Book Review - Thinking at the Speed of Bias

About the Book
In Thinking at the Speed of Bias respected DEI expert Sara Taylor presents a down-to-earth guide on how to tackle unconscious biases and foster true equity in our rapidly changing world. Through relatable examples and practical strategies, readers learn to deliberately slow down their thought processes and become aware of their filters in various situations. Taylor encourages readers to question their own assumptions by asking, "Do I know that what I'm thinking is actually true?" and "Why might I be reacting this way?"

 
The book demonstrates the importance of a clear set of competencies, skills, and strategies for addressing unconscious bias. By developing a culturally competent mindset and using a shared, holistic language to discuss these issues, readers gain the tools to understand, discuss, and implement change both at home and in the workplace. This approach avoids blame or shame, making it accessible and empowering for everyone.

 

The book's insights extend beyond individuals; it demonstrates how organizations can scale up cultural competence to transform their structures and systems. With a strong sense of hope, readers are empowered to make a difference, creating a more just and equitable world for all. 

My Take on the Book
"Thinking at the Speed of Bias" by Sara Taylor is a transformative guide for individuals and organizations eager to address unconscious bias. Taylor's engaging style makes complex ideas accessible, allowing readers to understand and challenge their internal biases. The book emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and offers practical tools for promoting equity and inclusion.

Having examined my biases and actively worked toward equality for nearly a decade, I found Taylor's insights invaluable. Her focus on the need for personal responsibility rather than relying on marginalized groups for education is a powerful reminder of the ongoing effort required for genuine change. Taylor's detailed stages of filter shift development are particularly helpful for understanding the gradual nature of this journey.

While some chapters discuss influence on larger systems, which felt beyond my immediate impact, I realized the significance of my contributions within my community. My involvement in a church that recently became a Creation Justice Church and continues to grow in diversity highlights the importance of grassroots change. Spending time with diverse families at church and community events has enriched my understanding and commitment to equity.

Each chapter concludes with a Reflection and Action section, encouraging practical application of the concepts discussed. The inclusion of a Discussion Guide enhances the book's utility for group study, making it an excellent resource for both personal and collective growth. "Thinking at the Speed of Bias" is essential for anyone committed to fostering a more just and inclusive world.



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Book Review - The Art of Inside Out 2

About the Book

In The Art of Inside Out 2 you get a stunning book showcases the art, behind-the-scenes details, and making of the Disney and Pixar animated feature film Inside Out 2.

The next in the fan-favorite, collectible Art of series, The Art of Inside Out 2 presents the story behind the newest film from Pixar Animation Studios and the sequel to the beloved blockbuster Inside Out. It highlights the stunning artwork from the film's creation—including character designs, storyboards, color scripts, and much more—and features exclusive interviews with the creative team along with behind-the-scenes details. This book is the perfect gift for aspiring artists, animators, film buffs, and fans.

My Take on the Book
This was a fantastic book that really captured the artwork of this emotional and poignant film. The book walks you through the movie and allows you to go behind the scenes to better understand the artwork and the craft of animation. My whole family loved this film and they loved going deeper into the film with this book and you will too!

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Book Review - Feeling Feelings: Inside Out: A Guided Emotions Journal

About the Book

In Feeling Feelings: Inside Out: A Guided Emotions Journal, you can write down your thoughts and feelings with the help of Joy, Sadness, and the rest of the Emotions from Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out films.

This mindfulness journal is just the thing to encourage you to check in with yourself and manage your feelings throughout the day. With journaling space for goal setting in the morning and reflection in the evening, this simple mood tracker journal uses the films’ characters to help you express your emotions and jot down your feelings in an approachable, Pixar-inspired way.


My Take on the Book

Have you ever felt like your emotions were a bit of a mystery? Like you needed a little help understanding what was going on inside your head? Well, Disney and Pixar have come to the rescue with their delightful guided emotions journal, "Feeling Feelings: Inside Out: A Guided Emotions Journal."

In this wonderful journal, you'll find yourself guided though your own emotions from characters from the film. The journal is designed to encourage mindfulness and self-awareness, offering a gentle nudge to check in with yourself and manage your feelings throughout the day.

There is plenty of room in the book to set goals for yourself as well as track your mood and better understand ways to express your own emotions to others.

Overall, the book allows you to better connect to your own emotions by being honest about how you are truly feeling. I gave this to my own daughter and she absolutely adored it! With the release of the new Inside Out movie, her interest in understanding her emotions has only grown. The book has helped her to better explain her emotions. 

This is a great book that will really help your kids with understanding and expressing their emotions!

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Book Review - Dad Truths: The Good, the Bad, and the Exhausting from the Frontlines of Parenting

About the Book
Dad Truths is your antidote to the aspirational parenting craze; this collection of laugh-out-loud stories and non-advice provides much needed real talk and commiseration for parents everywhere. 

You’ve read every other parenting guide, and you still don’t know whether you’re a good parent. Mike Julianelle, the Brooklyn-based dad and founder of Dad and Buried, is here to tell you exactly what you want to hear—that you’re already great and the kids are the problem. Jokes aside, this book provides the help that every fed-up and exhausted parent needs to survive another day, including short essays, funny illustrations, and jokes on topic such as: 

• You Can’t Handle the Baby-Proof 
• We’re All Mad Here—Well, Mostly the Toddler 
• Stay at Home Dad Trial 
• Surviving Disney World 
• The Ultimate Dad Pep Talk 

In this hilarious book, Mike Julianelle will remind you to cut yourself some slack. Parenting is no easy feat and if you’re here, you’re already a pretty great dad.

My Take on the Book
Get ready to laugh, but also learn in this great new book. The book really touches on a ton of topics that every father will relate to as they go through different phases of fatherhood. The book provides a realistic view of parenting and does not hold back the truth, but the author does this in a fun way. If you know a dad, especially one with young kids, this is great book and a great gift!

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Book Review - Elevate Your Emotional Intelligence: A Parable That Reveals the Path to Better Relationships and a Happier Life

About the Book

Did you know that Emotional Intelligence is a better predictor of success than IQ?

Cultivating emotional intelligence is central to achieving lasting success, whether you're navigating personal relationships, progressing in your career, or striving for personal growth.

The great news is - you CAN RAISE your level of emotional intelligence. AND it's not that difficult!

As a leadership coach, trainer, and speaker, In Elevate Your Emotional Intelligence Kathy Stoddard Torrey takes us on a five-step journey into the fascinating realm of Emotional Intelligence. This insightful and compelling parable provides practical strategies and tools for self-discovery and transformation.

You'll follow the story of Maria, a life and leadership coach who passed away unexpectedly and returns post-death to help her husband, John, navigate the complexities of human emotions. You'll watch John's progress as he ultimately transforms himself, his family, and his workplace through simple exercises that Maria suggests.

My Take on the Book
In this book you get a story that allows you to truly see the impact that we have on other people and the impact that they have on as too. The author does a great job of creating a story that really allows you to better understand emotional intelligence and the need for this in your personal and professional lives. The book provides actionable lessons in a parable format that make the concepts easy to understand and incorporate into your life. I found the book to be something that I kept thinking about after reading it and I am already seeing myself incorporate the lessons into my life and you will find this to be the case too!

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Book Review - Name, Claim & Reframe Workbook: Your Companion Guide to a Well-Lived Life

About the Book
Take a deeper dive into self-discovery with this new workbook offeringa revolutionary pathway designed to better help and guide people to handle stress, distress and life's turbulent plot twists.

Selected as the Best Motivational Read of 2023 on the Today Show, Andrea Mein DeWitt's book Name, Claim & Reframe presented a simple yet powerful strategy to help one navigate life's challenges through her breakthrough 3-way model which guides people to:

• NAME the source of your pain point; your triggers and limiting beliefs.
• CLAIM resonant actions that align with your core values.
• REFRAME your thinking so you can proceed with strategic and visionary optimism.

The Name Claim & Reframe Workbook goes deeper into this model by breaking it up into smaller, interactive modules that allows readers to experiment with new approaches to deepen their understanding about what works best for them.

With each consecutive module, readers will find prompts and exercises to help them to process what they are learning and to better understand how this model applies to them and the life they hope create.

The Name, Claim & Reframe Workbook gives readers the opportunity to call up a more responsive mindset so they can navigate dissonate interactions and plot twists with more attuned awareness. They will feel more balanced emotionally because they are leading from the inside, by choosing to listen first to their truth so they can approach adversity with a calm, cool and collected mindset.

My Take on the Book
I love practical books that allow you to really step up your own game when it comes to being better personally and professionally. This book does just that. As a workbook, it challenges you to take actionable steps that will help you identify, name, and externally express the things standing in your way so that you can take the next step in removing the challenges and barriers. The book allows you to face the challenges head-on, and in the end, you leave with a plan of attack to help you be your whole self regarding your life journey. This powerful book will move you positively in the right direction!

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Book Review - Aliveness Mindset: Lead and Live with More Passion, Purpose, and Joy

About the Book
Jack Craven’s Aliveness Mindset is an invitation for anyone feeling stuck to awaken to a life of renewed passion, greater purpose, and authentic joy.

When did you last feel truly alive? What if you could experience that feeling not just once in a while but every single day?

That is the promise and goal of an Aliveness Mindset. You are fully capable of bringing the best, most vibrantly alive version of yourself into the world day after day. Aliveness is already within you, but you have to define it and find it, guard it and grow it. It must be discovered because you are unique and so is your experience of aliveness.

In Aliveness Mindset, executive coach Jack Craven shares the principles and strategies he has used to lead countless CEOs and high-level business leaders into a more fulfilling, authentic life. His practices are not a series of impersonal steps or a formula to blindly follow but rather an organic process of self-understanding and personal growth.

In Aliveness Mindset, you will:

1. Create your own Aliveness Mindset.
2. Learn the simple yet powerful components of the Circle of Aliveness.
3. Discover the unique way you experience aliveness and how to remain in this “Optimal State” despite the ups and downs of life.
4. Understand the seven components of an Aliveness Mindset and how they work together to power your aliveness journey.
5. Receive practical, proven strategies to restore and expand your experience of aliveness.

My Take on the Book
What I loved about this book is that it allows you to work on yourself on a much deeper level and create a better version of yourself both personally and professionally. The book allows you to see that you cannot always control everything in your life but that there are things that you can do to take control of your mindset to be able to better align all aspects to create a better you. The book is easy to read and the author is very transparent on his own journey and things that have worked well for him as well. The framework is one that you can start implementing right away which makes this book one that I plan to keep using for years to come!  

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers Inheritance: Villains' Realm: Kingdom Keepers Inheritance Book 2

About the Book
The second book in this all new KINGDOM KEEPERS INHERITANCE trilogy follows our young heroes to parks around the world as they work to stop the most villainous villain of all—Ursula—from taking over for good!

In this latest book in the series that has sold over a million copies worldwide, Ridley Pearson expands the Kingdom Keepers world in ways no reader—or Disney Parks fan—could have imagined.

Home from their adventures abroad in book one, Eli and his friends are safe and sound at Epcot with their families—or are they? When Eli learns that the CEO of the Walt Disney Company has mysteriously done a 180 and ordered Villains Realms to be built in every park across the globe, he and his friends know something is amiss. It turns out that Ursula, the baddest of the big bads, has recruited an evil chemist to recreate Walt's magical ink, which would allow the Villains to travel between parks and end Disney magic as we know it.

With the help of Cinderella's very own Fairy Godmother—the notorious FGM as she's known in this world—they set out to stop Ursula—jumping from Epcot to Disneyland to Disneyland Paris, where the ultimate battle between good and evil plays out. Will Eli and his friends prevail, or will the Villains finally have their way?

My Take on the Book
This send book definitely brings back feelings from the first series. In this book you get to see the Overtakers coming back and how the characters have to work together against them. I also liked the character growth that you saw in this book, especially between Eli and Blair. The book had adventure, action, humor and more. The Overtakers were great to see and I was happy to see that we even got a new Overtaker in the mix, Narissa! All-in-all this is a great addition to the trilogy and I cannot wait to get to read book three!

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance The Shimmer

About the Book
The first book in a new Kingdom Keepers series.

In the near future, in the Epcot of Walt Disney's imagination, sixty thousand people live in a CommuniTree surrounding the forward-looking Walt Disney World theme park. Five unique families are among the residents—and some of the parents were once known as the Kingdom Keepers. Their identities are carefully guarded to raise their children without special treatment; most of the Kingdom Keepers work for the Walt Disney Company and have settled into "ordinary" and rewarding lives. When a messenger carrying a secret communication coincides with both a solar eclipse and Eli Whitman's thirteenth birthday—a few "ordinary" kids are thrust into a battle to save Epcot and find their friend who has mysteriously disappeared. With their friend missing and their parents acting strangely, the Kingdom Kids discover they are in possession of unusual powers as they forge a bond to rescue their friend and uncover the truth about how real magic has entered their lives.

My Take on the Book
I really enjoyed the original series and was excited to see what they would do with this new rendition of the series. You get brand new characters that are the fun, but you also get new Overtakers (along with the old ones as well). You can tell in this first book that the author is setting up the premise for the books to come. You get to see and learn about the creator of the Overtakers and his grandson and you can easily tell that he will be bad news in the future. While this book did not have a lot of Disney characters within it, I know that things will continue to progress in the future and in the end I am really looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series. 

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Book Review - Kingdom Keepers VII: The Insider

About the Book
The final title in the original KINGDOM KEEPERS series is back with an all-new look and new content!

The Kingdom Keepers’ senior year in high school is almost over. For more than three years, things have been quiet. Their battles are long behind them, they agree, the threat to the Disney realm silenced–albeit at great cost. But inside the catacombs of the Aztec temple where Finn Whitman faced down his nemesis, the monstrous Chernabog, a new threat brews.

Deception and betrayal rock the Kingdom Keepers as the merciless group of Disney villains known as the Overtakers stage an unexpected comeback. But a discovery by the Keepers provides them with one hope of victory—a lost icon. It was believed to be gone forever. The Keepers have one last chance to preserve the heart of the Kingdom—Disneyland—from a terrifying destruction decades in the making.

My Take on the Book
I have been a big fan of the Kingdom Keepers since the series began. In this book, you see the original characters, still rocking from the loss of their friend, Duncan, come back together as villains of the parks continue their attacks and, this time, take their attacks to the next level. One of the things that I love about the book is that, as a fan of the parks, you get to relive some of your own experiences in the parks and intersperse things that you did not know about too. In this book, I loved how the characters all have to work together to bring all of the work they have done throughout all of the books together to keep the parks safe and to allow the parks to be the shining gems that are.


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Book Review - Fate Be Changed: A Twisted Tale

About the Book
What if the witch gave Merida a different spell? This New York Times best-selling series twists Disney•Pixar's Brave into a fast-paced story in which Merida is sent back in time.

If you could change your fate, would you? Merida understands that as princess of Clan DunBroch, she has certain obligations—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it. Especially when one of those obligations means losing her freedom by becoming betrothed to a man she has never met. Merida balks at this tradition, but her mother Queen Elinor insists that Merida must do this to embrace her role as future queen.

Determined to chart her own path, Merida follows magical wisps to a witch’s cottage, where she is given a magic pastry and promised it will incite “a great transformation” in her mother. But instead of feeding Elinor the pastry, Merida eats it herself.

Merida awakens in the past, a now-teenage Elinor holding a knife to her throat and accusing her of espionage. She’s been transported to a time when the Clans MacCameron and DunBroch are bitter enemies. And it just so happens that the timing of Merida’s arrival has kept Elinor and Fergus from meeting.

Will Merida be able to bridge the rival clans, help her parents fall in love, and change her own fate?

My Take on the Book
I love these twisted tales and in reading this, this is no different. I loved how this book brought forth the story of Merida in a whole new way. The story had a ton of twists and turns and makes you keep guessing about what might happen until the very end. The book is a ton of fun and Merida gets to learn so much more about herself, her parents and the clans too. All-in-all this is a great book that keeps brings you back for more!

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Book Review - Beach Bummer (A Little Bruce Book)

About the Book
#1 New York Times best-selling author Ryan T. Higgins celebrates the delights of summer in this bite-sized Little Bruce Book perfect for fans of Mother Bruce.

It’s beach day in Soggy Hollow! Everyone is enjoying fun in the sun – everyone, that is, except for Bruce. It's too hot, too sandy, and too windy! Bruce’s favorite thing about summer? Doing nothing. In the shade. Where it’s cool. Bruce’s second favorite thing about summer? When it turns to fall.

My Take on the Book
This very cute book brings our Bruce and his friends in all their glory for a summer day. I love how Bruce always get dragged along to things and things do not work out (per usual) and instead Bruce ends up stepping up in the end to be a good friend to his friends (even though what they may be doing is not always his cup of tea). Bruce is a great character and I love seeing what will come next in your life!

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Book Review - Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightning Thief Deluxe Collector's Edition

About the Book
This gorgeous foiled edition of THE LIGHTNING THIEF with new interior art is the perfect accompaniment to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

The son of a sea god has never looked so good! Rick Riordan's classic first novel, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, has been dressed up in a deluxe edition with a foiled cover, stained edges, a marker ribbon, ten pages of new interior illustrations, and notes from Rick. This unabridged hardcover comes in a foiled slipcase with shrink-wrapping. Not only will it beautify any book collector's shelf, but it can also be enjoyed along with the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on Disney+.

My Take on the Book
I have been a big fan of the Percy Jackson series for some time, and when I heard about this collector's book, I knew I would love it. You get the first book in the series in all of its glory, but even better, the book is filled with amazing images that just jump off the page. Not only do you get some illustrated versions of the characters in the book, but you also get maps that show you Camp Half Blood and the journey of the three heroes. This book is worth getting, as it really does bring the book alive and in the end, allows you, as a reader, to fully embrace the magic that is in the world around these characters.

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Book Review - A Drop of Venom

About the Book
In A Drop of Venom, Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology, a YA epic fantasy addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.

Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.

Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting the slayer his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

My Take on the Book
WOW, this is a book that captures you from page one to the very end. In this book, you get a tale you thought you knew, but it is completely reimagined through Indian Mythology and through the lens of a great author. The book brings together magic, fantasy, mythology, and more, and you find yourself transfixed and not wanting to put the book down (or at least I didn't). The story is a tragedy, but it is a great story that will not disappoint! Get ready to get to know Medusa in a whole new way! I will warn you that the story does have violence against women within it, as it is from this violence that Medusa arises. I say this to make sure that all are aware, as it could be triggering for some.

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Book Review - Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker

About the Book
In this personal journey, ultra-light backpacker and sought-after speaker Glen Van Peski shares the life lessons he has learned through years of lightening his pack and helping others.

Adventures provide the richness and texture to a life well lived. So remain open. Keep saying yes to life’s opportunities.

Glen Van Peski helped revolutionize backpacking by creating ultralight equipment, allowing people to take less to do more in the wilderness. Over decades of championing ultralight backpacking, Glen became aware that “take less, do more” is more than a hiking slogan. As he reduced his pack weight, he realized that the lessons learned applied to all areas of life. Now, he wants to share the lessons he learned to help others live entire and vibrant lives—lives characterized by purpose, meaning, and joy.

In this book, you will discover transformative life lessons that may go against the grain of popular thought but have been proven to improve lives. You’ll learn that:

• Often, the best strategy for achieving goals is subtracting rather than adding.
• When your first instinct is generosity, the long-term dividends will be greater than if you strive to gain your own advantage.
• Revising your stories about situations will reframe your life and increase gratitude.
• By investing creatively in relationships, you will generate more joy in your life.
• Making friends with failure will cause you to grow and improve.

take less. do more. It’s a revolutionary idea that will transform your life and free your soul to find your purpose—and maybe a little bit of adventure, too.

My Take on the Book
What constitutes a well-lived life? This is something that I have contemplated, especially more recently as I have gotten older. That being said, this author makes you think more deeply about this, but beyond thinking, he also helps you to find ways to have a more fulfilled life in the end. What I found interesting was how he incorporated his experience in backpacking with his philosophy on living life. It was something I had not considered and made me think about my own life in new ways too. So get ready to think deeply about your own life and hold on for the ride, as where the book takes you is very different than where you start.

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Book Review - Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate, and Hope in a Changing World

About the Book
Award-winning journalist and CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir draws on his years of immersive travel and reporting to share the best ideas and stories of hope and positivity from the people and communities around the world who are thriving in the wake of climate change and what we can learn from them to build a more promising future.

While reporting from every state and every continent and filming his acclaimed CNN Original Series The Wonder List, Bill Weir has spent decades telling the stories of unique people, places, cultures, and creatures on the brink of change. As the first Chief Climate Correspondent in network news, he’s immersed in the latest science and breakthroughs on the topic while often on the frontlines of disasters, natural and manmade.

In 2020, Bill began distilling these experiences into a series of Earth Day letters for his then-newborn son to read in 2050 to help him better understand the world he will have grown up in and be better prepared to embrace the future. Bill’s work and letters inspired Life As We Know It (Can Be), which confronts the worry and wonder of climate change with messages and examples of hope for all of us on how a better future can still be written.

Highlighting groundbreaking innovation in fields of clean energy, food and water sources, housing and building materials, and more, and touching on how happiness, resilience, and health and wellness factor into the topic of climate change, Bill’s stories take readers on a global journey, from one community in Florida that took on a hurricane and never lost power, to the Antarctic Peninsula where one species of penguin is showing us the key to survival, to the nuclear fusion labs where scientists are trying to build a star in a box. In these pages, we join a search for ancient wisdom and new ideas.

Life As We Know It (Can Be) is a celebration of the wonders of our planet, a meditation on the human wants and needs that drive it out of balance, and an inspiration for communities to galvanize around nature and each other as the very best way to best prepare and plan for what’s next.

My Take on the Book
This is a great book from someone who knows his material. I was really interested in seeing the in-depth way in which the author really explores this complex topic and brings out insightful thoughts about the topic, but also well thought out solutions as well. The way in which the author shares the topic lifts us up instead of blaming, and encourages and offers hope instead of doom and gloom which is a nice change! 


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Book Review - Beautiful Rocks and How to Find Them: A Modern Rockhound's Guide

About the Book
New to rockhounding or ready to ramp up your skills? This contemporary guide to rock collecting goes beyond the “where and how” to include info on environmental impact, land stewardship, and building a truly meaningful collection.

Do you love rocks and gems? Are you a geology enthusiast? This informative guidebook by professional lapidary artist and outdoor recreation guide Alison Jean Cole shows you that beautiful rocks can be found anywhere. You’ll be expertly guided through the practice of rockhounding (looking for rocks) while learning how to be gentle on the earth.

Unlike traditional rock guides, which take readers to well-trodden locations in each state, this book can be used anywhere in the United States or Canada. You'll be guided through the process of becoming an adept rockhound, including:

• How to read geologic maps and way-find
• How to consider the ethics of rock collecting
• Developing your personal tastes in rocks and building a collection

Packed with information and fifty-eight accompanying full-color photos, Beautiful Rocks and How to Find Them is perfect for seasoned collectors and beginner rockhounds alike. It also makes a wonderful gift or self-purchase for nature lovers and rock, mineral, and fossil enthusiasts who love looking for and identifying cool rocks in the wild but could use some expertise and guidance.

My Take on the Book
Do you love rocks? If so, this is the book for you! This is a book that will open your eyes to the beauty of the rocks around you but also to how to enter into the world of rock collecting and how to find the rocks you want in your collection. The book really walks you step-by-step into helping you be a rockhound, even if you have never done this in the past. The book also goes into some of the ethics of looking for rocks and how to be gentle with the earth as you search for your collection. All-in-all this book will encourage you to explore high and low for the rocks you want for your new hobby!

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