Joyce Carol Oates Teaches the Art of the Short Story via Masterclass

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

I LOVE, Love, love elephants!!! So deciding to listening to the unabridged audio version to The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony was a no brainer for me. Additionally, The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony is narrated by the phenomenal, Simon Vance, which made my experience that much better.

Listening time for The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony is 10 hours, 55 minutes.

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony exceeded my expectations. It's a work of nonfiction and has a lot more depth to it than I expected. I highly recommend reading The Elephant Whisperer.

The following is a summary for The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony from Audible:

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom.

The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, it is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

I am giving The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony a rating of 5 stars out of 5 star.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Reading Quote of the Day!!!

Reading Update

Even though I haven't being post much the past 2 months (due to a health flare up), I have read a total of 33 books during the months of August and September! 

I'm just really behind at the moment on writing book reviews as I've only written/posted 4 reviews of the 33 books I've read during August and September.

Hopefully, I can start posting more book reviews soon. In the meantime, I'll keep reading more books.

Here's why physical books still outsell e-books!!

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

I read Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson this week for Banned Books Week. This is the third young adult novel I've read by Laurie Halse Anderson and as usual, her writing is powerful, emotional, and phenomenal! I've also read and reviewed Speak and Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson.

With that said, I found Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson to be a difficult novel to read. In fact, Wintergirls is my least favorite novel by the author to date as I found it to be too raw and depressing. Wintergirls deals with anorexia, bulimia, and cutting/self-mutilation.

According to an article I discovered on the Penguin Teen website titled, 10 Books to Celebrate During Banned Books Week, Wintergirls has been banned because it "has been said to be like a 'guide' for teens who want to starve themselves, and possibly triggering for those who have suffered."

Below is the plot summary for Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson from Amazon:

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.I am that girl.I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

I am giving Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Positive Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Self-Help and Treatment by Elena Juris

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a topic near and dear to my heart, but a difficult topic for me to discuss with those outside of very close family members and friends.

10 years ago, I went in for a routine blood draw and during my drive home afterward, I began feeling a plethora of disturbing symptoms: numbness, tingling, swelling, and pain at the blood draw site that radiated/spread into my forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers. 

The symptoms steadily grew worse on my drive home to the point that I could no longer close my hand and make a fist shortly after arriving home. My fingers looked like fat, red sausages and my hand and wrist were swollen beyond belief. 

New symptoms kept appearing: sweaty palm, intense burning sensations, waxy/shiny skin that made my fingers, hand, wrist, and forearm look like they belonged on a mannequin, and several other forms of pain. I was in constant pain 24/7 and in a lot of distress over what was going on.

After seeing my primary care physician, having an ultrasound, a MRI, and seeing 2 to 3 different specialists, I was finally diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) 2 to 3 months after the blood draw that caused it. 

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is not curable, but can go into remission. There is loads of information about it online and not all of the information is positive.

Long story short, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) has been a difficult journey with various highs and lows. I've recently had a pretty bad flare up (which is still ongoing) beginning in early August 2019 that has kept me from doing much blogging and other basic daily activities without some assistance. I've given up on knitting and several other activities for the time being as well. 

So if you don't see me posting much on my blog or responding to comments you leave for me... or don't find me commenting on your blog posts... please don't take it personally. I'm currently on a healing journey.

I've recently read Positive Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Self-Help and Treatment by Elena Juris and have come away with a renewed outlook regarding CRPS. I am armed with new information and look forward to trying some new protocols. Onward I MUST go!!

Here's a summary for Positive Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Self-Help and Treatment by Elena Juris from Amazon:

Imagine if the mere breeze of an air conditioner on your skin were to cause excruciating pain. For those suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), previously called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), this crippling neuropathic pain poses an unrelenting reality. With symptoms such as swelling, hypersensitivity, stiffness, burning pain, and temperature abnormalities, CRPS can develop at any time and quickly leaves its victims disabled and isolated.

This book explains CRPS in an accessible style for all readers, providing the latest medical treatments, complementary therapies, and holistic coping strategies for maximizing the potential for healing. Readers will find a wealth of tips on life modifications to help better manage their condition. They'll find two interviews with practitioners who offer insights every patient should know, with the help of pain specialist Edward Carden, MD, and occupational therapist and neurological acupuncturist Sheri Barnes. They'll find a discussion of complementary therapies to tailor to their needs. They'll find a list of "dynamite distractions" that can refresh the pain-wracked mind and help readers rediscover their imagination and humor, when they just need to take their mind off the illness. They'll draw hope from real patient testimonies on techniques for transforming the pain and discomfort of CRPS. They'll find a chapter addressed to loved ones, providing advice and support in their difficult roles as encouragers and caregivers. Finally, readers will find information on how everyone can help to increase CRPS awareness, and an extensive list of resources to help patients and caregivers begin to connect with the support available.

CRPS remains a mysterious, poorly understood condition and few books about it exist, as knowledge of the syndrome continues to evolve. Previously, the condition was called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). This second, retitled edition to the original Positive Options for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD): Self-help and Treatment (2004) is chock-full of new information, reflecting a decade's worth of advancements following the popular debut of the book's first edition.

I am giving Positive Options for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Self-Help and Treatment by Elena Juris 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!