Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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This is an autobiography with no bombast whatsoever. It can be very funny (1) and very sad (2). But most of all, it is very interesting. Without histrionics, Michael states how his normal upper-class family discovered that most of them had psychic abilities. Reactions varied, from enthusiasm to denial to disgust (his father left the family when a salt shaker moved across the table without aid). To let you know where I'm coming from, I believe in extrasensory abilities of many kinds, but I frankly don't believe everyone has them or can learn them, and I have no touchy-feely reverence for psychic abilities. They are abilities, period, like being able to sink a 3-pointer under pressure or understand quantum mechanics with one hand tied behind your back.
And as Michael points out, there aren't just fake psychics, there are real psychics who endanger their abilities when they start to believe their own press and let the ego take over.
That said, I ended this book believing that Michael and his sister, Echo, just may be the real thing (I've never met them or employed them). The book isn't a tell-all about his Hollywood customers, its a story of how he nearly destroyed himself discovering what he wanted to be when he grew up, and the persons, dead and alive, who helped and hindered him along the way. I really enjoyed it, and found it immensely informative about the psychic mileau (yes, psychics get together and help, teach, support just like any other occupation), of which I've never been apart. I've already bought a 2nd copy of the book to give as a gift, and am considering who else would be openminded enough to enjoy this look at an unusual life.
(1) Good storytelling, such as when his Mom first introduces him to a powerful psychic. His Mom told Michael how the first time SHE met the psychic, the psychic knew what she was thinking. So the 10 year old Michael is determined to not think anything stupid when he meets this woman. Turns out she's homely and he ends up (I'm paraphrasing) repeating to himself, "Don't think about a sea hag, don't think about a sea hag." The psychic leans over to whisper in his ear, "A sea hag has more teeth!"
(2) Michael's form of denial results in trying to drown everything psychic out. He is an alcoholic by the time he's 13 and spends his teen years in a fog of drugs.
Very highly recommended. If I made this sound like a heavy tale, I didn't mean too. It is engaging and fast-paced.
There are all kinds of mysteries, as anyone who reads them knows. This book, the 1st in the Passport to Peril series is a comic mystery. And it is hilarious. I was reading it while on a plane and I was laughing so hard, I was gasping for breathe and people had to know what I was reading. Since I read this book, I've read all the other titles in the Passport to Peril series. Lighthearted, yet, they are murder mysteries, after all, so someone does die.
I read a LOT of mysteries. I read them for relaxation as well as entertainment, so I'm not going out of my way to solve the murder before the writer tells me. When I do figure it out, I'm always a little disappointed, and that's what happened with "Silent in the Grave". In this case - the unmistakable clue was on page 310 of a 534 page book. As the book is a little wordy, lots of talking to herself, for example, this made the last half of the book a little tedious.
Not a bad read, though; it's just not a super read. I like historical mysteries, but I like them to be decently true to the times. In this case, this book let me down a little, too. The protaganist, a docile aristocratic widow in the 1880's, finds her independence including instant acceptance of an intelligent prostitute and traipsing off to a gypsy camp in men's clothing. This does a disservice to the true independent women of the time (and there were many) who trudged through jungles, etc., while wearing their petticoats - an altogether more amazing and believable scenario than that which the books depicts.
But, that said, this was a nice first effort by Deanna Raybourn. I read it because I decided to always start out with the first-in-a-series when approaching a new author.
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(6 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
When talking to people about this intriguing book, I've found that they often have a misconception about it. People seem to think that Gladwell's premise is that we must learn to respect our initial and "in the blink of an eye" reaction to a situation or person. That is half the book. The other half of the book has the premise that we must learn to be patient and see/go BEOND that initial reaction. The book is full of stories and research that support both situations. In other words, there are times where your initial gut reaction is the one to which you should pay attention. The problem is, there are times where your initial gut reaction is so far off base that you must actually LEARN to see beyond it. The title may give you the idea that this is just a catchy clever book. But, though it is written in an accessible style, it is hardly glib.
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(7 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)
This book is so much fun to read. I can only hope that I'll remember half the interesting stuff that I learned from reading it. I keep it in the car, to have it handy when I'm running around on appointments or waiting for the kids. Because each question, and it's answers, average only two pages in length, it's the perfect "short reader". I've already given it as a gift to someone, who has to buy her own copy because she loaned it to her son who doesn't want to give it back!
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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Cindy Figueiredo has commented on (6) products.
Growing Up Psychic: From Skeptic to Believer by Michael Bodine
Cindy Figueiredo, February 24, 2010
This is an autobiography with no bombast whatsoever. It can be very funny (1) and very sad (2). But most of all, it is very interesting. Without histrionics, Michael states how his normal upper-class family discovered that most of them had psychic abilities. Reactions varied, from enthusiasm to denial to disgust (his father left the family when a salt shaker moved across the table without aid). To let you know where I'm coming from, I believe in extrasensory abilities of many kinds, but I frankly don't believe everyone has them or can learn them, and I have no touchy-feely reverence for psychic abilities. They are abilities, period, like being able to sink a 3-pointer under pressure or understand quantum mechanics with one hand tied behind your back.And as Michael points out, there aren't just fake psychics, there are real psychics who endanger their abilities when they start to believe their own press and let the ego take over.
That said, I ended this book believing that Michael and his sister, Echo, just may be the real thing (I've never met them or employed them). The book isn't a tell-all about his Hollywood customers, its a story of how he nearly destroyed himself discovering what he wanted to be when he grew up, and the persons, dead and alive, who helped and hindered him along the way. I really enjoyed it, and found it immensely informative about the psychic mileau (yes, psychics get together and help, teach, support just like any other occupation), of which I've never been apart. I've already bought a 2nd copy of the book to give as a gift, and am considering who else would be openminded enough to enjoy this look at an unusual life.
(1) Good storytelling, such as when his Mom first introduces him to a powerful psychic. His Mom told Michael how the first time SHE met the psychic, the psychic knew what she was thinking. So the 10 year old Michael is determined to not think anything stupid when he meets this woman. Turns out she's homely and he ends up (I'm paraphrasing) repeating to himself, "Don't think about a sea hag, don't think about a sea hag." The psychic leans over to whisper in his ear, "A sea hag has more teeth!"
(2) Michael's form of denial results in trying to drown everything psychic out. He is an alcoholic by the time he's 13 and spends his teen years in a fog of drugs.
Very highly recommended. If I made this sound like a heavy tale, I didn't mean too. It is engaging and fast-paced.
Alpine for You: A Passport to Peril Mystery by Maddy Hunter
Cindy Figueiredo, November 18, 2009
There are all kinds of mysteries, as anyone who reads them knows. This book, the 1st in the Passport to Peril series is a comic mystery. And it is hilarious. I was reading it while on a plane and I was laughing so hard, I was gasping for breathe and people had to know what I was reading. Since I read this book, I've read all the other titles in the Passport to Peril series. Lighthearted, yet, they are murder mysteries, after all, so someone does die.Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Cindy Figueiredo, November 19, 2008
I read a LOT of mysteries. I read them for relaxation as well as entertainment, so I'm not going out of my way to solve the murder before the writer tells me. When I do figure it out, I'm always a little disappointed, and that's what happened with "Silent in the Grave". In this case - the unmistakable clue was on page 310 of a 534 page book. As the book is a little wordy, lots of talking to herself, for example, this made the last half of the book a little tedious.Not a bad read, though; it's just not a super read. I like historical mysteries, but I like them to be decently true to the times. In this case, this book let me down a little, too. The protaganist, a docile aristocratic widow in the 1880's, finds her independence including instant acceptance of an intelligent prostitute and traipsing off to a gypsy camp in men's clothing. This does a disservice to the true independent women of the time (and there were many) who trudged through jungles, etc., while wearing their petticoats - an altogether more amazing and believable scenario than that which the books depicts.
But, that said, this was a nice first effort by Deanna Raybourn. I read it because I decided to always start out with the first-in-a-series when approaching a new author.
(6 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Cindy Figueiredo, July 24, 2008
When talking to people about this intriguing book, I've found that they often have a misconception about it. People seem to think that Gladwell's premise is that we must learn to respect our initial and "in the blink of an eye" reaction to a situation or person. That is half the book. The other half of the book has the premise that we must learn to be patient and see/go BEOND that initial reaction. The book is full of stories and research that support both situations. In other words, there are times where your initial gut reaction is the one to which you should pay attention. The problem is, there are times where your initial gut reaction is so far off base that you must actually LEARN to see beyond it. The title may give you the idea that this is just a catchy clever book. But, though it is written in an accessible style, it is hardly glib.(7 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)
Does Anything Eat Wasps?: And 101 Other Unsettling, Witty Answers to Questions You Never Thought You Wanted to Ask by New Scientist
Cindy Figueiredo, July 24, 2008
This book is so much fun to read. I can only hope that I'll remember half the interesting stuff that I learned from reading it. I keep it in the car, to have it handy when I'm running around on appointments or waiting for the kids. Because each question, and it's answers, average only two pages in length, it's the perfect "short reader". I've already given it as a gift to someone, who has to buy her own copy because she loaned it to her son who doesn't want to give it back!(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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