CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon was the right book at the right time for me – the story of a tough-as-nails woman whose struggles and bravery make our shelter-in-place woes seem trivial. (Yes, the fictional story is – remarkably … Read more...
Words: ” A Bright Future For Man …”
If only there were “Here Thanks To Nature” tags attached to everything everywhere as a reminder that our very lives are utterly and completely dependent on nature — not technology…
… Read more...I would feel more optimistic
about a bright future for
Book Review: THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy
I received THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy as a birthday present earlier this week and likely would never have picked it up on my own. What a little gem I’d have been missing. … Read more...
Book Review: WORDS by Jessica McCann
In the introduction to WORDS: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life, Jessica McCann shares with the reader a core belief that is as intricately a part of her personal journey as it is her writer’s journey and forms the basis … Read more...
Book Review: FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser
What first drew me to FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser? When I saw it at an indie bookstore, the jacket was face-out, displaying the frilly butt of a diving duck. Score. This could be right up my science- and … Read more...
Book Review: BOOST YOUR BRAIN by M. Fotuhi & C. B. Antoniades
I often don’t review the nonfiction books I read, but I felt this one was important to share. BOOST YOUR BRAIN is an older book (published 2013) I downloaded on my iPad years ago when it was on sale. It’s … Read more...
Book Review: ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo
As ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo promises by its title, it is, on the highest level, about animals – specifically, about the complicated and often brutal and indifferent historical treatment of animals by farmers. But it’s also about people, an … Read more...
Words: Albert Einstein “Widening Our Circles Of Compassion…”
In a letter to a grieving father, Albert Einstein shared his thoughts on the human disconnect between the narrow “universe” we are imprisoned in and “Universe” of nature we need to “widening our circles of compassion” to live in:
“A … Read more...
Book Review: THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete
THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete is a compelling debut novel and a must read for anyone who loves the Arizona desert, strong but vulnerable female characters, and moving personal journeys.
The biggest fear most of us have is … Read more...
Book Review: EAT COMPLETE by Drew Ramsey
Eat Complete by Drew Ramsey, MD effectively details the importance of nutrients and the role they play in brain health. After working with mood and anxiety disorders in patients, Ramsey began researching nutrition and how it affects the brain. His … Read more...
Book Review: FREE MEN by Katy Simpson Smith
Katy Simpson Smith, once again, beautifully weaves nature alongside the lives of her characters in her second novel – FREE MEN is based on actual figures in history – about a disparate group: runaway slave, white man, Creek Indian (and, … Read more...
Words: “We Seek An Enlargement Of Our Being” — CS Lewis
In AN EXPERIMENT IN CRITICISM, C.S. Lewis answers the question of Why We Read and also provides the answers to why all forms of storytelling are so important:
… Read more...“We seek an enlargement of our being. We want to be more
Book Review: AMERICA WAS HARD TO FIND by Kathleen Alcott
How timely was AMERICA WAS HARD TO FIND? It was published on May 14, 2019 and the 50TH anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission was July 20, 1969. One of the main characters is a fictitious NASA astronaut who took … Read more...
The Restorative Habit of Gardening
Harriet Gross is professor of psychology, as well as acting pro vice chancellor and head of the College of Arts, at the University of Lincoln in the UK. Her latest book is The Psychology of Gardening (2018).
~~~
How pottering
… Read more...Do You Have A Nappuccino Habit?
A Nappuccino is the combination of a 20 minute nap and a pre nap coffee to create a short, strategic, restorative break without the post nap inertia.
But the key ingredient in a “Nappuccino” is timing. The whens matter.
Daniel … Read more...
Book Review: AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins
I am SO fortunate to have gotten my hands on AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins in advance of publication (thanks to my book angel). It was THE way to wind down the reading year: to be totally absorbed in a … Read more...
Book Review: THE WILDLANDS by Abby Geni
Timely. Terrifying. Heartbreaking. Yes, THE WILDLANDS by Abby Geni with its examination of human impact on the natural world is timely. The wildlife and environmental realities it highlights are terrifying. And the characters – a family of orphans – suffer … Read more...
Book Review: THE WOLF IN THE WHALE by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Novels featuring Gods and Goddesses and mythology aren’t generally my go-to. But THE WOLF IN THE WHALE by Jordanna Max Brodsky, admittedly, attracted me based on the native Inuit character, Omat. I have been long fascinated by North American … Read more...
Book Review: THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swyler
THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swyler has been on my shelf for far too many years, and it seems to have spoken to me at just the right time. It may not be my typical go-to genre, but it … Read more...
Happy Labor Day’s 125th Anniversary
As a national holiday, Labor Day turns 125 years old in the US this year.
There was already a legal holiday in September commemorating Labor day in 23 states when President Grover Cleveland signed the national Labor Day legislation into … Read more...
Book Review: DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips
When I read the jacket copy for DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips, I assumed it was a “who done it,” as the description talked about an ongoing police investigation. I don’t generally gravitate toward missing persons/abduction-type stories; but this … Read more...
Review: THE BULLET JOURNAL METHOD by Ryder Carroll
THE BULLET JOURNAL METHOD: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
by Ryder Carroll is a handy book about not only how to bullet journal, but how to set and meet goals that lead to a more fulfilling … Read more...
Book Review: THE OVERSTORY by Richard Powers
Mind blown. When books connect on a personal level, they can transcend beyond words on the page. That was THE OVERSTORY for me. I couldn’t help but think Richard Powers wrote this book for me.
It was an immediate connection … Read more...
Words: “The Practical Value of Psychology…”
… Read more...
“The practical value of psychology… It is well recognized that the teacher must understand the working of the mind in order best to impart his information in that way that will enable the student to grasp it most readily. It
Book Review: THE MURMUR OF BEES by Sofía Segovia
THE MURMUR OF BEES by Sofía Segovia was among a handful offered as a free e-book by Amazon Crossing, as part of World Book Day in March. Otherwise, it likely would not have been on my radar.
Translated from Spanish, … Read more...