The New Book Review

Monday, September 24, 2018

Dr. Bob Rich Reviews Real Magic

Real Magic by Dean Radin

Title: Real Magic

Subtitle: Ancient wisdom, modern science, and a guide to the secret power of the universe

2018

New York: Harmony Books

ISBN 978‑1‑5247‑5883‑7

Purchase on Amazon

Reviewed by Dr. Bob Rich

Given my scientific training, I don’t believe anything, but go with the evidence. This has led me to a tentative model of reality, which I modify as I am forced to accept new findings.

The worldview I have developed over the years has been supported and strengthened by reading Real Magic by Dean Radin. However, I have also needed to modify it. In clear and often humorous language, Dean presents the case for the reality of “paranormal” abilities. The experiments, observations and examination of historical records are convincing evidence that people can use mental force to affect objects, influence other people, change the future, and foresee what is going to happen. There is even the case of one person reported to be able to influence large-scale weather events.

As with another of my interests, evidence for reincarnation, the reaction of many people is dismissal. It can’t be true, because it is unscientific.

This is “scientism,” and is illogical. Science is not a body of beliefs, but a method of inquiry that can be applied to any field -- and we need to go with the findings regardless of where they take us.

About my only criticism of this amazing book is overkill in two chapters. Chapter 4 on the history of magic, and chapter 8 on the opinions of contemporary scientists, are full of names, each an appropriate documentation, but too many of them. This eagerness to document is understandable when facing the prejudice of scientism, but even without all those allies, Dean’s case is indisputable.

There is also the examination of how such things are possible. The conclusion is the same as that of quantum mechanics, and of the study of reincarnation: The Universe is One, and is Consciousness. The material universe we sense, of matter, energy and time, is a derivative of this Consciousness. And the Universe is indivisible, whole, so your consciousness is part of All, and separation is an illusion. When you can tune into the Universal Consciousness you are, you can do things that make no sense from an isolated, materialist perspective.

Every intelligent person, and especially every scientist, should read this book.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr. Bob Rich is interested in approximately everything, so that’s what he reads about — and that’s what he writes about. If you want to be amused, entertained, challenged, even outraged, but never bored, visit his blog, Bobbing Around https://bobrich18.wordpress.com

Bob is also an award-winning editor. Currently, he is running a free book edit contest. Entry is free. Deadline is October 15, so hurry. Prize is the free edit of a book-length manuscript. Every entry (200 word synopsis + the first 1000 words) is edited for free, this being an immediate, free benefit of entering. Details are at https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1jZ

Learn more about Bob at http://bobswriting.com and read his newsletter at Bobbing Around https://bobrich18.wordpress.com. Find him on Twitter, too! @bobswriting

"Commit random acts of kindness."

"Live simply so you may simply live."

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Friday, September 21, 2018

Midwest Book Review Editor Reviews Book on Getting "Forever Reviews"

Title: How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Publisher: CreateSpace, 4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406

Author's website: http://howtodoitfrugally.com
ISBN: 9781536948370

$17.95, PB (also available for all ebook readers on Amazon)

340pp

Purchase on Amazon

Reprinted with permission from the Midwest Book Review

Reviewed by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief of Midwest Book Review

Full disclosure -- I have been the editor-in-chief of the Midwest Book Review for some 43 years now and I have known Carolyn Howard-Johnson in a professional capacity as a freelance book publicist and promoter for more than two decades. I and the Midwest Book Review are mentioned quite positively a number of times in the pages of "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically", which also includes her adaptation of our "Reviewer Guidelines". We are cyberspace pen-pals and I have given positive reviews for her two previous 'how to' books for writers and publishers: "The Frugal Book Promoter" and "The Frugal Editor".

"How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" deftly draws upon Carolyn's many years of experience and expertise in helping writers avoid various kinds of pitfalls, misconceptions, and in dealing with the out-and-out scams perpetrated on unsuspecting authors, as well as helping them reach their dreams of great reviews, great book tours, and great launches.

Every aspect of acquiring usable reviews on a 'shoestring/no-string' marketing budget is covered. Of special note to me as an editor of reviews is the fifth section (Writing Reviews Are Powerful Platform Builders) with its instructions on writing professional quality reviews.

Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, style, commentary and presentation, I have only one little quibble with this first edition -- half the references to the Midwest Book Review are not on the page numbers cited in the Index but are to be found a couple of pages later! I know because (my ego being what it is) that's the first thing I looked at when picking up the book for review! But this is something easily corrected in what is certain to be the next printing now that I've drawn Carolyn's attention to it (she is a notorious stickler for detail!).

A fundamental and superbly organized do-it-yourself instruction manual and guide, "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" should be considered mandatory reading for every self-published author aspiring to a professional career and every independent press publisher seeking to achieve financial success. It could well serve as a curriculum textbook for college Writing/Publishing courses.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" is appropriately subtitled -- The ins and outs of using free reviews to build and sustain a writing career.

Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Simply stated, this comprehensive, definitive, do-it-yourself guide, "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically", is the next best thing to hiring Carolyn to personally create a review driven marketing campaign for your book.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Midwest Book Review Editor Reviews Book on Getting "Forever Reviews"

Monday, September 10, 2018

How to Think by Allan Jacobs Helps Cope with Current Events

How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds by Allan Jacobs Helps Cope with Current Events

Author Allan Jacobs Offers Food for Thought

Hardcover ISBN-10: 0451499603
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-0451499608

eBook ASIN: B01MR8V850
Print Length: 162 pages

Amazon review reprinted with permission of reviewer Carolyn Wilhelm.

Thinking is needed in today’s world, and first teachers might consider this topic at a high level before introducing a unit about which news is real and which might be fake. The topics of alternative facts, social media arguing not based on fact, and emotional struggles with the avalanche of information are discussed in this text. How to deal with it all? Jacobs has several well-researched thoughts. I have to admit some of the book would require further study on my part and therefore it would be good for a book group to discuss.

Jacobs tackles many common myths about how people think that we may take for granted without — well, thinking about them. He quotes several famous leaders who have written books in the field of thinking, and makes several insightful observations we can take to heart to help us deal with information and misinformation in today’s world. He cites books used in schools such as Lois Lowery’s The Giver. He quotes John Stuart Mill and C.S. Lewis. It was helpful that I had recently read Making Sense of the Bible by Adam Hamilton as some of the same questions were discussed in both books. Jacobs quotes T. S. Elliot as saying when we do not know something for sure, we tend to substitute emotions for knowledge. Teachers know this plays out in the classroom often.

He quotes Marilynne Robinson as saying we invest in not knowing some things in order to have the pleasure of sharing an attitude one knows is socially approved. Teachers notice this happening in the classroom as well. This might be harmless for children to keep friends at school, of course. Thinking is a science, not an art, and there is no set of directions to follow to produce reliable thought. Perhaps that is the problem with trying to teach an entire school of children to think?

Jacobs argues there is no real thinking for yourself, as in when you hear people say, “She finally started thinking for herself!” He says it means instead of thinking like one group, the person has actually started thinking more like a different group. He says there is no thinking without the influence of other people. How do we react without hating or antagonizing “the other?” How do we think amid the chaos of the information age? How do we think when we get bits of information thrown at us constantly without time to research, reflect, and consider what is being said? Patience is one habit of thoughtful people Jacob states.

The book offers examples of what happens when people are given wait time. One of the vignettes in the book is about how Jacobs wanted to argue with a someone only to be told to give it five minutes. He shares examples of how thinking can change if a person has to wait a minute or two before talking. In the classroom, we give wait time (hopefully) to children who might need to process the information before answering a question. Offering wait time to children before answers are required fits in well with the information in this book. We can give ourselves thinking time before responding on Twitter and Facebook, and also in real life as one step forward. We can encourage students to do the same.

Carolyn read this book as a classroom teacher who has taught thinking skills to an entire elementary school as a gifted education specialist.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Inspiration! Travel! Self-Help! Review for Watching the Daisies

Title: Watching the Daisies

Subtitle: Life Lessons on the Importance of Slow

Author: Brigid P. Gallagher

Genre: Inspirational, Memoir, Self Help, Travel.

ISBN: 978-0-9935923-6-2

Purchase:

https://amazon.com/dp/B01N3M9VJ0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/watching-the-daisies-brigid-p-gallagher/1126231153

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/watching-the-daisies

Reviewed with permission by Wendy Hodgson originally on Amazon.co.uk

"I loved this book - so much so that I read it twice which isn't something I do very often. The book took me on a journey combining practical tips with an inspiring insight into destinations I've never been to. I'm tempted to add some of the destinations to my bucket list!

This is a really relaxing read and very inspiring as it shows how you can overcome adversity to live an inspiring and fun life. The author is never daunted by her experience of living with fibromyalgia and pushes through with courage to visit far off destinations and rise to new challenges. The journey takes the reader on a path full of emotion - laughter, sadness, fun and frolicks - the route has them all!
A truly lovely, gentle and relaxing book which makes a perfect holiday read."

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brigid P. Gallagher aspired to becoming a doctor but it was not her destiny. Instead she embarked on studies to become one of the first natural medicine practitioners in Scotland, eventually becoming a tutor for community projects, a women's prison, and the Open Studies and Summer Schools of Stirling University from 1993 to 1999. In 1999, she relocated to Donegal, Ireland - the home of her ancestors. Four years later she succumbed to a mystery illness that was eventually diagnosed as fibromyalgia. "Stopping the World" forced her to reassess her life, and creative writing became a significant aid in her recovery. She eventually retrained in organic horticulture, worked in the glorious gardens of Glenveagh Castle, and inspired children and teachers to create organic school gardens.

Learn more about Brigid P. Gallagher at:

Website: https://watchingthedaisies.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watchingthedaisies/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/watchingthedai1

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

First, They Were Children by David Butler Makes Important Points

First, They Were Children: Origin Stories of 7 People Who Changed the World

Book by David Butler
July 7, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
148 Pages
Paperback ISBN-10: 1720481385

Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1720481386

eBook ASIN: B07F242MQ9

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Nikolas Tesla and Thomas Edison were all children once? Of course, we all know famous people used to be children, but until reading this new book, I had not read short childhood biographies of people who changed the world, much less understood their common characteristics. The author does a service by writing this book for adults as it is true that there are biographies for children about these people. First, They Were Children shares many important thinking and discussion points.

The stories about the childhood of these geniuses have some striking and surprising commonalities, as well as interesting facts. All seven people did not have the exact same characteristics, but often four of them shared some trait or experience. Would we read this to try to develop such gifted people? No, as it is partly the time period of history, world events, and family life which combined to help them. Each person’s story is told until they are about age 21, then stops, as we all know the rest. The author’s observations chapter summarizes his thoughts. He provides a diagram of the traits for all of the people while showing which belong to each of the seven people. It does give one pause to think.

As a teacher, in the fall we would get our new class lists, and when we had maybe 15 boys and 7 girls, we would say it was preparation for a coming war. Who knows, but it stopped our possible complaining about how active our classes would be. What I mean is people are born at certain times and that the future doesn’t just happen all at once someday in the far future. A life starts at the beginning.

Yes, the times were important to allow these people to excel in their chosen fields, as I read in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers. But there was something going on from birth for each person, and the way was paved with a combination of intelligence, environment, family, and access to the technologies of the time. It began with perhaps being born with a large head, educated parents, or the conditions to foster curiosity and interest in learning. None of these people were complainers, and they all showed continued persistence and had to deal with less than understanding teachers and principals. They all faced obstacles of some kind and, before reading this book, I had no idea how many things they each had to endure. Yes, luck was on their side, but they did not have completely easy lives. Reading this book shows how true it is when people say luck is how hard you work.

This book has implications for schools who may have gifted education courses to perhaps be more flexible about grade levels and have more willingness to try advanced curriculum with students who could possibly be mislabeled as having behavior issues. It was a near miss a few times for several of these people who obviously did make it through life, but not without having to change schools or be taught at home.

One interesting fact in the book is that some of the people were slow to speak, doing so at ages 3 or 4. I did teach several years of gifted education classes, and it was not unusual for a student to leave a challenging class to walk across the hall to the speech teacher. Of course, that doesn’t happen to all bright people, but it was interesting to me that it was one of the characteristics mentioned.

I recommend this book to bright secondary students struggling with the prescribed curriculum, parents dealing with gifted children and the related challenges, and schools looking to be more empathetic to very intellectual children. Often, it is a difficult road for children and families. This author understands.

Review reprinted with the permission of the review, Carolyn Wilhelm and the author of the book, David Butler.

First, They Were Children by David Butler Makes Important Points

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Creative Ink, Flashy Fiction: Flash Fiction Anthology Review

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi-award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see the submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Title: Creative Ink, Flashy Fiction: Flash Fiction Anthology
Subtitle: Book 3 (Flash Fiction Anthologies) (Volume 3)
Series: Flashy Fiction Anthologies
Authors: Theodore Jerome Cohen (Author), Alyssa Devine(Author)
Publisher: CreateSpace
Language: English
Paperback ISBN-10: 1981157905 (April 5, 2018)
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1981157907
eBook ASIN: B079NL2S68
Genre: Flash Fiction

Amazon review by Carolyn Wilhelm, reprinted with permission.

5 out of 5 stars

More Fabulous Flash Fiction Tantalizing Tales

April 6, 2018 Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I waited for this new book and am not disappointed with the variety and cleverness of the writing pieces. The author easily sets the stories in scenes from long ago to the modern day from multiple ethnicities and viewpoints. The stories span a wide range of emotion and perspectives. Some will tug at my heart a long time, such as the one set in an orphanage.

There are serious military stories interspersed with humorous animal ones such as Photobomb. All reveal human truths. Most were inspired by interesting or unusual photographs found on the Internet.

My grandmother’s first American words were, “Vel, vel.” She always pronounced them that way and some of the characters did too. I liked that! I am impressed by the ability of the author to authentically represent so many situations with such a deep understanding of human nature. Every story ends with a zinger. I will be thinking about this book for some time to come.

Theodore Jerome Cohen is an Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Star, and a NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winner for Winter 2018: Best Book in the Anthology category. "Alyssa Devine" is a pen name he uses when he writes Young Adult (YA) novels.

Dr. Cohen says: As in Books 1 and 2 of Creative Ink, Flashy Fiction, the contents of this third anthology, each story 250 words or less in length, are best compared to a handful of peanuts or M&M's. Which is to say, they're tiny, bite-sized morsels that won't let you stop with one! A few of the stories found here were entered into Flash Fiction Challenges managed by the Website Indies Unlimited.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Leslie C. Halpern Reviews How-To Book for Writers

Title: How to Get Great Reviews Frugally and Ethically

Subtitle: The Ins and Outs of Using Free Reviews to Build and Sustain a Writing Career

Series: HowtoDoItFrugally Series for Writers, Volume 3

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Publisher: Createspace

ISBN: 9781536948370 (Oct. 2016)

Genre: Nonfiction/How-To/Writing

Reviewed by Leslie C. Halpern originally for MyShelf.com

Many writers possess only a vague idea of how reviews sell books or establish an author’s brand. Former marketer/publicist Carolyn Howard-Johnson provides a definitive 340-page guide explaining why authors need reviews, how to find reviewers, sending books out for review, Amazon.com’s role in reviews, building a platform based on reviews, writing reviews, planning a media kit, and other essential tools for successfully launching a book and enjoying future sales.

Divided into six sections and 15 chapters – plus appendices with resources and sample letters – the text allows for skipping around from chapter to chapter. Anywhere in the writing process, from idea development to years after publication, authors can find advice for acquiring or using reviews to help promote sales. For instance, Howard-Johnson recommends organizing a list of potential reviewers long before publication, and assigning codes to them. “NAT for national media; LOC for local; LIB for libraries; BKST for bookstores; CAT for catalogs; BLOG for bloggers; and, of course, BIG REV for the prestigious, sought-after journals (the ones with firm deadlines and submission guidelines); and RDR REV for readers, bloggers, and others who are more interested in the content of a book than the press it’s printed on or the year of the copyright.”

She suggests different ideas for renewing interest in titles long after publication. One of these ideas involves contacting reviewers who wrote about previous books when a new book is about to be released. Remind these reviewers what they wrote before and suggest they review the upcoming book. This practice not only helps the author secure more reviews, but shows the reviewer their work is valued and appreciated. She also recommends sending thank you notes and/or gifts to reviewers afterward (but never before, as it would look like a bribe).

There’s also a chapter on writing reviews, because authors are often called upon to reciprocate. This chapter includes information on writing professional reviews, writing for online bookstores, and writing ten-best reads lists. Novice authors should read the entire book in the order it was written, but experienced authors may prefer to pick and choose specific areas where they lack knowledge or previous success. Whatever the level of experience, however, anyone who plans to write a book can benefit.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Leslie C. Halpern is a poet, author, and essayist with more than 4,000 published articles and ten published books. Her most recent book release is titled "Scantily Clad Truths" (2018) and contains a collection of personal essays. Her other recent titles include “200 Love Lessons from the Movies" and the children's book "Silly Sleepytime Poems." Winner of the Grand Prize for Essay Writing from Mentor & Protege and the Gwendolyn Brooks Writers Association Editor’s Award for Poetry, her poems have appeared in numerous anthologies including Encore Prize Poems 2018, The Journal of Graduate Liberal Studies, Revelry, and Other Orlandos. As an entertainment journalist, she wrote for The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, and Orlando Sentinel, and currently writes a blog called “Seen It, Done It, Reviewed It,” located on her website at www.LeslieHalpern.com.

Get to know Leslie's books and networks:

https://www.amazon.com/Scantily-Clad-Truths-without-Clothes-ebook/dp/B07FB66B59/

https://www.amazon.com/200-Love-Lessons-Movies-Moonstruck/dp/1630761370/

https://www.amazon.com/Silly-Sleepytime-Poems-Leslie-Halpern/dp/0999376306/

https://www.facebook.com/LeslieCHalpern

http://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliechalpern

https://www.amazon.com/Leslie-C.-Halpern/e/B001H9PJT0

ABOUT THIS BLOG

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

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