Review: Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores: True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers, and Book Lovers by Bob Eckstein

4 stars for Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores: True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers, and Book Lovers by Bob Eckstein.

This is a lovely collection of watercolour paintings, descriptions and quotations on some of the world's most treasured bookstores.

The author who is also the illustrator brings readers on a virtual bookstore tour around the world. The tour package includes name of bookstore, city and country it is located, year of establishment to last known year of operation (to present when it is still in operation), a short write-up and any quote of interest collected from owners, employees or patrons. The tour runs from New York City to San Francisco, California to Birmingham, Alabama to Boston, Massachusetts to Chicago, Illinois to Cambridge, Massachusetts to Detroit, Michigan to Taos, New Mexico to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to Seattle, Washington to South Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana to Brownsville, Nebraska to Charlottesville, Virginia to Palmer, Alaska in the United States to Goa and Chennai in India to Buenos Aires, Argentina to Nanjing, China to Paris, France to Martin, Slovakia to London, England to Albuquerque, Mexico to Reykjavik, Iceland to Frankfurt, Germany to Porto, Portugal to Bucharest, Romania to Vancouver Island, Canada to Aberfeldy, Scotland to Venice, Italy and more.

Much as I will love to visit all these charming bookstores located all over the world, I doubt I will be able to. But I am not without hope. The one bookstore that will be mighty interesting to visit one day is perhaps the last bookstore introduced which goes without saying, is a bookstore named The Last Bookstore. How fitting it is to place The Last Bookstore as the last bookstore in this book! Founded in 2005, this bookstore located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the largest independent bookstores in the world with over 250,000 new, used and rare books in its collection. What makes this bookstore so unique is that the space it is now occupying was originally a bank and its underground vaults are now reading rooms.

I love all bookstores, big or small, independents or chains. Once I walk into a bookstore, time stands still. For this reason, every bookstore listed in this book fascinates me. Though some of these independent bricks-and-mortar bookstores have since closed down for good, it is still a wondrous thing to have them illustrated here to be etched forever in our memories. As for those that have survived the hard times and are operating still, my greatest hope is that they can remain so until the end of time.

Review: What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey

5 stars for What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey.

This is a book which I have no intention of reading, not at first. But as fate would have it, I ended up seeing it time and again on the library shelf, and before I knew it, this little hardcover book was tucked smugly in my purse on its way home with me.

What I Know for Sure is an uplifting read. It is filled with positivity, contentment and true simplicity. There is so much to learn from Oprah Winfrey on satisfaction, on awareness, on appreciation, on gratitude, on seeing beyond wealth and riches of the dollar sign, on opening our hearts to life, on seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, on spirituality, on living in the moment, on anything and everything about the beauty and majesty of life on earth.

To name but a few of the best words said, let me quote Oprah Winfrey in her own words below:

On satisfaction
"I take my pleasures seriously, I work hard and play well; I believe in the yin and yang of life. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy because I find satisfaction in so much of what I do. Some satisfactions are higher-rated than others, of course. And because I try to practice what I preach - living in the moment - I am consciously attuned most of the time to how much pleasure I am receiving."

On awareness
Being aware of, and creating, four and five-star experiences make you blessed. For me, just waking up "clothed in my right mind", being able to put my feet on the floor, walk to the bathroom, and do what needs to be done there is five stars. I've heard many stories of people who aren't healthy enough to do that."

On Appreciation
"I know for sure that appreciating whatever shows up for you in life changes your whole world. You radiate and generate more goodness for yourself when you're aware of all you have and not focusing on your have-nots.

I know for sure: If you make time for a little gratitude every day, you'll be amazed by the results."

"Life is full of delightful treasures, if we take a moment to appreciate them. I call them ahhh moments, and I've learned how to create them for myself. Case in point: my 4 p.m. cup of masala chai tea (spicy, hot, with foamed almond milk on top - it's refreshing and gives me a little lift for the rest of the afternoon). Moments like this are powerful, I know for sure. They can be your recharge, your breathing space, your chance to reconnect with you."

On gratitude
"Being grateful all the time isn't easy. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It's the quickest, easiest, most powerful way to effect change in your life - this I know for sure.

..And the more grateful you become, the more you have to be grateful for."

On seeing beyond wealth and riches of the dollar sign
"The older I get, the less tolerance I have for pettiness and superficial pursuits. There's a wealth that has nothing to do with dollars, that comes from the perspective and wisdom of paying attention to your life. It has everything to teach you. And what I know for sure is that the joy of learning well is the greatest reward.

On opening our hearts to life
"And now I simply want to share what I've been given. I want to continue to encourage as many people as I can to open their hearts to life, because if I know anything for sure, it's that opening my own heart is what has brought me my greatest success and joy.

On seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary
"In the best of times and worst of times, I know for sure, this life is a gift. And I believe that no matter where we live or how we look or what we do for a living, when it comes to what really matters - what makes us laugh and cry, grieve and yearn, delight and rejoice - we share the same heart space. We just fill it with different things."

On spirituality
"Spirituality is not religion. You can be spiritual and not have a religious context. The opposite is true, too: You can be very religious with no spiritual dimension, just doctrine."

On living in the moment
"Balance lives in the present. When you feel the earth moving, bring yourself back to the now. You'll handle whatever shake-up the next moment brings when you get to it. In this moment, you're still breathing. In this moment, you've survived. In this moment, you're finding a way to step onto higher ground."

"Spirit to me is the essence of who we are. It doesn't require any particular belief. It just is. And the key to this essence is simply being aware of the present moment. It's transformative. It redefines what it means to be alive."

On the beauty and majesty of life on earth
"Getting older is the best thing that ever happened to me. ..Whatever age I'm at, I think about all the people who never made it that far. I think about the people who were called before they realized the beauty and majesty of life on earth.

I know for sure that every day holds within the possibility of seeing the world with wonder."

I feel blessed to be given the chance to add this book to my repertoire of literary criticism not that I have anything to criticize but praise. I am grateful that Oprah Winfrey, through her writing, allows us glimpses into her life (without revealing much background), shares her innermost thoughts, reveals that even she can have doubts about herself once, and that being famous does not make one more mysterious or different or better than any of us regular folk. She believes that life is full of delightful treasures if we allow ourselves to take delight in them, that the choice is always ours to make so long as we are not afraid to step out and move forward. And the list goes on.

On the topic of grateful.. I used to list down three things I am grateful for every week, on a Tuesday. Then, I got busy (or so I thought) and I stop. After reading Oprah's sharing on gratitude, I decide to start all over again. This time, however, I determine to write them down every single day. It has been a short two weeks since I restarted this personal challenge and already, I can feel the effect this change has in my life. I start to notice with each passing day how blessed I am on so many counts. I become increasingly aware of all I have and my have-nots fade into the background. Some days, I actually struggled with writing down the three - most memorable - things I am grateful for because I have so many. 'Tis so true - the more grateful we become, the more we have to be grateful for.

I am also pleasantly surprised and at the same time happy to know that Oprah Winfrey and I share a common love to read. To quote her, "Everything I do all day, I do in preparation for my reading time. Give me a great novel or memoir, some tea, and a cozy spot to curl up in, and I'm in heaven. I love to live in another person's thoughts: I marvel at the bonds I feel with people who come alive on the page, regardless of how their circumstances might be from mine. I not only feel I know these people, but I also recognize more of myself. Insight, information, knowledge, inspiration, power: All that and more can come through a good book." Everything that is on my mind about my love to read, Oprah Winfrey sums it up nicely in one passage. Sweet.

Having come to the end of this book, I cannot help but ask myself the same question - what do I know for sure? Well..

What I know for sure is this book, organised in parts of eight, each with a number of chapters, some as short as one, others two or three, but never more than four pages, is very reader-friendly. I like that I can stop easily at the end of any chapter to pick it up again later where I leave off when time permits me to.

What I know for sure is I keep reading the same passage again and again and again. Because what Oprah shares in her book is so beautiful that it warrants reading and rereading.

What I know for sure is this book small on the outside but big on the inside, is a book worth putting aside my time to peruse.

What I know for sure is this book reminds me of the Chinese saying "小时候,幸福很简单;长大后,简单很幸福". Translated, it means when we were small, happiness was a simple thing; after we have grown up, simplicity is a very happy thing.

What I know for sure is I want to live life in the moment, in contentment. Be appreciative. Be grateful. Be simple.

Review: The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey

5 stars for The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey.

This book is chock-full of wisdom and great words, words that come together to form meaningful sentences which then transformed into beautifully expressed passages that vibrate with life-altering energy that ultimately instil a sense of peace and calm.

Many of the passages from this book resonate with me and deeply. As I read, I am like OMG, I can totally relate to this and this and this. It is like a spark to my heart, a light bulb clicking on and illuminating the truth. I don't mean the truth as in new information being revealed, but that of what is already there, the truths of life, something I already know all along. And then seeing them put in words, elevate it to a different level; I can see it, feel it and understand it.

Though Oprah Winfrey writes simply, I can feel the power of her words. Deeply. I can feel the simple pleasures of life shining through her words of wisdom and taking root in my heart. I love all her personal essays, the opening passage to each of the ten chapters. The ones on awakening, intention, mindfulness, forgiveness, grace and gratitude, love and connection leave a deep impression on my mind especially. I read those passages not once, not twice, but many times, to allow myself to soak in the present moment of reading and let those feelings wash over me repeatedly.

The Wisdom of Sundays has fulfilled its purpose well. It has helped me uncover the little spaces in my life, find comfort in them, gain insight to their meaning, and see the way forward to an extraordinary new existence; that life matters, that each of us matters and makes a difference. The simplest of things, when appreciated with deep respect, take on a completely new meaning. When we slow down, not only do we allow ourselves to appreciate the simple things in life, we also allow ourselves to delight in the present moment. Following the insights, I find myself making the effort to be more mindful, to slow down to appreciate the little things that I have mostly taken for granted for bulk of my life, such as the changing blue hues of dawn as the eastern sunrise gradually breaks over the horizon, the swaying of willow branches and leaves in the wind along the path less taken, the smell of freshly cut grass, the sound of birds singing and chirping, the sight of bees flying from flowers to flowers, sipping nectar and collecting grains of pollen.

The above said, I do find one downside - which is not exactly a negative in this case, but more of a weakness, I feel - to this book. And that is that these super soul conversations are extracts; they are a section of the original conversations. They may be the gist of different conversations, but still, only a part of the bigger picture. It will be nice to know more than that portion of the conversation, perhaps the full context in some even. Then again, on the flipside, because these super soul conversations are contributed by many - some world-renowned spiritual teachers, others much-admired visionary leaders, best-selling writers - most, if not all, have written quite a number of books, there is no lack of self-help books to turn to if I want to add more to my reading list.

I think the beauty of this book, The Wisdom of Sundays, is that Oprah Winfrey does an remarkable job extracting life-changing insights from all conversations in her self-help talk show, Super Soul Sunday. There are so many super soul passages that I will like to list down in this one review, but to do so is to quote the book in its entirety, which in no way am I doing it. So here's the deal. Read The Wisdom of Sundays yourself.

Review: Retire Inspired: It's Not an Age, It's a Financial Number by Chris Hogan

5 stars for Retire Inspired: It's Not an Age, It's a Financial Number by Chris Hogan.

I have at long last read Retire Inspired. This book has been on my reading list ever since my significant other read it last year. I promise myself that I will read it this year and read it soon. Now that the deal is done, I can finally upgrade the status of this book from unread in my reading list to read in my read list.

Be inspired!
Plan for your future
Invest in your dreams
Retirement will no longer be an age thing
Goodbye to the have-to stage of survival and welcome to the want-to stage of living

This is one amazing book on retirement, retirement planning, budgeting and investing. It is educational, encouraging, empowering, inspirational and insightful.

Real-life examples are included, by way of illustration, to bring across the meaning of high-definition retirement dream clearly. Concepts are presented with easy to understand explanations and calculations. Strategies are shown on how to retire well. Basically, this book is written to inspire us and to help us avoid the pitfalls that can set us back from the retirement of our dreams.

One thing to note is that this book is written with the U.S. market in mind. Many of the items covered on the topic of legal, tax, estate planning, insurance and real estate issues that surround the subject of retirement cater specifically to the U.S. market, but even so, I feel that the advice given is very much practical and easy to relate in countries with similar applicable rules.

I like that Chris Hogan explains everything in layman's terms. One excellent example which stands out among the rest is his comparison of the stock markets with supermarkets - the concept of the market where things are being bought and sold. He explains that when it comes to investing, "the market" which comprises different types of markets say, the stock market, the bond market, the capital market, works the same way. Investors buy and sell the investments and prices of these investments go up and down all the time, just like the products in a supermarket. To further illustrate his point, he talks about buying strawberries, a small juicy red fruit that everyone is familiar with. Hogan says that he notices that the price of strawberries goes up and down throughout the year and that they are more expensive during off-season months, but cost a lot lesser when they are in season. This is one excellent example of fluctuation in the value of strawberries which a consumer will take into account in the buying decision. And that is also how the stock market works; stocks go through similar fluctuations. I am not new to the stock market having worked in a stockbroking firm before. But I have never thought of it in such a manner by way of explanation. Hogan has shown that it is so much easier to illustrate an abstract concept by analogy with something so everyday such as strawberries. His writing style impresses me so and gives me the feeling that he is working with us not only to help us reach a good understanding but also to see things the way he wants us to.

There are many things to like about this book. Perhaps what I like most is that it is not purely about money, figures and wealth building, it is also about family and relationships. It stresses the importance of managing family and relationships, the most important investments in life. Because if these precious investments are not managed the right way, then all of the retirement planning will have been for naught. To put this point across, Chris Hogan even goes to the extent of sharing his personal stories and life experiences with us.

To sum it up, this is a book about budget, dreams, plans, goals, efforts, sacrifices, commitment and even boundaries. It is about so many things. But really, at the end of the day, it is about spending retirement years doing what you want to do instead of what you have to do. For that, Chris Hogan poses some questions for his readers, questions that pretty much recapitulate the bottom line of Retiring Inspired and provide food for thought.

What are your priorities?
Who is important to you?
What do you want your legacy to be?
What do you want to leave your loved ones with?

Having read this book, Chris Hogan has convinced me that it is possible to retire inspired. I am grateful and thankful that my significant other has also read this book (in fact, he read it first). So now, we both have the same understanding about retiring well and are taking action to work towards achieving the retirement of our dreams. I certainly do not want to retire broke, tired or stressed. I want my retirement to be a normal one at least, not the burden or nightmare retirement. And I know it can be done.

You can do it too! You can make a real difference in your life, in your family, in the lives of your children and possibly even in the lives of your children's children. Read Retire Inspired. Be inspired. Take action. Retire well. Retire inspired.

Review: Healthy Hair Rehab Now! 3 Steps to Fabulous Healthy Hair by Jacqueline Tarrant

4 stars for Healthy Hair Rehab Now! 3 Steps to Fabulous Healthy Hair by Jacqueline Tarrant.

I communicated with colleague-turned-friend J lately and was told that she has expected me to post a review on the last day of last month to make it a high 5. That and also that the last day of last month happened to be a leap day, a date that usually occurs every four years, which makes this date all the more special. Her comments sent a wave of emotions over me. First, pleasure, then regret, and finally nonchalance.

It is certainly a pleasure to know that someone has been checking out my review blog every now and then. There is nothing sadder than floating around out there like a spectre in cyberspace, all alone, talking and writing to yourself. It feels good to know that at least my writings have not been in vain. But as the happy feeling faded off, it was soon replaced by regret. Yes, it was a pity indeed that I could not make it in time to post a review, any review, on the 29th February of this year. Frankly speaking, it comes as no surprise to me that Friend J has this expectation because it would have been mine too. But that would have been the old me. The old me would have strived to finish reading no matter what and made sure a review was posted right on that rare leap day. As the feeling of regret eased off, the new me gave a nonchalant shrug. It did not matter, not that much anyway. A date is just a date. It is enough to know that on this 29th February, I finished reading two books. Hey! Not one but two, ok. The reason my reviews could not have seen daylight was because I was not able to find the time to sit down and put my thoughts and writing in order. The new me takes it easy. No rush job will do. I am no longer willing to stress myself up over such self-imposed posting deadline and risk losing hair over it. Speaking of which, my review is on this book that stresses that every strand matters. I cannot agree more. Seriously.

Hair is a very important aspect of our lives. It is not only a matter of physical appearance, our hair also connects us to our emotional beauty. In today's world, the hair experience is very powerful, not just for women, but men as well. Both men and women place a lot of self-esteem to their hair, so it should never be dismissed as something trivial. A bad hair day, literally and figuratively, can have a devastating impact on any individual. Ask any adult, woman especially, and the likelihood of her nodding her head wholeheartedly is almost guaranteed.

Healthy Hair Rehab Now! is a book written on hair and its related issues for women and men alike. What makes this topic so relevant is that at some point in time, almost everyone will be concerned with hair thinning or hair loss. This day may come later for some, but for many, it may arrive earlier than expected. Hair problem is a mystery and will remain so when we do not seek to understand the underlying causes. Only by understanding the root cause of hair problems can we take steps to avoid, prevent, overcome or even slow down the process of hair damage, breakage, thinning and loss. To this effect, the author uses an interesting approach to shed light on hair issues, encouraging readers to look beyond the surface of the problem and to probe deeper. The writer also emphasizes the importance of knowing our personal hair facts such as the hair condition, texture, type and density, as they can help to improve and maximize our hair's style, health and beauty. Most important of all, this heightened awareness of our own hair and thus health will help to give us a sense of peace.

The condition of our hair is a good indicator of the condition of our health. If you have the unfortunate experience of strand fallout, or worse still, been in an ongoing battle with hair problems, I will highly recommend reading this book. It may not answer all your questions but at the very least, you will learn what it takes to have a truly healthy head of hair.

How well do you know your hair?