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WHAT'S UP WITH YOUR PUMPKIN?

Name: WHAT'S UP WITH YOUR PUMPKIN?
Author: John L. Dammarell
ISBN: 978-1-973620-23-5

KEYS AND STEPS TO REACHING YOUR DREAMS

by John L. Dammarell ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2018

An optimistic work about success in business and Christian living.

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A book that combines a religious memoir with a self-help guide.

Former pastor Dammarell (Churches Without Walls, 2008), the executive director of the nonprofit Liberty Road Foundation, leads readers through a sequence of inspiring commentaries constructed around the familiar allegory of a seed—in this case, a pumpkin seed—following it through every stage of its development, starting from when “God put that dream seed in your heart, yet you have been reluctant to plant it.” In colorful, anecdotal language, the author stresses the importance of taking that first planting step, noting how many people somehow manage to avoid it—resulting in, for example, businesses, books, inventions, or programs that never come to be. At every stage of cultivation, Dammarell draws on stories from his own life and offers a combination of plainspoken advice and Christian-oriented service, urging readers always to ask “the Jesus ‘Why,’ ” in everyday situations, which he says can help convert “self-focus” into “other-focus.” The book mixes these spiritual directives with sound, basic tips gleaned from the author’s years of running nonprofits; they revolve around staying focused and providing excellent leadership. The book includes some generalities that will be unlikely to be news to any reader, such as “believe in your dream,” “trust in God,” and “set goals.” But there are also passages of clarity and simple wisdom, usually dealing with the concept of personal responsibility: “It’s up to you,” he writes, “to use discretion and discernment in choosing the influencers you will allow to speak into your life.” This uneven mixture sometimes makes it difficult to gauge what the specific, intended audience for this book is. That said, many readers will find some food for thought in these pages.

An optimistic work about success in business and Christian living.

Pub Date: March 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-973620-23-5

Page Count: 108

Publisher: Westbow Press

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2018

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.