There is a warmth and an affirmative coaching quality to this book, but it isn’t only about urging you on. There are also some useful suggestions and exercises designed to help you work through your fears, and find out exactly what you need to write. There are exercises for overcoming block, even when it seems overwhelming, ways of coping with distraction and transition, and ideas you can use to deepen your characters, enrich your settings, and extend your plot.
Category: Book Reviews
Book Reviews
A review of Standing at the Water’s Edge by Anne Paris
Standing at Water’s Edge provides a deep psychological understanding of what is required, and how we can allow ourselves deeper immersion into the world of our art, regardless of what kind of art we practice. The end result will be not only more powerful art, but a better sense of who we are and how to overcome the many fears that block our creative impulses in all aspects of our lives.
A review of Ivan: from Adriatic to Pacific by Coral Petkovich
Without that inner life coming to the fore, without more psychological depth, he comes across as self-centred, bullying, and insufferably sexist. The author hints at these problems, but she needs to have explored them more deeply to bring out the special character of Ivan that drove her to write this book.
A review of Are You Famous? Touring America With Alaska’s Fiddling Poet by Ken Waldman
The reader can’t help liking the author for his honesty. He is unashamed to admit to occasional physical or mental breakdowns, and his efforts to maintain a positive attitude in the face of an indifferent public and the even more indifferent (and occasionally vicious) publishing and music industries is laudable.
A review of Essence of Health by Dr Craig Hassed
Overall, the need for this kind of educational program for the medical profession is becoming increasingly critical as the population continues to age. It’s obvious that the nature of our conditions are interlinked, and treating problems in isolation, or through the dispensing of a single pill, is not going to help improve our overall well-being.
A review of The Sea Lady by Margaret Drabble
This is a masterly display of passion gone wrong performed by a novelist who has here written, as she has sometimes in other works failed to do, a work of sustained interest and vitality. Those acquainted with her other works will want to read this book. Readers who have not yet read any of Drabble’s books, will find this one a good one with which to begin.
A review of Nectar of the Gods by Gwen C. Watkins
Essentially, mind, Watkins gives us a grand feat of storytelling; and after a ride that takes in plenty of diverting incident, myriad twists and turns, and a denouement deftly concealed, we are left with an open-ended ending.
A review of Something to Tell You by Hanif Kureishi
It’s easy to imagine that Kureishi’s intent here was to provide a sense of the era, and the immediate colour that these characters conjure, but instead these dropped-in names turns the book into a compendium of the times and detracts from both the character development and the fictive dream.
A review of The Health Cookbook by the Australian Women’s Weekly
I really liked the smaller 20cm size of this book, which makes it easier to work with than a large size book, but it’s still large enough to make a nice gift book and present a great accompanying image for each recipe. It isn’t all savoury either. There are delicious desserts that are healthy enough for a main course, like the berry-muesli baked apples, or the homemade lime, grapefruit or blood orange sorbet.
A review of How to Write Your Book (Guaranteed!) by Thomas A. Williams
Although it might not be for everyone; and there’s a fair amount of paper manipulation and fiddle, Williams’ system is one that will work in turning a good idea into a well constructed, pleasing book. The systematic approach makes the most of each person’s individual creativity, and even the little tips on writing are unique and clever in their approach. For anyone who struggles with large writing projects, this is an empowering, fun, and innovative process.