The Reader's Journal - The Opposite of Everything by David Kalish Part 2

The Opposite of Everything by author David Kalish, made its debut in March 2014, and DB-R Designs received a copy for review. We chose The Opposite of Everything as our next Reader's Journal book and the first part of this review was written by The Books Magazine, May|June 2014 issue.

The Opposite of Everything, has recently been awarded 1st Place in the Literary Category of the Somerset Awards for Literary & Mainstream Fiction! A great start don't you think?

Picking up where we left off in Daniel Plotnick's radical decision to do the opposite of everything that was natural for him, in David Kalish new book The Opposite of Everything, Plotnick plunged ahead in his decision without restraint or regret.

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Plotnick decided that his life should be lived by his terms. Therefore, going against his very nature as the doting husband, Plotnick changed the locks to his apt and served his wife (of just a year) separation papers. But if that wasn't crazy enough, true to his word Plotnick did the opposite of his opposite! And so, under his wife's encouragement, gained for himself a mutual separation, kept his apartment, and returned to a life of bachelorhood!

The layers of complexity that writer Kalish has created here is worth mentioning. In a two dimensional world, the opposite of light is darkness. In Plotnick's world of negative-positive and ying-yang, the opposites take on their own opposites; thereby creating a three dimensional outlook on the circumstance, where readers can assess the length, breadth, and height of the situation. This dimensional element of the story, gives the reader the freedom to choose whether or not to stand back and survey the circumstance or be engaged in it as Plotnick bounces back and forth between the ying and yang of his decision.

However, one can't help but to be caught up in the story as Plotnick toddles back and forth between decisions as he organize, agonize, and rationalize his thoughts. In this successful yet very subtle approach by author Kalish to bring his readers closer to the main character, readers can feel Plotnick's struggle in that quick flash of decision making. You want to empathize and at the same time you want to pat Plotnick on the back for a job well done!

If you haven't gotten this book as yet, we suggest you get your copy as soon as possible and follow along with us as we read! Don't forget to read PART 1 of this book review in May|June's issue of The Books Magazine .

Connect with author David Kalish on his website: http://www.davidkalishwriter.com/

Happy Reading!

The Reader's Journal - The Opposite of Everything by David Kalish Part 1

The Opposite of Everything  by author David Kalish, made its debut in March 2014, and DB-R Designs received a copy for review. We chose The Opposite of Everything  as our next Reader's Journal book and the first part of the review is written by The Books Magazine, May|June 2014 issue.

Book Description:

When Brooklyn journalist Daniel Plotnick learns he has cancer, his fortunes fall faster than you can say Ten Plagues of Egypt. His wife can't cope, his marriage ends in a showdown with police, and his father accidentally pushes him off the George Washington Bridge.

Plotnick miraculously survives his terrifying plunge, and comes up with a zany plan to turn his life around: by doing the opposite of everything he did before.

In the darkly comedic tradition of Philip Roth and Lorrie Moore comes a new novel from author David Kalish, who draws us into a hilarious, off-kilter world where cancer tears apart relationships...and builds new ones.

Read Part 1 in The Books Magazine

Don't forget to also read our Book Review PART 2 on this blog site!

Happy Reading!

Book Review | Cool Kind Kid Handbook #1

The following book review was originally written for The Books Magazine edition May/June 2014 . This is an updated version with new hyperlinks for purchasing the Cool Kind Kid Handbook 1 and its CD.

While reading through Cool Kind Kid Handbook 1 by creator of "Cool Kind Kid" Barbara Gilmour, we saw an area in the book activity in which an alien from outer space asked "Why are you doing that?". It got us thinking, if aliens were to visit the planet Earth, what would they think of our world today? Would they find a people of a generous nature, with mannerable social skills, caring, respectful, and practicing the Golden Rule with others?

In the Cool Kind Kid Handbook 1, Barbara Gilmour, Sydelle Mason, Ed.D, and Wendy McDermott, Ph.D, help parents and caregivers, eductors and counselors, to effectively assist young children in developing adequate social skills and successfully reject bullying within their peers.

The handbook is an activity book designed to help the parent/instructor introduce social etiquette in a fun way through Q & A exercises and catchy-fun songs and lyrics. The message? It's okay to be a "cool kind kid". The handbook demonstrates various circumstances in which kids can be kind to others - at home, at school, with their neighbors, in their community etc. This book is very practical and down-to-earth, and encourages kids to look for opportunities to be kind.

When we think of the Golden Rule -"do unto others as you would have others do unto you" - we see that it requires action. Just as Love is an action word, not just something you feel; the Golden Rule requires action too for it to be a practical, tangible experience. Cool Kind Kid fully explores the real meaning of this principle, and gives sound practical advice in areas in which the Golden Rule can be applied. The book encourages children to be "cool" at home, at school, at play, in their neighborhood and community. Then it goes into detail, giving parents/instructors/counselors wonderful tips and objectives on accomplishing this task.

One commendable aspect of the book is that it is interactive. Parents/instructors are not just simply regurgitating suggestions from the book; but they are required to ask the kids various questions on topics addressed, and then discuss the answers together. Also, kids and parents are encouraged to put into practice what they have learned from these 'training' sessions within various social settings and environments.

We liked that it wasn't the cookie-cutter format of creating good citizenship, but that the authors explored the avenues that have long gone neglected in our society. The issue of proper manners and respect for others are resounding key factors in the book.

Cool Kind Kid Handbook 1 is a guide book that should be kept by parents and caregivers as an instruction manual and activity book in which adults can refer to from time to time. For example, you may want to choose the objective 'character building' as a project for your kids. Parents are encouraged to read and involve their kids in the corresponding activities for the project. Remember to make it fun! What better way to learn and grow!

The book highlights a lot of role playing. This is important because children learn by emulating what they have seen and heard. For instance, acting out the polite and rude ways of using the magic words is a profound teaching tool that will definitely leave a more lasting impression in the minds of young children.

Cool Kind Kid is timely and appropriate for our society today in which bullying seems to have taken over as the "new norm". The book is refreshing and it reinforces those lessons that sets us high above the animal kingdom and makes us who we are, humans.

Which takes us right back to the beginning of this article. If aliens were to visit our planet, what kind of people would they find? Well, we hope, amongst the harsh realities of our world, they'd find honorable, upright citizens in our children and young adults; after all, they are our future. A future with honest, kind, and honorable citizens, is the kind of future we should all strive for.

For more details view the website: http://www.CoolKindKid.com/

[This book review of Cool Kind Kid, Handbook #1 is written for The Books Magazine - May/June 2014 edition]

The Cool Kind Kid CD (Single)

There are 17 original songs that can be used as teaching tools in providing young children with the proper social skills necessary for our society today. Each song (single), sold separately, costs $0.99 and can be downloaded on a MP3 player. Here are some of the titles:

• Magic Word Mambo
• When the Telephone Rings
• Polite to Me
• Rude Rudy
• The Best Friend I Can Be
• School Rules
• Manners Matter Everywhere

The Reading Journal - entry #7 - Lance's Travels- UK by Lance Leuven

Ever wondered about early UK history of countries such as Britain, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales? Why the Brits named their policemen "Bobbies"; what's the secret behind Stonehenge; or what does an old yew tree has to do with our independence? Find out what Leuven has to say about these things plus Scotland's infamous Loch Ness monster; a meal of Haggis (made from sheep pluck - heart, liver and lungs); the elusive red squirrel, and how tea became fashionable in Britain; all this in Leaven's new book Lance's Travels - UK .

Leuven delves into the history of the United Kingdom as he tours and journals his findings in his new guide book. DBR Books had the privelege to blog our review about the book, and we rather enjoyed the experience. We especially liked Leaven's witty style of writing, which has the tendency to pull the reader in for a richer reading experience. We also liked the seamless way in which Leuven moved from one historical site to another without the reader feeling bombarded with details. The book is overflowing with with a lot of historical data and readers learn several interesting facts while it makes for a good read.

This is our final blog entry on this book, and we'd like to say "Thank You" to Lance Leuven for making his book available for our blog. We hope that through our blogging, you have been inspired to take a trip to the UK this spring or summer, and make sure you take along a copy of Lance's Travels - UK with you!

In the following excerpt, we find that Leuven's words evoke inspiration and peek the curiosity to want to experience the world around us:

"I learnt and witnessed so much. I moved from standing in awe at ancient wonders like Stonehenge, to discovering modern ideas like Robert Owen's respect for workers...I'd been awed by the beauty of Scotland, touched by the friendliness of the Nothern Irish, impressed by the pride of the Welsh, and fascinated by the history of England."

Leuven implores us to "...switch off the TV, get off the sofa and do something..."; we say, "...and go exploring!"

Happy Reading!

The Reading Journal - entry #6 - Lance's Travels - UK by Lance Leuven

In our last entry of The Reading Journal, we introduced Lance Leuven's new book, Lance's Travels - UK. Our read so far took us on an adventurous journey through the villages of the United Kingdom, and offered wonderful, intriguing historical accounts for each region visited. As we said before, Leuven's guide books are unique, as they not only retell history but interweave in them tid-bits of the author's personal encounters as well.

Did you know that a large ancient yew tree called the Ankerwycke Yew in the meadows of Runnymede, 20 miles west of central London, which sits opposite on the bank of the River Thames bore witness to the signing of the Magna Carter in June 1215? (wikipedia.org). A document that helped shape American history and that was important in the forming of the constitution was not formulated in an office or courtroom as one would expect, but instead in a meadow by the River Thames!  This document was important because England's legal system became the model under which many countries developed their own.

Does the tree have any particular significance? Although the tree may be of little importance, Leuven, nevertheless went looking for it, and found that ironically, it was under this same tree that King Henry VIII and his lover Anne Boleyn later had their love rendezvous in the 1530s! If we were writing a novel, the irony here would probably be the starting point of the novel, to show how kings sometimes easily bend and sway under their own selfish desires, which is the very reason why laws are put into effect, to protect the people and the kingdom. The tree bore witness to both incidents in history. To do away with monarch absolutism, barons ordered one unscrupulous monarch (King John) to sign the constitution into effect. He signed to protect his greedy interest - his crown; while centuries later, the other (King Henry VIII) overshadowed the constitution and its significance in his drive to have what was otherwise forbidden.

Nevertheless, these periods in history were significant and helped to shape the legal system under which England is now governed. As a result of the signing of the constitution and the break away from Rome, England's constitutional monarchy was firmly established, and royal absolutism became a thing of the past for the country and her colonies.

In reading Lance's Travels - UK, we paused several times to ponder about earth's landscapes. In the countless generations that existed before ours, many dramatical events have unfolded within the same landscapes. While we're forging and embarking on our own history, many have created their own in the same place! Quite a sobering thought when you think of how many feet and good/bad intentions have paved the same pathway thoughout history. If we were to line up the generations that had tread that path, each person's historical encounter with that tree would tell a different story! Afterall, isn't that what history is all about?

Happy Reading!

The Reading Journal - entry #5 - Lance's Travels - UK by Lance Leuven

Our 2nd book for the Reading Journal is Lance's Travels - UK by Lance Leuven. DBR Books reviewed Lance's previous book Lance's Travels Does Cornwall, and we found the book to be an interesting mix of history and travel guide commentary, thanks to Leuven's witty storytelling abilities.

In his second book, Lance's Travels - UK, the author takes the reader on an adventurous journey, mixing in his own travel experience and historical data done through detailed retelling, with lots of imagination and a bit of speculation. The way in which historical facts are delivered in the book, produce for the reader special "what ifs" moments, which caused us to pause and ponder on a bit of history and speculate "what if history had gone an entirely different way, what then?" Leuven gets the reader involved and intrigued, and one can't help but be absorbed in the natural way in which Leuven retells history. This is a good thing because readers will want to visit; to be in the place where such grand history took place, and experience (even if it's just in imagination) that piece of history that Leuven has recreated for us!

Leuven's guide books are not the typical, but they are a more detailed, personal journal-like type of guide which take into account the writer's experience, and give a little bit of theatrical drama (both his and history's) along with it! For example, going into the history of the Crown and the fights and battles that ensued to gain control of the Crown and all the provinces and territories that comes with it, is pretty detailed oriented but the tasteful way in which Leuven embarked on this endeavor makes it an adventure for him as well as the reader. Therefore, you could tell that the author totally enjoyed his visit to the town of Battle, (in which the Battle of Hastings took place); his very descriptive, engrossing tale gave it all away!

If you love history and travel, then you'll love reading Lance's Travels - UK by Lance Leuven. We're just about to delve into chapter 3 and we look forward to hearing from you as you travel the UK with us through the eyes and imagination of Lance Leuven, our author and travel guide!

This article can also be seen in this month's issue of The Books Magazine .

Happy Reading!

Reading Journal - entry #4 - The Power to Transform by Chris Majer

This is our final journal entry for the book The Power to Transform by Chris Majer. We must say that Chris Majer took us on an inspiring journey of self-discovery, and reform. According to Majer, upon reading this book and performing all the necessary assignments required, a reformation takes place. This reformation takes place by reformed thinking, which is put into practice, and the outcome is a reformed lifestyle!

Don't get us wrong - it doesn't of course happen overnight. But one could see changes, even in the way you view things, after reading and engaging in the exercises set out in the book. The book awakens in the reader a desire for better, and through practical advice, Majer takes the reader through a series of uplifting and self awareness exercises. These practical steps become the building blocks and foundation to a better you. However, in order to get there, Majer suggests that one should learn to observe oneself. Cultivating awareness of self and your surroundings and how you affect others, is "a lifelong journey" that will "deepen your capacity to [truly] see yourself."

Majer's book, The Power to Transform, takes the reader through several key factors that are imperative for real change. The book brings about honest, authentic, soul-searching discoveries, and motivates the reader to perform beyond his/her comfort zone. Are you a victim or a victor in life's circumstances? Are you committed to excellence or satisfied to perform in your comfort zone? Are you exercising your power of choice or are you using the shadow of fear as an excuse? Majer's book helps you to honestly look within yourself to see who you truly are, and to help shape the new you.

We must say, that although the book is really a 90 day read, we would encourage readers to reread the book to fully get the gist of what it really means to transform your life from the inside out! And don't forget to put into practice what you've learned!

Exciting, adventuresome, motivating, and inspiring, The Power to Transform by Chris Majer is a must read for everyone and anyone who is truly looking to take your future off default and instead choose to reinvent it.

Connect with the author on his website here.

Happy Reading!