A Fool’s Guide to Actual Happiness by Mark Van Buren

A Fool’s Guide to Actual Happiness by Mark Van Buren was a quick, humourous read about mindfulness, meditation, and the benefits of cultivating one’s own practise. I liked the message that who you are now, and where you are now on the path of life is just fine. That there’s nothing wrong with wanting to continue to grow and improve, so long as you realise you are not bad or broken as you are. Much of the information was familiar to me, though I never mind getting refreshers. It keeps the info nearer the forefront of my mind, and that keeps me working more diligently on it. The concept of shenpa was new to me and I ended up getting Pema Chodron’s audiobook that was mentioned. I also liked the emphasis in not taking oneself seriously. To cultivate laughter instead of anger when things don’t go as planned. Overall great introduction! Highly recommended!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Wisdom Publications for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

Lost and Found by Betina Kerstin

Hauntingly beautiful juxtaposition between the black & white photos and short poems about life, loss, and finding oneself. I enjoyed both the photos, and the poems equally. I didn’t really feel a connection between a photo and its poem, though. Equal, yet very different. The poems were all free verse poems, one or two stanzas. Overall, a lovely collection. Perfect as a coffee table book, or for poetry lovers.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Matador for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

Radiant by Traer Scott

Radiant by Traer Scott is a gorgeous collection of photos depicting a variety of livestock breeds, showcased in examples from numerous animal sanctuaries. Along with each picture is a small blurb with facts about the individual animal shown, and the breed itself. In addition to cows, sheep, and chickens, there are goats, turkeys, llama and alpaca, and even a peafowl, a water buffalo, and a yak. I admit, I was surprised to see donkeys, but no horses, though you could make a beautiful photo collection just from horses! I grew up on a horse farm, so I’m partial to the big creatures. As Scott makes a case for, farm animals have every bit the personality that cats, dogs, and other pets do. Sometimes moreso. This book is perfect for animal lovers, and photo junkies, as well as making a great coffee table piece.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Princeton Architectural Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

Urban Arboreal by Michael Jordan and Kelly Louise Judd

Urban Arboreal by Michael Jordan and Kelly Louise Judd takes a look at the many trees that share our cities and suburbs. Humans need trees. We need them to live. We need them as our connection point to nature. Our ancestors came from the forests. They were our first home, and most people do better for having trees around, even if it’s only on lawns or verges, or sidewalk beds. This little book is a modern compendium of those trees able to flourish in a city environment. Nearly 100 different trees are mentioned. Each tree has an info page and a page of full-colour print plates. It was neat to read about the individual trees, with their interesting facts. The pictures were pretty cool too, and gave the book an old-timey feel. Recommended for urban landscapes, nature lovers, and dendrophiles.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.