Blog Archives
Maximizing Making Meaning
Bob Lichtenbert’s Maximizing Making Meaning tackles the profound question of what gives life significance, proposing a framework for making and understanding meaning. The book is structured around various “sources” of meaning, such as relationships, community, and even intangible concepts like justice or love. With a philosophical lens grounded in common sense, Lichtenbert argues for a life enriched by purposeful connection and reflection. His personal anecdotes and an overarching optimism tie it all together, making his exploration relatable.
What struck me first was the book’s approachable tone. Lichtenbert dives into weighty concepts but writes with the kind of clarity that makes abstract ideas surprisingly tangible. For instance, his exploration of “quality relationships” as a source of meaning highlights Martin Buber’s “thou” relationships—those sacred, intimate connections that transcend mere utility. The way he relates this to his own experiences, like reflecting on his struggles to find meaningful friendships outside his family, made the theory feel authentic. His vulnerability in sharing these moments added emotional depth to what could have been a dry philosophical discourse.
The call for re-establishing community through daily acts like picking up litter or starting local dialogues is heartwarming, but I couldn’t help thinking that this approach doesn’t fully account for the complexities of modern digital lives. Still, the author’s passion for reviving a shared sense of purpose came through, especially in his vivid description of feeding birds as a metaphorical act of communal care. It’s quirky, sure, but it left me thinking about the small ways I could make a difference too.
Another idea I liked was his emphasis on “intangibles” like justice, goodness, and beauty as key to meaning-making. These concepts could easily feel esoteric, but Lichtenbert grounds them with practical examples and even challenges materialism as a misguided source of fulfillment. I appreciated his argument that focusing on intangibles broadens the scope of what’s possible in a meaningful life. The section where he critiques “collections,” groups motivated purely by self-interest, hit close to home for me, especially in today’s hyper-individualistic world.
Maximizing Making Meaning is a refreshing blend of philosophy, self-help, and memoir. Lichtenbert’s personal insights add a relatable layer to his ideas. This isn’t light reading, but it rewards patient readers who are willing to engage deeply with its themes. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in philosophy of life or to those feeling adrift and searching for a framework to anchor their purpose.
Pages: 261 | ASIN : B0BWBWCNGN
Strive to Understand and Empathize
On the Other Side: Memories of a Past Life shares your story of exploring your past life as Ana and the unresolved pain that followed you into this current life. Why was it important to tell your story?
I strongly believe in encouraging people who have gone through experiences like mine to share their stories. The subject of reincarnation is still considered taboo by many, but it’s time to break that barrier. I urge individuals to speak out about their experiences and fears and let go of the fear of being exposed and rejected. It’s essential to embrace the intensity of past life experiences and share them with others who are interested in learning more about them.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about lucid dreams and reincarnations?
It’s crucial to approach others’ experiences with an open mind and heart. Rather than dismissing them outright, we should strive to understand and empathize, even if we don’t necessarily agree. Each person’s experience is unique and meaningful to them and should be acknowledged as such. By embracing this perspective, we can foster greater acceptance, empathy, and connection with one another.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
During the years 2018-2021, I wrote to document the experiences that I went through. Writing helped me establish a boundary between my past self and who I am now. It was a way for me to anchor myself and my thoughts. Deciding to publish the book was a challenging decision for me, but I took the bold step to share my story with the world, despite it being deeply personal. I feel proud and confident in my decision to put myself out there and let my voice be heard.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from On the Other Side: Memories of a Past Life?
This book speaks to two types of readers – those who find joy in the story and those who seek spiritual growth. For those interested in the story, I invite you to read it and experience the emotions within it at your own pace. For those who are on a spiritual journey, I encourage you to have faith in your experiences and to share them with others. Carrying the weight of your experiences alone can be a heavy burden. Through them, you can discover what defines you and how you can move forward into a brighter future.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
When Adria Sanders fell pregnant, spontaneous lucid dreams of Ana began to haunt her. Despite Adria’s initial skepticism, she couldn’t deny the truth – these were traumatic memories of a past life.
Surrendering to the vivid visions of Ana’s life, she’s thrust into a haunting tale of love and loss in early 20th-century Cuba. As Adria would discover, Ana’s tumultuous relationship with mysterious Rico leaves her grappling with cultural clashes, unanswered questions, and unresolved pain.
As Adria delves deeper into these vivid dreams, she discovers an opportunity for healing that spans lifetimes. Will she find closure for Ana?
This captivating narrative explores the depths of the human psyche, intertwining the author’s own emotional journey with Ana and Rico’s tragic entanglement. Delving through themes of identity, the subconscious, and the relentless pursuit of truth, “On the Other Side” offers a dark yet poignant insight into our eternal soul.
Dream It to Do It
Howard Eisenberg’s Dream It to Do It features profound insights about humanity’s true nature and the natural spiritual resources that are our heritage but are frequently overlooked in our technology-dependent and materialistic world. The book delves into ancient wisdom traditions and recent scientific findings, offering compelling evidence of “the world behind the world” and the supremacy of consciousness. In addition, it contains a comprehensive, brilliant examination of various profound topics, such as how to envision and navigate alternative realities, how reality works, how thoughts become things, brain science and consciousness, the true basis of scientific discovery and invention, entrapment by the ego and the dark side, lucid dreaming, imaginal thinking, and much more.
Both new and long-time fans of psychological literature will find it easy to learn from the book because Howard’s words are pleasantly consistent and supported by much evidence. As they progress through the pages, readers will comprehend a new, more realistic side of core human beliefs and the notions that drive our thinking. Thanks to the book, I no longer regard myself as distinct from the things I experience and the elements that make the world—which has shown me how interconnected we all are and how to live accordingly.
This book contains fascinating statements and eye-opening, life-changing concepts from scientists, psychologists, philosophers, spiritual teachers, and psychics from various cultures and ages. It is also relatively straightforward and free of superfluous word fillers and meandering. As a result, reading the book is both a pleasurable and educational experience.
This compact, intelligently packed dosage of revolutionary information will spark a substantial shift in your perception of yourself and the world around you, ultimately improving your life significantly. Dream It to Do It is exactly what our current world requires to shock us back to reality and free us from our zombie-like reliance on technology and consumerism. Lovers of psychological works questioning their worldview will not be disappointed in this book.
Pages: 119 | ASIN : B09KFH3N76
Dark Night of the Soul
If you are experiencing grief, heartbreak, or life-changing moments, then Dark Night of the Soul by Trinity Royal is the inspirational book to guide you through your strife. This educational book is the red pill to get out of a matrix of suffering and repetition of sabotage and terrible habits in life. The author takes readers into a rabbit hole of self-examination and querying their soul on what it requires and the reason behind any suffering. It goes through the stages of stage metamorphosis, which is quite a fascinating cycle.
One of the book’s most controversial topics is that there will be suffering during the darkest night of the soul. However, this suffering reshapes a person’s character into a shiny diamond. The book illustrates the reasons for soul searching, why we suffer from depression, what to do during this process, and the possible reason for any unexpected suffering. The book also demonstrates some practical and effective healing techniques.
This is a book I would recommend for anyone undergoing any soul searching, depression, or stuck in a ‘rut’ (which, given the last couple of years, I feel like we all are in some sort of trouble here). I feel that this book can be appreciated by people who are going through a tough time in life and are ready for a change. If one is not open to the ideas in the book, they may find it repetitive and a bit ‘new age’. If you are looking for your soul’s purpose, I will leave you with the words, “Diamond is a piece of coal that has been subjected to extreme pressure and temperature.” I hope you find the healing, love, and peace that this book desperately aims for.
Pages: 241 | ASIN : B0B1QQCH22
Ten To Life
In this book, Ten to Life: Delirium Tales of a Covid-19 Survivor, author Mike Joyner contracts COVID-19 and recounts his days in the ICU during the pandemic. Joyner was sedated for 18 days, experiencing multiple delirious dreams; some quite terrifying, some strange, and some fairly light-hearted and fun. Joyner’s intention in writing this book is to give comfort and hope to the people infected by this traumatic pandemic, to know that we are not alone in this struggle and will face the future together.
This is a difficult book to review emotionally and in the technical sense. This book is entirely based on the author’s experiences and dreams, which does not leave much room for a critique of the book’s contents. Was this book captivating and interesting? Absolutely. Were the book’s grammar and punctuation impeccable? Undeniably so. Joyner has done an amazing job writing this book. There is not a single flaw I could point out or a comment I could make to suggest improvements.
This book has a sort of Alice in Wonderland kind of feeling. The author takes us down one rabbit hole after another, into dream after dream, and as time becomes unpredictable like most dreams, things slowly stop making sense. A very relatable feeling, however, unlike waking up once or twice from one dream after another, the author experienced this over and over for 18 days. A terrifying thought.
But not only is the author trapped in their own head, but they are being hunted in their dreams. After a misunderstanding with a man named Jesse, the author is relentlessly pursued in his own mind by guns for hire. It’s a disturbing thought, especially compared to how many times Joyner “died” in his dreams, but I would hate to think that every time the author “died,” this could have possibly meant the author had needed to be resuscitated in the waking world.
I know very little about treating Covid, but from what I understand, patients need to be closely monitored while sedated in case liquid pools in the lungs. In addition, patients are rotated constantly to prevent liquid from pooling and drowning patients in their sleep. Still, with staffing shortages and the multiple people needed to flip a person over, there are higher chances of a code blue.
This would also explain why the doctors in Joyner’s dream warned him to be more careful and not “die” again. Resuscitating a person does a lot of damage to the body, and there are only so times a person can be resuscitated, only so much trauma the body can take. This book is a testament to the trauma and pain Covid inflicts on a person. I’m sorry to hear about what Joyner has been through, but I’m glad something beautiful could come out of it. This book was immaculately written and was a captivating read.
Pages: 259 | ASIN : B0B3LP45XD
EPIC Begins With 1 Step Forward
EPIC Begins With 1 Step Forward: How To Plan, Achieve, and Enjoy The Journey does not read like any average inspirational book. Author Zander Sprague uses relatable experiences to convey his message. This informative book will enable you to accomplish all your goals in the timeframe you want. The author shares moments in his life that gave him life-changing lessons. Sprague will make you rethink some of the decisions you have made over the years and get you to turn over a new leaf.
What I love most about this helpful book is that the author took the effort to explain how each solution he provides works. As a reader, you feel the presence of the author as he guides you on the right path. He provides many examples, obtained through research and personal experience, to explain why the steps are laid out the way they are.
Zander Sprague’s language is simple and easy to follow. Each chapter is broken down in a way that readers will be able to easily comprehend the information and can reflect on the topic. The author uses humor in parts to convey his message. The author shares his wisdom to help you remove the barriers that are stopping you from enjoying life.
The chapters on planning and achieving your dream were among the best for me. In these chapters, the author provides readers with a step-by-step guide detailing how they can achieve what they previously presumed to be impossible. He makes everything appear doable and straightforward, if one has a strategy. The overarching feeling of this inspirational book is positivity. I also enjoyed reading about ‘epic choices’ and capitalizing on one’s strengths.
EPIC Begins With 1 Step Forward: How To Plan, Achieve, and Enjoy The Journey is a comprehensive manual for hacking the most challenging things in life. This thought-provoking book will guide readers on their personal transformation journey.
Pages: 129 | ASIN : B09KZNJFBD
Intrigue and Chaos
Juliann Troi Author Interview
The Dragon of Hidden Treasures follows Kathryn and Ty through the perils of 1900’s China as they seek their dream. What was the inspiration for the setup to this intriguing novel?
I’ve been a student of Chinese history for more than thirty years, though my interest was mainly ancient China. One night in 1996 I had a fantastic dream about a foreign woman captured by a warlord. It was just a thread and probably inspired by something I’d read in passing, but it stuck. I wasn’t really a writer then and certainly not interested in Republican Era China (1911-1949) but I just couldn’t forget the dream. I started focusing my studies on the period and got totally sucked in. There was so much intrigue and chaos during that time, I had no trouble taking that thread of a dream and turning it into a thrilling series full of twists and turns, some based on actual historical events.
Kathryn is a unique character that I enjoyed watching develop through the story. What were some ideas you wanted to capture in her character?
There wasn’t just upheaval in China during the 1920’s. The whole world was changing. In Kathryn, I saw a chance to show the evolution of women: from having no rights, no voice or even choices, to challenging the established system on every level with the hope of changing things for the better. There were women like Kathryn then, courageous pioneers who dared to dream big and rise above their lot in life. They laid the foundation for the rights and freedom today’s women enjoy.
I felt like this was a story about empowerment and pursuing your dreams. What were some themes you wanted to explore in this book?
I had two main themes in mind for this story: put aside prejudice and dare to strive for your dreams. Dreams are important. They give us hope, and without hope, we will literally shrivel up and die. For a variety of reasons, we can put ourselves in a box and be held prisoner by ‘can’t’ or ‘impossible’. It’s difficult and often painful, but I believe if you’re willing to work hard and make the necessary sacrifices, you can break out of the box and achieve your dreams.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on Sunrise In Kweilin, Book 2 of the ‘Hidden Treasures’ saga. It’s set to be released in February 2019.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
![The Dragon of Hidden Treasures: Book 1 by [Troi, Juliann]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31XLuT2BurL._SY346_.jpg)
China, 1923: In an ancient land battling for its very existence, violence and chaos reign supreme. Amidst the devastating aftermath of a revolution that toppled the divine Imperial system and left the once glorious Empire torn and bleeding, ruthless warlords have claimed dominion. Political intrigue and betrayal are the only rulers now.
In the wrong place at the wrong time, Kathryn Kidwell is captured during an invasion of Canton by the warlord, Cheng Jiong. Recognizing the folly of allowing the only daughter of a powerful American trade lord to be cold-bloodedly murdered, Ty Wang must make an impossible choice: to save Kathryn will cost him his life, but to let her die could mean the death of his beloved homeland.
The Dragon of Hidden Treasures, Book 1 is the first chapter in the electrifying saga of Ty and Kathryn’s desperate struggle to stay alive and stop a war that would blow China to pieces. Bound together by a love as strong as it is forbidden, their efforts could ultimately change the fate of a nation…and destroy them both.
The Misplaced Man
![The Misplaced Man: Who is in charge of his destiny? by [James, Nick]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41M-UCTbIQL._SY346_.jpg)
Sam Blades is not your ordinary twenty-something. He has a girlfriend whose abuse he relishes, a job with company whose name could and should be attributed to that of a lingerie label, and an almost absurd fixation with The Matrix. Sam is, on the other hand, a curiosity to more than one person of interest. His job with Shimmering Dreams has made him a target, and poor Sam is none the wiser. Shimmering Dreams capitalizes on the technology that makes it possible to download one’s dreams and store them on mobile devices. Sam, caught in the middle of the “greatest invention its age” and the conspiracy surrounding its misuse, is about to meet face to face with those who want him out of the picture once and for all.
The Misplaced Man by Nick James is a short story/novella centering around Sam Blades, a young man newly-employed and eager to please his beyond demanding girlfriend, Bunny. Nick James is a master at humor, and his main character is his chosen vessel. Not meant entirely as a work of comedy, James provides several laugh-out-loud moments as Sam struggles in his day-to-day life with Bunny. It is rare for me to find the written word comical enough to emit an audible guffaw, but James definitely delivers. Sam’s personality more than makes the book; he is a memorable character in his own right and is well-developed in first-person accounts.
James’s choice to alternate chapters with varying first-person accounts is quite effective. The story, though brief, is packed full of descriptive and revealing scenarios which serve well to differentiate each character. As the reader, I was easily able to discern which character was taking his turn at bat without having to rely on the chapter title–James is just that good at character development.
It is worth noting that The Misplaced Man is a combination of realistic fiction and science fiction but leans heavily on the realistic fiction element. The book is much more about each character’s own personal conflicts than the underlying component of groundbreaking technology. As interesting as the concept of capturing dreams is, it is explored and detailed much less than some science fiction fans will likely expect.
Sam Blades is ruthlessly humorous and has the makings of a fantastic central character for his ensuing series. I recommend Nick James’s short story to anyone looking for a quick science fiction piece with strong characters laced with humor.
Pages: 155 | ASIN: B07K3Q6QRD
LITERARY TITAN 