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Iyengar Yoga: Classic Yoga Postures for Mind, Body and Spirit
Book
This title features classic yoga postures for mind, body and spirit. Calm the mind, increase...
The Bulletproof Diet
Book
When his excess fat started causing brain fog and food cravings sapped his energy and willpower,...
The Wisdom of Groundhog Day: How to Improve Your Life One Day at a Time
Book
As heard on Chris Evans' Radio 2 Breakfast Show With a foreword by Danny Rubin, screenwriter of...
Treating Depression Naturally: How Flower Essences Can Help Rebalance Your Life
Book
Feelings of depression are as unique as you are. Whether you find yourself overcome by the strain of...
Washing Up is Good for You
Book
When you let yourself focus on any activity, however mundane, when you feel the warm water running...
ClareR (5726 KP) rated This Party’s Dead in Books
Feb 28, 2021
This Party’s Dead is a book, unsurprisingly, about death, and whilst it sounds like it’ll be depressing, it’s anything but that. The book follows the author, Erica Buist, as she visits seven death festivals around the world. There is a reason: after her father-in-laws death where he was left in his house for a week before he was found, Erica experiences great anxiety, feeling ill-equipped to deal with the whole idea of death. She suffers with her mental health, so decides that she needs to do something to confront her fears surrounding death. She has lived in Mexico, so has some knowledge of the Day of the Dead, and this leads her to research other death celebrations .
It’s absolutely fascinating: we in the West have a very sanitised attitude towards death, and the cultures and countries that Erica visited couldn’t have been more different. It’s quite a sobering read in places, but there is a healthy dose of humour as well. It’s a really accessible, interesting and engrossing read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and to Erica Buist for joining in.
It’s absolutely fascinating: we in the West have a very sanitised attitude towards death, and the cultures and countries that Erica visited couldn’t have been more different. It’s quite a sobering read in places, but there is a healthy dose of humour as well. It’s a really accessible, interesting and engrossing read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this, and to Erica Buist for joining in.
Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys in Music
Jan 4, 2021 (Updated Jan 15, 2021)
Beach Boys Perfection (or maybe that should read Brian Wilson Perfection)
One of the first cds I bought way back in 1990 (and I still have). Brian Wilson had given up on touring with the Beach Boys and pretty much composed everything on this album. The product and use of unusual instruments (ranging from an electronic Theremin, dogs barking and empty coke cans) make for a very unique album. It certainly has the Beach Boys stamp all over it but this was a massive departure from songs about sun, surfing, cars and girls. Here we had Brian maturing,and sadly beginning to struggle with his mental health, creating a very personal album . Each track is meticulously arranged making it a different listening experience each time (especially through a good set of headphones). There was a lot of in-group fighting as members weren't to keen on Brian new vision. It is often said that Pet Sounds is really a Brian Wilson solo album. Regardless, this is the Beach Boys at the top of their game. Essential listening for sure...
Album highlights:
God Only Knows
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Caroline, No
Album highlights:
God Only Knows
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Caroline, No
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Road Trip in Books
Aug 4, 2021
I loved this book. The Road Trip has a different feel to it compared to Beth O’Leary’s previous two novels, and whatever direction she’ll take next, I’m going along for the ride (see what I did there!🤭)
I just love the way that O’Leary writes characters: in this book they’re funny, flawed and feel like genuine, real people. There are those with mental health problems, dysfunctional families and strong sibling relationships.
We see the contrast of the carefree student on holiday, and the way that real life has a habit of sticking its oar in - and not always in a good way.
The road trip element was hilarious though. Deliciously awkward, thanks to Addie, Dylan and Dylan’s friend Marcus, with the devil-may-care attitude of Addie’s sister, Debs. And than there’s Rodney (I’l leave him right here - I don’t want to spoil THIS character for you!).
This book is a little darker in places in comparison to her other books, but I absolutely loved every page. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Beth O’Leary. Oh, and you should definitely read this book!!
Many thanks to Quercus for my copy via NetGalley.
I just love the way that O’Leary writes characters: in this book they’re funny, flawed and feel like genuine, real people. There are those with mental health problems, dysfunctional families and strong sibling relationships.
We see the contrast of the carefree student on holiday, and the way that real life has a habit of sticking its oar in - and not always in a good way.
The road trip element was hilarious though. Deliciously awkward, thanks to Addie, Dylan and Dylan’s friend Marcus, with the devil-may-care attitude of Addie’s sister, Debs. And than there’s Rodney (I’l leave him right here - I don’t want to spoil THIS character for you!).
This book is a little darker in places in comparison to her other books, but I absolutely loved every page. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Beth O’Leary. Oh, and you should definitely read this book!!
Many thanks to Quercus for my copy via NetGalley.
What a lovely book!
We follow Debbie as she embarks on her first taste of adulthood. She’s eighteen and starting university. She lives in a little village on a dairy farm that her family owns and has no idea how it works being in the city most of the time. From the start of this book she is quite naive and you can tell that she’s not really had to step foot out of the comfort of the village she grew up in.
When she finally makes it into Dublin and to her new university she bumps into a girl named Xanthe who she makes friends with and spends most of her time with when she’s not at home or in class.
The book explores the mental health of many of the characters and does it very delicately, without judgement.
I couldn’t put it down and read it in a couple of hours. It was such a pleasant book. And I loved how the chapters were so short and the characters were just so loveable!
Thank you to Louise Nealon and Readers First for allowing me to read this wonderful book for free!
We follow Debbie as she embarks on her first taste of adulthood. She’s eighteen and starting university. She lives in a little village on a dairy farm that her family owns and has no idea how it works being in the city most of the time. From the start of this book she is quite naive and you can tell that she’s not really had to step foot out of the comfort of the village she grew up in.
When she finally makes it into Dublin and to her new university she bumps into a girl named Xanthe who she makes friends with and spends most of her time with when she’s not at home or in class.
The book explores the mental health of many of the characters and does it very delicately, without judgement.
I couldn’t put it down and read it in a couple of hours. It was such a pleasant book. And I loved how the chapters were so short and the characters were just so loveable!
Thank you to Louise Nealon and Readers First for allowing me to read this wonderful book for free!
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Trust Me, I'm A (Junior) Doctor in Books
Oct 26, 2020
Junior Doctor... Scrubs or Grey's Anatomy brought to life?
Max Pemberton's Trust Me, I'm a (Junior) Doctor is a very frank and humorous account (very tongue in cheek) of his time as a Junior Doctor. Reading this was very much like immersing yourself in a real life version of a Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs or Night Shift style TV show.
I found this to be a very easy read, demolishing the pages in a day (ok, I was sat round a pool with beer on tap, but still...) It was a well written and thought provoking account with recurring appearances of his housemates and colleagues. It humanises the role of a doctor and the struggles of long shifts balanced with maintaining a social life, family responsibility and just trying to exist.
Pemberton details how the NHS operates, and the trials and frustrations of a Junior doctor launched into frustrating, physically, mentally and emotionally draining role in medicine.
Reading this gave me a new found admiration for those on the front line working round the clock, whilst combating the very real frustrations of red tape, senior doctors and mental health.
I would recommend to any reader who enjoys this genre!
I found this to be a very easy read, demolishing the pages in a day (ok, I was sat round a pool with beer on tap, but still...) It was a well written and thought provoking account with recurring appearances of his housemates and colleagues. It humanises the role of a doctor and the struggles of long shifts balanced with maintaining a social life, family responsibility and just trying to exist.
Pemberton details how the NHS operates, and the trials and frustrations of a Junior doctor launched into frustrating, physically, mentally and emotionally draining role in medicine.
Reading this gave me a new found admiration for those on the front line working round the clock, whilst combating the very real frustrations of red tape, senior doctors and mental health.
I would recommend to any reader who enjoys this genre!