Books - An Eternal Passion

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Authoring of books since ancient times has been considered as a work of art, an art which has been recognized throughout the annals of history as art works of excellence. Books are one of the richest source of inspiration and one of the most effective means of motivating others. While books are acknowledged to be the finest source of inspiration to others who read them, an avid reader gets a first hand impression of the writer's psyche since the books have been written taking into account the personal experiences of the author. The author writes in order to express a desire to share these experiences with the readers. A large variety of books have been authored by reputed and famous authors which have covered a myriad themes ranging from fiction, non-fiction, history, literature, scientific fiction, management, medical science, information technology and each one of these books have contributed significantly towards the development of the human mind.

The sharing of experience through books has been deemed to be invigorating for readers who emulate the essentials that apply to their lives. Books are known to have completely transformed lives of people thereby altering their lives dramatically. The habit of reading books is inculcated during the early stages of a person's life. There are several factors that lead to the development of the hobby of reading books. Primarily, it is the atmosphere in the family which either allures or deters a child to read books. The upbringing of the child in the initial stages is of utmost significance. A child's mind is extremely fragile and supple and therefore can be easily sculpted and molded.

When it comes to writing reviews on books, it is all the more important that the reviewer takes into account all the aspects of author's writing especially what precisely he wants to project to his reader. One of the most important factors that a person while writing a book review is that he should give his critical views dispassionately and without any prejudice or a bias.

In this manner, a reviewer considers all the positive and negative factors of the contents of the book and gives a totally unique and distinct review. It would be pertinent to mention that a book reviewer simply does not give into any internal or external pressures that he may encounter during the time of reviewing a book or a work of an art.

Reviewers and critics have always been held in high esteem in literary circles because of their unbiased and dispassionate reviews. In fact, when a reviewer writes about a piece of writing, he stands aloof from the events of the book and judges the book as if from a distance. It is this distancing from the writer that makes him an outstanding reviewer.

Book Review: The Confession

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

It seems that John Grisham just never runs out of wonderful stories that make it to the New York Times Bestseller list! The Confession, published in 2011, is one more page-turner that truly captures the reader's total attention.

The Reverend Keith Schroeder had no idea that one of the men in his Sunday service would end up changing not only the events of the next few days but also of both of their lives. When the fellow turned up at his office and told him that he was dying, the minister was not shocked as hearing about people's problems was part of his regular duties. What did surprise him, however, was when the man stated that another man was going to die for a murder that he had committed years ago.

Dante Drumm had been a young football hero in his hometown. His whole life changed, however, when he was convicted of abduction, rape and murder of a high school cheerleader named Nicole Yaber. They were similar in that they were both seniors but differed in that he was black and she was white. When Donte was first picked up by police and taken to the station for questioning, he stated that he was innocent. Hours of interrogation, however, led him to a place where he admitted to the theories that the officers placed before him. And the result was that he was imprisoned for nine years while facing the death sentence.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the way that Grisham was able to bring to life a huge cast of characters and help the reader to understand how each of them contributed not only to the plot but also to the final outcome of the book. The personalities of family and friends who grieved for Nicole and worried about Donte's future, became very real in a matter of only a few lines of print. It was especially interesting, however, to see how the author was able to combine the professional and personal aspects of those who had to make decisions about the case in a manner that revealed ethical dilemmas. We witness the struggles and choices that the minister, lawyers, judges and even the governor face when new information is brought to their attention.

A further dimension involves the groups of people who fight for their beliefs. We are able to identify with high school students, sports teams, media personnel and even the jail staff who are portrayed as strong influences throughout the story.

This book does not merely point to any one person as being "right" or "wrong" but instead focusses on how the "wrongs" of several individuals can pile up so that the justice that everyone seeks is almost impossible to achieve.

John Grisham is one of my favourite authors and I am always excited when he has a new book on the stands. This one was one of his best as it draws the reader into a situation that demands thought and a strong questioning of how each of us could have changed the outcome had we actually been involved.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to a complimentary list of 10 Steps to Making Your Life an Adventure when you visit http://lindahancock.com/

From Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker

Pulchritude: A Review

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Pulchritude is an archaic word meaning beauty.

We all know the story of Beauty and the Beast. With her novel, Pulchritude, Ana Mardoll recreates the fairy tale in novel form. She adds some twists and turns not found in the original. She tells the story from multiple perspectives, each character getting his or her own telling of events. Mardoll does a good job of creating vivid imagery and lively, believable dialogue. There is tension between the characters, especially between Bella and her father, whom she feels has betrayed her... because he has.

We all know the Disney version of the story. This isn't it. In this version of Beauty and the Beast, the father is a selfish person. He sacrifices his daughter to save his own life. He is despicably selfish. Bella feels resentful, betrayed and abandoned.

These are not feelings normally explored in fairy tale. The facts are laid out, but the feelings are not explored. The reader can see very clearly that a betrayal of some sort has occurred, but the characters of the story don't have room in the format of the short tale to develop fully, their thoughts and inner experiences.

Fairy tales are raw plot. The format doesn't lend itself to the complexity of the relationships, the introspection of each character, yet the plot of the fairy tale nearly screams for such a narrative. So kudos to Ana Mardoll for taking on the struggle of turning a fairy tale into a novel.

It is not an easy task. You must imagine details, and create worlds from the old timeless classics without being cliche. But it is a good idea to do an exercise like this. You don't have to create the tension, it is already there in the story. You don't have to invent the plot. This frees you up to examine other aspects of writing. It allows you to immerse yourself in solid, time tested examples of great story telling. It forces you to deal with the tension and discomfort that conflict creates, and should create, in a story.

Amateur writers shy away from tension. Fairy tales force you to deal with tension. Fairy tales are nothing but tension. No fairy tale drones on and on without a central conflict, usually a betrayal of some sort. I cannot think of a better way for a writer to improve than to do what Ana Mardoll has done, and done very well, than to take on the challenge of turning a fairy tale into a novel.

Ana Mardoll is one of the top reviewers on Amazon. As such, she has been deciphering good writing from bad and has obviously learned a great deal about what makes a story work, and what leaves the reader unsatisfied. What the average reader is looking for is high dramatic tension and conflict. And the fairy tale is a perfect place for a writer to get his training wheels. Of course you don't have to stick to the story either, nor the time frame.

You could take the story and tell it in a modern setting, disguising the fairy tale underneath. In fact if you look at many great and famous love stories you will find the Cinderella story, Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince or some other basic fairy tale structure at their core.

In some ways writing a story with the fairy tale structure beneath the surface might be easier than what Mardoll did in her book Pulchritude. She brought a timeless classic to life in something close to the original version (although there are usually many versions of a fairy tale) with some new twists. She played with the storyline and used creative license to give Beauty and the Beast a new look. A face lift, if you will.

Pulchritude is available for free if you want a pdf file, or you can get it for $2.99 on Amazon kindle. For the free PDF file find Ana Mardoll on Goodreads or Amazon and ask her to send you one.

Anthea Carson is the author of "How to Play Chess Like an Animal," an illustrated chess book for children, "Ainsworth," a YA fiction and "The Dark Lake," a novel of obsession and madness.

Anthea has been writing, coaching chess and playing tournament chess since the 1990's. She is in the top 100 chess females in the US, and one time winner of the US Game 60 female chess championship. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She currently lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two children.

http://www.thedarklake.com/

Dan Brown's Lost Symbol in the US Capitol

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

When author Dan Brown spoke about the underlying messages encrypted in the architecture of the US Capitol building in his novel The Lost Symbol, he wasn't kidding. Many of his descriptions including the layout of the Capitol Building are accurate and more than a figment of Brown's imagination. Public and private tours of the US Capitol bring this to light and give Lost Symbols a sense of reality.

On private tours with a Congressman's aide, visitors are taken downstairs to the basement where George Washington's tomb is encased. It is not really where the first President of the United States is buried but the tomb is meant to be a symbol of the cornerstone of the nation's Capitol. References to the tomb are pertinent to Brown's story. From the outside, the Capitol building may seem like a rectangular structure with a cone on top of it, but it's actually built on a vertical line that runs from Washington's tomb in the basement straight up to the Statute of Freedom on the top of the Capitol's dome. This continuous line is reflective of a needle that threads through the center of the building. The invisible obelisk extends from Washington's tomb in the basement to the Rotunda on the main floor, which again has pertinence to Brown's story, and right up to the Statue of Freedom on the Capitol's dome.

Branching off from the obelisk are the four quadrants of the Capitol, which is significant to the plot in Brown's novel. Of course, before visitors can enter the Capitol building they must go through the metal detectors at the opening of the Visitor's Center, which Brown provides a terse description of in his novel. The novel's nemesis, Mal'akh, doesn't take off his jacket before going through the metal detectors. It's a minor flaw in the book, but Brown does accurately portray the roominess and lure of the Visitor's Center's atrium with its glass paneled skylight in Emancipation Hall allowing visitors a unique view of the Capitol building as they look up at the building. The Visitor's Center is heavily lit, which Brown is not remiss is detailing. Its d?cor pervades a subtle extravagance with museum-like statues and thick neoclassical columns. The atrium is flanked by Emancipation Hall and Exhibition Hall. The exhibits in these halls contain a wide breadth of documents signed by past presidents, in addition to glass-encased models displaying the construction of the US Capitol along its gradual stages.

In the novel, Brown quickly moves from the Visitor's Center to the National Statuary Hall, which is located on the main floor of the Capitol Building and separated from the Rotunda by a corridor that connects the two. The National Statuary Hall is where Brown's main character, Robert Langdon, is deceived into thinking that he is scheduled to speak at a lecture. The hall is structured like an amphitheatre that harks back to the 1800's. The chamber was once the meeting place for the members of the House of Representatives where they participated in deliberations. The dome-shaped ceiling affected the acoustics in the room so someone on one end of the chamber could hear the party on the corresponding side. Thus making the hearsay story about John Quincy Adams plausible as the dome ceiling enabled him to eavesdrop on the opposing party's conversations while sitting on the opposite side of the chamber. Where Adams' desk was situated is a plague that marks the spot where he listened in on his opponents conversations. Today, the chamber is no longer used by members of Congress but houses sculptures of important American figures, some of whom include Samuel Adams, Sequoyah, and Robert Fulton.

Following Brown's novel, he takes his character Robert Langdon from the National Statuary Hall to the most publicized part of the Capitol Building, the Rotunda. The mammoth sized dome ceiling is overwhelming as well as the humongous eight oil paintings that decorate the walls of the chamber. Brown briefly mentions the oil paintings which portray eight significant events that formed America. The earliest ones being: The Baptism Of Pocahontas by John Gadsby Chapman with Pocahontas garbed in a white gown and being the only woman visible in the eight paintings, Christopher Columbus' discovery of America in The Landing of Columbus by John Vanderlyn, The Embarkation of the Pilgrims by Robert Walter Weir displaying the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth, and John Trumbull's representation of the Continental Congress in the Declaration of Independence. The figures in the paintings are all shown in action and dominated by earthy tones.

A significant aspect about the Rotunda which Brown doesn't mention in his novel are the 19 panels that adorn the middle rim of the dome entitled the Frieze of American History, and the parapet which allows people to walk along the perimeter of the dome. It's an arena that is only accessible by special invitation. The panels lead up to the gigantic fresco The Apotheosis of Washington made by Constantino Brumidi. It is situated at the apex of the dome in the Rotunda. This artwork is central to Brown's novel whose main character, Robert Langdon discovers his friend's severed hand in the Rotunda with the index finger positioned upward towards The Apotheosis of Washington. Langdon must decipher the riddles behind the fresco in order to figure out what his nemesis Mal'akh wants from him. The fresco is an allegory that depicts George Washington as a god-like figure flanked by the Roman goddesses of Victory and Liberty. From the floor of the Rotunda, the images on the fresco are very difficult to make out, but it still stimulates the mind nonetheless with its swirling colors and striking frame.

In The Lost Symbol, Brown broaches the secret chambers entombed in the basement of the US Capitol designated for the individual members of Congress. Although tours are not permitted into the subterranean level of the building, the history behind the upper floors are immortalized in Brown's book including the Old Supreme Court Chamber and the present-day chamber for the House of Representatives. Brown mentions the House of Representatives chamber where C-Span cameras are located on the upper tier to tape the convening committees. There are doors on both sides of the dais where representatives are interviewed by members of the media in an anteroom.

Brown's novel touches on the impressiveness of the US Capitol Building as every aspect of the structure reveals a historical fact about America, many of which have been buried over the years and have been exhumed in Dan Brown's book. Walking along the Capitol's invisible obelisk allows visitors to enter the mindset of the building's architects and make connections that can only be awakened by experiencing the US Capitol Building for oneself. Brown's The Lost Symbol inspires readers to find symbols that are right in front of them, displayed in the entails of the US Capitol.

What Is Fitzgerald Trying to Say About the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby'?

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

The American dream is such a major theme in The Great Gatsby that whether you are studying it was just reading it for fun you must be wondering what Fitzgerald is trying to say about. Some people argue the book of the criticism of the American dream, some people think Fitzgerald is trying to say the American dream is dead, others think the criticism is solely of Gatsby who paid the price of living too long with a single dream. Let's have a look at some quotes from the Great Gatsby.

Gaby's dream is the most prominent of the book. It is all encompassing, it has taken over his life completely. He thought he loved Daisy, but when he finally met her after all these years he found that he still wanted more. He wanted her to say that she never loved another man. He couldn't be happy with what he had, he has to be perfect. He is an example of people who abuse the American dream.

Character's like Myrtle and Wilson look up and Daisy and Tom. They want what they have, they think that they have achieved the American Dream. The reader knows different thought, we can see exactly how happy Daisy and Tom are. Behind the fa?ade of perfection they present, their perfect marriage, in their lovely house with their beautiful daughter, they are both bored and unhappy. With no job and no purpose in life they have grown 'restless.' Both of them have affairs and neither seems to care about there child. Fitzgerald is trying to say that life isn't what you imagine at the top.

It is obvious that, at least in the world of the Great Gatsby, money doesn't buy you happiness. Unfortunately it is just as clear that the lower classes are obsessed with money and view it as their ticket to living the dream. When you only look at their bank balances Gatsby and Tom are both wildly successful and that is all the lower classes see.

The photograph that Gatsby's father carries around with him becomes the symbol of this obsession of the lower classes. Instead of carrying a picture of his son he carries a a picture of his house, a symbol of his wealth, and what proves he is a success. Just as Gatsby was lured by Dan Cody's expensive yacht, so the next generation will look at this photo and think that if they work hard enough they can come from nothing like Gatsby and be as happy as him. The sad fact is we know Gatsby was never happy and when he died no one came to his funeral.

What can we draw from this then, does Fitzgerald think the American dream is dead. On the contrary I believe that he thinks it will continue perpetually, the people always look at the rich and wish they could be like them. And so the book is not telling you the American dream is dead is telling you that it will always live on and be wary of its promises.

Looking for Great Gatsby Quotes [http://www.quote-companion.co.uk]. My site has all the quotes from The Great Gatsby [http://www.quote-companion.co.uk] you need arranged by character, theme and chapter.

Mayor of the Dog Park, By: Anne Gilbert

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Intelligently written and as fast as a Greyhound chasing Rusty, the electronic pace-rabbit at the Kennel Club Dog Track, author Anne Gilbert takes her readers by the collar and pulls them quickly into a story of retribution, revenge and reprisal in her novelette, Mayor of the Dog Park.

A vacant lot reclaimed by a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, the dog park named "Faux Paws" became a daily routine for designer dogs, pedigrees, hounds, mutts and their owners of various "human-breeds" as well. Animally bonded, the K-9s and their respective 401K owners all seem to be appropriately matched in temperament, personality and intelligence. With names like Moe & Lucky, Gimp & Muffle, Ramon & Lolita, and of course the mayor Eddie, and his dog won from a church prize, Bingo, these duos split each afternoon to go to their separate respective areas within Faux Paws; some go to the big dog area, others to the small dog section, while the owners pack in to a gazebo to talk.

I must admit, as a disclaimer, I am a dog lover extraordinaire, so reading this book was like rolling on my back having my tummy scratched. As much as I have come to love and understand the wonders of "Man's best friend," I too become emotionally outraged when hearing about animal cruelty; especially when intentionally done. Therefore I could relate to the emotions and motivations of the human characters in Mayor of the Dog Park; to me the events seem as logical as a border collie retrieving a tennis ball. However for the sake of maintaining the impact of this story, I shall not tell any more about the circumstances that reveal themselves in Chapter 3.

There is a clever foreshadowing with respect to Eddie's house, being a lavishly designed home built by one of South Florida's prominent architects. "The three story great room was dominated by a massive Gothic style fireplace and walnut paneling. Probably its most interesting aspect was the ceiling with a myriad of stars painted on the ceiling," author Anne Gilbert wrote. The room was specified by Eddie's recollection of, when on a trip to London, he saw a drawing of the actual "Star Chamber" used in 15th Century England.

The Mayor of the Dog Park is a mature reading escape, enabling for quick character development of the "Snow-bird" community of transplants from Chicago and other Northern cities of the US, as they conspire to do what every dog lover thinks of doing regarding animal abuse. Anne Gilbert is obviously a dog owner and judging by her writing quickness, agility, discombobulated machinations at times, and sense of humor, I'd bet she owns a type of terrier, like maybe a Jack Russell. Whatever breed she owns, her dog has found a human that can be trained, that's for sure, trained to write.

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

Sexual Relations Fifty Years On - Girl With Green Eyes by Edna O'Brien

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

It has been fifty years since Edna O'Brien published Girl With Green Eyes. It is conventional nowadays to regard the late 1950s and early 1960s as an era when sexual liberation was beginning. This may be accurate. Certainly the men in Edna O'Brien's novel seem to bear no little responsibility for any of their sexual activity, whilst the women, who are usually willing partners, take all the risks and bear all the responsibilities.

The girl with green eyes uses several versions of her name. They appear to be applied randomly. She is whoever circumstance demands. She is Cait, Caithleen, or even Kate, depending on who is speaking, or where and when the action happens. Cait was previously one of the girls who were Country Girls and the Girl With Green Eyes forms the second part of a trilogy following these young women's progress from rural assumptions to urban freedom, of sorts. In Girl With Green Eyes the young women have moved to Dublin. Events take Cait, just twenty-one, and a mere student in today's paradigm, back home to the country and then back to town again.

She has taken up with Eugene. He is older than her and, God forbid, married - even with a child. The wife lives in America - where else for the separated? - but she always seems close at hand and something of a threat. Cait has completely fallen for her male elect and news gets out. A rescue party from the country arrives to whisk her off back to the protection of home in the west, where alcoholism and threats of violence keep the peace. Her father drinks all day, but then he's a provincial sort. He may be excused, since he rules his fiefdom. He will hit anyone to protect what needs protecting and daughters are usually top of the list.

Cait describes most of her experiences in the first person. Her friend gets pregnant and has to deal with the consequences. Despite all such practices being utterly illegal at the time, everyone seems to know where to go, how to secure the service and what it costs. In general, the women involved seem utterly dependent on securing a man to provide for them, and seem to live at least half in fear of the urges that propel them. There is this ambivalence within all the relationships. The men are keen to go where they want, but generally do not negotiate on the destinations. The women seem keen to explore, but never journey on their own terms, apparently preferring to be taken along with the ride.

By the end of the book, there have been changes in Cait's life. It seems that these changes anticipate the changes that will begin for women in wider society, but in Girl With Green Eyes such progress has achieved only limited changes in women's expectations of life. The novel thus subtly mirrors what we must assume prevailed in wider society at the time. It thus presents a contemporary reader with a historical perspective that its author perhaps did not consciously consider at the time. It is surely a richer experience for this added dimension.

Philip Spires

Author of Mission and A Fool's Knot, African novels set in Kenya

http://www.philipspires.co.uk/

Migwani is a small town in Kitui District, eastern Kenya. My books examine how social and economic change impact on the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is bound up with their home area, but whose futures are determined by the globalized world in which they live.