Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

   All of us need to have personal boundaries. None of us should be left with a sense of no limits.
When  a person is allowed to touch  you in a way that he or she shouldn't, a boundary has been broken or was never set in place. Everyone has the right to say no. When it comes to your skin, for example, no one but you and those who you allow to touch you has the right to do so.
   A boundary is how far you let a person go, A boundary is a limit.
   In this book Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend help you see and set up boundaries. Boundaries also limit our actions. You have to know when to say yes and when to say no and take control of your life. Boundaries help in this process.
    Boundaries are not just physical. They are also emotional and  spiritual. The complete person.
    The problem is that we are afraid of hurting someone if we say no. That should be the most distant thing from our mind. We must see ourselves as being important and also an individual. It is our right to be on one hand free and on the other hand to have limits to our action. Just as we are an individual so is the other person.
     I recommend this book for everyone.

Authors Wanted

   I realize that this is basicly a blog that covers books. But there is a need out there for writers.  I mean think about it, if there were no authors there would be no books and there would be no My Life With Books.  And if there were no books , well, it isn't anything that we need to concern ourselves about.
   There will always be books.  There will always be young adult  books. There will also be writing jobs   enough to go around. It is not a disappearing field. 

    There is even E-Book authorship if you so desire. But remember those who write for cyberspace aren't often read. Although I have in the past reviewed a few, it was hard for me as it is easier to read print than pixels.

Love,Sex, And Happily Ever After by Craig Groeschel

   Pastor?. Are you looking for a short book to hand to the couple who comes to your office seeking premarital counseling? A book that is written in an easy to read and understand manner?  

   This book, "Love, Sex, and Happily Ever After"; subtitled "Preparing for a Marriage That Goes The Distance" may just be that book.
    Groeschel in fifteen chapters details what to expect in the dating, attraction, courting, and commitment stages. In the fourth chapter he lists what he calls gears or steps that a person should go through in developing your relationship.
    This is also a book for married people. It will help them open a dioscussion.. There is a study guide following the chapters so a person could use this in a small group.
     I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multinomah Publishing Group for this review

How to Read

   I found a good book in my library. I tend to read for information. I like to read these types of books to clear out my mind between fiction. This book How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom is refreshing. It was published in 2000-- the turn of the century (I have always wanted to say that and now I have)
   He points out that books should be read for the purest of reasons,which is to discover and augment the self.

                           "Information is endlessly available to us; where shall wisdom be found?"
    He discusses the works of some writers whom he admires. You will find Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner used.
    You can also look at my web page http://www.turbo642.com/ for further help. It, of course,. is a book web site full of information and help.
     Stay with me. Enjoy my love for books and reading.
     What have you been reading lately? Comment and let us talk.

A New Site

      I just want the readers of this blog to know  that I have a web page concerning information on books and things pertaining to books. It is http://www.turbo642.com/.
      This is a blog.
      That is my information page.
       I am currently reading a J.D. Robb book, her latest in the Death series. It is called New York To Dallas.
      It is known that the authors real name is Nora Roberts, a fair writer in the romance genre. Authors do things like this-- write in other genrbooks es under pen names. I enjoy her romance but even more her mystery series. She mixes romance with mystery in this series. It is set, all the series, in the future, around 2060. The main character ,Eve Dallas, is married and horny as all get out. But the job as detective Lieutenant comes first
      In this book she runs into a character from her past. He seeks revenge for her putting him in prison. She must put hiom back in before he kills and rapes more women.
     Maybe not your type of mystery fiction. that's okay.
     Keep reading my posts and I will keep on reviewing and letting you see what I am reeading. Deal?

    .

Alarming but true.

     Hi. I realize this isn't really about a book. Not at this moment. What I would like to do is tell you that I have set up a web page at http://www.turbo642.com/. It is an information site about books. It is neat. It is a love of mine--books and reading literacy. No doubt if you are following this blog you have figured that one out.
   In fact let me print out an article.
  

Literacy Rate -
How Many Are Illiterate

The literacy rate in the US has many educators in search of answers about this problem that has plagued our country for decades. Instead of decreasing, the numbers of literacy has steadily increased over the years. This raises a lot of questions about our education system, how it is ran, and why there is such a problem with illiterate people in our country.
The NAAL (National Assessment of Adult Literacy) administered tests which revealed that an estimated 14% of US residents would have extreme difficulty with reading and written comprehension. These people can legally be defined as illiterate. This could lead to numerous problems for these people now and in the future. When looking to apply for a job, there are forms that have to be filled out. Adults with literacy issues are unable to fill out these forms which decrease their chances of getting a job and raises unemployment issues.
According to international charts has a literacy rate of 21.8%. Education completion among males and females is drastically low. There are six years of primary level education and seven years of secondary level education offered. The United States requires six years of primary level education and seven years of secondary level education.
Greenland has fallen in the number one spot for literacy rates which is defined as anyone over the age of fifteen years old that can read and write. Both males and females have are at 100% literacy. In the US, adults with a high level of literacy are at 19%, a low level of literacy are at 49.6% and a moderate level of literacy at 31.4%. That difference in literacy rates are outstanding.
When compared with international figures, out of 205 rated countries, the US falls into the 27th slot of 205. While this isn't a dangerous place to be in, we need to research what it is countries such as Greenland, Luxembourg and Norway are doing differently. Perhaps there is something within our school system that we can alter to better accommodate students with literacy problems and prevent future issues.
Literacy issues affect daily life. Those who are illiterate face problems, not only in the workforce but at home as well. How can anyone with a low literacy rate complete daily tasks such as writing a letter, filling out forms, helping their child with homework and so on. The issue of literacy rates is a concerning one. With the proper research and adjustments we can better these rates from what they are now and educate our students further to prevent adult literacy problems.
If we fail to fix the literacy problems that we face today it may one day become a crisis issue. All one has to do is look at the facts and figures to figure out that there is a phenomenal difference internationally between countries and their literacy rates. Low levels of literacy result in people being uninformed or misinformed about certain issues. This can lead the way to crime, mis-education, and the failure to live life properly. For example, it has been stressed over the years that parents should read to their child. How can a parent do something like that if they are unable to read more than a few short sentences?
No matter what the circumstances behind the issues of literacy, we need to take a step back and analyze our options and move forward from there. Children of today are the future for tomorrow and we need to do all that we can to make sure that those children graduate from school able to read at a moderate to high literary level. Their comprehension is important and testing needs to be done in order to assure that they are where they need to be before moving ahead and graduation out of the school system. These are steps that will help our students not only avoid the disadvantage of being illiterate for the well being of their own future, but also that of our entire country and how competitive we can stay in the global economy.

    This shouldn't be. So I have a web site up.
    Enjoy it.
  Send me comments. How do you like what I am doing? Is there any other information I can impart on this subject that will help you?

Self Publish Route

  I am sure many of us have stories to tell and wish there was a way we could get the story on paper and from there on to the publisher who will publish our book. That is a nice target to go for. Sometimes there is a need within a human being to see our words in print and we don't mind having to pay someone to do it.

  That is where the self publishing company comes in.
   I went that route once when I was younger. Not having much money I decided to go with a plan cover.. no illustration. Just the name. It was a small booklet really, and they did a good job. I don't remember what press it was. It was so long ago. Just htat I was sarisfied.
    I had to walk it around myself and get to book events by myself. It is a lot of work but for a person that is a go getter and doesn't mind long hours and lots of people contact, it can be done.
    Keep reading. Follow me and become a member. Make comments and let me know if there is any books you wish me to look at and comment on. If at all possible I will do so.

Have I Got a Tale For You

       I would  venture to say that in most of us there is a story waiting to come out. A story that at least your grandmother or the people at work would be thrilled to hear.
    Maybe someone has said to you that something you said should be in a book and you should write it. Yet you hold back because you wonder who will publish it.
     When I was younger, and this was before ebooks or even the Internet, I had a subject I felt needed to be addressed. Never mind that there was a glut of books out there already on the subject. I decided that I was going to seek out a vanity publisher,--a subsidy press-- to get my booklet out there.

     And so we still have that avenue of publishing to consider. Today it is easier. We have the Internet and we can turn what we have written into an Ebook.
     Some self-published books do work. I understand that The Wizard of Oz was self published. Look how popular it  became and every book in the series after that was published under a publisher that paid the author.
    When we self-publish we, the author, have to pay to have it printed and distributed. And if it doesn't sell, we are stuck with the surplus.
     This may not be a worry in the Ebook realm.  But we still have to pay for the privilege to have our 'baby' set mto print.
      Luckily there are good places you can go. I don't know the prices. Ask once you have contacted them. I am sure that somewhere on this posting there is an ad. The Booksneeeze group I receive books to review from is affliated with a publisher. I am sure you can link up with the publisher they push.
      Enjoy reading. I plan to keep on recommending books and reviewing books.  
     

Readers Buy

   Looking at my stats I notice this blog is being read in Russia as well as the United States. In the past it has had readers from Pakistan, Canada, and other areas. That is a good area. That means this is something that is needed. Now all I want is return readers and a core. Would you be my core? And as a core group, would you please tell others? And once in a while buy.
    Barnes and Noble is one place you can buy books. on line that is http://www.bn.com/. Or you can get the religious books from Christian discount book sellers They are on the web at http://www.christianbook.com/.. Or you can also go to Amazon bookseller. on the web that would be http://www.amazon.com/
     I do not get a commission from them so I am referring you as a service
   Be a follower of this blog series. Hang on to your seat for we are moving forward

 

Midnight Louie Solves Another

   As I have said, for relaxation I read mysteries. This is a series that I enjoy. It is the Midnight Louie Mystery series by Carole Nelson Douglas. Each book title features a letter of the alphabet. It starts with Catnip and Pussyfoot before starting the letters at Cat on a Blue Monday.
   What is enjoyable about these mysteries is it is told first person in places by the cat. He shares the rest of the book with humans. The human parts are in third person and usually  follows Temple Barr, the person Louie has chosen to adopt. If you are a cat owner you know what I just said. Temple has two male friends, Max and Matt. The detective is a Lt. Carmen Regina Molina. ( yes, Douglas breaks the rule not to have your main characters' names start with the same first letter so as not to confuse the reader. maybe she does this on purpose.) Temple is a PR person in Las Vegas who just happens to run across mysteries that Bound in the Casinos.The casinos are run by the mob. Well, the reformed gangsters
    This time someone is killing females and leaving Barbie dolls by the bodies. A elderly woman is being taken advantage of by her caretakers. The book is titled Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta.  Yes. we have gotten up to the Vs.
     It is lighthearted in places, but it is detailed and concerns the relations Barr has with her two male friends and with the Lt.
     Douglas also writes adventure stories concerning Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes.
     I prefer her Midnight Louie mysteries.
     Become a follower. Join up and keep informed

Lighter Reading

  When I am not reading heavy theological books or even books for Booksneeze ( I do Booksneeze because I lost my column in the Santa Monica Daily Press because Daniel Archuleta, the managing editor, decided last year that he was not going to be publishing book reviews in the paper for a while,) Makes me wonder, does no one read anymore? Book Reviews are needed. Even in this day of  the ebook. Does no one enjoy reading?
   Anyhow, as I was saying, when I relax in my reading I tend to read mysteries. And I sort of like reading light hearted mysteries. A good series is the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. The characters in this series are funny. There is Stephanie who works as a bounty hunter and her friends.
   The latest one is Smoking Seventeen. Evanovich uses numbers for her titles in this series. In this one dead bodies are showing up around the place she works. Her male friends, Trenton cop, Joe Morelli, and security expert,Ranger, are here. Her mother is trying to get her married off. She has even brought a former classmate of Stephanies', an ex- football  player, into the house in the hope that Stephanie will dump her two boyfriends and settle down.  Grandma Bella, Morelli's grandmother, has put the evil eye on Stephanie. Stephanies' grandmother is still going to funerals to enjoy the refreshments. A cold blooded killer is after Stephanie.
    All in a days work for Stephanie.
     I do recommend this series.

How to Read A Book

   I know. I know. What a dull title for a posting. But this is important.
  A book is to be slowly and lovingly digested. That can easily be said of a good fiction book. But how do you read that non-fiction work?
   That is a good question and one that needs to be addressed.
    I find that when I come across a non-fiction book that I look first at the table of contents to get a general idea of where the author is going. Sometimes the titles given each chapter are deceptive. So my next step is to look at the index (This is non-fiction and hopefully the author has been nice enough to include one.) I would look to see who and what is mentioned. I don't concern myself so much with where and on what page, but I look to get an idea of what the author considers important.. Then I would look at the number of pages. It is not always true that the more pages the better the coverage. Some subjects don't need extensive coverage.
    Then I ask myself, or I have before I select a book on the subject, just what am I looking for?  What do I need to know? And having selected the book I read it to answer my questions. It doesn't have to be a profound question. Maybe just something I need to know.
     Please feel free to comment on the posts. I will answer every comment that is not spam or a flame.
  

James Patterson's New Venture

I don't know how new new it is because Patterson has the habit of co-writing at the present time with so many other authors--each seems to be a series-- that he is always present in the New Book Section of the Santa Monica Library. This is where I pick up his books to read. This one he wrote with a Michael Ledwidge. It is named Now You See Her It is a suspense novel told mostly in first person from the woman's pov. (Point Of View) it is intersperced with third person from Peter's point of  view. This helps the mounting tension as she disappears and later shows up again and a hunter/ hunted motif is used. But mostly the motif of  chase is used. As Paterson's co-authored books go, this is well done. His formula of short chapters, terse language is seen here. Just enough red herrings are used to keep the reader guessing to the end. Is her husband a wife killer? Is she the next? That's one plot line. Another is: who is the Jump Killer? Someone is killing women and leaving them tied up in jump cords. The main character knows the one on death row for the crime isn't the killer. How is she going to prove that and still keep away from Peter whom she has managed to run away from all these years?
   For readers of Patterson novels I recommend this one.

Biography Of Ethel Waters

Found a great biography by Donald Bogle, an instructor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the University Of Pennsylvania. It is concerning the life of Ethel Waters Heat Wave:  The Life and Career of Ethel Waters  I remembered her only as a back up singer for the Billy Graham Crusades. By that time she had put on lots of weight. But she wasn't always overweight. She was a thin singer/ actress before then. She also was featured, or maybe starred in A Cabin In The Sky . I did see that once at the library here in Santa Monica on one of their movie days. And she did act in Member Of The Wedding. 
I find this book to be a good biography. The author, also black, does not go light on the race issue of the times. Nor should he have done so. It is a matter of history. History must not be  forgotten or placed in an alternative universe, except in sci fi.
 

Warning-- watch out

Sad to say not all books I read are the type I can recommend. Such is the case concerning Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo. Todd is a pastor and he is telling the true story of his son,Colton, age four, who almost dies from a appendectomy. The boy reports having an out of the body experience (not the words he uses) and going to heaven and sitting on the Lap of Jesus, having angels sing hymns to him.
   It is dangeous.  Dangeous because all we need to know about heaven is found in God's Book, the Bible. Dangeous because to say a person can die and come back again is not according to what God says. Dangeous because this writer is a pastor. People hold pastors in awe and believe what they tell them.
  This pastor is wrong. Dead wrong.
  It is also dangeous because some people trust the publisher, Thomas Nelson, as being a Christian publisher of truth. In this case the publisher blew it.

Set in Santa Monica

I have found a mystery that is set in Santa Monica. It is called No Dice and it is written by Mar Preston. It is written omnipresent and the viewpoint is shared by two persons. Dave Mason, the Santa Monica detective and Ginger McNair, a resident who is up for nomination as a member of the city board. It is up with the rent control faction and the fair wage law issue of a few years ago and I must admit, a present day issue in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is run by a mayor who is part of the city council. The way it works here in Santa Monica is their mayor is elected from among the council.
  The story starts the day before a big vote on bringing a casino into their city. The council woman who is pro-gambling is found knifed.  She is discover by Ginger who is anti-gambling. This makes her a suspect.
  The casino will be built on prime land now used by Sears and Santa Monica Place. There are suspects a plenty. There is also a romance but it is not allowed to dominate the mystery. There are not bodies every place.
   This does follow the mystery formula of victim, murderer, sleuth. Our amateur detective is Ginger who just can't let the Santa Monica Police Department alone to solve the case.
   It has a satisfactory ending and all is well.
   I would recommend it for the mystery reader out there.

Thursday Missing

Hi. I picked this book up, One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde. The title caugfht my interest. I normally don't read in the fantasy/ Scifi section of the library. I guess because I find it hard to read an area that makes little sense if any at all. I  tend to read in the area of possibility.
  The story concerns the seeking for the real Thursday. It takes place in the Bookworld and the real Thursday has dissapeared and all that is left is the written Thursday. It is told in first person and it is trhe written Thrsday we are seeing the story through. Chartacters around her are fading away because they are no longer read. She feels unneeeded and a shadow of the original. She  wants to find and restore the real Thursday.
  In the end, if I understand it correctly, she discovers she is not a copy.
   I guess maybe I don't get it. But that is okay. There are a lolt of other genres out there for me to read.

Dekker's new Book



In a place far away

   At least I think it is his new book. He is such a prolific writer at the moment, it seems to me. Since I pick up his books at the Santa Monica Library and it appeared in the new book section, I think it is new.
   It's The Priest's Graveyard  and I have always enjoyed his writing style. Tight. Good charaters. Concerning the battle between good and evil in the world.
   This concerns a priest who is going around cleansing the world of bad people. A priest who acts like the grim reaper. He meets up with a young woman who has been ill treated and now has the goal to destroy the man who abused her.
     I am still in the midst of reading it so I don't know how it works out, but the two of them are on a vengence kick. I suspect if it follows the resolution of his other novels, good will win out in the end, Although I wonder about the message that it is okay to take the law in your own hands when it comes to evil.
     Dekker handles the subject well and it is a good read for those who like this type of story.

Importance of Reading

I might have mentioned this earlier Books whether in EBook form or hard cover contain so much good material. Where else can you get an education for little money and time?
    Non-Fiction is very important. How to do it books sell well because people want to know. No ones' education, that is formal education, can  cover everything you would need to know as you go through life. But someone has put it in a book to share with others
  Also non-fiction includes biography. Get to know people this way. Meet people you wouldn't run into every day. There is the memoir called "Jennie Out Of The Bottle"  by Barbara Eden. You remember her. The woman who played a genie that came out of the bottle to help the Astronaut played by Larry Hagman. yes, her. Chances are that you won't meet her every day. But you have a book you can read and learn something about her.
  Or you can read books on Abraham Lincoln. Him you aren't going to run into today.
   Keep reading. Keep growing.

Further Books

Books are very important to a persons life. You get enjoyment from them as well as information. I am very grateful having learned to read.

                                                                                     

 I guess I have always been a reader. It is very important to me. I also guess I am the few of those who weren't distroyed by the required books to be read for English Classes in High School. I never really disliked Dickens or other writers. Although there were a few authors, looking back, I would never have read unless they were required in school. Sir Walter Scott is one of those. George Elliot is another. As well as Thackery.
Now that I am out of school I find it easier to go back and read those authors I have missed reading when in high school.
    Moby Dick is still a hard one to get interested in. As is Gone With The Wind   which I was able to plod through. Cancer Ward  is a great piece of writing.
   I have also found that American Literature really isn't. Geater themes and plots are found in Soviet Literature and English Literature. But more about them later.
  The EBook has not done a great service for us by releasing these books and others as free downloads. But that seems to be where you are most likely to find the titles  limping along.