Blog Archives
A Fresh Look At Living Forever
A Fresh Look At Living Forever by Donald L. Thomas is a book he put together after decades of restless research, first and foremost, to give himself answers to some of the world’s most asked and never answered questions.
Thomas was a college student when he was faced with Darwin’s theory of evolution; this led him to his decades-long quest to answer the biggest question out there: Are we here by chance or by plan? In other terms, are we here thanks to billions of years of evolution, or were we created by a creator? Thomas mentions that the probability of life existing merely by chance is 1. A planet with water, just the right amount away from the sun, with oxygen, and simple organisms that have evolved into what they are today. How does nature know that we need a nose to breathe or eyes to see? How does nature know that feet are for walking and fins are for swimming? These are just a few of the questions Thomas asks.
A huge focus in this book is indeed God or a Creator, whatever that might be for the reader. Thomas does not hide that he was raised in a religious family, which impacted him and his beliefs. He also mentions that we believe in the existence of God primarily because we believe our existence has a purpose and that he has found that many people will believe in their religion no matter what.
What I really appreciate about this book as a reader is that even though the author clearly has a viewpoint that he firmly believes in, he does not in any way say anything that would dismiss other people’s beliefs. Rather it is about if we are here thanks to evolution or a creator. Furthermore, he mentions different religions and historical figures such as Jesus, Moises, and Mohamed, official religious texts, and more to support his theory.
In addition to that, even though the book tackles subjects that are extremely abstract and muddled in day-to-day life, the tone in which it is written is remarkably friendly and luring. As a result, you will find yourself reading and feeling like you are having an intense and meaningful chat with a friend.
The great thing about A Fresh Look At Living Forever is that it doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with the author’s beliefs. They are presented in a manner that is nonconfrontational and will leave the reader with much to think about. It is really interesting to read about all of these topics and see these questions answered and backed up by science and history. I recommend this book to any curious soul out there who has a few hours to spare for a genuinely good book.
Pages: 102 | ISBN : 1949813231
A Climate Think Tank
Plan to Save the Planet explains to readers how we can resolve climate change at the lowest cost and in a way that is politically feasible to save the planet. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I am the director of a climate think tank, and this book summarizes our research.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
This book summarizes 3 years of research. I managed and sponsored 25 university researchers to help produce this material.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about decarbonization?
People, cities, states and companies rarely have the physical ability to decarbonize at lowest cost. For that, one needs power companies to build more solar farms and more wind farms.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
Little progress will be made unless federal law requires decarbonization at lowest cost.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
The easiest solution is a federal law that requires decarbonization at the lowest cost over 30 years, with additional costs passed onto consumers. If applied to the U.S., this would cost each American $20 in year #1, $40 in year #2, $60 in year #3, etc.
The world’s current economic decarbonization strategy is to encourage individuals, companies, cities, and regions to reduce CO2 emissions. However, they rarely have the physical ability to do so at the lowest cost. Instead, we should task power companies with decarbonizing at massive scales and at the lowest cost.
Decarbonization policy in the U.S. is controlled by a political coalition of environmentalists, labor unions, and the automobile industry. Unfortunately, labor and auto must focus on their own financial interests, and not getting to zero at the lowest cost. To do the latter, one would need a political coalition that benefits. For example, regions that import carbon-based fuels benefit from lowest-cost decarbonization in two ways: (a) they gain local green jobs while carbon jobs are lost elsewhere, and (b) they save money when decarbonization causes fuel price to drop, due to less fuel consumption.
The cherry on top of our climate solutions sundae is a new R&D laboratory that further reduces decarbonization costs.
To read the first 4 chapters for free, or watch a 10 minute TED talk that summarizes the book, visit APlanToSaveThePlanet.org
The Vanishing Glaciers of Patagonia
In The Vanishing Glaciers of Patagonia, Martin Sessions takes us on an expedition where the reader gets to appreciate nature and learn about geography in the most intriguing way. The book is about Glacier San Quintin, the largest glacier of the north Patagonian icefield on the west coast of Chilean Patagonia. With maps and illustrations, Martin Sessions takes the reader on a tour of South America and other parts of the world. When writing about technical, geographical terms, Martin Sessions knew how to make the complex terms and phrases understood by the average reader. The amazing information in this educational book will make you appreciate what the universe offers, be conscious about issues like climate change and different topographies, and be aware of the environment you live in.
When discussing a particular adventure, the author makes the reader feel like they are part of the journey. Each tale the author shares is outstandingly written and makes one wish they are part of the adventure. I like that the author makes the stories attention-grabbing even when writing about tragedies. One can feel the somber mood and still be interested in whatever the author is writing about. The author’s intention in The Vanishing Glaciers of Patagonia is to virtually transport you to different parts of the world as he shares his and other explorers’ experiences while also giving lessons on climate change.
Reading about the explorers, their stories, and their adventures gives one a different perspective. There are also tons of lessons for the reader, one of the primary beings how to plan for a trip and deal with unexpected obstacles. I enjoyed the stories in every chapter and especially loved reading about the San Tadeo Glacier. The narration is flawless, and the explorations, though sometimes a tad risky, were something any daring soul would want to try. I also learned that you cannot fight with nature, and despite man thinking that he is always in control, nature can humble you. I could picture the locations and scenes even when there were no photos.
The Vanishing Glaciers of Patagonia is an excellent read for those that enjoy books about nature and explorations. The wording, phrases used by the author, and overall mood in the book are inspiring. In addition, the stories shared, the tips found between the pages, and the excellent narration make me rate the book 5 out of 5 stars.
Pages: 288 | ISBN : 1922792314
Nature Is Amazing
Our Trees: Botanics, Beliefs, & More is a fun and creative book for families to learn together about the many uses and the history of different trees. What was the inspiration for writing this book?
I love nature, hence my book Naytre Boy, and with Julie here in Scotland with me I just had to share all the different trees. As does all our conversations, this led us down a rabbit hole of research and adventure.
Julie just loved the Ogham alphabet and I loved the connection and the ancient knowledge associated with the trees. This became the foundation of Our Trees: Botanics, Beliefs, & More.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
Yes, the plethora of information surrounding these sacred trees in Celtic culture was amazing. We had to find a way to include all of this information in a clear and friendly manner. I took as many photographs as I could and Julie wove the information and images on each page.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
Nature is amazing. The knowledge our ancestors had of each tree, their properties, and how to best utilise these gifts merits respect.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
We recently published Our Planets: Moons, Myths & More as part of Our Education Series and for Halloween, we have just published Our Halloween: Mysteries, Monsters & More, Alphabites: The Alphabet One Bite at a Time, and Jaggy Little Babies. All three were so much fun to create and we are loving watching them climb the Amazon charts. As for current projects, we have many, but our next releases will for the holiday gift season and include a sequel to Honey: Words to Heal & Mend, entitled Nectar: Words Of Self Love & Care which follows in the Kintsugi tradition. Additionally, and this is the first time anyone has heard this, we are releasing a children’s inspirational book entitled With Love, the Universe this book is full of affirmations for authenticity.
Author Links Julie: Website | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube
Author Links Derek: Website | Twitter | TikTok
Our Trees takes you on a botanical exploration of various trees and their symbolic meanings. Each page fills you with the knowledge that past generations knew–what each tree symbolized, their medicinal properties, and many other uses for each.
Your children will love the games included inside, from a board game to a word search and even a puzzle. Our trees is a family-friendly book that will entertain and inform everyone who reads it.
You will adore the short story at the end of this book—“Why Trees Lose Their Leaves” is a heartwarming tale of bravery and selflessness. It is a perfect story for all, especially children.
Blink, Blink, Blink in Sync: Silent Fireworks
A little girl goes on an adventure with her parents but finds the wait long and tedious. She gets antsy waiting in line and having to use her inside voice even though they are outside. Soon it starts getting dark, and she does not like this one bit. After a few minutes, though, something extraordinary and spectacular starts to happen! Small flashes of light show up. It doesn’t take long before all around there are thousands of lights flashing all together around them. These magical lights are fireflies, a unique firefly species that all light up together.
Blink, Blink, Blink in Sync: Silent Fireworks, written by Sharon CassanoLochman and illustrated by Pearly Lim, is a beautiful picture book that teaches children about fireflies. It is more than just a cute story about a little girl seeing the display of lights. There is an explanation of how fireflies are beetles and how their wings work, information on how many species of fireflies there are, and how only a few can blink in sync like the ones in this story. This educational book continues with a map of where to find fireflies, their lifecycle, and an easy-to-understand explanation of how they blink and light up their lanterns. The end of the book includes how to make your own backyard a friendly place for fireflies.
The illustrations are whimsical and inviting. Lim does a fantastic job capturing the magical feel of the firefly and showing the glow in the darkness as inviting and not something for children to be afraid of. Lim’s detail for the science portion of the book is well done and makes it easy for children to identify the parts of a lightning bug.
As someone that is in awe of these interesting bugs and has watched them for years, I never knew there was a species that would make all light in sync. I found this book as an adult to be highly informative and can see it making a great reading book for elementary students. This is an excellent addition for anyone that loves fireflies and early education science.
Pages: 48 | ASIN : B0B288K9GF
A Misunderstood and Misrepresented Mushroom
What was the idea, or spark, that first set off the need to write Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology, & Exploration?
There were really two sparks that gave life to this book. The first spark was to produce the book that I had always wanted. When I first developed an interest in this mushroom as a teenager there was very little written about the mushroom that was accessible and the articles and books that were available were frequently vague on a number of important points. I had always wished I could find something that was comprehensive and that could provide a solid background on the history, pharmacology, and mythology surrounding this mushroom. The second spark was the realization that in the decades since I first developed an interest in the Fly Agaric there remained an incredible vacuum in the literature on this mushroom. Thus, the goal of producing the book was to simultaneously fill this vacuum and to produce the book that I had always wanted.
What was the collaboration process like with so many people contributing to this book?
The collaboration aspect was one of the thrilling elements of putting this book together. There were challenges in selecting and contacting the authors and researchers that I wanted to participate but I couldn’t be happier with the selection of individuals who agreed to contribute to this book. Some of the contributors had previously published their work elsewhere, but many of these pieces had been out of print for years or decades and were difficult for readers to find. This provided an opportunity to re-introduce readers to some very interesting literature on this mushroom. It was also great to work with authors on new works, to discuss topics, and lay-outs, and to take a more active editorial role. There were also several chapters that I co-authored, and I feel honored to have had the opportunity to work with each of these individuals as a collaborator.
What is one thing about Fly Agaric that you think is misrepresented in the media?
One thing the media is frequently guilty of is using images of the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) in articles about Psilocybe mushrooms, frequently referred to as “magic” mushrooms. While the Fly Agaric is also psychoactive it is quite distinct from Psilocybe mushrooms, both in its appearance and in its pharmacology. There is potential for this misrepresentation to lead to confusion among readers, which could lead to unforeseen and potentially harmful consequences.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
There are no books currently in the works though I am presently working on several research articles related to the Fly Agaric, which will likely be published within the next two years.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
How to recognize and identify over a dozen types of psychoactive Amanita species, subspecies, and varieties occurring in North America, and how to distinguish them from look-alikes.What psychoactive and other active compounds are found in psychoactive Amanitas, and how they affect the mind and body.The differences between the effects and experiences produced by psychoactive Amanitas and psychedelic Psilocybe mushrooms.How the Fly Agaric can be detoxified and safely prepared for the dinner table.The history of medicinal and homeopathic use of the Fly Agaric.How the Fly Agaric can be used topically and internally to treat conditions such as pain, inflammation, insomnia, and anxiety.Theories regarding the historical and religious use of psychoactive Amanitas around the world based on archaeological, folkloric, and other evidence.
Fly Agaric
Fly Agaric is what happens when a bunch of mushroom nerds get together and geek out about their favorite fungus- the Fly Agaric. The result is brilliant. The book is designed to be beginner-friendly. No prior knowledge is needed, because the book covers absolutely everything you would need to know, and Feeney has ensured that all the information in the book is 100% approachable. Something in the book is sure to grab your attention and, before you know it, you’ll be dragged into the weird and wonderful world of Fly Agaric fans.
This comprehensive book is divided into five parts, each with a different theme. It begins with a very useful beginner’s guide to mushroom hunting and identification. This section is full of helpful guides and safety information for any fledgling mushroom hunters. The second part is my personal favorite. It is a rundown of appearances of possible allusions to Fly Agaric use in religion, culture, and folklore. This informative book is very well researched, well written, and will likely change how you view some parts of history. Some of the conjecture used in this part is then backed up in part three where Feeney’s experts analyze archaeological evidence. The book then takes another turn in part four, where it becomes a Fly Agaric cookbook. It opens by telling stories of cooking with the mushroom and why doing so is a good idea. Feeney then takes over and tells us everything we need to know about cooking the mushroom. From nutritional information to actual recipes. Finally, the book ends in part five with the science of the Fly Agaric. This section is not too dry and is just as approachable as the rest of the book. The section has everything you could want to know if you wanted to experiment with Fly Agaric yourself.
Fly Agaric is a fantastic tool for anyone that wants to dive into this fascinating topic as it is extensive, thorough, and accessible. This enlightening guide would also make a great coffee table book. You’ll find yourself picking through it, reading the bits you find most interesting until you find you’ve consumed the whole thing. The book is a great read and Feeney and his writers have done an excellent job sharing their passion with the rest of the world.
Pages: 508 | ISBN: 0578714426
LITERARY TITAN 