This Is Halloween (From Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas")

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Henry REVIEW

Opening: 

"George Meets A Lion"

December 1950

Worcestershire, England

George Henry Devonshire is only eight years old and he already knows the truth." 

This was a book from my bookclub. 

I loved this story. I loved learning more about C.S. Lewis and his brother, which was in paralleled the relationship of George and his sister, Megs.  It is a sweet story about relationships in families. 

“Where did Narnia come from?”

The answer will change everything.

Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.

She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.

Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.

Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.

A Seperate Peace by John Knowles

Opening:

"I went back to Devon School not long ago, and found it looking oddly newer than when I was a student there 15 years ago." 

I listened to this book after reading Once Upon a Wardrobe. The book was mentioned and since I enjoyed that book, I thought I'd give Separate Peace a go. 

A classic coming-of-age story about boys at a prep school. It's about the popular boy who instigates crazy shenanigans and pulls everyone into the whirlwind with him. 

The popular kid starts a club; pulls the newbie nerd along; it's fun and games before it's not; things go awry; lies are told; pride is hurt; friends are no longer friends.

WWII is on the horizon, but the boys at the school are sheltered and don't believe anything is actually happening, not until a few classmates don't come back to school. Reality of childhood mets reality of adulthood. It's hard to read about the end of a childhood. 

An American classic and great bestseller for over thirty years, A Separate Peace is timeless in its description of adolescence during a period when the entire country was losing its innocence to the second world war.

Set at a boys boarding school in New England during the early years of World War II, A Separate Peace is a harrowing and luminous parable of the dark side of adolescence. Gene is a lonely, introverted intellectual. Phineas is a handsome, taunting, daredevil athlete. What happens between the two friends one summer, like the war itself, banishes the innocence of these boys and their world.

A bestseller for more than thirty years, A Separate Peace is John Knowles crowning achievement and an undisputed American classic.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea Axie Oh REVIEW

Opening: 

"The myths of my people say only a true bride of the Sea God can bring an end of his insatiable wrath." 

Beautiful, colorful, intriguing story that drew me in from the beginning...well, not from the very beginning, I must admit. It took me a couple of chapters and a couple of attempts to get fully immersed in this tale. I'm glad I gave it a second try, because it was worth it. 

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman REVIEW

 

Opening:

"Foreward

The most remarkable thing about the first days after Alan died, was the number of actors, poets, musicians, playwrights and directors who wanted to express their gratitude for all the help he'd given them."

I LOVED this book. I loved the insights from his diaries. The only bad part of listening to the book was I didn't get to see the photos. 

Alan was a favorite actor of mine in so many movies. Some of my favorites: 

Sense and Sensibility 

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Harry Potter

Galaxy Quest

Quigley Down Under

Die Hard

The Butler

From his breakout role in Die Hard to his outstanding, multifaceted performances in the Harry Potter films, Galaxy Quest, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and more, Alan Rickman cemented his legacy as a world-class actor. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate audiences today.

But Rickman’s ability to breathe life into projects wasn't confined to just his performances. As you'll find, Rickman's diaries detail the extraordinary and the ordinary, flitting between worldly and witty and gossipy, while remaining utterly candid throughout. He takes us inside his home, on trips with friends across the globe, and on the sets of films and plays ranging from Sense and Sensibility, to Noël Coward's Private Lives, to the final film he directed, A Little Chaos.

Running from 1993 to his death in 2016, the diaries provide singular insight into Rickman's public and private life. Reading them is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close companion. Meet Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveler, the fan, the director, the enthusiast; in short, the man beyond the icon.

Madly, Deeply features a photo insert, a foreword by Emma Thompson, and an afterword by Rima Horton.

Intelligent Leadership: What You Need to Know to Unlock Your Full Potential REVIEW

Opening:

In a breakthrough executive global research that I conducted with my colleague, Bonnie Haggmann, we clearly confirmed that identifying and developing high-potential and emerging leaders is and will continue to be one of the top business issues facing CEOs. 

I always read any self-help books with a grain of salt. I learned a lot that helped me rethink how I work and how I can do better. I started a new position in June of last year and I love it! I love taking the program to new heights and new ideas. This book helped me with a few bumps in the job. 

The book talks about outer core consists of 9 strategic and tactical leadership competencies and skills to be a successful leader: 

1. Critical thinking

2. decision making

3. strategic thinking

    1. Create a compelling vision

    2. Define a viable mission

    3. Develop Synergistic Strategies

    4. Creating Quantifiable Goals

4. Emotional leadership

     Self-awareness; self-management; motivational empathy; social skills

5. Communication skills

6. talent leadership

7. team leadership

8. change leadership

9. drive for results

And the inner core consists of intrapersonal and interpersonal elements. 

Kindergarten at 60 by Dian Seidel PUBLISH DATE!

Teaching kindergarten in Thailand wasn't the job Dian Seidel had in mind when, at age sixty and craving adventure, she convinced her husband that they should try working abroad. But coping with rambunctious children, sweltering heat, and Covid-19 turned out to be the challenge she needed. Struggling to understand Thai culture, their school, and their marriage, could she learn Thailand's essential lesson: mai pen rai, don't worry, keep cool?

Part travel memoir and part second act story, KINDERGARTEN AT 60 is a retirement tale like none other. With gentle humor and polished prose, Seidel explores universal themes via the adventures of everyday life. Job-hunting retirees confront age restrictions. A couple navigates 24/7 togetherness for the first time in their lives.

Kindergarten a

t 6

Before her unexpected "second act" teaching kindergarten in Thailand, Dian Seidel was a climate scientist at NOAA. Her research contributed to the 2007 Nobel Peace Prizewinning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Originally from Massachusetts, she now lives in the Washington, DC, area, where she teaches English as a second language and Iyengar yoga.

Her writing has appeared in Passager, Anak Sastra, Lucky Jefferson, Pen in Hand, The New

York Times, and Bethesda Magazine. She loves crossword puzzles, book clubs, open ocean swimming, and the heart of a ripe watermelon on an August afternoon.

Dian Seidel

Professionals accustomed to working with adults are overwhelmed, and charmed, by a passel of two-, three-, and four-year-olds. An introvert struggles to forge cross-cultural and cross-generational friendships. Americans face the challenges of the five-tone Thai language and five-alarm Thai chilies.

Seidel's heartwarming story offers a unique perspective on contemporary Thailand and introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters at Pathum Thani Prep. Join the journey, meet the kids, and experience

KINDERGARTEN AT 60.

Author: Dian Seidel ○ Publisher: Apprentice House Press ○ Release date: June 20, 2023 ○ Format: Hardcover,

Paperback, eBook ○ ISBN: 978-1-62720-446-0 Paperback, 978-1-62720-447-7 Ebook ○ Price: $18.99

paperback, $6.49 eBook ○ Pages: 285 ○ Distribution: Ingram ○ Genre: Memoir

Publicity Contact: Emily Keough, emily@mindbuckmedia.com

Credit Photographer Derek Parks

Praise For Kindergarten at 60

"This delightful and inspiring work recounts an important and forever altering time in the

author's life."

—The BookLife Prize

"Dian Seidel turned the page on an eminent career in climate science to embark on a completely

different pursuit: teaching English to children in Thailand. There is a wisdom and warmth here in

discovering adventure at an age when that word has departed most people’s vocabularies. They

say learning a language stretches the mind. What happens when that is combined with

immersion in a completely different culture on the other side of the world? Seidel presents her

adventure in a series of vignettes, seeing big picture issues through the lens of a kindergarten

classroom. She emerges from her trial with strength and grace and gentleness."

—David Goodrich, author of A Hole in the Wind:

A Climate Scientist's Bicycle Journey Across the United States

"Former climate scientist Dian Seidel chronicles her revelations as she and her husband Steve

teach kindergarten in Thailand. While realizing that life past 60 is full of adventures, they try to

embrace the Thai philosophy of mai pen rai, or relax and enjoy what life brings. This well-written

travelogue will appeal particularly to people looking forward to the next chapter of their lives."

—Blythe Grossberg, Psy.D., author of I Left My Homework in the Hamptons

"Kindergarten at 60 is a beautifully written memoir with the perfect touch of humor. It is a joy to

join Dian Seidel on her five-month assignment teaching children in Pathum Thani, a place far

from home. Simultaneously teacher and student, she learns valuable lessons about herself from

her young Thai students. The heart of Kindergarten at 60 is an endearing love story of a retired

couple enjoying the adventure together. Thank you, Teacher Dian for taking us on this journey.

Khop khun kha."

—Michelle Paris, author of New Normal

"Dian Seidel gives us a delightful glimpse into Thailand and its culture, reminding us that we can

find adventure in post-retirement years. Her memoir brings to life the commonalities of children

around the world and the struggles of teachers everywhere."

—Sarah Birnbach, author of A Daughter's Kaddish:

My Year of Grief, Devotion, and Healing

"When it’s time to retire from a structured life, what do you do? In Dian Seidel’s book,

Kindergarten at 60, she invites you to join her and her husband in their voyage into the unknown

language, culture, history and social values of Thailand. Kindergarten at 60 is an interesting mix of

the challenges and adventure they find along with the heartwarming discovery of the children

and fellow international teachers they bond with during their stay."

—Tom Crowley, author Mercy’s Heroes and Bangkok Gamble

"A heartwarming, informative and inspiring memoir about our ability to learn at any age through

our willingness to serve and open our hearts to the new and unexpected."

—Nina Wise, performance artist

"A charming tale of a second act and self-discovery in a far-off tropical clime. Dian Seidel did

what the rest of us only talk about."

—John Burgess, author of Angkor’s Temples in the Modern Era:

War, Pride, and Tourist Dollars