Ranch Boy
by H. Steven Robertson
Publisher: Rutledge Books Inc.
ISBN: 1582442169
Type: Fiction
Category: Action/Thriller
Pages: 293
ISBN No: 1-58244-216-9

One of the purposes of reading is to discover new and exciting places. A story well told, will take you on a journey far beyond your land to meet people who are exciting and complex all at once. Yet, you must not be taken too far away that you are not able to understand the conflicts, the interests and the plot of the story. In essence, a great story is one that strikes this balance. This is precisely what Ranch Boy achieves.

I would call this a ‘feel good book’ that teaches you just that little more about what life in America is like. It is not a book that tells you about the destruction of society. It is not about divorce, incest, murder or unhappiness. It is a story of a boy who struggles and comes through with flying colours on a subject that most teenagers have trouble with – growing up!

The story takes place in Sebring, Florida in 1959. Robbie Duncan, and his family have just moved to this city and at 15, Robbie has to “Go get a job.”

Robbie finds a job on a ranch. Although it is hot, back breaking and dangerous work, he finds that he really enjoys it. Robbie learns to be a cowboy. Inevitably, he meets a young girl, is smitten by her and his adventure in trying to ‘grow up’ are both hilarious, touching and emotional. The way in which these stories are written is to the author’s credit: more often than not, you find that you are quietly encouraging Robbie with, “No, Robbie. Don’t do this. Do that…”

The language used is easy to understand. The words and phrases are not complicated and as a bonus, the author even illustrates his description with drawings … all created by the author! This is good for those who live no where near a ranch and what a Brahman Bull or a Cattle Prod look like would be beyond one’s imagination.

It is possible that the objection to this book is the fact that Robbie as a school-going-teenager seems to have indulged in a sexual relationship well before he should have. Indeed the girl that he chose was one who was already ‘committed’ to another. That said, it would be a fallacy to think that most teenagers today do not know or indulge in themselves. Therefore, to look at this in a positive way, the author is to be congratulated for being able to write about this issue openly and in the process also ‘guiding’ Robbie.

In all, an enjoyable read.

Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramahansa Yogananda
Mass Market Paperback: 604 pages
Publisher: Self-Realization Fellowship (December 12, 1946)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0876120796
ISBN-13: 978-0876120798

When writing an autobiography, the challenge for the writer, I would imagine, would be to write a story that everyone would say, “I want to read that!” More often than not, autobiographies of celebrities, statesmen and others can be deadly dull. I found, however, that Autobiography of a Yogi is anything but dull.

In so writing his autobiography, I would say, Paramahamsa Yogananda has probably fulfilled his life’s mission and that was to introduce Eastern philosophy to the Western World. He writes with humour, simplicity and pure entertainment. However, all throughout the book you are learning. Learning about a philosophy, learning about the truth and yourself. Perhaps, one can say that he went beyond his divine mandate and actually introduced Eastern philosophy to the world.

What then is this Eastern philosophy that he talks so much about? It is all based in the art and practice of Kriya Yoga – prevented by divine injunction from explaining the whole concept, Paramahamsa Yogananda explains this as comprehensively as he can:

Kriya Yoga is a simple, psychophysiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen. The atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers. By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues; the advanced yogi transmutes his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir and other prophets were past masters in the use of Kriya or a similar technique, by which they caused their bodies to dematerialize at will. Kriya is an ancient science.

On the Amazon.com website, under Product Description it is stated as follows:

Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. This acclaimed autobiography presents a fascinating portrait of one of the great spiritual figures of our time. With engaging candor, eloquence, and wit, Paramahansa Yogananda tells the inspiring chronicle of his life: the experiences of his remarkable childhood, encounter with many saints and sages during his youthful search throughout India for an illumined teacher, ten years of training in the hermitage of a revered yoga master, and the thirty years that he lived and taught in America. Also recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

It is a profoundly inspiring and at the same time vastly entertaining read. I would recommend it to anyone!

Notes from a Small Island
Author: Bill Bryson
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0-552-99600-9
Publishers: Originally published in Great Britain by Doubleday, a division of Transworld Publishers Ltd.

On the back cover of the copy of this book I was given to read, this was stated:

“After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back tot the States for a while, to let his kids experience life in another country, to give his wife the chance to shop until 10 p.m. seven nights a week, and, most of all, because he had read that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another, and it was thus clear to him that his people needed him …”

I just knew I had to read this book … and I so enjoyed it.

The style of writing is interesting: At a first glance, you think that the author is really opening up and telling you his inner thoughts about a particular person or thing. Then he makes a joke about the subject which is really couched in terms so serious that you’re left wondering what are his real thoughts on the subject. And all throughout you’re laughing. A perfect example is his notes on his visit to Windsor Park:-

‘ … Once, on Boxing Day when I was ambling along in a paternal fashion beside an offspring on a shiny new tricycle, I became aware with a kind of sixth sense that we were holding up the progress of a car and turned to find that it was being driven by Princess Diana. As I hastened myself and my child out of the way, she gave me a smile that melted my heart, and since that time I have never said a word against the dear sweet girl, however pressed by those who think that she is a bit off her head because she spends £28,000 a year on leotards and makes occasional crank phone calls to hunky military men. (And who among us hasn’t? is my unanswerable reply)”

The author, in this book, has managed to combine four aspects of telling a great story into one book:

• An extensive knowledge in the history of the place, the geography of the land and the architecture of the buildings.
• As for its people, the ability to observe people around you is a must for any author. However, the ability to then use words to correctly ‘paint’ what you have observed is a skill and art and in this, Bill Bryson has is a master.
• He has been able to give the reader an insight into his inner thoughts, feelings, fears, frustrations and thereby make it a mini-autobiography.
• His commentary about politics, economics and life in general is to be applauded.
  In all, he has written with such humour that his book is really, pure entertainment.

Really, this has been one of the best books I have read in a long, long time.

If Life is a Game, These are the Rules
Ten Rules for Being Human as introduced in Chicken Soup for the Soul
Format: Paperback
Author: Chérie Carter-Scott, PhD
ISBN No: 0-7679-0388-9

If I were to ask you, “Are you on you path to success?” what would your answer be? Would you even know where or what ‘success’ is?

These were the very questions I had to ask myself several years ago and I did not have a ‘reference’ book to read to help. Then, I was given a copy of If Life is a Game, These are the Rules Ten Rule for Being Human as introduced in Chicken Soup for the Soul  and reading it was both illuminating and comforting.

In Preface of the book, Dr. Carter-Scott writes: “My hope is that this book will be a spiritual primer for those who are just setting out on their spiritual path, and a gentle reminder for those already well on their way.”

Then she proceeds, in a methodical manner, to set out all of the rules. The ten rules, are in themselves, not new. Many people have stated these very rules before. For ease of reference, they are as follows:

1.  You will receive a body.
2. You will be presented with lessons.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.
4. Lessons are repeated until learned.
5. Learning does not end.
6. “There” is no better than “here”.
7. Others are only mirrors of you.
8. What you make of your life is up to you.
9. All the answers lie inside of you.
10. You will forget all of this at birth.

What makes this particular book unique is the style of language and the illustrations used. Written using simple and is easy to understand English, the messages are conveyed in a clear manner. In addition, the way each chapter is broken into separate ‘sections’ is welcome, as upon completion of each section, a reader has ‘breathing space’ – one can think about a lesson/rule before jumping into the next one.

Dr. Carter-Scott explains her rules by providing illustrations in the form of stories. These are not stories that have been made up but are based on true people and events – people who have come to Dr. Carter, sought her help and found their own success. Some of the stories are also based on the author’s personal experiences.

Dr. Carter-Scott is by no means an amateur: she is an entreprenuer, international lecturer, consultant, trainer, author, coach, seminar, leader and founder of her Motivation Management Service Institute. Her list of credits is impressive and just too long to mention here. This book is a testament to he abilities in her chosen career.

In all, If Life is a Game, These are the Rules has managed to tap into the secret of good writing which is this: writing stories that emulate speech at its best, is clear and simplified. In this book, she proves that point that to make your message as clear as possible, the best way is to use stories

A very good read. Highly recommended.

The Discovery of India
Centenary Edition
Format: Paperback
Author: Jawaharlal Nehru
Publishers: Oxford University Press
ISBN No: 0 19 562359 2

When one reads a book, there must be a purpose to this exercise – be it for entertainment, pleasure, knowledge or just to ‘past time’. In reading The Discovery of India one is given the chance of experiencing all of these at once.

In conjunction with the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund in New Delhi, Oxford proudly announced the reissue of Glimpses of World History and The Discovery of India. Together, these two famous works by Jawaharlal Nehru, showed that he was one of modern day’s most articulate statesmen.

This book was written over five months when Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned in the Ahmadnagar Fort in 1945. It was then published in 1946 and has since acquired the status of a classic.

The story begins from prehistory to the last years of British colonial rule, some of the greatest heroes of India are mentioned. Analysing texts from the Vedas to the Upanishads, and epics such as the Mahabahrat and the Ramayana, and personalities like the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Nehru brings to life an ancient culture and land that has been the base and headquarters of some of the world’s great traditions of philosophy, science and art, and almost all its major religions.

Mr. Nehru’s narration of history and knowledge about India is excellent. Writing with pride about his motherland, he does not mince his words. Whilst singing the praises of his people’s successes and great heritage, he also acknowledges their failures and weaknesses. His intense dislike for British rule comes through and it is his hope for India that prevails.

At times, this book is also autobiographical and for anyone at all interested in the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty of today, this book serves to provide the reader with the story of one of its founding members. This only adds to the uniqueness of the book and makes it even more of an enjoyable read for the author has put a little of himself in his book – on of the most important ingredients of writing anything at all. At times, one feels that Mr. Nehru has just stopped by for a chat in your living room. The style of writing is such that you never feel that he is ‘lecturing’ you or even ‘teaching’ you. He is but discussing with you your heritage and really his abilities here show an in depth understanding of how to tell a story without sounding deadly dull.

To read The Discovery of India is to more than discover just India. Not limited to information about the subcontinent as it is today, one discovers the world from Plato, Emerson, the history of lands like Afghanistan, China’s ancient trade links with India and so much more. It is to venture into a discovery of the world itself. In countries where any historical or archaeological link with India and the Hindu religion is embarrassing and perhaps suppressed, it is most refreshing to read of the contributions of this ancient land to the world. It is a book that can make a person have inner knowledge and pride that he originates from so wonderful a land.

A very good read and a must for all who wish to know India.

FBI: The Fit Body Initiative
Steve Halls
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Bookshaker (November 17, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1905430086
ISBN-13: 978-1905430086

The title of this book, for me, was immediately arresting. I would hazard a guess that I am not the first person to wonder what on earth the ‘FBI’ has to do with being healthy. However, upon closer analysis, it becomes obvious that ‘FBI’ is short for “Fit Body Initiative’. In the title alone, this book has achieved the aim of catching a reader’s attention.

Furthermore, the ominous colour, black, for the background of the cover design with the words in ochre adds to the attraction of this book.

The purpose of this work is clearly stated on the back cover where Mr. Halls writes:

Imagine What You Could Achieve In 90 Days With Your Own Personal Trainer … Well this book is the next best thing and a lot more affordable – you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. 

The FBI has been specially written to help you change your lifestyle gradually. With nutritional advice, training tips and tasks that build into a comprehensive guide to a healthy lifestyle – you get in the best shape of your life one day at a time.

It is clear from the start that this is a book that you are expected to read once through for pleasure and, thereafter, refer to it each day for the next 90 days. This is evident from the fact that Mr. Halls has separated his book into 90 separate ‘#’s, i.e. the reader would begin with #1 on the first day, #2 on the second and so on. To make it an exciting book to read, Mr. Halls has taken the trouble to give a title to each ‘#’; for instance, #55 reads as ‘Get Fruity’ and right at the end of the page, he asks, “Are you eating a rainbow?” These questions and arrangement add to increasing the interest level of reading this book.

The tone in which the book is written is simple to understand as there is no flowery language used at any time. Also, there are various templates, ideas and tips to follow. In addition, there are exercises which are manageable for anyone. To ensure that these exercises are carried out in a proper manner, Mr. Halls has provided photographs of each and every step that should a reader to do.

From the Foreword written by Janine Machin, you’ll learn that Mr. Halls has an interesting background; it is only right at the end of the book, where there is a short biography of Mr. Halls, we learn more about the author. Perhaps, the most interesting fact about Mr. Halls is that in 2000, after serving for more than 23 years in the British Army, he left after he attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1. The discipline he clearly requires from anyone who chooses to undertake his programme. Mr. Halls is also qualified to present his fitness program as he undertook the Premier Diploma Course in Fitness Training and Sports Therapy.

With all of this information, knowledge, experience and even a plan put in place, I know that after writing this review, I’ll have no other excuse but to start this programme!

Focus Your Dreams, Control Your Money and Ignite Your Life
Format: e-course
Author: Rajen Devadason
Price: Free

Today, there are so many people who talk and talk and talk about investing and financial planning; but when it boils down to it, they really do not know the nuts and bolts of it. Rajen Devadason, however, is different. Rajen presents ideas that are so simple and easy to comprehend; they make complete sense and are told in such easy English that a ‘non-financial’ person, like me, would understand immediately. No doubt, his credibility is enhanced simply because he has had to experience the emotional and financial heartache of someone who has held a high position in his chosen career, then taken that leap of faith, left this dream job and fulfilled his dreams.

All of this and his vast knowledge comes through in his books; but it all begins with his e-course Focus Your Dreams, Control Your Money and Ignite Your Life.  In this, the concept that struck me the most was something along the lines of this:

Establish a reserve account of cash safely tucked away primarily (or even exclusively) in a bank account. If employed, buffer amounts to between 3 to 6 months’ expenses. If self-employed, buffer should be between 6 and 12 months. For this buffer – be concerned solely with return OF capital and not return ON capital!

Not one single person, to this date, has advised me in this manner. Everyone says, “You can only make money if you spend money. … even if it’s your savings!” What did I do with all that advice? I took it, spent many days pondering over it and really I was able to seek out the right people, ask the right questions and organise my finances in a suitable manner.

When you go through this ecourse, you also come to know a little about the story of Rajen’s life thus far. In so relating this, he has used one of the cardinal rules of telling a great story – tell a little of your own experiences and your story will be more appealing and human. His advice comes from years of practice and experience.

I highly recommend this ecourse.

For more on Focus Your Dreams, Control Your Money and Ignite Your Life please click here

3 Key Points to Remember When Writing for the Web

While many writers are eager to write for the internet it is important to consider the key differences between writing for a traditional print audience and an internet audience. Keeping these three points in mind will help you achieve success with your internet writing ventures.

Writing for the internet is different from traditional publishing formats in three essential ways:

~ Audience
~ Format
~ Lifespan

It is important to consider each difference while writing.

While audience is always a key consideration for any writer audience consideration is a primary factor for internet writers. While the basic considerations of audience (who do you expect to be your primary reading audience?) remain the same there are some important differences.

First, it is important to remember that in traditional publications your audience is somewhat captive. Once they have actually picked up or purchased a print media they are likely to at least give it a few pages before ditching it. However on the internet the audience can move away from your words with a click of the button so you need to be focused and on target. You can’t take time for a slow buildup or meandering discussion. If you (the writer) do not seem to be delivering the goods then the reader will simply move on. This does not mean you need to cater to the lowest denominator but it does mean that you need to know your audience as well as how to respond to that audiences’ needs and desires.

Another important point is that many internet readers scan documents quickly before committing themselves to reading. It is important to write clearly and concisely as well as use punchy headlines and subheadings as well as catchy introductions and conclusions as these are key points for scanning.

While at first glance internet documents appear to mimic traditional print documents there are many major differences. One of the most important is the entry point. A search engine may deliver readers to some point in the middle or end of your document. If you have written a coherent and cohesive piece then those readers may well move back to the beginning to read properly. In response to this, and the scanning readers mentioned above, it is best to break longer documents into several stand-alone pieces that can work together as a whole or as separate documents if approached in that manner.

Finally, an important difference between traditional publications and internet publications is lifespan. While the apparent lifespan of many electronic documents appears to be fleeting that is not in fact true. Newspaper and magazine articles in print publications may only be current for a day, week or month but be archived on the internet. Internet publications are frequently archived on the internet for years. So while it is important as a writer to be fresh and current also keep in mind that your reader may access your words at some undetermined point in the future.

Keeping these three key points — audience, format, and lifespan — in mind when writing for the internet will help you achieve greater writing success.

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Liliane: Resurrection of the Daughter [Paperback]
Ntozake Shange
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; First Edition edition (October 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312644108
ISBN-13: 978-0312644109

“I travel a lot,” Liliane tells us early on. “I look at men and take some home or leave the country, borders have never intimidated me. My passport is in order and I carry letters of credit, perfume, four fancy dresses and six nightgowns. I always sleep naked alone at least once a week. I pray and say hail marys by some window at dusk. It’s always best for me to deal with the sacred when I’m naked. For me it has something to do with humility.”

Meet Liliane, easily among the most exuberant, most grittily real characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering in a novel. A spirited artist troubled by her parents’ separation in childhood, and by the killing of a friend by an abusive lover, Liliane’s life is revealed to us through the monologues of those presently or previously close to her, illuminating both her extraordinary character and the climates of racial and sexual politics through which they have all lived. From miscegenation to the March on Washington, through virginity and feminism, the voices of her lovers, friends and sometimes Liliane herself take the reader through a rich, sometimes brutal plot landscape. (Watch out for the chapter in which Liliane begins to fantasize about a man she’s never met, obsessively trying to capture him in sketches, sleeping beneath six-foot long metal dreads she thinks might be his – it’s quite remarkable.)

To be able to answer her own questions, Liliane turns to her art. When she cannot even begin to ask the questions she needs answers for, Liliane seeks her psychoanalyst. These segments, which come between chapters and are stripped-down and immediate in nature, are full of challenging, well-crafted dialogue that were no doubt honed on the Obie award-winning Shange’s background in theatre.

Also noteworthy is how, unlike for instance Julia Alvarez’s ¡Yo! (at the end of which the reader sympathizes with every character but the one the book is supposed to be about), a novel which is told mostly through the multiple perspectives of various secondary characters could paint so captivating a portrait of its intended protagonist.

Liliane has a succulence normally associated with fruit, but without the requisite seeds and stickiness that tend to come with writing of the exotic variety. The prose is sensuous, musical, almost exquisite even at its most starkly disturbing.

All that being said, this novel isn’t for everybody. A lack of interest in the particular social issues and periods of the novel, the various references (“I heard Eric Dolphy in his eyes”) and even the rhythm of the language could well throw some off. But for anyone looking for a book with a strong, multifaceted woman of colour as its central character, or just some really unique writing, this is it.

***

Review by Sharanya Manivannan