Dr. Bob Rich Reviews Inspirational Poetry

Title: Lost in Wonder

Author: Matthew Buonocore 

Available on Amazon

ASIN: B0842QDHKM

Genre: Inspirational Poetry

Reviewed by Dr. Bob Rich

When I read, I like to get immersed in a story. Poetry doesn’t allow this, so I thought twice before accepting a review copy of this collection of poems from Matthew Buonocore.

I made the exception because each of these little snippets of thought expresses exactly my philosophy. Matthew and I are kindred spirits, on the same path.

The reason for life is to progress in spiritual growth, until we reach enlightenment. In our very different ways, Matthew and I are showing you the path for achieving the meaning of life: Love; seeking god inside instead of chasing happiness outside; inner beauty.

My roadmap is a story. Matthew’s is a few carefully chosen words that force you to think, and then to feel.

You can’t race through this book. I suggest, read one poem, then let it germinate and flower before reading the next. This may give you months of meditation in words.

If thoughtful, gentle inspiration is your thing, you can’t go past this jewelry case of a book.

The Author Shares

I'm a poet and a writer from Central New York. My work consists of affirmations, quotes and poems of the divine nature. My work tells my story, it conveys each step I’ve taken in my journey towards personal freedom. My books are dedicated to my lovely girlfriend Alaina, who helped me see my worth and grasp the meaning of unconditional love. Growing up I always felt the call to do something beyond the “norm”; to follow my heart regardless of what others told me. Beneath everything, I find myself called to put out my message and my “heart-song”. It's very easy to forget that life is completely subject to each individual choice made, and these writings helped me to grasp the potential of trusting my true self.

This is a book of poems and affirmations to awaken the soul. Each poem provides a new vibratory experience that guides the reader towards spiritual growth. This book is my journey from awakening to present day. The book is meant as a catalyst for spiritual growth, the goal being to ignite the fire that lies dormant. We are all called to serve, to serve ourselves and then the world. Let this be a message to all that would choose the path of service, the true path. As each fear disintegrates we walk closer to the truth of our nature, and this is my truth.

About the Reviewer

Dr. Bob Rich is an apprentice Buddha. But, did you know, so are you? In fact, every sentient being in our universe is an apprentice Buddha.

If you want to know what that entails, visit Bob’s blog, Bobbing Around https://bobrich18.wordpress.com and look around. You are guaranted to be entertained, amused, informed, possibly outraged — but never bored. You can learn more about him at http://bobswriting.com  and/or subscribe to his eclectic newsletter, Bobbing Around, at https://bobrich18.wordpress.com. Tweet with him @bobswriting. His motto is: 

Commit random acts of kindness

Live simply so you may simply live

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER, THIS BLOG, AND ITS BENEFITS FOR WRITERS

 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 everything 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.

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too.

Adoption Matters: Orphan Train to Modern Day Nonfiction Short Stories of Adoption & Foster Care

Title Adoption Matters: Orphan Train to Modern Day Nonfiction Short Stories of Adoption & Foster Care 
Author Dianne L. Rowe
Publisher:  Dianne L. Rowe
ISBN-10: 057861524X

ISBN-13: 978-0578615240

ASIN  B0847J48XX
Price $10 paperback, $4.99 Kindle
Page Count 208 pages
Formats (PB, Kindle)

A brand new book with a variety of adoption stories has just been published. Fifteen writers tell of their own experiences. The children were in orphanages abroad, adopted directly from hospitals, were foster children, or even arrived by orphan train. We hope you will enjoy our book!

Dianne L. Rowe had the initial inspiration for this book. She wrote three stories for it which included one about her mother who was adopted from an orphan train. She adopted a child through Catholic Charities and so that is one of her other stories.

Ann Kalin writes a detailed story as she adopted two children from two different adoption agencies in Minnesota. When one agency said they were only placing one child per family, she found she could adopt another with a different one.

Christopher Luehr is a storyteller, attorney, professional speaker, coach, dinner-table comedian, and North Minneapolis resident. Through his organization, Joyful Noize (joyfulnoize.net), he helps mission-driven organizations promote their message through story. You can be assured he has an excellent story in the book.

John Strahan says, “This is a story that I have told more than once and am willing to tell it to anyone who will listen. Without fail, it brings tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. I gladly responded to Dianne Rowe’s request to share our story. It is over 53 years old but still worth telling.” It is a charming story.

Lois Miller Caswell has two stories in the book as she also adopted two of her three children. With her fantastic memory for details, readers will feel like they are talking to her over a cup of coffee in the kitchen while enjoying the stories.

Leif Wallin received a phone call and the caller said, ““Leif sit down. We found her. She was from Great Falls, Montana. Her name was Sandy.” Intriguing, isn’t it? The story is pretty amazing.

Esther Holgate beings her story this way: “There once was a very little girl who was born in the far-away country of South Korea.” This is a story of adoption from an orphanage in Seoul, South Korea.

David Zander was born in London. In July 1940, During WW2, at a time that America had not yet entered the war. He says, “My first memories are of war, being carried down into an Air raid shelter during the nightly air raids.” To top it off, he found out his first family was not his birth family when he was still very young. His story is quite interesting.

Dawn McClean learned she was not the eldest child in the family after all. How could that happen? You can imagine, but this story tells of her feelings about learning the truth.

Mary (Marge) Smith had to have her family vote about a situation related to adoption, It was not for the actual adoption, but part of a rather complicated story. In the picture on the left, you can see Marge with Patti.

E. Irene Theis says, “Saturday, July 30th, 2016, was the special day when I first met Stephanie, my granddaughter, and Susan, my great-granddaughter.”  Another amazing story!

Jackie Maher and Katie DeCosse now see each other often, but it wasn’t true over the decades they could not find each other. They each have stories in this anthology.

Irene Reuteler tells a family story which is about the adoption situation for relatives. She was able to predict the future to some extent and help guide them to successful adoption.

Carolyn Wilhelm also has a story of an adoption from South Korea through the Children’s Home Society located in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has also authored children’s picture books about the experience.

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm

Carolyn Wilhelm is the author of The Wise Owl Factory site and blog. She has an MS in Gifted Education and second educational masters in Curriculum and Instruction K-12.

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. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Tiny House Living Through the Eyes of a Child Picture Book, Sissy Goes Tiny

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. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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.

Tiny House Living Through the Eyes of a Child Picture Book, Sissy Goes Tiny

Last summer, two graduates of Brainerd High School in Minnesota had a stroke of inspiration when catching up over coffee. B. A. Norrgard had been living the tiny life for six years when the idea struck that how would downsizing and going tiny might look through the eyes of a child.

B.A. Norrgard’s personal lifestyle and career within the tiny house community gave her insight about the nationwide movement. She teaches others and leads by example.

Becky Flansburg is an award-winning writer and wondered if “going tiny” might be scary for a child. Rebecca is the long-time project manager of Multicultural Children’s Book Day and Head Elf for Audrey Press. She is a member of Brainerd Writers Alliance and readers can also find her at BeckyFlansburg.com or on Instagram.

They both used their imaginations and talents as they discussed a possible story, and the idea for this innovative book began. They wanted children to know living life unconventionally is full of big possibilities.

You have probably seen some of the popular TV and Netflix shows about living in less space, downsizing, and repurposing. Norrgard says when preparing for such a lifestyle, keep only items that serve a purpose, meet a need or bring joy.

Norrgard’s Tiny House is named Sisu to help remember her mother. Sisu is a Finnish word and means having grit, determination, and perseverance. She needs plenty of that to live in her hand-built 78 square foot home. She has traveled over 14,000 miles with her house and writes about her minimalist, vegan life on her website, banorrgard.com.

Sisu sort of sounds like the name, Sissy. So, the main character of the book is Sissy. She is eight years old. During the story, she learns stuff is just stuff. Somehow illustrator Penny Weber knew just what she looked like, and was perfect for the project. Don’t you agree?

Often our lessons in elementary school (yes, I’m saying it again) for children end at recycling. Downsizing, repurposing, and tiny living are not usually mentioned. This book is unique. It was brilliant of Norrgard and Flansburg to come up with the idea and see it through to completion.

Would you be able to decided what to take with and what to leave?

·  Title: Sissy Goes Tiny by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard

·  Publisher: Audrey Press (CEO Valarie Budayr)

·  ISBN: 978-1-936426-22-5

·  This project was supported by Five Wings Arts Council with funds from the McKnight Foundation.

·  This diverse picture book can be purchased at AudreyPress.com  IndieBound, and Amazon

Thank you for reading, Carolyn from Wise Owl Factory

The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca Discussion Questions

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. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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.

The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah

This book elicited quite strong reactions from our Global Reads for Grown-ups Facebook book group readers, particularly on the question of whether Shah relied on cultural stereotypes and caricatures in his portrayal of Morocco.

Amazon 

• ASIN: B015QNQ6R6
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385608071
• ISBN-13: 978-0385608077

1) What did you think of the book? Would you recommend it?

2) On p. 19 of my edition, Tahir Shah writes "In the West we are driven by an extreme form of guilt - if you are not seen to be working like a dog, you're perceived as being slothful. It was very clear that things in Morocco were quite different...I found people rushed about only when they needed to, and not because they knew others were watching them."
Do you agree that people in the West feel guilty for relaxing? (Or that they don't feel this guilt elsewhere?)

3) Here is a quick overview of Edward Said's concept of Orientalism and how it still shapes Western views of the East today. Do you think The Caliph's House played into these stereotypes? Did he do anything to dispel them?



4) The book begins with Tahir Shah signing the papers on his new house when they are interrupted by suicide attacks in Casablanca. What effect does it have starting the book with this effect? Why did he choose to do this?

5) [Reader question] What did you think about the family relationships in the book?

6) Did you have a favorite character?

7) Overall, would you say The Caliph's House paints a flattering portrait of Morocco? Or of the expats living there? Would you want to move to Morocco based solely on reading this book? Why or why not?

8) Have you ever lived abroad? If so, how did your experience compare with the one portrayed in the book?

9) Thinking on books about where you are from (or where you live now) was there one that really got it wrong? What book really got it right? What book do you recommend about where you are from (or where you live)?

Thank you for reading! This post was written by: 

Leanna is a homeschooler with three sweet, funny, rambunctious children.  She draws inspiration from the Writings of the Bahá’í Faith and tries to raise her Monkeys in a fun, spiritual, loving environment.  She and her husband, who is from Costa Rica, are raising their children to be bilingual and bicultural but more importantly to be “world citizens.”  All Done Monkey is dedicated to sharing this journey with you!

Leanna is the founder of Multicultural Kid Blogs.

Interview on Bilingual Kids Rock podcast

Interview on Global Mom Show podcast

Featured website on Bahá’í Mom Blogs

Judith Briles Adds to Her Series of How-Tos for Writers

TITLE: How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech

AUTHORS: Dr. Judith Briles

PUBLISHER: Mile High Press, LTD.

ISBN:  978-1885331-67-0

293 pages, $25.00

PRINT LINK: https://amzn.to/2DuaXp7

GENRE: Nonfiction

CATEGORY: Speaking/Careers

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, 

author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

My first serious introduction to self-publishing was at a SPAN conference in Atlanta (Small Publishers of North America); it was there I was introduced to a very fat volume on self-publishing by Marilyn Ross that included the idea that real publishing includes marketing. She also applauded speaking as the best way to market a book—read that as the most assured path to success.

Since then, I have recommended a couple of super speakers’ books to my clients and in the appendixes of my #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers and I’ve pointed to the writing (and speaking) career of the late Dan Poynter as an example of how well speaking benefits a writing career—and vice versa. 

Now, years later, Dr. Judith Briles, adds her How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech to the battery of my choices for “Best Books on Speaking.” And trust me, it is not a battery, but a very short list! 

Though this book's title may seem as if it is promising more than speaking can deliver, it is not. I have seen speaking make many authors a ton of money over the years and build writing careers as it does so. One side benefit that always appealed to me: Travel.

Have I convinced you of the possibilities? Then the next step is to study up. May I suggest you start with Briles’ book? For the fun of it. For the enthusiasm and inspiration between those royal purple covers. And for the all-in-one-place advice you’ll get on the process of speaking as a marketing technique. 

Patricia Tripp, CSP and Past President of the National Speakers Association, said it perfectly and I can’t beat that: “Learning from Judith Briles could well be your best purchase of the year.” 

It boils down to experience. And, of course, Judith’s near-unique ability to tap that experience and organize it into a book you won’t want to put down or relegate to a bookshelf. Not when you can keep it near your computer to nudge you toward your speaking goal a little each day.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE

 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.

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

A Book About Depression for Everyone!

Title: From Depression to Contentment: A self-therapy guide

Author: Bob Rich, Ph.D.

Reviewer: Theresa Hortley I

Author Website: http://bobswriting.com/psych/depression.html

Genre: Nonfiction: Psychology self-help

ISBN-13: 978-1-61599-435-9 

Rating 5 stars

Buy link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1615994351/    

Reviewed by Theresa Hortley 

I don't suffer from depression, but read this book because I am privileged to be one of Bob Rich's beta readers. All the same, "From Depression to Contentment" has proven to be immensely useful to me personally.

Depression is everywhere. Every year, a distressingly high proportion of the kids I teach are obviously depressed. Friends, relatives, colleagues -- it's all around me. Now, I can understand where they are coming from, and can be more effective in helping them, though not as a therapist of course.

But this is far more than a self-help book. It is an inspiration. One sentence late in the book has captured me: "knowingly or unknowingly, all of us are apprentice Buddhas."

Depressed or not, if you read this book, you will become a better person.

You wouldn't expect a book about depression to be humorous, but in typical Bob Rich style, he got me chuckling time and again. Just one example: a patient told Bob that he'd known all his life that he didn't matter. Bob's reply: "Right. You crawled out of the womb believing you didn't matter?"

All of Bob's novels I've read are full of therapeutic lessons. Here is a book designed as a set of therapeutic lessons that is as enjoyable to read as any novel.    

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Theresa Horley is a high school teacher of English which makes her a formidable beta reader.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Bob Rich, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in psychology in 1972. He worked as an academic, researcher, and applied scientist until “retiring” the first time at 36 years of age. Later, he returned to psychology and qualified as a Counseling Psychologist, running a private practice for over 20 years. During this time, he was on the national executive of the College of Counselling Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), then spent three years as a Director of the APS. He was the therapist referrers sent their most difficult cases to.

Bob retired in 2013, but still does pro bono counseling over the internet. This has given him hundreds of “children” and “grandchildren” he has never met, because many of these people stay in touch for years. His major joy in life is to be of benefit to others, which is why he wrote a book that’s in effect a course of therapy.

You can get to know him well at his blog, "Bobbing Around," https://bobrich18.wordpress.com. Follow him on Twitter @bobswriting and find his newsletter at https://bobrich18.wordpress.com. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE

 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.

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Career Speaker Reviews New How-To Take Terror Out of Public Speaking

Title: Would You Rather Be in the Coffin Than Give the Eulogy
Subtitle: how to take the terror out of public speaking and advance your career and social network: A Choker’s Guide to Public Speaking.

Author: Jan Hurst-Nicholson

Website: www.just4kix.jimdo.com

Genre: nonfiction

ASIN: B07FJVP47B 

Format: E-book 
Publisher: Just4kix Books
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJVP47B

Reviewed by Karen Siddall originally for Goodreads and Amazon

As a career public speaker, I can say that this book was an awesome little breath of inspiration and renewal. Good, common-sensical tips are presented in a practical way. Very helpful and refreshing and full of good ideas that I wish I’d had when I was just starting out. I especially enjoyed the asides of actual experiences “on the road.” I recommend this book especially to those that find themselves having to speak up and speak out at public gatherings of any kind! There is even a section regarding being chosen to say grace before a public meal.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jan Hurst-Nicholson grew up in the UK but now lives in sunny South Africa where she is personal chef and doorman to a dog that is forever on the wrong side of a door.

Jan has been writing for about 35 years, beginning with articles, humorous articles and short stories. She then moved on to write novels and children’s books.  It was when she began winning awards and was asked to give talks about her books that she realized she needed to learn some public speaking skills and joined a club. Her involvement in the club, and her experiences giving talks at numerous events led her to write this practical guide to help others new to public speaking. Learn more at Jan’s Amazon author page and Jan's website https://just4kix.jimdo.com/about-the-author/

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Karen Siddall has worked in the public sector as a speaker and trainer for over 40 years in the fields of law enforcement, fire prevention, water conservation, and environmental education. She currently serves as the Public Relations and Education Administrator for the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District in rural north central Texas. She is one of the many authors of Urban Environmental Education (Cornell University).


MORE ABOUT THIS REVIEW 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.

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