The Happiness Experiment by Carl Barney - Book Review

 

Title: The Happiness Experiment; A Revolutionary Way to Increase Happiness

Author: Carl B. Barney

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Length: 383 pages

Making a Happiness Plan and Living It Out
Mr. Barney decided to give some of his friends and associates "pre-quests" or Happiness Grants. This was money that he would have left to these people in his will, but he decided to give them the money while he was still living.

The main requirement for receiving this money was to create a happiness plan. This was a detailed plan on how the money would be spent in the next 5 years. The money was to be used to create happiness for the receivers, not to be given away.

My Thoughts
I enjoyed this book and was very impressed with the process that the author used to determine who would receive the grants and the planning that was required before the money was awarded. 

It is true that a large sum of unexpected cash can definitely change your life for the better, but careful planning is a must. I have read horror stories about how lottery winners have received huge sums of money and it ruined their relationships and their life. Mr. Barney required the recipients of his grants to work with a life coach and financial planner to make sure the money would be used in ways that were aligned with the recipient's values and long term goals.

The author enjoyed watching the recipients of his generosity achieve happiness through travel, home improvements, entertainment and shared experiences with friends and family.

This experiment had a happy ending and the book provides detailed information about how anyone can achieve similar results.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital copy of this book to read and review.

On Tyranny - Graphic Edition by Timothy Snyder

 

Title: On Tyranny; Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century (Graphic Edition)

Author: Timothy Snyder

Illustrator: Nora Krug

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Publication Date: 2021

Length: 127 Pages

About the Author
Timothy Snyder is the Housum Professor of History at Yale University and a member of the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 
Nora Krug is the author of the graphic memoir Belonging and an associate professor at Parsons School of Design in New York. 

Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century on Resisting Authoritarianism

1. Do not obey in advance.
2. Defend institutions.
3. Beware the one-party state.
4. Take responsibility for the face of the world.
5. Remember professional ethics.
6. Be wary of paramilitaries.
7. Be reflective if you must be armed.
8. Stand out.
9. Be kind to our language.
10. Believe in truth.
11. Investigate.
12. Make eye contact and small talk.
13. Practice corporeal politics.
14. Establish a private life.
15. Contribute to good causes.
16. Learn from peers in other countries.
17. Listen for dangerous words.
18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives.
19. Be a patriot.
20. Be as courageous as you can.

My Thoughts
I found this book on a shelf at our local Goodwill store. When I browsed through the pages, I was immediately attracted to the illustrations. I read the entire book in a couple of hours and was impressed with the powerful messages.

This is my favorite quote;

"The hero of a David Lodge novel says that you don't know, when you make love for the last time, that you are making love for the last time. Voting is like that."

The author uses many examples from the spread of Nazism and Communism to show how people can be persuaded to go along with the crowd and ignore obvious danger signs. Many cautionary tales encourage people to be proactive and aware of their surroundings.  

People need to investigate and not give others the benefit of the doubt. The author encourages people to read books and strive to discern facts as opposed to disinformation and fake news.

"What to read? Any good novel enlivens our ability to think about ambiguous situations and judge the intentions of others."

The context of this book is compelling and sends a powerful message to all citizens of the free world. The collage-style illustrations are outstanding and add great value to the text. 

Highly recommended!

My Rating - 5 Stars Out Of 5

Share Your Joy; Mixed Media Shareable Art Book Review

 Title: Share Your Joy; Mixed Media Shareable Art

Author: Sarah J. Gardner

Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group - Walter Foster

Publication Date: September 5, 2023

Length: 128 Pages

About the Author
Sarah J. Gardner is a mother, practicing lawyer, and self-taught artist in Southern California. She works with mixed media and seeks to help others who want to explore their creativity and play with art supplies. 

Shareable Art
Sarah Gardner provides inspiration and instructions for eight art paper projects and nine shareable projects in this colorful mixed-media art book.
The sharable projects include;

• Sewn Collage Postcards
• Printed Layers Postcards
• Watercolor Rainbow Greeting Card
• Abstract Collage Note Card
• Embellished Envelopes

My Thoughts
This is an inspiring and instructional book for mixed-media artists. The focus of the book is creating art that can be shared with others. This is a perfect selection for artists who create handmade greeting cards and mail art.

The step-by-step directions are excellent for both beginners and experienced mixed-media artists. The color photos add great value to the text. The original designs and techniques will motivate the reader to take their creativity to the next level.

The book includes interviews with two artists who have been swapping and sharing art for many years. 

Ms. Gardner (juicy.s.art) shares samples of her work on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

I read a digital copy of this book and hope to order a print copy in the future.  I really love everything about this book.

Highly recommended!!!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful reading opportunity.

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The Perennials Megatrends by Mauro Guillen - Book Review

Title: The Perennials; The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society

Author: Mauro F. Guillen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: August 22, 2023

Length: 272 Pages

About the Author
Mauro F. Guillén is one of the most original thinkers at the Wharton School, where he is a Professor of Management and Vice Dean for the MBA for Executives Program. He combines his training as a sociologist at Yale and as a business economist in his native Spain to methodically identify and quantify the most promising opportunities at the intersection of demographic, economic, and technological developments.

Play - Study - Work - Retirement
Virtually every country in the world has embraced the idea that life proceeds in the following four sequential stages;

1. Play 
2. Study
3. Work
4. Retirement

The author believes the trend of sequential stages is coming to an end and we are entering an era where the perennials will thrive. Perennials are defined as "people who are not characterized by the decade in which they were born but rather by the way they work, learn, and interact with others."

My Thoughts

People are living longer and having fewer children.  Multi-generational households are becoming more common. 

The demand for social skills in the workplace is increasing. The future will require more soft skills, self-awareness, empathy, networked thinking, and lifelong learning. 
The ability to adapt to changes will be crucial in the workplace, in social interactions, and at home. People will be required to adapt, learn, unlearn, and relearn.

This is a fascinating book designed to predict the future trends of the worldwide economy and way of life. This book represents many years of research by the author and his team. The writing style is appropriate for the lay reader as well as professionals in the fields of business, sociology, and economics.

I found this book insightful and inspiring. 

The world will be a better place if these trends come to pass. Long live the Perennials!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

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Hooray for Summer - Children's Book Review

Title: Hooray for Summer!

Author/Illustrator: Kazuo Iwamura

Publisher: NorthSouth

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Length: 32 Pages

Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten

About the Author
Kazuo Iwamura was born in Tokyo. Japan. He is one of the most famous picture book artists in Japan. His work has won many awards. He lives in Tochigi, where he founded the Museum for Picture Book Illustrations.

Outdoor Summer Fun
Children love to play outdoors in the summer. Three squirrel siblings are playing outdoors when a sudden thunderstorm interrupts their fun. There is no time to run home, so they find shelter in a cave.

The squirrels discover they are not alone in the cave. A mouse brother and sister are also hiding from the storm. Soon a rabbit joins them.  

They are all very frightened of the thunder, lightning, and rain. Everyone trembles with fear. 

At last, the storm is over and the sky grows brighter. All the animals in the cave rush outside to play with their new "Summer Storm Friends". 

My Thoughts
I can personally relate to this story because I have been caught outside in several sudden Texas thunderstorms. This can be a frightening experience for people of all ages.

Little Molly Mouse was so frightened that she called out for her mother. The author did a good job illustrating the emotion of fear but he also provided safe shelter and the reassurance of the other animals.

Children will probably remember times when they were frightened just like little Molly. This story could lead to discussions on what to do when you are afraid.

The story had a happy ending when the storm passed over and the new friends went back outside to play. The illustrations are very expressive and add value to the story.

This book was first published in Japan in 1986. This is a timeless story that children of many generations will read and enjoy.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful reading experience.

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Creating Art With Alcohol Ink - Book Review

Title: Creating Art With Alcohol Ink; Complete Guide to 12 Easy Techniques, 17 Spectacular Projects

Authors: Laurie Williams and Sheryl Williams

Publisher: Design Originals

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Length: 144 Pages

About the Authors
Laurie “Trumpet” Williams is a mixed media and alcohol ink artist, instructor, and influencer. 
An award-winning artist in watercolor, alcohol ink, oil, and charcoal, Sheryl Williams loves to teach. She teaches her skills online through the CreateSmArt Academy, offering an online Alcohol Ink Master Course that starts at the very beginning and works all the way up to advanced representational art.

Great Resource for Artists Are you interested in alcohol ink art?

This resource provides a list of tools and supplies, safety considerations, twelve alcohol ink techniques, and an inspiration gallery that features completed projects.

The book is appropriate for beginners as well as experienced alcohol ink artists and crafters. The detailed instructions and color photos lend themselves to an excellent learning experience.

My Thoughts I chose this book because I have dabbled in alcohol ink art and I am interested in learning more methods and techniques. I was not disappointed...this book provided some techniques that I was familiar with and many new methods to try.

I was pleased with the way a detailed list of the supplies was listed at the beginning of each new project. The color photos are helpful in understanding the techniques. I am very impressed with the clarity of the instructions.

Alcohol ink is best if used on non-porous surfaces. It can be used on treated canvas, Yupo paper, glossy photo paper, jewelry, candles, switch plates, tabletops, ornaments, glass bottles, and even musical instruments.

There is an informative section on how to seal your alcohol ink projects so they won't scratch or fade.

I highly recommend this book for inspiration and instruction. You can never have too many art books! I have included one of my alcohol ink paintings below ( 5" by 7" on Yupo paper).

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Alcohol ink art by Janette Fuller

 

Children's Book - Sonia's Digital World

Title: Sonia's Digital World

Author: Shannon McClintock Miller

Illustrator: Clara Reschke

Publisher: Picture Window Books

Publication Date: August 1, 2023

Pages: 32 pages

Interest Level: Grades K - 2

Reading Level: Ages 5 - 7

About the Author
Shannon McClintock Miller, an international speaker and author, is the K-12 district teacher librarian at Van Meter Community School District in Iowa. She earned the Making it Happen Award by the International Society for Technology in Education in 2016 and was named the American Association of School Librarians Social Media Superstar Leadership Luminary in 2018. 

Sonia Uses Technology for Communication, Collaboration, and Learning
Sonia is a very tech-savvy young lady.

She uses technology (cell phone and camera) to stay in touch with friends and family. Her grandparents are far away but watch a school play on their laptop computer.

Sonia learns how to share new things she is learning by collaborating with other students on her tablet.

Sonia's teacher connects with classrooms across the world with technology. 

Sonia can look up information on the Internet and find answers to millions of questions.

Sonia learns how to use technology to help others in her community and the world.

The book ends with five questions that focus on the main ideas presented in the story.

My Thoughts
Most school-age children have an abundance of experience using technology for entertainment. They have watched videos and played games for many years.

This book emphasizes the use of technology for bringing people together and increasing knowledge. The author defines collaboration in a kid-friendly way...."We can put our minds together." 

The book contains very diverse characters. There are children of different races and nationalities. There is a boy in a wheelchair and several children wearing glasses. There is also generational diversity with children, parents, and grandparents participating in the story.

The story takes place in many different settings where technology is used. The color illustrations are excellent and add value to the story. If you take a close look at the pictures you will see examples of technology that are not mentioned in the text...cell phone tower, a drone, and an Internet dish on a building.

The questions at the end of the story are excellent for discussion. There is also a chart that displays the ISTE Standards.

I think this book provides a wonderful learning experience for young children. It combines learning and fun...a great combination!

RATING: 5 Stars Out of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Clever and Humorous Little Book for Dealing With Anxiety

 

Title: It's Hard To Be A Person; Defeating Anxiety, Surviving The World and Having More Fun.

Author: Brett Newski

Publisher: Ramshackle Press

Publication Date: June 21, 2021

About the Author
When a couple of doodles he’d posted to social media making light of his struggle with anxiety and depression garnered a surprising and overwhelming response, Brett Newski decided to make his relatable coping mechanism of drawings into a series. Now, Newski presents three years' worth of drawings in his book.

Humorous Thoughts for Dealing With Life
The author uses doodles and simple line drawings to shed light on anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. This is a comic book for teens and adults that offers some light-hearted advice for dealing with life's challenges.

My Thoughts
This is both an art/comic book and a self-help book rolled into one great package. The doodles and drawings are so much fun! I have read this book several times and enjoy it more each time I experience it.

The author faces the challenges of life with a healthy sense of humor. Each new page brings smiles and even laughter. There is serious advice mixed in with the humorous drawings and doodles.

"When you're down and out, It's normal to feel like you'll be stuck there forever. Please note, EVERYTHING is temporary."

If you could use some positivity in your life, this book is for you!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley. 

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If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk - Book Review

 

Title: If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk; Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

Author: John Pavlovitz

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Length: 238 Pages

About the Author
John Pavlovitz is a blogger, author, and pastor based in North Carolina. His blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said, recently surpassed one hundred million views.

We Have One Job; LOVE!
Loving God and neighbor and self is the elemental stuff of Christian prayers, songs, T-shirts, and bumper stickers...and we all know that.

However, there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Love is the path that Jesus laid out for us. This book is about the walking: about imagining what love should or could look like if we take that mandate seriously. 

My Thoughts 
John Pavlovitz has written a powerful book that challenges the reader to really think about the conclusions we hold about the character of God. Our ability to be loving to ourselves and our neighbors is in many ways a product of these conclusions.

"One set of answers will yield a hopeful, compassionate benevolence that continually moves us to welcome others in and to live with an openhanded generosity...and another is likely to construct a scalding, brimstone-laden judgmentalism that leaves us predisposed to exclude and prone to finger wagging."

 The author believes we should be compassionate and empathetic to our fellow human beings. We are all jerks at times...setting out to hurt another person and succeeding. We should ask ourselves, "Am I trying to understand this person, or am I trying to defeat them?" Understanding is a key element in love.

We tend to see the world through the filters of our personal background, culture, and education. It is really difficult to be open-minded and understand the reasons for our preferences and prejudices. We live in our own little world and are mostly ignorant about how the rest of the world is living. This book encourages you to open your mind and your heart. It asks you to really SEE what is going on around you. Your religion is not what you believe, your religion is how you treat people.

Mr. Pavlovitz comes down hard on traditional evangelical churches and challenges them to be "The Church of Not Being Horrible." We have ONE job: LOVE!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Concert Pianist Pens Memoir and Guide for Living

 Title: Whenever You're Ready; How to Compose the Life of Your Dreams

Author: Jeeyoon Kim

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: August 24, 2021

Length: 264 Pages

About the Author
Jeeyoon Kim is a professional concert pianist who has performed in venues like Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society in San Francisco, and the Stradivari Society in Chicago. As an accomplished performing artist and award-winning music educator, she credits her success to key disciplines, practices, and mindsets that she lives out every day.

Composing the Life of Your Dreams
Jeeyoon Kim has written a memoir that details her life as a concert pianist. She shares her techniques for preparing yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically for your own performances.

The book is organized like a piano concert:

• Prelude
• Movement #1; Practice until Practicing Is a Part of Your Normal Life
• Intermission #1
• Movement #2; Guard Your Mind and Keep Negativity at Bay
• Intermission #2
• Movement #3; Create, Dream, and Play
• Intermission #3
• Movement #4; Connect with Yourself, Others, and the Universe
• Intermission #4
• Movement #5; Take Care of Your Body and Your Environment
• Encore

At the end of each chapter, there are activities for you to apply in your own life.

My Thoughts
This book is magnificent. I found it to be informative, inspiring, and motivational.  I am a pianist (beginner/intermediate) and could relate to many of the experiences the author had in her childhood years of piano lessons, practicing and perfecting her skills. I was interested in how she deals with the "jitters" that many musicians deal with before performing in public. Jeyoon Kim learned at a young age that she would need to dedicate her entire life to music if she was going to achieve her goals and make her dreams come true.

This book is much more than a biography of the author's life. She shares her secrets for living a successful life and dealing with the challenges that we all ultimately face. There are workbook-like activities at the end of each chapter to help readers apply key concepts to their own situations. 

I found the first section of this book, "Practice until Practicing Is a Part of Your Normal Life", especially helpful. The techniques in this section of the book can be applied to any skill that you want to excel in. The author reminds us that the turtle wins the race over the rabbit. Perseverance and persistence are important traits to use when working toward a goal. The concept of natural talent is downplayed and a strong work ethic is emphasized.

I have been listening to Jeeyoon Kim's cd album "Over, Above, Beyond" while writing this review. The music is stunning. My favorite selection on the cd is her rendition of the classic children's song "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

You can listen to the author play the piano on her YouTube Channel. 

I highly recommend this book!

5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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Betrayal of Trust in Fort Leonard Wood Murders

Frozen Tears: The Fort Leonard Wood MP Murders

Author: J.B. King and Sandra Linhart

Publisher: Red Engine Press

Publication Date: October 19, 2019

Length: 315 pages

About the Author

J.B. King had a long and successful career in law enforcement. He was a member of the Missouri Highway Patrol and served as sheriff of Pulaski County for eight years. Mr. King has written two books about the Civil War in Missouri and a book about his law enforcement career.

Military Game Warden Kidnaps, Rapes and Murders 

This is a true-crime account of the events that took place in the early morning hours of January 13, 1977. Four teenagers were pulled over on a lonely road near the south gate of Fort Leonard Wood by MP/Game Warden Johnny Lee Thornton. He shot the two young men, Wesley Hawkins and Anthony Bates, and took the young women, Juanita Deckard and Linda Needham, to a game warden cabin and raped them. He then shot the women and left all four of the victims buried under the snow in the woods. 

Juanita Deckard was wounded but was able to walk for six hours through the snow and rugged terrain to find help from a rural home near the base. Miss Deckard was able to identify Johnny Lee Thornton and he was found guilty in federal court.  He was sentenced to three life terms and is currently held in federal prison.

My Thoughts

I don't usually read true crime books. I tend to change into a paranoid mess and start hearing strange noises at night when I read books like this one. This is a story that nightmares are made of.

However, I had a personal connection to Plato, Missouri. In 1977, I was working as a school librarian in the Union R-XI School District. My younger sister had just graduated from college and accepted a job working as a teacher in the Plato R-V School District. Plato is located about ten miles south of Fort Leonard Wood. I remember visiting my sister on a Saturday and spending the entire day hiking secluded trails in the Mark Twain National Forest. 

This story is shocking. These young people were taught to respect the authority of a police officer and had no reason to believe that their trust would be betrayed in such a horrible way. Things like this did not happen in rural southeastern Missouri. I don't think anyone could have been prepared for what happened that night.

The authors did an excellent job collecting interviews, news articles, court records, police reports, and medical records that pertain to this case. Their research was very thorough and they presented information that has not been previously made public.

I hope this book is chosen for a movie deal. 

MY RATING - 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I borrowed a digital copy of this book with my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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What Game Are You Playing? - A Book Review

What Game Are You Playing?: A Framework for Redefining Success and Achieving What Matters Most

Author: Robin Moriarty, PhD

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: September 10, 2019

Length: 171 Pages








About The Author
Robin Moriarty, PhD, is a global business executive, professor, and writer who has lived on four continents and traveled to more than 60 countries. 

It's All A Game
Life is full of choices. This book challenges the reader to redefine success in your own terms.

Dr. Moriarty believes that life is a game and it's important to play your own game...not the game that other people are playing or the game that they want you to play, but the game you want to play.

It is both exhausting and frustrating to compare yourself to other people and live by others' rules.

"Why would I want it all? Why wouldn't I just want what I want and not what everyone else says I should want?"

This book explains how to discover your own definition of success and then make the necessary changes in your life to achieve your new goals, ambitions, and dreams.

My Thoughts
I think we are influenced a great deal by the expectations of our childhood family and peers. I came from a family of school teachers and I was gently (or maybe not so gently) nudged in that direction when it was time to choose a career. (Actually, being a school librarian was a good fit for me.)  

Dr. Moriarty believes it is never too late to design your own game plan in both your professional and personal life. She has developed the following four-part framework as the organizing principle for your game;

• Your game's objective - What are you pursuing? What do you want?
• How you play the game - How do you spend your time, talents and resources?
• What obstacles must be overcome - What are your challenges?
• How do you keep score so you know you are winning? 

The author provides many examples of how to use this framework to bring change to your life. She suggests that you start with little things that feel good to you and that help others see that there's been a shift in your behavior.

Change is not easy. This author has devoted her entire book to help you discover your own game and then play with passion and courage. It is not too late to change your thinking and take bold steps toward new and different adventures, careers, relationships or goals. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Breath Love - Live Love Laugh Breathe

About the Book

Title: Breath Love

Author: Lauren Chelec Cafritz

Publisher: Warren Publishing, Inc.

Publication Date: June 11, 2019

Length: 174 Pages

About the Author

Lauren Chelec Cafritz is an internationally known breathwork teacher, speaker and the author of Breath LOVE. She is trained and certified in Integrative Breathwork and Transformational Breath® and has studied many other breathing modalities. 

Just Breathe

Lauren Cafritz is a certified breathwork specialist.

What is breathwork?

"Breathwork is the experiential field of study and practice that uses various breathing techniques, individually and in groups, to promote self-awareness and enhancement of physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual wellbeing. Breathwork uses conscious connected breathing to release trauma, clear emotional blockages, and heal physical ailments."

Ms. Cafritz inspires readers with her own experiences with breathwork and explains how she has changed the lives of others by teaching breathing techniques.

My Thoughts

I chose this book because I have used deep breathing techniques to help me relax for many years. I play the piano for my Sunday School Class at church and often find myself feeling tense before I begin playing. I have found intentional deep breathing to be very helpful in taking away the stage-fright jitters. I also find deep breathing a great way to relax before going to bed at night. 

I enjoyed reading about how breathwork helped the author reconnect with her love of art that she enjoyed as a child. I could relate to this experience because I also enjoyed art as a child and have found pleasure in artistic endeavors in recent years.

The highlight of the book is the "Emergency Toolkit". The author advises her clients to use the following four techniques when they are feeling angry, upset or even having a panic attack;

• Connect your breath. Take 20 conscious, deep, diaphragmatic breaths.
• Drink water. Drinking eight glasses of water will help you function at your best, especially if you are under stress. 
• Move your body. Do 10 push-ups or sit-ups. Think about something that makes you angry and then start wiggling your whole body. The mind lets go of anger as soon as it is moving.
• Go outside in nature. Go outside, get into nature, feel the sky over your head...and be sure to keep breathing. Being in nature will change your perspective almost immediately.

This book gave me new ideas for using breathing techniques for relaxation, pleasure, healing, and wellbeing. Breathwork can be done in combination with yoga, meditation or therapy. I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about how breathing can improve the quality of life. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity

Be, Awake, Create: Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity

Author: Rebekah Younger, MFA

Publisher: Reveal Press

Publication Date: June 1, 2019

Length: 264 Pages








About the Author
Rebekah Younger has created artwork, knit clothing, interiors, businesses, communities, and books. She brings her love of creating to all aspects of her life and shares it with others through teaching mindful creativity. 

Activities to Spark Your Creativity
This book offers contemplations, mindfulness practices, and art activities to spark creativity. Each chapter is written to invite self-reflection and creative expression through "hands-on" learning. The print version of this book is a workbook/journal that allows the reader to record responses on the pages. If you read a digital copy, the author suggests the use of a journal or notebook to record written and artistic responses to the prompts.

My Thoughts
Creativity is defined as "the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination" (Dictionary.com).

Ms. Younger has done an excellent job in developing exercises, activities and prompts that encourage creativity. She considers herself a "creator" and uses her creative talents in everything she does. This book is not limited to the visual arts. The author encourages the reader to discover creative ways to express herself in art, music, dance, writing, photography, sewing, and other activities.  

Mindfulness meditation is used to develop an awareness of our environment and the world around us.  Meditation helps the creator stay focused and be awake to things that might be overlooked. A creator has a mindset that is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.

A few years ago, Ms. Younger had heart by-pass surgery and spent many months recovering. During this time, photography became a tool for her recovery. She used her camera to record images of ordinary things around her that she had previously taken for granted. She developed a new way of looking and seeing things that brought her joy and fulfillment.

I think the ideas in this book will definitely spark creativity in the hearts and minds of the readers. The more you put into the activities, the more you will get out of this excellent book. Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I got a free digital copy of this book to review from NetGalley.

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The Legacy of Librarian Ruth Rappaport

A Well-Read Woman: The Life, Loves, and Legacy of Ruth Rappaport

Author: Kate Stewart

Publisher: Little A

Publication Date: May 1, 2019

Length: 397 Pages

A featured selection in the Amazon First Reads program.





About The Author
Kate Stewart is a third-generation librarian, born and raised in the Midwest. She has worked as a librarian and archivist for ProQuest, the Library of Congress, and the US Senate in Washington, DC. She is currently an archivist at the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson, Arizona.

Overcoming Adversity and Never Giving Up
Ruth Rappaport (1923 - 2010) spent her early years in Leipzig, Germany. She was the daughter of Jewish parents and was sent to Switerzland in the late 1930s. She traveled to Seattle to live with relatives during WWII. Her father died in Buchenwald and her mother died at Ravensbrueck during the war.

Kate Stewart tells the fascinating story about how Ruth survived and thrived after she was forced to leave her family in Germany. She was a voracious reader and books helped fill the void left by her tragic early life. Ruth had visited libraries as a child and always dreamed of someday working as a librarian. She eventually earned a MLS degree and set up libraries in Vietnam for soldiers during the Vietnam War. She came back to the U.S. to work as a cataloguer in the Library of Congress for many years.

My Thoughts
When I was in elementary school, I always chose biographies to read when I visited the library. I was especially interested in the stories of famous women...Jane Addams, Clara Barton, Helen Keller, Florence Nightengale, etc.
I was immediately drawn to this book when I realized it was a biography of a librarian.

Ruth Rappaport was not famous but she lived an extremely courageous and distinguished life. Ms. Stewart used diary entries, letters, and archives to describe Ruth's "life, loves, and legacy." She visited many of the locations where Ruth lived to give the reader a clear understanding of the world as Ruth saw it.

I was especially interested in the years that Ruth spent in Vietnam setting up libraries for the soldiers and sending out packets of books/magazines to the front lines. She traveled in helicopters to oversee the branch libraries that were operating in remote areas. While in Vietnam, she was romantically involved with a U.S. serviceman for several years before learning that he had a wife and five children back in the States. Alas, Ruth was not lucky in love and never married.

The only thing I disliked about this book was the rather long history of the Library of Congress that didn't really have much to do with Ruth's story. The author provided too much (in my opinion) information about the politics, hiring discrimination and other random facts about the Library of Congress during the years that Ruth worked there. 

I believe this book will find a wide audience with librarians and history buffs who are interested in World War II, Jewish history and the Holocaust. 

MY RATING: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from the Amazon First Reads program

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