bookshelf

Discovering the It Factor within You

Name: Discovering the It Factor within You
Author: Leesa Rowland
ISBN: 978-0-578-15629-3

DISCOVERING YOUR CHARISMATIC PERSONALITY

by Leesa Rowland ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2015

An enjoyable, informative self-help book.

bookshelf

Actress and animal activist Rowland explores the nuances of unlocking one’s charisma in order to have a richer, happier, and more fulfilled life.

According to the author, charisma is “an amalgamation of your inherent talents and the passion with which you were born.” In 23 chapters, she covers every aspect of this trait from the spiritual to the sexual to the professional, and also explores the relationship between charisma and karma—separate forces that she says an enlightened being can influence to act in tandem. She warns against the dangers of using charisma for evil, however, citing examples such as Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones, and offers numerous examples of celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, who have used the trait for positive effects. The book is structured well, as it presents the overall concept effortlessly and gradually delves into its nuances. When the author presents details of various energy-related healing and releasing practices, such as reiki, toward the end of the book, it feels like a logical part of a natural narrative sequence. Rowland’s story of her own tragic personal history, including the poisoning of her mother by a deranged lover and the collapse of her own romantic relationships with famous actors, is woven into the book, resulting in an unusual, inspirational tapestry. The author’s highs and lows are perhaps more dramatic than the average reader’s, but their inclusion helps propel her overall message. She shows how her life path has been about confronting tragedies, not avoiding them. By refusing to associate with toxic personalities and pursuing the path that gave her the greatest sense of well-being and purpose, she says, she’s managed to avoid the pitfalls of depression and anxiety.

An enjoyable, informative self-help book.

Pub Date: March 25, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-578-15629-3

Page Count: 242

Publisher: Kismet Publishing

Review Posted Online: July 31, 2015

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

bookshelf

NUTCRACKER

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

bookshelf

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

bookshelf

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

bookshelf

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.