The right book for the right moment

August 1, 2008 | 2 Comments

Opportunity is often missed because we are broadcasting

when we should be tuning in.

~ Anonymous

Tuning in, turning on, plugging in, switching on. No I am not talking gadgets but me!

I define this month’s topic of ‘tuning in’ with some of the activities that connect me with my inner self. My favourite methods of tuning in are when I am involved in doing something creative or inspiring.

Sometimes its as simple as reading the right book for the moment and others a pretence of being better than I am - with the volume turned up either singing, dancing or both! [Marjorie use to fancy herself a talented singer...the dream dying a slow, painful death...ok STILL dying a slow, painful death ]

Sometimes I plan a weekend of trying out drawn out recipes that take a while to cook – and which take at least 2 glasses of wine with a stack of CDs playing; and others a take-away pizza to accompany that spiritual drama on DVD I’ve been meaning to watch – with the obligatory box of tissues or self righteousness, usually both.

Then there’s the bath, scented candles and champagne moments – when I feel oh so worth it - and sometimes because I don’t.

In almost every case I end up feeling rested (oh ok a little puffed too if there was dancing involved) and … peaceful is the word that most comes to mind. It’s as if in being in touch with myself I had quenched a thirst, satisfied a hunger, met an old friend I had been longing to see…and all is well - till the next time anyway.

I share below some of the reading material I believe are great for ‘tuning in’. Do share with me your ‘tuning in’ techniques below.

Intimacy & Solitude - Stephanie Dowrick

The widely-loved international bestseller that offers a rare chance to understand and balance two great emotional concerns: intimacy and independence.

We all want to give and receive love. We all want to enjoy our own company as much as we do other people’s. Yet sometimes things go mysteriously wrong. In this wise, inclusive and healing book, now updated and expanded, we learn that at the heart of many of our most painful problems is a need to balance time alone with time for others, and a need to understand and free ourselves from anxiety in order to enjoy a lasting appreciation of our relationships.

Through her empowering, deeply personal writing, Stephanie Dowrick brings us to a true understanding of the issues that matter most - and allows each one of us to make postivie, lasting change.

The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav

Building on the insights of his award-winning bestseller ‘The Dancing Wu Li Masters’, Gary Zukav probes deep into the human psyche and shows how we may begin to transform our lives.

In The Seat of the Soul he guides us on a journey of exploration into a world beyond the reach of our five senses, opening our eyes to the existence of intangible realities and taking us beyond the ‘external’ world, deep into the realm of the soul.

Until Today - Iyanla Vanzant

If there are situations, circumstances, or perhaps relationships in your life that you have been struggling to overcome, trying to work through, or doing your best to work around, throw your head back and declare to the universe, “Until Today!”

Whatever has been going on in your mind, your life, or your heart can stop — right now, if that is truly what you desire. However, you must be willing to “do a new thing.” You must spend a little time, each day, in devotion to the truth about yourself and your life. You must make a conscious approach to what you think, what you feel, and what you do. Devotion will clear up misconceptions that may have obscured your vision until today!

Bestselling author Iyanla Vanzant presents a new book of devotions for anyone on the path to spiritual empowerment. These daily devotions will create powerful changes in the circumstances of your life that have held you back and will place you on the road to personal strength and peace of mind.

Everyday Grace - Marianne Williamson

In this comforting, inspirational companion to the No.1 New York Times bestseller, A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson returns to her spiritual roots, writing on the art of nurturing a thriving soul in a harsh world.

What do your spiritual convictions have to do with traffic jams, job anxiety, reading the newspaper, or arguing with your spouse? Everything, according to Marianne Williamson. It is the way we live in our everyday world that determines the shape of who we are. So Buddhist or Muslim, Christian or Jew, it is the moment when your child fails an exam, when your best friend lands your dream job, or your business instinct tells you to watch your back, that tests and builds our living faith.

With an attitude of hope, a call to forgive, a celebration of miracles, and the promise of strength and grace, Williamson helps us find our sacred footing on ordinary ground. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, no matter what difficulties we face, there is always an opportunity to be happy, to connect with the spiritual - and to open our hearts and our minds. In the book of hours, Marianne Williamson teaches us to ride the currents of life and to seek out the sacred that will bring forth a sea change of the soul.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under August 08, Reading Space

K.I.S.S.

July 1, 2008 | 1 Comment

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

– Leonardo da Vinci -

KISS - keep it simple stupid, words to live by! As I get older and forgetful, the sayings I heard in my youth (mostly from my family of six and not by choice) do come back to haunt me as I finally ‘get it’. Of course, now that I get it, complete with blazing bulb I have to ensure my children hear these simple nuggets of wisdom which ultimately means a lot of eye rolling and not always behind my back!

In any case, I’m all for keeping things simple and and here is some reading material to cover some of the issues some of us might have. Hopefully they will lead to simplifying the complexities of each matter including that of simplicity itself

Simple Chinese Cooking - Kylie Kwong

Cooking Chinese food at home has never been easier – all you need is this book, a wok and a quick trip to the supermarket.

Kylie Kwong’s philosophy is to use the freshest produce and cook it simply to make the most of the clean flavours. All the necessary ingredients are available at your supermarket and Kylie’s recipes are friendly and straightforward. In no time, you’ll be cooking everyday favourites like soy sauce chicken and sung choi bau on weeknights and fresh-tasting button mushroom salad and prawn wonton soup for weekend occasions.

Enhanced by Earl Carter’s inspiring photographs of all the finished dishes, and with step-by-step pictures to guide you through their preparation, Simple Chinese Cooking will never be far from your kitchen.

Gorgeous Skin in 30 Days - Erica Angyal

The newest skin care and anti-ageing tools are the fork and the spoon!

Erica Angyal explains how her detox programme and great nutrition can lead to radiant skin in just 30 days. This easy-to-read manual offers everything you need to know to achieve healthy skin and prevent premature ageing. It contains a special section for brides and those wanting flawless skin for special occasions.

Erica Angyal is a health practitioner, nutritionist and consultant. Born in Australia, she graduated from the Sydney University of Technology with a Bachelor of Health Science. She also has a Diploma of Nutrition and is a member of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. She is currently based in Tokyo where she works as a nutritional consultant, as a health columnist for lifestyle magazines and presents regular seminars on preventative health and nutrition.

Getting Unstuck: 8 Simple Steps to Solving Any Problem - Dr Joy Browne

When it comes to problem-solving, Dr. Joy Browne is a pro at not only doing it, but showing you how to do it, too. On her own syndicated radio and television programs, she plays host to millions of listeners whose problems are solved one caller at a time.

In this book, she lays out her revolutionary 8-Step Problem-Solving System, making it crystal-clear how to go about finding answers to life challenges. When it comes to finding solutions, Dr. Joy knows that there’s no problem too big or too small. Whether you want to overcome your fears, gain perspective and self-awareness, or perfect the fine art of relationships at home or at work, this book has the answers you’ve been looking for.

Dr. Joy Browne will teach you how to quit being your own worst enemy and start being your own best friend, parent, mentor, and shrink all wrapped up in one. Full of timeless wisdom, profound insight, and gentle humor, Getting Unstuck is Dr. Joy’s definitive guide to cutting through the psychological red tape that stands between you and the life you want.

Finding Your Voice - Mary Atkins

This is the definitive self-help guide to presenting and public speaking for both the amateur and professional. It provides a comprehensive step-by-step approach to being an effective speaker, covering a range of public speaking challenges from vote of thanks through to professional presentations.

Mary Atkins is an award-winning speaker with over 20 years’ experience in training and coaching presenters. A member of the global organisation International Training in Communication (ITC) for 16 year, Mary is an Accredited Communicator.

Much in demand as an evaluator and judge, her talents for encouraging speakers to reach their potential is renowned. Mary has also put her advice into practice on numerous occasions, presenting on television, radio and in front of live audiences.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under July 08, Reading Space

Does Money Enable Freedom?

June 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It may well be that money is the root of all evil and that it can’t buy you love; its true time is more valuable than money. Then again, there are those who have a different view.

“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of“– Jane Austen (Mansfield Park)

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” – Bo Derek

“Money, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.” – Helen Gurley Brown

In this month’s Calm Space topic of Freedom I say I’m all for being miserable in comfort but more significantly, money does enable freedom. Freedom to formulate choices and the opportunity to make them.

From the woman trapped in an abusive marriage to the woman who reckons she needs 500 pairs of shoes in every colour of the rainbow; from the child dying of starvation to the child who’s deciding which private school he should attend.

Here are a small selection of titles on money as an avenue to the procurement of this genus of freedom.

The Money Club

Sheba Investment Network (SIN) is a group of women who meet once a month to have fun and make money. Nine years ago, only one of them had ever owned a share before. Now, they hold stockmarket investments that have a 30%-35% return - an excellent investment by anyone’s standard. They taught themselves how to do it, and in The Money Club they show readers how they, too, can set up their own money club.

The group was an offshoot of a book club. Its members thought, ‘If we can have fun together reading and discussing books, why don’t we expand our skills, acquire an understanding of investment, and make some money!’ And so they did. With almost half of all Australians now dabbling in the stockmarket, this subject continues to be of interest to the general public.

The book is a great, lively read - as you would expect from a group where the social aspect is as important as the money. In it, the women tell their stories, both their successes and their mistakes. It includes all the administrative aspects of running such a club as well, so all readers have to do is copy the Partnership Agreement, or follow the prompts on keeping accounts. It couldn’t be easier.

The Martha Rules

Martha Stewart is an undeniable force in the business world. One of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, she Martha Rules turned her personal passion into a billion dollar business. Now, for the first time, Martha Stewart shares her business knowledge and advice in this handbook for success.

Tapping into her years of experience in building a thriving business, Martha will help readers identify their own entrepreneurial voice and channel their skills and passions into a successful business venture. Her advice and insight is applicable to anyone who is about to start or expand a venture of any size, but also to individuals who want to apply the entrepreneurial spirit to a job or corporation to increase innovation and maintain a competitive edge.

Featuring Martha’s top principles for success, as well as stories and anecdotes from her own experiences, The Martha Rules is sure to appeal to business readers, fans and anyone who has a great business idea of their own.

Don’t Bitch Just Get Rich

Knowing how to get rich is easy; knowing why you don’t just get up and do it is the hard bit. Seven ordinary Don't Bitch people addicted to bitching about their struggles to make ends meet and convinced that their lives will never be much more than sheer slog, enrol in a personal development course that changes their lives.

A philosopher-cabbie, a cynical hard-nosed English woman and her estranged husband, a middling salesman and his boss, a cafe manager and a hairdresser find themselves at the mercy of a teacher who refuses to pamper them with the usual, empty get rich prattle. Mixing fiction, experience and teaching, he leads them through ruthless self-examination, preparing them to break through the Bitch barrier to the richer world beyond.

Eventually, they face the most serious choice of their lives; either they will make the one, unbreakable, lifelong promise that will radically change the directions of their lives or they will remain forever in a state of self-induced inertia. Not all make it. Packed with common sense, original insights into human change, management and practical advice about money matters. Toney Fitzgerald keeps his own promise in the book; by the time you get to the end, you will no longer have an excuse to bitch.

The Rules of Wealth

Money - it makes the world go round. We all secretly believe that it can make us happy. After all, wouldn’t it be great to have enough of it so you don’t need to worry? Enough to buy that dream house, car, or simply enough so you don’t have to think about what you’re spending? So how do the wealthy get rich? Is it luck? Or do they know something we don’t? Yes they do, they know The Rules of Wealth.

The rules of acquiring it. The rules of growing it. The rules of keeping it. And the rules of spending it. Richard Templar is back and this time he will make you richer. Forget practical “how to reduce your weekly outgoings”, forget “how to choose a mortgage”. In his inimitable, wry style, Templar delves deeper, revealing the simple, golden rules for creating and growing wealth. Are you ready to discover the Rules to becoming a richer you?

Why We Want You to be Rich

The world is facing many challenges and one of them is financial. The entitlement mentality is epidemic, Why creating people who expect their countries, employers or families to take care of them. Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki, both successful businessmen, are natural teachers and have joined forces to address these challenges. They believe you cannot solve money problems with money. You can only solve money problems with financial education.

Trump and Kiyosaki want to teach you to be rich. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” They each could have written a book on the subject, but they chose instead to write a book together because of their shared passion for education and their desire to bring emphasis to the importance of financial education.

In addition they have designated a portion of the profits from each book to be donated to charitable and educational organisations that also support financial education.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under June 08, Reading Space

Walking the tight-rope…

May 1, 2008 | 2 Comments

This New Year gone I decided to get real and not make any resolutions but instead and only, a decision to live a more balanced life. My circumstance of having no daily responsibilities other than to myself, my business and two cats, whilst having obvious advantages, also allows me to overindulge elsewhere resulting in waning self discipline, build up of stress and a distracted life.

I decided I needed intervention of the ‘mind body spirit’ kind. Think Yin and Yang, Hare with the Krishna and so on If I could get that balance right, all would be good…

Thankfully, writing this month’s Reading Space contribution to The Calm Space is a timely reminder to gauge how I am doing since I made that decision. Let’s just say it is still a work in progress…and I needed the reminder…:)

I offer my pick of books to assist your desire for that more balanced life. The first is a repeat of a title I have mentioned before and as relevant.

Being in Balance

In this inspirational work, best-selling author and lecturer Wayne W. Dyer shows you how to restore balance in your life by offering nine principles for realigning your thoughts so that they correspond to your highest desires.

Imagine a balance scale with one end weighted down to the ground, and the other end - featuring the objects of your desires - sticking up precariously in the air. This scale is a measurement of your thoughts. To restore the same balance that characterizes everything in our universe, you have to take up the weighty thoughts so that they match up to your desires.

The seasons reflect the overall harmony of life. For example, winter passes and the blossoms emerge. This is balanced by a need to have the trees rest, so autumn arrives on time and helps the trees ready themselves for another period of repose. This book is dedicated to the idea that we’re a vital component of this creative process and have within ourselves the wherewithal to create all that we want if we recognize and revise out-of-balance thoughts.

Tao Teh Ching

Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching, or “The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue,” has probably had a greater influence on Asian thought than any other single book. It is also one of the true classics of the world of spiritual literature. Traditionally attributed to the near-legendary “Old Master,” Lao Tzu, the Tao Teh Ching teaches that the qualities of the enlightened sage or ideal ruler are identical with those of the perfected individual.

Today, Lao Tzu’s words are as useful in mastering the arts of leadership in business and politics as they are in developing a sense of balance and harmony in everyday life. To follow the Tao or Way of all things and realize their true nature is to embody humility, spontaneity, and generosity.

John C. H. Wu has done a remarkable job of rendering this subtle text into English while retaining the freshness and depth of the original. A jurist and scholar, Dr. Wu was a recognized authority on Taoism and the translator of several Taoist and Zen texts and of Chinese poetry.

Recipes for a Great Life

Do you ever feel stuck in a rut? Unfit and unhealthy? Do you wish you had more time to enjoy yourself, to spend with friends, to eat well and feel better?

Recipes for a Great Life will provide you with the blueprint for achieving the life balance that so many of us find difficult to get right. Respected food and health experts Gabriel Gaté and Rob Moodie share their experience and wisdom in discussing all aspects of a busy modern lifestyle – time management, motivation, food and alcohol, health and fitness, sexuality and friendship, and managing stress.

Each topic is tackled with clarity and a practical, step-by-step guide to achieving a balance and improving your overall wellbeing.

Features include a 10-week program to improve all elements of your overall health, as well as more than 60 simple and nourishing recipes. All fully illustrated throughout.

An inspiring and timely book to motivate and help turn your life and health around.

The 4-Hour Work Week the 4 hour work week

In The 4-Hour Work Week, Ferriss explores the epidemic of information, abuse and addiction that has left us overwhelmed and confused, and poorer for it, and asks us to rethink our lives. Ferriss is convinced that we can lead a rich life by working only 4 hours a week, freeing up the rest of our time to spend it living the lives we want.

The 4-Hour Work Week is not another book on work-life balance describing the problems we all face. It is about creating solutions. Ferriss teaches you the tips and tricks of the 20/80 rule so you no longer have to wait to retire to enjoy fun, travel and adventure; shows you how to find your muse; replace your dreams with goals and how to ‘add life’ after subtracting work. So, take a step back and follow these principles:

Definition: Define what you want to be doing

Elimination: Ask yourself three times a day ‘am I being productive, or am I being busy?’ Get rid of the noise and interruption

Automation: Delegate or automate the remaining tasks, even sending personal tasks overseas

Liberation: Enjoy your mobility and use the time you create

Perfect Balance

Won’t life be perfect when . . .

…you feel you have all the time in the world - for work, for family and friends, for your own needs and development

…you’re motivated and inspired to perform at your best you make sound decisions and quickly recover from setbacks

…your world is simple and uncluttered

…your life has meaning and purpose

…you discover real peace and contentment

All this is possible.

In Perfect Balance, Paul Wilson - businessman and international bestselling author - reveals the techniques and strategies for finding balance between all the different parts of your busy life. You can do this without working harder or longer. By taking this more relaxed approach - the Calm Way - you’ll bring all of your resources into play at once to achieve perfect balance in your life.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under May 08, Reading Space

Expressed with Passion

April 1, 2008 | 1 Comment

When expression is infused with passion it is so much easier to take in knowledge, be engrossingly entertained and intrepidly inspired – even if the subject matter holds no interest to you or at first, even the presenter! Think Nigella Lawson, Steve Irwin, Karl Kruszelnicki and Suze Orman.

I offer a selection of their books below that I feel in one way or another would stimulate your passion!

Feast - Nigella Lawson

A feast for the eyes and the senses and now available in a handsome paperback edition, FEAST is a must for every kitchen. In the style and Feast tradition of Nigella’s classic HOW TO EAT, it applies those same ‘Pleasures and Principles of Good Food’ to celebrations from feast days to everyday happiness.

Essentially about families and food, about public holidays and private passions, about how to celebrate the small pleasures as well as the big occasions, it includes everything from Christmas, Thanksgiving , Hanukkah and Eid, to Passover and Easter; from Meatless Feasts to Midnight Feasts, from weddings to funerals, from kitchen feasts to kids’ favourites, from Partytime to the ultimate Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame.

Heartwarming, passionate, informed, refreshingly uncomplicated and full of ideas, FEAST is destined to become a classic like HOW TO EAT. Written with the same enjoyment, sensuality and practical awareness, and packed with over 300 recipes and more than 200 photos, FEAST proclaims Nigella’s love of life and great food to celebrate it with.

My Steve - Terry Irwin

Few people have touched the world as Steve Irwin did. My Steve is a deeply personal and moving tribute to a man adored by millions of people who never met him – and cherished by those who did.

In a deeply personal and moving tribute, Steve’s widow Terri celebrates his life, their work, and their close and loving family.

Please Explain - Dr Karl

Please Explain is the latest in Dr Karl’s mega–selling science series – which includes the bestsellers Great Mythconceptions, Bum Breath, Botox and Bubbles and Q and A with Dr K.

Australia’s favourite scientist answers more curly questions on Life, The Universe and Everything. No–one conveys the excitement and wonder of science quite like Dr Karl, and this, his twenty–sixth book, takes us on another thoroughly entertaining exploration of the world around us. If you like your science fun and unpredictable, don’t miss this new addition to the Dr Karl library.

The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom - Suze Orman

9 steps From the nuts and bolts of managing money to the deep psychological and even spiritual meaning it has in our lives, this personal-finance book shows everyone, even complete novices, how to take control of their money.

Suze Orman is a certified financial planner, a retirement specialist, and a registered investment advisor. Orman begins with the insight that managing money is far more than a matter of picking the right investments or getting out of credit card debt. To get control of our finances, we must first get control of the feelings about money that arise from our earliest experiences with it.

Next comes Orman’s clear, easy-to-follow advice about the practical importance of understanding and using investments, retirement plans, insurance, and credit. Finally, Orman reveals why true financial freedom lies not in amassing wealth, but in realizing that we are worth far more than our money.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under April 08, Reading Space

Dream on…

March 3, 2008 | 3 Comments

I would say the top ten of what we often dream about, intentionally or unintentionally, would uncannily have the following three topics as top runners: Health, Wealth and Love - not necessarily in that order but dependent on one’s circumstances!

This month, I give you four books sharing their tips on health, wealth and love, and I even include a book on how to make those dreams come true!

Cosmic Ordering - J Cainer

Call on the cosmos to change your life and realise your dreams. How do you get what you want in life? Cosmic ordering. You decide what you want, you announce to the universe that it’s your intention to get it, and it’s delivered to you.

Daily Mail astrologer Jonathan Cainer helps you achieve success, from the point of deciding what to order, through to delivery (and what to do if the wrong thing is delivered!). Described Cosmic by the Telegraph as ‘a perfect creed for the age - no commitment but unlimited benefits’ cosmic ordering is the new worldwide phenomenon.

How to gain your ideal job, perfect man and solve all your money and health worries
Questionnaires and quizzes to understand your character type
Charts and advice on the most auspicious time to place your order
The science and history of cosmic ordering

Cosmic ordering is closely connected to ideas such as positive thinking, wish-fulfillment, prayer, goal setting and visualisation. Jonathan looks at all these associated traditions in the history of cosmic ordering and reveals how it can work for you, and change your life forever.

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy - Dr W. Willett

Exposing the problems of popular diets such as the Zone and the Atkins diet, Dr. Willett offers eye-opening new research on the optimum ratio of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and the relative importance of various food groups and supplements. Eat Drink and Be Healthy

Readers will learn why weight control is the single most important nutritional factor and what the three other most critical factors of healthy eating are. They will find out how to choose wisely between different types of fats, which fruits and vegetables provide the best health insurance, and the proportions of each to integrate into their daily diet. And all this new, exciting nutritional information is translated for the reader into simple menu plans, and tasty recipes that make utilising the New Food Pyramid easy. Completely unique Eat, Drink and Be Healthy will teach everyone an entirely new way to eat.

5 Years to Financial Freedom - M. Kaplan

Are you fed up with not being in control of your money? Have you given up on the idea of wealth for you and your family? Morris Kaplan offers a simple step-by-step plan to help minimise your debt and maximise your investment profits. 5 years

Five Years to Financial Freedom shows you how to understand and pay off debt; understand the economy; establish a regular savings strategy to suit your income; choose an investment strategy that suits your age, income and lifestyle; overcome behavioural obstacles around money; write a budget and stick to it.

Love Smart - Dr P McGraw

In Love Smart: Find the One You Want - Fix the One You Got, bestselling author Dr. Phil tells people who are dissatisfied with their love lives to stop making excuses and start taking action. You deserve a committed relationship, and it is within your control to have the one you want.

In this book you’ll learn to present the real you in the most flattering light. Love Smart You have to stop being your own best kept secret. Peek behind the male curtain. Dr. Phil tells you things about men that they don’t necessarily want you to know.

If you are already coupled up then learn how to grow and nurture what you have built. Learn how to negotiate the relationship you desire and then close the deal. Get out of your relationship rut.

The daily grind, money problems, work, etc., can take their toll on your relationship. Dr. Phil shows you how to assess the state of your union and take your relationship to a deeper level.

There are no exceptions: There is somebody for everybody, and everybody deserves a relationship filled with love and excitement.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under March 08, Reading Space

Pulling on Heartstrings…

February 1, 2008 | 3 Comments

There are not too many things that pull on our heartstrings more than kids, animals and our home! I give a selection of titles below that should do that and more…

The Loved Dog: The effective and aggression-free way to train your dog by Oprah Winfrey’s dog trainer.

THE LOVED DOG is Tamar Geller’s revolutionary guide to effective dog-training using the gentlest of methods. Tamar, whose clients include Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck and Goldie Hawn, teaches a groundbreaking socialisation technique for training dogs. By strengthening the bond between dog and owner, dogs begin to enjoy listening to commands with no need for aggressive training aids such as verbal or physical reprimands. Using this technique, THE LOVED DOG shows you how to child-proof your dog and teach him good behaviour.

Tamar’s amazing methods have swept across America, changing the way owners train and relate to their canine friends. Tamar believes that loving your dog is the key to its training. In THE LOVED DOG she shows you how to build this relationship.

Lullabies for Little Criminals

Heather O’Neill is an extremely gifted writer and Lullabies for Little Criminals is her breathtaking first novel about one girl’s struggle for survival on the mean streets of Montreal.

Starved of affection, Baby is attracted to all the wrong people. And when her father betrays her and she is sent to a juvenile detention centre, she is more at risk than ever. Baby’s survival rests on her gift for spinning stories and for cherishing the small crumbs of happiness which fall into her lap.

An Hour At Home

An Hour at Home is a practical and inspiring book, full of exquisite projects for making a beautiful, comfortable home. You will find many ideas, all appropriate for beginners and achievable on a shoestring budget.

Learn simple yet effective techniques for home maintenance, cleaning, decluttering, organising, personalising and decorating, which can all be completed in an hour or less, leaving you time to enjoy the comfort and style of your sanctuary.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under February08, Reading Space

April 07 - Reading Space

January 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The Reading Space is now brought to you by Marj Lim from Slim Ink – your premium library on the internet.

Kitchen Classics - Picnic Hamper

I love a good picnic! Nothing beats getting outdoors, away from the house, away from work, away from responsibilities, and feel the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. Spread the rug, bring out some yummy, easy food, and relax…

Whether you are a picnic traditionalist or someone who just loves to host outdoor gatherings of a casual kind, Kitchen Classics: Picnic Hamper has everything you’ll ever need for al fresco entertaining.

It contains over 175 recipes, including old favourites like sausage rolls and raised pork pie, and ’smarter’ fare like prawn and papaya salad and almond friands. With tasty barbecued food and refreshing drinks, all of the recipes in Kitchen Classics: Picnic Hamper are suited for outdoor consumption and can be easily picked up and eaten with fingers or forks, or served without fanfare from bowls or platters.

Sacred Space

This wonderful book encourages us to Create Sanctuary.

‘Our homes are mirrors of ourselves. Through them we can interface with the universe.’ Everything in the universe is composed of constantly changing energy, including our homes and their contents. By clearing and enhancing this energy, we can turn our living spaces not only into sanctuaries for ourselves but also into places which radiate positive energy for the benefit of others.

In this fascinating and unusual book, international lecturer and healer Denise Linn shows how we can infuse our homes (and offices) with a sense of cosmic order so they become nurturing centres of strength and health. Drawing upon her Cherokee Indian heritage, as well as the knowledge she has personally collected from the native traditions around the world, Denise offers simple but effective techniques including the use of: Feng Shui; Spirit Smoke; Purifying Fire; Mystic Sound; The Way of the Shaman to help us create a sacred space wherever we make our home.

Posted by leah | Filed Under April07, Reading Space

Opportunity through reading

January 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

As a Roman philosopher once said, and is often quoted by Oprah “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. Preparation to me involves books as books provide knowledge. I give three selections below that could prepare you for the opportunity of luck finding you!

Being in Balance - Wayne Dyer

Imagine a balance scale with one end weighted down to the ground, and the other end–featuring the objects of your desires–sticking up precariously in the air. This scale is a measurement of your thoughts. To restore the same balance that characterizes everything in our universe, you have to take up the weighty thoughts so that they match up to your desires.

Away Game - Luke Collins

Thousands of Australians have left their homeland to try their luck in the world’s richest country, where the rewards for succeeding are immense: multi-million dollar salaries, celebrity status, and tremendous professional fulfillment. Yet is it worth it?

In this book by the former New York Correspondent for The Australian Financial Review, our top professionals in the United States explain what makes them tick: why they left their homeland, the cultural shock of living in America, and their anguish about whether they will ever return to Australia. Career success, it seems, comes at a price.

8th Habit - Stephen Covey

The world has changed dramatically since the classic, internationally bestselling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was published, influencing tens of millions. The challenges and complexity we all face in our relationships, families, professional lives and communities are of an entirely new order of magnitude. In order to thrive, innovate, excel and lead in what Covey calls the new Knowledge Worker Age, we must build on and move beyond effectiveness…to greatness.

Accessing the higher levels of human genius and motivation in today’s new reality requires a sea change of new thinking — a new mind-set, a new skill-set, a new tool-set — in short, a whole new habit.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under January 08, Reading Space

Celebrations!

December 2, 2007 | 3 Comments

Whatever the celebration it’s not complete without food and drink to complete the commemoration of the occasion! I place below some handy support in book form.

Classic Cocktails

Classic Cocktails provides all the inspiration you need to create fabulous cocktails at home. The epitome of glamour and sophistication, the cocktail has withstood the test of time, dating back over a century and surviving depression, war, revolution and prohibition, to bring elegance and excitement to any occasion.

Classic Cocktails celebrates those irresistible concoctions that have graced the world’s best bars for decades. Award-winning bartender and bestselling author Ben Reed brings you an indispensable collection of recipes, from the delectable Vodkatini to a mouthwatering Bellini. Impress your guests with a tray of ice-cold Margaritas or beat that hangover with a spicy Bloody Mary.

AWW Christmas: Food and Craft

This popular collection of Christmas food and craft complements any Australian Christmas.

All you need to wrap up Christmas. This collection of Christmas food and craft is a mix of modern and traditional: perfectly complementing the Australian Christmas. It includes ideas for party drinks and nibbles, fabulous starters, seafood spreads and fresh modern desserts.

Of course, the classic favourites are there too with our triple-test guarantee on recipes for turkey, goose, and the traditional cakes and puddings. Make your Christmas unique with easy, crafty creations for table settings, flower arrangements, decorations and gift ideas. You’ll also get a Christmas carol songbook and pattern sheet.

Kitchen Classics: Dinner with Friends

For those of us who love to cook, there can be few pleasures in life greater than having friends over for dinner. Kitchen Classics: Dinner with Friends takes a thematic approach to entertaining, from casual summer fare to warming winter meals, great Mediterranean and Asian food, and those more lavish recipes for when you really want to impress.

Each chapter offers a wide range of simple and more complex recipes such as creamy baked scallops, rack of lamb with herb crust, roast duck with olives, Thai lemon grass prawns and sables with berries and cream. Kitchen Classics: Dinner with Friends has plenty of starters, salads, sides, mains and desserts so that you can mix and match to create their own enticing menus.

Posted by marjorie | Filed Under December 07, Reading Space