Deja Vu and the Phone Sex Queen, Michael McIrvin, J-Press Publishing, 2002
Zeke Reilly is prone to having visions of future events. He can't change the future by envisioning it, nor can he control his visions. It's just one more aspect of life that seems to lurch from one event to another. Stuck in a loveless marriage, one day, he surprises his wife and her lover, and kills them. On the run, and caught in a convenience store robbery, Zeke meets Cindy Sweet.
Leaving her own unhappy marriage, Cindy tries her hand, and fails, as a phone sex operator. She later decides to start her own phone sex service. It struggles for a while, then suddenly takes off in popularity. Cindy and Zeke live together for a time, until Zeke decides that he has to keep running from the police, and that his destiny lies somewhere in the Aztec and Mayan lands of Mexico.
Cantarita is a Navajo prostitute living in an abandoned building with a man called The Preacher. He constantly prays for an honest man to come along, marry Cantarita and take her away. One day, Zeke shows up. The Preacher "marries" them, and Cantarita takes Zeke farther into the Native American world of the southwestern United States, closer to the explanation for Zeke's visions.
This is a superb piece of writing. It's just weird enough to be really good. But it also looks at things like unreasoning violence, and the commercialization of tragedy, so it's quite plausible, and well worth reading.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Destiny's Godchild
Destiny's Godchild, Diana M. Johnson, Superior Book Publishing Co, 1998
Set in Frankish Gaul (France approximately 1400 years ago), this is the story of Egar, a young man sent out into the world by his Master to find his destiny. Egar can earn a living with his harp, his juggling and some sleight-of-hand, but how can he "change the course of Frankish history" (according to his Master)?
Finding himself in the royal court in Paris, Egar meets Pepin the Vain, nobleman and tutor to Prince Dagobert, son of King Clothar. Egar feels that his destiny is somehow tied to Pepin. Clothar sends Dagobert to rule one of the outlying provinces, from a town called Metz. Dagobert is still a child, so Pepin is sent along as Mayor of the Palace (literally, the power behind the throne). Pepin does not have royal blood, but he wants the throne very, very much, and figures that this is his chance (he's not called Pepin the Vain for nothing). Dagobert loves the pomp and ceremony of being King, but hates the day-to-day routine; Pepin is only too happy to oblige. On day, Egar, who has accompanied them to Metz, has a vision of a great king; Pepin thinks it's him, but Egar isn't sure.
Years later, Clothar dies, so Dagobert moves to Paris to become King of all Frankish territory. Pepin and Egar stay behind in Metz, which, without a monarch, pactically becomes a ghost town. They ride to Paris to convince Dagobert to spend part of the year in Metz. They are shocked to find that the Queen has been humiliated and forced into a convent, and the castle has become a place for all-night partying with lots of prostitutes. The day-to-day business of the kingdom is the farthest thing from Dagobert's mind.
Pepin's ambition gets the better of him on a later trip to Paris to convince Dagobert to clean up his act. Pepin is confined to the castle, and relieved of his position as Mayor of Metz. Egar, with help from a bit of sorcery, races back to Metz, to tell Pepin's family to flee immediately, just minutes ahead of guards from Dagobert.
This one is really good. Pepin feels like a real person (he was a real person; the author can trace her family history back to him), the writing is very well done and shows a lot of research, and, overall, it's well worth the reader's time.
Set in Frankish Gaul (France approximately 1400 years ago), this is the story of Egar, a young man sent out into the world by his Master to find his destiny. Egar can earn a living with his harp, his juggling and some sleight-of-hand, but how can he "change the course of Frankish history" (according to his Master)?
Finding himself in the royal court in Paris, Egar meets Pepin the Vain, nobleman and tutor to Prince Dagobert, son of King Clothar. Egar feels that his destiny is somehow tied to Pepin. Clothar sends Dagobert to rule one of the outlying provinces, from a town called Metz. Dagobert is still a child, so Pepin is sent along as Mayor of the Palace (literally, the power behind the throne). Pepin does not have royal blood, but he wants the throne very, very much, and figures that this is his chance (he's not called Pepin the Vain for nothing). Dagobert loves the pomp and ceremony of being King, but hates the day-to-day routine; Pepin is only too happy to oblige. On day, Egar, who has accompanied them to Metz, has a vision of a great king; Pepin thinks it's him, but Egar isn't sure.
Years later, Clothar dies, so Dagobert moves to Paris to become King of all Frankish territory. Pepin and Egar stay behind in Metz, which, without a monarch, pactically becomes a ghost town. They ride to Paris to convince Dagobert to spend part of the year in Metz. They are shocked to find that the Queen has been humiliated and forced into a convent, and the castle has become a place for all-night partying with lots of prostitutes. The day-to-day business of the kingdom is the farthest thing from Dagobert's mind.
Pepin's ambition gets the better of him on a later trip to Paris to convince Dagobert to clean up his act. Pepin is confined to the castle, and relieved of his position as Mayor of Metz. Egar, with help from a bit of sorcery, races back to Metz, to tell Pepin's family to flee immediately, just minutes ahead of guards from Dagobert.
This one is really good. Pepin feels like a real person (he was a real person; the author can trace her family history back to him), the writing is very well done and shows a lot of research, and, overall, it's well worth the reader's time.
The Spiritual Guide for the Really Busy Person
The Spiritual Guide for The Really Busy Person, Sherri Carden-McDonald, PageFree Publishing, 2002
In this fast-paced, 24/7-type world, many things can get left behind; spirituality is usually among them. This book aims to change that.
The first step for any person is to decide just what they want out of life. What is their heart's desire? Is it better to be happy, or to have a closer relationship with the Creator? Then come a series of things that anyone can do during the day to incorporate spirituality into their lives.
When you get up in the morning, take several deep breaths and some stretching exercises to get yourself ready for the day. Try singing, or yoga or color visualization. During the day, think before you speak. Pay attention to where you put your energy. At noontime, take a moment of silence or say noontime prayers. It sounds like a cliche, but on the way home from work, stop and smell the roses. Bless and appreciate your evening meal. Express your gratitude for the day just finished. At bedtime, send healing prayers to anyone who may need them. Write down things from the day for which you are grateful.
Included is a list of things that can be done at any time during the day. Take time to visualize your future. Replace meat products with natural alternatives. Stay clean. Try not to take on too much. Take the time to unclutter and reorganize. Remember where other people are coming from emotionally. Stop worrying. In short, make the most of every day.
Perhaps one of the reasons for all the strife and discord today is the decreasing importance of spirituality in people's lives. This book doesn't push any particular religion or conception of "God." The suggestions included can be done by people of any religion. For anyone who wants to keep a spiritual connection in today's society, or anyone wanting to fix a "broken" connection, this is a very good place to start. It's a very quick read, and it says a lot.
In this fast-paced, 24/7-type world, many things can get left behind; spirituality is usually among them. This book aims to change that.
The first step for any person is to decide just what they want out of life. What is their heart's desire? Is it better to be happy, or to have a closer relationship with the Creator? Then come a series of things that anyone can do during the day to incorporate spirituality into their lives.
When you get up in the morning, take several deep breaths and some stretching exercises to get yourself ready for the day. Try singing, or yoga or color visualization. During the day, think before you speak. Pay attention to where you put your energy. At noontime, take a moment of silence or say noontime prayers. It sounds like a cliche, but on the way home from work, stop and smell the roses. Bless and appreciate your evening meal. Express your gratitude for the day just finished. At bedtime, send healing prayers to anyone who may need them. Write down things from the day for which you are grateful.
Included is a list of things that can be done at any time during the day. Take time to visualize your future. Replace meat products with natural alternatives. Stay clean. Try not to take on too much. Take the time to unclutter and reorganize. Remember where other people are coming from emotionally. Stop worrying. In short, make the most of every day.
Perhaps one of the reasons for all the strife and discord today is the decreasing importance of spirituality in people's lives. This book doesn't push any particular religion or conception of "God." The suggestions included can be done by people of any religion. For anyone who wants to keep a spiritual connection in today's society, or anyone wanting to fix a "broken" connection, this is a very good place to start. It's a very quick read, and it says a lot.
With Sleep Disturbed
With Sleep Disturbed, Michael Ford, Xlibris Corp., 2000
This novel takes place in 1890s Boston. Brice Stockton travels from Texas to pick up the body of Peter, his older brother, who has died in a suicide pact with Diane Cabel, of the wealthy Suffolk Cabels. It seems like a straightforward, but gruesome, task. When he gets there, not only is he denied entrance to the estate, but Brice is told that Peter has already been buried, contrary to the wishes of the Stockton family. He is also told of the Cabel curse. A curse can be something other than perpetual bad luck.
Once Brice practically forces himself onto the estate, he finds an eccentric family who have seen better days. Moorefield is the family patriarch, Wolf is his son and heir (along with being an arrogant you-know-what) and Maida is his daughter. Ainsley, another son, is a congenital imbecile. There are also a number of servants.
The police are not very helpful, because of the Cabel's influence, but the coffins are dug up, only to find that they're both empty. Brice begins to get the idea that Diane and Peter didn't kill themselves. Suspicion falls on one of the servants, who is killed by Wolf just before he was going to confess. During a hunting trip, Wolf and several of his men attempt to kill Brice and make it look like an accident. He barely escapes by jumping into a nearby lake, where he finds the bodies of Peter and Diane. Suspicion then falls on Maida, who is being treated by a local doctor, who also happens to be a hypnotist. Not only is she being sexually assaulted while under hypnosis, but just enough of a post-hypnotic suggestion is planted in her mind to make Maida think that maybe she is actually guilty of murder.
For a time, suspicion also falls on Ainsley. Brice also learns that Maida is holding a major secret over Wolf's head concerning Ainsley. If Moorefield got even an inkling of this secret, Wolf would be disinherited so fast it would make his head spin. Just to make things more interesting, on more than one occasion, Brice sees Peter and Diane actually walking through the house. They aren't some ghostly see-through apparition, but solid enough to reach out and touch. Through it all, Brice is drawn deeper and deeper into the depths of his own soul.
This book has it all. It's got a mansion with secret passages and wings that have been closed for years, it's got dark family secrets, several dead bodies, a bit of sex, strange goings-on and a really well done story. This fine piece of Victorian horror writing is very much worth reading.
This novel takes place in 1890s Boston. Brice Stockton travels from Texas to pick up the body of Peter, his older brother, who has died in a suicide pact with Diane Cabel, of the wealthy Suffolk Cabels. It seems like a straightforward, but gruesome, task. When he gets there, not only is he denied entrance to the estate, but Brice is told that Peter has already been buried, contrary to the wishes of the Stockton family. He is also told of the Cabel curse. A curse can be something other than perpetual bad luck.
Once Brice practically forces himself onto the estate, he finds an eccentric family who have seen better days. Moorefield is the family patriarch, Wolf is his son and heir (along with being an arrogant you-know-what) and Maida is his daughter. Ainsley, another son, is a congenital imbecile. There are also a number of servants.
The police are not very helpful, because of the Cabel's influence, but the coffins are dug up, only to find that they're both empty. Brice begins to get the idea that Diane and Peter didn't kill themselves. Suspicion falls on one of the servants, who is killed by Wolf just before he was going to confess. During a hunting trip, Wolf and several of his men attempt to kill Brice and make it look like an accident. He barely escapes by jumping into a nearby lake, where he finds the bodies of Peter and Diane. Suspicion then falls on Maida, who is being treated by a local doctor, who also happens to be a hypnotist. Not only is she being sexually assaulted while under hypnosis, but just enough of a post-hypnotic suggestion is planted in her mind to make Maida think that maybe she is actually guilty of murder.
For a time, suspicion also falls on Ainsley. Brice also learns that Maida is holding a major secret over Wolf's head concerning Ainsley. If Moorefield got even an inkling of this secret, Wolf would be disinherited so fast it would make his head spin. Just to make things more interesting, on more than one occasion, Brice sees Peter and Diane actually walking through the house. They aren't some ghostly see-through apparition, but solid enough to reach out and touch. Through it all, Brice is drawn deeper and deeper into the depths of his own soul.
This book has it all. It's got a mansion with secret passages and wings that have been closed for years, it's got dark family secrets, several dead bodies, a bit of sex, strange goings-on and a really well done story. This fine piece of Victorian horror writing is very much worth reading.
The Freelance Success Book
The Freelance Success Book, David Taylor, Peak Writing Press, 2003
Periodical editors are engaged in a never-ending search for writing that people want to read, which means that there is a large demand for freelance writers. This book, written by a former magazine editor, tells how to get your name and phone number into an editor's Rolodex.
The first thing a budding freelance writer should do is to get a copy of a book like the yearly Writer's Market and read the submission guidelines for your intended target publication (novels, short stories, magazine non-fiction,etc). If your target is a specific magazine, read, and analyze, several issues of that magazine. Know it better than its editors, and find a niche that is not yet filled.
To call yourself a writer, it's necessary to actually do some writing. The act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is explored, along with what to do when the words just will not come out.
After your masterpiece comes into existence on paper, then comes dealing with the editor. How do you write a query letter (or should you)? Make sure you deal with the right editor, not just any editor. Some editors do business by phone or fax or email; adjust your approach accordingly. Don't gush about how much you love the magazine; editors don't want fan clubs. Get right to the point. The biggest mistake a freelance writer makes in dealing with an editor is laziness; not knowing the magazine inside and out.
Writing for the Internet is totally different than writing for print. Your average web surfer is not going to sit and read the equivalent of a long magazine article on a screen. It's best to break up the text as much as possible with bullets, numbers, colored backgrounds, etc. Also provide lots of hyperlinks, so the web surfer can do more research on their own. The book also covers the legal end of things, inlcuding contracts, libel and ethics in general.
I learned a lot from this book. A copy belongs right next to the dictionary on the bookshelf of every freelance writer, and every would-be freelance writer, in America. It is packed full of useful information, and is money very well spent. I hope this also works for book reviewers...
Periodical editors are engaged in a never-ending search for writing that people want to read, which means that there is a large demand for freelance writers. This book, written by a former magazine editor, tells how to get your name and phone number into an editor's Rolodex.
The first thing a budding freelance writer should do is to get a copy of a book like the yearly Writer's Market and read the submission guidelines for your intended target publication (novels, short stories, magazine non-fiction,etc). If your target is a specific magazine, read, and analyze, several issues of that magazine. Know it better than its editors, and find a niche that is not yet filled.
To call yourself a writer, it's necessary to actually do some writing. The act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is explored, along with what to do when the words just will not come out.
After your masterpiece comes into existence on paper, then comes dealing with the editor. How do you write a query letter (or should you)? Make sure you deal with the right editor, not just any editor. Some editors do business by phone or fax or email; adjust your approach accordingly. Don't gush about how much you love the magazine; editors don't want fan clubs. Get right to the point. The biggest mistake a freelance writer makes in dealing with an editor is laziness; not knowing the magazine inside and out.
Writing for the Internet is totally different than writing for print. Your average web surfer is not going to sit and read the equivalent of a long magazine article on a screen. It's best to break up the text as much as possible with bullets, numbers, colored backgrounds, etc. Also provide lots of hyperlinks, so the web surfer can do more research on their own. The book also covers the legal end of things, inlcuding contracts, libel and ethics in general.
I learned a lot from this book. A copy belongs right next to the dictionary on the bookshelf of every freelance writer, and every would-be freelance writer, in America. It is packed full of useful information, and is money very well spent. I hope this also works for book reviewers...
Why Do People Hate America?
Why Do People Hate America?, Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies, The Disinformation Company Ltd., 2002
This book attempts to answer what has become a very important question since that day in September 2001.
To say that they hate our freedom and diversity is overly simplistic. To say that they hate America's one-sided support for Israel, or our support for regimes not democratically elected, like in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, is closer to the truth, but still an easy answer.
They hate the destruction of their economies through the American-controlled International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Before any money is loaned, a country must agree to a long list of changes to their economy. For instance, they must eliminate subsidies for domestic agriculture, eliminate tariffs on imports, sell state industries to the highest bidder, cut public spending and crush independent labor unions. To take one example, eliminating tariffs on agricultural imports will cause the country to be flooded with cheaper (usually American) agricultural products, driving local farmers out of business, and forcing them to the already overcrowded cities in search of work.
America talks a lot about "free trade" and "open markets," but the trade is free in only one direction. While foreign markets are open to American products, sometimes by force, America can put up all the barriers it wants to prevent foreign products from reaching the domestic market.
They hate the destruction of their culture by Hollywood. American shows are dumped, in package deals, on other countries at very cheap prices. The production values make local TV look amateurish by comparison. Multi-national companies, like Coca-Cola or Philip Morris, are going to advertise on American shows, so those shows will be aired instead of locally produced shows. Hollywood movies flood other countries to the point where local productions have a hard time reaching the local public. When is the last time that any foreign movies or TV (except Britain) were widely available in America?
Among other things that they hate about America is that it thinks and acts like it's the center of the universe, and that the average American makes absolutely no attempt to understand other cultures.
This book easily reaches the level of Wow. It's very clearly written and even I learned a lot from it. Why do people hate America? This does an excellent job at answering that very question.
This book attempts to answer what has become a very important question since that day in September 2001.
To say that they hate our freedom and diversity is overly simplistic. To say that they hate America's one-sided support for Israel, or our support for regimes not democratically elected, like in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, is closer to the truth, but still an easy answer.
They hate the destruction of their economies through the American-controlled International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Before any money is loaned, a country must agree to a long list of changes to their economy. For instance, they must eliminate subsidies for domestic agriculture, eliminate tariffs on imports, sell state industries to the highest bidder, cut public spending and crush independent labor unions. To take one example, eliminating tariffs on agricultural imports will cause the country to be flooded with cheaper (usually American) agricultural products, driving local farmers out of business, and forcing them to the already overcrowded cities in search of work.
America talks a lot about "free trade" and "open markets," but the trade is free in only one direction. While foreign markets are open to American products, sometimes by force, America can put up all the barriers it wants to prevent foreign products from reaching the domestic market.
They hate the destruction of their culture by Hollywood. American shows are dumped, in package deals, on other countries at very cheap prices. The production values make local TV look amateurish by comparison. Multi-national companies, like Coca-Cola or Philip Morris, are going to advertise on American shows, so those shows will be aired instead of locally produced shows. Hollywood movies flood other countries to the point where local productions have a hard time reaching the local public. When is the last time that any foreign movies or TV (except Britain) were widely available in America?
Among other things that they hate about America is that it thinks and acts like it's the center of the universe, and that the average American makes absolutely no attempt to understand other cultures.
This book easily reaches the level of Wow. It's very clearly written and even I learned a lot from it. Why do people hate America? This does an excellent job at answering that very question.
The Extreme Survival Almanac
The Extreme Survival Almanac, Reid Kincaid, Paladin Press, 2002
What do you do when your car dies in the desert, or the small plane in which you are a passenger crashes in the water a long way from land, or someone on your hiking trip suffers a major injury miles from the nearest help? That's what this book is all about.
It covers a surprising number of subjects, all having to do with survival when help is a long way away. It doesn't tell you how to prevent an accident from happening, but concentrates on what to do now that it has happened. Don't Panic. Among the subjects explored are: how to build a shelter, starting a fire, finding and purifying water, edible and inedible plants and animals, waiting for rescue, traveling to safety on land or sea and navigation with and without a compass. There is also a large section on survival medicine, covering everything from CPR to spinal injuries to frostbite to infection to insect bites to seasickness. The author hasn't forgotten psychological first aid, too. After a disaster has happened, psychological injuries can be worse than physical injuries.
I'm not sure if this is the book to bring on a trip, because you don't want to be frantically reading the section on moving the seriously injured (for instance) when someone is lying on the ground in serious need of medical help. But, it is an excellent book to get familiar with before you leave.
Those who do a lot of traveling in remote areas need this book. Those whose traveling is limited to hiking trips in a national park or state forest also need this book. It presents things in a very clear, step-by-step way, with lots of illustrations. Even those of us whose traveling is limited to watching TV travel shows could really use this book. Theres no way to know when or where, but, one day, it will come in very handy.
What do you do when your car dies in the desert, or the small plane in which you are a passenger crashes in the water a long way from land, or someone on your hiking trip suffers a major injury miles from the nearest help? That's what this book is all about.
It covers a surprising number of subjects, all having to do with survival when help is a long way away. It doesn't tell you how to prevent an accident from happening, but concentrates on what to do now that it has happened. Don't Panic. Among the subjects explored are: how to build a shelter, starting a fire, finding and purifying water, edible and inedible plants and animals, waiting for rescue, traveling to safety on land or sea and navigation with and without a compass. There is also a large section on survival medicine, covering everything from CPR to spinal injuries to frostbite to infection to insect bites to seasickness. The author hasn't forgotten psychological first aid, too. After a disaster has happened, psychological injuries can be worse than physical injuries.
I'm not sure if this is the book to bring on a trip, because you don't want to be frantically reading the section on moving the seriously injured (for instance) when someone is lying on the ground in serious need of medical help. But, it is an excellent book to get familiar with before you leave.
Those who do a lot of traveling in remote areas need this book. Those whose traveling is limited to hiking trips in a national park or state forest also need this book. It presents things in a very clear, step-by-step way, with lots of illustrations. Even those of us whose traveling is limited to watching TV travel shows could really use this book. Theres no way to know when or where, but, one day, it will come in very handy.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Life After terrorism: What You Need to Know to Survive in Today's World
Life After Terrorism: What You Need to Know to Survive in Today's World, Bruce D. Clayton, Paladin Press, 2002
After terrorism came to America in 2001, there has been much talk about future attacks. What kind of person or group would do such a thing? What is a likely target? What form will it take? How can I protect myself? This book, written by a county assistant Emergency Services Director (the person who is supposed to know about such things) attempts to answer some of these questions.
The culprit could be nearly anyone. It could be someone with a grudge against a federal agency. It could be a fundamentalist religious group (of any religion). It could be a home-grown politically radical group (on either side of the political spectrum). For some, the object is to hit a target of symbolic value (like the World Trade Center), while, for others, the goal is to inflict the maximum number of casualties.
The author also looks at the various substances that might be used in such an attack. Nerve agents like sarin and VX make it impossible for nerve cells to transmit nerve impulses. Vesicants like mustard gas burn the eyes and skin and produce horrible blisters. Corrosive gases like chlorine inflame the lungs and airways. Also considered are possible bioweapons like anthrax, plague and ebola.
There is no such thing as 100 percent total protection in case of an attack. Gas masks do not provide their own air supply, they only filter outside air. Even the best air filters will not remove all toxic spores from the air; for some toxins, all it takes is one spore. Don't forget the toxins absorbed through the skin. There are many things to do to reduce the possible risk during an attack. If you work in a big city skyscraper, consider looking for a job in the suburbs, preferably west of the city (winds generally blow west to east). If you live near a target, and moving is not possible, plan and rehearse what to do if the evacuation order comes. At minimum, have a bag of things (canned food, battery powered radio, prescription medicine, etc.) packed and ready to grab at a moment's notice. At maximum, have a second house, fully stocked and livable, out in the country. Use secondary roads for your escape route; count on highway gridlock.
Those who want even a chance to survive a future attack of any kind would be well advised to read this book. The writing is sober, clear headed and free of hysterics.
After terrorism came to America in 2001, there has been much talk about future attacks. What kind of person or group would do such a thing? What is a likely target? What form will it take? How can I protect myself? This book, written by a county assistant Emergency Services Director (the person who is supposed to know about such things) attempts to answer some of these questions.
The culprit could be nearly anyone. It could be someone with a grudge against a federal agency. It could be a fundamentalist religious group (of any religion). It could be a home-grown politically radical group (on either side of the political spectrum). For some, the object is to hit a target of symbolic value (like the World Trade Center), while, for others, the goal is to inflict the maximum number of casualties.
The author also looks at the various substances that might be used in such an attack. Nerve agents like sarin and VX make it impossible for nerve cells to transmit nerve impulses. Vesicants like mustard gas burn the eyes and skin and produce horrible blisters. Corrosive gases like chlorine inflame the lungs and airways. Also considered are possible bioweapons like anthrax, plague and ebola.
There is no such thing as 100 percent total protection in case of an attack. Gas masks do not provide their own air supply, they only filter outside air. Even the best air filters will not remove all toxic spores from the air; for some toxins, all it takes is one spore. Don't forget the toxins absorbed through the skin. There are many things to do to reduce the possible risk during an attack. If you work in a big city skyscraper, consider looking for a job in the suburbs, preferably west of the city (winds generally blow west to east). If you live near a target, and moving is not possible, plan and rehearse what to do if the evacuation order comes. At minimum, have a bag of things (canned food, battery powered radio, prescription medicine, etc.) packed and ready to grab at a moment's notice. At maximum, have a second house, fully stocked and livable, out in the country. Use secondary roads for your escape route; count on highway gridlock.
Those who want even a chance to survive a future attack of any kind would be well advised to read this book. The writing is sober, clear headed and free of hysterics.
It's Only Money! A Primer for Women
It's Only Money! A Primer for Women, Allison Acken, Womentalkmoney.com, 2002
For one reason or another, there are many women today who know little or nothing about how to handle money. Perhaps their parents never taught them the value of it, or hubby wants to shield them from the trials and tribulations of the financial world by saying that women shouldn't get their hands dirty with money. This book aims to change that.
It's natural to feel anxious and ashamed about your lack of money knowledge when everyone around you is financially on top of the world. Start with something simple like balancing the checkbook. Remember that hubby won't be around forever, either through death or divorce, so becoming familiar with the family finances is a very good idea.
Tell a neighbor or best friend, someone you can confide in, your fears and fantasies about money. She may be in the same position as you, but afraid to admit it. Don't be afraid to ask the "dumb" questions about money; perhaps together, you can find the answer. Listen to stories from other women about money; not how much they saved, but how they saved (investing, budgeting, etc).
The author leaves the more specific money-saving tips until the end, but her biggest recommendation is to get rid of your credit card debt. With interest rates at anywhere up to 20 percent, and with the average credit card debt at several thousand dollars per person, paying off that debt as fast as possible is the single best thing anyone can do to save money.
Acken knows something about women's fears concerning money. Growing up in a Baltimore record store, she could make change from an early age, but never learned what money was all about. Years later, a divorced mother of two, she found herself with a PhD in psychology and a $50,000 student debt. She learned about money very quickly.
For those who get nervous and panicky in the personal finance section of the local chain bookstore, this book is for you. It's written in a very down-to-earth style and is quite easy to read. It's recommended for women of any socio-economic status. This isn't rocket science; like the title says, It's Only Money!
For one reason or another, there are many women today who know little or nothing about how to handle money. Perhaps their parents never taught them the value of it, or hubby wants to shield them from the trials and tribulations of the financial world by saying that women shouldn't get their hands dirty with money. This book aims to change that.
It's natural to feel anxious and ashamed about your lack of money knowledge when everyone around you is financially on top of the world. Start with something simple like balancing the checkbook. Remember that hubby won't be around forever, either through death or divorce, so becoming familiar with the family finances is a very good idea.
Tell a neighbor or best friend, someone you can confide in, your fears and fantasies about money. She may be in the same position as you, but afraid to admit it. Don't be afraid to ask the "dumb" questions about money; perhaps together, you can find the answer. Listen to stories from other women about money; not how much they saved, but how they saved (investing, budgeting, etc).
The author leaves the more specific money-saving tips until the end, but her biggest recommendation is to get rid of your credit card debt. With interest rates at anywhere up to 20 percent, and with the average credit card debt at several thousand dollars per person, paying off that debt as fast as possible is the single best thing anyone can do to save money.
Acken knows something about women's fears concerning money. Growing up in a Baltimore record store, she could make change from an early age, but never learned what money was all about. Years later, a divorced mother of two, she found herself with a PhD in psychology and a $50,000 student debt. She learned about money very quickly.
For those who get nervous and panicky in the personal finance section of the local chain bookstore, this book is for you. It's written in a very down-to-earth style and is quite easy to read. It's recommended for women of any socio-economic status. This isn't rocket science; like the title says, It's Only Money!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Believers in Love
Believers in Love, Alan Clay, Artmedia Publishing, 2001
Sax is a divorced man with custody of daughter Sarah. They have become a father-daughter sand castle sculpture team, and are invited to participate in an arts festival in Auckland, New Zealand. Along the way, Zoe, a chalk artist, joins the group. Sax and Zoe put out a hat for donations, and agree to split the proceeds.
Adam, the organizer of the Auckland festival, is dismissed from his job after making too many enemies in the city government. He becomes the trio's manager when they are invited to do their thing inside a shopping mall in Adelaide, Australia. As Sax and Zoe become close, things get difficult as politics rears its head and the various relationships are tested: Sax and Zoe, Sax and Sarah and Zoe and Sarah. Throughout much of this emotional journey, Sarah is accompanied by Firefly, her angel.
This one is excellent. Interspersed with some unique, almost Zen vignettes, this is quite a story of love and emotions and relationships. In lyrical, almost poetic, writing, the author does a fine job with this tale of life itself. It is well worth the reader's time.
Sax is a divorced man with custody of daughter Sarah. They have become a father-daughter sand castle sculpture team, and are invited to participate in an arts festival in Auckland, New Zealand. Along the way, Zoe, a chalk artist, joins the group. Sax and Zoe put out a hat for donations, and agree to split the proceeds.
Adam, the organizer of the Auckland festival, is dismissed from his job after making too many enemies in the city government. He becomes the trio's manager when they are invited to do their thing inside a shopping mall in Adelaide, Australia. As Sax and Zoe become close, things get difficult as politics rears its head and the various relationships are tested: Sax and Zoe, Sax and Sarah and Zoe and Sarah. Throughout much of this emotional journey, Sarah is accompanied by Firefly, her angel.
This one is excellent. Interspersed with some unique, almost Zen vignettes, this is quite a story of love and emotions and relationships. In lyrical, almost poetic, writing, the author does a fine job with this tale of life itself. It is well worth the reader's time.
The Empty Cafe
The Empty Cafe, Michael Hoffman, 1st Books Library, 2001
This group of stories take place somewhere between fantasy and reality.
A man goes away to school and eventually becomes a history professor, losing touch with his younger brother. One day, he opens the newspaper and sees a picture of little brother, fronting a popular rock music band. Overnight, the older brother's life is turned upside down, as he goes from being an average college professor to brother of a famous rock star. A westerner living in Japan, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, watches as his innocence slowly disappears.
A woman and her fiance are eating in an expensive restaurant. Suddenly, she notices an older gentleman a few tables away and screams. The fiance takes her home immediately, and after a good night's sleep, it's as if the incident in the restaurant never happened. A couple of times, the woman says "I won't hurt you," for seemingly no reason at all. The object of her emotional reaction, an actor, appeared in a film a few years previously. It's about a man who befriends a little girl, takes her shopping for a doll, then drugs her, undresses her and photographs her, but otherwise doesn't harm her.
A police officer in present-day Bangkok, Thailand, after reuniting a lost boy with his frantic parents, tells of how his own son, a schizophrenic, committed suicide. Perhaps those who hear voices in their heads are the sane ones, and the rest of us, who can't hear them, are insane.
These stories are really good. Hoffman has done a fine job throughout. They are easy to read, with real people as characters and are highly recommended.
This group of stories take place somewhere between fantasy and reality.
A man goes away to school and eventually becomes a history professor, losing touch with his younger brother. One day, he opens the newspaper and sees a picture of little brother, fronting a popular rock music band. Overnight, the older brother's life is turned upside down, as he goes from being an average college professor to brother of a famous rock star. A westerner living in Japan, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, watches as his innocence slowly disappears.
A woman and her fiance are eating in an expensive restaurant. Suddenly, she notices an older gentleman a few tables away and screams. The fiance takes her home immediately, and after a good night's sleep, it's as if the incident in the restaurant never happened. A couple of times, the woman says "I won't hurt you," for seemingly no reason at all. The object of her emotional reaction, an actor, appeared in a film a few years previously. It's about a man who befriends a little girl, takes her shopping for a doll, then drugs her, undresses her and photographs her, but otherwise doesn't harm her.
A police officer in present-day Bangkok, Thailand, after reuniting a lost boy with his frantic parents, tells of how his own son, a schizophrenic, committed suicide. Perhaps those who hear voices in their heads are the sane ones, and the rest of us, who can't hear them, are insane.
These stories are really good. Hoffman has done a fine job throughout. They are easy to read, with real people as characters and are highly recommended.
Boomers Really Can Put Old on Hold
Boomers Really Can Put Old on Hold, Barbara Morris, Image F/X Publications, 2002
Many books have been written on health and exercise and slowing the effects of aging. The problem is, they are all written by doctors or forty-something fitness gurus. This is written by a "real" person, a pharmacist in her seventies.
Her biggest recommendation is to take control of your own health and well-being. No matter how wonderful your doctor or pharmacist is, they won't do it for you. Educate yourself about, for instance, supplements and alternative medicine. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Is drug B really necessary, or is it simply counteracting side effects from drug A? Drink lots of water, and, if applicable, change your status from smoker to ex-smoker.
A big reason for America's health problems is the American diet. It's full of all sorts of artificial, pre-processed, fat and chemical-filled stuff that bears little resemblance to real food. Reduce the amount of such things that you put in your mouth. Eliminating it entirely would be even better.
Part of the secret is attitude, which starts with the word "retirement." If you're physically and mentally able to keep working, don't retire just because you have reached "retirement age." If you're retiring to do something you have always wanted to do, go for it. On the other hand, if you're retiring to move into some retirement community and wait for the Grim Reaper, you need more help than this book can provide.
Morris also recommends living in an environment that includes young people; they can be a pain in the neck, but their energy can be contagious. Avoid people and organizations that say "the end is near." Develop a positive sense of humor and outlook on life. Stand apart from the masses. Don't abandon long-term plans just because you think you have X years left.
To those who aren't ready to leave the workforce, or leave this Earth, just because their body has reached a certain chronological age, this book is for you. It's very easy to read, it's from an average person intended for average people, and anyone can learn a lot from it. This is very highly recommended.
Many books have been written on health and exercise and slowing the effects of aging. The problem is, they are all written by doctors or forty-something fitness gurus. This is written by a "real" person, a pharmacist in her seventies.
Her biggest recommendation is to take control of your own health and well-being. No matter how wonderful your doctor or pharmacist is, they won't do it for you. Educate yourself about, for instance, supplements and alternative medicine. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Is drug B really necessary, or is it simply counteracting side effects from drug A? Drink lots of water, and, if applicable, change your status from smoker to ex-smoker.
A big reason for America's health problems is the American diet. It's full of all sorts of artificial, pre-processed, fat and chemical-filled stuff that bears little resemblance to real food. Reduce the amount of such things that you put in your mouth. Eliminating it entirely would be even better.
Part of the secret is attitude, which starts with the word "retirement." If you're physically and mentally able to keep working, don't retire just because you have reached "retirement age." If you're retiring to do something you have always wanted to do, go for it. On the other hand, if you're retiring to move into some retirement community and wait for the Grim Reaper, you need more help than this book can provide.
Morris also recommends living in an environment that includes young people; they can be a pain in the neck, but their energy can be contagious. Avoid people and organizations that say "the end is near." Develop a positive sense of humor and outlook on life. Stand apart from the masses. Don't abandon long-term plans just because you think you have X years left.
To those who aren't ready to leave the workforce, or leave this Earth, just because their body has reached a certain chronological age, this book is for you. It's very easy to read, it's from an average person intended for average people, and anyone can learn a lot from it. This is very highly recommended.
Bonneville Stories
Bonneville Stories, Mark Doyon, Pocol Press, 2001
This is a connected group of stories about the fictional town of Bonneville, somewhere in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
The Mayor, broke and running from creditors, secretly returns to town. He is not the most popular person in town. A few years previously, he helped bring a secret fireworks factory to Bonneville. Everyone in town worked there. Customers came from miles around. The money was rolling in like an Indian casino, until the authorities started asking questions. The factory closed, the newfound riches disappeared, and the Mayor was run out of town. So the Mayor has returned to open a speakeasy, under an unused barn about half a mile from the nearest road.
Roy Sullivan is in the Guinness Book of World Records, having been struck by lightning seven times in his life. Being struck once makes a person a celebrity, but being struck seven times leads to rumors that God is punishing him for something.
The local Laundromat has a slot machine. While she is playing it over and over, Sarah Ann Muskie thinks about karma. For every Vanna White who rockets to stardom, a ravishing beauty is hit by a bus. She remembers the day her father died, in front of her on the playground, in a freak accident. She buys a Powerball ticket and watches, incredulous, as the winning numbers equal the numbers on her ticket--minus one. She returns to the Laundromat and introduces the slot machine to her pistol, one bullet at a time.
Randy works for a local gardening company. Just out of high school, he makes pretty good money spreading mulch and running a lawn mower. He is told to go back to a customers house to replace some suddenly-dead azaleas. The only problem is that the customer, Mrs. Anders, is a very attractive woman and lets Randy know, in no uncertain terms, that she is interested in romance.
I really enjoyed these stories. They are the sort of tales that could take place in any town in America, with just a touch of "different." The author's writing has been compared to Roald Dahl and Ray Bradbury. May I humbly add the name of Garrison Keillor to that list. These stories are very much worth the reader's time.
This is a connected group of stories about the fictional town of Bonneville, somewhere in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
The Mayor, broke and running from creditors, secretly returns to town. He is not the most popular person in town. A few years previously, he helped bring a secret fireworks factory to Bonneville. Everyone in town worked there. Customers came from miles around. The money was rolling in like an Indian casino, until the authorities started asking questions. The factory closed, the newfound riches disappeared, and the Mayor was run out of town. So the Mayor has returned to open a speakeasy, under an unused barn about half a mile from the nearest road.
Roy Sullivan is in the Guinness Book of World Records, having been struck by lightning seven times in his life. Being struck once makes a person a celebrity, but being struck seven times leads to rumors that God is punishing him for something.
The local Laundromat has a slot machine. While she is playing it over and over, Sarah Ann Muskie thinks about karma. For every Vanna White who rockets to stardom, a ravishing beauty is hit by a bus. She remembers the day her father died, in front of her on the playground, in a freak accident. She buys a Powerball ticket and watches, incredulous, as the winning numbers equal the numbers on her ticket--minus one. She returns to the Laundromat and introduces the slot machine to her pistol, one bullet at a time.
Randy works for a local gardening company. Just out of high school, he makes pretty good money spreading mulch and running a lawn mower. He is told to go back to a customers house to replace some suddenly-dead azaleas. The only problem is that the customer, Mrs. Anders, is a very attractive woman and lets Randy know, in no uncertain terms, that she is interested in romance.
I really enjoyed these stories. They are the sort of tales that could take place in any town in America, with just a touch of "different." The author's writing has been compared to Roald Dahl and Ray Bradbury. May I humbly add the name of Garrison Keillor to that list. These stories are very much worth the reader's time.
Pacifica Radio: The Rise of an Alternative Network
Pacifica Radio: The Rise of an Alternative Network, Matthew Lasar, Temple University Press, 2000
In America during World War II, to be a pacifist or otherwise opposed to the war was very unpopular. The belief that this was a good war made the pacifist opposition practiced by people like Lewis Hill seem practically treasonous. Having spent the war years in prison or in conscientious objector camps, in 1949, Hill and a group of like-minded people started America's first listener-supported radio station, KPFA-FM, in Berkeley, California.
The unspoken purpose was to resurrect the Jeffersonian ideal of free marketplace of ideas, to be a place to engage the citizen in the highest of civic ideals. If there was a worst possible time to talk like that, it was during this time, when World War II turned into the Cold War. Much more popular ideas were foregone conclusions and mistrusting your neighbor.
There was a never-ending lack of money at the station. In the beginning, subscriptions were sold, along with specially-designed tuners to receive KPFA's signal on the then-empty FM band. For a time, the station was actually off the air for several months because of money problems. When writing grant requests to various groups, Hill would tailor the Pacifica Foundation's (the governing body) purpose to whatever the group wanted.
Over the years, there were the inevitable personality conflicts and power struggles at the station. Hill threatened to quit, or did quit, a number of times, until the time in the 1950s when he really did quit, by killing himself (his rapidly declining health was a contributing factor). Pacifica's purpose slowly changed as time went along, from being a haven for pacifism and high civic ideals to that of political dissent. In the early 1960s, Pacifica found itself fighting for its life, accused by the Justice Department of being a haven for communists. Pacifica had certainly hosted communists in the past, but that didn't equal "haven."
I really enjoyed this book. As with any history, there will be a difference of opinion on what should have been less emphasized and more emphasized. As far as the author goes, he does a fine job. In a time when radio is homogenized and corporate controlled, it's good to know that there is one spot on the dial where the listener actually has to use their brain-Pacifica. This history of its founding is highly recommended.
In America during World War II, to be a pacifist or otherwise opposed to the war was very unpopular. The belief that this was a good war made the pacifist opposition practiced by people like Lewis Hill seem practically treasonous. Having spent the war years in prison or in conscientious objector camps, in 1949, Hill and a group of like-minded people started America's first listener-supported radio station, KPFA-FM, in Berkeley, California.
The unspoken purpose was to resurrect the Jeffersonian ideal of free marketplace of ideas, to be a place to engage the citizen in the highest of civic ideals. If there was a worst possible time to talk like that, it was during this time, when World War II turned into the Cold War. Much more popular ideas were foregone conclusions and mistrusting your neighbor.
There was a never-ending lack of money at the station. In the beginning, subscriptions were sold, along with specially-designed tuners to receive KPFA's signal on the then-empty FM band. For a time, the station was actually off the air for several months because of money problems. When writing grant requests to various groups, Hill would tailor the Pacifica Foundation's (the governing body) purpose to whatever the group wanted.
Over the years, there were the inevitable personality conflicts and power struggles at the station. Hill threatened to quit, or did quit, a number of times, until the time in the 1950s when he really did quit, by killing himself (his rapidly declining health was a contributing factor). Pacifica's purpose slowly changed as time went along, from being a haven for pacifism and high civic ideals to that of political dissent. In the early 1960s, Pacifica found itself fighting for its life, accused by the Justice Department of being a haven for communists. Pacifica had certainly hosted communists in the past, but that didn't equal "haven."
I really enjoyed this book. As with any history, there will be a difference of opinion on what should have been less emphasized and more emphasized. As far as the author goes, he does a fine job. In a time when radio is homogenized and corporate controlled, it's good to know that there is one spot on the dial where the listener actually has to use their brain-Pacifica. This history of its founding is highly recommended.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)