"The Da Vinci Code" cracks open history's vault, spilling out long-buried secrets. This is a golden tale woven where art whispers ancient truths and b"The Da Vinci Code" cracks open history's vault, spilling out long-buried secrets. This is a golden tale woven where art whispers ancient truths and buildings become stone guardians of forbidden knowledge. At its heart beats the rhythm of the sacred feminine, long silenced but never truly forgotten. This isn't just a novel—it's a key to unlocking mysteries hidden in plain sight.
Brown's story pulses with esoteric energy, turning familiar cultural icons into puzzle pieces of a vast cosmic game. Secret societies and forgotten rituals dance through the pages, challenging our understanding of history and faith. The book invites us to see the world through new eyes, where every painting might be a map and every ancient text a code. It's a thrilling journey that blurs the line between fact and fiction, leaving you questioning the very foundations of beliefs....more
"Hidden Messages of Water" by Masaru Emoto delves into the profound connections between water and spirituality, unveiling a tapestry of universal trut"Hidden Messages of Water" by Masaru Emoto delves into the profound connections between water and spirituality, unveiling a tapestry of universal truths. Emoto explores the intricate dance of energy and vibration, unraveling the cosmic symphony where love and gratitude act as the cosmos' force multiplier. From the revelation of universal memory encoded in water molecules to the mesmerizing beauty of fractals, Emoto's poetic prose transcends the boundaries of conventional science. A dedicated researcher, he propels the reader into the future of understanding unexplainable phenomena, crafting a masterpiece that seamlessly weaves science and spirituality into a harmonious exploration of the mysteries that surround us....more
So, there's this story, right? It's about this guy � not saying the name, but you'll figure it out. He starts off kinda slow in the brain department. So, there's this story, right? It's about this guy � not saying the name, but you'll figure it out. He starts off kinda slow in the brain department. Like, really slow. But then, bam! Science gets involved, and suddenly, he's super smart. The whole deal unfolds through his diary entries, pouring out all the feels.
You know, it's not just about getting smarter. It's deep stuff. We're talking about who you are, what makes you tick. The emotional rollercoaster is crazy, man. It's not just some sci-fi upgrade; it's like a trip into the human soul. Identity, human nature, and emotions � it's all in there.
And get this, the author, or whoever, throws in some fancy literary philosophy stuff. Like, should we mess with our brains like that? Is it cool? The story makes you sit back and think about the whole ethics of boosting brainpower. It's a wild ride, making you question what being human really means....more
A book that was clearly written for consultants from a veteran consultant. This book serves as an epitome of institutional knowledge and ways of workiA book that was clearly written for consultants from a veteran consultant. This book serves as an epitome of institutional knowledge and ways of working at McKinsey. This book is instrumental for any consultant minded professional to hone their skills, solve problems, and strategize solutions in a concise format....more
Clearly a lot of time and resources went into compiling such a dense subject matter into a cohesive and condensed format. This book aligns the reader Clearly a lot of time and resources went into compiling such a dense subject matter into a cohesive and condensed format. This book aligns the reader on the fundamentals of alchemy, it's history, and current applications within science and medicine. ...more
I haven't read the lord of the rings series since I was a young child (and even then I didn't truly comprehend the literary elements). This was such aI haven't read the lord of the rings series since I was a young child (and even then I didn't truly comprehend the literary elements). This was such a refreshing read. The story and characters sprang to life and I was immediately thrown into Middle Earth with all of her mysteries.
Watching the movie after reading this book, I like the dramatizations found within the on-screen version. Although, Orcs were never a part of the book, they were only mentioned, and the war of 5 armies was that of goblins I thought. Regardless, I love the imagery found within both versions.
A wonderful synopsis of the true father of natural philosophy. Socrates was an observer, he merely wished to glean insight and connection to the humanA wonderful synopsis of the true father of natural philosophy. Socrates was an observer, he merely wished to glean insight and connection to the human spirit by connecting with the citizens of his beloved Athens....more
**spoiler alert** Buy Experiences Material things do not provide as much happiness as experiences. Booking that ice hotel in Quebec, throwing yourself **spoiler alert** Buy Experiences Material things do not provide as much happiness as experiences. Booking that ice hotel in Quebec, throwing yourself into a stinky pond in a Tough Mudder race, or reserving a ticket to outer space on Virgin Gallactic will make you happier than buying a nicer home or a flat-screen TV because you are building your “experiential CV,� connecting with others, and making meaningful memories. Why? Buyer’s remorse is less likely to occur if you spent your money on an experience, even if it’s a little bit painful and especially if you come out of it with a good story to tell your friends. So remember that next time you want to put off that trip to Machu Picchu because its expensive. It’s money well spent!
Make it a Treat Appreciation is another key to getting the best happiness bang for your buck. Abundance is the enemy of appreciation. If you have a latte everyday, it no longer becomes a treat, right? It’s just a $4 thing you gulp down to get your caffeine fix. But if you restrict yourself to the house brew Monday through Thursday and splurge on a latte on Friday, it becomes a treat that you’ll savor. Or think about it this way � does it matter how fancy your car is if you’re always driving it to mundane things like work and errands?
Buy Time Buying a Roomba so you don’t have to vacuum your kids� Cheerio pieces off the carpet every night might free you up to spend with your spouse—and save your marriage. But think long and hard before putting in the swimming pool that you’ll probably spend more time maintaining than enjoying. Research here suggests that we could do a lot more to harness the power of spending our time in happier ways � sometimes by outsourcing our dreaded tasks to others or to material things. Experiments show that simply asking yourself the question “how will this purchase change the way I use my time?� will help you to make choices that produce more happiness than if you thought about your purchase in terms of money.
Pay Now, Consume Later Paying for concert tickets or an all-expenses paid vacation in advance will increase the happiness you derive from the event at the time because you’ll have had the fun of anticipating it—and you’ll be tricked into thinking those margaritas by the pool are “free.� Experiments show that paying earlier and delaying the consumption of a purchase allows us to savor the upcoming experience � and sometimes we get as much benefit out of that anticipation than out of the thing itself!
Invest in Others Researchers gave participants $5 and asked half the group to spend it on themselves and half the group to spend it on others. At the end of the day, which group was happier? Investing in others provides more happiness than spending money on yourself, Dunn and Norton show in a series of worldwide experiments. And it works whether you’re a college student, a Ugandan citizen, or a toddler. Prosocial spending—spending on others—gives people the biggest boost when the generosity is a choice, connects us with others, and makes a clear impact. Learn more about how you can harness this research in your relationship in our Giving Together workbook, too....more
A truly thrilling read! The intricacies of the plot and character selection is wonderful. Being that this was debuted in the 1930's, I feel like a novA truly thrilling read! The intricacies of the plot and character selection is wonderful. Being that this was debuted in the 1930's, I feel like a novel such as this was a roar at the time of publishing. The example I keep going back to would be Clue, which is set on a similar set of circumstances - strangers are arranged at a house by some guilded shadow figure that then seems to torment their inner demons out of them. I like that this story ties in the nursery rhyme component, which is something that is lacking from Clue. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and will pick up some more of Agatha Christie's novels....more
**spoiler alert** Honestly this was my favorite book so far in this series! The mystery of Voldemorts young life are unfolding and we get to see a gli**spoiler alert** Honestly this was my favorite book so far in this series! The mystery of Voldemorts young life are unfolding and we get to see a glimpse of the man before he tore his soul for immortality. Wonderful!...more
Not too sure what I expected, but I thought this book would have been a little more engaging given the high ratings and the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ award for 2020'sNot too sure what I expected, but I thought this book would have been a little more engaging given the high ratings and the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ award for 2020's best fiction book.
While I like the idea of this book; the parallel lives and ability to chose your destiny, I have a few gripes with the way Haig went about some of the storyline. The limbo between worlds and the simultaneous rememberance of all the possible lives you have lived reminds me of the 4th dimension, the place where all ends meet. But I don't see why he made it so that Nora doesn't remember anything when she lives a new branch of her life. Wouldn't it just be like a dream? Wouldn't she just be placed directly into the shoes of her parallel self, with all of the memories that led her to that point?
Also WTF she just left Hugo in Antarctica when they were having sex, like he would clearly have been charged with rape if her other parallel self didn't remember the memories in between the time she took over.
And why did she have to live through her "perfect" life to figure out what love feels like? That makes it seem like people need perfection in order to feel love. But I see love as something that you can find literally under a rock, it is all about perspective and I mean, Haig outlines that later on but only in like one or two sentences.. I wish he leaned more into that throughout the book - the importance of finding love in what you are now and all the things you've worked through to be who you are today.
I don't know.. all in all it was an ok read. Good bones and definitely a few notable quotes to be found within it's pages but not anything I would rave about....more
This book describes the rules that engage us in sexual desire and fantasy. It describes the articles of lust, and the declaration of orgasm. It peeks This book describes the rules that engage us in sexual desire and fantasy. It describes the articles of lust, and the declaration of orgasm. It peeks behind the veil of traditional temptation and the chaotic energy of fetishes. It allows the reader to contemplate their own sexual urges and what subjugates us in this land of glamour, greed, and sin.
This is a perfect introductory book to someone who is only beginning to speak to themselves plainly about sex, their individual feelings towards it, and how sex is viewed by our society.
While this is a good book to bring up the nuances and taboos of sex in our modern day culture, it doesn't really aid any new concepts to be learned or ways couples can apply new outlooks on their mutual or individual sexual tendencies.
Notes:
To rescue a long-term relationship from complacency and boredom we should try to locate the good and the beautiful beneath the layers of habit and routine.
We can achieve a balanced view of adult love not by remembering what it felt like to be loved as a child but rather by imagining what it took for our parents to love us � namely, a great deal of work.
Pornography, like alcohol and drugs, undermines our ability to endure certain kinds of suffering which we have to experience if we are to direct our lives properly. More specifically, it reduces our capacity to tolerate our ambiguous moods of free-floating worry and boredom.
What is ultimately ‘wrong� with the idea of adultery, as with a certain idea of marriage, is its idealism. It is impossible to sleep with someone outside of marriage and not spoil the things we care about inside it � just as it is impossible to remain faithful in a marriage and not miss out on some of life’s greatest and most important sensory pleasures along the way....more
What a gem of a book! There are such gleaming little insights in this book that children would adore. Hell, I adored it as an adult! This is a tale thWhat a gem of a book! There are such gleaming little insights in this book that children would adore. Hell, I adored it as an adult! This is a tale that reminds you (as a grown up) to find beauty in every day life. As adults, we are enamored with the tasks and to do's of our every day lives. We must as individuals and as a society foster creative energy and evoke playfulness into our existence. ...more
I first read this story when I was in High School, but I want to attempt to read more International Fiction this year. Fiction in my mind is supposed I first read this story when I was in High School, but I want to attempt to read more International Fiction this year. Fiction in my mind is supposed to allow you to live in the shoes of another person, feel their feelings, remember their thoughts, and contribute to their memory.
This is a phenomenal tale of the changes within a family of a tribe nestled along the Niger river in Africa before Western colonization. You learn about the normalcies and intricacies of their everyday life, the way they worship their gods, and the manners and traditions that their culture is steeped in. Reading a book like this really opens your eyes to what life was like before Western imperialism, how the tribe governed itself, how resources were managed, and how families interacted with each other.
My favorite excerpt: "How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad, and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart."...more
The names Raoul Duke (Thompson) Lets get lit like a flame and and rip-roar into Vegas High on the abandonment of hope. Live on the lifeline of neon tinteThe names Raoul Duke (Thompson) Lets get lit like a flame and and rip-roar into Vegas High on the abandonment of hope. Live on the lifeline of neon tinted smoke I take one, two, three tabs, 8 snorts, 3 rails, and 5 cocktails of hellish greed. I turn green, you turn yellow We are fish in this lonely ocean, and no one can breathe. In the circular tower our minds aspire Locked in this hotel looking for speed.
Why, it's nothing more than The American Dream! I scream!
Favorite quote/excerpt: "He said nothing: Merely grabbed my arm and began sucking on it. A very gross tableau. I wondered what would happen if some Kingston Trio/young stockbroker type might wander in and catch us in the act. Fuck him, I thought. With a bit of luck, it’ll ruin his life—forever thinking that just behind some narrow door in all his favorite bars, men in red Pendleton shirts are getting incredible kicks from things he’ll never know. Would he dare to suck a sleeve? Probably not. Play it safe. Pretend you never saw it.�"...more
Oh the twists and turns! This is was a great read. Gillian Flynn really does a good job changing the narrative of the story to suit the monologue of eOh the twists and turns! This is was a great read. Gillian Flynn really does a good job changing the narrative of the story to suit the monologue of either Amy or Nick in their subsequent diary entries. My partner wanted to watch Gone Girl (the movie) and I just had to read the book before seeing the film! Overall, I am impressed at the storyline and development of characters (although, I feel that more could have been done with Nicks Father character)....more
Another great tale unfolded around Harry Potter and the mysteries within his life's prophecy. Among all the books within the Harry Potter series that Another great tale unfolded around Harry Potter and the mysteries within his life's prophecy. Among all the books within the Harry Potter series that I've read thus far this one seems to be the most advanced in the author's style of writing. In previous books it seems that our hero stumbled upon his glory and success by mere luck. But in this novel the characters are driven by a mixture of emotion and choices. From the sinister and empirical Umbridge and the candor they must have when facing her, to the injustice of the ministry of magic, and the tumultuous tides changing in their lives during school, Harry and his friends are poised at a capstone of choices, all surmounting to a final ending I surely didn't see coming....more
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