Adult books - Sister to Sister

     

Books are a magical thing. They can transport you to other times, other places, other worlds and galaxies and even to places that do not technically exist. When I learned to read, I was so excited. I wanted to know everything and I realized I could learn anything I wanted by reading books. I solemnly vowed to read every book in the world. Of course, I may have been a little unrealistic, but I was only six.

          

Check your local library for the books we have listed. The library is free and most libraries will let you have a book for up to nine weeks. If your library does not have the book you want, ask them to purchase it. Most public libraries will do so and allow you to borrow it first. Some library's can even purchase a book and sell it to you.  They purchase at library rates and sell at retail rates, so they make a little money while making it easy for you to purchase your favorite books.

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Some books can be downloaded from your library via internet from the library either audio, HTML or in book reader format to your cell phone, tablet, computer or book reading device – it is easy and free!

Brag books are no help

The last two, popular, self help books I have started, but not finished, were brag books. The writer tells how smart she is, how hard working she is, how successful she and her husband are.  And occasionally she mentions she has a perfect baby and how she had a monster of a birthday cake for the baby's first birthday and all the presents and other birthday stuff.  I had forgotten that she had taken a day off some time back to birth a baby.   

She tells how she has it all, she even reads a book to her baby at least three nights a week when the child is going to sleep. She believes working moms spend more time with their children than stay at home moms. There is no mention of what happens to the baby the rest of the time, especially while she is across the country several days on a book tour and her husband is at work doing his well paid, important job.  She gives all kinds of details about her fabulous life, great hotel rooms, special treatment by lots of people, making lots of money, and people constantly telling her how great she is and the custom designed new house on a tropical island.   

I have started several books along that line but not finished them.  I know why this kind of book is popular.  Women read it while day dreaming they are having that kind of life.  But the author does not describe any moments in her life where she is truly happy and content, just her struggles to keep up the illusion of a enviable life.

Women that read these books want to learn how to have a better live. Unfortunately, they will never have that life they want by fantasizing.  

Having the life of your choice involves getting down and dirty and working, making hard choices, learning new skills and a lot of other things that are not glamorous or exciting. A lot of dull work is involved. But there is the excitement and satisfaction of accomplishments, large and small, that get one closer to the goal post. Yes, you can have it all. NO, you can not have it all at the same time.    

Reading these brag books is pushing you backwards. Look for realistic books on how to work hard and smart, how to choose your expectations and how to achieve the goals you really want. You can do it.

You could have a productive life into your eighties, maybe longer. That is pleanty of time to have it all, but spread out over a life time. Reading brag books will not give you much help attaining your goals. Reading books that show you have to identify your goals and how to attain them will. You can do it. You have what it takes. Mostly it just takes persistence. And if a skill is involved, practice.

If you want an example of persistence, watch a little toddler learning to walk. That is the ultimate persistence. One day that clumsy toddler may be a famous ballet dancer. And one day you have a good chance of achieving your goal if you do not quit.  

Spark,

the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain

John J. Ratey, MD with Eric Hagerman

LIttle, Brown and Company

copyright 2008.

This book is a game changer. If you read only one book this year, make it this one. Needless to say, in 2008 it was, and still, is a national best seller. I checked this book out of the public library and liked it so much, I purchased it for my personal library.

This book starts with a quote from Plato, "In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these two means, man can attain perfection."

Obviously, exercise is good for the body. But it also makes a profound improvement to the brain. It makes you smarter, a lot smarter. It also gives you energy, or calms you down if you are over blessed with energy. This book tells how schools have used exercise to drastically raise test scores and generally improve the lives of children, even those with learning challenges and behavioral issues, without using drugs. It suggest exercises to improve life, brain power and even slow down dementia in the elderly. Exercise also slows down aging and makes you look, think, feel and act younger. And who knew exercise was also good for the face.

This book is an easy read, written in layman's language. After reading a little of this book, you may have the urge to dash outside and run up and down the street. Resist the urge and continue reading. And give a copy to the ones you love.

Ratey currently also has available, A users guide to the brain and Go wild free your body and mind from the afflictions of civilization, He is co-author of  Driven to Distraction and Recognizing and coping with Attention efficient Disorder, all excellent books.  

Some of his books are available in audio, Hoopla, Kindle, Overdrive, Adobe Epub, HTM, Amazon Pub and MP3 at the library or your favorite book seller.

The chapter headings in Spark are:

1.  Welcome to the Revolution: A case Study on Exercise and the Brain

2.  Learning: Grow Your Brain Cells

3.  Stress: The Greatest Challenge

5.  Depression: Move Your Mood

6.  Attention Deficit: Running from Distraction

7.  Addiction: Reclaiming the Biology of Self-Control

8.  Hormonal Changes: The Impact on Women's Brain Health

9.  Aging: The Wise Way

10. The Regiment: Build Your Brain

Afterword: Fanning the Flames

Acknowledgments

Glossary

Index

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