Review: IT Girls Guide to Blogging with Moxie Sunday, Feb 3 2008 

Books Non Fiction , , , livingnow92 11:03 am

IT Girls Guide to Blogging with Moxie – Being a geek is oh-so chic!by Joelle Reeder & Katherine Scoleri (2007) Wiley Publishing Inc. NJ (USA).

It is undoubtably because of this book that I dived into the bloggers world.  This is seriously easy to follow from the point of view of someone who is of mature years and while I work with MS Word, email tools, and surf the web, knows didley squat about blogging, let alone how to set one up.  

The authors have written the whole book in user-friendly non-patronising language.  They introduce frequently used IT (information technology) lingo so the reader can educate themselves and feel more comfortable with the language.

I have just learned about ‘tagging’ (not with a spray paint can), ‘categories’, and ‘trolls’ (no not dwarfs from a Wagner opera), and privacy safety. 

The authors introduce a number of blogging service providers (some free and some carry a charge), to choose from.  They show how to set up a blog from some of these and they have supported their advice with clear diagrams, snapshots of actual screens so you know you are in the right place/screen when putting their advice to work. 

The ladies have also dotted throughout the book various blogs the reader can visit – sort of like window shopping, to take in the vast array of choices on presentation, information to include (or not include) on a blog.  But remember – look – dont steal.  Lets leave the intellectual property with its rightful owner.

Presentation is wonderful because they have used fairly decent sized text so I can read the book with or without my glasses!!  Headings, sub-headings and introductions to new information are bold and accurate – there is no getting lost in this book. 

While I loaned this book from a library, I am seriously considering buying a copy to have by the PC  handdy for reassurance from the authors that I can try to resolve my own IT problems!!  A very empowering book.

I rate this book 5 stars ***** 

 

Review: The Art of Serenity Sunday, Feb 3 2008 

Books Non Fiction , , livingnow92 10:37 am

The Art of Serenity – The Path to a joyful life in the best and worst of times: Dr T. Byram Karasu (2003): Simon & Schuster.

This is a seriously good read and beautifully written book.   It took me a week to read, even though it isnt a big book, just 243 pages – but I chose to read it in the evening in bed when all was quiet and savoured every page so it took a bit longer than I expected. 

For readers who enjoy nothing better than to wrap themselves around with a book with a spiritual dimension but also some sage advice from a writer who has experience and is a professional in the mental health field then this will suit.  The back cover of the book has quotes from Thomas Moore (author of Care of the Soul), Deepak Chopra (author of How to Kow God) highly recommending it.

Here’s a bit of the blurb from inside the dust-cover:

‘We all face adversity, both man-made and natural. How do we survive the loss of a loved one, a betrayal, illness, even impending death, and still find meaning in our lives? Even a “normal” life can seem empty, in spite of material possessions, success, power, and pleasure….Dr Karasu offers us the key to an extraordinary state of mind-authentic, soulful happiness- in the face of everything our life has to offer and take away. The door to this state of mind is opened by a combination of soul and spirit. It involves the soul through the love of others, love of work, and the love of community….Brilliantly synthesizing psychology and spirituality, Dr Karasu will guide you to explore the deepest yearnings of your heart’.

Now this book is not one of those ‘yet another self-proclaimed guru’ quick fix for what ails the world type books. Nor does the author proclaim to “fix” the reader.  Instead it is an honest and mature exploration of the complexity of life while suggesting that if we take time to rediscover the sacredness of life, we will also discover serenity. 

While I am tired of reading the word “insightful” on every blurb from recipes to road maps nowadays, I have to say that what Dr Karasu offers is insightful, but I would expect this from a person that has practiced psychology as long as he has and not being rude, his photo suggests that he is a mature man, and not writing a book having just collected his degree.

Dr Karasu writes with eloquence on the role of spirituality, the importance of being conscious of the easily overlooked importance of honouring the ordinary in our lives to feel fulfilled.  Each chapter is dotted with thought provoking quotes and snippets of poetry, which in my view is befitting the subject because isnt this where wisdom, poetry and art come from?   

I give this book 5 stars *****