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Two Poetry Books To Read At Bedtime

October 23, 2018 / OTHER STUFF / 0 comments

Hey There! I’ve been reading some poetry books lately and thought that I would like to share two of my favorites with you guys. I have a thing for reading inspirational poetry books at bedtime since they always seem to put me at ease, and reading at night, in general, is perfectly conducive for sleep. The poetry books that I’m about to review and recommend to you all are not only inspirational, they also speak volumes. Meaning, these two books can put you in different emotional states, be it being sad, happy, lonely, or the kind that puts you in a dreamy mood. I usually read a few pages every night of these before I go to sleep and I love it. The chapters found in these books may cater to what you’re feeling for the moment since each line or each poem speaks from the heart.

I Wrote This For You By Ian S. Thomas (Hardcover: $18.56) – I discovered this book at Costco, and I was really drawn to its catchy front cover, however, I didn’t purchase it from there, I got mine at Amazon after reading all the good reviews. This is a beautiful book of poetry blended with photography. The poems here are dark, sad, and gloomy, yet they’re also full of hope and longing. There are poems about life, death, love, beauty, and pain along with some somber and dreamy photographs to match the whole mood and scene. So if you’re the type that likes photography and poetry, then this is the book for you. There is a paperback version of this book which is also nice and is a lot easier to carry, but it doesn’t seem to contain as many poems as this hardcover version which also makes for a beautiful side table book.

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell (Paperback: $12.99) – This is an inspirational poetry book for those who are in love, longing to be loved, getting over a love, or even to those who are not in love, LOL. The poems in this lightweight suede-like feel book are just beautifully inspiring that it makes you fall in love for no reason. Some lines are tragic, some are truly heartbreaking, while some are just purely spoken from the heart. There is a poem for all kinds of love here, whether you’re a member of the Broken Hearts Club or are simply looking to be inspired. Now, I can’t wait to read Pillow Thoughts II.

Are you also a poetry fan? Have you read these books before?

The Pillow Thoughts and I Wrote This For You books are currently available in Kindle, Paperback and Hardcover format at Amazon.com

* Satin/Silk sleep mask in this photo is by Mary Green, similar style HERE.

* Byredo Tree House candle is available HERE, reviewed HERE.

* Nars Monoi Body Glow II can be found HERE, reviewed HERE.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Book Review.

August 28, 2018 / OTHER STUFF / 1 Comment

Outlier – a person or thing differing from all other members of a particular group or set. Ex. people whose achievements fall outside normal experience.

I’m not quite a fan of self-help books, and I don’t really know why. Perhaps because I haven’t really found the one that really inspired me. Although I do have a thing for Psychology books, especially the Feeling Good book by Dr. Burns. I’ve read countless self-help books in the past, but I always seem to just forget about them right after finishing the last page. Recently, I was wandering around at my local Barnes & Noble and I stumbled at the Psychology area when I found this minimalistic book by Malcolm Gladwell called the “Outliers”. I immediately read the back part and was truly intrigued by it. Then it dawned on me, a friend suggested this book to me before but I didn’t really pay that much attention, so, this time, I know I’ve got to read this book. I was so intrigued about knowing the people we consider Outliers, and the whole term is sort of news to me. So, I bought the book in Amazon since it’s cheaper there and I started reading it non-stop.

I wouldn’t call this a self-help book, it’s not really, but more like a non-fiction inspirational book about understanding the people we call as Outliers in this world. Most of our understanding of the path to success and about very successful people are defined by the misconception that you have to have an innate talent, or that you have to be hardworking. Truth is, in this book, talent and hardwork are indeed parts of success, but these two qualities are not enough. Yes, you have to work so hard and have a talent, but you also need to be born at the right circumstances. These circumstances are very important in achieving success and that is how we can understand that the Outliers of the world didn’t just start from scratch or came from nothing and then became very successful. Further, this book will answer why there are no star hockey players born in the Fall, or why the smartest man in the world is not necessarily the most successful in life.

This book is an eye-opener and will change the way you view life. It puts everything in perspective and will make you realize why such very successful people exist. The answer is pretty much right there, you just have to make sense of it. With that being said, it doesn’t mean that nobody can be successful, the book will tell you that if only we’d applied what we know of success in all its complexities and elements, then we’d have more Outliers in this world, and in that sense, there won’t be such thing as an Outlier at all.

I highly recommend this book, as well as some other books by Malcolm Gladwell. He’s definitely my favorite author now and I just like the way he writes and explains things. He is very keen on observing our society and its occurrences. So, for that, I’ve already started reading his other books like “The Tipping Point” and “Blink“. However, this Outlier book holds a special place in my heart. It’s a fascinating read that will inspire you to learn about people’s success stories and realize that success truly doesn’t happen overnight or from scratch, it’s a much more complicated event that happens when all the right circumstances and all the forces of nature combined to make a dream a reality.

The Outliers book by Malcolm Gladwell is currently available at http://www.amazon.com or at Audible as an audiobook.

Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express Book & Movie Review

January 12, 2018 / OTHER STUFF / 0 comments

Raise your hand if you’ve been to the movie theater to watch Agatha Christie’s film adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express. Also, raise your other hand if you’ve actually read her bestselling novel. I know I did and I really quite enjoyed the experience. I must admit that I had never read any Agatha Christie novel before the Murder On The Orient Express. I don’t know why, but I’ve known a gazillion Agatha Christie fans, but I was just not into it.

The story of this Murder On The Orient Express will blow you away. That is, of course, if you haven’t read or seen it yet. But I bet that you all have read the novel and knew the story already. But anyway, here’s my two cents.

The Story (No spoilers, don’t worry)

The Murder On The Orient Express is part of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot Mysteries. As one of her most beloved character, Mr. Poirot is a seasoned detective and he embarked on a prompt return to London boarding on the Orient Express. There he met a rich and shady American, Mr. Ratchett. Mr. Ratchett tried to hire Detective Poirot as his private detective because he believes that his life is in danger. However, Mr. Poirot refused the offer. The next night, Mr. Ratchett was found dead and was believed to be murdered. There goes Mr. Poirot’s specialty-to investigate who killed Mr. Ratchett? which is actually Mr. Cassetti in real life. Upon Mr. Poirot’s deduction, he realized that the killer must still be on the train. But who? Which of the passengers? How about the crews? and Why? Not to mention that the train suddenly got stuck in the middle of nowhere. All that and the spellbinding mysteries to find out who the real killer is.

The Book

The book is thrilling and extremely gripping. You wouldn’t wanna stop reading because every page you turn will lead you to one mystery after another. It’s a fast-paced mysterious atmosphere that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I like the way the book was written. Even though it’s classic, it’s still very timely and the story is unique. It’s unlike any other crime novel mysteries I’ve ever read. I like how each character of the book is well-planned and well-developed. They all seemed very credible and very convincing in their alibis, up to the point that you don’t know who did who. Also, the plot will really set you on an exotic train somewhere in the middle east and the thought of it being stuck with the potential killer roaming around is just scary. Overall, I’ve read the book in 2 days and I was really impressed with its clever writing style, plus the fact that it’s not overly thick yet the story remained concise and riveting.

The Movie

The movie adaptation was released recently and some movie theaters might still be playing them. While there are several alterations to the original story of the book, (even right at the beginning of the movie) still I find the film to be as convincing and moving as in the book. The acting was good and the overall atmosphere was as mysterious and gloomy as in the novel. Mr. Ratchett/Cassetti was played by Johnny Depp, while Mr. Poirot was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh. A few characters were omitted or changed in terms of their ethnicity and names, but still, the storyline is there and the ultimate mystery and revelation are also there. I do feel like some scenes of the movie might be kind of boring for some, but that was part of the thrill, in the sense that Mr. Poirot was trying to find out who the real killer is by studying and observing each passenger on the train. Soon, it will all unravel.

To sum it all up, this has been a very good first-time Agatha Christie novel for me, and her writing style and story flow is superb. I am now a convert and will look forward to reading more of her novels, as well as hopefully seeing more of her book being adapted for movie in the near future.

The Murder On The Orient Express Novel is available at amazon.com

The audiobook is available HERE

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