Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons
Anne Rivers Siddons Talks About the Writing Life
Off Season, her new novel set in Downeast Maine, hit bookshelves in August, 2008
Standing in the doorway of her cottage on Maine's Penobscot Bay, New York Times best-selling novelist Anne Rivers Siddons, welcomes you with a sweet, almost girlishly high melodic voice that lets you know that she is from the south. She graciously asks you to call her "Anne." And although she has made millions on her seventeen best-sellers, which include Up Island, Low Country, Colony, and Sweetwater Creek, you get the idea that she's not the least bit pretentious.
The view into her living room is that of a rustic retreat. Nothing elegant or fussy-just pine floors, pine beams across the ceiling, an abstract painting of boats on one wall. Cozy, comfortable furniture. Above the windows, a humorous banner displays a colorful photocopy of Prince of Tides author and close ally, Pat Conroy, kissing her husband, Heyward, on the cheek at his 80th birthday party.The headline proclaims "Conroy finally proposes!" Obviously, it's an inside joke between friends.
Siddons became fast friends with Conroy when they both were struggling writers in Atlanta during the '60s. She grew up the daughter of a prestigious Atlanta lawyer and lived the life of a "southern belle" debutante until discovering the writing life. "If you're caught up in a debutant whirl from birth, you've got a tough trail to take."
She has been fortunate, she says, that she has taken other trails such as the one that led to her beloved Maine coast. "I became a Mainer the day I first stepped off the plane in Bangor over forty years ago. " She loves the sun and wind on her face and the feeling that there is no problem she cannot solve in this setting.
The well-known novelist continues to find peace on Maine's Downeast coast every summer when she and husband arrive after Memorial Day. The place they call home is part of a summer colony to which her husband's family belonged long before the couple married in 1966 in Atlanta.
It was this coastal setting that may well may have inspired Siddons's 1992 bestseller, Colony, her first-and until now-only novel set in Maine.
Her second book with a Maine milieu, Off Season, is scheduled to hit bookstore in mid-August. This long awaited arrival follows a string of best-sellers set in mostly Southern climes.
But no matter the locale, Siddons always populates her pages with strong women, be they Steel Magnolias of the south or Maine Yankee survivors.
The strong woman in Off Season is Lilly, a widow who journeys back to her Maine coastal roots after the death of her beloved husband, Cam. What Lilly discovers upon her return changes her whole way of looking at life.
"All my books are about women taking journeys they might not want to take," says Siddons.
Do these women echo parts of herself? Of course, she says. "How else would I know how they would react in any given situation?" But she is quick to add: "I always make my characters a good bit better than I am."
Much like her writer friend, Pat Conroy, she's not afraid to shine a light into the darkness of personality, perhaps because she once battled and overcame a depression that left her unable to write for three years.
"I take tragedy and I run with it. The darkness is just an aspect of the self. It's in all of us. But I try not to crawl in there too strong. My books are really about growth and change in spite of infinite pain and suffering. They are about women who are a misfit but in the end, find their fit.
"It's about finding wholeness. I know so few whole families anymore, and how can we have whole families if we don't have whole women?"
Off Season, her new novel set in Downeast Maine, hit bookshelves in August, 2008
Standing in the doorway of her cottage on Maine's Penobscot Bay, New York Times best-selling novelist Anne Rivers Siddons, welcomes you with a sweet, almost girlishly high melodic voice that lets you know that she is from the south. She graciously asks you to call her "Anne." And although she has made millions on her seventeen best-sellers, which include Up Island, Low Country, Colony, and Sweetwater Creek, you get the idea that she's not the least bit pretentious.
The view into her living room is that of a rustic retreat. Nothing elegant or fussy-just pine floors, pine beams across the ceiling, an abstract painting of boats on one wall. Cozy, comfortable furniture. Above the windows, a humorous banner displays a colorful photocopy of Prince of Tides author and close ally, Pat Conroy, kissing her husband, Heyward, on the cheek at his 80th birthday party.The headline proclaims "Conroy finally proposes!" Obviously, it's an inside joke between friends.
Siddons became fast friends with Conroy when they both were struggling writers in Atlanta during the '60s. She grew up the daughter of a prestigious Atlanta lawyer and lived the life of a "southern belle" debutante until discovering the writing life. "If you're caught up in a debutant whirl from birth, you've got a tough trail to take."
She has been fortunate, she says, that she has taken other trails such as the one that led to her beloved Maine coast. "I became a Mainer the day I first stepped off the plane in Bangor over forty years ago. " She loves the sun and wind on her face and the feeling that there is no problem she cannot solve in this setting.
The well-known novelist continues to find peace on Maine's Downeast coast every summer when she and husband arrive after Memorial Day. The place they call home is part of a summer colony to which her husband's family belonged long before the couple married in 1966 in Atlanta.
It was this coastal setting that may well may have inspired Siddons's 1992 bestseller, Colony, her first-and until now-only novel set in Maine.
Her second book with a Maine milieu, Off Season, is scheduled to hit bookstore in mid-August. This long awaited arrival follows a string of best-sellers set in mostly Southern climes.
But no matter the locale, Siddons always populates her pages with strong women, be they Steel Magnolias of the south or Maine Yankee survivors.
The strong woman in Off Season is Lilly, a widow who journeys back to her Maine coastal roots after the death of her beloved husband, Cam. What Lilly discovers upon her return changes her whole way of looking at life.
"All my books are about women taking journeys they might not want to take," says Siddons.
Do these women echo parts of herself? Of course, she says. "How else would I know how they would react in any given situation?" But she is quick to add: "I always make my characters a good bit better than I am."
Much like her writer friend, Pat Conroy, she's not afraid to shine a light into the darkness of personality, perhaps because she once battled and overcame a depression that left her unable to write for three years.
"I take tragedy and I run with it. The darkness is just an aspect of the self. It's in all of us. But I try not to crawl in there too strong. My books are really about growth and change in spite of infinite pain and suffering. They are about women who are a misfit but in the end, find their fit.
"It's about finding wholeness. I know so few whole families anymore, and how can we have whole families if we don't have whole women?"
Nina Garcia and Her Hundred Stylish Pieces
Nina Garcia, famous for her book "The Little Black Book of Style", has arrived with another best seller.
Her latest fashion guide , The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, got a release on August 26, 2008, and it was taken with enthusiasm galore.
While her first book dealt with many how to's on fashion, her latest creation is full of hundred well-defined commandments on what to's.
As the name suggests, the book helps any fashionable woman to sort out hundred most valuable and essential fashion articles to make her wardrobe fully equipped.
Garcia, a fashion director, got the inspiration to pen down this book when she was forced to move out of her flat for almost two years.
As not having a complete and full-fledged wardrobe out of her flat, she had to make frequent trips to her flat to grab the her fashion products.Those tiresome trips sparked an idea to enlist the most needed hundred things for a woman.
"Every once in a while, I'd run back to the apartment to snatch an item or two," She said, " Soon I realized I had the answer to the questions that women kept asking me, "What are the must-haves?"
The book's list of can't-live-withouts include things like a tuxedo jacket, a well-fit jacket, a panama hat, etc. It also tells a lot about things designer belts etc. Not only these things, it also emphasizes that if you like to wear a short skirt, then your wardrobe is incomplete without knee-high boots.
Interestingly, she emphasized the importance of shoes with some extra force. She told, "It is one of those things you can't fake. You can't look well dressed without a nice pair of shoes, it is impossible."
Also her book include things, such as; zippered hoodie, crisp white shirt, push-up bra etc. Apart from these things, the book lists a number of other things which are enough to turn a lady into a fashion diva.
This book, undoubtedly, going to be an asset and boon for the all fashionable ladies. This book will work as a guide for those who are not well assured what their wardrobe should be made of.
Humanity Found Within the Pages of Vedic Books
There are an unlimited supply of vedic books available on the market today at your area retail bookseller and at many on-line web sites. Many of these vedic books focus upon the influence of Kali-yuga during modern day and how individuals can keep humanity alive during this era.
Individuals through all walks of life seek for the perfect human life, which includes materially, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
These individuals seek information that perhaps is beyond the understanding of more conventional experiences that include reality and spiritual. Through their investigations, these individuals are able to gain an more complete insight on the knowledge surrounding the many vedic practices.
Today it is hard to find individuals that have a genuine concern for the well being of all other living creatures. This is mainly due to so many individuals being mostly concerned about their own well being, their own lives, and the best way for them to succeed. Humanity needs to be based on ones consciousness, perception, and understanding.
There are many vedic books that focus on the true knowledge of humanity without any type of misinterpretations of those individuals that may have ulterior motives that you come in contact with each and every day.
Often times our own consciousness, desires, and thoughts are contaminated without our fully being aware of it due to the society in which we live being so acceptable. Due to overpopulation many individuals think that there is a scarcity of food, but the fact of the matter is that there is more of lack of cooperation of our world leaders and the resources of our planet. There may be a shortage of food in one area, but in another area there may be an over abundance of food, but are these individuals helping the individuals that have less than them? Where is the humanity in this? Due to such a lack of cooperation in various countries, one country has to suffer daily from starvation all from this lack of efficiency and unity between world leaders and their communities.
If enough people begin thinking alike and start acting together in a conscious matter, then the results would be amazing.
Unfortunately, mankind views others with closed minds when ever there is any type of cultural background difference or if others are basically of another race, which is such a shame. In this sense mankind is intellectually handicapped whether they care to see the effects of their daily actions or not. Humanity means working together and being able to see beyond any type of cultural differences.
For individuals to change the course of their future they need to learn the real meaning of humanity and then determine for themselves how to develop a new level at which they should live. The more individuals that become aware and begin to focus on humanity as a whole, then the higher their social consciousness will begin. When individuals begin working together in society for the same cause, then the repercussions to the world are reduced and nature becomes balanced within the world.
Individuals through all walks of life seek for the perfect human life, which includes materially, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
These individuals seek information that perhaps is beyond the understanding of more conventional experiences that include reality and spiritual. Through their investigations, these individuals are able to gain an more complete insight on the knowledge surrounding the many vedic practices.
Today it is hard to find individuals that have a genuine concern for the well being of all other living creatures. This is mainly due to so many individuals being mostly concerned about their own well being, their own lives, and the best way for them to succeed. Humanity needs to be based on ones consciousness, perception, and understanding.
There are many vedic books that focus on the true knowledge of humanity without any type of misinterpretations of those individuals that may have ulterior motives that you come in contact with each and every day.
Often times our own consciousness, desires, and thoughts are contaminated without our fully being aware of it due to the society in which we live being so acceptable. Due to overpopulation many individuals think that there is a scarcity of food, but the fact of the matter is that there is more of lack of cooperation of our world leaders and the resources of our planet. There may be a shortage of food in one area, but in another area there may be an over abundance of food, but are these individuals helping the individuals that have less than them? Where is the humanity in this? Due to such a lack of cooperation in various countries, one country has to suffer daily from starvation all from this lack of efficiency and unity between world leaders and their communities.
If enough people begin thinking alike and start acting together in a conscious matter, then the results would be amazing.
Unfortunately, mankind views others with closed minds when ever there is any type of cultural background difference or if others are basically of another race, which is such a shame. In this sense mankind is intellectually handicapped whether they care to see the effects of their daily actions or not. Humanity means working together and being able to see beyond any type of cultural differences.
For individuals to change the course of their future they need to learn the real meaning of humanity and then determine for themselves how to develop a new level at which they should live. The more individuals that become aware and begin to focus on humanity as a whole, then the higher their social consciousness will begin. When individuals begin working together in society for the same cause, then the repercussions to the world are reduced and nature becomes balanced within the world.
Gus Hansen Finally Writes a Poker Book
One of the most notable sporting and entertainment figures of this decade has always been somewhat aloof to the poker market upswing while at the same time being the source of its epicenter. Gus never really bothered with marketing himself or taking advantage of his popularity. He just loves to play, and challenge himself, and yes... gamble. If you know anything about Gus Hansen, it's that he loves to gamble. But in this new book, you learn a lot more about how the math of Gus Hansen actually explains away that gambling moniker and theorem.
This book is delightfully insightful and forthright. Gus has really opened up here and goes through every contentious hand he plays at the 2007 Aussie Millions, where he dominated the final table and kick-slapped an internet newcomer named Jimmy Fricke heads up to seal the deal. In showing how he strategizes right through that tournament he creates sincere value that we amateur players may have never before been exposed to because players like Gus are just so rare.
If you've ever seen some of the hands from this tournament on youtube, you will see that Gus was actually using a personal recording device and whispering into a mic throughout the Aussie Millions Tournament. You have to wonder if it was a self check system for Gus, or if he had actually planned to use the information for this book ahead of time.
Nonetheless he was definitely in a good position to analyze the hands for this book as he could easily review the chips counts, stacks, position and all the other important tournament factors. You get his detailed insight into the thought processes of one of the best tourney players in the world, while also learning about the different strategies of playing a full table and playing short-handed, and how important aggression is part of Gus Hansen's game.
Hansen's book should be read after Harrington's because you have two very different styles, but one could argue that Hansen is more successful than Harrington. This is more a less a personal slant as to what style you can play effectively where one style is no better than the other. Gus writes quite blatantly that most poker books are too theoretical and assert play that far too tight for tournaments.
The practical style poker books seems to carry more value as they are just that much easier to read, think about, and then take to the table yourself, trying to recognize similar situations you may have just soaked in. Gus Hansen's book is all about this, and it makes it easily worth every cent.
There were a lot of tournament structure and strategy notes that Gus explained in this book too, as he made a habit of recapping the day's events, setting up for the day ahead, analyzing blinds changes and payout structures, and really analyzing his opponents quite frequently as the tournament changed.
Surely an advanced poker this is, from one of the world's most gifted players
This book is delightfully insightful and forthright. Gus has really opened up here and goes through every contentious hand he plays at the 2007 Aussie Millions, where he dominated the final table and kick-slapped an internet newcomer named Jimmy Fricke heads up to seal the deal. In showing how he strategizes right through that tournament he creates sincere value that we amateur players may have never before been exposed to because players like Gus are just so rare.
If you've ever seen some of the hands from this tournament on youtube, you will see that Gus was actually using a personal recording device and whispering into a mic throughout the Aussie Millions Tournament. You have to wonder if it was a self check system for Gus, or if he had actually planned to use the information for this book ahead of time.
Nonetheless he was definitely in a good position to analyze the hands for this book as he could easily review the chips counts, stacks, position and all the other important tournament factors. You get his detailed insight into the thought processes of one of the best tourney players in the world, while also learning about the different strategies of playing a full table and playing short-handed, and how important aggression is part of Gus Hansen's game.
Hansen's book should be read after Harrington's because you have two very different styles, but one could argue that Hansen is more successful than Harrington. This is more a less a personal slant as to what style you can play effectively where one style is no better than the other. Gus writes quite blatantly that most poker books are too theoretical and assert play that far too tight for tournaments.
The practical style poker books seems to carry more value as they are just that much easier to read, think about, and then take to the table yourself, trying to recognize similar situations you may have just soaked in. Gus Hansen's book is all about this, and it makes it easily worth every cent.
There were a lot of tournament structure and strategy notes that Gus explained in this book too, as he made a habit of recapping the day's events, setting up for the day ahead, analyzing blinds changes and payout structures, and really analyzing his opponents quite frequently as the tournament changed.
Surely an advanced poker this is, from one of the world's most gifted players
Our Reality
Our reality is everything we experience by the use of our mind backed by our thoughts, feelings and actions. Which leads us to the state of mind and position in life we are currently in. This is just an excerpt of what reality is. In the book called "Our Ultimate Reality" by Adrian Cooper, he goes into depth of what reality is. The book explores a wide range of topics and after 572 pages split across 115 chapters. I personally think this book brings me closer to the truth. Due to the fact after reading this book it makes it clear for someone to consider it as a manual for personal progression. However, this book could change your life after reading it. Thanks to the author I know have a better understanding of my existence.
Here is just some of the life changing knowledge you will find in Our Ultimate Reality:
Discover your infinite, immortal Spiritual nature, and what it really means
Discover the importance of Energy, Vibration and Mind
Discover the truth about the afterlife, reincarnation and karma
Discover your true destiny, and the Spiritual growth to realise it
Discover the true nature of the Universe in all spheres of reality
How to attract abundance and anything you need, wish for or desire
How to remain healthy and heal any ailment, however serious it might seem
How to achieve Astral Projection and OBE's and the 3 best methods for each
How to visit where you will go to after "death" and visit "deceased" people
How to contact your Higher-Self to find the true answers to important questions
Here is just some of the life changing knowledge you will find in Our Ultimate Reality:
Discover your infinite, immortal Spiritual nature, and what it really means
Discover the importance of Energy, Vibration and Mind
Discover the truth about the afterlife, reincarnation and karma
Discover your true destiny, and the Spiritual growth to realise it
Discover the true nature of the Universe in all spheres of reality
How to attract abundance and anything you need, wish for or desire
How to remain healthy and heal any ailment, however serious it might seem
How to achieve Astral Projection and OBE's and the 3 best methods for each
How to visit where you will go to after "death" and visit "deceased" people
How to contact your Higher-Self to find the true answers to important questions
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