A novel theory diminished by the author’s circumventing its blueprint.
Death is inevitable for all and disquieting for some. In this debut code book, Adams admits to being in the latter camp while exploring his evolution from obsessing over—as he calls it—Mr. Death to developing a system for predicting and maximizing life span.
The catalyst behind Adams’ eschatological theories was the unexpected, sudden death of a strong, healthy 48-year-old friend named Mujiman, whose dates of birth and death Adams analyzed until he reached his findings. “Those in the know,” he says, “such as the various world organizations and every world government involved in population management, already have plenty of statistics to support the Mu-ji-Man theory.” Every birthdate, Adams contends, is encoded with an expected death date, total lifetime heartbeats and related information “imprinted onto the heart at birth.” As support, he offers data for some two dozen famous individuals (e.g., Whitney Houston), including the actual and encoded death age, brief biographical information, and exhortations to the reader to study the dates and crack the code. Those who outlived their expected death age support Adams’ contention that it is possible to delay Mr. Death, for which he counsels treating the heart with the same type of care and maintenance a car engine requires. He does not, however, reveal the actual formula for prying encoded information out of a birthdate—an omission he acknowledges without explanation beyond “for various reasons.” (The book ends with the disclosure that more information is available for a fee.) For many readers, this curious elision will disrupt confidence in the data’s validity. A sample calculation or even a hint beyond “numerology methods” would be helpful. Similarly, key puzzle pieces are missing from two of his other ideas, the Mu-ji-Man Clock (for pinpointing where a person is in his or her life span) and the Mu-ji-Man Ruler, a P-shaped chart of supportive behaviors—e.g., healthy eating, no smoking, knowing your family history. Nevertheless, the author’s passion for his discoveries is palpable, and his goals are laudable, as he envisions responsibly treating vital organs from an early age in order to safeguard health.
A novel theory diminished by the author’s circumventing its blueprint.Pub Date: July 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1482778656
Page Count: 88
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An intriguing approach to identifying and relating to one’s emotions.
An analysis of our emotions and the skills required to understand them.
We all have emotions, but how many of us have the vocabulary to accurately describe our experiences or to understand how our emotions affect the way we act? In this guide to help readers with their emotions, Brackett, the founding director of Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, presents a five-step method he calls R.U.L.E.R.: We need to recognize our emotions, understand what has caused them, be able to label them with precise terms and descriptions, know how to safely and effectively express them, and be able to regulate them in productive ways. The author walks readers through each step and provides an intriguing tool to use to help identify a specific emotion. Brackett introduces a four-square grid called a Mood Meter, which allows one to define where an emotion falls based on pleasantness and energy. He also uses four colors for each quadrant: yellow for high pleasantness and high energy, red for low pleasantness and high energy, green for high pleasantness and low energy, and blue for low pleasantness and low energy. The idea is to identify where an emotion lies in this grid in order to put the R.U.L.E.R. method to good use. The author’s research is wide-ranging, and his interweaving of his personal story with the data helps make the book less academic and more accessible to general readers. It’s particularly useful for parents and teachers who want to help children learn to handle difficult emotions so that they can thrive rather than be overwhelmed by them. The author’s system will also find use in the workplace. “Emotions are the most powerful force inside the workplace—as they are in every human endeavor,” writes Brackett. “They influence everything from leadership effectiveness to building and maintaining complex relationships, from innovation to customer relations.”
An intriguing approach to identifying and relating to one’s emotions.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-21284-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after...
Self-help advice and personal reflections on avoiding spousal fights while raising children.
Before her daughter was born, bestselling author Dunn (Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?: And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask, 2009, etc.) enjoyed steady work and a happy marriage. However, once she became a mother, there never seemed to be enough time, sleep, and especially help from her husband. Little irritations became monumental obstacles between them, which led to major battles. Consequently, they turned to expensive couples' therapy to help them regain some peace in life. In a combination of memoir and advice that can be found in most couples' therapy self-help books, Dunn provides an inside look at her own vexing issues and the solutions she and her husband used to prevent them from appearing in divorce court. They struggled with age-old battles fought between men and women—e.g., frequency of sex, who does more housework, who should get up with the child in the middle of the night, why women need to have a clean house, why men need more alone time, and many more. What Dunn learned via therapy, talks with other parents, and research was that there is no perfect solution to the many dynamics that surface once couples become parents. But by using time-tested techniques, she and her husband learned to listen, show empathy, and adjust so that their former status as a happy couple could safely and peacefully morph into a happy family. Readers familiar with Dunn's honest and humorous writing will appreciate the behind-the-scenes look at her own semi-messy family life, and those who need guidance through the rough spots can glean advice while being entertained—all without spending lots of money on couples’ therapy.
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after the birth of their child.Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-26710-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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