For Book Lovers

As a total book lover, when I stumbled across Jane Mount and her work for her ongoing project "Ideal Bookshelf" earlier this week I knew I immediately wanted to share it with all of you since I know many of you love books as much as I do.

Long story short, Jane paints a set of books in the form of portraiture and the best part is you can custom order a painting. All you have to do is send her a picture of the spines of the books you want and she does the rest (more details and pricing here). We all have favourite books and books that have influenced and perhaps even help shaped who we are and what we do - I think this is a nice way to highlight those books and I find Jane's work completely charming.

I love books and love looking on other people's bookshelves to see what books they've read and are into. I think you can tell so much about someone by the books they read and choose to display. I proudly have many of my books out on shelves and kind of don't understand when some people choose to cover their book covers with plain craft paper or something else of that nature for a uniform look. The book covers are part of the charm! You know when you see a book spine and just from the colour or little bit of the image you can see or the font - and you can immediately know what book it is? Why would you want to cover it? Crazy.

Even though I'm in the midst of packing up all of my stuff and moving it into storage I already know I'll be ordering one for myself. My first peace of real art - and custom to boot! I'm already having fun thinking about what books I want to include and think it will be a mix of my all-time favourites (Roots, A Thousand Splendid Suns) with some fun ones that I just enjoy (The Know It All and The Year of Living Biblically (both by AJ Jacobs) had me in stitches I laughed so hard). I think I'd also include some books I've read more recently that have helped shape my thinking (Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, Who Will Cry When You Die?) Hmmm......I really need to start a little list! I think this would make a great gift for book lovers, or for a nursery/child's room - you could have all of your favourite childhood books painted! Or maybe one for the kitchen with all of your favourite cookbooks?

You can find out more by visiting Jane's site or checking out her Etsy shop where you can purchase ready made pieces.

+All images above from Jane Mount's website & Etsy shop.

+Here is a great article by The National Post on Jane and her work.

(Just in case there is any doubt this NOT a sponsored post. I haven't ever done one of those. I came across Jane's work, loved it, and wanted to share. Simple as that :)

*******

Speaking of books and book covers (can you see where I'm going with this?) one of my favourite bloggers Anna of the popular blog Door Sixteen has, what I think, one of the coolest jobs around - she's a book cover designer! I know right?! She doesn't usually talk too much about her job on her blog but earlier this week she posted an Ask Anna: Book Cover Edition post and well - I think she got close to 100 questions...and she's started to answer them! I find it really interesting to learn more about what people do and in this case I love hearing about her job which totally sounds like a dream job to me. So if you're interested in learning more about what goes into making those awesome book covers that catch your eye, that you can't forget, and that help you to hand over your cash (because lets face it, we DO judge a book by it's cover) be sure to check out Anna's posts.

Happy reading! Have a great weekend :)

The Greatness Guide

So over the past few posts I've mentioned the book I'm reading, The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma, and how....well...great I think it is. This isn't the first Robin Sharma book I've read and I enjoyed the others just as much. The subtitle on this book reads: ".....secrets for personal and business mastery."

I wouldn't say they are so much "secrets" as they are tips/suggestions/advice and words of wisdom. Well, maybe they are secrets if you never knew them before. I can honestly say I've had at least 3 AHA moments so far and have underlined dozens of bits of wisdom. Some of which I'd like to share here with you all (shortened to get to the heart of the point as I see it). I even typed some out on pictures so they look nice :) Click image to see larger.

Chapter 11. Mick Jagger and Reference Points.

*(small correction: ...should read Lance Armstrong is a great reference point on perseverance...)
(this chapter - total aha moment.)

Chapter 14. How To Be a Happier Human

Chapter 20. Burn Your Boats.

Chapter 24. Your Four-Minute Mile.

...Before 1954 , it was believed that no runner could ever break the 4-minute mile barrier. But after Roger Bannister broke it, many more replicated it---within weeks. Why? Because he showed people it was possible. They got a new reference point. And armed with that belief, people did the impossible. (so true! you often hear something is hard/challenging to do but then when one person does it...tons of people start doing it afterwards and it's not as "impossible" anymore.) What's your four-minute mile? What false assumptions are you making in terms of what you cannot have, do and be? Your thinking creates your reality (AHA! total lightbulb went off for me) Your beliefs truly become self-fulfilling prophecies (because your beliefs drive your actions---and you will never act in a way that is misaligned with your thinking; the size of your life reflects the size of your thinking)......(ahhhh this entire chapter is one big aha moment)

Chapter 29. Your Schedule Doesn't Lie.

There's an old phrase that says "what you're doing speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you're saying." You can say that your primary value involves putting your family first, but if time with your family is not all over your schedule, well then the truth of the matter is that your family life isn't your priority....Show me your schedule and I'll show you the truth. Because your schedule doesn't lie.....Your schedule is the best barometer for what you truly value and believe to be important. Too many people talk a good talk. But talk is cheap. Show me your schedule and I'll show you where your priorities are. I used to be a litigation lawyer. Witnesses in the courtroom could say what they wanted to. But the evidence never lied. (I never thought about my schedule this way before. Very powerful stuff I think.)

And there are 101 chapters like this.

As I mentioned before the chapters are no longer than 1 or 2 pages and really expand on the suggestion/idea/advice for that chapter. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants some encouragement to...just do something, who wants to live a more fulfilled life, who is starting their own business or thinking of it, or maybe you have your own business and just want to make it greater. In short, I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to be greater at whatever it is your doing.

*All excerpts from the book, The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma available, among other places, here or here.

I Could Do Anything

I picked this book up a few weeks ago (yes while thrifting-gosh, you all are going to think i buy everything in thrift shops! hahaha) and am really enjoying it (though I am going through it quite slowly - I've been busy). I love the Barbara Sher's writing style. Very straight up - not flowery and hokey pokey. And, I must admit, there's been more than a few times when I've nodded my head in agreement - or at the realization of something. I can't wait to get through it to see what I discover.

Here's some of the intro:

This book is designed to help you find the good life. By that, I don't mean swimming pools, mansions, and private jets -- unless those are really your big passions. But if you picked up a book called I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was, you're probably looking for a lot more than a swimming pool.  

You want a life you will love.

A friend's father got it right when he said "The good life is when you get up in the morning and can't wait to start all over again".....

I don't mean what you're skilled at. I don't really care what your skills are. When I was a single working mother with two babies, you know what my skills were? I could clean house like a demon; catch a moving bus with my arms full of laundry, groceries, and kids; and squeeze a dollar until the picture of George Washington screamed for mercy.

I do not want the career that uses those skills, thank you.

I don't believe you live the good life by doing what you can do; you live it by doing what you want to do. I don't even think your greatest talents necessarily show up in your skills. All of us are good at things we're not madly in love with. And all of us have talents we've never used.

Relying on your skills to guide you is simply unacceptable. That's why I don't intend to give you personality tests or skills assessments to find out what you should be doing.

I know what you should be doing.

You should be doing what you love.

What you love is what you are gifted at. Only love will give you the drive to stick to something until you develop your gift. That's the way really big things get accomplished in this world -- by people no different than you and I who know what they want and put everything they've got behind it.

If you don't know what you want, you can't get out of the starting gate -- and that's discouraging. But you're not alone. Recent figures show that as many as 98 percent of Americans are unhappy in their jobs. And it isn't only financial considerations that keep them where they are; they simply don't know what to do instead. What you may have thought was your private little nightmare turns out to be heartbreakingly common....

So, if you're feeling a bit...lost...or unsure of what you should be doing - I thought I'd share this find. You can probably find it at your local library or you can get it pretty inexpensively online. Click here to head over to Amazon where you can "look" inside the book and read more.

I Miss Being a Bookworm

Up until the end of 2008 I could (and would) proudly call myself a bookworm. I was a voracious reader and read, at the very least, 2 books a month (and that's being conservative - it was usually much higher). But then in 2009...my reading of books slowed down. Who am I kidding - it all but stopped. Sure I was reading decor mags and blogs but I wasn't reading any books. And I LOVE reading. All types of books.

just a small small sampling of some of my books

I kinda blame blogging and the 'net for my lack of reading actual novels (time I'd usually spend reading - I now spend reading other blogs!)...but even more so I attribute my lack of reading to the fact that I was laid off. I did a LOT of my reading during my 2.5 hour (round trip) daily commute. And on my lunch break. And when I was laid off I no longer had this 'built-in' reading time. Sure, you'd think I have more free time to read but now a lot of my free time is spent looking for work, or doing contract gigs (working from home). And sometimes when I do have the time to read...I just can't focus.

But I miss reading. Yes, miss it. I crave a good book. The feeling of being absolutely absorbed into a book....there's nothing quite like finishing a good book, is there? Reading, literally, has the ability to transport you (me) to a different time. Or place. Or just put you in a different mind set. To make you laugh. To reflect. To see things in a new light. To discover (re-discover) something new. To make you think of doing things or going places you'd never thought of before....

Have I mentioned how much I love books?

So I've made the decision it's time for me to get back into the habit of reading. I miss the bookstore. Yes, the bookstore. I miss wandering the aisles and getting lost in books - dipping into and out of various books that catch my eye and walking out with 2 or 3 books to add to my nightstand.

I purchased this book months ago and just couldn't focus to really get into it...so I'm going to restart it.

And I've decided, and this will be hard, that weekends & at least 1 day a week will be internet free days for me. Yes, too much of a good thing can be...well, not so good.

So, with this in mind - I'd love to get a little list going of books to read. I also plan on heading to the bookstore this weekend and getting properly stocked up....I'd love to get YOUR opinion:

If you could recommend one book for me to read - what would it be? It could be from ANY genre...fiction, mystery, non-fiction, biography, chick lit, travel, romance, etc.....what would you suggest as a 'MUST' read (or simply a GOOD read) and (without giving the plot away) why? (Only thing - no self help books! I've actually read a few of these during the past year lol).

Perhaps there'll be a book that is frequently recommended? Regardless, I promise to check all of them out on amazon and pick a handful out this weekend to get me started on my quest to becoming a bookworm again.

Thanks!

The Lost Symbol: Dan Brown

(Woot - my first review! Note: I actually finished this a few weeks ago and am just getting around to writing/giving my review.)

Title: The Lost Symbol (click here to visit site...which is pretty cool)
Author: Dan Brown
# of Pages: 509
Published: September 2009

Short Synopsis: As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation... one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

My Review:
I'll preface this by saying that the following review is, obviously, MY opinion. Now that that's out of the way. Dan Brown's novels are, for the most part I believe, ones that you either love or you hate. People seem to have such strong opinions on his books and they seem to create such controversy (The DaVinci Code anyone?) which I guess is a good thing (because it can create some interesting discussion) but I think they forget that at the end of the day - though based on research - they are books of fiction. Anyways, I won't get off topic because these reviews I'd like to keep relatively short. So here goes:

This is the 5th Dan Brown novel I've read (the others being: The DaVinci Code, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, and Digital Fortress) so needless to say I enjoy his work. However, this was the one that took the longest for me to get into. I don't know - it just seemed to have a slow start. Really slow. The end (maybe the last 30 pages or so) was slow too. But the rest was a fast-paced, interesting, adventurous read - true to Dan Brown form - with the story happening in a span of 12 short hours. I was really interested in all of the Masonic symbols and history in the book as well as all learning about some of the symbols that are said to be hidden in Washington. I think it's cool to know that - if you're an American - you don't necessarily have to travel across the world to find ancient monuments with hidden meanings. There is also a form of science featured heavily throughout the story line, Noetic Science, that I found particularly interesting. I don't know if the experiments done in the book have been attempted in real life but there was one in particular (dealing with the human spirit/soul) that I thought was really fascinating (regardless of whether it's real or fake). Mal'akh, the villain in this story, is one of the creepiest Dan Brown villains to date. He seems to fear nothing and have nothing to lose - a man possessed. And usually, people like that are the ones with the potential to be the most dangerous...as he well proves. I will also say that this is the first Brown novel I've read that I've guessed what the "twist" was. If you've read any of his other novels you'll know that there is always some unexpected, "oh my gosh I can't believe it" twist. I don't know if it's because this is my 5th Brown novel and I knew to expect one - but I guessed what that twist was fairly early on. However, when it was revealed I was still shocked and read the page twice.

Despite it's slow start and some slow parts, I'll say if you're a Dan Brown fan then it's a good read that you'll enjoy. However, if this will be your first Brown book I'd start with something different. Perhaps one of his earlier books like Digital Fortress or Deception Point or my favourite Angels & Demons (which is MUCH MUCH better than the movie).

Keeping in mind how much I enjoyed his other books, which I enjoyed more, I give The Lost Symbol: 2.5 outta 5 stars.

Have you read the book? What did you think?

For Book Lovers

Currently Reading (& Next Review):
Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

To Read:

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Last updated: November 15, 2009

***********

Everyone who knows me well knows that I'm a bookworm at heart. In every sense of the word. I've always loved reading...for as long as I can remember. As cliche as it sounds, reading has the power, I feel, to transport you to a different time. A different place. It's amazing really. A few years ago I had a little thought. "I should open a little bookstore. A comfy, modern, little store that has not only best-sellers but also hard to find books. And I would have little treats out for patrons. And maybe coffee or tea. And I'd definitely have author readings...." I imagined it would be this trendy, hip spot where I could discuss the latest books and give my opinions and recommendations to those in need. I imagined the conversation going something like this:

Patron: "Hi! What a fantastic store you have here. It's so cute - I could sit here all day..."
Me: "Thank you!"
Patron: "Do you have (insert book name here)? I've heard great things about it."
Me: "I do. I actually read it a few weeks ago. It's (insert my opinion here). Have you ever read (insert another book name here)? It really has a similar vibe. But you should read it - it's really good."
Patron: "Thanks. I think I'll grab it. Hey, have you read...."

And so the conversation would continue over shortbread cookies and peppermint tea.

But that fantasy lasted only for so long before I came to my senses and decided there is no way I could compete with the big box bookstores, Amazon, and even the local pharmacies and grocery stores that now sell new releases at 30-40% off the cover price.

So THIS page of the blog is for book lovers. As I finish a book I'll give my own little review and opinion...constantly updating this page. Heck, I may even implement a star system. Star systems are fun. And if you like reading, love reading, or haven't read in a while and are looking for some suggestions - just check this page out. Also, feel free to comment on any reviews I write or to leave book recommendations for me - I'm always looking for something good to read and currently have 3 books on my list.

***********

REVIEW LIST
November 2009

• The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown