A well-written handbook on a range of topics relevant to New Age spirituality.
Macapinlac presents a guidebook to realizing one’s connection to the universe.
Since the 1600s, the Latin term vade mecum (literally, “go with me”) has referred to “a guidebook that you physically carry with you, often in a deep pocket, for reference.” It’s an obscure term that rarely enters into 21st-century conversations. Sixteen years ago, however, the term seemed to haunt the author and her best friend, Anne—the two had long shared their mutual experiences with the paranormal. Macapinlac first discovered the word when Anne described a dream she had in which a man reached out to her with a symbol on his palm while saying “vade mecum.” Months later, Anne came across a homeless man who “was mostly muttering nonsense” and asked her if she knew what vade mecum meant. The term would soon thereafter appear in Macapinlac’s inbox as the “Word of the Day.” The author began to see “patterns connecting my stories,” believing them to be the universe’s directive for her to follow a new, divine path in her life. In recent years, the author has become a reiki master, intuitive guide, and energy and sound healer (indeed, in addition to retelling her and Anne’s experiences with vade mecum, this text doubles as a guidebook for readers looking to break free of the “mundane routines” that shape their daily lives). Blending elements of memoir, self-help, and New Age spirituality, this book offers readers insights on topics that range from interpreting dreams and synchronicity to divination and energy healing. The book’s background on topics like clairvoyance and clairempathy (the ability to experience other’s emotions as your own) come from both the author’s firsthand experiences as well as a decade of research. For believers in Macapinlac’s New Age brand of spirituality, this is an ideal primer that succinctly covers a wide breadth of topics in fewer than 200 pages. For skeptics, the book offers a solid introduction to dozens of intriguing topics without proselytizing.
A well-written handbook on a range of topics relevant to New Age spirituality.Pub Date: March 24, 2021
ISBN: 9781982263706
Page Count: 204
Publisher: BalboaPress
Review Posted Online: Aug. 28, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.
The veteran actor, comedian, and banjo player teams up with the acclaimed illustrator to create a unique book of cartoons that communicates their personalities.
Martin, also a prolific author, has always been intrigued by the cartoons strewn throughout the pages of the New Yorker. So when he was presented with the opportunity to work with Bliss, who has been a staff cartoonist at the magazine since 1997, he seized the moment. “The idea of a one-panel image with or without a caption mystified me,” he writes. “I felt like, yeah, sometimes I’m funny, but there are these other weird freaks who are actually funny.” Once the duo agreed to work together, they established their creative process, which consisted of working forward and backward: “Forwards was me conceiving of several cartoon images and captions, and Harry would select his favorites; backwards was Harry sending me sketched or fully drawn cartoons for dialogue or banners.” Sometimes, he writes, “the perfect joke occurs two seconds before deadline.” There are several cartoons depicting this method, including a humorous multipanel piece highlighting their first meeting called “They Meet,” in which Martin thinks to himself, “He’ll never be able to translate my delicate and finely honed droll notions.” In the next panel, Bliss thinks, “I’m sure he won’t understand that the comic art form is way more subtle than his blunt-force humor.” The team collaborated for a year and created 150 cartoons featuring an array of topics, “from dogs and cats to outer space and art museums.” A witty creation of a bovine family sitting down to a gourmet meal and one of Dumbo getting his comeuppance highlight the duo’s comedic talent. What also makes this project successful is the team’s keen understanding of human behavior as viewed through their unconventional comedic minds.
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-26289-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
