I first learned about creation in school, as part of a class in religion. In the story, God created the world in 6 days, then he rested on the 7th day. I learned about evolution after grade school. I started looking at thing through the eyes of science and technology, and Darwin’s theory of Evolution…
The Man, Over There
He tapped on the screen of the Nest thermostat. The temperature read 74 degrees, just as he expected. As he turns to leave, his wife suddenly ran up to him from the kitchen. “There’s a man over there!” she screams, pointing in the direction from where she came. He turned to console his wife. And there,…
change of heart
By Jodi Picoult590 pages, excluding reading guide paperback edition (2017). Published by SimonandShusterISBN: 978-1-5011-0243-1 About the Author Review and Evaluation Jodi Picoult is an America writer who has authored over 26 novels and short stories, many of which are in print worldwide and translated into 34 languages. That is per Wikipedia. I do not have…
Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step
By Edward de Bono300 page paperback reissued edition (2015). Published by HARPER PERRENIALISBN: 978-0-06-090325-1 I recently visited my parents in the Philippines. The year was 2020, and this was just at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. We were talking in their living room, my Dad pointed out a book by Edward de de Bono…
Developing Story Ideas
Developing Story Ideas: The Power and Purpose of Story Telling 3rd EditionBy Michael Rabiger288 pages printed in paperback. ISBN 978-1-138-95623-0Published by: Focal Press I was drawn to this book by the prospect of learning how to develop story ideas. It seemed like an excellent complement to the book I just finished reading “20 Master Plots”….
20 Master Plots and How To Build Them
20 Master Plots and How to Build Them by Ronald B. Tobias279 pages in paperback. Published by Writer’s Digest BOOKS ISBN 978-1-59963-537-8 As a “wanna-be-writer”, getting my hands around the concept of plot has been troublesome. What is a plot? Is it a summary of the story, a description of what the story is? How…
Nineteen Minutes
By Jodi Picoult455 pages printed on paperback, excluding the Readers’ Club Guide. Published by Washington Square Press. ISBN 978-0-7434-9673-5. All stories start slow. And Nineteen Minutes is no exception. I picked up this book from my daughter; she loves the author’s books. I was hesitant because the cover screamed “Female teen/tween romantic book”. But then, why…
The Poisonwood Bible
By Barbara Kingsolver 564 paperback published by HARPERPERRENIAL ISBN 978-0-06-078650-2 My daughter has had a copy of The Poisonwood Bible since highschool, and I have never taken the time to even open it. On first glance, and reading the summary, this was not a book I would normally consider reading. My curiosity was picked when I…
THE DIABETES CODE
By Dr Jason Fung Paperback, 265 pages including 41 pages of endnotes. ISBN 978-1-77164-265-1 The author of The Diabetes Code, Dr. Jason Fung is a Nephrologist, Author and a leading expert in using intermittent fasting and low carb to treat obesity and type-2 diabetes. In this book, Dr. Fung makes an easy-to-understand argument why current…
Table Topics Ideas
What is Table Topics? A typical Toastmaster club meeting can be broken into two sections. The prepared speech where a member goes through a series of planned speeches. Then there is the Table Topics section. In the Table Topics section, each club member, and guests, volunteer and give a 1-2 minute impromptu speech. This is where…