen and comprehend. Simple pieces of information such as names go "in one ear and out the other." Poor listening may have tragic consequences such as the Challenger disaster and the Potomac River crash of 1982, or it can result in smaller tragedies such as lost promotions, stalled marriages, and troubled children.
Rebecca Shafir assures us that we can transform every aspect of our lives, simply by relearning how to listen. The Zen of Listening is grounded in the Zen concept of mindfulness, a simple yet profound way of learning how to filter our distractions and be totally in the present. Rather than a list of tricks, this book is an all-encompassing approach allowing you to transform your life.

Readers will be amazed at how simply learning to focus intently on a speaker improves the relationship, increases attention span, and helps develop negotiating skills. Learn the great barricades of misunderstanding, find out how to listen to ourselves, discover how to listen under stress, and boost our memory. This is a fun and practical guide filled with simple strategies to use immediately to enjoy our personal and professional lives to the fullest.

MY REVIEW: A very good survey of the practice of listening. What makes this book distinct from other books on listening is it’s location within the practice of mindfulness — which is a popular topic at the moment. Full of practical strategies to improve listening and apply mindfulness (meditation and living fully in the present) to this most significant of human activities. Everyone would benefit from reading this book — even if one didn’t wish to take on the meditative aspects. The author is clearly very experienced and writes in an engaging style.

View all my reviews