Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author DeepakMullick for his new novel SimplyMutual : The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom
SimplyMutual : The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom
Author Deepak Mullick
Book: SimplyMutual: The 1% Formula To Gain Your Financial Freedom Author: Deepak Mullick PageCount: 191 Release Date: 19th August 2021 Genre: Non-Fiction, Finance
Synopsis
SimplyMutual : The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom
Everyone wants to be rich, but not everyone is. There is a method and meaning to it that’s more than just numbers.
In this book, investment veteran Deepak Mullick takes you on a journey to financial freedom. SimplyMutual isn’t just a guide to make more money, it is about building wealth to live the life of your dreams.
If you’ve ever thought of retiring in your 40s to do what you love, this is THE book for you!
Deepak Mullick Founder and Chief Wealth Strategist, SimplyMutual
Deepak has spent over a quarter of a century in the investments industry, working with the country’s largest wealth creators. His last assignment was a 15-year stint at HDFC Mutual Fund. He was their Business Head for North, South and East India during different parts of his tenure. Having dealt with a large spectrum of investment avenues, Deepak realised that Equity Mutual Funds is where the best balance can be achieved. This belief in the India growth story and its potential to create wealth for decades to come stems from deep experience.
Deepak spent decades in the financial sector witnessing the fast evolution of each constituent of the investments industry — mutual funds, banking, insurance, investment advisors, NBFCs, the regulators, etc. He associated with the country’s top minds in financial and investment planning, attended numerous workshops and conferences, and dived deep into the intricacies of the business.
To come up with the best solutions for investor needs, he constantly drew comparisons between the most popular asset classes, such as equity, debt, real estate, fixed deposits, and gold, and other new asset classes like foreign equity, cryptocurrency, and art. He weighed each option with an exhaustive list of factors such as liquidity, volatility, regulatory environment, transparency, cost of investing, cost of holding and maintenance, convenience, and returns adjusted for risks, taxes, and inflation. This analysis has cemented his belief in the importance of Equity Mutual Funds for individual investors and given him the foundation to create SimplyMutual: The 1% formula to gain financial freedom.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Author:Kenneth Liddane Release Date: 19th September 2021 Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Development, Self-Help Series: Format: E-book Pages: 190 pages Publisher: A Helping Mind Blurb: Have you ever said “I WILL BE HAPPY IF…”? Did you ever achieve that? And if so, what happened next? Are you living happily ever after, or did you set new goals and update your “I will be happy if…” statement? Why does your happiness have to be conditional? By searching for happiness, we are basically telling ourselves “I am not happy now”, and happiness itself becomes a temporary solution to distract ourselves from how we are actually feeling. By re-introducing ourselves to our core instincts and drives, we can start to see how we developed unhelpful thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours. With this insight, these negative aspects of ourselves are no longer “bad”, instead they are logical and justified. By considering the knowledge, skills and possible supports highlighted in this book, you will see that you no longer need to avoid, suppress or endure any part of your true self. By using your full potential, you are better able to face any challenge and life experience, and in doing so, experience, welcome and acknowledge all of the associated feelings and emotions naturally. What are you waiting for?
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Finding Happiness In The Dark by Kenneth Liddane is a very well-written and well-executed book on helping oneself in times of need when the mind goes into the dark seat and we start to feel alone and unhappy.
This is a book by a very experienced person who is not only equipped with dealing with his own patients for consultations but also has the education and the drive for it. This book had some really great concepts, understandable and relatable answers to some common questions and some brilliant techniques and tricks that can help a person come out of the recesses of depression, anxiety and the com orbit conditions. At least on the surface level. In order to get treated or to know more, you can always consult with the author.
I would recommend this book to everyone who is either going through a dark phase or knows someone who is suffering because of it.
Author:Peggy Race Release Date: 5th August 2021 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction Series: Format: E-book Pages: 254 pages Publisher: Black Rose Writing Blurb: Staunch and rooted to her childhood values, Peggy engages in a battle to overcome a failed marriage, the sudden, heartrending loss of her second husband and her own self-doubts. While sandwiched between each layer of uncertainty, Peggy fights her way forward through the love of her dogs. Amid personal tragedy, Peggy’s life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Desiree, a rescued Hurricane Katrina dog. Fueled by the serendipitous connection, Peggy deploys an unending passion for answers as she searches for purpose. As Peggy unravels Desiree’s significance in her life, she looks beyond the confines of loss and discovers her true self. Desiree: The Music of My Soul is a poetic and soul-stirring love story which captures one woman’s journey of strength and self-discovery that transcends grief and loss. Filled with hope and inspiration, Desiree: The Music of My Soul, symbolizes the resilience of the human spirit.
Review
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
Desiree: The Music Of My Soul by Peggy Rose is a beautifully written memoir.
First off, if you are a dog lover you are going to absolutely love this book. Even if you are not exactly a dog parent but love animals in general and harbour love especially for sheltered or rescued animals this book will highly resonate with you. I was, personally speaking, completely blown to bits by this book because I am a big-time animal lover and dogs or cats, I love them more than humans, so reading about a rescued dog and how she changed her mum’s life was an emotional rollercoaster for me to say the least.
This is a very well-written, nicely put together memoir that was very engaging and relatable. I would recommend this book to all readers.
Author:Deepak Mullick Release Date: 19th August 2021 Genre: Non-Fiction, Finance Series: Format: E-book Pages: 191 pages Publisher: – Blurb: Everyone wants to be rich, but not everyone is. There is a method and meaning to it that’s more than just numbers. In this book, investment veteran Deepak Mullick takes you on a journey to financial freedom. SimplyMutual isn’t just a guide to make more money, it is about building wealth to live the life of your dreams.
If you’ve ever thought of retiring in your 40s to do what you love, this is THE book for you!
SimplyMutual : The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom by Deepak Mullick is a new release in the Indian Finance genre.
I generally don’t read finance-related or investing advice books, but the title of this one was very catchy and intriguing therefore I was more than happy to give it a read. And I am very happy that I did as this book had a lot of wisdom to impart and a lot of good suggestions for people of all ages to learn about investing. The best part, for me, about this book is that it is written in a very easy-to-understand-by-a-layman language and the author has simplified concepts, which I am sure, are not that easy to grasp otherwise.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who’d like to know about investing and the author’s 1% formula.
Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome author Deepak Mullick for sharing an excerpt from his latest release SimplyMutual: The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom.
About the Book
SimplyMutual : The 1% Formula To Gain Financial Freedom
Everyone wants to be rich, but not everyone is. There is a method and meaning to it that’s more than just numbers.
In this book, investment veteran Deepak Mullick takes you on a journey to financial freedom. SimplyMutual isn’t just a guide to make more money, it is about building wealth to live the life of your dreams.
If you’ve ever thought of retiring in your 40s to do what you love, this is THE book for you!
On a warm summer evening in 1947, my grandparents packed their bags and left their life behind. FREEDOM. That was the chant in the air. History was being made as the British left a partitioned India behind. For millions of people this meant leaving behind everything they owned, their life’s work and savings, the security and comfort of their homes, of the life they had known, and moving to unknown lands with an uncertain future. My grandparents too made their way from Dera Ismail Khan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of what is now Pakistan, to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
I grew up hearing the stories of their life. In the evenings when we all sat together in the courtyard of my grandparents house, they would get nostalgic. My grandmother would tell us about our culture, our food, the traditions, all the wealth we had, the lands we owned back then, and how we earned our surname Mullick, a title given to big landlords. Even as a child, I could hear the longing in her voice, and a note of bitterness at being uprooted. When I write this from the comfort of my home now, I can’t even imagine what they must have gone through. The way they had managed to move with just a few suitcases, hurriedly packed. The way they had to travel hundreds of miles in search of a new place to settle in an environment of extreme hostility.The stress and anxiety of not knowing where they are headed and the despondency of having to start living from scratch.
But start again they did! And they made quite a success of it too.
Why am I telling you this? What does a story about uprooting and migration have to do with a book on wealth building?
Well, in this story there is a lesson. That life is unpredictable. That ups and downs will happen. That sometimes everything you took for granted will be disrupted. But don’t lose your wits. Financial success is all about thinking in the long term. As the poster boy for long term investing, Warren Buffet said, “successful investing takes time, discipline, and patience.”
I’ll add to that and say wealth building is also about optimism. I consider myself an eternal optimist! It’s in my DNA! And even after witnessing the ups and downs of economies for over 25 years, I continue to believe in the India growth story. But more on that later.
I learnt important life lessons – resilience, optimism, and street-smartness – from my parents, grandparents, and my Alma Mater La Martiniere, that have helped me immensely on my path to financial freedom.
After I finished my schooling, I had the easy option to join the family business. But it wasn’t something that interested me. I wanted to look at work as something that helped me live the life I desired. And I am very unapologetic about it. I am a firm believer that you work to live and not live to work. Have you ever thought about it?
What would you do if you had all the money you needed to live a comfortable life?
Would you still pursue the job you have currently?
Would you go after something that you are truly passionate about?
Would you give and contribute to the world?
Would you spend time travelling the world, experiencing new things, and gaining different perspectives?
The thing is, most of us spend a lot of time in the lower 2 stages of Maslow’s Hierarchy. We struggle to make enough money to pay for our basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. And we compromise on building meaningful relationships and on finding our true potential. Often because that raise or that promotion is so much more important. Well, I didn’t want to live all my life with some golden handcuffs.
So my aim was to find a career path that would help me realize my retirement goals (yes, I was thinking of retirement when I was 20!) by the time I turned 45. A highly ambitious goal given India’s economic situation then. However, in a series of seemingly unconnected events, I found my calling.
In the early 90’s when I was figuring out my career choices, the financial services sector was abuzz with activity. India was undergoing an economic transformation. From a bottomless pit for foriegn aid, India was creating Economic Liberalization policies that will make it an emerging superpower in just two decades. Companies were coming up with IPOs every other day and there was high demand for finance talent. Later, this timeframe would also be known as the IPO scam period. Amidst this turmoil, I passed out with an MBA degree and a campus placement in a financial services company that gave me a take-home salary of about Rs. 5000/- per month.
From a starting point of Rs.5000/- per month to a sizable corpus of a few Crores, I have come a long way to retirement at 45. And I have lived well. I’ve indulged in my passions and in things that interest me and my family. We’ve traveled extensively and experienced the world closely. From whisky trails to northern lights, we have made our way to 29 countries across 5 continents.
This financial freedom has been a journey of considerable learning. First, I found a God-sent friend, philosopher, and guide with whom I have had the privilege of working for two decades. And then, for over three decades, I had the opportunity to witness the rapid evolution of the country’s economic constituents – the businesses, the consumers, the regulatory environment, government policy, the markets, and the ever-changing global scene. I have figured out what works and what doesn’t. I have learnt to tame the volatility and to invest in a way that sustains my lifestyle choices while building my corpus of funds. I have distilled this learning into this book and created the 1% formula to gain financial freedom.
The idea of this book came from my experiences of sharing my technique with friends and family members who wanted to quit the rat race, to pursue other life goals, and passions. And most of them have benefitted by following my technique.
This book is written as an equity investing guide for those who are keen to make their money work for them. People in their 20’s and 30’s who are looking to retire by 45 or those who have 7-10 years before they want to retire. People who want an easy to understand insight into how investing works. This book is your ticket to long term wealth creation and living comfortably off that wealth without giving in to stress, anxiety, or overwork.
In this book I will tell you the secrets to financial success. I’ll share stories of people who have seen the light and changed their investing behaviors for enormous gains. I’ll help you build good investing habits and make informed investment choices.
While there are different assets you will invest money in – both physical and financial, we will not cover the entire umbrella of financial planning and management. And there is a reason for that. I believe that if you understand equities the right way, and work with the 1% formula, the need for other kinds of investment vehicles is greatly reduced.
In my 25 years of experience in the financial sector I have got a fair idea of practices of banking industry, insurance industry, and the quality of the advisory business across categories of advisors. I have worked with several financial planners, attended many workshops, and deep dived into the subject of financial and investment planning. I’ve looked at all asset classes – real estate, gold, debt, equity, foreign equity, etc. from the lens of factors such as – returns adjusting for risks, returns adjusting for inflation and taxes, liquidity, volatility, convenience, costs of investing, etc. I’ve realized that Equity Mutual Funds is where the best balance can be achieved. In fact, I’ve been able to pull out of my term life insurance policies because of the corpus I have built through equity MF investments!
And so, this book will deal in equity investments only, and more specifically investing in equity through mutual funds. For the purpose of this book I am also considering Hybrid Mutual Funds with over 65% investments in equity as Equity Mutual Funds.
By reading this book, you would:
Get a better understanding of the India opportunity and how long will it remain
Get the right perspective on share-markets, understand emotional hurdles and mistakes on the way to financial freedom, and gain insights on how to benefit from the markets
Learn a simple equity-based technique to build wealth and to create your own “Salary-Pension” stream for retirement
Like every great adventure, this book is a start. And as you read it, I’d like to give a word of caution. This book focuses on financial resilience. That means periods of no-gain or even loss that you sit through for long-term returns.This book is NOT about quick fixes or immediate gains. If that’s what you are looking for, then this book is not for you. If thinking long-term does not appeal to you, then this book is not for you.
That said, in the coming pages there is a wealth of knowledge and tried and tested methods that work. I hope you’ll find them as useful as I have, and use them to find your financial freedom.
About The Author
Deepak Mullick
Founder and Chief Wealth Strategist, SimplyMutual
Deepak has spent over a quarter of a century in the investments industry, working with the country’s largest wealth creators. His last assignment was a 15-year stint at HDFC Mutual Fund. He was their Business Head for North, South and East India during different parts of his tenure. Having dealt with a large spectrum of investment avenues, Deepak realised that Equity Mutual Funds is where the best balance can be achieved. This belief in the India growth story and its potential to create wealth for decades to come stems from deep experience.
Deepak spent decades in the financial sector witnessing the fast evolution of each constituent of the investments industry — mutual funds, banking, insurance, investment advisors, NBFCs, the regulators, etc. He associated with the country’s top minds in financial and investment planning, attended numerous workshops and conferences, and dived deep into the intricacies of the business.
To come up with the best solutions for investor needs, he constantly drew comparisons between the most popular asset classes, such as equity, debt, real estate, fixed deposits, and gold, and other new asset classes like foreign equity, cryptocurrency, and art. He weighed each option with an exhaustive list of factors such as liquidity, volatility, regulatory environment, transparency, cost of investing, cost of holding and maintenance, convenience, and returns adjusted for risks, taxes, and inflation. This analysis has cemented his belief in the importance of Equity Mutual Funds for individual investors and given him the foundation to create SimplyMutual: The 1% formula to gain financial freedom.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Author:Dr. Carole Weaver Release Date: 28th April 2021 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction Series: Format: E-book Pages: 141 pages Publisher: Carole Weaver-Linsner Blurb: Pies to Die for is a how-to against the bad stuff of living with metastatic cancer or other lethal diagnosis–the monsters that attack your frame of mind, so you can’t enjoy the time you have left. It is also a romp through art appraising: specifically, through the author’s husband and his clients who have lost art through death, debt, divorce, and disaster.
These stories offer hints about how to cope with something beautiful being gone, or they entertain you with the strangeness of human nature–even without stage four anything. This book is meant to give you tools for your journey, however long or short, so that you live vibrantly, gratefully, and with gusto till the end.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Pies To Die For: How to Live a Vibrant Life Despite a Fatal Diagnosis by Dr. Carole Weaver is a beautiful book full of gems such as some really good advice, hearty anecdotes, relatable moments of grief and laughter and, most importantly, a lesson on how we tend to ignore to live once we know about how we may die.
This book is written by a terminally ill author, and I would like to salute her for her courage to pen such a beautiful book under her circumstances. You can read between the lines about how passionate the author is about the things that she writes about and it is this particular thing that made me enjoy this book the most.
I would recommend this book to all readers of fiction and non-fiction alike.
Author:Donna Tetreault, Elisena Bonadio (Illustrations) Release Date: 15th March 2021 Genre: Children’s Non-Fiction Series: Format: E-book Pages: 36 pages Publisher: Donna Tetreault Blurb: Dear Me, Letters to Myself For All of My Emotions teaches young children how to recognize and manage the emotions they feel throughout the day. Through a series of letters that begin with, Dear Me, a young child writes down his feelings. These letters allow him to recognize that he can change how he feels while practicing self-kindness and compassion.
Dear Me serves as a guide to help kids learn about expressing feelings, understanding those feelings, and then deciding what to do about them in ways that are healthy, helpful, and kind. The book models several approaches for parents, but, more directly, models how children can develop the social-emotional skill of managing emotions by naming emotions, journaling, and mindful breathing.
Beautiful illustrations support this empowering message designed to help children understand and appreciate all of their emotions.
Dear Me, Letters to Myself For All of My Emotions teaches children: – Self-love – Self-regulation – Self-advocacy – Managing emotions – Empathy – Journaling – Mindful breathing
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A beautiful children’s book I would highly suggest to all parents for their little ones. It teaches the kids about self-love, which I think, is very unique and one of the biggest plus points about this unique and amazing book!
Author:John-Michael Gariepy Release Date: 13th January 2021 Genre: Humour, Non-Fiction, Games Series: Format: E-book Pages: 196 pages Publisher: Popcorn Roulette Blurb: Did you ever wonder: ♞ What makes Clue the best movie based on a game franchise? ♝ What does the doubling cube in backgammon do? ♜ How trains are even supposed to operate in Ticket to Ride: Antarctica? ♛ How the designer of the board game Pandemic feels now that he’s lived through an actual global pandemic? ♚ Whatever happened to the Monopoly game show from the 90s?
Based on Ranker’s poll of almost 400,000 votes, these games define us. From multiple-award winning masterpieces of the past decade, to indestructible classics still going strong after 5,000 years of play, these are the games you must play before you die. Well, except for Sorry!. That game is a blight upon this list and mankind as a whole.
Excuse me. What I’m trying to say is that I wrote this book about games, and I thought you might like it.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Winning Streak: Tales and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games by John-Michael Gariepy is a fun, informative and entertaining read about the most iconic and loved games int he history of games!
This book was deliciously entertaining and I enjoyed reading ever scrap of information this book had to offer. I loved the writing style of the author because it made the book a quick and easy affair and the straightforwardness only made it all the more engaging.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone because this book contains trivia and fun bits about games we all have played or heard of at some point or another. So do go for it as it an a delightful and quick read!
Author:Eric L. Heard Release Date: 13th January 2021 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction Series: Format: E-book Pages: 73 pages Publisher: Blurb: The purpose of this book is an awkward discussion of Eric Heard’s life to his son. He talks about his life in a candid way that tries to explain his anxiety as an African American dad. It is an open and honest account of his life through the life of a child that has been through a lot in his life. It is a reflection on his life that has been shaped by his childhood experiences.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Reflections of an Anxious African American Dad by Eric L. Heard is a heart touching memoir about the author, his son and the stories they have as well as their experiences.
I found this book very emotional, honest and interesting as it was quite a unique experience for me to understand and know the story from the perspective of an African American person. Though at the same time, this book has a lot of things that I was able to relate to, so I’d say that it has a lot to offer to its readers.
I found the narration very simple, elegant as well as introspective and found myself drawn and submerged in the stories and experiences shared by the author in an elegant way. I’d recommend this book to everyone who reads memoirs. It is a quick read and that too an interesting one with unique insights.
Author:Tamara K. Bryant Release Date: 20th October 2020 Genre: Travelogue, Memoir, Non-Fiction Series: Format: E-book Pages: 465 pages Publisher: Blurb: After a great stay in Thailand, Tam and her friends, Casey, Valerie, faced with the sad reality that they only had two more days left before the fun ended and they had to board a plane for home.
It was too soon. She’d only tasted a teeny bit of Southeast Asia and didn’t want to leave go back to her “real” life. But she knew she had to go home. Her flight was booked. She had a job and family to go back to. She couldn’t just stay. Or, could she? What if Tam didn’t go home yet? What if she explored the vast and exotic land of Southeast Asia…by herself…solo?
But was she ready to be on her own? The thought of traveling alone without her friends, terrified her. “On the other hand,” she thought, “would I ever get another chance to really experience Southeast Asia?”
Terrified and excited at the same time, Tamara K. Bryant followed her heart and bravely stepped onto the road that led her to the most exciting and amazing year of her life!
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
An Inkling, A Backpack And All The Time In The World – Travelling On A Whim by Tamara K. Bryant is an exciting tale about solo travel and adventures (as well as hazardous yet funny misadventures) experienced by the author.
This book was a very quick read because it was very engaging as well as interesting and fun! I enjoyed reading this book because it had so many different elects in the story that it was hard to put this book down. A simple yet thoroughly entertaining read that I’d recommend to anyone who likes travelling and dreams about travelling solo (which I am sure everyone does, at some point or the other in their life.)
You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Author:Laricea Ioana Roman-Halliday Release Date: 27th January 2021 Genre: Non-Fiction Format: E-book Pages: 105 pages Publisher: – Blurb: Purpose is a journey, not a destination. More business leaders, marketers and customers need to become aware of true brand purpose and act upon it through business strategies, marketing campaigns and their wallet. This book challenges the way brand purpose has been deployed over the past few years and examines ways of correcting misconceptions and misuses by providing practical solutions and examples of what good looks like. We all have a role to play in the community, so stop dreaming about unicorns and be more zebra!
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A Brand’s Purpose – Less Unicorn, More Zebra? by Laricea Ioana Roman-Halliday is an informative, fact-based, no-nonsense book.
I liked this book because it taught me quite a few things. The structure of the book was good and the writing was good enough to compliment the book (considering it is more of a strategic non-fiction book.)
I would recommend this book to entrepreneurs and business folks, especially those of new start-ups as I think this book would provide a lot of value for them giving them great insight into understanding and accordingly connecting with their brand.
Author: Carlo Pietro P Sanfilippo Release Date: 19th December 2020 Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Self-help Series: Format: E-book Pages: 158 pages Publisher: Blurb: Are you living on purpose, or are you frustrated that the things you thought you wanted-the house, the furnishings, the yard, the car, the “stuff” and all its required maintenance-are preventing you from having the time and money to live the life you want? When the American Dream becomes an agonizing hamster wheel, perhaps it’s time for a change.
Carlo Sanfilippo followed that prescribed path of marriage, kids, house, stuff. He was living the American Dream, the life he was “supposed” to live; not a life that he wanted, not a life that fulfilled him. Nothing felt authentic. Nothing felt like fun. Nothing felt like his idea. And when faced with some devastating losses, he realized he was living a half-life. If you’re a person who has a nice life, but aren’t living your dream, join Carlo on this journey of breaking out of a prescribed life to one of discovery, mental and emotional release, spiritual delight, and new mastery.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Afterlife: Waking Up From My American Dream by Carlo Pietro P Sanfilippo is a beautiful book about hope and dreams and finding happiness.
I loved reading this book because the author used a brilliant mix of varying emotional graphs such as loss and grief interlaced with happy and hopeful moments. This book felt very true and spoke to me on a level that I quite I wasn’t expecting. This book has a lot to offer to each of its readers because it is full of moments of despair and anguish that everyone goes through. It often treads the precarious and mostly misunderstood waters of self-love and the entire curve of being able to reach a point where one can identify it as not being selfish. So I would like to commend the author on his brilliant effort into pulling it off. And for touching on so many themes that are universally resonant.
I would definitely recommend this book to each and every one as it has so much to offer!
You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon
Author: Angie Rumaldo Release Date: 2020 Genre: Self-Help, Parenting Series: Format: E-book Pages: 276 pages Publisher: True Pursuit Blurb: Tech-ology is a refreshing new look into the digital world and video gaming and its effects on children and teens today. It attempts to help parents, teens, educators and other professional understand the movement towards this new technology in a more culturally appropriate manner. This self-help book directly addresses many of the concerns that have been voiced by parents due to the rapid increase of technology.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Tech-ology: A Digitally New Way To Way To Raise Happy Kids by Angie Rumaldo is a very impressive parenting book that even a non-parent like me found useful. In this book, Dr Angie goes into the intricacies of dealing with kids that were born and raised in the “digital age.” I have a teen brother and therefore as someone who is constantly dragged into the war between my mum and brother, I know very well how much friction technology can cause amongst families, especially in which the parents were born in the 19th century.
The book is written well and doesn’t actually feel like a parenting book. The author uses a very friendly tone which feels very light to read. But even though the tone of the book is light, the subject matter is handled with great care by the author and her expertise in the field of handling the behaviour of young children shines through the pages.
I would definitely recommend you read this book even if you are not a parent yet. There are some great tips and advice that will definitely aid you, if not in the present then in the future which I honestly believe will only get worse with the advancements in the field of digital technology.
Remember, you were born in the twentieth century and that alone indicates that you are an immigrant to the new digital culture (new way of being) while our children are natives (born to the digital culture). We have to work toward learning the new ideals, expectations, and potential dangers. With this newfound knowledge and values we can effectively parent with less tension and more harmony within the home.
Angie Rumaldo, Tech-ology: A Digitally New Way To Way To Raise Happy Kids
Author: Gregory Patrick Travers Release Date: 3rd June 2019 Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir Series: Format: E-book Pages: 183 pages Publisher: Blurb: Being a cook and a rapper is hard work. Thankfully there are drugs to make it better. They say out of all the aspiring rappers trying to make it, only 1% will ever find mainstream success. Gregory Patrick Travers pens a fiction-like memoir of the ups and downs of Vancouver rapper, joBlow. One of the 99% who didn’t. Set in the years 2010 to 2014, not only does the book give you a behind-the-scenes look at the world of underground hip hop and the politics of the chain restaurant industry, but it places you in the timeline of notable Canadian milestones like the 2011 Stanley Cup riots, the Occupy Movement, and the 2010 Olympics. Meatballs & Microphones is a raw look into how one man’s chase for fame led to the destruction of every personal relationship he ever held dear. From bad band breakups to his struggle with addiction, to being homeless in order to pay for his tour expenses, this book lifts the veil of glamour surrounding fame and focuses on the hardships and downfalls that come with it.
Book Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Meatballs & Microphones by Gregory Patrick Travers is a touching and extremely relatable tale of someone who did not make it big in the music industry and, therefore, is a very realistic dig at the other side of the coin towards which a lot of people tend to turn a blind eye. This book is very much an eye-opener for anyone who either wants to enter the hip-hop music scene/industry or want to know how things really are behind the scenes.
I loved the writing of the author as it successfully delivered the context in a very relevant way and managed to pull at my heartstrings at the same time. I felt strongly for the author and was enraged in the last third fo the book, though thankfully, I was relieved by the ending as it turned out to be okay, if not great, for the author.
I’d definitely recommend this book to all the non-fic readers, but I’d also urge the fiction readers to check out this book as it reads really well (almost like a fiction novel) and tells a great story.
Author: Tadeusz Haska Release Date: 24th September 2019 Genre: Memoir Series: Format: E-book Pages: 148 Publisher: Koehler Books Blurb: “When I was arrested my whole world crumbled. I knew that leaders of political parties had been arrested, and never heard from again. My only chance at survival was to find a way to escape from the jail.” Orphaned in Poland at the age of thirteen, Tadeusz “Tad” Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship. Discover how Tad’s knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.
Book Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story Of Survival by Tadeusza Haska and Stefanie Nauman is a gut-wrenching memoir depicting how the knowledge of different languages helped Mr Tadeusz Haska, survive the aftermath of his prison time during WWII.
This book is written by his granddaughter and has been written exceptionally well. This book is a devastating insight into life in the post-WWII era and the problems faced by Mr Tad. Though I did relish reading about how he used his wits and education of various languages to get him out of situations that could have very well meant death.
This is a very good memoir and I’d recommend it to all readers who take an interest in history and memoirs.
Author: Pritish Nandy& Tapan Chaki Release Date: 21 January 2021 Genre: Non-Fiction, Motivational, Self-Help Series: Edition: Hardback Pages: 500 Publisher: Harper India Blurb: ‘Peerless Minds brings together the finest minds that sustain India as a riveting and relentless idea. The exceptional life stories featured in this book reaffirm the truth that the luckiest of nations are the ones that continue to be rebuilt and reimagined by peerless minds.’ S. PRASANNARAJAN, Editor, Open magazine Three Nobel Prize winners. Two Bharat Ratnas. Three Knights of the British Empire. A Pulitzer Prize winner. A two-time Best of the Bookers winner. An Abel Prize winner. A Pritzker Prize winner. A Fields Medallist. Two Fukuoka Prize winners. A Turner Prize winner. Two Praemium Imperiale recipients. A double Academy Award winner. Many Padma Vibhushans and Padma Bhushans. But that is not why these people are really here. They are here because they, as Indians and people of Indian origin, have had extraordinary achievements and have inspired, each in their own way, a generation of Indians. Here you will find, among others, economist Amartya Sen; authors V.S. Naipaul, Salman Rushdie; mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik; philanthropist Azim Premji; mathematician Manjul Bhargava; from the world of music, Annapurna Devi, Lata Mangeshkar and Zubin Mehta; industrialist Ratan Tata; sculptor Anish Kapoor; architect Balkrishna Doshi; spymaster A.S. Dulat; historian Irfan Habib; Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna; poet Javed Akhtar; and stand-up comic Hasan Minhaj. In conversation with them are authors and journalists such as James Astill, Prannoy Roy, Vir Sanghvi, Aatish Taseer, Shereen Bhan, Karan Mahajan, Rajdeep Sardesai, Khalid Mohamed, Priya Khanchandani, Indu Bhan and Anil Dharker. A fascinating collection of long-form interviews with some of the greatest minds and biggest achievers of our time, Peerless Minds is a book to be cherished and preserved.
REVIEW
★★★★
PeerlessMinds by Pritish Nandy is a motivational non-fiction book that is a brilliant and inspiring book especially when one needs a little ‘pick-me-up.’ This book is full of interviews with various brightest minds of India and is full of their individual journeys, struggles, dilemmas, etc throughout their lives and careers.
Author: Anne Lamott Narrator(s): Susan Bennett Date Of Publication: 12th June 2013 Genre: Non-Fiction, Writing Guide, Reference Series: Duration: 7 hours (unabridged) Publisher: Audioble Audio Blurb: Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”
REVIEW
★★
So now I’ve read this book twice and after the second read, I’ve dropped another star from my rating. I feel that this book is a bit depressing with the author repeatedly highlighting the downside of writing and publishing. I, as a writer, do understand what she means to convey and get it that writing should not be over-glorified especially to the new writers, but at the same time I also feel that that you simply cannot portray only the negative side of the coin to someone who is new and eager as it would end up only demoralising the reader.
I am fully aware that the entire world, for whatever reasons, absolutely adores this book, but if I am being honest, this book made me feel depressed about writing, just the way it did when I first read it. It made me feel hopeless and gave me the feels of being stuck in an endless pit because according to Anne Lamott that’s what writing is. And publishing? Well, I would beg to differ to the opinions of the author and say to the new writers that getting your work published is a great joy and one should enjoy it as much as they possibly can! Maybe for someone who was born in a household of an established writer and who had an agent even before she wrote anything worth reading writing might feel like a mundane thing and getting it published may feel like a task, but for those writers, including me, who learn the craft on their own and bust their asses trying to write something worthwhile, it means a whole lot more than anyone can ever understand.
To be honest, I find it funny how people read this book and even feel ‘motivated’ or ‘inspired’ to write at all! It made me, an already established full-time writer, feel frustrated. No inspiration for me there.
I would definitely not be recommending this book to anyone, least of all to the young and new writers who are just beginning their writing journey. I consider myself lucky that I did not read this book when I was starting my own writing adventure because I am pretty sure this book would have put a damper on it for the worse.
For those who are genuinely interested in reading something that would actually help them in their writing go for:
These books will teach you and motivate you far more than this book ever can. They will not only make you understand the writing process better but also teach you the right ways in which you can write better without outright feeling shitty about your work so far. These books are the best writing books out there and have greatly helped me in my writing journey, so I speak from experience.
Author: Paul O’Meara Release Date: 15th June 2019 Genre: Non-Fiction, Real Life Series: Edition: E-book Pages: 180 Publisher: Self-Published Blurb: From the school playground to job interviews, oral exams to delivering a best man’s speech, these are not always easy to navigate especially when you are confronted with a stammer.
How does a stammerer approach such situations? What’s a stammerer’s biggest fear? Let me finish answers these questions and more.
More than 70 million people worldwide stammer, and Paul is one of these people.
Stammering can be all-encompassing. It can affect your self-esteem, education and career prospects, and Let me finish offers a rare insight into a stammerer’s world.
Paul recounts his life experiences. The highs and lows, battling other people’s preconceptions, while explaining the intricate and tailored techniques that he applies every day to speak more fluently.
His story is told with a cocktail of sincerity, struggle and joviality. It will make you think, laugh and ultimately change your perspective on what it means to live with a stammer.
REVIEW
★★★★+1/2
Let Me Finish: A Rare Insight Into Living With A Lifelong Stammer by Paul O’Meara is an enlightening and enriching real-life story of the author which, as the title says, provides a rare, and important, insight into the life of a stammerer showing the aspect which we often tend to either ignore unwittingly or remain unaware of.
I’d like to begin the review by sharing that the short introduction at the start of the book served its purpose in helping me understand the book a little better providing a brief glimpse into the author’s backstory. So I greatly appreciated it for that and also for making this book feel more real than most of the other non-fiction books as I was able to connect with the story better.
I enjoyed this book and appreciated the insight it provided into something not many people, including me, are aware of. Everyone’s life has some struggles but for some people, these struggles become something more troublesome because of situations that are entirely out of their hands. And most of the time, we don’t realize what kind of battle a person is fighting emotionally and mentally due to the effects of such circumstances and situations.
Coming back to the book, it was surprisingly well-written and in a style that made me, a fiction lover, enjoy this book as much as I do fictional stories (this is something which rarely get to see in non-fiction books and the biggest let down, at least for me, when it comes to this genre.) So I was very happy to see that the writing sang and flowed well and made this book an enjoyable read. The style of the author and the humorous undertones were polished and executed well. It made this book a light read without losing any of its message or importance.
I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to everyone who liked reading books. This book has a lot to offer everyone whether they read non-fiction or not.
Author: Kally-Jay Mkwawa Release Date: 24th June 2018 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 50 Publisher: – Blurb: Spending the better part of your life being called a good listener, a weirdo, a hermit or a ‘mirror of ugly truths’ and a walking-talking memory machine isn’t at all what it’s cut out to be. To a large extent, it’s a lonely life. You arrive into this life without even meaning to and suddenly it seems that you carry the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. You get sucked into it quite easily and coming up for a breath of fresh air is not easy at all.
This is an account that will give the reader, an idea of what Isidora has encountered in this beautiful, yet twisted and noisy place called the world. It’s not a long story with a happy ending (at least not so far). Rather, it’s about the reasons for her tears, worries, the unending voices in her head and the blows that life threw at her. It’s also about those precious moments of sheer joy and last, but certainly not least, her encounter with Him. Hopefully, sharing her story will find others who can relate to it and make them feel they’re not alone. Writing this work has been like an ‘extension’ of herself whilst overcoming her fear of hurting people or being compelled to ‘walk on eggshells’. It’s one of her legacies and as always, has been her type of therapy. May it be a type of therapy or an inspiration for you too.
Review
★★★
Isidora: The Life, Mind and Memories of an African Phoenix by Kally-Jay Mkwawa is a memoir full of interesting experiences of the author.
I liked the book as it was an easy and a quick read. It was a deeply contemplative read and some of the introspections of the author were interesting and presented an illuminating glimpse into her fascinating world. The cultural, environmental as well as emotional insights provided in the book were quite enjoyable.
My only complaint is that the first 7 chapters of the book focused solely on guys the author encountered in her life. As a writer and an editor, I feel that it didn’t serve as the right hook (or to be precise, the right first half of the book.) Being a memoir, I understand the book needs to deal with all the major aspects of the author’s life, but it would have been better if those chapters were placed in the latter half of the book, making the first half more about her than about those guys.
Other than this issue, it was a good read. and I’d recommend it to non-fiction reads.
Author: Thomas Josef Release Date: 10th June 2018 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Autobiography Series: Edition: e-book Pages: Publisher: – Blurb: INCOMING is an intimate view of one man’s highs and lows during his four and half years of work as a military contractor at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.
Thomas’ account explores the oftentimes melancholy details of working in a war zone, but equally delves into the beautiful cultivation of lasting friendships, libidinous love affairs, and the many other ways one must find to help them endure a life away from home and family.
Through his vivid recollections of training as a marathon runner, as well as the amorous but sometimes tumultuous exploration of life as a gay man on a military base, Thomas offers a political and social commentary along the way. For every harrowing moment dealing with personal or wartime bleakness, there’s an equally uplifting reminder that we find peace and happiness within ourselves and those we choose as companions.
Review
★★★★
Incoming! Life Of A Contract Warrior InAfghanistan by Thomas Josef is a remarkable account of his days with the military.
A very well-written book that is brought out by the fact that every emotion and every incident of the book felt not only real but also relatable. The background of the war zone served as a really engaging component. The writing was beautifully descriptive and kept me up at night wanting to read more and more.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot as it made me feel a plethora of different emotions. But more than anything else, I like this book because I was able to feel a connection with the author and felt that the writing was honest.
If you like reading non-fiction and memoirs then you must definitely read this book.
Author: Eric O’Greywith Mark Dagostino Release Date: 10th October 2017 Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Animals Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 320 Publisher: Hachette Book Group Blurb: Eric met Peety when he was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of serious diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: a middle-aged and forgotten shelter dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, and the bond of unconditional love they formed forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together and eating plant-based food, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his type 2 diabetes, got off all medication, became happy and healthy for the first time in his life, and even reconnected with and married his high school sweetheart. WALKING WITH PEETY is perfect for anyone who is ready to make a change in their life and for everyone who knows the joy, love and hope that dogs can bring to human lives. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue, this is an epic story of friendship and strength.
Review
★★★★
Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey is a beautiful memoir about the author’s journey, along with an adopted dog, full of hope, lots of ups and downs and love.
This book is a beautiful tribute to the love and happiness an animal brings into the life of a person. A very enjoyable book with honestly that reflected in the writing. It was a very touching and warm read. It proved to be a very inspiring story which left me feeling motivated to change a couple of things in my life that I might be taking for granted.
I’d recommend it to the readers of non-fiction genre as well as to those who love animals or are going through rough times and can do with a bit of a pick-me-up.
Author: Tasheme Thomas Release Date: 20th August 2018 Genre: Non-Fiction Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 70 Publisher: – Blurb: Whether it’s your hip grandma, tech-obsessed nephew, or the businessman who wants to cut right to the chase in order to capitalize on this new asset class, Bitcoin For Blockheads will make sure you’re in the know. This book speaks at a conversational level for those casually interested in Bitcoin and blockchain technology but it doesn’t sacrifice the intricacies that make the technology so wonderful.You can expect to learn about the history of peer-to-peer technology, the technological development of bitcoin, the economics behind it, and so much more!
Review
★★★+1/2
Bitcoin For Blockheads by Tasheme Thomas is a very informative book on the concept of Bitcoin and the blockchain technology.
As someone who had almost no idea about what Bitcoin was and the things it entailed, I am really glad that I read this book. It was an easy read and presented all the concepts very clearly and in a very understandable way. The content itself felt rich and even if I wouldn’t have been able to grasp the context of everything described in the book, I know a LOT more about Bitcoin than I ever did before! The best part was that the book was very short, so I did not find myself wandering even for a second, as generally happens in case of technical books.
I’d recommend it to everyone who is interested in Bitcoin and wants to know more about the subject in under an hour.
Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome author Tasheme Thomas, for the cover reveal of his upcoming book Bitcoin For Blockheads.
Presenting the simple yet elegant cover of Bitcoin For Blockheads
About The Book
Bitcoin For Blockheads is a primer to the world of cryptocurrency. This book covers the history of Bitcoin, the development of the technology, the underlying economics, and so much more. This book is written in a casual tone but doesn’t sacrifice the intricacies that make the technology so interesting. Whether it’s your hip grandma, tech-obsessed nephew, or the businessman who wants to cut right to the chase in order to capitalize on this new asset class, Bitcoin For Blockheads will make sure you’re in-the-know.
Tasheme Thomas is an Educator who studied Mathematics at UNC-Chapel Hill. During the course of his studies, he fell in love with computer science and philosophy. The intersection of these topics brought him to cryptocurrency. Having originally invested during his college years, it wasn’t until he graduated that he really dove into the cryptosphere. After a brief stint working on entrepreneurial ventures and freelance programming, Tasheme began teaching Middle and High School mathematics. His experience teaching highlighted the need for education about cryptocurrency, which prompted him to write Bitcoin For Blockheads.
If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com
Author: M. Salek Release Date: 19th July 2018 Genre: Non-Fiction, Businesses and Start-Ups Series: Edition: e-book Pages: 274 Publisher: Polymath Publishing Blurb: Everything you need to know to start a business, step by step.
Starting a business doesn’t need to be hard, and it certainly doesn’t need to be confusing.
If you’ve ever considered starting a business (or in the process of starting one), then this is the book for you.
Inside the book, you will learn:
1. 10 mistakes new businesses make, and how NOT to fall prey to them
2. How to give your business an edge
3. The people you should talk to before starting your business
4. The qualities that are important to start and grow a successful business
5. How to test your ideas (this way you can find out if your idea has potential or not)
6. How to determine if your business idea can be profitable (& why you need to do this before you start)
7. How to find out if people will buy
8. The different ways to fund your business (including how to start a business with no money)
9. A quick, fun and effective way to plan your business (create a business plan in less than 15 minutes!)
10. Branding for a new business, and what you need to know
11. The crucial steps most new businesses miss
12. Why it is important to take care of the small things (& how these can significantly improve your business)
13. The 5 things you need in place to create a solid, sustainable business (you need these if you want to create a business that won’t disappear overnight)
14. The optimal structure for your business
15. How you can get great people on board (for free!)
16. The 3 main positions every business needs to fill
17. How to cut your initial business costs to nearly zero!
18. ‘Sensitivity Analysis’ – what it is and why you need to know about this (this can make or break a business)
19. A creative strategy for building partnerships (and how it can also help you cut costs & increase profits)
20. 9 proven tips for coming up with a great business name
21. How to create an effective business card (business cards don’t need to boring…!)
22. A quick list of the records you need to keep to stay out of trouble
23. A 5-minute checklist to help guide you start your business the right way
24. How to make your business finally happen
The Business Launch Code offers essential information, insights, and exercises on what it takes to create a successful business. Each step takes you closer towards creating your own business, while at the same time minimising the risks.
This book goes beyond conventional wisdom and combines standard procedures with the latest developments and updates so that you get an edge when starting your own business.
By following these steps, you will find the knowledge, insights, and confidence you need to finally start your business..
Review
★★★+1/2
The Business Launch Code by M. Salek is a very informative book on starting a new business which also gives helpful insights for established businesses.
Unlike many business books, this book had content that was surprisingly well-written. Many authors of business books concentrate only on the content they’re putting forward and pay little to no attention on the way they write it. They do pay attention to the way they present the content in the way of organisation, but the writing is heavily suffered in such books. So I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book as the ideas are not only put forth in an organized way, but also in a well-written manner.
This book was well-researched and was pretty helpful. The insight into the whole starting-a-new-business scenario in today’s world was very useful, something that I’m sure new entrepreneurs would really appreciate. What better way to start a new business knowing what are the main things that tend to go wrong in 90% of the cases?
It was an easy and interesting read, with well thought out chapters and the points made in each one of them. I liked how the facts, relevant examples and information were presented in an effectively simple way.
I recommend this book to people with new startups and even to the ones who already have established businesses as it is a quick read and also because extra knowledge never hurts.
Name: Overland: Welcome To Africa
– 16 Total Strangers Traveling Through 8 Countries in 1 Broken Down Truck
Author: Pete Mandra
Publisher: Ingram
Genre: Travel, Non-fiction
PageCount: 388
Release date: May 24, 2017
Synopsis
Join Paul DuPree, who, with his future wife at his side, quit his job to participate in an exciting, humor-filled ‘overland’ journey across Africa with some of the strangest fellow travelers you’ll ever meet.
The wild animals? Dangerous. A canvas tent is the only thing separating you from some of Africa’s most notorious beasts.
Life on the road? Rugged and rustic. You’d sell your soul for the taste of a cheeseburger.
And the break-neck speed of the South Africa to Kenya itinerary? Brutal. And be sure to bring more than one spare tire.
Paul’s hypochondriac girlfriend, joining him on the trip, worries she’s going to die from any number of mysterious tropical diseases. Black market deals, corruption and military convoy escorts aren’t found in any guidebook he’s ever read. And his tour companions, strangers from across the globe, drink, party and destroy their way from South Africa to Kenya.
The only thing keeping him going is the continent itself – rugged, mysterious, and beautiful, in a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, dangerous sort of way. Would that be enough, or would his sanity depart him long before he reaches the finish line in Nairobi?
Overland is your ticket to a pain and mosquito free hilarious journey through Africa.
Pete Mandra began his writing career freelancing for various Chicagoland publications before settling in as a news reporter at the famed City News Bureau, where covering breaking crime news proved the perfect complement to his dark sense of humor. After leaving City News, Pete slowly gravitated away from journalism as a career but never lost his passion for writing.
Always more of a home-body who had only left the country once for a stay in the Bahamas, Pete’s world turned upside when he met his future wife, Jessica, who shared with him her infectious spirit of travel and adventure. In short order, the two left their corporate jobs, cashed in their savings and gave up their apartment to backpack around the world, including Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Overland is his first novel. Other writing pursuits have included contributing to various popular travel-related blogs and scriptwriting. His screenplays Zombie Seinfeld and Breaking Belding have both been performed by Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre. Pete and his family live in the suburbs of Chicagoland.
“Stellar” is an interesting as well as compelling book of prose poetry that encompasses the wonderment of love. Further, stories of romance, love, and tragedy are told creatively through the eyes of 106 poems.
In “Stellar” one will have a chance to go on an odyssey of figurative language, and will also get a refreshing sense of the human condition; that we all need, and yearn for love.
In “Stellar” one will also have a unique opportunity to view emotionalism seemingly painted by the masters. However, these poetic words of distinction cannot fit on a canvas; but are to be read on paper, and enjoyed by you and your imagination….
I have been a dreamer since I was born in N.Y.C. My dreams started September 20th, 1968. I moved to Los Angeles, California when I was very young. I received my education in Los Angeles, and joined the workforce a couple of years after graduating from college…
I did not start writing poetry until later in life. Friends and family really enjoyed the beautiful words I shared with them. So, I continued to write, and published my first prose poetry book, “Wonders,” in 2009. I published my second book of prose, “Romance with A Touch of Love” in 2011.
The dreams kept coming; and I continued to be inspired to write beautiful words. I am honored to share these beautiful words with the world in “Stellar.”
Author: Gregory V. Diehl Release Date: 4th March 2017 Genre: Non-Fiction, Business Guide Series:
Edition: Paperback Pages: Publisher: Identity Publishers Blurb:
Does your business have a story to tell? It should! From the moment you first opened your doors, you began crafting it. With every new product you release, you carve out an even more unique niche in your industry. This all builds up to one thing–brand identity. Does yours stand out from the crowd?With a decade of experience studying businesses across the world, Diehl has unlocked the key to creating innovative brand identities and distinct business stories. In Brand Identity Breakthrough, you and your small business will learn how to develop a strong brand identity by combining your personality and values with the functionality of your products, becoming an irreplaceable brand and company.
Whether you lead a growing company, or are just starting out, Brand Identity Breakthrough will give you a smarter way to think about product development flow, branding, brand mapping strategy, and business model generation. With proven, and well-organized logic, it will set you on the path to selling more–and at higher prices–giving the customers exactly what they want and sending your profits through the roof.
In Brand Identity Breakthrough, you will learn…
-How to incorporate a unique selling proposition into your branding
-The best methods for selling products to customers as a small business
-How to use business storytelling to sell products in both physical and online marketplaces
Table of Contents
Section I: Why Identity Matters
Chapter 1: Can You Tell a Good Story? (The Importance of Business Storytelling)
Chapter 2: When Good Ideas Fail
Chapter 3: Why Entrepreneurs Fail to See Their Own Value
Chapter 4: Why Others Fail to See Your Value
Section II: Creating Your Brand Identity
Chapter 5: Uncovering Your Core Values
Chapter 6: Developing a Unique Selling Proposition
Chapter 7: Crafting Your Personality Profile
Chapter 8: Knowing Your Target Audience
Section III: Telling Your Story to the World
Chapter 9: How to Sell Who You Are (Your Brand Identity as a Sales Pitch)
Chapter 10: How to Speak with Clarity, Authority, & Authenticity
Chapter 11: How to Display Your Character Through Writing
Chapter 12: How to Educate Your Audience About Your Brand Identity
Section IV: Brand Identity Case Studies
Case Study #1: Rebranding a Whole Industry’s Adversarial Image
Case Study #2: Pre-Seeding a Two-Sided Marketplace for Launch
Case Study #3: Turning a Charitable Project into a Profitable Movement
Case Study #4: Skyrocketing a Personal Brand through Narrative Focus
Case Study #5: Embracing Personality in a Technical Niche
Section V: Resources for Prospective Entrepreneurs
Appendix 1: Entrepreneurial Terms Defined
Appendix 2: 50 Useful Starting Questions for New Entrepreneurs
Appendix 3: Making Money Online
Review
★★★★+1/2
Brand Identity Breakthrough: How To Craft Your Company’s Unique Story To Make Your Products Irresistible by Gregory V. Diehl is a comprehensive guide for newbies in the tricky arena of business.
I rarely read business guides, but running a start-up in a mostly unconventional field, led me to explore this book and its various eye-catching contents. And I must say that I’m glad that I read this one. This book is extremely informative and very helpful in understanding the basics of how start-ups need to present themselves in this highly competitive world that demands exhaustive amounts of energy from new entrepreneurs. Yet at the same time, it was easy to read and understand, which made it such a likable read for me.
I bookmarked several pages and added a lot of notes in my copy of this book so I’m going to be using it for reference every now and then, especially when I need a little pick-me-up. So I’m really glad that I have my own physical copy fo this book!
I’d recommend this book to anyone who has or is planning to have a new start-up. And even if you already have a well-established business, I’m sure you can pick up a couple of points of wisdom from this gem of a book that might help you overcome brand identity issues.
Author: Olga Petrenko Release Date: 18th August 2017 Genre: Cookbook, Non-Fiction Series:
Edition: Extra-trim paperback Pages: 310 Publisher: Identity Publications Blurb: Intimacy On The Plate: Extra Trim Edition contains the same 200+ elegant, erotic recipes as the original, but has been reformatted for a smaller size and lower price. Snack on the convenience of the new smaller trim size, or indulge in the colorful, picturesque body of the original coffee table book.
Every couple knows that the key to a harmonious home is a healthy love life, but keeping your time in bed spicy isn’t enough – you need to turn to the kitchen and amp up the flavor.
Olga Petrenko is a housewife who dedicated years of her life to crafting original dishes that combine tradition with innovation, creating new tastes that everyone can enjoy. In the process, she discovered something new: by applying scientific research to her recipes and by using the correct ingredients, all meals had the potential to be the perfect aphrodisiac. After a decade of hard work and experimentation, she finally had an extensive collection of recipes designed to make every bite erotic – Intimacy On The Plate: 200+ Aphrodisiac Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life at Home Tonight
Every dish in this erotic cookbook pays as much attention to presentation as to flavor and science. If you want to create the right mood for your loved one, you need to feed the eyes before you feed the stomach. Olga has worked hard to make every sensual meal beautiful and visually appetizing so that you and your partner will feel the food love before you even sit down to eat.
Within these pages, you’ll find 200+ healthy, easy-to-cook recipes known around the world to contribute to sexual desire. Using a wide range of ingredients, including dozens of types of vegetables, mushrooms, fish, seafood, fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices, you and your partner will experience the full range of erotic properties the world of food has to offer. You’ll never run out of new and exciting places to take your meals. From appetizers to main courses, to side dishes, beverages, and desserts, you’ll always have something scintillating to offer up on date night. Intimacy On The Plate contents ordered by main ingredient:
Section I: Vegetables, Mushrooms, Potherbs, & Seasonings
Section II: Fish
Section III: Seafood
Section IV: Nuts
Section V: Fruits
Section VI: Chocolate
Section VII: Love Potions, Hot Drinks, and Spicy Teas
REVIEW
★★★★★
Intimacy On The Plate by Olga Petrenko is a beautiful cookbook with amazing recipes with eye-catching and sinfully divine-looking gourmet images.
If you love cooking then this book is for you. It has some really good recipes that are not only easy to make but also very healthy to eat. There are so many recipes to choose from! I’ve already marked more than a dozen that I’m planning to try in the coming months. The information provided is like a well full of important knowledge and you get to learn so much about food and its influence on different aspects in our life.
If you love cooking and want to try cooking in a very different style and in the whole new light, then you should definitely get your hands on this book.
[scroll-box]Author: Anastasia Petrenko Release Date: 12th October 2017 Genre: Self-Help Edition: Paperback Pages: 94 Publisher: Identity Publications Blurb:
Loving Ordinary Life is written for us: living, emotional people.
We all want to live a happy life, but we can easily fall into a state of despondency. We prefer to smile, but more often we frown.
We like being inspired, but most likely, we can’t recall the last time when we were.
There are many books and courses about self-motivation and inspiration. You might have heard hundreds of platitudes and affirmations. Each of them sounds valid but their utility is limited when you actually find yourself stuck in a pit of pain and despair.
Loving Ordinary Life is meant to make a functional difference. It’s not a treatment for depression. It is about living a life where depression has no place.
Loving Ordinary Life is your guide. It is designed so that you can open any page and find the inspiration to act and improve your life when you’re feeling down.
Each chapter in Loving Ordinary Life is a tool for moving from a negative idle state to a positive proactive state. It displays to you the art of being present, free, and genuine every day.
If you want to be more fulfilled and enjoy life more, if you’re open to quality changes, Loving Ordinary Life will become your loyal companion.
Everything is within your power. You are the master of your life. How you experience it depends only on you. Take the lead.[/scroll-box]
Review
★★★
Living Ordinary Life by Anastasia Petrenko is a light-hearted self-help book which is both quick to read and easy to digest.
Though the message tried to convey in this book is nothing different from the other gazillion self-help books, this book wins on the aesthetics part. I loved the basic design of the book, the vibrant yet soft colours used and the quirky fonts and illustrations. It is a fairly quick read, I read it under an hour, so it doesn’t go on for ages like other self-help books. That’s another plus, at least for me.
I’d recommend this book to the genre lovers and to those who need a positive little guide to uplift their spirits and make them feel better about life in general.
Blurb:
The people of the Philippine Islands during the early half of the twentieth century experienced various waves of Western Imperialism, two wars of attempted secession from western powers, and two world wars. And yet, the Philippine Islands and its people have received only small subheadings in many American textbooks and histories. The wartime experiences from the perspectives of the Philippine people have gone unnoticed and have become overshadowed by the socio-political dominating legacy of American figures like General MacArthur, leader and historical symbol of the Pacific Theater during World War II. MacArthur’s famous phrase “I came through and shall return” are etched into every facet of World War II historical narratives, textbooks, and monuments that pay tribute to the Allied forces in the retaking of the Pacific from the Japanese. But It is the lesser known people and leaders of the Philippine resistance against the Axis powers whose efforts and contributions allowed for the effective and speedy return of MacArthur’s military forces…
REVIEW
★★★★
Philippines’ Resistance by Stacey Salinas is an enlightening look into the forgotten world of WWII.
This book was short, succinct and well presented. It was an impressively informative book. The images given in the book were very engaging and proved to be quite helpful in comprehending the text in its entirety. It was a good experience to know more about the place where the Second World War took place.
The writing was good and the descriptions quite clear. In spite of not having a lot of knowledge on the subject, I found the book to be very interesting. I’d recommend to all the history buffs and WW2 enthusiasts.
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Pete Mandra began his writing career freelancing for various Chicagoland publications before settling in as a news reporter at the famed City News Bureau, where covering breaking crime news proved the perfect complement to his dark sense of humor. After leaving City News, Pete slowly gravitated away from journalism as a career but never lost his passion for writing.
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The Reading Bud 