I put off reading this book immediately after the first one, and I'm glad I did. I think the space of a year allowed me to enjoy delving back into theI put off reading this book immediately after the first one, and I'm glad I did. I think the space of a year allowed me to enjoy delving back into the hunger games that much more. Parts of the plot seem contrived (putting Katniss and Peeta back in the arena again, the hopeless love triangle), but Collins is brilliant at weaving together a narrative that keeps the reader wanting more. I found that I enjoyed this one as much as the first, if not more....more
I find that the poems that resonate the most with me in this collection are ones where Davis draws inspiration from people in his life and their losseI find that the poems that resonate the most with me in this collection are ones where Davis draws inspiration from people in his life and their losses. The nature poetry is a bit esoteric, and the poems inspired by artwork seem out of place in this collection. They always left me with a desire to see the painting more than read about it. Those poems would work better in a separate collection that included the artwork....more
My main complaint with this book is that nothing interesting happens. If you continue reading, it becomes apparent that Aston knows her Austen historyMy main complaint with this book is that nothing interesting happens. If you continue reading, it becomes apparent that Aston knows her Austen history (despite the protagonist, Georgina, being an ignorant fool), but this does not make her a good novelist. The book is boring, and when things finally do start happening in the 2nd half, the events are disjointed and disconnected. I decided that, in the future, I'll stick to the real deal. Give me Austen over this humdrum any day....more
This book is, at best, a pile of New Age bullshit, and at worst, heretical. The writer takes a solipsistic view of divinity, arguing that the Self is This book is, at best, a pile of New Age bullshit, and at worst, heretical. The writer takes a solipsistic view of divinity, arguing that the Self is a divine being and that Selfishness is good because it attracts health and wealth and friends, and a bunch of other materialistic goodies like vacation homes and Bentleys. The book was given to me by a friend, whose views obviously differ from my own, in order to inspire me. If I apply Dooley's philosophy to my own life, then I should be able to visualize my stage 4 cancer into oblivion. I'll have to run that one by my oncologist. Also, people living in poverty must be there because they don't recognize their own divinity, or else they are not good at visualizing piles of money landing on their doorstep. There are so many flaws in this logic that I could continue ad infinitum. Not only is it illogical, but some parts are vehemently anti-Christian: "Do you think the Universe ultimately rewards those who live in poverty? Do you think those who toil and sweat from paycheck to paycheck are more likely to inherit the Kingdom than those who work in ivory towers?" The answer that Dooley gives to these semi-rhetorical questions is a resounding "NO," which is directly counter to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Hmmm, do I put more stock in Jesus, a prophet, teacher, and Messiah whose words have stood the test of 2000 years time, or Mike Dooley, some profit-seeking New Age BS artist? Obviously as a Christian, I cast my vote strongly with the former, but I don't see how anyone with active amygdalae can do otherwise. What really burns me is that this Dooley guy along with his cohorts are raking in plenty of dough from these antics, making their philosophy a self-fulfilling prophecy. What is it that attracts seeking middle-class Americans to this feel-good nonsense? Do we really think that we should be exempt from all forms of suffering? Any religion or philosophy worth its salt recognizes that suffering is part of the human experience. The whole idea that we can simply "wish it away" rings hollow to me. ...more
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