Review 5 star

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The Cosmic Playbook for Writers: 30 Vital Mini-Meditations to Boost Your Creativity, Resilience, and Passion is a short book of yoga-type meditations to help empower writers to achieve their fullest. Author P. K. Davies uses neatly linked, simple meditations that read like free-verse poetry—lilting, relaxed invitations to feel confident about each step of the authoring process. An artistic caption begins each meditation and all meditations are devoted to a different need an author might have. The book begins with the definition of a writer’s calling, “Integrity," and moves into calming, uplifting reflection verses for finding time to write, pride in the flow of creative ideas, finding readers, socializing with other authors, learning the craft through mentors, and appropriately integrating money into the author cycle.
 
This little book was very enjoyable for me. It’s a really pleasant work to browse and I loved the gentleness of the meditations. As an author, I find The Cosmic Playbook for Writers addresses the emotions I’ve had and celebrates the things I find fulfilling about writing. The meditations use vivid and intuitive imagery to pull you into a moment where you can feel objective about the specific situation—imagine yourself on a beach in the warm sun to help understand the ebb and flow of your writing or in a pool of light as you carefully seek wisdom about what to charge for your books. My favorite meditation was about the idea process, comparing it to opening a majestic treasure box out of which magical ideas flow. As a writer herself, P. K. Davies shows a real sympathy and understanding of unique writer emotional needs and her book is wonderful.

​Review 5 star

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The Magic of Empathy: Theory and Practice is an innovative book that delves deep into the psyche of human communication to help people improve their interactions. Author Dr. Nicole Audet uses her experiences in family medicine to help describe a framework for good relationships—Empathy. Empathic communication means that you approach the other person quietly and objectively, building trust through respectful behavior, sincere efforts to listen, and a lack of interruptions and self-centered reactions. The first half of the book details how to begin using the Empathy practice during meetings, with family and kids, and at any time when the situation might be complicated. The second half contains examples from the author’s life of interpersonal and group communications under sometimes challenging or chaotic circumstances, giving anecdotal evidence of how this method creates real improvement.
 
This book is really unique and gave me a lot of inspiration. After reading I had much more clarity on what causes flaws in communication and a full toolbox of ideas for how to handle other people harmoniously. Dr. Nicole Audet’s detailed, but very clear, instructions for how to use empathic communication are written with confidence. As the author states, “Emotions are contagious,” and the core theory of Empathy is made more effective by the author’s own open-minded tone while she advises the reader how to rethink their habits. Over the course of the days after reading The Magic of Empathy: Theory and Practice, I remembered clearly the methods and examples demonstrated in the book and began to apply them to situations in my life. With each step, Dr. Audet is systematically encouraging and this makes the book highly interactive, with a real power to change lives.

Review 5 star

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My Plunder: Westerners and Warriors is a memoir by Myles Culbertson. It consists of 8 vignettes that chronicle the people and lore of his family’s ranch in New Mexico. The short, factual snippets span the entire 20th century and end in 2007, each piece contributing a layer to compile a detailed history. The last (most recent) is written by his son-in-law, sharing how he embraced the family traditions of the ranch.  Photographs of the people represented, and thoughtful western art by Mike Capron help bring the story of generations of a family of modern cowboys, their friends, loved ones, and—of course—horses, to life for readers as they get to see this rugged American lifestyle in operation over the years.
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Myles Culbertson’s fascinating glimpse into ranch life in the 20th century is unmatched by anything I’ve read before. It was amazing for me to follow the stories of a horse with a legendary attitude, a father determined to vote even with cracked ribs, a selfless colonel who was a general at heart, a tiny forgotten town livened by adventure when cowboys visited, and a young Marine getting his first experience as a real cowboy branding cattle amid gorgeous scenery. From the vintage era through the Vietnam War to the present day, My Plunder: Westerners and Warriors is a nostalgic collection that is grounded and rooted in the unchanging personality of the people who work with cattle and horses and their harsh, yet deeply beautiful environment. This one-of-a-kind book is something I’m delighted to have read and I would recommend it to anyone.