The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences, Dr Penny Sartori

Wow.
I'd heard about these, and was not entirely convinced that they were simply a phenomena, and that the brain was 'shutting down' or being starved of oxygen.  Dr Sartori, PhD, RGN, had her doubts, too.  As an experienced intensive care nurse, she first came across a patient who'd had Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) while she was on duty.  NDErs were always deeply affected, and more often than not unable to find words to adequately describe the episode.  They were, almost without exception, life-changing, and patients lost any fear of death. Near-Death Experiences are not all that common, but as Dr Sartori spoke to patients who'd had them, she became intrigued.  It seemed no-one had studied this seriously and she decided she was the one to do so.  She spent five years carrying out doctoral research - the UKs first long-tern prospective study.

Filled with clinical case studies and describing thorough and serious research into experiences which have all too often been dismissed as 'imagination' or hallucination, this is a very readable book written by an expert in the subject.

I found the book extremely enlightening and would absolutely recommend it.

Paperback £10.99  

ISBN 9781780285658


Published in the UK February 2014 by Watkins Publishing

Go to http://www.watkinspublishing.co.uk to purchase the book.

Review: Death Must Go On - Mac Fletcher

It's the mid-1950s and the scene is set in a sleepy little village. An undertaker, a pharmacist, a solicitor, a pub landlord and a reluctant doctor are plotting the deaths of a handful of elderly residents. 

All in a good cause: to boost the motley crew's retirement fund. A death occurs sooner than planned, and word of the scheme gets out, leaving the gang with apparently no choice but to ensure that death must go on. 

This rollicking story is a tad off the wall at times, but I found it to be quite the page-turner and nowhere near as gruesome as I'd feared. The story wraps up nicely with the baddies punished and the innocent, the remorseful and the downright daft all dealt with neatly.
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and am looking forward to the next book from this author.

This is on Kindle for under £2.00

Review - Tell My Mother I'm Not Dead by Trevor Hamilton

A Case Study in Mediumship Research.

Imperial Academic £8.95

Well, this was a tale and a half.  The author lost his son in a car accident, and spent years trying to get in touch with him via various mediums, in a very logical and methodical way.
Sessions were recorded, notes written, and care taken to ensure nothing was given away.  Much research was done, also - the bibliography is not brief and promises fascinating reading.
The results were surprising.  I have an open mind, but I can usually tell when someone is pulling the wool, and it appeared to me that there right in front of him was overwhelming evidence of the soul's survival after death.
Mr Hamilton, however, was not such a pushover and continued almost to deny any possibility, despite all these happenings which could not be explained in any other way.
This is not a dramatic book.  In fact, it's quite scientific and unbiased.  It is simply his search for evidence of life after death.  I reckon he found it.
Recommended.

Heinz Squeeze and Stir Soup

This is a new one on me.  Remember the powdered soup-in-a-sachet that all too often tasted, well, powdery?

I spotted this in Iceland – 59p, if I remember correctly.  Shame they only had two flavours, and as I hate anyone’s tomato soup, I chose this one – Chicken and Vegetable.

It’s in a sturdy sachet (I had to cut it open, tho’ it does have a tear strip at the top).  It’s about the size of a toothpaste tube.  It’s lightweight (70g), and will easily fit into a handbag, pocket or briefcase

It doesn’t need refrigerating, either.  It’s low fat, if that’s your thing - 102 Cal’s in all.

It’s easy to make – boil the kettle, squeeze the paste into a mug, add a little of the hot water, stir, add more water to fill the mug, and stir again.  It’s that easy.

What does it taste like?

Just like a tinned soup – only very, very portable.  That’s got to be better in roadmiles, surely?

Worth a try, I’d say.

Not exactly archived...

I am leaving the big bad world of journalism - if I was ever in it in the first place.
I will still happily edit, write reviews, and what-have-you, but my 'journo' website has now gone, and I'm spending much of my time crafting, and teaching.
Check out my other blog - it's much more fun!

Review: If Life Gives You Lemons by Sally Stubbs

This book has received rave reviews on Amazon, so I'm wondering if it's me, but hmmm... This is a book chock full of quotes - so full, that I spotted at least one appearing twice, albeit with slightly different wording and attributed to a different author. Yes, some of them are inspiring, and they are themed, so you can go to the area that's troubling you. If you 'get' it, it can be a real help, and people have said as much - but not for me.

Review: Clay Ghosts in Sicily by Angie Voluti

I was intrigued by this book. On reading the extract from the publishers I feared it would be too flowery, but the story's description, that it was based on real events, had me interested. I couldn't wait for it to arrive in the post.
Looking at the cover, I could not understand why there was a picture of a toddler on the back - a mummified one who looked simply to be asleep. I still don't know why the author chose to include that image.
On to the story. This is a wartime tale well written - a page-turner. A story of heartbreak and hardship, love and loss, but with a couple of twists to the ending that I didn't see coming.
Recommended - I want to read it again.

The Jane Austen Handbook

I'm no history buff. I never read any Jane Austen books and so am not qualified to comment on the accuracies of this book - however I feel that the language used is just shy of the mark - like a slipping accent - every so often a word or phrase is dropped in that seems incongruous.  I am fairly sure that Ms Austen did not talk about downtime, and that the phrase 'Small Beer and Skittles' does not exist.  Small Beer, yes.  Beer and Skittles, yes, but never the two combined.  That said, I reckon it would be a handy book to have if one needs to 'cram' for an english exam, or if simply interested in the ways of that period.  Just don't quote directly from it.  There.  Now the author will hate me.

That fork in the road...

I'm still here - managed to lose my pic, though.  Reviews will continue over here, and crafts-and-randomness has started over there - http://astrojill.blogspot.com .

A Fork in the Road...

Normal service to be resumed here shortly - meanwhile, look out for my new blog, all about crafts, how-to's, thoughts and other Random Stuff.

The Northern Quarter

Manchester's Northern Quarter is coming alive.  There are so many fantastic arty places there, now), it's practically buzzing.  Yeh, still the odd paraffin lamp*, so a biddy like me hasta keep moving.
* Paraffin lamp + tramp.

Changing direction without a compass...

No, not the title of a new book, but the state I'm in at the mo'.
OK... I've been thinking for a while that, whilst I adore reading and writing (not arithmetic, though), book reviews are not the only thing this blog should be good for.
In the past year or so I've been bitten (nay, infested) by the craft bug.  I've taken up crochet again after a huge hiatus, and, thanks to the excellent www.ravelry.com I am exploring new techniques and materials.  Thrift, recycling and eco-friendly are all making sense, now.  This in turn has led to my trawling the charity shops for yarn, beads, buttons and fabric.  Ah, fabric... my sewing machine has finally seen the light of day!  Abakhan has become one of my favourite shops (I love their 'remainder' bins), and my typing chair is gradually being pushed forward by all the 'stuff' I've been squirrelling away.  Is that my age?  Ha har - maybe I'm now a material girl.
So, chaps and chapesses, watch this space for more of this metamorphosis.

Night of the Living Trekkies

Authors Kevin Anderson and Sam Stall
Quirk Fiction
£9.99
ISBN 978-1-59474-463-1
Quirk fiction is mixing genres - who thought that would work?  Actually, in this book at least, it does.  Night of the Living Trekkies is a brilliant sci-fi concept, bringing fans and zombies together (eek).  Ultra-readable, once I was over the first couple of pages I couldn't put it down.  So well written it played in my head like a movie - in fact, someone really should make a film of it.
What I particularly liked about this book was that the 'how-and-the-why' of zombies was fully explained - there was a reasoning behind it, instead of the usual 'well, they all turned into zombies somehow and you have to shoot their heads off'.
I would recommend this, and can't wait for the next one - and I'm not usually into zombies, trek, wars or any other sci-fi.
(Severed) footnote:  Trekkie/Trekker hubbie read this, and also thought it was brilliant.

Travalo Perfume Dispenser

Cost - around a tenner, I think.
Source - Monarch Airlines flight to Barcelona.
Having struggled with a 'pour-to-fill' perfume dispenser in the past, I couldn't resist this one.
It claims to be easy to fill, leak- and squash-proof, as well as lightweight.
I was surprised to find no instructions, but a picture on the box said it all.  Just pull the top off your spray perfume, sit the dispenser on the top of it and pump away.  It doesn't take long to fill.  You can see the perfume going in, and you'll know how much is left 'cos there's a window in the side.
I haven't yet tested it in an aircraft to see whether it leaks, so I can't comment on that claim.  I like the product overall, but the spray is a bit erratic and I had to press hard on the button to get it to deliver - and that squirt was more generous than I'd like.

The Self-Sufficiency Bible by Simon Dawson

ISBN 979-906787-68-4
I haven't yet come across such a comprehensive book. The author covers just about everything you could think of - and quite a few that you didn't. Yes, keeping livestock, growing your own greens and so on is all in there - but so is dyeing, knitting and sewing your own stuff, even making your own jam, wine, cleaning and health and beauty products - including deodorant! Basic butchery is also in there, as is smoking, tanning, preserving and so on.
The book is an easy read, and the advice simple to understand. Buy it - but not my copy - I'm keeping it!

Crochet Bags!

Author: Candi Jensen
ISBN-10: 1-58017-619-4


Some interesting bags in here - including one made from 'plarn' (plastic bag yarn) altho' her method of producing yarn from plastic carrier bags is not the best there is. Great for inspiration, although UK readers will need to check out the stitch translation as it's a US book. Worth a look, and as the book is not too big it could go in a roomy handbag - one that you've crocheted yourself, of course!

Book Review - The Healing Plants Bible

Author Helen Farmer-Knowles

Octopus Books

£12.99

ISBN 978-1-84181-390-5

Available in April 2010.

This is the latest in the Godsfield Bible Series, and I have to say I hated it on sight. What clever individual decided it would be a good idea to put the title in bright red on a green background? If you’re planning on keeping this book, then do the classroom theng and cover it, or the flickering colours will drive you bonkers.
Having said that, I reckon that this compact but weighty book should not be dismissed as just another herbal – it’s an extremely comprehensive look at how plants can heal, both spiritually and physically.
The healing power of plants is wide-ranging. Herbal remedies are many and varied, but they don’t cover absolutely everything. Add edible healing plants (grapes, blueberries, pumpkin seeds etc), trees and flower remedies, and there you have a very good healing ‘all-rounder’.
The glossary is fairly comprehensive, but the index could be a little confusing. Those looking for a remedy for a painful tooth, for example, will find five separate references, none of them linked, and no, clove oil wasn’t amongst them.
The only other disappointment, for me, is that the eminent Nicholas Culpeper barely gets a mention, and astrology has virtually none at all. Planets are assigned to different trees, but you won’t find them anywhere in the index. They’ve stuffed so much into this book that something had to give, I suppose, though it remains a good ‘pointer-in-the-right-direction’ manual. I’ll certainly be hanging on to my copy, but hand me the backing paper, please.

Book Review - The Anatomy of Pilates

Author Paul Massey

ISBN 978-1-905367-13-9

£14.99

Lotus Publishing

www.lotuspublishing.co.uk

Ever wondered, or as an instructor ever wanted to demonstrate, which muscles and joints are involved in the various Pilates movements?
The author, a leading private physiotherapist and Pilates instructor, takes the reader through what’s happening under the skin using plain language and clear coloured illustrations. He also includes checkpoints, faults to look out for, and shows which muscle groups benefit from the different exercise positions. There are only four chapters but there seems to be no skimping on detail. The page edges are coloured for quick reference, too.

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Pilates Method. This covers the principles of the Pilates method, concepts and elements used in the Pilates method, and breathing.

Chapter 2: Posture and Movement Assessment. Here posture and posture types are covered as well as postural assessment, movement assessment, and body alignment during exercise.

Chapter 3: Application of the Pilates Method. This chapter looks at muscle balance and imbalance, motor learning, motor control skills (stabilisation and co-ordination), flexibility, strengthening, and the Pilates programme. It includes several tables, including one showing a selection of exercises based on the level of ability.

Chapter 4 Classical Pilates Exercises – this is by far the longest chapter and covers classical Pilates exercises – forty of them. Each exercise has two pages devoted to it – one of anatomical line drawings showing how it is performed, with a full explanation on the opposite page.

Particularly useful are the quick-reference sections at the back of the book:
Glossary of Terms
Anatomical Directions
Muscle Groups
Main Muscles Involved in Movement
Resources
Index of Pilates Exercises

All in all a comprehensive book. I would say this is a ‘must’ for tutor and serious student alike.

Book Review - Traditional Herbal Medicines: A Guide to Their Safer Use

Authors Karalliedde and Gawarammana

Hammersmith Press

£19.99

ISBN 978-1-905140-04-6

Most alternative health practitioners, as well as those of us who use herbs on a regular basis know that herbal remedies can have contraindications. Some, for example, shouldn’t be used when pregnant or breastfeeding, or when taking various conventional med’s. Others can trigger an allergic reaction. Often, though, we have to trawl thro’ different books to discover which goes with what, or more importantly – doesn’t. Usually it’s buried at the back, somewhere, or just given a line or two.

This book has it all in one place and it’s so easy to access. Written by experts at the Medical Toxicology Unit (MTU) of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital in London - Dr Lakshman Karalliedde spent 10 years there and is now a toxicologist with the Chemical Hazards and Poisons Division of the Health Protection Agency, Debbie Shaw heads the MTU’s Chinese Medicine Advisory Service; and Indika Gawarammana was a former registrar there.
The book covers traditional herbal remedies from around the world including Chinese, Afro-Caribbean, Unani and Ayurvedic traditional medicines. It describes their sources, known effects and side effects, dosages, interactions and – most importantly – precautions.
A ‘must’ for every herbalist’s bookshelf.

Book Review - The Little Manual of Happiness - 7 Steps to a Joyful Life

O Books Vikas Malkani £6.99 ISBN 978-1-84694-227-3

This book came out with O Books at about the same time as the Little Manual of Success, and both have the free bonus of a one-to-one with the author. Wow! This is a man who manages to be spiritual and successful at the same time. He has observed the traits of happy people and now has summarised these in his book. It is, of course, all down to attitude. If you lose your job do you see it as the equivalent of being dumped on the scrap heap, or of being handed a fantastic opportunity to change career? How do we get out of a negative mindset? Many of us spend our lives in search of happiness, and never find it. Vikas helps us to see that it has been under our noses all along. Small enough to fit in a handbag or roomy pocket, this is great to read on the train – assuming you’re not too embarrassed… I’d recommend it.