Love Taita? Here's a book for you
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An absolutely fascinating epic set in ancient Egypt, Wilbur Smith delivers a fun read that leaves the reader with much to think about.
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Janet Boyer has a well-earned reputation for translating original, unusual ideas into print and ebook form. The Back in Time Tarot Book is another illustration of this. My favorite part of the book is Chapter 3: Personal Experiences, in which Boyer and other Tarot celebrities (Mary K. Greer, Lon Milo DuQuette, Joan Bunning, Zach Wong, and Boyer herself, to name just a few) explore a situation or event from their past using the Back In Time (BIT) method.

What I like most about the BIT method is that we are choosing or drawing cards to represent past experiences or well-known stories or historical events -- situations to which we already know the ending. We move away from the "fortune telling" aspect of reading the cards, where we interpret a reading as best we can and then have to wait to see if we are "accurate." Instead, with the BIT method, we are remembering something from the past and choosing cards that remind us of various aspects of that situation, including the outcome, which we already know. As a beneficial byproduct, we gain insight into how we might interpret certain cards in future readings.

In my opinion, Tarot readers at any level of competence can enjoy this book. Even if you do nothing but read it, it's worth the price to get a sneak peek into the thoughts and feelings of some of the world's most respected tarot readers and psychics. The book becomes even more valuable if you actually use the BIT Method to examine incidents or familiar stories from your own life.
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Dare To Experience Heaven - Four secrets you must discover in the journey of your life
By Sri Vishwanath

If you are new to Hinduism as I am then here is a little information for you.
Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India.
 It is characterized by the belief in:

* reincarnation,
* one absolute being of multiple manifestations,
* the law of cause and effect,
* following the path of righteousness,
* desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

This book creates a simple understanding of the steps of life and death.  The author tells us of the rules of the game of life are:

* Everyone has to play the game of life.
* If you play the game you will get lost in it.
* The one who plays the game and who doesn't get identified with the test involved wins the mortal contest.

In defining himself, Krishna says, "of the gods I am Indra, of the
Vedas I am the Sama Veda, of the subduers I am Yama."

How and when did Hinduism originate?

Hinduism has its origins in such remote past that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Some scholars believe that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B.C. and that the earliest of the Hindu scriptures - The Rig Veda - was composed well before 6500 B.C. The word "Hinduism" is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term "Hindu" was introduced by foreigners who referred to people living across the River Indus or Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is believed to have originated.

What are the basic tenets of Hinduism?
Hinduism lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas. Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, in which the prominent themes include:

* Dharma (ethics and duties)
* Samsara (rebirth)
* Karma (right action)
* Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara)
It also believes in truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious company.

Wow, this is great for the open minded person.  I am always looking into new things and this is just fascinating to me.

  2012 Jackie Paulson
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Back in March, a delightful fellow named Tom McLaughlin wrote a guest post on my blog Clogs and Tulips: An American in Holland titled "Niel Armstrong was greeted on the moon by a person from Holland."

Not long after that, his agent contacted me asking if I would read Tom's book "Borneo Tom: Stories and Sketches of Love, Travel and Jungle Family in Tropical Asia." Last week, I finally got around to reading the book and I just finished today.

When I cracked open the book and began reading, I was delighted to discover that not only is Tom a fellow Marylander, he also hails from Frederick County in a town about 10 minutes from the one I grew up in. In fact, I even worked as a substitute at the same school where he taught science!

Small world, isn't it?

Borneo Tom is a collection of essays about Tom's adventures in Malaysian Borneo. The essays appear in chronological order accompanied by fantastic and often humorous illustrations by Waterfront Niki. It took all the strength I had not to break out the crayons and color in the black and white charicatures.

What I like about Tom is his willingness to learn the local language and embrace the local culture and its people. I don't think enough expats follow that example and it's inspiring to see how openminded he is and how that openmindedness enriches his experiences in his new country.
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I have been very interested in the ancient Indian (Hindu) texts that hold abundance of knowledge that is still prevalent today as well as a continuing enigma to the present world. With prominent gifts to the world like the Ayurveda, Yoga and the study of stars (Astrology), Hindu scriptures are full of secrets and wonders. But the main issue in educating ourselves to these texts is the lack of translations of the scriptures which were originally written in vedic Sanskrit which is not known by majority of us today.

Here Anju's book, Our Heritage Revisited: A Glimpse Into Ancient Indian Texts, comes handy. When the author told me about her book, I was instantly intrigued. The cover is colourful, vivid and catchy. Managing to attract my attention, I was further lured by the promise of going into depth of the ancient knowledge that still holds the base of modern science and even our day-to-day life.

The blurb is a bit long but still engaging. The title is interesting and will definitely have readers stop to checkout the book.

Anju Saha has collated her knowledge of Hindu scriptures like the veds that she learned along the way. The book is written in a systematic manner with separate chapters dedicated and pictorial representation of the various veds and its branches.

The book is written in simple language and will act as a great guide for people wanting to learn about ancient Indian scriptures. However, despite the simplicity of language, after a while I felt things getting repeated. I know everything is connected and some repetition is necessary but still I felt some of it could have been curtailed.

This book is a great introduction to the ancient scriptures but in a bigger picture, the knowledge in the book can not be taken as everything about the texts shared here. The author, however, mentions this in her title itself which says, " A Glimpse Into Ancient Indian Texts".

Also the author mentions that she has taken reference from Wikipedia which is an open source easily editable so it is possible that the knowledge could have been updated since the author took up her pointers from there. So the book should be taken into account with scope for a few updates.

There are a few grammatical errors in the book but nothing so serious that they hamper the interest in the book. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and congratulate Anju on taking this chance to bring to us a simplified version of some of the learning hidden in texts that are so vast and so old that we often don't get a chance to fully acquaint ourselves to them because they are still not translated completely to our understanding.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed getting introduced to my heritage through this book that had me entertained right till the end.

4 out of 5 to  Our Heritage Revisited from me and I look forward to reading more about our heritage from Anju who I hope will delve more deeply and bring to us more books that give us more insight into the ancient scriptures.

Recommended to everyone, this book is a must have for everyone who want to know more about ancient Indian scriptures. Go grab this book for yourself and your family!

This review is also available on Njkinny's World of Books & Stuff
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and after you do read it, you'll need to find a Japanese grocer in your city, because you'll be inspired to hunt all over for soba sauce and azuki bean paste.
What a delight this book is!  It veritably sparkles like diamonds and rubies, and in fact she compares tea kaiseki with jewels.
I borrowed a copy from a friend to read, but now I'm inspired to buy my own copy so I can re-savor it and also contribute to Victoria's royalties.  She deserves so much for this splendid book.
Her insights into the spirituality of food, even simple things like wrapping packages carefully like the Japanese do, make it a book that you can apply to your daily life, even if you never attend a tea ceremony.
My *ONLY* gripe, and I really hate to say this, is that her connection with Zen Buddhism was tenuous.  She does go to Mount Hiei toward the end of the book and tries to sit with the monks, but she spends a lot more time talking about recipes again.  But really that's okay because her main emphasis is not to meditate until satori, but to appreciate the food connection.
I can't think of anyone who would not fall in love with this book!  Thank you, Bi-cu-to-ri-ha!  (That's Japanese for her name, as heard from the lips of children.)
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This is a wonderful book, it's a slightly elaborated version of the Devi Mahatmya. The storyteller, Devadatta Kali is able to make all the characters in three tales about Devi and a framing story, they live again in a way that really draws the reader in! I've read several different translation of the this epic, that stands in a similar was to the Bhagavad Gita does so but for Shaktas and followers of Goddess, so far this version is my favorite. I'd normally give this my highest rating, but when I received this in the mail, it was only then that I realized it is a republished version with a different title of 'The Veiling Brillance: Journey to the Goddess'

Devadatta Kali also has another excellent book called 'In praise of the Goddess: The Devimatmya and It's meaning'  That one is more for student of Goddess traditions, while this book is for any one looking to read a good story that happens to have holy people in it.
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If you do not know who the Taino's are but want to learn of their culture and history, this is the book that will quench your curiosity.

It walks you through a great compilation of astonishing facts and details.

It is easy to read and extremely informative, and I recommend it for school learning, business, and/or leisure.
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This book is full of eye-catching illustrations. The story follows Valmiki's interpretation of the story of Rama. The vocabulary and usage of words in this book sometimes can be archaic and not so lucid. However, text still carries the story forward. The layout is very pleasing and inviting. All in all, a good reading and excellent introduction to one of the cornerstones of the Indian and Hindu traditions.
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Anyone who loves turtles will love this book, because that's what it's about: love and turtles!! Love between a husband and wife, love between husband and turtles, love between turtle & turtle. It reads easy and quick, with lots of parts that will have you laughing out loud & reading to unsuspecting people standing nearby. Additionally, I learned quite a bit about keeping turtles in captivity. Read it!
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It's funny if you are a big enough fan/collector of things, chances are there is some duplication lurking in your collection you weren't aware of. That's the case to a lesser extent here. This Hardcover collection is essentially a photo-album of classic Dita shoots from back in the day. Great color, nice front & back cover shots, nice variety, still about 10 shots or so appeared in Fetish Goddess Dita from the same author in 2002. As well the dust jacket & interior remark about Dita cannot be compared to Bettie Page, then he goes ahead & makes a comparrison, you be the judge on that one. All in all a worthwhile collection of pics to own when the Dita we knew, first burst on the scene. No way 5 stars, one page of English text (nothing but a couple of one line quotes from Dita ( remembered by the author)that stand out. Light on words, heavy on the visual but the shots of Dita are great, 4 stars based on viewing it as a newcomer would his/her first Dita experience, because Dita is fantastic & I am in a good mood.
Mike from Canada
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I picked up 'Tales of Nokomis' on a whim, attracted by the Norval Morrisseau - like cover art.  The 17 stories are as told to the young native girl, Bedabin, and her brother, Tawa, by Nokomis, their grandmother. The copious illustrations are amazing examples of the spiritually rich Woodlands Indian style.

These folk tales are sometimes comical, sometimes sweet, but always entertaining and instructive; carrying lessons of life and the rich environment around us to the young listeners. I found them to be a window into native culture on the reservation - close to mother earth. Reading them, I felt myself being transported to a simpler and wiser place and time. I know I'll read 'Tales of Nokomis' again for myself and hopefully, one day, to my grand children.

This is a book you will pull back off the shelf many times and may well give to the parents of young people in your family or circle of friends.
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For most of us, a tropical vacation to the island of Bali is only a dream, but with the lush illustrations in Hello Bali, you almost can hear the waves hitting the shore. Our girls - ages 2 and 3 - have tried yoga before, even though they didn't know it. With direction from us, they are fairly adept at the basic poses. This Kids Yoga Island book took it one step further, and allowed them to try new ones for themselves.
I loved how Giselle first showed an example of the pose in nature followed by the actual human pose. It's always intriguing to look at nature in a slightly different style.
But the illustrations...it's like having a book full of glorious watercolors. They are captivating, and we spent time hunting through the pictures, noticing colors as well as identifying parts of nature. You won't be disappointed.
Although our preschoolers enjoyed this book, if you are looking for something to truly introduce yoga to your kids, this one is best for those who already are independent readers.

*I was provided a copy of the book for the purposes of review. All opinions are mine.
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The Rasta Cookbook is the perfect collection of authentic vegetarian recipies from Jamaica for anyone to enjoy. The introduction describes some aspects of the Rastafari movement, including the importance of Ital foods.  The book emphasizes 'the core philisophy on which the Rastafari base their  eating habits and cuisine' in that, "You are what you eat". The  author offers helpful guidelines about preparation while stressing the  importance of cleanliness. I also like the fact that she suggests possible  substitutes for dairy products and even a Glossary of Terms is provided for  readers who may be unfamiliar with some of the more exotic ingredients. The  recipies are clear, easy to follow, fun to make, and even better to taste,  (Yes, that's right. Ital food can be flavorful too). I give this book a  five-star rating.
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Retelling an ancient Tanzanian folktale, the author skillfully blends magic with a contemporary setting. When Tatu's little brother begins acting out, throwing stones, biting and refusing to behave, the older girl is at a loss. It is only when an elderly spirit woman, Ma Mzuka, relates the cure (three whiskers from a lion), that Tatu realizes what she must do, although she is terribly frightened.

Armed with only a song, Tatu sets out to perform what seems an impossible task, to save her little brother from his terrible state. Despite recently losing her mother and the brother who will not behave, Tatu faces the horrible old woman, confronts her fears and a fearsome lion with a song, snatching the whiskers from the sleeping beast, who is lulled by her music. Through this ordeal, Tatu learns an important life lesson. Borne on the notes of a song, Tatu's brother is gradually seduced by music, patience and love.

The vivid illustrations bring forth the tumultuous emotions of two children who have lost their mother and must find their way together, Tatu guiding her younger sibling with patience and their mother's lullabies. As lush as the brilliant images, the text marries perfectly to illustrator Linda Saport's artwork, the whole an impressive tale of loss and love, couched in folklore and the rich history of music. This is a stunning, evocative piece of children's literature. Luan Gaines/2007.
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In her book's opening line, Alaskan author Feinberg writes, "The northern lights danced with all the mystery and marvel of midnight rainbows in the sky."

This warm invitation beckons readers to enjoy the natural beauty of her home state as a reflection of the "breathtakingly beautiful" attributes of God.

The daughter of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, both born-again believers, Feinberg challenges readers to dig deeply into Scripture using a technique called midrash, a Hebrew word meaning to "search out."

She writes, "...Jewish midrash urges us to take hold of a passage, wrestle with it, and not let go until we're worn out and forcibly must cry uncle."

As she explores nine attributes of God's character, her Scriptural knowledge and depth of insight make this book one to be savored like a rich cup of coffee.

The author's quirky stories of her childhood and struggles as an unsettled 20-something are good springboards for the discussion questions included, making this a useful tool for both individual and group study.

--Christian Women Online Book Buzz
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This is a wonderful summary of Tai Chi Classics by the same author.  My Sifu spoke very highly of Waysun Liao as well as Marshall Ho'o, who's works are also available through Amazon. This book, exactly as it's title says, is the essence of the internal martial art of Tai Chi.  As a beginner, I have found it a great companion to the physical aspect of the form.  If you are serious about the art/philosophy of Tai Chi, then this is a perfect travel version of an even greater book.