Title: Totally Tangled
Author: Sandy Steen Bartholomew
ISBN: 157421671-6
Story Length: 50 pages
Genre: Arts & Crafts

Back Cover of Totally Tangled

Can’t draw? Stressed out? Even if you are an artist and feel perfectly calm…Zentangle is for you! Learn to focus, relax your mind and boost your creative confidence. No kidding!

Three Quick Points About Totally Tangled

• Point 1: Not for n00bs. The book doesn’t go into details about the Zentangle steps and the book assumes prior knowledge of tangle (i.e. pattern) creation.
• Point 2: Disorganized. The format doesn’t have a logical flow and had me skipping around from page to page.
• Point 3: Strays into the realm of “zendoodles”. After researching Zentangles I learned that a number of the book’s examples are Zendoodles or Zentangle-inspired art rather than actual Zentangles.

Short Synopsis of Totally Tangled

Outlines techniques for creating Zentangles and Zentangle-inspired art along with some basic tangle patterns.

My Thoughts on Totally Tangled

I’d stumbled across Zentangles by chance but didn’t want to invest in the “official” package because I already had the necessary art supplies; I only needed the instructions.

I decided on Totally Tangled because the description and reviews made it seem as though the book would be sufficient for beginners. As a beginner, my first read through (and attempted Zentangle) was a disaster.

Though it tells you the steps for creating a Zentangle:

“1. Dots- Using your pencil, make a dot in each corner of the tile. Connect the dots to form a border.
2. String- Draw the string.
3. Tangles- Switch to your pen and fill each section with tangles
4. Shading- Use your pencil to add shading and depth (see pg. 09)
5. Initials- As a final step, put your initials on the front of the tile, and sign and date the back.”

It doesn’t sufficiently elaborate on any of those steps. The book is strewn with “tips” which offer little extra insight and, as a whole, reads like a collection of disparate thoughts lacking cohesion and the reader must jump around from page to page making it difficult to focus on the task at hand. This was off-putting, to say the least.

In fact, after my first failed Zentangle I decided to set this book aside and leveraged the power of Google and YouTube for a better understanding of the process.

Once I had that understanding I was able to return to the book and use it for its patterns (i.e. tangles); that was this book’s saving grace–it’s nice having a handy tangle reference. Also, it’s inspirational if you want to branch out into Zendoodling (i.e. filling discernible pictures with a top and bottom, such as a fish or tree or person, with tangles).

So, while I wouldn’t recommend it for complete Zentangle beginners, it’s a good resource for tangles and creative inspiration.

*And before considering this book, I’d recommend viewing the following videos and websites:

• Zentangle Master Class Part A
• Zentangle Master Class Part B
• Julie Fei-Fan Balzer Shares Zentangle Tips
• Zentangle’s Betweed
• Tangle Patterns

Rating: Get It Used [C] (?)

Title: Dewey’s Nine Lives
Author: Vicky Myron with Brett Witter
ISBN: 978-0525-95186-5
Story Length: 320 pages
Genre: Pet Stories

Description of Dewey’s Nine Lives

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World was a blockbuster bestseller and a publishing phenomenon. It has sold nearly a million copies, spawned three children’s books, and will be the basis for an upcoming movie. No doubt about it, Dewey has created a community. Dewey touched readers everywhere, who realized that no matter how difficult their lives might seem, or how ordinary their talents, they can-and should-make a positive difference to those around them. Now, Dewey is back, with even more heartwarming moments and life lessons to share.

Dewey’s Nine Lives offers nine funny, inspiring, and heartwarming stories about cats–all told from the perspective of “Dewey’s Mom,” librarian Vicki Myron. The amazing felines in this book include Dewey, of course, whose further never-before-told adventures are shared, and several others who Vicki found out about when their owners reached out to her. Vicki learned, through extensive interviews and story sharing, what made these cats special, and how they fit into Dewey’s community of perseverance and love. From a divorced mother in Alaska who saved a drowning kitten on Christmas Eve to a troubled Vietnam veteran whose heart was opened by his long relationship with a rescued cat, these Dewey-style stories will inspire readers to laugh, cry, care, and, most importantly, believe in the magic of animals to touch individual lives.

–From Amazon.com

Three Quick Points About Dewey’s Nine Lives

• Point 1: Some overlap. I purchased the first book so did expect some overlap in the recounting of Dewey’s related stories, but it’s hardly noticeable. It just gives the book an air of familiarity.
• Point 2: Immensely readable The prose style is casual, much like a friend telling you a story.
• Point 3: Surprisingly heart-rending. I expected to smile, perhaps giggle, while reading, but I never expected to cry (at least, not as much as I did).

Short Synopsis of Dewey’s Nine Lives

A compilation of nine stories recounting how some very special cats (Dewey included) entered into and changed the lives of their owners.

The stories include: Dewey and Tobi; Mr. Sir Bob Kittens (aka Ninja, aka Mr. Pumpkin Pants); Spooky; Tabitha, Boogie, Gail, BJ, Chimilee, Kit, Miss Gray, Maira, Midnight, Blackie, Honey Bunny, Chazzi, Candi, Nikki, Easy, Buffy, Prissy, Taffy…and more; Christmas Cat; Cookie; Marshmallow; Church Cat; Dewey and Rusty.

My Thoughts on Dewey’s Nine Lives

I won’t lie, I’m a cat person. It’s why I purchased (read and loved) “Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World” and jumped at the opportunity to read “Dewey’s Nine Lives”.

While I prefer the original Dewey book, I still enjoyed reading these individual stories. But, to be frank, I couldn’t read them all back to back.

The writing style was casual and easy to digest, quite like a friend retelling a story, although sometimes it became flat, like a reporter recounting the straight facts.

No, it wasn’t the writing that kept me from reading the stories one after another. It was their heart-rending natures. Going in I expected to smile and giggle at all of the kitty antics—and I did—but I didn’t expect to cry as much as I did either.

Right off, in the first story, Dewey’s passing hangs heavy. And maybe I’m oversensitive because as my kitty ages, I think about her inevitable passing (I pray well into the future). But even as depressing as some of the stories were, they contained a measure of hope and even some wisdom.

It’s also worth mentioning that if you’re looking for a book filled with Dewey stories, this isn’t it. While Dewey plays a role, larger in some stories than others, they are mainly stories about other small town folks who’ve had their lives changed by a cat.

This book is best suited to cat lovers or people who enjoy sentimentality, but I’d caution you against reading it if you have an aging cat or have recently lost one; some of the stories might push you over the edge, especially Tobi’s and Cookie’s.

Rating: Worth every penny (?)

The problem is that physicians are scared to practice medicine because a lawyer waits around every corner ready and available to sue.  So as Mr. Moret mentioned, physicians practice defensive medicine in case they have to defend themselves in a lawsuit.  The basis of the U.S. healthcare system as it stands today is the promotion of “sick care” vs promoting “wellcare”.

I loved the car analogy used in this book.  It really brings everything into prospective and drives home the point that we take better care of our car than we do ourselves.  Many of us maintain our car because we want to keep it running for a long time, but what we and most insurance plans fail to realize is that proper maintenance of our bodies is essential to having a healthier and longer life and therefore cuts the cost of healthcare.

It is shameful to see that the U.S. healthcare ranks 37th in the world health system. How is that possible when the hospitals across our nation promote their top of the line scanning systems? All the high cost “medically unnecessary” CT scans, X-rays and nuclear medicine scans that have skyrocketed over the past 20 years is leaving a buildup of radiation in the patient’s body. The American population doesn’t want to hear that a CT scan is harmful because “more is better.”  That is the American mentality isn’t it, that more and bigger is better? And no one wants to hear that these tests are very expensive.

It’s important to know that in this book Mr. Moret does not support the new health reform bill push by President Obama and the democrats in the House and Congress, because it does not address the growing cost of healthcare.  As a matter-of-fact the bill will increase the cost of healthcare over the long run.  The President’s plan also did not address the amount of waste in healthcare today and how to curb the waste in the future.

To fix the healthcare system in the U.S., as Mr. Moret pointed out in the book, will take years and will generate more controversy and debate.  The breakdown of the system did not happen yesterday and quite frankly there is a lot of revenue that will be lost.  The lawyers, the doctors, the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies are not interested in changes to the current system because it is not in their best interest.  Moret’s plan to improve U.S. Healthcare could very well work but motivating the doctors and their patient’s alike to take interest in a “wellcare” system may take an act of Congress.

Back Cover of No Plot? No Problem!

You’ve always wanted to write, but…just haven’t gotten around to it. No Plot? No Problem! is the kick in the pants you’ve been waiting for.

Let Chris Baty, founder of the rockin’ literary marathon National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo), guide you through four exciting weeks of hard-core noveling. Baty’s pep talks and essential survival strategies cover the initial momentum and energy of Week One, the critical “plot flashes” of Week Two, the “Can I quit now?” impulses of Week Three, and the champagne and roar of the crowd during Week Four. Whether you’re a first-time novelist who just can’t seem to get pen to paper or a results-oriented writer seeking a creative on-ramp into the world of publishing, this is the adventure for you.

So what are you waiting for? The No Plot? approach worked for the thousands of people who’ve signed up for NaNoWriMo, and it can work for you! Let No Plot? No Problem! help you get fired up and on the right track.

Three Quick Points About No Plot? No Problem!

• Point 1: This book is hilarious. The advice is laced with fantastic, sometimes sarcastic wit which makes the reading a lot easier, smoother, and more fun.
• Point 2: It’s an excellent distillation of what you need to know to get a novel written in a limited amount of time. Not being a step by step, this is how you do it manual, it makes it very easy to be a quick reference when you need a nudge in the right direction or bit of quick advice.
• Point 3: I suspect that Chris is addicted to coffee and sugar-laden foodstuffs. An entire section of the book is dedicated to treating yourself with wonderful yummy treats and I’m thinking the word coffee has come up in every chapter.

Full Review of No Plot? No Problem!

If you already get the gist of what this book is about, skip the synopsis and go straight to the final thoughts.

No Plot? No Problem! Synopsis

No Plot? No Problem! is basically a book of inspiration and advice for those wanting to complete a novel in a month’s time. Of course, time is somewhat determinate based on length. That said, for the purposes of NaNoWriMo, the length of a novel is 50,000 words (about 175 pages).

The book even explains why 50,000 was the magic number:

I’d like to say that NaNoWriMo’s 50,000-word threshold was achieved by a scientific assessment of the great short novels of our age. The real story is that when I started this whole month-long noveling escapade five years ago, I simply grabbed the shortest novel on my shelf–which happened to be Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World–did a rough word count of it, and went with that figure.

And while the choosing of the word count seems random, it’s a good number. There are quite a few great novels written that are within the 50,000 word mark penned by such great authors as F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, among others.

The book is divided into two sections: Preparation and Writing.

The first section is all about what you need to do before NaNoWriMo actually starts to prepare yourself for the month ahead.

Chapter 1: Secret Weapons, Exuberant Imperfections, and the End of the “One Day” Novelist

Chapter 2: Time-Finding, News-Breaking, and a Step-by-Step Guide to Transforming Loved Ones into Effective Agents of Guilt and Terror

Chapter 3: Noveling Nests, Magical Tools, and a Growing Stockpile of Delicious Incentives

Chapter 4: Cruising for Characters, Panning for Plots, and the First Exciting Glimpses of the Book Within

Despite the vague chapter titles, they do contain helpful information. The first chapter explains the necessary mental attitude you need to have in order to complete your novel and the importance of having a deadline, plus gives you the tools to get yourself into that place mentally. The second chapter is all about squashing any excuse involving not having enough time to write. This section is invaluable when it comes to revamping how you spend your time and planning your novel around your current schedule. The third chapter deals with preparing your writing space, getting the proper tools for writing (i.e. the magical pen–it can’t be just any pen), and what rewards you should shower upon yourself when you complete your goals. The fourth and final chapter in the first section is all about coming up with ideas for characters, plot elements, and outlining your book before NaNoWriMo begins.

The second section is where your pep talks for the actual writing begins.

Chapter 5: WEEK ONE: Trumpets Blaring, Angels Singing, and Triumph on the Wind

Chapter 6: WEEK TWO: Storm Clouds, Plot Flashes, and the Return of Reality

Chapter 7: WEEK THREE: Clearing Skies, Warmer Weather, and a Jetpack on Your Back

Chapter 8: WEEK FOUR: Champagne and the Roar of the Crowd

Chapter 9: I Wrote a Novel. Now What?

Chapters 5-8 are really about the ups and downs of writing during the month of November (or whichever month you choose to write your novel). It starts with the honeymoon period where the words flow endlessly like ambrosia from mythical fountains straight through the period of doubt when your story seems to be going nowhere (along with your word count) and finally to the end. Tips are provided for each juncture in the road. The final chapter is all about polishing up your novel. Now, don’t assume this final chapter is a step-by-step guide to proper prose and clean grammar–it’s not. The final chapter gives you an overview of what you’ll need to do if you wish to get your novel ready for publication.

Final Thoughts On No Plot? No Problem!

Chris’s high energy permeates throughout this book. It has this magical way of flowing from the book into your hands and straight up to your head. Before you know it, you’re following the exercises and you’re anxious for November to start just so you can begin writing. And that’s basically what it’s all about, isn’t it? Writing.

The first section of the book contains a ton of great instruction and exercises, such as creating a Magna Carta I & II so you can write a novel you’ll actually enjoy writing and how to create a “time-finder” chart so you can block out the ideal times for writing. The second chapter is especially important if you’ll be writing with children or have a usually tight and busy schedule.

The second section is everything you need to keep you going through the hump week when you feel like you have no more words left in you. Each week is filled with tips to help you ignite your imagination (or keep it burning).

It’s incredibly easy to read and can be finished in a single sitting rounding out at about 170 pages of content. In the back, there’s also an index which means you don’t need to decipher the cryptic chapter titles and thus makes it a pretty good reference.

On a final note, it’s also important to remember that this isn’t a technical writing manual. It’s wonderful motivation to keep you writing, but you should also have your favorite style guide handy as a reference. (Though, really, the style guide can wait until you’re ready for editing…in other words, December.)

Rating: Worth every penny (?)

Get No Plot? No Problem! at Amazon.com

Back Cover of Sky Burial

As a young girl in China Xinran heard a rumour about a soldier in Tibet who had been brutally fed to the vultures in a ritural known as a sky burial: the tale frightened and fascinated her. Several decades later Xinran met Shu Wen, a Chinese woman who had spent years searching for her missing husband Kejun, after he disappeared in Tibet; her extraordinary life story would unravel the legend of the sky burial. For thirty years she was lost in the wild and alien landscape of Tibet, in the vast and silent plateaux and the magisterial mountain ranges, living with communities of nomads, moving with the seasons and struggling to survive.

In this haunting book, Xinran recreates Shu Wen’s remarkable journey in a grand story of love, loss, loyalty and survival. Moving, shocking and finally enriching, Sky Burial paints a unique portrait of a woman and a land, both at the mercy of fate and politics.

Three Quick Points About Sky Burial

• Point 1: There is a 99% chance that you will need a box of tissues nearby.
• Point 2: You will almost certainly be left wondering whether or not such profound and enduring love can even exist in our generation.
• Point 3: The story of Shu Wen will likely haunt you long after you’ve read the final sentence.

Full Review of Sky Burial

Before reading the full review, please note that there may be some spoilers. I tried to keep it vague enough not to spoil the entire story, but be warned. If you’d rather not take any chances, skip the synopsis and go straight to the final thoughts.

Sky Burial Synopsis

Sky Burial is a sweeping memoir of mythical love and devotion. But it’s not just a love story, it is a story about loss and life in general. It came about when Xinran overheard a brief discussion about a barbaric act called a Sky Burial. At the time (5 years old), she didn’t know what it meant, but years later, she would when she met with a woman named Shu Wen. Sky Burial is Wen’s story.

Kejun and Wen, a young man and woman who met in medical school and became close. During medical school, Kejun decided that he should join the military to serve his country. For two years, Wen heard no word from him, but when he came home to study Tibetan and Tibetan medicine, it allowed them two years for their relationship to grow and their love to blossom. Finally they decided it was time to marry.

Three weeks after getting married, Kejun was called away again. Unfortunately, the news Wen received was not good: the love of her life was dead. Based on what Kejun had told her before he left and the military’s inability to supply her with concrete answers, Wen decided it simply was not possible that her Kejun was dead. With determination to bring her husband home, she decided she would go to Tibet and find him herself.

Wen signed up for the military, despite the objections she was met with, even from a few military officials. Since they military was in need of trained medical professionals, they pushed her through, even skipping basic field training and shipped her off to Tibet.

When in Tibet, Wen ends up saving the life of a once wealthy Tibetan woman named Zhuoma. This woman would later play a great role in Wen’s life when the two become separated from the military unit. After explaining her story of Kejun and why she’s in Tibet, Wen learns that Zhuoma shares a similar story of lost love and the two agree to help each other find their respective loves.

On this epic journey spanning thirty years, Shu Wen meets a Tibetan family who takes her in and becomes a nomad herself while developing a tight bond with them, experiences even more loss, learns the meaning of a sky burial, and learns the true fate of her lost Kejun.

Final Thoughts On Sky Burial

I read this book on a plane–mistake. Passengers in nearby seats kept stealing furtive glances at my tear streaked face. Even now, when I revisit Shu Wen’s story, I find myself beating back the tears. In a word, this book is powerful.

Shu Wen’s story is incredibly moving and her strength (emotional and otherwise) is staggering. While following the story, I couldn’t help feeling that there was some greater influences at work placing the right people where they needed to be in order for Wen to adapt, grow, and mature on her quest. We were also able to glimpse into the nomadic Tibetan way of life, some of their customs, and beliefs.

Although I read the translated UK version of the book (and since I cannot read Chinese, nor do I have the American translation, I am not able to compare them), the story was eloquently told. The language was poignant, the settings well-painted, and the subtle emotions haunting.

The only discourse I had with the book was the political discussion which came up between Wen and a small group of Chinese at a Dharmaraja festival. For those not well versed on the politics between Tibet and China of that time, it becomes confusing. Of course, the discussion is mainly just speculation and wild conjecture.

Also, occasionally Xinran injects a few pages of notes or asides between chapters to fill in gaps or explain a break in the interview or introduce some additional information about Shu Wen. This helps remind the reader that we’re reading a memoir based on an interview. However, it can bring the reader tumbling back to earth after floating up into Shu Wen’s story. It’s a double-edged sword that some may dislike.

When I finished reading I, like Xinran, was still filled with questions for Shu Wen. My mind still has trouble wrapping around the love and strength she possessed and the lessons she was kind enough to share with anyone willing to listen. This is one of the few books I will likely re-read well into the future.

Avoid reading it with a critical historical eye. Instead, read it for what it is: one person’s story of love and loss.

Rating: Worth every penny (?)

Get Sky Burial at Amazon.com