The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger: Dynamic Tools for Healthy Relationships, Jane Middleton-Moz, Lisa Tener and Peaco Todd, Health Communications, Inc., 2004
Anger is a normal human emotion. How a person deals with that anger is what, metaphorically, "separates the men from the boys."
Many of our attitudes toward disputes and conflict resolution are formed by our families while we are still children. Anger can range from loud and violent to giving each other the silent treatment to blaming the other person and being judgmental. Such people have never learned healthy attitudes toward conflict and anger.
Everyone has things that they don't like about themselves. Whenever they are mentioned by others, intentionally or unintentionally, they can cause feelings of shame or self-hatred. No one can make you feel like a victim unless you allow it. Whenever your height, weight, ethnicity, etc. are brought up, have a response ready to say to the other person or to yourself, to keep that comment from getting you upset.
There are many unhealthy ways to express anger. Among them are constant whining, throwing temper tantrums, being convinced that you are perfect and the rest of the world is wrong, people who remember every injustice ever perpetrated against them and aren't afraid to throw them in your face, bullying & intimidation and gossiping. The book tells how to deal with each type of person.
Perhaps the cause of your anger is more physical than emotional. Maybe eating too much sugar, or not drinking enough water, will cause a meltdown. The cause of your anger could be lack of sleep, or consuming too much alcohol. The book explores what happens to our bodies in the midst of long-term, unhealthy anger.
For married couples, notice your partner's anger style. Are they passive-aggressive or a shouter? At your next argument, consider: taking a time-out, avoiding hurtful words, admitting your frailties, not interrupting and changing your behavior.
At the end of each chapter, there are exercises and places to write down your thoughts and feelings. This is a practical and easy to read book that can help bring about changes in our relationships, and inside ourselves. This is very much worth the reader's time.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Stop Autism Now!
Stop Autism Now! A Parent's Guide to Preventing and Reversing Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bruce Fife, Piccadilly Books, Ltd., 2012
The rise of autism spectrum disorders worldwide in the last 30 years is rapidly reaching the level of an epidemic. The book presents an easy way reverse its symptoms (legitimately).
The medical profession has no idea as to what causes autism or how to cure it. The best they can do is to prescribe anti-psychotic drugs to ease the symptoms, and tell the family to deal with it.
There is a strong connection between autism and bowel or digestive problems. Cure your child's Crohn's Disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or whatever the ailment) and the autism may be reduced, or disappear. The author has a lot to say about childhood vaccines. Does the average child really need 48 doses of 14 different vaccines before they are six years old? Among the ingredients in vaccines, aside from the virus, are: formaldehyde, mercury, aluminum, ethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, MSG and mycobacteria. That is going right into your child's bloodstream, where it has easy access to the brain, liver and other organs.
What causes autism? Microglia are the brain's equivalent to whit blood cells, protecting it from assault by toxins and other infections. When the brain senses danger, the microglia become very active. They return to normal when the danger is over. If assaults on the brain become more frequent, the microglia can stay activated. In the long run, they can do a lot of damage, including disrupting the regular glucose metabolism. If those cells have problems turning glucose into energy, brain function declines. Older children lose some of their social and cognitive skills. Children under 2 years old never learned these skills, so they may seem to have been born autistic.
What can a parent do? The book goes into lots of detail, but start feeding your child coconut oil each day, adopt a low-carb diet, make sure they get some fish oil each week (the best method is by eating fresh fish) and raise their level of Vitamin D, either through supplements or sending them outside.
Can reversing autism really be this easy? This book is very highly recommended for all parents, whether or not an autistic child is in the family.
The rise of autism spectrum disorders worldwide in the last 30 years is rapidly reaching the level of an epidemic. The book presents an easy way reverse its symptoms (legitimately).
The medical profession has no idea as to what causes autism or how to cure it. The best they can do is to prescribe anti-psychotic drugs to ease the symptoms, and tell the family to deal with it.
There is a strong connection between autism and bowel or digestive problems. Cure your child's Crohn's Disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or whatever the ailment) and the autism may be reduced, or disappear. The author has a lot to say about childhood vaccines. Does the average child really need 48 doses of 14 different vaccines before they are six years old? Among the ingredients in vaccines, aside from the virus, are: formaldehyde, mercury, aluminum, ethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, MSG and mycobacteria. That is going right into your child's bloodstream, where it has easy access to the brain, liver and other organs.
What causes autism? Microglia are the brain's equivalent to whit blood cells, protecting it from assault by toxins and other infections. When the brain senses danger, the microglia become very active. They return to normal when the danger is over. If assaults on the brain become more frequent, the microglia can stay activated. In the long run, they can do a lot of damage, including disrupting the regular glucose metabolism. If those cells have problems turning glucose into energy, brain function declines. Older children lose some of their social and cognitive skills. Children under 2 years old never learned these skills, so they may seem to have been born autistic.
What can a parent do? The book goes into lots of detail, but start feeding your child coconut oil each day, adopt a low-carb diet, make sure they get some fish oil each week (the best method is by eating fresh fish) and raise their level of Vitamin D, either through supplements or sending them outside.
Can reversing autism really be this easy? This book is very highly recommended for all parents, whether or not an autistic child is in the family.
The Skinny On Credit Cards: How to Master the Credit Card Game
The Skinny On Credit Cards: How to Master the Credit Card Game, Jim Randel, Rand MediaCo, 2009
Here is a simple, but not simplistic, look at the world of credit cards.
Beth and Billy are your average married couple who suddenly find themselves with a lot of credit card debt. Billy feels that as long as he pays the minimum payment each month, everything is fine, but Beth is not so sure. Along comes Randel, the author, to explain to them the reality behind credit cards.
Credit card companies want cardholders to pay just the minimum payment each month. That way, they can charge interest on the unpaid balance, raising your overall bill. If that particular ard was never used again, it can take years to pay your total bill by paying just the minimum amount. You will also pay the credit card company more than you originally owe, because of the accumulated interest on the unpaid balance.
Credit card companies can, and will, raise your APR (Annual percentage Rate) whenever they want; the Cardholder Agreement says so. They can also be very sneaky about setting the cut-off time for receiving payments. For instance, they can set the cut-off time for 10 AM, when they receive their daily mail delivery at noon. Even if your payment was received that day, it is still late, which means that they can charge a late fee. College students are a goldmine, because they are probably financially illiterate, and think of credit cards as free money.
What can the average consumer do about it? Pay off as much of your bill each month as possible; forget about paying just the minimum payment. Call your credit card company, and ask them for a lower interest. It could shave months, or years, off the time needed to eliminate your debt. If you have a large debt, look for a one-time infusion of cash to reduce the debt. Consider a low-interest credit card as a place to which to transfer your balances.
This book does a wonderful job at teaching the financial literacy not taught in school. get past the stick figure illustrations, and this book is highly recommended for everyone.
Here is a simple, but not simplistic, look at the world of credit cards.
Beth and Billy are your average married couple who suddenly find themselves with a lot of credit card debt. Billy feels that as long as he pays the minimum payment each month, everything is fine, but Beth is not so sure. Along comes Randel, the author, to explain to them the reality behind credit cards.
Credit card companies want cardholders to pay just the minimum payment each month. That way, they can charge interest on the unpaid balance, raising your overall bill. If that particular ard was never used again, it can take years to pay your total bill by paying just the minimum amount. You will also pay the credit card company more than you originally owe, because of the accumulated interest on the unpaid balance.
Credit card companies can, and will, raise your APR (Annual percentage Rate) whenever they want; the Cardholder Agreement says so. They can also be very sneaky about setting the cut-off time for receiving payments. For instance, they can set the cut-off time for 10 AM, when they receive their daily mail delivery at noon. Even if your payment was received that day, it is still late, which means that they can charge a late fee. College students are a goldmine, because they are probably financially illiterate, and think of credit cards as free money.
What can the average consumer do about it? Pay off as much of your bill each month as possible; forget about paying just the minimum payment. Call your credit card company, and ask them for a lower interest. It could shave months, or years, off the time needed to eliminate your debt. If you have a large debt, look for a one-time infusion of cash to reduce the debt. Consider a low-interest credit card as a place to which to transfer your balances.
This book does a wonderful job at teaching the financial literacy not taught in school. get past the stick figure illustrations, and this book is highly recommended for everyone.
Quexistence: The Quest For the Meaning of Existence: The Dream Begins
Quexistence: The Quest For the Meaning of Existence: The Dream Begins, Tom Stafford, 2012 (Kindle e-book)
Gork is a being who is looking for answers to life's universal questions: Why Am I Here? What Is My Purpose? He meets Itbee, who declines to answer his questions, but directs him to Ustubee, who is behind him. Ustubee is also not willing to answers his queries, but directs him to Yetubee, who is ahead of him. Does Gork get his questions answered, or is he directed to someone else?
This is a short story (less than 2,000 words), but it will get the reader looking inside him- or herself. The quest for the meaning of existence is very normal and very broad. This is a prequel to a soon-to-be published novel, which is why it might feel like a well-done part of a story, instead of a complete story. Yes, it's worth reading.
(Available for free on amazon.com on October 4-6, 2012.)
Gork is a being who is looking for answers to life's universal questions: Why Am I Here? What Is My Purpose? He meets Itbee, who declines to answer his questions, but directs him to Ustubee, who is behind him. Ustubee is also not willing to answers his queries, but directs him to Yetubee, who is ahead of him. Does Gork get his questions answered, or is he directed to someone else?
This is a short story (less than 2,000 words), but it will get the reader looking inside him- or herself. The quest for the meaning of existence is very normal and very broad. This is a prequel to a soon-to-be published novel, which is why it might feel like a well-done part of a story, instead of a complete story. Yes, it's worth reading.
(Available for free on amazon.com on October 4-6, 2012.)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators
The Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators, Joseph L. Giacalone, Looseleaf Law Publications, 2011
Many law enforcement textbooks have been written by academics with little, or no, real experience. The author of this book has many years of actual, crime scene experience.
On TV, detectives will get a phone call, quickly write down an address, and then rush out the door. It's dramatic, and it's also a bad idea. A quick check in the police computer will show if police have been to that address in the past, or if there has been criminal activity in that area in the past.
At the crime scene, the investigator will go over the crime scene with the first officer on the scene (who is supposed to establish the crime scene perimeter, detain witnesses, etc.). The investigator will sketch the scene, take lots of photographs and lots of notes, and establish chain of custody for all physical evidence found at the scene. There is a good, and bad, way to search the scene for evidence. It is vital to document everything. The defense attorney can be expected to focus on the smallest error in police procedure, and use that to move for an acquittal.
The follow-up investigation is necessary, but not very glamorous. It involves things like going over the crime scene photos again, and visiting the various law enforcement databases. The book talks about what is, and is not, allowable when it comes to eyewitness identification.
Much time in the book is spent on what haapens in the interrogation room, whether it is interviewing a witness, or interrogating a suspect. It is vital to establish some sort of connection between the interrogator and suspect. Last but not least, the investigator has to appear in court. The investigator should refresh their memory by going over the file, answer only the question that is asked, and give the impression that they are prepared and they know what they are talking about.
This book should be required reading for all law enforcement personnel. For everyone else, it is very easy to understand, and shows what the police field is really like.
Many law enforcement textbooks have been written by academics with little, or no, real experience. The author of this book has many years of actual, crime scene experience.
On TV, detectives will get a phone call, quickly write down an address, and then rush out the door. It's dramatic, and it's also a bad idea. A quick check in the police computer will show if police have been to that address in the past, or if there has been criminal activity in that area in the past.
At the crime scene, the investigator will go over the crime scene with the first officer on the scene (who is supposed to establish the crime scene perimeter, detain witnesses, etc.). The investigator will sketch the scene, take lots of photographs and lots of notes, and establish chain of custody for all physical evidence found at the scene. There is a good, and bad, way to search the scene for evidence. It is vital to document everything. The defense attorney can be expected to focus on the smallest error in police procedure, and use that to move for an acquittal.
The follow-up investigation is necessary, but not very glamorous. It involves things like going over the crime scene photos again, and visiting the various law enforcement databases. The book talks about what is, and is not, allowable when it comes to eyewitness identification.
Much time in the book is spent on what haapens in the interrogation room, whether it is interviewing a witness, or interrogating a suspect. It is vital to establish some sort of connection between the interrogator and suspect. Last but not least, the investigator has to appear in court. The investigator should refresh their memory by going over the file, answer only the question that is asked, and give the impression that they are prepared and they know what they are talking about.
This book should be required reading for all law enforcement personnel. For everyone else, it is very easy to understand, and shows what the police field is really like.
No Other Way
No Other Way, Roger Real Drouin, Moonshine Cove Publishing, 2012
This novel is about two men and a near-mythical bird.
Samuel is a famous bird photographer who is also dealing with his wife's death from cancer a year earlier. He is very familiar with the story of the Northern Stilted Curlew. It is a bird that has not been photographed in the wild in many years. That is because it may, or may not, be extinct. It is the bird watcher's equivalent of the Holy Grail.
The Curlew migrates several thousand miles each year. Among its last untouched nesting areas is in the northern reaches of the Sanford National Forest in Utah. There are no roads; the area is accessible only after several days of hiking. Samuel makes the trek to look for the Curlew.
Things are complicated by a natural gas corporation getting the required permits to beging fracking inside the forest. There will not be just a few wells; there will be many wells, including in the Curlew's nesting area.
Thomas is a forest ranger who has had a run-in with the law. He did a stupid thing, but for the right reasons. He and Samuel put their heads together and see if they can do something to stop the fracking, and preserve a small piece of untouched wilderness.
This an excellent piece of writing. Drouin shows that he knows, and cares, a lot for the natural environment. This is very much recommended.
This novel is about two men and a near-mythical bird.
Samuel is a famous bird photographer who is also dealing with his wife's death from cancer a year earlier. He is very familiar with the story of the Northern Stilted Curlew. It is a bird that has not been photographed in the wild in many years. That is because it may, or may not, be extinct. It is the bird watcher's equivalent of the Holy Grail.
The Curlew migrates several thousand miles each year. Among its last untouched nesting areas is in the northern reaches of the Sanford National Forest in Utah. There are no roads; the area is accessible only after several days of hiking. Samuel makes the trek to look for the Curlew.
Things are complicated by a natural gas corporation getting the required permits to beging fracking inside the forest. There will not be just a few wells; there will be many wells, including in the Curlew's nesting area.
Thomas is a forest ranger who has had a run-in with the law. He did a stupid thing, but for the right reasons. He and Samuel put their heads together and see if they can do something to stop the fracking, and preserve a small piece of untouched wilderness.
This an excellent piece of writing. Drouin shows that he knows, and cares, a lot for the natural environment. This is very much recommended.
Ideas are Free: How the Idea revolution is Liberating People and Transforming Organizations
Ideas Are Free: How the Idea Revolution is Liberating People and Transforming Organizations, Alan G. Robinson and Dean M. Schroeder, Barrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2004
In this hyper-competitive and economically uncertain world, there is a free resource for efficiency and money-saving ideas that few companies have accessed. Why not ask your employees for their suggestions to make the company better?
It's not as easy as putting up suggestion boxes, and waiting for the flood of ideas. First, look at your corporate culture. If yours is the sort of company that discourages ideas from employees (workers are there to work and not think), it will take a lot of work on the part of senior management to convince employees that, this time, things are different. The actual idea submission form must be short, no more than one page. There needs to be a system in place where every idea is acknowledged and evaluated within a specific period of time (for instance, within 24 and 72 hours, respectively). If a middle manager is "sitting on" an idea, for whatever reason, senior management needs to know about it.
In many cases, the immediate supervisor is most qualified to evaluate ideas. Feedback is very important, especially if the idea needs more work, or if the idea has to be rejected. Explaining the reason to the employee will keep them from getting discouraged. When an idea is approved by the right people, there is no reason for it to not be implemented sooner, rather than later (within hours or days, not at the start of the next quarter). There should be continuous checking of ideas to see if they can also be used elsewhere in the company. Managers seem to be only interested in the huge, million-dollar idea. Is there something wrong with a few thousand-dollar ideas?
Setting up a system of monetary rewards for ideas is popular, but not needed. The best "compensation" for an employee is to see their idea implemented, to know that they had a hand in bettering their company. It is very easy for a company to do rewards the wrong way, increasing mistrust among employees. The authors show how to do rewards the right way.
Filled with many real-life examples, this is a clear and insightful book about a surprisingly easy way to get money-saving ideas. This is applicable to all sorts of companies, big and small, and is very much recommended.
In this hyper-competitive and economically uncertain world, there is a free resource for efficiency and money-saving ideas that few companies have accessed. Why not ask your employees for their suggestions to make the company better?
It's not as easy as putting up suggestion boxes, and waiting for the flood of ideas. First, look at your corporate culture. If yours is the sort of company that discourages ideas from employees (workers are there to work and not think), it will take a lot of work on the part of senior management to convince employees that, this time, things are different. The actual idea submission form must be short, no more than one page. There needs to be a system in place where every idea is acknowledged and evaluated within a specific period of time (for instance, within 24 and 72 hours, respectively). If a middle manager is "sitting on" an idea, for whatever reason, senior management needs to know about it.
In many cases, the immediate supervisor is most qualified to evaluate ideas. Feedback is very important, especially if the idea needs more work, or if the idea has to be rejected. Explaining the reason to the employee will keep them from getting discouraged. When an idea is approved by the right people, there is no reason for it to not be implemented sooner, rather than later (within hours or days, not at the start of the next quarter). There should be continuous checking of ideas to see if they can also be used elsewhere in the company. Managers seem to be only interested in the huge, million-dollar idea. Is there something wrong with a few thousand-dollar ideas?
Setting up a system of monetary rewards for ideas is popular, but not needed. The best "compensation" for an employee is to see their idea implemented, to know that they had a hand in bettering their company. It is very easy for a company to do rewards the wrong way, increasing mistrust among employees. The authors show how to do rewards the right way.
Filled with many real-life examples, this is a clear and insightful book about a surprisingly easy way to get money-saving ideas. This is applicable to all sorts of companies, big and small, and is very much recommended.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Lodestone Trilogy
The Lodestone Trilogy, Mark Whiteway, 2011, Kindle e-book (B006OOC5MC)
This combination fantasy/science fiction trilogy is about an enslaved planet, and a small group who intend to do something about it.
The Kelanni live in a medieval type of society, and are ruled by an unseen being called The Prophet. The Keltar are the Prophet's judge, jury and executioner. They go from village to village, kidnapping in broad daylight, and taking the unlucky ones on a one-way trip to "serve The Prophet." Their actual destination is much more brutal, and more down-to-earth.
Alondo is a genius who has had some Keltar training. Lyall is a musician who plays a very special type of instrument. Shann is an orphan child whose parents are "serving" the Prophet. They learn that the Prophet's skin is actually white, and his blood is red (the Kelanni have green skin and tails). They are joined by Keris, an ex-Keltar who brings along a strange being named Boxx, who has custody of an even stranger machine. It allows the group to speak to a woman from several thousand years in the past, who tells them of a weapon that will stop The Prophet, once and for all. Getting to the weapon is the hard part.
After many days travel, they reach the Barrier of Storms, which certainly lives up to its name. Their first attempt to cross is unsuccessful, because forces loyal to The Prophet are hot on their trail. They eventually cross in a modified sailing ship. Shann and Boxx are separated from the others, and find themselves in a much more technologically advanced society (the two societies know nothing about each other). Along the way, Shann and Boxx learn some really interesting things about themselves and their respective societies. Are they successful in stopping The Prophet, and un-slaving their world?
Here is an excellent piece of writing. The author does a fine job at making the Kelanni seem human, even though they are not human. It is very much worth the reader's time.
This combination fantasy/science fiction trilogy is about an enslaved planet, and a small group who intend to do something about it.
The Kelanni live in a medieval type of society, and are ruled by an unseen being called The Prophet. The Keltar are the Prophet's judge, jury and executioner. They go from village to village, kidnapping in broad daylight, and taking the unlucky ones on a one-way trip to "serve The Prophet." Their actual destination is much more brutal, and more down-to-earth.
Alondo is a genius who has had some Keltar training. Lyall is a musician who plays a very special type of instrument. Shann is an orphan child whose parents are "serving" the Prophet. They learn that the Prophet's skin is actually white, and his blood is red (the Kelanni have green skin and tails). They are joined by Keris, an ex-Keltar who brings along a strange being named Boxx, who has custody of an even stranger machine. It allows the group to speak to a woman from several thousand years in the past, who tells them of a weapon that will stop The Prophet, once and for all. Getting to the weapon is the hard part.
After many days travel, they reach the Barrier of Storms, which certainly lives up to its name. Their first attempt to cross is unsuccessful, because forces loyal to The Prophet are hot on their trail. They eventually cross in a modified sailing ship. Shann and Boxx are separated from the others, and find themselves in a much more technologically advanced society (the two societies know nothing about each other). Along the way, Shann and Boxx learn some really interesting things about themselves and their respective societies. Are they successful in stopping The Prophet, and un-slaving their world?
Here is an excellent piece of writing. The author does a fine job at making the Kelanni seem human, even though they are not human. It is very much worth the reader's time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
That Girl Started Her Own Country
That Girl Started Her Own Country, Holy Ghost Writer, 2012, Kindle e-book (B0094IH8HC)
This novel is about a woman who is able to handle herself quite well in federal prison. It is also connected to two very famous pieces of writing, "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas and Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy.
A woman is arrested in present-day Miami on charges of running a very sophisticated money-laundering operation. She refuses to cooperate with the authorities, but does give the impression that she may be actual royalty. At her arraignment, she represents herself. She shows that she knows, and can argue, the relevant law better than even a first-rate lawyer. Later in the book, she shaves her head to prevent the authorities from getting her DNA from a strand of her hair.
While in prison, and as an experienced hacker, she looks for dirt on the pair of FBI agents who arrested her. With access to seemingly unlimited amounts of money, she starts leaking high-level information to crusading journalist Steven Larsen, the only man who ever meant anything to her. Very strong precautions have to be taken, because this is the sort of information that could get any journalist on the assassination list of many governments. The connection between a present-day suspense story and a famous piece of 19th century literature comes near the end of the book.
Here is a first-rate piece of writing. I may be among the few people who have never read any of Mr. Larsson's books (I will have to do something about that). This book is very contemporary, and I look forward to reading the sequel.
This novel is about a woman who is able to handle herself quite well in federal prison. It is also connected to two very famous pieces of writing, "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas and Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy.
A woman is arrested in present-day Miami on charges of running a very sophisticated money-laundering operation. She refuses to cooperate with the authorities, but does give the impression that she may be actual royalty. At her arraignment, she represents herself. She shows that she knows, and can argue, the relevant law better than even a first-rate lawyer. Later in the book, she shaves her head to prevent the authorities from getting her DNA from a strand of her hair.
While in prison, and as an experienced hacker, she looks for dirt on the pair of FBI agents who arrested her. With access to seemingly unlimited amounts of money, she starts leaking high-level information to crusading journalist Steven Larsen, the only man who ever meant anything to her. Very strong precautions have to be taken, because this is the sort of information that could get any journalist on the assassination list of many governments. The connection between a present-day suspense story and a famous piece of 19th century literature comes near the end of the book.
Here is a first-rate piece of writing. I may be among the few people who have never read any of Mr. Larsson's books (I will have to do something about that). This book is very contemporary, and I look forward to reading the sequel.
Monday, September 10, 2012
The Lurking Man
The Lurking Man, Keith Rommel, Sunbury Press, 2012
This novel is about a woman who is forced to take a hard look at her life, and the choices that she made to get her to this point.
Cailean will never be nominated for Mother of the Year. She has take to alcohol to ease the memory of a terrible thing that happened to her when she was a child (it's not what you think). She doesn't drink simply to get drunk; she drinks to pass out. She and Wilson, her husband, are separated. Her record for visiting her son, Beau, who simply wants his mother to visit him, is not good. One day, Cailean shows up at Wilson's door, sober, and convinces him to let her take beau to her condo for just a few hours. The intention for Cailean is to show Beau and Wilson that she really can change. Things do not end well.
Existing somewhere between life and death, Cailean finds herself trapped in a cone of bright light in a snowstorm. She is being held there by a humanoid being named Sariel, who forces her to take a hard look at her life. She finds out just what it was that turned her into such a mean and rotten person, filled with self-hatred (again, it's not what you think). Cailean also sees what has happened to the "good" part of her. At the end, does Cailean have an Ebenezer Scrooge-like epiphany, and work to regain the confidence of Beau and Wilson? Does she even survive the encounter with Sariel?
This book will certainly get the reader to look inside themselves, to see if they have any Cailean-like behavior. It is recommended for everyone, especially those in the grip of alcoholism. Do you and Cailean share a similar reason for your actions?
This novel is about a woman who is forced to take a hard look at her life, and the choices that she made to get her to this point.
Cailean will never be nominated for Mother of the Year. She has take to alcohol to ease the memory of a terrible thing that happened to her when she was a child (it's not what you think). She doesn't drink simply to get drunk; she drinks to pass out. She and Wilson, her husband, are separated. Her record for visiting her son, Beau, who simply wants his mother to visit him, is not good. One day, Cailean shows up at Wilson's door, sober, and convinces him to let her take beau to her condo for just a few hours. The intention for Cailean is to show Beau and Wilson that she really can change. Things do not end well.
Existing somewhere between life and death, Cailean finds herself trapped in a cone of bright light in a snowstorm. She is being held there by a humanoid being named Sariel, who forces her to take a hard look at her life. She finds out just what it was that turned her into such a mean and rotten person, filled with self-hatred (again, it's not what you think). Cailean also sees what has happened to the "good" part of her. At the end, does Cailean have an Ebenezer Scrooge-like epiphany, and work to regain the confidence of Beau and Wilson? Does she even survive the encounter with Sariel?
This book will certainly get the reader to look inside themselves, to see if they have any Cailean-like behavior. It is recommended for everyone, especially those in the grip of alcoholism. Do you and Cailean share a similar reason for your actions?
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The Maynwaring's: A Game of Chance
The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, Digger Cartwright, 2012 (Kindle e-book)
Set in the Nevada Territory just after the Civil War, this novel is about a family for whom things suddenly start going very badly.
The Maynwarings are one of the founding families in Carson City, the territory's capital. Barron, the family patriarch, is a United States Senator. They own several buildings in town, along with an immense cattle ranch outside of town.
A well-dressed stramger named Giddeon Van Thorn rides into town, and offers to purchase several businesses, including a saloon and the local mercantile, for a very generous price. Those who decline his offer have a nasty habit of ending up dead. Van Thorn says that he is part of a shadowy Association from back East, whose intention is to develop Carson City, bringing jobs and tax revenue (sound familiar?).
A neighboring rancher, Dan Arkin, is found dead, several hours after a poker game that went bad. Suspicion falls on Jeremy Foster, a recluse, and another participant in the ill-fated poker game. The Maynwarings set up a search party to ask Foster some hard questions; the circumstantial evidence against him is pretty strong. Several of Van Thron's thugs are unknowingly included in the search party. They reach Foster first, and lynch him, preventing the Maynwarings from following the law. The body count starts to rise. The local judge is in Van Thorn's pocket. Things get serious when anthrax is found in their cattle; it can wipe out an entire herd very quickly. Things get even more serious when one of Barron's sons, Houston, is shot and seriously wounded by an unknown assailant in broad daylight. Is all of this Van Thorn's fault, or is there some other explanation? Can Van Thorn's plans be stopped? Will the Maynwaring ranch survive?
The author does a very good job from start to finish. He puts the reader right in the middle of the story, and the characters feel like real people. Here is a first-rate piece of writing.
Set in the Nevada Territory just after the Civil War, this novel is about a family for whom things suddenly start going very badly.
The Maynwarings are one of the founding families in Carson City, the territory's capital. Barron, the family patriarch, is a United States Senator. They own several buildings in town, along with an immense cattle ranch outside of town.
A well-dressed stramger named Giddeon Van Thorn rides into town, and offers to purchase several businesses, including a saloon and the local mercantile, for a very generous price. Those who decline his offer have a nasty habit of ending up dead. Van Thorn says that he is part of a shadowy Association from back East, whose intention is to develop Carson City, bringing jobs and tax revenue (sound familiar?).
A neighboring rancher, Dan Arkin, is found dead, several hours after a poker game that went bad. Suspicion falls on Jeremy Foster, a recluse, and another participant in the ill-fated poker game. The Maynwarings set up a search party to ask Foster some hard questions; the circumstantial evidence against him is pretty strong. Several of Van Thron's thugs are unknowingly included in the search party. They reach Foster first, and lynch him, preventing the Maynwarings from following the law. The body count starts to rise. The local judge is in Van Thorn's pocket. Things get serious when anthrax is found in their cattle; it can wipe out an entire herd very quickly. Things get even more serious when one of Barron's sons, Houston, is shot and seriously wounded by an unknown assailant in broad daylight. Is all of this Van Thorn's fault, or is there some other explanation? Can Van Thorn's plans be stopped? Will the Maynwaring ranch survive?
The author does a very good job from start to finish. He puts the reader right in the middle of the story, and the characters feel like real people. Here is a first-rate piece of writing.
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Sultan of Monte Cristo
The Sultan of Monte Cristo: The First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo, Holy Ghost Writer, 2012, Kindle e-book, B008HV55YA
This is a continuation of "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas, one of the greatest of 19th Century novels.
Many of the same characters from the earlier book are here. Having escaped from prison, and having faked his own death, Edmond Dantes is sailing the seven seas with Mercedes, his lover. He contemplates living the life of a soldier and pirate, instead of settling down as the Sultan of Albania. Later, Edmond receives a letter from his father, and learns some really interesting things about his ancestry. His family tree can be traced all the way back to Mary Magdalene. After the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, Mary supposedly moved to southern France, and established a new branch of the family tree, the Merovingians. There is a daring mid-sea battle between Edmond and the captain of another pirate ship (the winner gets the other's ship and crew).
I have never read the original book, but, if it is anything like this, maybe I will. This is a really interesting and well-written story. It is short, and well worth reading.
This is a continuation of "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas, one of the greatest of 19th Century novels.
Many of the same characters from the earlier book are here. Having escaped from prison, and having faked his own death, Edmond Dantes is sailing the seven seas with Mercedes, his lover. He contemplates living the life of a soldier and pirate, instead of settling down as the Sultan of Albania. Later, Edmond receives a letter from his father, and learns some really interesting things about his ancestry. His family tree can be traced all the way back to Mary Magdalene. After the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, Mary supposedly moved to southern France, and established a new branch of the family tree, the Merovingians. There is a daring mid-sea battle between Edmond and the captain of another pirate ship (the winner gets the other's ship and crew).
I have never read the original book, but, if it is anything like this, maybe I will. This is a really interesting and well-written story. It is short, and well worth reading.
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