Passion The Books

This is an inspiring book on letting go and letting art come from you without your internal critic or judgements on meaning or technique. It is about Learning from Art; and letting art take you where it will. It is about discovery and play -- ultimately it is about how to get into the Process of Creating.... and stop worrying about the "product"

This is one of those books that I read and instantly thought of five friends I wanted to share it with. And it also helped jump start me to believe in making what I make; not to worry if it is too dark, too silly, too profane, too honest and vulnerable; and not to try to direct it to what I think it is supposed to be.

The book contains short chapters about challenges and personal accounts. It can be just as beneficial to open the book to any page and read what is there as a jumping-off spot. It does not tell you "how" to create your work -- but it shares why, and it also shares methods for loosening the restrictions and the blocks. "What" you create will come from you.

Sometimes living in the world is a challenge with all the other concerns and critiques of other people...but if we keep growing and learning and making/creating -- it can keep us going! Art is a respite for me; it is what gives me meaning and value in my life, it is what gives me energy. This book puts these ideas in an inspiring perspective with some humor, some philosophy, and some common sense. Don't let anyone keep you down -- and don't keep yourself down!

Artists, writers, educators, and anyone who loves any of the arts would benefit from the viewpoint of this book. No experience is necessary, just the desire to create for the fun of it -- for the play and joy and experience.

It is through pain, suffering, tribulation and tragedy that a person's truth and strength of character are revealed. Jose Acosta's life is truly a testament to his passion, dedication and strength of character. His poetry reveals to what extent his life has been shaped by the events from his past. Throughout his book, "Life, Passion and Patriotism" these qualities are poured out onto the pages through poetry which is tragic, beautiful, passionate, awe-inspiring, uplifting and thought-provoking.

As Americans, it is a privilege to live our lives in freedom and safety, and it is through the pain and unfathomable sacrifices that our Armed Forces make on a daily basis that we have been given this gift. Through the poetry dedicated to patriotism many issues are given light that many American's are either unaware of, choose to ignore, or simply do not understand. This poetry will leave the reader with a much better understanding and appreciation for what it means to be called an American, at what price our freedoms have been paid, and the honor and severe thanks that we owe those that dedicate their lives to giving us this gift of safety & freedom.

The poetry within these pages will likely uncover thoughts, feelings and emotions from the reader's past that may have been left uncovered over the years, and left to collect dust. It is through the reading of Jose Acosta's poetry that the reader will likely find themselves moving beyond a past of pain and suffering into one of increased understanding and awareness, and perhaps even motivated to make changes within their own lives, or those that they know.

This is truly a beautiful book, and one that will make a worthwhile and lasting impression in many, many ways.

I own this book, and several others centred on the lives of the Nicholas
Romanov family. In my opinion, a person's collection of primary-research volumes should begin with this book. For indeed, this book is not simply letters, notes, or personal reflections by the late Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. It is a revelation. Many people to this day mistakenly believe that Nicholas and his sickly wife were vile and cruel people. An honest look into this book will undoubtedly change the opinions of all except the most virulent anti-Romanovs. Not only will the reader discover that Nicholas was actually a kind and benevolent leader, despite his youth, lack of training and inabilities to effectively cohere a nation spanning 11 timezones, they will discover that he was a fun, winsome, and charming person. Still, Tsar Nicholas could not effectively hold Russia together and Revolution came in the guise of V. I. Lenin and Josef Stalin's monstrously vicious and deadly regime. In all candour, the job of running Russia has remained almost insuperable in the 88.5 years since the assassination of the Imperial family.

Additionally, what the reader will discover from this book is that Tsar Nicholas was a warm and loving father to his 4 girls and 1 son, as well as an untiring devoted husband to his wife. To illustrate this, their eldest daughter Olga declined a Royal marriage proposal in order to keep the family close together as World War 1 loomed upon the scene.

What about the Objectivity of this book?
To use ACADEMIC terminology, this book has both ETICS and EMICS ( or the Outside viewpoint, and the Inside viewpoint), for there are letters, reflections and correspondence from the chldren of the family, Olga, Tatiana, Marie, the famous Anastasia, and her nearly as famous hemophiliac brother, Aleksey, as well as relatives such as KR and GrandDuchess Olga.

To add to all of this, there are others outside the family who render their candid reflections and evaluations of the Imperial family, people such as other family relatives, members of the British General staff, King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and many others.

Lastly, from the emics viewpoint [inside perspective], the reader will discover that the old Bolshevik fabricaion that the Niki Romanov family were lasy, and cruel, and rolling in endless wealth was simply that: a blatant lie. The truth is that the Romanovs were compelled by STATE Customs to maintain SOME vestiges of Royal look and appearances. Do be aware that the monthly allowance of the Imperial children was only about 9 Am dollars/5 British pounds sterling in 2006 money! The children had to wear their clothes until the garments were either worn out or were outgrown. Add to this, the children had to make their own rooms and take care of their own domestic needs. And they had to keep busy, as well as study their school homework as assiduously as possible.

Read about the love and devotion between the parents and their children and also get a perspective from the minds of the children themselves. They were simply wonderful children, sometimes humorous and even rollicking, but always sincere and admirable. This book is what academicians call Sine Qua Non---absolutely indespensible. And it is FUN to read. The reader also will find that all of the letters, memoirs, and correspondence are in Chronological order. It is an absolute JOY to read and it is sheer revelation for those who are willing to be honest casual readers or honest scholars. The BEST!

Lilla's Feast" describes a time not so very long ago that seems impossibly distant. The world-wide expansion of European colonialism in the 19th century caused thousands of people, especially British, to seek their fortunes in the colonies and the trading emporiums in the exotic East, especially India and China. Lilla, the great-grandmother of the author was one of them. She was born in Chefoo, China in 1882 and spent most of her life in China or India.

Lilla never did anything of great importance, but she stands for all the Brits born and raised abroad who felt a bit foreign when they returned "home" to England on visits. During the course of her 100-year life Lilla was present during the peak of Western power and prestige in the Orient before 1900 and its rapid decline thereafter culminating in World War II in which Lilla and her family ended up in a Japanese concentration camp.

We follow Lilla through marriages, births,deaths, family troubles in India and China, the hardships of Weihsien internee camp in China during World War II, and finally back to an uneasy old age in England -- the money, power, and prestige of life as a privileged Westener in China now gone. It's a good story to be read about a class of people who saw their pleasant lives and lucrative livelihoods destroyed by war and politics. We don't feel all that sorry for Lilla, nor even that fond of her, but we are interested in her experiences. Along the way we get some fascinating pictures of the life of Brits in China -- and especially the hardships of Weihsien, a concentration camp that has catalyzed a sizeable body of literature. See "The Call" by John Hersey, a novel about a missionary who is interned in Weihsien and "Shantung Compound" by Lawrence Gilkey, a sociological classic about people under the stress of imprisonment.

Smallchief

Before writing "Little Miss", Ali Yildirim has been fanning the fire of female hearts all across the world with his poetry and several short story collections. Absolutely original, with a trademark style that pulls at the heartstrings, whole passages seem to jump out of the page, or leave you feeling as though you've fallen in.

The female protagonist Giselle Bennet finally achieves her dream of studying in Istanbul. She is met by Hakan Aslan, a lecturer at the university who has come to meet her. Hakan's mother holds lodgings for girl students, and Giselle accepts the offer to stay. Suffice to say, sparks of different varieties fly from the offset, but this isn't a simple love affair, or pulp fiction romance.

The Aslan family brings a new perspective into Giselle's life as she begins to discover their culture. We join her in her journey as she tries to comprehend a vast, neglected city like Istanbul, a once-splendid hub of empire where "East Meets West" while trying to come to terms with her growing feelings for Hakan, whom she cannot understand at all!

What makes the writing stand out is that the reader is allowed intimate glimpses of the city and the culture, it isn't "full on". Many of the book's best moments are connected to the Bosphorus for example but is not about the famous waterway itself, it is simply there as a stunning backdrop to some of the most moving scenes of character interaction I've read this year.

A completely engrossing novel that paints a wonderful picture of a three thousand year old city, and an even older tale of love, but be warned of the ending - it is a tear-jerker.

This book makes a great gift for all ages. I would especially recommend it for young adults. The stories and quotes are quick and make for a great daily devotional. The authors are right on target. We as humans all want to leave our mark on this world. We all want our lives to count in some ways. This book is built around those themes and exploring ideas to further revolutionize your life. A great devotional or gift for any reader.

This is one of those books that is life changing and eye opening. Woodley does not pull punches, but he offers great hope for what the church can and should look like in a diverse world.

This was a gift to my dad who loves tattoos, old photos, and German culture. He loved looking through it, and so did I.

In my youth I dreamt of a captivating life filled with passion and purpose. While growing older, though, my dream was blurred by the mundane trappings of daily routine. Enter Roger Weldon's phenomenal book. I was most struck by the authority and consistency of his message. I find it rare when the unqualified passion of an author can be so genuinely felt by the reader. Further, the material is not delivered in a "preachy" manner but more like a conversation with a wise grandparent passing on a lifetime of knowledge and experience. In a world wrought with uncertainty and terrorism, Mr. Weldon maintains unparalleled optimism for each of us and definitively lays out a plan for a life of abundance. Thanks to this author's insight, my life has regained focus and once again my youthful dreams are clear. I know what I will do with the time I have left. What about you?

I read this book - twice. I am sure I will continue to read it to keep reinforcing the very important points it makes. I thought it was very enlightening and helped me to look at things and react to things very differently. I recommend it completely!