Inferno
By Dan Brown
After reading Dan Brown’s last book The Lost Symbol, I was so sure that we had come to the end of the Robert Langdon series. However, his latest offering Inferno has somehow revived my love for the Harvard professor. Although many may consider the conspiracy theories in this book lukewarm, when compared to The Da Vinci Code and Angel & Demons, there is still enough in this new novel to keep you on edge as you read through. I think I should forewarn you though that this book is a little darker than the others.
Inferno begins with Robert Langdon, waking up in a hospital in Florence, Italy suffering from amnesia. He soon discovers he is missing two days from his memory and that he has just survived an attempt on his life by mysterious assailants. Robert obtains all this information from a pretty blonde young doctor by the name Sienna Brooks. She is very feisty and seems more intelligent than the professor. The two of them then embark on a journey to expose clues hidden within paintings and artifacts associated with a famous Italian poet, Dante Alighieri who wrote the poem Inferno.
The villain this time, is not the church. You will be surprised to find out whom the evil mastermind is this time around. Dan Brown took six months to research the information for this novel. He also traveled to the cities mentioned in the book and met with scholars within those cities. In all it took him almost 3 years to get the book ready for publication. Although there is the usual references to history and secret codes as well as societies, Inferno also has some science fiction and technology from the future infused within its chapters.
Who is Dan Brown? He is a #1 best selling author who has broken records worldwide for book sales within one week for his previous novel The Lost Symbol. His first book in the Robert Langdon series The Da Vinci Code, is one of the bestselling books ever with more than 80 million copies having being sold worldwide. Dan has also been featured on TV shows and was listed in Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the world. Other prominent publications that have featured him include Forbes, GQ, Newsweek and People magazine. Dan Brown is also the author of Deception Point, Angels & Demons and the Digital Fortress. You can find his novels published in more than 50 languages worldwide. Before becoming a full time author he was an English teacher. He currently resides in New England with his wife Blythe.
You can never compare Dan to Shakespeare. He is very good at researching his books and then telling the story in an entertaining way. Dan does not write to be studied in colleges and schools, he is what they refer to as a mainstream author. I enjoyed how the action in this book starts right from the first chapter, at one point though I began to feel like it was being over done. I also felt like some of the writing was a bit long winded. There is definitely instances within the book where I think Dan could have written half the number of pages to deal with a particular situation.
Nevertheless, the book still has relatively short chapters that pull you in. I did pick up a few facts and interesting tidbits that will surely become useful on my next museum visit. Although professor Langdon, does make visits to wet and dust filled rooms, the history part is not the main focus of Inferno. This is another one of the subtle differences between this book and the others in the series. Don’t worry this does not mean that the story line is any less engaging.
In conclusion, I want to say that in true Dan Brown fashion this is another brilliantly researched masterpiece. If suspense and conspiracy novels are your thing, you are sure to enjoy his creative way of writing in Inferno. You get a little bit of everything from historical facts to secret societies to ancient literature and symbols. He also throws in some art and let us not forget the amazingly beautiful locations within Italy that the book takes you to. Fasten your seat belt and get ready for one hell of a bumpy ride.Read More Reviews Here…
The Great Gatsby
By F. Scott Fitzgerald
This book is regarded as one of the great American literature classics of twentieth-century. I read it before in high school, but since they were releasing the new movie with Leonardo Di Caprio I decided to read it again. This time around I think I enjoyed reading it more than back then and it seems like I got a lot more from it. You get to relive the glitz and glamour of the the 1920’s with a whole buffet of scandals, romance any even mystery too.
The main story within The Great Gatsby is how Jay Gatsby is extremely infatuated with Daisy Fay. However F. Scott Fitsgerald did I good job setting this story within the confines of the big American dream that everyone had in 1920’s and most people still have even to this present day. We are taken back to Long Island, New York it is the year 1922 and it is summer there. The book itself has clever narration done by Jay’s neighbor who goes by the name Nick Carraway.
Besides the three characters already mentioned above there is also one other character who is featured prominently in the book, this is Tom Buchanan who happens to be married to Gatby’s infatuation. Their marriage is in trouble and we find out that he too has a mistress, Myrtle. Jay came from the farms of North Dakota. He was in the army for the first World War after which he became a businessman and a millionaire. He buys a luxury home in the town of West Egg and has extravagant parties to lure Daisy to his house. The origins of his wealth are another topic of discussion within the book, as we later find out that he may have acquired it illegally.
Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald? He is one of the famous twentieth century American writers. The Great Gatsby was the third book he wrote. The other two were Tender Is The Night and a collection of stories. He has a brilliant style of writing that has a lot of insight within it. This book is probably the best one he ever published and it rightfully deserves being recognized as such.
Scott is not one to waste words when he is writing. I really enjoyed how he infuses lyrical prose to really give life to the story line. He did a great job at maintaining a rounded feel throughout the book, making every characters contribution important. As you read each chapter, you are left eagerly waiting to devour the next one. I think its sad really that modern day authors do not write the same way he does anymore. There were many times I went back and read some of the sections over again.
Another thing I loved was how the narrator seemed impartial to all the characters. He liked some and the others not so much. Not once does he harshly judge any of them. The mood of the period was excellently captured. The way the characters were portrayed is a close representation to how people of that period behaved according to other history books. There is a small part of me that feels like there were several opportunities when the plot could have been expanded more within the book. This is just my personal opinion.
The Great Gatsby is an awesome story. It has brilliant writing utilizing good sentence structure and is short enough for a quick read. F. Scott Fitzgerald also uses very rich language. This classic novel deserves its reputation as one of the Great American Novels. Not only is it a classic, it has drama as well as romance too. I am glad that I read it again as it awarded me another chance to explore impeccable literature from a forgotten era. This is indeed, a timeless classic.Read More Reviews Here…
It’s All Good
Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great
By Gwyneth Paltrow
I am not usually one of those groupies, but I made an exception for this book and boy am I glad I did it. Gwyneth Paltrow latest book It’s All Good is in my eyes worth all the money that I spent on it. If you are smart, you will realize that the information contained in this book has been gathered from many valuable expensive sources throughout the years. Gwyneth most likely spent a lot of money to get these experts to help her, and you can get the same information for just the price of this book.
The book itself is only 304 pages long, and it features recipes for different situations and moods in her life. Some for when she wants to have more energy, some for when she wants to lose weight and even some when she wants to look fabulous. All the recipes use fresh and healthy ingredients, including proteins as well as different kinds of vegetables.
It is a compilation of 185 simple recipes that she used as the go to recipes when she needed to go on a restrictive diet as recommended by her doctor. She was basically not allowed to eat all the good stuff, so she had to come up with creative ways to prevent her meals from becoming bland. There are many beautiful pictures within the book, including pictures of Ms Paltrow herself.
Who is Gwyneth Paltrow? She is both an Oscar winner and also a best selling author for a previous book titled My Father’s Daughter. She has been seen in many movies including the popular blockbuster Iron Man movie trilogy and the remake of Charlie’s Angels. She is also a mother and has mastered the art of living here life both in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can visit here online at her website www.goop.com, there you can find information of various topics including fitness tips, fashion tips, crafts and of course one of her favorite topics food.
I have tried a few vegan recipes from the book and these were absolutely delicious. I love how she uses basic ingredients and herbs to spice up the flavours from within. She also writes this book in a cool way were you can almost imagine her in your kitchen sitting and talking to you as you cook. Some of the other recipes I want to try are the Thai Chicken Burgers, Quinoa Granola Grilled Asparagus, Portobellos with Shallot and Soy Dressing and Turkey Meatballs. One of my friends made the Spicy Brussels Sprouts, Crazy Good Fish Tacos and Japanese Chicken Meatballs, she says those are also very tasty too.
At the beginning of every chapter you get some creative pairing ideas. She has also included a meal plan for a full seven days in the back of the book for different lifestyles. It does not matter if you are an athlete or a vegetarian she has got you covered. Another great section is the pantry section. This section alone has taught me some cool new things that I can use in my everyday cooking. You will also find that each recipe has been clearly marked as to who it is for, for example you will see the vegan recipes marked appropriately, and so on and so on.
Some people have been bashing Gwyneth for including a recipe on how to boil an egg, I understand that even the eloquent Julia Childs had such recipes in her book. There are some people out there who do not know the correct way to boil an egg. There has also been complaints on the high cost of cooking like Gwyneth. She does mention in the beginning of the book that you do not have to use the same ingredients that she does and also gives you various options. She just shows you how she makes it, you can use parsley from the grocery store spice aisle instead of using the fresh parsley she uses, for example.
In conclusion, It’s All Good has some great and delicious recipes. They are also very healthy and would help anyone who is looking to cook healthy meals that still taste good. These are recipes you can make for your family at home and they too will enjoy the meals that you make. Even if you are not a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow personally, do not let that prevent you from getting access to this amazing cookbook. I love it and I recommend it to all my friends and family. They love it too.Read
More Reviews Here…
And The Mountains Echoed
By Khaled Hosseini
Like many other Khaled Hosseni fans, I was getting restless waiting for this book to be released. True to form, he has managed to write another great story that will appeal to almost everyone. Although like his previous books there is sadness and hard times portrayed in this book, this one shies away from any conflicts. And the Mountains Echoed has a relatively softer story, but still has a lot of meaning and often times will break your heart. I dare you to try not crying as you read this book, I failed dismally and found myself sobbing uncontrollably by the last chapter.
This novel gets rolling in the year 1952. An Afghan father, his son Abdullah and daughter Pari are headed to Kabul trekking through the desert overnight. When bed time arrives the father tells his children the story of how a little boy was taken away by a div. He then goes on to tell him that what may seem as a bad situation at first, might actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The next day this father finds himself having to give away his daughter to a rich man when they arrive in Kabul.
Other stories then stem out from this first one. We are taken on an emotional ride that leaves you with many questions. Hosseini tells the story moving it from Afghanistan to Paris, to San Francisco and then to Greece. We are taken through almost five decades as the other stories are told each from a different point of view. Family relationships are explored under different circumstances such as war, death, and even separation. He cleverly gives each character their own chapter to tell their story, but still manages to keep these different stories relevant.
Khaled Hosseini is originally from Afghanistan. He was born and raised in the capital city of Kabul, only moving to North America sometime in 1980. The Kite Runner was the first book he wrote, and it has since become an international bestseller. It is now available in over thirty countries worldwide. Since 2006 he has officially been a goodwill envoy to the Refugee Agency of the United Nations. Khaled currently resides in the state of California, in the United States. And the Mountains Echoed was recently listed on the Amazon Best Book of the Month list for May 2013.
As usual the writing is beautiful. His use of prose is very powerful and the story telling is very creative. He paints these amazing scenes that make the stories hard to forget. You will find yourself fully engaged throughout the book, each chapter plays a number on your emotions. I love how he was able to weave all these stories together, even over a considerably long period of time. It was also really impressive to see how much these people cared for each other and were unselfishly willing to give up their dreams for each other.
There were some faults when it came to the narration for me. Especially when it came to joining the stories together. Sometimes I found myself confused as to how some of the characters fitted into the the main story line. One such chapter was the one by Idris. However, by the end of the book Khaled is able to bring it all home. This just goes to show you what a master at story telling this man is. This man is clearly very insightful when it comes to family relationships.
Without doubt Khaled Hosseini has immense talent when it comes to writing. He also possesses the gift of story telling, that many other authors can only dream of. This novel will make you laugh at times and many other times you will find yourself crying. It was definitely very hard to put down once I began reading it. You will find it all in this novel from love, sacrifice, honor, pride and even dignity. A great read that I will gladly recommend to anyone looking for a good book.Read More Reviews Here…
8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back
Natural Posture Solutions for Pain in the Back, Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Foot
By Esther Gokhale
Who knew that the answer to chronic back pain could be so simple. Many people from all corners of the world suffer in pain for many years and can never seem to find the solution. Esther Gokhale shows us that all we have to do is teach our body how to maintain its proper natural posture. You do not need any specialized equipment or even to undergo dangerous surgical procedures. This book reveals her 100% natural step by step solution to your back problems.
She attended the Aplomb Institute in Paris and also traveled to the rural areas of Portugal, Brazil, Burkina Faso and India. These are all areas that have been identified as having very few to no problems associated with back pain. All the research and information she gathered on her travels has been compiled into this easy to read and follow guide. These countries were also singled out as having very back intensive daily life routines for the locals.
In the book, the correct posture is identified and shown to you using many beautiful photographs and diagrams. You are then given eight lessons to help you correct your body posture. These are Stretchsitting, Stretch lying on your back, Stacksitting, Stretch lying on your side, Using your inner corset, Tallstanding, Hip-Hinging and Glidewalking. Each chapter ends with a troubleshooting section that I found very useful. Her method is unbelievably easy to implement and incorporate into your daily routine.
Who is Esther Gokhale? She is an expert on pain specializing in proper body posture. This book 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back won her the Nautilus Gold Award. She grew up in India where she was actively involved in helping with various treatment therapies. She then attended Harvard and Princeton to study study biochemistry. She also studied at the San Francisco School of Oriental Medicine where she majored in the ancient techniques of the acupuncture.
Esther Gokhale built a Wellness Center in Palo Alto that she named after herself. Nowadays she mostly travels all over the world sharing her knowledge on how the correct posture can relieve most pain. She has also created the Gokhale Method Foundations course. Most of her time is now devoted to passing on her pain relief techniques to other people and developing products to help people alleviate their pain.
Although the title of the book specifically singles out back pain, I have a friend who has used these techniques for her hips and knees too. Her favorite method which is mine too is the “Hip Hinging’. You can use this technique when you bed over and as a result I have noticed less pain than before in the lower part of my back. My friend says that it does the same for her knees. I find that nowadays, I am more aware of my posture during the day than I was before reading this book.
I had a hard time grasping the techniques she teaches in the glide walking section. After a few attempts, and studying the pictures I finally got it. Esther does have products that she has created to help with some of the exercises. However, you do not really need to purchase these as she gives alternative things you can use that you can find lying around in any home.
8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back is a guide that is worth every penny. As far as I am aware of, it has helped many people achieve pain free lives. Esther does a great job combining her research with her own life experiences. There are in person classes that are available, and a DVD supplement too. I personally do not think I need the DVD but I am considering attending the classes. Be prepared to let go and relearn very simple postures you have been doing wrong for many years now. Don’t be misled, the price of the book has nothing to do with the effectiveness or quality of the method, many people have used these techniques successfully. This guide is revolutionary and can change your life. You can also get more information from her website at http://gokhalemethod.com.Read More Reviews Here…
The Burgess Boys: A Novel
By Elizabeth Strout
If you have read author Elizabeth Strout’s book that won her a Pulitzer Prize titled ‘Olive Kitteridge’ you may like me have been a little anxious to find out what her next book would be like. However, after I got my hands on ‘The Burgess Boys’ it sucked me in right from the prologue. If the pages at the beginning of the book do not captivate you too, you should probably put down the book. Elizabeth clearly was given the gift of story telling, her prose is just beautiful and she digs deep down into the human heart, to really bring this novel to life.
This novel is a story about a family who lives in a small town in Maine called Shirley Falls. There are two brothers Jim and Bob, as well as their sister Susan. Their father passed away in an unfortunate accident when they were kids. They grow up harbouring the guilt of the death of their father as one of them was in the driver’s seat when the accident occurred. The two boys have since moved to New York City for work and the story alternates between the two cities.
Susan stays behind in Shirley Falls, and it is the accusations of a hate crime being committed by her son, that brings the family back together. This novel follows the relationships within the family as they deal with the guilt of their past, whilst at the same time trying to handle their current problems. The Burgess family finds itself dealing with some issues, that they have tried to avoid for many years.
Who is Elizabeth Strout? She has won many awards including the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for her book ‘Amy and Isabelle’. Her other book ‘Abide with Me’ is officially a national bestseller. She also won the Pulitzer Prize for her book ‘Olive Kitteridge’ and has made it to the finals in the United Kingdom for both the the Orange Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Elizabeth has also written short stories for O Magazine, The New Yorker as well as other newspapers and magazines. She currently resides in New York City.
The characters in ‘The Burgess Boys’ are very real and we all can relate to them. Although it seems Bob maybe the center of the story. Elizabeth cleverly uses unique short descriptions, which are very vivid to bring these characters to life. This is a beautiful story that often breaks your heart. I have to admit though, they were times when the characters depressed me a little too much. I quickly snapped out of it. She has written the story in a unique way, that you almost do not notice the going back and forth between present day events and those of the past.
If I was to sum up this book in one word, there is only one word that can be used and that is family. Something so simple, that everyone can relate to. If you are one of those readers who enjoys constant action within the pages, you have to be patient with this one as it often moves very slowly. Elizabeth Strout masterfully incorporates her easy to read, flowing writing style. There is no plot as per se, as she opts to concentrate more on the human side of the story. Though it may get really dark sometimes, persevere and read on to the very end. You will be rewarded with an ending that will surprise you. Read More Reviews Here…
Life Code
The New Rules for Winning in the Real World
Dr. Phil McGraw
Having been a fan of Dr Phil’s work both on TV since his Oprah and also his other books, buying the Life Code was a no brainer. As with his other books I could not put it down after I started, it has some very wise and tough lessons. He has written yet another book that everyone can relate and benefit from the topics that he discusses. This book opened my eyes, I now see many people around me in a different light and that is a really good thing.
The Life Code exposes a specific toxic personality type that is common in almost everyone’s life. Dr Phil then shows you ways to protect yourself from these types of people, ultimately giving yourself a boost and a better chance to live a more successful life. These people usually do not have your best interests at heart and this book exposes their game and then gives you the ammunition you need to take on these people and beat them at their own game. You will never be taken advantage of again if you practice what you read in the Life Code.
You are shown the warning signs of people who will try to control and manipulate you. Their goal is to take over your life and hurt you. Use the valuable information provided within the chapters to help you change your life and keep yourself on your own self made path. You have to take action, and actually do the work to see results. Dr Phil explains how some individuals are born to be scammers and instructs you to always go with your gut feeling, never to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. You want to be surrounded by people who you bond with on the heart level as opposed to those on just the head level. He has included exercises you can use to help you identify what he has termed the ‘Baiters’ that circle you like vultures.
Who is Phillip C. McGraw, Ph.D.? He is more popularly known as Dr Phil and hosts his own daytime talk show with the same name. He is an expert in psychology and human functioning. He began appearing on television over 16 years ago on the Oprah show and then moved on to his own show 11 years ago. He uses his show to try knock some common sense into people and families around the world who want to live better lives. Other topics that he has tackled in the past include anti bullying, domestic violence, addiction as well as mental illness. He is married to Robin, and has two sons. Dr Phil currently lives in Southern California, USA.
This book has done wonders for me. I am one of those people that always believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt. However, reading this book has helped me regain control which led me to getting rid of someone who I know did not have my best interest at heart. All the mistakes I had made as far as trusting the wrong people were exposed as I read through this book. Nowadays when I watch his show, I often get to experience first hand how he uses the same lessons to help the guests. To quote Dr Phil from the book, ‘People are not the same, they have become aggressive, self-seeking, self-absorbed and at times rude, crude and malicious.’ My only complaint is, I feel that the section on ‘How To Win In The Real World’ should perhaps have been more detailed.
In conclusion, this book is well written and is very easy to read. Dr Phil wrote it like he was having an actual conversation with you. You can tell that he took the time to think and plan the book and you will appreciate all the conclusive arguments he brings forward. There is a no nonsense approach that is very refreshing in this day and age. With this book in hand you now have the perfect guide to help you navigate through daily life, taking good care of yourself and those close to you. If you are one of those people like I was, who trust easily, you definitely need to read this book. I can happily say I now have my ‘baiter-dar’ on high alert, and like McDonald’s slogan says, I am loving it. Read More Reviews Here…
