Rose, Donna Mae. The Way Back: Inside the Mind of a Multiple Personality Disorder. Denver, Col.: Outskirts Press, Inc., c2007. ISBN-10: 1-4327-0605-5.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4327-0605-0.
Urging her readers to believe that they, too, can overcome, Donna Mae Rose shows how she regathered her Wholeness, after experiencing a lifetime of deep trauma that shattered the core of her being. Opening with a counseling session between herself and Dr Boyd, the author, a psychiatric technician, tells us of the close and caring relationship that she had with her mother all her life, the great fear that she had of her violent-tempered, mentally and physically abusive father, and the generally loving relationships that she had with her six siblings from an early age. Her father used to take out his frustrations from his job, in which he felt trapped due to the Depression, on his small children and insecure, frightened wife. Donna’s graphic account of her father’s sexual abuse and rape, that Donna felt scarred her psychologically for life, is realistically portrayed.
The Way Back amounts to a verbatim account of Donna’s counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd. Told in direct speech, the sessions flow naturally and are easy to follow. Donna’s ostensible reason for her counseling sessions with Dr. Boyd was her marital problems with her husband, Bill. However, she later reveals that she had had a nervous breakdown eighteen years before, since when she had spent much time as an outpatient of a mental hospital, having been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. She describes how her loss of train of thought halfway through her second session with Dr. Boyd, and her awareness of an apparent six-month memory loss, leads Dr. Boyd to inform her that he believes that she has multiple personality disorder. He concludes that such trance-like episodes are moments of self-hypnosis, which help her to calm down.
By externalizing her innermost anxieties and fears in the form of black bugs and red ants, Donna was able to cope with and adapt to her situation while she was growing up. Donna’s interpretation of the image of the spider, which first appeared on the ceiling of the room while she was being raped, as her eight different personalities is core to an understanding of this text. Gradually, while undergoing therapy, her other personalities emerge: self-confident and caring Joyce Jordan, the only personality given a last name; promiscuous, enraged Wanda; courageous Carol, who provides a means by which she can protect her innocence; suicidal Mary; childlike Edith Rose, who is capable of expressing attachment; vivacious, outgoing Susie; sanctimonious Beth; Laura, protector of the place where all the other personalities stayed until Donna Mae started to receive counseling from Dr. Boyd; Mildred, who protects Donna when she enters consciousness; spiritually supportive Edgar, who protects Donna from the suicidal tendencies of Mary; and John, who was created to keep Edgar company. Through her acknowledgement and growing understanding of her different personalities, Donna Mae is able to reconcile herself to their existence and to integrate them gradually into her core personality.
This autobiographical account is of particular relevance to anyone who has had to endure childhood trauma and abuse, as well as to anyone who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic or who works with those suffering from dissociate hysteria. Her appreciative portrayal of Dr. Boyd as a compassionate listener might reassure a reader who feels intimidated by the possibility of consulting a psychiatrist that the best in this field are highly accessible and supportive. The Way Back: Inside the Mind of a Multiple Personality Disorder is a tribute to his healing skills.
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Pawmarked with Meaning
Link, Tim. Wagging Tales: Every Animal Has a Tale. Austin, TX: Emerald Book Company, c2009. ISBN: 978-1-934572-14-6. $16.95.
Starting with the title page, we know exactly what this collection of tales is about: ‘Conversations with Our Animal Friends’. And conversations are what these tales are, as Tim Link, a renowned animal behaviorist, actually talks with animals, finding out exactly what is troubling them. They also talk back – not quite in the same way as does Dr. Dolittle’s menagerie, as these are all true tales, but in a way that is laced (pawmarked?) with meaning.
Each of the more than thirty tales in Wagging Tales relates Tim’s encounter with one or more animals, ranging from the more usual cats and dogs to a far from conventional praying mantis. Developed over the space of forty years, Tim’s telepathic insights into the different animals that people this work are based on his keen and careful observation of the way in which they behave.
Although we are told that the pictures of animals that precede all of the tales are not necessarily of the actual animals with which the author worked, illustrating the book in this way brings the collection alive. Wagging Tales is filled with the essence of the animals with which Tim has heartfelt discussions about images, smells, tastes, words or feelings that bother them – his role as mediator between owner and pet is pivotal to the text.
Wagging Tales should appeal to all caring youngsters, as well as make relaxing reading for all animal lovers. Tim punctuates the tales with some sage advice on how to look after animals as well. His kindness towards animals radiates throughout the tales, warming the spirit of the text. Written to elicit a generous and loving approach towards all animals, this book should find a welcome home on every child’s nightstand.
Starting with the title page, we know exactly what this collection of tales is about: ‘Conversations with Our Animal Friends’. And conversations are what these tales are, as Tim Link, a renowned animal behaviorist, actually talks with animals, finding out exactly what is troubling them. They also talk back – not quite in the same way as does Dr. Dolittle’s menagerie, as these are all true tales, but in a way that is laced (pawmarked?) with meaning.
Each of the more than thirty tales in Wagging Tales relates Tim’s encounter with one or more animals, ranging from the more usual cats and dogs to a far from conventional praying mantis. Developed over the space of forty years, Tim’s telepathic insights into the different animals that people this work are based on his keen and careful observation of the way in which they behave.
Although we are told that the pictures of animals that precede all of the tales are not necessarily of the actual animals with which the author worked, illustrating the book in this way brings the collection alive. Wagging Tales is filled with the essence of the animals with which Tim has heartfelt discussions about images, smells, tastes, words or feelings that bother them – his role as mediator between owner and pet is pivotal to the text.
Wagging Tales should appeal to all caring youngsters, as well as make relaxing reading for all animal lovers. Tim punctuates the tales with some sage advice on how to look after animals as well. His kindness towards animals radiates throughout the tales, warming the spirit of the text. Written to elicit a generous and loving approach towards all animals, this book should find a welcome home on every child’s nightstand.
Tried and Tested Comes out Tops
Towers, J. Collin. Stop Growing Older... Grow Younger: A Resource Guide on Reverse Aging Techniques, Nutrition and Therapies. c2009. ISBN 978-1-60145-816-2.
Collin Towers starts his information-rich text by focusing on answering the key question: “How will we all manage to stay healthy and maintain a higher quality of life as we age, and can we slow down or stop the aging process?” After describing eight excellent food sources of the most common antioxidants, Collin stresses the need to supplement one’s diet with nutritional supplements, including especially Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and DHEA. Collin argues that the “key to becoming younger and healthier is simply avoiding the accelerating aging program everybody else is on.” He finds that the “clincher” lies in the fact that “growing old is not due to aging, it is due to all the toxic chemicals that people consume, combined with their chronic nutritional deficiencies, lack of physical and mental exercise, and unhealthy life styles.” The build-up of toxic materials resulting from lack of cellular efficiency in getting rid of damaged protein can be counteracted by the correct diet. Collin argues that you can start your own reverse-aging program by making just a couple of simple changes.
By taking steps to stop the damage that homocysteine and free radicals cause, you can not only protect yourself from dangerous age-related health conditions, but also slow down the aging process. Collin advocates adopting 17 habits, as well as calorie restriction (CR), as an effective means of increasing longevity and prolonging good health. He then discusses the possible downside of different methods of detoxification.
Collin explains why all exercise programs must include flexibility training, aerobic, endurance workouts, and strength and interval training. He then reveals the secrets of his own personal exercise routine and regimen.
Listing the top ten foods that help with weight loss, Collin urges his readers to stick to a diet consisting of 50 to 75 percent raw foods—a diet consisting of raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains. After describing the top ten foods for improving your sex drive and keeping you younger, he then lists the top 21 functional foods – those foods that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease – explaining the beneficial effects to be gained from the consumption of each.
After introducing sun gazing as an option for spiritual growth and health benefits, Collin shares the secrets of his own sunshine routine and regimen. Insisting on dietary supplementation to prevent chronic disease, he argues in favour of liquid, rather than pill, multivitamins. Collin holds that high quality supplements can improve your health, increase your energy, prevent illnesses, improve your sexual performance, and slow the aging process. He lists supplements, nutrients, super-foods, and health products that he has used, or is using daily and/or weekly for his reverse-aging regimen and protocol. His brief description of the efficacy of each ends with a URL where you can go to get more detailed information, or purchase, them.
In brief, this is an informative book that serves as both a directory and a singularly persuasive reference guide, well worth keeping at your bedside!
Collin Towers starts his information-rich text by focusing on answering the key question: “How will we all manage to stay healthy and maintain a higher quality of life as we age, and can we slow down or stop the aging process?” After describing eight excellent food sources of the most common antioxidants, Collin stresses the need to supplement one’s diet with nutritional supplements, including especially Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and DHEA. Collin argues that the “key to becoming younger and healthier is simply avoiding the accelerating aging program everybody else is on.” He finds that the “clincher” lies in the fact that “growing old is not due to aging, it is due to all the toxic chemicals that people consume, combined with their chronic nutritional deficiencies, lack of physical and mental exercise, and unhealthy life styles.” The build-up of toxic materials resulting from lack of cellular efficiency in getting rid of damaged protein can be counteracted by the correct diet. Collin argues that you can start your own reverse-aging program by making just a couple of simple changes.
By taking steps to stop the damage that homocysteine and free radicals cause, you can not only protect yourself from dangerous age-related health conditions, but also slow down the aging process. Collin advocates adopting 17 habits, as well as calorie restriction (CR), as an effective means of increasing longevity and prolonging good health. He then discusses the possible downside of different methods of detoxification.
Collin explains why all exercise programs must include flexibility training, aerobic, endurance workouts, and strength and interval training. He then reveals the secrets of his own personal exercise routine and regimen.
Listing the top ten foods that help with weight loss, Collin urges his readers to stick to a diet consisting of 50 to 75 percent raw foods—a diet consisting of raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains. After describing the top ten foods for improving your sex drive and keeping you younger, he then lists the top 21 functional foods – those foods that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease – explaining the beneficial effects to be gained from the consumption of each.
After introducing sun gazing as an option for spiritual growth and health benefits, Collin shares the secrets of his own sunshine routine and regimen. Insisting on dietary supplementation to prevent chronic disease, he argues in favour of liquid, rather than pill, multivitamins. Collin holds that high quality supplements can improve your health, increase your energy, prevent illnesses, improve your sexual performance, and slow the aging process. He lists supplements, nutrients, super-foods, and health products that he has used, or is using daily and/or weekly for his reverse-aging regimen and protocol. His brief description of the efficacy of each ends with a URL where you can go to get more detailed information, or purchase, them.
In brief, this is an informative book that serves as both a directory and a singularly persuasive reference guide, well worth keeping at your bedside!
The Arabian Nights a Springboard to Distant Destinations
1089 Nights: An Odyssey through the Middle East, Africa and Asia / Ann von Lossberg. New York: iUniverse, c2008. ISBN: 978-1-440-10520-3 (pbk) $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-440-10521-0 (ebk)
The prefatory allusion to The Book of One Thousand and One Nights introduces the reader to the text that follows – one is encouraged to expect a cornucopia of interwoven tales. Despite not being an epic work, 1089 Nights is a lively non-fiction account of Ann von Lossberg’s travels together with her boyfriend, Jim Hucock, through the Middle East, Africa and Asia, mainly undertaken in the 1980s. Written with the benefit of hindsight, based on the details that she meticulously wrote up in her journals, 1089 Nights has a vibrancy and immediacy that makes it sound as though you are seated with her around a camp fire.
From the outset, her engaging use of dialogue elicits our close involvement with the evolution of her travels from a vague longing to the actual nitty gritty strategizing of her adventure into yet-to-be-encountered realms. Refreshingly lacking in pretension, her flowing text is direct and appealing. Unlike many other travel writers, she does not resort to lengthy descriptions overloaded with adjectives, rather imbuing her writing with momentum and drive. Reveling in the exotic-sounding names of local phenomena encountered on their travels, she delights in lively and colorful descriptions of others whom they meet along the way.
Never patronizing in her approach, Anne sums up the relevance of what they see in images accessible even to the most homebound of travelers, such as where she writes of Cappodocia as “a mushroom village in a fantasy world, a Disneyesque kind of limestone landscape.” In this way she allows the reader to embellish her tales with their own appreciation of the myth and mystique of the lands through which she passes.
Any difficulties that Anne and Jim encounter are related with humor, such as their inability to express their appreciation of Turkish delights in terms other than “guzel”(good): “Guzel tea, we tell them. Guzel food. Guzel Turkish cigarettes in little tins. Everything is guzel.” Her appreciation of children, including the frantically eager Cemil, and animals, such as the timeless camels, also enlivens the text.
Anne’s open-mindedness is shown, for example, where, though critical of the chauvinistic culture of Turkey, she views self-limiting aspects of the society as reasonable within such a context. Retrospective reflection has enhanced her understanding of different cultures, allowing her to come to terms with what clearly were rather unpleasant experiences at the time. Regarding her responding to men who addressed her in the streets, she now realizes that “[w]ith each answer, I inadvertently reinforced their poor opinion of me.”
Anne’s US nationality emerges in her encounters with Syrian society, where she feels the need briefly to outline the reason for the lack of entente cordiale between the two nations. Her avoidance of the polemic makes her account consistently fluent and readable. Sensitive to the idiosyncracies of others, Anne is at all times respectful, and even at times reverential, towards foreign cultures and traditions, as in her description of worship in a Syrian mosque: “The unified effect of hundreds bowing the same moment and the sense of humility are wondrous.”
Anne’s narration of 1089 Nights is self-directed, but definitely not self-absorbed.
Revelations of the significance of travel for the human psyche are counterpoised against practical insights into what travel on a limited budget entails. Though Anne makes a passing reference to her poetic and introverted nature, she restrains such impulses with what appears to be admirable ease. Rather than swamping her readers with obsessively self indulgent soul searching, stray moments of spiritual introspection are pithy and absent of angst, such as where she compares Jim and herself to onions “shedding layers of our former selves”. Making the commonplace exceptional is, after all, the prerogative of the poet.
ISBN: 978-1-440-10521-0 (ebk)
The prefatory allusion to The Book of One Thousand and One Nights introduces the reader to the text that follows – one is encouraged to expect a cornucopia of interwoven tales. Despite not being an epic work, 1089 Nights is a lively non-fiction account of Ann von Lossberg’s travels together with her boyfriend, Jim Hucock, through the Middle East, Africa and Asia, mainly undertaken in the 1980s. Written with the benefit of hindsight, based on the details that she meticulously wrote up in her journals, 1089 Nights has a vibrancy and immediacy that makes it sound as though you are seated with her around a camp fire.
From the outset, her engaging use of dialogue elicits our close involvement with the evolution of her travels from a vague longing to the actual nitty gritty strategizing of her adventure into yet-to-be-encountered realms. Refreshingly lacking in pretension, her flowing text is direct and appealing. Unlike many other travel writers, she does not resort to lengthy descriptions overloaded with adjectives, rather imbuing her writing with momentum and drive. Reveling in the exotic-sounding names of local phenomena encountered on their travels, she delights in lively and colorful descriptions of others whom they meet along the way.
Never patronizing in her approach, Anne sums up the relevance of what they see in images accessible even to the most homebound of travelers, such as where she writes of Cappodocia as “a mushroom village in a fantasy world, a Disneyesque kind of limestone landscape.” In this way she allows the reader to embellish her tales with their own appreciation of the myth and mystique of the lands through which she passes.
Any difficulties that Anne and Jim encounter are related with humor, such as their inability to express their appreciation of Turkish delights in terms other than “guzel”(good): “Guzel tea, we tell them. Guzel food. Guzel Turkish cigarettes in little tins. Everything is guzel.” Her appreciation of children, including the frantically eager Cemil, and animals, such as the timeless camels, also enlivens the text.
Anne’s open-mindedness is shown, for example, where, though critical of the chauvinistic culture of Turkey, she views self-limiting aspects of the society as reasonable within such a context. Retrospective reflection has enhanced her understanding of different cultures, allowing her to come to terms with what clearly were rather unpleasant experiences at the time. Regarding her responding to men who addressed her in the streets, she now realizes that “[w]ith each answer, I inadvertently reinforced their poor opinion of me.”
Anne’s US nationality emerges in her encounters with Syrian society, where she feels the need briefly to outline the reason for the lack of entente cordiale between the two nations. Her avoidance of the polemic makes her account consistently fluent and readable. Sensitive to the idiosyncracies of others, Anne is at all times respectful, and even at times reverential, towards foreign cultures and traditions, as in her description of worship in a Syrian mosque: “The unified effect of hundreds bowing the same moment and the sense of humility are wondrous.”
Anne’s narration of 1089 Nights is self-directed, but definitely not self-absorbed.
Revelations of the significance of travel for the human psyche are counterpoised against practical insights into what travel on a limited budget entails. Though Anne makes a passing reference to her poetic and introverted nature, she restrains such impulses with what appears to be admirable ease. Rather than swamping her readers with obsessively self indulgent soul searching, stray moments of spiritual introspection are pithy and absent of angst, such as where she compares Jim and herself to onions “shedding layers of our former selves”. Making the commonplace exceptional is, after all, the prerogative of the poet.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Finishing Touches to Developmental Stages
Robertson, Gary. Do I Hafta Grow Up? The Adult's Guide to Unfinished Business of Childhood. Standard Edition. c2009. ISBN 978-0-557-06268-3. $29.95.
Almost half the length of the original edition of Do I Hafta Grow Up?, published two years earlier, the Standard Edition of this provocative work, produced in response to reader demand, is just as insightful as the original text. Presenting a healing model that integrates aspects of medicine, psychology and religion, Robertson, Director of the Springs Foundation explores the need for healing experienced by many who have not yet developed fully. Do I Hafta Grow Up? promotes understanding of what the problems are; how to define them; where they originate; and how to access who we are as bodies, minds and spirits.
After providing examples of problems caused by incomplete childhood development, Robertson explains the origins of common connection issues that might persist throughout further development. He stresses the importance of fulfilling the primary goals of the first five years of life: becoming individuated in the first 18 months; separating from our parents by the end of our first two years; gathering information in our third year that enables us to establish personal power in year four; and evolving our own identity about age five.
Sourcing the sociological ramifications of problems in the incomplete development of the individual’s mental, spiritual and religious consciousness, Robertson explains how, by our becoming more aware of what has stultified and stagnated our progress, we can choose to free ourselves from extrinsic pressures and prescriptions.
Robertson shows how his teaching experience in the field of human relations has led him to evolve an understanding of how the application of energy psychology can release us from our karmic overload. He indicates a way in which to resolve issues left unresolved in previous lifetimes, rounding off his text with an annotated bibliography of works that provide additional information on some of the methodologies to which he refers in the course of his discussion.
With the tone of the Standard Edition being more concentrated and focused, due to its being more condensed than the author’s Signature Edition, Do I Hafta Grow Up? The Adult's Guide to Unfinished Business of Childhood Standard Edition retains the logical and accessible flow of the original. … And yes, BTW, Robertson does, once again, answer his own question both cogently and clearly. Lois C. Henderson
Almost half the length of the original edition of Do I Hafta Grow Up?, published two years earlier, the Standard Edition of this provocative work, produced in response to reader demand, is just as insightful as the original text. Presenting a healing model that integrates aspects of medicine, psychology and religion, Robertson, Director of the Springs Foundation explores the need for healing experienced by many who have not yet developed fully. Do I Hafta Grow Up? promotes understanding of what the problems are; how to define them; where they originate; and how to access who we are as bodies, minds and spirits.
After providing examples of problems caused by incomplete childhood development, Robertson explains the origins of common connection issues that might persist throughout further development. He stresses the importance of fulfilling the primary goals of the first five years of life: becoming individuated in the first 18 months; separating from our parents by the end of our first two years; gathering information in our third year that enables us to establish personal power in year four; and evolving our own identity about age five.
Sourcing the sociological ramifications of problems in the incomplete development of the individual’s mental, spiritual and religious consciousness, Robertson explains how, by our becoming more aware of what has stultified and stagnated our progress, we can choose to free ourselves from extrinsic pressures and prescriptions.
Robertson shows how his teaching experience in the field of human relations has led him to evolve an understanding of how the application of energy psychology can release us from our karmic overload. He indicates a way in which to resolve issues left unresolved in previous lifetimes, rounding off his text with an annotated bibliography of works that provide additional information on some of the methodologies to which he refers in the course of his discussion.
With the tone of the Standard Edition being more concentrated and focused, due to its being more condensed than the author’s Signature Edition, Do I Hafta Grow Up? The Adult's Guide to Unfinished Business of Childhood Standard Edition retains the logical and accessible flow of the original. … And yes, BTW, Robertson does, once again, answer his own question both cogently and clearly. Lois C. Henderson
A Caribbean Adventure to Dream of
Appleton, Robert. The Basingstoke Chronicles. Aloha, OR: Uncial Press, 2009.
ISBN: 978-1-60174-077-9; 1-60174-077-8.
Who does not long for “an impromptu Caribbean adventure, without a care in the world”? For the armchair traveler who yearns for days of yore, The Basingstoke Chronicles by Robert Appleton is the perfect answer. After being introduced, in the prologue, to this first-person account by Lord Basingstoke on a “winter’s night [December 16th, 1901] on the shingle of Ten Gulls Beach in Devon, southern England”, the first chapter transposes the reader to a more recent, though still distant, “grey evening in 1979, a few miles outside Bucharest…”
Arriving at a semi-annual Archaeological Society get-together with his good friends, the guileful Lord Brooke and the beautiful Lady Brooke, “fine archaeologists both”, the slightly tipsy Lord Basingstoke finds the gothic stone decorated home of Georghe Dumitrescu, “a wealthy industrialist of some note in Eastern Europe”, much smaller than he had imagined. Immediately establishing rapport with Lord Basingstoke by swigging in tandem from his hip flask, his seemingly empathetic host horrifies the distinguished gathering by presenting the riddle of a partly decomposed body as the centre point in his “personal prologue to the evening”. Most startling of all was the fine Incan embroidered clothing in which the partially incinerated and fully drowned victim had been found drifting off the Cuban coast two weeks before.
The next setting, naturally, is Cuba, in which less rarified environs the narrator at once becomes Baz, Lord Brooke Sam, and Lady Brooke Ethel, whose flirtation with Baz adds a touch of spicy romanticism to the tale. Meeting up with Rodrigo, his companion for the adventures to come, the focus is from now on fully directed towards the scuba diving expedition on which they are about to embark. But first, the author reveals his familiarity with Cuban topography in his description of Jagua Bay, in Cienfuegos, the “Pearl of the South”, as “once a stalking ground for pirates and corsairs”. Appleton’s cracking pace of narration flows smoothly and poetically, faster than the tides, while, at the same time, conjuring up visions of the Caribbean, always alert to “savor the pungent balm of a saline breeze”. The reader is inevitably drawn into the narrator’s love of the sea, a love that surely embodies the author’s own admiration for the underwater realms.
At the core of this fast-paced novel lies the questioning of the stabilizing nature of time as “embedded in the fabric of cause and effect” emanating from Baz’s discovery of a time machine lying at the bottom of the ocean. And so to pre-existing times…
The scientific explanations of phenomena present in Appleton’s fictional scenarios not only show how knowledgeable he is about such natural features as tropical rainforests, but also add significantly to the realism of the scenes depicted. Baz’s sense of affinity with the bear, that he later names Darkly after the forest in which he appears, strengthens the reader’s awareness of the narrator’s (read author’s) appreciation of the natural environment. The keen interest shown in other lands and places reveals itself in the detailed descriptions of the village life that the chief protagonists encounter on the island of Apterona.
Possessing the descriptive power of a modern day Jules Verne and the narrative pace of a twenty-first century Sir Rider Haggard, don’t let Robert Appleton’s easy flowing, yet thoughtfully worded, adventure just drift on by! Lois C. Henderson
ISBN: 978-1-60174-077-9; 1-60174-077-8.
Who does not long for “an impromptu Caribbean adventure, without a care in the world”? For the armchair traveler who yearns for days of yore, The Basingstoke Chronicles by Robert Appleton is the perfect answer. After being introduced, in the prologue, to this first-person account by Lord Basingstoke on a “winter’s night [December 16th, 1901] on the shingle of Ten Gulls Beach in Devon, southern England”, the first chapter transposes the reader to a more recent, though still distant, “grey evening in 1979, a few miles outside Bucharest…”
Arriving at a semi-annual Archaeological Society get-together with his good friends, the guileful Lord Brooke and the beautiful Lady Brooke, “fine archaeologists both”, the slightly tipsy Lord Basingstoke finds the gothic stone decorated home of Georghe Dumitrescu, “a wealthy industrialist of some note in Eastern Europe”, much smaller than he had imagined. Immediately establishing rapport with Lord Basingstoke by swigging in tandem from his hip flask, his seemingly empathetic host horrifies the distinguished gathering by presenting the riddle of a partly decomposed body as the centre point in his “personal prologue to the evening”. Most startling of all was the fine Incan embroidered clothing in which the partially incinerated and fully drowned victim had been found drifting off the Cuban coast two weeks before.
The next setting, naturally, is Cuba, in which less rarified environs the narrator at once becomes Baz, Lord Brooke Sam, and Lady Brooke Ethel, whose flirtation with Baz adds a touch of spicy romanticism to the tale. Meeting up with Rodrigo, his companion for the adventures to come, the focus is from now on fully directed towards the scuba diving expedition on which they are about to embark. But first, the author reveals his familiarity with Cuban topography in his description of Jagua Bay, in Cienfuegos, the “Pearl of the South”, as “once a stalking ground for pirates and corsairs”. Appleton’s cracking pace of narration flows smoothly and poetically, faster than the tides, while, at the same time, conjuring up visions of the Caribbean, always alert to “savor the pungent balm of a saline breeze”. The reader is inevitably drawn into the narrator’s love of the sea, a love that surely embodies the author’s own admiration for the underwater realms.
At the core of this fast-paced novel lies the questioning of the stabilizing nature of time as “embedded in the fabric of cause and effect” emanating from Baz’s discovery of a time machine lying at the bottom of the ocean. And so to pre-existing times…
The scientific explanations of phenomena present in Appleton’s fictional scenarios not only show how knowledgeable he is about such natural features as tropical rainforests, but also add significantly to the realism of the scenes depicted. Baz’s sense of affinity with the bear, that he later names Darkly after the forest in which he appears, strengthens the reader’s awareness of the narrator’s (read author’s) appreciation of the natural environment. The keen interest shown in other lands and places reveals itself in the detailed descriptions of the village life that the chief protagonists encounter on the island of Apterona.
Possessing the descriptive power of a modern day Jules Verne and the narrative pace of a twenty-first century Sir Rider Haggard, don’t let Robert Appleton’s easy flowing, yet thoughtfully worded, adventure just drift on by! Lois C. Henderson
HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR IN A FEW SHORT STEPS
Popovich, Stanley. A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear: Using Psychology, Christianity and Non-resistant Methods. Sierra Vista, AZ: Mountain View Publishing, c2003.
ISBN: 1- 928602-97-5. $17.54.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Stanley Popovich presents his guide to overcoming fear and anxiety in the form of a common sense booklet accessible to all ages. Stan explores three different approaches to managing fear: practising general counseling techniques, asking for God’s help, and using non-resistant methods, which, when combined, can serve as a powerful tool in fear management.
Stan argues in favor of using critical thinking and deductive reasoning to manage fear, by first identifying its source and then determining its root cause. By establishing how rational a particular fear is, one can evolve solutions and options to manage it. Through numerous case studies throughout the book, Stan shows how to overcome fear and anxiety step by step.
Providing not only his own insights into fear-filled situations, Stan also relies upon experts in the field, who express their thoughts about the problem. Father Howard Campbell, a systematic theology and divinity master’s graduate, discusses how the disabling effects of fear can manifest as anxiety or a phobia, while Larry Sutton, a clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. in counselor education, reveals how to overcome anxiety in job seeking.
An ideal text for any graduate beset with the difficulty of finding work, A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear shows how to break down the otherwise formidable task of job searching into a series of smaller, less daunting steps. Stan shows how harnessing determination and commitment can lead to the motivation to succeed. Positive reinforcement and self imagery is seen as a way through any crisis. This balanced text considers both the down and up side of imagination: the down side, as a source of fear, and the up side, as an aide in positive visualization exercises. Apart from considering the cognitive aspects of the techniques he explores, Stan also explains the importance of physical exercise to the development of a positive mindset. He encourages the reader, when in doubt, to consider both mental health practitioners and other experts in the medical field.
Stan shows how using non-resistant methods empowers the individual to reduce the strength of what might otherwise be overwhelming fear, thereby making it easier to manage. Making friends with God and developing a foundation of trust in the Lord is the third option that Stan presents for the overcoming of fear. He explores the power of prayer both in and outside church, as well as the strengthening of will that comes from reading the Bible and other inspirational books. Holding a religious symbol can provide tangible comfort, too. Stan also shows how Father Howard has been able to counsel those facing life-threatening illnesses to find the root cause of their fears.
Stan closes his book with a short list of organizations that can provide help and guidance for dealing with fear and other mental health issues, followed by some key Bible verses on how to deal with fear, as well as how to trust in God. He concludes by urging the reader to develop his or her personal strategy for coping with problems.
In brief, within relatively few pages, A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear packs a powerful punch and is well worth the read. Lois C. Henderson
ISBN: 1- 928602-97-5. $17.54.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Stanley Popovich presents his guide to overcoming fear and anxiety in the form of a common sense booklet accessible to all ages. Stan explores three different approaches to managing fear: practising general counseling techniques, asking for God’s help, and using non-resistant methods, which, when combined, can serve as a powerful tool in fear management.
Stan argues in favor of using critical thinking and deductive reasoning to manage fear, by first identifying its source and then determining its root cause. By establishing how rational a particular fear is, one can evolve solutions and options to manage it. Through numerous case studies throughout the book, Stan shows how to overcome fear and anxiety step by step.
Providing not only his own insights into fear-filled situations, Stan also relies upon experts in the field, who express their thoughts about the problem. Father Howard Campbell, a systematic theology and divinity master’s graduate, discusses how the disabling effects of fear can manifest as anxiety or a phobia, while Larry Sutton, a clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. in counselor education, reveals how to overcome anxiety in job seeking.
An ideal text for any graduate beset with the difficulty of finding work, A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear shows how to break down the otherwise formidable task of job searching into a series of smaller, less daunting steps. Stan shows how harnessing determination and commitment can lead to the motivation to succeed. Positive reinforcement and self imagery is seen as a way through any crisis. This balanced text considers both the down and up side of imagination: the down side, as a source of fear, and the up side, as an aide in positive visualization exercises. Apart from considering the cognitive aspects of the techniques he explores, Stan also explains the importance of physical exercise to the development of a positive mindset. He encourages the reader, when in doubt, to consider both mental health practitioners and other experts in the medical field.
Stan shows how using non-resistant methods empowers the individual to reduce the strength of what might otherwise be overwhelming fear, thereby making it easier to manage. Making friends with God and developing a foundation of trust in the Lord is the third option that Stan presents for the overcoming of fear. He explores the power of prayer both in and outside church, as well as the strengthening of will that comes from reading the Bible and other inspirational books. Holding a religious symbol can provide tangible comfort, too. Stan also shows how Father Howard has been able to counsel those facing life-threatening illnesses to find the root cause of their fears.
Stan closes his book with a short list of organizations that can provide help and guidance for dealing with fear and other mental health issues, followed by some key Bible verses on how to deal with fear, as well as how to trust in God. He concludes by urging the reader to develop his or her personal strategy for coping with problems.
In brief, within relatively few pages, A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear packs a powerful punch and is well worth the read. Lois C. Henderson
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