⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

INTRODUCTION

After its first publication in 1988, Paulo Coelho’s O Alquimista ( The Alchemist) fell short of book sales. Determined to tell the story of a shepherd who was on his way to the pyramids of Egypt in search of a treasure, Coelho found another publisher to give the book another chance. An American tourist visited Brazil eight months later and got a copy of the book. He was interested in translating it to English and having it published in the United States of America. Eventually, HarperCollins issued The Alchemist in 1993. The sale was slow at the start but it gained momentum after famous people such as Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rush Limbaugh, and Will Smith read it. Since then, The Alchemist has sold millions of copies worldwide, became one of the most translated books, and stayed over 300 weeks in The New York Times Best Sellers.

OVERVIEW

An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago is driven by his dream to set off on a journey with one goal in mind, to find the treasure near the Pyramids of Egypt.

Along the way, he met people from different walks of life that influenced his decisions on how to move forward with his journey. After the arduous odyssey, he found that the treasure he was seeking in the beginning was not what he imagined to be in the end.

The Alchemist shows the power of dreams and listening to our hearts.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. What was the typical day of the shepherd?
2. How did the man become a shepherd? Why did he choose to be one?
3. If you were his father, how would you feel about the path he chose which was different from what you expected of him?
4. According to the book, what makes life interesting? Do you agree with this?
5. Describe the shepherd’s encounter with the Gypsy dream interpreter.
6. An old man claiming to be a king offered the shepherd the location of s treasure in exchange for one-tenth of the latter’s sheep. If you were the shepherd, what would you do?
7. What is a personal legend? How does this apply to your life?
8. What is your favorite quote in the book? Why?
9. At one point, the shepherd lost everything. What do you think about his statement that God was unfair?
10. What brought back the shepherd’s inspiration and motivation to continue his journey?
11. What is the Alchemist’s Personal Legend? How did this influence the shepherd’s perspective in life?
12. What is love without ownership for you?
13. What is one thing that stops us from achieving our dreams?
14. What is your favorite moment in the book? Describe it.
15. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

QUOTES

“It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is.” – Old Man

“I’m like everyone else—I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen, not what actually does.” – The Shepherd

It’s true; life really is generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend, the boy thought.

WHAT I LOVED

• Reading The Alchemist is like gliding through the cadence of Paulo Coelho’s prose. His style of writing is admirable.
• It speaks to my soul. There is something within me that recognizes the meaning of the symbols in the story that points to an important realization– living life to the fullest is a signpost of a happy life.
• The hero’s journey is relatable when it comes to finding life’s purpose. At first, there were curiosity and exhilaration, then risk, loss, and frustration, and eventually, redemption, discovery, and success.
• I appreciate the character opposite to the shepherd, the crystal merchant who had dreams but chose to continue dreaming. He just wanted to stay wherever he was.
• The part when the shepherd tried to prove that he could be one with the wind was my favorite moment. It was a big risk. What if the wind didn’t cooperate? Death was a sure consequence.

WHAT I LOVED THE LEAST

• The simplicity of the characters and their backgrounds gives the story a fable or a fairy tale vibe but they give the main theme of finding your personal legend a spotlight.

SUMMING-UP

Paulo Coelho expresses his soul through his book, The Alchemist, which shows the challenges of finding one’s Personal Legend through the story of the shepherd boy in Andalusian. It unfurls a blueprint for finding one’s existential meaning. 

Meeting different people along the way is one of the highlights of the shepherd’s journey. It all started with a dream that repeatedly appeared in the shepherd’s sleep. He met a Gypsy woman who told her to find the treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. He then met different kinds of people, the old man who claimed to be a king, the crystal merchant, tribal warriors, the Englishman, the Alchemist, and the monks. 

The book is only short, about 178 pages in an ebook format, which delineates the simple story that is remindful of a fable wherein the characters are not fully fleshed-out. Despite this, true to its allegorical nature, The Alchemist didn’t fail to deliver its message: if we are determined to find our personal legend, the universe will conspire. 

Readers who like simple fantasy and adventure stories with a spiritual overtone will enjoy this. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Paulo Coelho’s Website 

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Book Information:

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Published on February 24, 2015, by HarperOne; 25th ed. edition

178 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Goodreads 

Hello, fellow bookworm!

Welcome to the first day of my reading journey with The Boys by Kate Hafner.

I want to share my real-time thoughts and experiences as I read this book, and I’m excited to do this. 

I first knew about Hafner on Domestika, a learning platform where she teaches writing. I checked out her course and it contains a lot of good insights about writing. When I learned that she wrote a novel, I got interested in seeing how she applied her teachings in her writing. I’ve always wanted to improve my writing but I am not confident about it. But then, I’ll just keep on trying. 

Moving on to the book cover art, it is interesting. Against the peachy orange background is a rectangular shape. Inside, there’s a pathway with lines of perhaps cypress trees on either side. The sky is purple. A man riding on the bike is in the middle-bottom of the rectangle, facing away from the reader. Below him is a big bold book title and the author’s name. It gives me an impression of a journey to somewhere nice and fun. I think it’s the colors that give me that vibe. 

As I read the first few pages, I was struck by how smooth Hafner’s writing is. I am transported to the world of Ethan, the story’s main character. I could feel his shyness and awkwardness. The other main character is also likable. Her openness and interest in knowing Ethan somehow encourage me, the reader, to also know and understand Ethan. There’s a connection between them that gives this warm feeling. It’s always good to be seen and understood especially if you’re an introvert. 

One quote that stood out to me today was:

“Have heart, Ethan sweetie. Another word for heart is coeur, and that’s where we get our word courage.”

Today’s reading made me appreciate being authentic. Ethan has that. He’s never scared to be just who he is. He never hesitates to share his mind-boggling ideas even though he finds it awkward. 

To my fellow bookworm, what are your thoughts on being utterly introverted? I am an introvert that’s why I could relate with Ethan. Sometimes, I just don’t want to go out and meet people. Are you an introvert as well? Feel free to share in the comments below.

I’m looking forward to seeing where The Boys will take me. 

Join me next time for more insights and discussions. 

Dr. Alison Cook’s book, The Best of You, guides us on how to thrive, not just survive, in a life full of challenges. It aims to support healing and finding our true selves. 

Dr. Cook’s mission is to empower people through her research, podcasts, and books. She got her education from  Dartmouth College (BA), Denver Seminary (MA), and the University of Denver (PhD). Her research focuses on the relationship between religion and psychology, and she skillfully integrates feelings, thoughts, and beliefs about God in her studies.

For 20 years, she has been helping women, leaders, and couples to develop a sense of self and experience God’s love, and, through her emails and podcast, she touches the lives of 50,000 people weekly. 

Dr. Cook lives in Boston together with her husband and two children.

OVERVIEW

Serving others is a beautiful act. It is a way of helping others meet their needs that eventually leads to their enrichment and growth. We feel happy and fulfilled when we lend others a hand. 

However, when we overly give ourselves to others, sometimes there are unpleasant consequences. We could become a doormat, being taken advantage of and sidelined by people who don’t see our true value. 

But there are hard-hitting questions that we need to answer…

Are we just going to let this happen to us and take no action?

How do we perceive our genuine worth and self-image?

What are our boundaries?

God created us to thrive, not just survive. 

So in this book, The Best of You, Dr. Alison Cook shares strategies on how to find your voice, set limits, and create your breakthrough with the guidance of faith and psychology. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. What are the questions the book is trying to answer? 
2. Did the book satisfactorily answer these questions? Why or why not?
3. What are the four spiritual and psychological roots? And what are their roles in your true self-development?
4. What disconnects us from our true sense of self?
5. What is your role in designing your own life?

QUOTES

“The best of you is humble but never self-rejecting.” — page 205

“As you envision the best of you, here’s the irony: she’s already inside you, waiting for you to release her into the world. The best of you has been inside you all along. You may have lost sight of her, but she’s been with you.” — page 206

“What’s powerful is that you are also designed to heal.” — page 209

REVIEW

Aristotle once said, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” 

This quote makes me realize that there’s an overarching reason why we go to school from elementary to college, and some even pursue master’s and doctoral degrees afterward, which is to flourish like the flowers and trees.

However, something along the way to reaching our full potential as individuals hampers our self-actualization, perhaps because we sometimes give too much to others, manifesting weak boundaries. We can become doormats, patronized, and taken advantage of. This results in a loss of purpose and authenticity in life, which is not a way of living. 

Dr. Alison Cook’s The Best of You aims to help us rediscover who we indeed are and what kind of life we should be living. The questions posed in every chapter, the journaling activities, and practical advice direct us to the best version of ourselves. 

I appreciate the book’s thought-provoking chapter titles, which encourage deep self-reflection and foster a better understanding of oneself. Among the eleven chapters, the questions that resonated with me the most were “How did I get here?”, “How do I find my way out?”, and “How will I know I’ve arrived?” These questions prompted me to reflect on my past decisions and how they shaped my current situation. The idea that there is a path to change gave me hope and helped me overcome feelings of helplessness. Also, the book’s emphasis on understanding what it means to have arrived put my mind at ease and clarified my sense of place. I appreciate that the book acknowledges and accepts where I am without imposing any expectations.

The reflections at the end of every chapter provide actionable steps to enhance self-reflection. The exercises allowed me to engage in activities like journaling my thoughts, answering thought-provoking questions, and looking deeply into my desires and current life circumstances with honesty.  This opportunity encourages me to ponder on the topics discussed in the chapter, fostering further introspection. 

In conclusion, the book’s honesty about what it means to change shifts how I see life’s difficulties. I don’t have to make them disappear; I just need to understand them and accept them for what they are. This is the first step towards the fulfillment of my utmost purpose– to flourish and become the best version of myself. 

If you are looking for a way to turn your life on its head and find your true self, I recommend this book. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Dr. Alison Cook’s Website https://www.dralisoncook.com/ 

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/dralisoncook/ 

Book Information:

The Best of You Sky by Dr. Alison Cook

Published on September 13, 2022, by Thomas Nelson

240 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Redeeming Your Time, a Christian nonfiction book, is the most meaningful time management book I’ve read so far. It contains the best parts of books I have read- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Franklin Covey,  The Time of Your Life by Tony Robbins, and Get Things Done by David Allen, Deep Work by Cal Newport,  and Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday. What is more, Jordan Raynor, highlights one perspective that is not tackled in other books, the spiritual aspect of time management. Raynor aims to “create a unique balance between the theological, the theoretical, and the tactical.”

Jordan Raynor has been giving support to Christians through his podcast, devotionals, and books. He is the national bestselling author of Called to Create and Master of One.

❤️ The Things I Love❤️ 

❤️  It zeroes in our ultimate purpose in life which is to glorify our Creator, the Author of time,  in everything we do, no matter how simple or complicated it is. One way to do this is to produce quality work all the time.

❤️  I appreciate what Raynor said about our freedom to choose the callings that can fulfill our ultimate purpose. In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Rapid Planning Method, these callings are called the roles we play at work and home. Raynor’s three primary callings are being a husband, a father, and an entrepreneur.

Following the 5 Floors of Priority, the book teaches the next steps to do after identifying your roles and your long-term goals for each role. This is the fun part because you get to write the dreams you wish to fulfill in every area of your life and these dreams are turned into projects and actions lists which are parts of the Commitment Tracking System created by Raynor. When you get the hang of it, you will turn your dreams into reality by using the system.   As Tony Robbins said, “If you talk about it, it’s a dream, if you envision it, it’s possible, but if you schedule it, it’s real.”

❤️ As reinforcements to practicing Redeeming Your Time, additional resources such as free videos, downloads, and links are provided on Raynor’s website.

I think this book is perfect for people who want to fulfill their purpose in life with stress-free productivity.

Thank you, Jordan Raynor, NetGalley, and WaterBrook for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Discussion Questions

1. What comes to your mind after reading the title of the book?

2. Did the author achieve his goal to balance theology, theory, and tactics?

3. Which of the seven principles do you like the most? Why?

4. What is the most important advice you got from the book?

5. What is the ultimate purpose of our existence? Explain further. 

6. What are your roles in life? What is your dream for each role?

7. Is the Commitment Tracking System doable? Why or why not?

8. Would you recommend this book to others? Explain. 

9. Are the bonus resources helpful? 

10. What questions would you ask the author?

Further Information

Title: Redeeming Your Time

Author: Jordan Raynor

Genre: Christian Literature

Publisher ‏ : ‎ WaterBrook (October 19, 2021)

Publication Date: October 19, 2021

Print length: 256 pages

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08TGFF8K9

Quotes

Free Stock photos by Vecteezy

Hello, fellow bookworm!

Today I’m going to share with you updates on the book that I am reading, The Boys by Katie Hafner. 

It’s about an introverted man Ethan who fell in love with Barb, an extroverted woman. They thought that they complemented each other but it turns out their differences drove them apart. 

In the beginning, Ethan left the most impression on me because of his introvertedness to which I could relate. His sad childhood made me identify with him more. When he met Barb, it’s so nice seeing he’s opening up to new experiences. Barb was his total opposite. She loved to explore the world. 

They got married, went to an amazing escapade in Italy, but when they fostered twin boys, their relationship became wobbly. It was aggravated by the pandemic when people globally literally stayed and worked from home. This part made the story realistic as I also experienced staying at home, social distancing, and the wearing of the mask and plastic face shield. 

The strain in Ethan and Barb’s relationship saddened me. I was rooting for the both of them. But sometimes, love fades because of differences and it’s just sad that they weren’t able to work it out. 

Now, Ethan made decisions that could complicate things. He brought the twins with him to Italy where he and Brab spent their honeymoon. I am bracing myself for the worst things that could happen to them. 

Memorable Quote

“…people’s personalities and proclivities often emerge from crises in more pronounced form.”

Thoughts and Reflections

They say that opposite attracts but the differences could take a toll on the relationship in the long run. When breaking up is inevitable, there’s nothing that could be done but accepting it and move on, which is truly difficult. 

🙋‍♀️ Question 

A year after the pandemic, I started book blogging to help me cope my anxiety. Did you also start something like a hobby during that time? Feel free to share in the comments. 

I think I will be able to finish the book in 2 days and I can’t wait to share my thoughts. 

Thank you for dropping by and reading my reading journey. 

‘Til next time. 😊

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin has been writing for over a decade. Her first two coming-of-age novels were runners-up in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020 and 2022. Gail was awarded a creative writing PhD in 2018 and still laughs whenever she’s called Doctor. She has appeared at Bridport Literary Festival, Stockholm Writers Festival and the Mani Lit Fest in Greece. Her psychological suspense mystery The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is published by Bloodhound Books. Gail splits her time between a tiny flat in South West London and a home overlooking water meadows in Dorset.

BLURB

A true-crime podcaster investigates a decades-old suspected abduction, in this powerful psychological suspense novel.

1979 Sixteen-year-old Carolyn Russell grows increasingly infatuated with her school mathematics teacher who is also giving her private lessons. Then she disappears.

2014 Struggling journalist Stephanie Brett creates a true-crime podcast focused on the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. By digging deep into this mysterious cold case, her confidence and flagging career are boosted. But after she confronts the suspects—and talks to a potential witness—the leads dry up. However, Stephanie refuses to let the story rest . . .

Can a small-time journalist with a shoestring podcast really hope to reconstruct the ultimate fate of Carolyn Russell after all these years, or are some secrets best left buried? 

‘Takes hold of the head and the heart and simply does not let go’ Jacquelyn Mitchard, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Good Son

‘Captures the zeitgeist for each period with telling accuracy’ Suzanne Goldring, bestselling author of My Name is Eva

‘A rare and thrilling book that manages to be thoughtful and intelligent’ Joanna Barnard, author of Hush Little Baby

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. What was your first impression of the book cover?
2. Describe Stephanie Brett.
3. Describe Carolyn Russell.
4. What do you think about podcasts? Is it a good idea to discuss cold cases on a podcast? Why or why not?
5. How did Stephanie’s podcast help in solving the disappearance of Carolyn Russell?
6. What was the contribution of Carolyn’s family relationship to her case?
7. What were your predictions about the ending of the story? 
8. Did the ending change your impression of the main characters? Discuss. 
9. Which points in the story kept you turning the pages?
10. What do you like the most about the book? Discuss. 

QUOTES

Facebook was the last place she should be spending time when feeling like this: inadequate. – on Stephanie

There was something enigmatic about Carolyn’s smile but Stephanie couldn’t put her finger on it.

Dangerous activity. You never know what you might unearth. – Doug

I loved every minute of being needed. – Carolyn

Like magic, the answer flew from my lips. By the time we reached ten times nine, I let my touch linger on his pinky. The closeness of the moment held me in a trance. – Carolyn

WHAT I LOVED THE MOST

• The fully developed main characters make the story relatable and interesting. The story is told in a dual timeline, alternating between the perspectives of Carolyn Russell and Stephanie Brett. Through her thoughts, actions, and choices, Carolyn could be seen as a typical teenager who had angsts and dreams but her relationship with her family, friends, and other grownups in the community deepened the complexity of her life which was rooted in the unfulfillment of her needs: love, attention, and guidance. This lack paved the way for Carolyn’s doom in the end. On the other hand, Stephanie is shown to be resilient, creative, and brave in facing the consequences of a life-changing event. She fell but she was able to rise from the challenges by using her skills to the fullest. Early in her career, she almost lost her job as a journalist after giving wrong information about the disappearance of Carolyn Russell. Decades after, still guilty about her mistake, she was resolved to investigate the cold case again through a podcast. Her drive to find leads, interview people, and piece clues together moves the story forward and keeps me interested in seeing if Carolyn Russell would be found in the end. Creating good and memorable characters is one of Gail Aldwin’s strengths as a writer. 
• The length of the book affects the pacing of the story. The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is just long enough to develop the characters and the plot. The author threw interesting clues at the right places, nurturing curiosity and suspense.
• The story is fresh and relevant as it included podcasting, a modern version of a radio program. Podcasts are popular nowadays since the Internet and streaming services are common. It’s a convenient way to get information or entertainment from thousands of podcasts which range from comedy to true crime as one can download the audio files and listen to them anytime, anywhere. The author got hooked on true crime podcasts in 2020 which inspired her to write the book. She showed how a podcast came to be. Interviews with people who are linked to Carolyn and discussions of the events that led to her disappearance added more depth to the story.
• The author layers the story with different themes that make it multidimensional– teenage life, the quest for love, family, loneliness, and the exploration of human emotions and experiences. 

WHAT I LOVED THE LEAST

• The intensity of the thrill and suspense is on the mellow side. However, I still enjoyed the story because the characters and plot are well-developed and the writing is engaging. The story made me form my predictions along the way but they were all wrong. The twist at the end was the most shocking and definitely the best part of the book. 

SUMMING-UP

Have you ever made a mistake many years ago that you still felt guilty about? Sometimes it’s hard to move on because you keep playing the mistake in your mind over and over again. Guilt could make you critical of yourself but it could also drive you to take action to make amends for your mistakes. 

In Gail Aldwin’s new novel, The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell, Stephanie Brett, a journalist who felt guilty about misreporting the disappearance of Carolyn Russell in 1979, decided to set things straight. When she got the chance, she reinvestigated the cold case through a podcast. Decades later, no body had been found and no perpetrator had been indicted. Could she get more leads and ultimately solve the case? Could she redeem herself? 

One of the things that I love about The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell is its well-developed characters and plot. It is told from the alternating perspectives of Stephanie Brett and Carolyn Russell which made the story more interesting and relatable. Carolyn’s teenage angst, lack of maternal love and attention, and her propensity to fulfill this lack in dangerous ways build up the tension, while Stephanie’s journalistic skills, keenness, and bravery raise the anticipation of the next events. For me, strong characterization is one of Gail Aldwin’s strengths as a writer. She’s also able to nurture curiosity and excitement by throwing intriguing clues at the right places and in between multifaceted themes, which include the vulnerability of teenagers, family dynamics, the power of media, friendship, and social issues.  

The novel contains an element of timeliness as well. The use of a podcast in revisiting the unsolved case gives the story a fresh perspective. Podcasts are common these days and they range from comedy to true crime. Listeners can download and listen to them anytime, anywhere. The author was inspired to write the book after listening to true crime podcasts in 2020 when she was in Uganda where she volunteered at a refugee settlement. In her novel, she showed how a podcast came to being and how it added more depth to the story.

As for the thrill and suspense, the intensity is on the mellow side but I still enjoyed the story because it made me form my own predictions along the way; predictions that turned out to be all wrong. The twist at the end was the most shocking and definitely the best part of the book. 

I highly recommend The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell. It is a well-written, suspense novel that rips your heart in the beginning, then blows your mind in the end. 

Thank you, Gail Aldwin and Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read your book and share my honest thoughts. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Gail Aldwin’s Website 

Instagram

Twitter

Book Information:

The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell by Gail Aldwin

Published on July 3, 2023, by Bloodhound Books – crime, thrillers, and mysteries (3 July 2023)

310 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Goodreads  

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌠

Do you feel like a bird with clipped wings, unable to fly to new heights? You tried to change your ways to make your life better but you snap back to old ways?

Change Is Not Easy

Change is not easy and the ugly part of it is you feel like you are the only one in the whole world that can’t change. You think that your family or friends who are doing well in life figure it out and you don’t. Feeling left out can be heartbreaking.

Dr. Richard Schwartz’s book, Introduction to Internal Family System shows us why change is difficult and what to do to make change possible and sustainable.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The Awakening of Meena Rawat is the second novel of Anoop Judge, an Indian-American blogger and author, that is about two lovers, Rumi and Meena. They met when they were teenagers in an orphanage in India where they experienced the harshness of life as members of the lowest caste, got separated because of Rumi’s desire to have a better life,  and met unexpectedly several years after in Fremont, California.

Meena got married to another man, Bhavesh,  who belonged to a higher caste. Her marriage with him elevated her status in society. Together with their only child, they lived in California where Bhavesh operated his business and Meena worked indexing catalog records in a university.  Rumi, on the other hand,  became a multi-millionaire, Fortune 500 CEO but got divorced from his wife, Jane, whom he met at the University of New York.  

When Rumi saw Meena at the Vice-Chancellor party at CSU, his world turned upside down. He remembered how much he loved her, and that love was rekindled and intensified by his desire to be with her.  Meena felt the same but could they have a second chance at love?

The story of two young lovers who gave each other strength and hope in the midst of their ordeal just to be separated because of uncertainty and ambition is heart-breaking. My heart goes out to Meena who suffered the loss of her first love and the reverberations of having the lowest of the low position in the caste system in India even though she was already in America. Rumi belonged to the same caste as Meena but he believed that the status in the society assigned to him even before birth was not his eventual fate. He was decisive in pursuing his ambition by taking brazen actions that actually broke Meena’s heart.

Overall, I  enjoyed reading the story because I find the author’s prose beautiful and original.  Besides spinning an extraordinary love story,  she also explained the cultural aspects and social issues very well through illustrations, backstories, and dialogs. In addition to this, the way she described a place made me feel as if I was at that pace like in the orphanage, or in Meena’s office, or at the airport. The author’s writing left a great impression on me. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a love story with heavy themes.

Thank you Anoop Judge, Black Rose Writing, and LibraryThing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think the author chose the title?

2. What are the themes in the story?  

3. Describe the main characters. What are their strengths and weaknesses?

4. How does the author address the social issues mentioned in the story?

5. What do you think about the ending?

Further Information

Title: The Awakening of Meena Rawat

Author: Anoop Judge

Genre: Romance

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Rose Writing (May 27, 2021)

Publication Date: May 27, 2021

Print length: 300 pages

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B092FJF84X

Quotes

Title: The Science of Overcoming Procrastination Publisher: PKCS Media, Inc. (May 8, 2018) Publication Date: May 8, 2018

    Procrastination is a common problem that affects our lives in general. Although the means to address this challenge seems difficult to find, there is still a way to get out of this problem.

    To find practical tips on how to overcome it in The Science of Overcoming Procrastination by Patrick King was surprising for me. The explanations of why we procrastinate and the ways to overcome it are straightforward.

    One of the highlights in the book that has an impact on me is how we can apply the three laws of motion by Isaac Newton on productivity. King gave a fresh way of looking at Newton’s Three Laws of Motion which I learned in elementary and I always associate it with Physics.

    The first law of motion says the body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it. You will remain seated on the couch watching TV for many hours unless you force yourself to stand up and break the pattern of just doing nothing.

    The second law of motion states that the total force is directly related to the mass of an object and acceleration. The force is the amount of focus in completing a task, the mass of an object represents the difficulty or the number of tasks, and acceleration is the momentum of your productivity. Accomplishing one task depends on the amount of focus you put on that particular task only. Shifting your attention from one task to another is inimical to your productivity, tasks that are done at the same time are half-baked, making you feel frustrated and want to procrastinate.

    “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  This is the third law of motion. King applies this to the two opposite forces, productive forces  (positivity and motivation) and unproductive forces (stress and unhealthy lifestyle).  He encourages creating more productive forces to minimize the effects of unproductive forces. As for me, I see this law in a different way. The amount of work put in completing one task is the amount of stress you get from it that’s why it’s important to manage your energy by dividing the work into intervals using a time management technique such as Promodoro.

    There is always a way in overcoming procrastination. Sometimes it’s hidden in things that we already know, we just need to see them from another perspective. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and understanding its complexity probably turns you off. 

Terms like the cerebrum, cerebellum, frontal cortex, and synapses may sound nerdy and incomprehensible but there’s one professor and author who believes it doesn’t have to be a struggle to appreciate the brain. 

In fact, learning its functions and its implications on our thinking and actions can bring a positive impact on our lives. 

Marc Dingman is a neuroscientist, professor, and writer. While he teaches health courses at Pennsylvania State University, on the side, he writes and creates videos on his website and YouTube channel about neuroscience, brain mechanism, and their effects on human behavior. 

Bizarre is his second book.

OVERVIEW

As we go about our day, we may feel it’s just an ordinary day as we choose what to have for breakfast or what to wear, but looking closely, the brain is working hard to process millions of bits of information that it absorbs. 

The book Bizarre illustrates the spectrum of things that happen inside this powerful organ between our ears, from the most mundane to the most extraordinary. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• The brain has a collection of regions that work together to accomplish a task.

• Damage to a brain region causes strange disorders such as Cotard’s syndrome which makes people who are affected by it feel that they are already dead or they don’t have internal organs anymore.

• Studying and understanding how the brain works can help us appreciate its role and its impact on the human condition. 

• The human condition contains a wide range of human behavior caused by different brain mechanisms that may be considered normal or beyond normal. This questions the usual definition of normalcy among people.

• Enjoy every moment of living, especially when you still have a normal-functioning brain. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. Discuss the thoughts/ideas that come to your mind when you see the words “brain and bizarre”. 

2. What did you learn from the book?

3. Has this book changed the way you see the brain?

4. How did the author balance storytelling and stating facts?

5. What information shocked you?

6. Which passages of the book were the most impressive?

7. Discuss some questions that the book raises.

8. What were your first thoughts after reading the book?

9. Which of the human behaviors caused by changes in the brain mechanisms intrigues you the most? Explain.

10. Would you recommend this book to your friend? Why or why not?

QUOTES

“To your brain, having a rational interpretation of life’s events is critically important. Without it, the world quickly becomes an unpredictable, incomprehensible, and ultimately unbearable place.“

“This type of unintentional fabrication is known as confabulation, and your brain does it more often than you’d like to believe.”

“The necessity of robust connections in the brain has been an important realization in modern neuroscience.”

“The more you study the brain, the more you realize that the idea of a “normal” brain is a bit unrealistic, at least in the way we typically conceptualize it.”

“So, take advantage of the functionality of your brain while you still can: create memories, experience emotion, indulge in pleasure (and practice restraint), think deeply, engage your body—do all those things that your brain permits you to do, and do them with great gusto.”

WHAT I LOVED

• The stories that illustrated different brain conditions are intriguing and not altogether boring. They are page-turners. 

• The stories are not only all about the atypical mental conditions but also the extraordinary ones. Stories of people who became savants after brain injury are equally fascinating. 

• The parts of the brain are defined and described in a way that is not confusing. 

• A copious amount of research studies strongly backed up the stories and the author’s points.

• The goal of the author was to help the reader appreciate the brain more after reading the book, and, for me, he was successful.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE

• I enjoyed this book so much that I couldn’t find one thing that I didn’t love. 

SUMMING-UP

In 2015, I started reading books about brain science to understand why it was easy for me to get mad even at the smallest things. My curiosity opened my eyes to be more aware of myself when anger sets in which helps me manage this fiery emotion better than before, and it opened a path to delve deeper into how the brain works which increases my self-compassion and self-confidence. 

If you are a neuroscience enthusiast or have just started to understand the brain to understand yourself, Marc Dingman’s Bizarre is a great addition to your repertoire of learning resources. Aside from explaining the functions of the different parts of the brain, it also illustrates the strange phenomena involving brain dysfunctions through real stories of people from different walks of life. The author also invites the readers to widen their perspective when it comes to the human condition concerning the inner workings of the brain.

A book about the brain without defining the function of each of its parts is like a map without any roads. The readers would be lost in grasping the stories and insights as they would become meaningless and unrelatable. The nomenclature of the brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and occipital lobe can be a mouthful but they are important in understanding the brain mechanisms that govern human behavior. One example is the basal ganglia which help us talk by controlling the tongue positions in our mouth to produce the correct sound of a letter. It also controls our breathing and rhythm as we speak. Another part is the amygdala which evaluates emotions. When there’s a threat, it activates the fight or flight response in our body, preparing the body to face the threat or to run away from it. The regions of the brain work together for us to survive and thrive.

However, brain mechanisms can be affected by certain brain conditions and produce atypical behaviors. For instance, one 46-year-old woman whose plausibility-checking mechanism was faulty complained that her brain and internal organs were gone. Contrarily, a man who hasn’t learned to play the piano became a virtuoso after a concussion accident. More fascinating and strange but eye-opening stories like these are told in the book, making the book a page-turner as they sustained my curiosity until the last very page. 

The brain is indeed amazing when it comes to what it can do to help us survive and thrive, but it is also equally astonishing when its mechanisms are altered by a condition that can massively affect our life. With this reality, Dingman encourages readers to recognize the brain’s wonder and get the most out of life using its power. “So, take advantage of the functionality of your brain while you still can: create memories, experience emotion, indulge in pleasure (and practice restraint), think deeply, engage your body—do all those things that your brain permits you to do, and do them with great gusto.” Life becomes more meaningful with the knowledge of neuroscience. 

It is without a doubt that Bizarre is a must-read book about the brain. It explains the functionality of the brain, tells the stories of many people who have different brain wirings, and shows that the brain can be extraordinary or strange. It lets us see the brain’s significance in our lives. If you are curious, I highly recommend that you read this book.

Thank you, Marc Dingman and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC and give my honest thoughts about it. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Marc Dingman’s Website

Twitter

Book Information:

Bizarre by Marc Dingman

Published on February 7, 2023, by Nicholas Brealey

281 pages (eBook)

Find it here:

Goodreads