The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In my review of The Professor’s Assassin last month I stated that I was eagerly awaiting the release of Pearl’s new novel The Technologists and that from the preview that was included in The Professor’s Assassin it looked like it was going to be one of his best. Well needless to say I was not disappointed. Pearl delivers yet another page turner that had me guessing “who done it” until the very end.

The Technologists is set in Boston 1868 and starts with, of all things, seven shipwrecks. For those who do not know, currently me, my husband and super pup Maverick are on a sailboat sailing around the entire coast line of Florida. It was somewhat eerie to begin the book on a foggy and raining day while sitting on a boat only to discover that Pearl was painting a similar picture in his new novel. Besides the riveting poetic language from sentence number one I was hooked simply because I truly felt the picture being painted around me. But the mysterious disasters did not stop there. As the book progressed more unusual, seemingly hard to explain catastrophes were happening to Boston. The police force was at a loss for answers so they had to make the choice of turning to one of the two colleges in the area, Harvard or the new formed Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They choose to place their faith in the college that was not shocking the city with their “technologies” and sought the help of the professor of science from Harvard. Harvard’s science department unfamiliar and unwilling to accept the new way of looking at the world that was present in MIT was unable to adequately explain what had happened or what would happen next. It looked as though all was loss for Boston until a secret group formed within the walls of MIT began to investigate from the shadows. Quickly the MIT students begin to see how the experimenter was tormenting the city, their only question left was, how would they stop him.

For readers whom this is the first Pearl book you have or will read I must take a sidebar in this review and tell you that if you enjoy it, buy the other three… you will not be disappointed. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Pearl’s novels but I do have favorites. The Last Dickens published in 2009 is my favorite of his works but it has some serious competition with The Technologists. It is not often that I read a mystery and do not pick up on where the author is going long before the culprit is revealed. In Pearl’s latest I suspected many people and was surprised to find out who was really behind it all. For that and Pearl’s attention to detail in his meticulous research I gave The Technologists five stars. Hats off to Pearl for yet another masterpiece.

Novel Moments:

“Throughout his boyhood in a port town, he’d heard so many people spoken of as “lost at sea.” Now it seemed to him the strangest turn of phrase. As long as he was in the water he could not be lost.” (Kindle Location 200)

“Technology is the dignity that man can achieve by bettering himself and his society.” (Kindle Location 892)

“When you stop the mind from inventing, you stop nature.” (Kindle Location 2339)

The Professor's Assassin by Matthew Pearl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Professor’s Assassin by Matthew Pearl is a prequel to his latest novel The Technologists. The regular reader of Pearl will know that he does not disappoint the reader looking for an engaging historical fiction novel. His short story about a professor who is determined to find out the identity of a murderer at the University of Virginia and bring him to justice is no exception. Pearl’s talent for tantalizing the reader with thrilling tales shines through once again. William Barton Rogers (later to be the founder and president of MIT) is the science professor at the University of Virginia and is startled to discover that the riots of campus “volunteers” have turned deadly. Rogers is the first to want justice when one of his colleague’s is slain in the street at the hand of a student and volunteer. With his prodigious knowledge of the area and the help of other students Rogers goes on the hunt for the person responsible so he cannot kill again.

Pearl, as in his novels, creates a character in Rogers that makes the reader want to follow him into the darkest alley to find out who has committed the crime and bring that man to justice. From the first page we, the reader, are captured and cannot leave until the thrilling end.

The short story is riveting and leaves the reader wanting more. The short story also includes sample chapters from Pearl’s upcoming novel, The Technologists, which if the sample is any indication of the rest of the novel is going to be phenomenal. Trust me readers of historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers… you will not be disappointed with The Professor’s Assassin.

Novel Moments:

“William Barton Roger’s eyes tracked the bursts of light in the darkness outside. The other men in the room kept away from the window, as though there was somewhere to hide.” (Kindle Location 33-36).

“Jack would not be so limited forever. Nor would Rogers. More choices would come-they must.” (Kindle Location 944-49)





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Meditation Tools

Meditation
Originally uploaded by rmhealing

The student of meditation may find themselves at times overwhelmed with the various “tools” that are out there designed to guide or assist the student in meditation. I know when I was a beginning student I spent a great deal of time exploring what I thought I needed to “sit” and tried many things to help with my concentration. Now after years of trying out the various meditation tools I have come to a point where I simply need a comfortable place to sit, a recording of a singing bowl and a “zen” alarm to signal the end of my session. However, since that was not always the case I have decided to put together a post detailing some of the common tools out there for meditation and how they are used.

Zafu Meditation Cushion: Since many traditional forms of meditation are done sitting one of the most basic tools a student will need is something to sit on. Commonly you will find people using a Zafu (a little round pillow on which to sit) but there are so many different types of instruments out there designed to make you sit tall yet comfortably for your meditation session. From chairs to stools you will find it all and there is no right or wrong tool. It all depends on what you want to sit on. In truth, while your comfort in sitting is the most important step to begin your practice most likely you could find something around your home that will work. If you have a yoga mat you could sit it on the floor with your back against the wall and find enough comfort for your session. While you should start with this tool, do not worry too much about whether or not you have the “right” sitting setup. It is right if you are comfortable yet erect (in other words no slouching meditators here).

Mala Beads: Mala beads very simply are prayer beads. They are used in many different types of religions (even Catholics use prayer beads, commonly called a rosary). The number of beads and the style of beads will vary (in yoga there are 108 beads) but all are designed to help you concentrate on restating a mantra (for example: gaté, gaté, paragaté, parasamgaté, bodhi svaha). The idea is that you touch each bead on the strand, say your mantra then move on the next bead and repeat. Once you have come full circle on the strand you have completed your meditation.

Zen Gardens: A Zen garden is a small sand garden often with a few rocks and a rake. In order to help focus your attention on only one task you are to rake the garden. I have a small Zen garden and I at times find it useful when I have difficulty entering into my meditation. It is calming and aesthetically pleasing in any room. You can find relatively simple and inexpensive Zen gardens almost anywhere. You can also very easily make your own.

Singing Bowls: If you are a student of meditation or yoga you will find yourself hard-pressed not to have run into a singing bowl sometime in your practice. They are so commonly used in both meditation and yoga classes throughout most of the U.S. Singing bowls are usually of two forms metal or crystal. They come in various sizes that will be tuned for different areas of the body or mind. The sound and the vibration from the bowl are wonderful tools for helping you to enter further into yourself, but you do not necessarily need to have a bowl present in your meditation to enjoy the benefits of their music. There are several good recordings out there of bowls that you can put on your mp3 player and listen to on a personal device or on a stereo in your meditation room. Out of all the tools I have tried and used my recording of singing bowls is the one that I still use daily.

Incense and Aromatherapy: Incense or other forms of aromatherapy are commonly used to create a mood in your meditation room. It is also used cleanse an area. It is used in many cultures and religions. I am not aware of smells being used specifically for concentration purposes but I certainly do not see why one could not use a smell as a concentration tool. You could introduce a smell into your meditation room and begin to find adjectives to describe the experience of the smell until no other thoughts but the smell exist in your mind. If you are a meditation guide I would avoid using smells with students (unless you are familiar with all your students) because there are many who have sensitivity to smells. Many types of incense for example give me a headache and make it difficult for me to concentrate.

Candles: Whether real or LED candles can be an inexpensive and useful concentration tool. They not only help to set a mood in your meditation room but the flame can also be a tool used to meditate on. Candle gazing is common for many beginning meditators. Focusing all your attention on the flickering flame will help you to draw inward sooner and keep your concentration in one place.

Alarms and Timers: Besides your meditation pillow, the alarm or timer you use to end your session is one of the most important tools you will want to always have with you in your meditation sessions. I would highly recommend not using a regular alarm clock. The annoying beeping can be somewhat jarring when coming out of a long meditation. There are many products out there that offer more soothing sounds to end your sessions. Personally I use my cell phone. I have used my favorite Om chant recording and created a ring tone out of it and it is my alarm. Put your cell phone on airplane mode so no incoming calls can interrupt your session and set it for the desired time. The best part about using a cell phone as your meditation alarm is that you will more than likely always have it with you and you can easily change the tone.

The above are just a few things that you may run into when sitting with others in meditation studios or monasteries. All of them are useful, but in the end it is only you that can decide which tools you choose to use. Remember your practice is the most important thing not necessarily what tools you use to meditate.

Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh is a fun light read about Shari Jones. Shari Jones finds herself in a real mess, homeless, broken hearted and unemployed. Unsure that her life will turn around anytime soon her best friend Rita proposes an outrageous scheme that involves Shari posing as Rita in an attempt to get rid of her fiancé whom Rita’s traditional Indian parents have chosen for her. Not seeing anything more promising on the horizon Shari agrees to the scheme and travels to India only to find that nothing goes according to plan and once again she has placed herself in a position where she could very well have her heart broken. Shari has a decision to make, should she risk it all and take the pieces of her new life and begin to put them together or should she play it safe, stay in New York and hope that someday opportunity and love will come her way again.

This book is a quick read and it is fun. There is nothing really substantial about this book. The characters are one dimensional and the relationships are superficial but the book is a page turner, full of laughs, a little bit of shock and ultimately what everyone wants in a good tale of love lost and found again, a happy ending.

What this book really has going for it, besides being fun to read, is a great exploration of Indian food. There is a lot of food in this book and some very rich descriptions of the spicy and the sweet. I enjoy it when books can step outside their primary purpose and give us a little cultural education. How accurate the food accounts are I could not tell you not being all that familiar with Indian food myself, but each one is a delicious little morsel you will savor.

There are also some nice blurbs about the culture in India and Bollywood movies that this reader found interesting. Since a majority of the story takes place in India, we, along with Shari discover its secrets and delights. By the end of this book you will find yourself ordering Indian food and curling up in front of a Bollywood film.

Those who want something fun to read over their holiday vacations will find this a great read. It can be read in just a couple of days and will leave you with happy, satisfied feeling.

Publication Date: December 6, 2011

Note: I was given this book for review. In no way does that fact effect what was written in this review.

Holiday Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection

Holiday Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection by Shannon Stacey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Holiday Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton , HelenKay Dimon, Alison Kent and Angela James (Editor) is a collection of short romance tales all with the theme of Christmas. The first story is “This Time Next Year” is one of a woman who finds herself stranded on the side of the road on the way to visit her grandmother for Christmas. Just at her moment of need a cowboy comes riding to the rescue, pulls her to safety and together they find out just what it means to have someone they love at Christmas.

The second story, “A Rare Gift” is about a man who has no interest in women after a disastrous marriage that is why it takes him by surprise when his ex-wife’s younger sister begins to grow on him during a work project. Now with the holidays approaching he finds himself asking whether or not he can put his trust in love a second time.

The third story, “It’s Not Christmas Without You,” is about a woman who breaks up with her boyfriend in order to accept her dream job in the city. Still in love with her boyfriend she cannot bring herself to go home for Christmas. When her boyfriend, who is also still in love, discovers this he is determined to bring Christmas to her in the city in hopes that after Christmas she will come home with him and resume their love story.

The last story in this romance short story collection is, “Mistletoe and Margaritas.” Two years after losing her husband a woman still finds herself not quite ready to move on. However, she still believes in love and is not surprised when her needs start to manifest themselves in her dreams. What surprises her however are the feelings that she has begun to develop about her best friend, Justin. As it turns out he has always had affection for her and when they find themselves at a holiday party together they are no longer able to conceal their true feelings for one another.

I have to admit there are few times when I rate a romance novel higher than 3 stars. This collection started off with great promise the first short story actually engaged me in it’s story line before moving on to the “romance” part of the novel (read here the lusty love scenes). For short stories they actually did take their time letting their characters fall in love and all of them stuck true to the holiday theme. What made this book dip below the typical 3 stars I will give a romance novel is the graphicness of the love scenes. Call me a prude but I have read many Sandra Brown novels with some pretty intense love scenes that did not make me say, “Well now THAT is just going too far,” this collection made me say that more than once. I am sure there are many readers out there that enjoy those type of love scene but for this reader it bordered on erotic fiction and outside the taste of this reader.

People who enjoy romance novels however will more than likely enjoy this collection, as mentioned earlier the contributors do take their time to develop a story between their characters and many of them are enjoyable page turners, the only real problem with this collection is that according to the taste of this reader some of the love scenes were just a little too much.

Publication Date: December 5, 2011



Note: I was given this book for review. In no way does that fact effect what was written in this review.

Yoga as Music on Elephant Journal

A while ago I wrote about the movements we do in yoga as a form of music that we perform with our bodies. Well I submitted that article to the very popular and totally awesome online yoga and meditation magazine Elephant Journal and it was published! You can read a revised version of my initial post here...

www.elephantjournal.com/2011/12/strum-your-prana-with-the-chord-of-yoga--amanda-perez/

If you are not a member of Elephant Journal yet I encourage you to join. It is a fantastic publication with a wide variety of articles to read, well worth the  money and it's eco-friendly. :)

Happy Reading.
Amanda

Sun Salutations A, B and C

The Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar are very common in many yoga classes however there are so many variations that it can be confusing which you are doing. There are some great resources online that I would like to share with you about all three Sun Salutations A, B,C. In this post you will see videos from Yoga journal for Sun Salutation A, B and a modified version. A and B are pretty classic and you will see those a lot in classes and online. The modified version is new to me but it looks like a great version of A and C (in C you use the 8 point pose to lower yourself into Cobra instead of Chatarunga). I could not find a video that portrayed C but here is a link to a PDF that lists all three along with common names, Sanskrit and breath…

Sun Salutation A, B, C

Hope you find these helpful and that you add the Sun Salutations into your daily practice.
~Namaste

Sun Salutation A

Sun Salutation B

Modified Sun Salutation

Classics Challenges 2012

As a student of literature it is not uncommon for me to have a number of “classic” novels in my reading queue. I have to admit though 2011 has been a little sparce in the classics department. That is why when I stumbled onto two classic reading challenges from fellow book bloggers I signed up without hesitation. 2012 will be a year to reconnect with some old favorites and read some classics that I just never got around to reading. Below are the challenges that I entered along with my projected book lists for each challenge. Unlike the last time I joined in on a classic reading challenge all the books below will be read on my Nook and my Kindle. If you are participating in either challenge and want to share your lists please feel free to do so… I love lists. J

2012 A Classics Challenge:

Dates: January 1-December 31 2012

Description: This challenge is hosted by Katherine of November’s Autumn. The goal is to read 7 classic novels in 2012 and participate in the 4^th of the month writing prompt at November’s Autumn.

Book List:  (some of these books are also on my Back to the Classics Challenge 2012 list)

1. Villette by Charlotte Bronte

2. Women In Love by D. H. Lawrence

3. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

4. Grimm's Tales for Young and Old

5. Tom Jones: The History of a Foundling by Henry Fielding

6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

7. Emma by Jane Austen

Back to the Classics Challenge 2012:

Dates: January 1- December 31, 2012

Description: Sarah of Sarah Reads too Much set up the reading challenge in which we are to read one classic for each of the following categories:

• Any 19^th Century Classic (Category 1)
• Any 20^th Century Classic (Category 2)
• ReRead a Classic of your choice (Category 3)
• A Classic Play (Category 4)
• Classic Mystery/Horror or Crime Fiction (Category 5)
• Classic Romance (Category 6)
• Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language into your native language (Category 7)
• Classic Award Winner (Category 8)
• Rea­­­­d a classic set in a country that you will not visit in your lifetime (Category 9)

Book List:

Category 1: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott published in two volumes 1868 and 1869

Category 2: Women In Love by D. H. Lawrence - initially banned, published in 1920

Category 3: Tom Jones: The History of a Foundling by Henry Fielding the 18^th Century English novel that was the subject of my Masters in Literature thesis

Category 4: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Category 5: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde enchanted portraits and overindulgence who could ask for anything more.

Category 6: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë so much in love that it carries over into the grave.

Category 7: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri first written in Italian and then eventually translated into English

Category 8: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940.

Category 9: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy is set in nineteenth century Russia, a place that I cannot foresee myself visiting in my lifetime.

Speaking of lists... here is a great list of 100 classic books  from Wikipedia that might interest some of you.