My Buy Essay

The Alchemist is one of those “esoteric” feeling books that makes you feel like life is vivid again.

It certainly plays on the feeling that “there is something more” that you’ve forgotten and the thought that you are part of a bigger plan.

As you follow Santiago, the shepherd boy on his adventure, you will automatically question your own adventure in life; are you living up to your higher purpose? Why have you forgotten your way? What else is out there that you should be doing? Have you betrayed what you were meant to do with your life?

Asking questions like this…feeling the feelings that go along with such questions…it really is a wonderful way to live. For the short time that you read this book, you will feel more alive. You will feel more in tune with “the universe”. You will feel that wonderful 1-in-the-morning-stare-out-the-window-and-listen-to-the-wind feeling…that is…unless you don’t know what that feels like.

Santiago follows his dreams, which take him from Spain to Morocco and then Egypt, all in search of a special treasure. During his travels he learns lessons from messengers that seem placed in his path at the right moment, just when he needs them.

The author, Paulo Coelho, is a Brazilian writer who is very well-liked. I heard that Madonna loves him. I have read several of his books, but I think this is the best one. He has churned out quite a few more books in the last few years that I have not read yet, so it is certainly possible that he has outdone The Alchemist. I’ll check it out.

A few of his books have been non-fiction and about his own life. From what I can piece together, Paulo is a member of a little-known Mystic Catholic sect which seeks after spiritual growth. They assign previously unknown international mentors to their members…older men who have attained a high degree of spiritual power (and worldly success?). I won’t even go into some of the weird stuff they do, but if you want to an idea, pick up “The Pilgrimage”, also by Coelho.

But do read The Alchemist; it is just such a good book. It will definitely give you a wisdom-buzz…or an “esoteric-buzz”.

Today I was reading an interview with Paulo, in which he talked about watching for “Omens” in your life that only you will recognize. It’s a language the “Universe” speaks to you through…like coincidences, songs, feelings, synchronicities. This is a theme he definitely speaks a lot about in The Alchemist.

Some people complain that the book is too simplistic, that you would be stupid to believe that there is some “plan” for your life that you should have followed; that you should wake up, take your head out of the “touchy-feely” clouds and get back to work.

If you are prone to such thoughts, perhaps this book is not for you. However, if you enjoy waking up your soul from time to time, there is no better place to do it than in the clouds.

The life of a guy is not as easy as it looks. It’s not just about holding down a job or being a father figure to his kids. It’s throwing a football, grilling a steak, fixing things around the house and coaching sports teams. It’s telling jokes, playing golf and picking a beer. And it’s easy to get lost.

Now there’s help. “50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do: Celebrity and Expert Advice on Living Large” (Plume, $13), edited by Daniel Kline and Jason Tomaszewski, provides hints and tips on those essential guy skills and more-including tricking out your car, playing poker, dressing for a date, lasting in bed and even starting your own business-from knowledgeable people including “Queer Eye”’s Carson Kressley, poker legend Amarillo Slim, comedian Carrot Top, movie critic Leonard Maltin, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar and “The Surreal Life” producer Mark Cronin.

This book is an all-in-one resource to help you handle all the demands made on men in modern life. It makes a great gift for any man who wants to know how to weather life’s tough spots and enjoy the pleasures of manhood.

It takes more than combat gear to be a man… it takes the advice in this book.

Author of two books and many short stories, J.P. Ransom is busily writing a series of books called Colla’d Greens and two more upcoming books including a sequel to Born Evil.

Born Evil is a compact, 150-page book that is printed on acid-free paper &ndash which may be of interest to the environmentally conscious consumer. I would categorize this book as a chilling horror, which involves an infant that is born evil. Traumatized by early experiences, only compounds Jonathan’s natural inclination &ndash a cruel desire to cause harm. Unprepared for a disturbed child, his adopted parents are continually wallowing in deep pits of overwhelming uncertainty. Rick suspects the truth, but Trish finds it very hard to imagine or even accept that little Jonathon is capable of such hateful acts.

I think the book makes a good point that some people are simply born with a desire to do harm, with no abusive situation to attribute these urges to. Readers are also shown how these urges can easily be encouraged through socially acceptable entertainment and through being witness to violent acts.

While reading Born Evil, I experienced a wide range of emotions from anger to sorrow and shock. The conclusion was exceptional and I look forward to J.P. Ransom’s sequel.

ISBN#: 1410788520

Author: J.P. Ransom

Publisher: Author House

Recently chosen by Writer’s Digest magazine as one of the best new self-published books of 2005, ‘Buddha in the Boardroom’ is a clever and entertaining blend of business challenges and Buddhist philosophy.

“What a charming book! MacConnell and Mosher have successfully juxtaposed wonderful, simple Buddhist wisdom with the everyday ordinary, focusing on work life. Indeed, why not have a Buddha in the Boardroom. For that matter, simple Buddhist wisdom is helpful anywhere…This is an easy, very pleasant read - with great substance.”

Writer’s Digest magazine

Learn the secrets of the original self-help Guru. Over 2,500 years ago The Buddha shared with his followers what Western medicine has realized less than 200 years ago: emotional suffering can be just as painful and debilitating as physical suffering.

Buddhism teaches us that if we learn to handle our relationships properly our life will be easier. Learn how your chaotic and stressful workplace environment is really a series of relationships, whether it is with your boss, co-workers, customers, salesmen, competition, or suppliers. Each chapter shows how by learning to handle these workplace relationships properly, you not only increase your chances of success, but your job can actually becomes less stressful and more enjoyable.

“You will see yourself and everyone you know in the chapters of this book.”

Heather McGough

Sometimes funny and sometimes serious, discover for yourself why ‘Buddha in the Boardroom’ has been called ‘the business book that is inspirational.’ Chapters include: competition, conflicts, controlling anger, risk taking, ethics, handling change, teamwork, goal setting, time management and many more in 30 chapters and 138 pages.

Buddhism is universally accepted because it is not in conflict with any religion nor with science. See for yourself why Buddhism is not for everyone, it’s only for those who want to live a happier and more productive life.

If you recently watched the very popular Disney movie “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, you might be aware that C. S. Lewis wrote a total of seven books about Narnia. These are, in order of the internal chronology of events:

1 - The Magician’s Nephew

2 - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

3- The Horse and His Boy

4 - Prince Caspian

5 - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

6 - The Silver Chair

7 - The Last Battle

The novel “Prince Caspian” begins one year after the events told in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” on a railroad platform where Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy are waiting for trains that will take them to their boarding schools. Suddenly they feel themselves transported into another world, and after a few hours of wandering about they realize that it is Narnia, where many centuries have passed in the meantime.

The second plot line involves young Prince Caspian, heir to the throne of Narnia, who has to flee from his usurping uncle Miraz. Deep in a forest he discovers some of the “Old Narnians” - talking beasts and dwarfs - and later decides to challenge his uncle for the kingship.

Soon, though, the military situation deteriorates for Caspian and his small army, and they end up besieged on Aslan’s How, a hill built over the site of the stone table that played a crucial role in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. When things look utterly bleak, Caspian uses his most precious object, Queen Susan’s Horn, to summon help.

This review does not try to give away too much more of the plot and spoil the reader’s enjoyment, so let me just say that the two plot lines intertwine, there are thrilling battle scenes (including a duel) and a wonderful celebration at the end.

Lewis does a good job of showing the gradual re-transformation of the four children, who once again turn from being English schoolchildren to becoming Kings and Queens of Narnia.

To me, “Prince Caspian” is one of the three best books in the Narnia series, together with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “The Magician’s Nephew”. In many ways, it repeats themes from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, but adds an interesting perspective by having the events of the earlier book become the stuff of legend.

“The Magician’s Nephew is chronologically the first book in the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. Set about 50 Years before the events in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, it describes how the land of Narnia came into being.

If you watched the recent movie “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, you might have wondered about two details: why does a wardrobe lead into the magical land of Narnia, and why does Lucy find a lantern burning in the middle of a forest?

“The Magician”s Nephew” answers these questions (though I will not give the answers away in this review) and many more. The novel contains the genesis (literally) of the entire Narnia cycle.

The story begins in late 19th-century London, when two children, Polly and Digory accidentally enter the secret study of Digory’s eccentric uncle Andrew while exploring a passage that connects the attics of several houses.

The uncle is actually a magician, and he tricks Polly and his nephew into performing an experiment involving magic rings. These rings transport the children into the “Wood between the Worlds”, a quiet forest that contains numerous small pools serving as gates to other worlds. Polly and Digory jump into one of the pools and explore the ruined city of Charn, where Digory is faced with a great temptation. A sign on a small bell next to a sleeping woman proclaims:

Make your choice, adventurous Stranger,

Strike the bell and bide the danger,

Or wonder, till it drives you mad,

What would have followed if you had.

Digory is unable to resist and strikes the bell, which has momentous consequences. The sound awakens the woman, Empress Jadis, who had destroyed the entire city of Charn with a curse thousands of years ago. She manages to follow the children to London, and scenes of hilarious mayhem ensue.

Eventually, the two children, the uncle, the cruel Empress and a cabbie and his horse are transported back to the Wood between the Worlds and from there to a new world that is just coming into being - Narnia.

The creation of Narnia is described in poetic detail, and afterwards Digory has to atone for his earlier mistake by resisting another temptation - the fruit from the forbidden tree. The history of Narnia begins, but the shadow of evil (the Empress will one day return as the White Witch) and the future necessity of Aslan’s sacrifice are already hinted at.

Sound plays an important role in this novel: there is the drowsy stillness of the Wood between the Worlds, the barren silence of the city of Charn shattered by the bell, the harmony of the celestial spheres and the creative song of Aslan’s voice. All this makes “The Magician”s Nephew” a true prelude to Narnia.

Be careful what you wish for! Birthday wishes may just be a little more powerful than we give them credit for…

Caleb’s Birthday Wish is a wonderful tale about holding on to one’s dream despite whatever we might see as obstacles. Written by David Villanueva jr. and illustrated by Edmundo Sanchez, Caleb’s Birthday Wish brings us a wonderful, freckle-faced 8-year-old boy in a wheelchair that wanted very much to fly. Caleb goes on a fun and exciting balloon trip where he is briefly caught in a tree, had a slight alligator scare, enjoyed a chimpanzee race, met a sneezing giraffe and had a close call with a zooming jet. Finally, aided by friendly ducks (and his powerful birthday wish) Caleb finds his way back to the birthday party that is still going strong in his back yard.

The last few pages are well designed for this age group with a maze, seek and count games and a word search. 40-pages are filled with a light-humor and the main character has a cheerful and dream-filled disposition. His faithful dog, Ozzy, is there with him throughout the tale &ndash with the exception of the flight itself.

I can say with honesty, that I enjoyed reviewing this book…

ISBN#: 0-9771971-8-2

Author: David Villanueva jr.

Illustrator: Edmundo Sanchez

Publisher: A Better Be Write Publisher

There is no question about it - Americans are running out of time. Family dinners are a thing of the past. We run from appointment to appointment, take work home, and cram leisure time into short bursts of stress filled moments. The question is, how did we did get into this predicament? It certainly isn’t because we are inefficient. In the past 25 years, economists estimate that productivity has increased by 70% or more. We have overnight delivery, cell phones, fast food, and instant messaging. Shouldn’t our ability to get more work done give us more time? Where does all this “extra” time go?

According to Dr. Bill Quain, we are spending too much time at work, and not enough time on the things we really want to do. Americans in the 21st century work more hours than peasants did in the Middle Ages, and spend less time at home with their families because of it. We are busy staying busy, but all that work doesn’t always translate to a better lifestyle. Our debt is up, and our leisure time is down. In fact, we don’t even take the leisure time we’ve earned. More than 25 percent of Americans will take no vacation days at all next year.

Dr. Bill Quain, an experienced author, businessman, university professor and speaker prescribes a cure for the whole treadmill syndrome. Dr. Quain, known as “The Time Doctor,” says he is the first person to really solve the time problem. His book, “Overcoming Time Poverty: How to Achieve More by Working Less”, doesn’t cost much or take much time to read. But it explains a system for gaining not only more free time but also more wealth, with less work.

While many popular authors and business experts recommend taking more time off from work to improve your quality of life, Dr. Quain says that can be a prescription for disaster. “Most people trade their time for money,” says Quain. “If you work less, you make less! Then, your quality of life suffers.” In his book, he describes a simple, five-step process to create more leisure time, with the money to enjoy it.

According to Quain, the process of overcoming time poverty is different than for overcoming financial poverty. Financially poor people don’t have money, but time poor people do have time. “We all get the same &ndash 24 hours per day. It isn’t a lack of time, it is the way we use that time that matters,” says Quain.

How should we use our time? “Don’t just trade your time, hour by hour, for a paycheck,” he says. “Use some of your time to create equity, and then let the equity make money for you.” In his book, Quain shows readers how to develop five kinds of wealth-and-time generating equity. Instead of working more hours, people can now increase the value of each and every hour &ndash giving them more choices as to how they spend their time.

Quain says that most of us are just playing the wrong game. We work hard to make money, and then work more hours when we want more money. Soon, we have money, but no time.

It is time to play a new game — make more money in less time. Take a job you like, but get off the “fast track” at work. Then, leverage your time equity outside work to combine the income of a CEO with the leisure time of a retiree.

And that sounds like a perfect prescription for coping with the time challenges of the 21st century.

Remember the Batman movies? Well, the movie producer of successful movies like these and entertaining children’s television shows such as Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, Michael Uslan, has released this adorable children’s book. Chatterbox &ndash The Bird Who Wore Glasses is available in a durable, hard-cover format with a lovely cover sleeve that will help prolong the life of the book. At 40 pages and full of excellent illustrations, this book is sure to entertain children.

Sad, red-headed Nancy doesn’t fit in well with the other kids who call her “Nancy Nobody”. She wished and wished for a new friend and one day the dream came true when a feathered, sight-challenged friend flew her way. Nancy felt needed, she was loved, and her world was set right by her new funny bird.

John Steven Gurney, a very successful artist and illustrator, colorfully illustrates the large pages with plenty of things to look at. Written in playful, light verse the author does mention things like prayer and “God’s love”, there fore it may appeal to a religious audience.

The book includes a CD with 2 songs and the orated version of the story by actress Brittany Murphy (voice of Luanne on King of the Hill, also known for her parts in Clueless and Up Town Girls). This could certainly appeal to the independent child who wants to “read” the book themselves. As well, the CD option may provide a few extra minutes for busy caregivers. The bullying shown in the beginning of the story, though very minor, may be useful for building empathy in the classroom for lonely and segregated individuals.

Children with family pets, especially birds, would definitely enjoy this book. Also, kids that are just becoming used to either themselves or someone they know who has recently gotten eye-glasses.

Chatterbox &ndash The Bird Who Wore Glasses is actually the first book in a series by the author Michael Uslan. Check out the website for the book at: (dot)chatterboxthebirdwhoworeglasses(dot)com

ISBN#: 0-97538432-5

Author: Michael E. Uslan

Illustrator: John Steven Gurney

Publisher: EE Publishing & Productions, Inc.

Howard Jonas, founder and chairman of IDT Corp., was 14 years old when he started selling hot dogs on a street corner in the Bronx. Today, he runs a multibillion dollar telecommunications company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. What is the secret of his success?

The answer, he says, is in his religious commitment and the title of his most recent book, “I’m Not the Boss, I Just Work Here.”

Jonas recalls that as a little boy his father told him how the biblical Joseph, a slave of Egypt, rose to be a master of Potiphar’s house.

Potiphar was the prime minister of Egypt. Joseph, a lowly Hebrew slave, had one of the simplest jobs in the household - sweeping the floor. Yet, taking a break when more work could be done didn’t seem right to Joseph.

One day Potiphar showed up particularly late and all of the servants had left, except for Joseph. Joseph was sweeping the floor just one more time. Potiphar realized that Joseph was a man he could trust because if this slave wouldn’t “steal” a moment’s rest from him, he certainly wouldn’t steal from the household.

“I’ve kept this Joseph story in mind as I’ve built my company,” Jonas writes. Jonas believes that people who not only accept but embrace life’s challenges are truly actualizing God’s will for humanity.

Personally and professionally, Jonas has had enormous success. “Success is not a reward,” he writes. “Sometimes it’s just a sign of having tried hard and often.”

But he also has had more than his fair share of failures as he reveals in “I’m Not the Boss, I Just Work Here.” Jonas candidly shares with readers a time in his life in which he struggled with severe depression. Jonas says he wrote this book hoping to inspire and encourage others by the example of his response to adversity and the strength of his relationship with God.