A New Earth

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61)
by Eckhart Tolle (Author)

I have always been interested in books about spiritual themes. I have loved Tolstoy, Joseph Campbell, Thich Nhat Hanh, Henry Nouen, Emerson, Thoreau, and many other enlightened writers and poets. I have been through Catholic, Quaker, Presbyterian and Buddhist phases. There are things I love about all these traditions. I have always wanted grasp the deeper truth behind them that would illustrate the unity behind all these seemingly disparate traditions.
I think that in this book Eckhart Tolle has done an amazing job of putting the core of spirituality into contemporary terms.

I liked his book The Power of Now but I think that he has refined the clarity of his message even further here. I hope that those who need to put down Oprah and don't want anyone to talk about spiritual subjects in nonbiblical, nonsectarian language will not stop people who are really looking for realistic and helpful insights into living an enlightened life. Take wisdom where you find it.

A new earth is the best I've read, ever. I'm a huge Tolle fan, and I think this is his best book yet. I've also signed up for the Oprah/Tolle webcast. While I'm not a huge fan of Oprah's interviewing style (she interrupts a lot!), it's so exciting that millions of people have access to these concepts.
They're simple, yet so simple we usually miss them.
Tolle is an incredible interpreter, very skilled at pointing the way to the power we possess inside us.

I can't recommend a new earth enough. Also, if you like Tolle and want to REALLY GET what he's saying, with no interruptions, rent The Flowering of Human Consciousness from Netflix, or wherever you can find it.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors

The Miracle at Speedy Motors: The New Novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series
by Alexander Mccall Smith (Author)

Fans of Alexander McCall Smith's 'Ladies Detective Agency' series are sure to enjoy this latest offering. I just love the series. The author has a talent for making you feel right at home in Gabarone, Botswana, with Mma Ramotswe, Mr J.L.P. Matekoni, Mma Makutsi and the other colourful characters in the novels. Crossing continents is not a problem as McCall Smith brings these characters to life in a wonderfully vivid way.

With touches of understated comic irony, the books are a delightful light-hearted read. Watch out for the moral elements - Mma Ramotswe spends a lot of her time philosophizing on life, and the good old days in particular when morals were better, young people were more polite, there was more respect in society and, of course, there were more 'traditionally built' women too!... but her moments of reflection just add to the charm of this series!

In 'The Miracle at Speedy Motors', Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi (newly promoted to 'Associate' Detective (!) have some serious detective work to deal with, including a nasty piece of malicious mail directed at the agency ("Fat Lady Watch Out"!)and a lady who has requested that the detectives find her some relatives... Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is hoping for a miracle for Motholeli; Mma Makutsi has some life crises of her own - should she tell her fiance about the fiasco with the bed?; Will Mma Makutsi and young Charlie, the apprentice finally see eye-to-eye?!; and we hear a bit more about Mma Ramotswe and Mr J. L. B. Matekoni's fostered children, Motholeli and Puso, in this book too. All-in-all you'll find here a few delightful hours of pure light-hearted entertainment.

Hold Tight

Hold Tight
by Harlan Coben (Author)

How far would you go to protect your child? How well do you know your children? When they go out in the world, should you let them go with a smile on your face or should you hold tight? What should you do if your child becomes moody and withdrawn as has Spencer Hill, sixteen-year-old son of Mike and Tia Baye? Now factor in that Spencer's best friend has committed suicide. Add in the fact that Spencer spends most of his time in his room on his computer, while his grades are going south. And can you blame his parents for wondering why he quit the hockey team?

Mike and Tia maybe over react a bit as they start spying on Spencer. They track his movements through the GPS system in his cellphone. They install spy ware on his computer so the can monitor every website he visits and monitor his e-mail too. They can't help themselves. They should know better, he's a doctor, after all. She's a lawyer. But they do it anyway.

Harlan Coben holds nothing back in his latest offering. This is high caliber suspense, gut-wrenching drama, and engrossing mystery all rolled into one. Coben brings the thriller genre full force into suburbia and gives us an eye-opening glance into the very real dangers that threaten families in our society.

In Hold Tight we are effectively thrown into the middle of every parent's worst nightmare and what a scary and sobering experience it is. As always Coben's writing proves to be second to none as he effectively weaves several story lines together and somehow manages to link them all together without ever revealing where the story is heading. Coben's fans will also enjoy some character cameos from his last novel, The Woods. Hold Tight can certainly be read as a stand alone title, but I highly recommend readers pick up a copy of The Woods to get the full effect of both stories.