Thursday, April 2, 2020
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Review: A Selective Mutism Memoir
Today is the 4th of July, the historic day when America, the nation that I was nurtured and raised in, declared independence from the tyrannical constraints of the mighty kingdom of Great Britain. Fireworks will be going off later today in the most ostentatious fashion, and patriotic spirit will run high.
But, at the risk of committing treason, I will be reviewing a book today by none other than a lovely Brit named Jessica Thorpe, who overcame her selective mutism. The book is called Slipping in and out of my Two Worlds, addressing the dichotomy between the public, silent environment in which people with selective mutism exist, and the relatively normal and even slightly boisterous life they lead on their own terms. Here is my review of that book:
It's really good. As someone who has also struggled with Selective Mutism, I found myself relating to many of her experiences, and quietly reflecting on my own life. For instance, there's a lot about bullying and how it not only affects someone with SM, but also anyone who has ever had to deal with that, which is why I think her story is enlightening whether you know anyone with SM or not. But if you do know somebody, this book would be a great insight into the bare essence of any SM's life.
Something very unique about Jessica's book is that it's one of the few books from the perspective of someone with selective mutism, rather than a professional handbook or a story by a parent (which are also good reads, by the way). This gives her nearly 200 pages of first-hand experience a lot of honesty and intimacy - a very personal touch.
It's not especially meant to be a how-to guide on how to get over SM (although there is a lot of useful advice and information packed in there for anyone who wants to know), but rather the focus is more on sharing a coming of age story filled with love, hope, friendship, and many lessons about life in general. (I say coming of age here because she is only 19 - barely out of the womb and already wrote a memoir!)
Anyway, the book and the writing style is very easy to read and gets better after every chapter. The only thing that might trip up some American readers who aren't already familiar with it is the British lexicon and school system, but it isn't hard to figure out from the context. Just a heads up, some things are spelled weird, and bunking school = skipping school.
The content is PG-13. Despite the title, there isn't much monkey business described in the book except for a part about how her dangerous, rock and roll, cigarettes and alcohol lifestyle would have done her in, if not for the gallant lover who comes to save her at the end of the book. I highly recommend Jessica Thorpe's book Slipping in and out of my Two Worlds to anybody who wants to get a deeper understanding of what it's like for someone with selective mutism.
You can get the book... here.
If you'd like to find out more about selective mutism, you can visit my website at http://selectivemutismonline.com/.
Acting Potentials of Willem Dafoe
There are many different actors who show many promising roles. One of the many talented actors is Willem Dafoe. The actor has been amazingly able to portray different characters, be it an antagonist or protagonist characters.
Willem Dafoe has shown his acting potentials to several movies and mostly has been noted as blockbuster movies. There are top movies that have already been people's favorites.
One of his best movies is the Boondock Saints where Dafoe starred as an FBI agent. This was released in 1999 and was followed by a sequel in 2009. This film depicts the assassination of sinful people by religious individuals.
Another film that was released in 1996 is the romantic drama film "The English Patient"?. David Caravaggio is an intelligence operative which role is played by Dafoe. This film has gathered a number of awards from 1996 to 1997. Those awards include the Golden Globes, Academy Awards and the BAFTA Awards.
Dafoe has several roles as the antagonist but the best one he ever played is the Green Goblin in Spiderman. A role like the Green Goblin is just right for Dafoe's personality.
A horror film is not anymore unusual for Dafoe to play. The movie Antichrist has been one of the terrifying films produced in 2009. Dafoe is in fact the main character of the film and though it is not obvious, he also has provided the voice of a fox.
Finally, who would have ever missed the 1986 war film Platoon. The film has won the Best Picture in the Academy Awards of 1986. Dafoe was nominated for Best Supporting Actor though he loose over Michael Caine.
Evidently, Willem Dafoe has shown the talent that movie producers would want to include on their films. The movies he has been part of were mostly top hit films. He has about 75 films and with no doubt will be more than that.
Before you operate the digital thermostat and fireplace blower you should learn their manual first.
Facts About Malcolm X - Was Egypt Coming to America?
A fact about Malcolm X and his story concerns Egypt and the Nation of Islam. In 1961, black America was marching and chanting against a segregated government similar to the recent protest that is happening in Egypt.
Black Americans were fed up with an unjust and unequal government that limited and segregated them from the rest of its citizens.
However, in 1961 the Nation of Islam unveiled an architectural drawing of a hospital, museum, worship center and library proposed to be built in their newspaper "Muhammad Speaks."
Malcolm X states in his autobiography that this University and Hospital was going to fashioned after the University of Cairo in Egypt. But, most blacks in America didn't even know that the University of Cairo in Egypt existed.
Blacks also didn't know that the University of Cairo is one of the oldest and finest universities in the world. It is especially renowned for its Medical and Surgical center around the world. And the University of Cairo also produces one of the finest medical schools in the world.
If this center was going to be fashioned after The University of Cairo were Egyptians going to build it?
Was Mr. Muhammad bringing Egypt to America?
Is it possible that this was a direct attempt by Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam to combat the inferior image that segregated America had made of Africa and African people?
An Egyptian hospital would have changed the image of Africa in the minds of many Americans, especially, African Americans who at that time were ashamed of their African heritage.
The timeless city of Cairo, Egypt and its Renown University of Cairo would have been a huge factor in making black people proud of their African descent.
However, this center was never built because of a mistake Malcolm X made concerning the murder of President Kennedy in 1963. Malcolm X's "chickens coming home to roost" comments sent a tremor through the Islamic world and created a division between himself and his leader, Elijah Muhammad that would never be resolved.
This one fact about Malcolm X kept Egypt from coming to America.
Derek Lavelle once a promising boxer learned the Nation of Islam story while in a boxing camp named after Muhammad Ali called M.A.P.S (Muhammad Ali Professional Sports). At MAPS in 1981 Derek met older, original Nation of Islam men that had remained loyal to Elijah Muhammad during Malcolm's exodus. Read his book "The Many Mistakes of Malcolm X in Kindle or ebook form. Go to: http://www.Squidoo.com/MalcolmXbiography
Andrew Carnegie: Insider Trading Pioneer / The Wolf of Wall Street
First up I must say this is one of the best business biographies I have read, if any historical figure fully captures the duality of man it must be Andrew Carnegie. What makes him so interesting is that so much of what he did seems so contradionary. In his David Nasaws book "ANDREW CARNEGIE" this Jekyll and Hyde nature of the tycoon is fully explored. Nasaw is obviously slightly in awe of his subject, as was I after reading this book. Nasaw manages to show the greatness of the man without flinching away from his sheer ruthlessness. From a beginning mired in Scottish poverty (the most depressing kind), insider trading rail way stocks (the social media stocks of the day) to get his first pile of cash to breaking strikes without breaking a sweat, guided by Spencer's theories of Social darwanism all the way (Fully explored in the book) Carnegie was one ruthless player. Not only was Carnegie a trend setter when it came to insider trading and destroying unions, he was the first Billionaire to redeem himself through philantrophy, setting the scene for later sainthood seeking rich guy like Buffet and Gates. In the end it all turns to custard for Carnegie but the ride is enthralling and I couldn't put the book down.
HATE BANKERS? You soon will - The Wolf of Wall Street & Catching the Wolf of Wall Street
If you are the kind of person who hates bankers (pretty much everyone, except bankers) then you are really going to hate Jordan Belfort. That said considering that The Wolf of Wall Street was a bestseller I would say at least most people have a love hate relationship with this kind of figure. Probably along the lines hate them nicking your money but would love to, as the blurb says, party like a rock star, live like a king. And Belfort certainly did that. I for one admire a man who embraces his own nature and runs with it, damn the apologies He's also a good example of how short of extermination / life imprisonment its difficult to hold these types down for long, From ruining companies to run away business success Belfort just keeps making money. Even Federal Charges haven't held him down for long, after ratting all his friends and associates, he segued into making another fortune refinancing home loans helping (covered in Catching the Wolf of Wall Street: More Incredible True Stories of Fortunes, Schemes, Parties, and Prison) so that people could buy that 2nd 50inch flat screen. He has now remade himself of course as a SELF IMPROVEMENT GURU! Belfort seems to have particular skill for finding the most reviled industry of the time, and thriving in them. This is probably also because that's where the money is.
Which brings us to Central Tale of The Wolf of Wall Street the company he set up Stratton Oakmont Basically Stratton Oakmont was a pump and dump boiler room. Which is where you own a large block of shares in a company which is worthless, you hire a bunch of chaps to give the hard sell to your marks, ramp up the price, sell out, and then watch the company crater. As Belfort describes it his particular genius was working out that the rich have a lot more money the poor people, and thus it made more sense to steal their money. Boiler rooms have traditionally been pretty downmarket operations (the name comes from the fact that are often run out of boiler rooms). Belfort re branded his business, went upmarket and made piles of dosh. He then reinvested his ill gotten gains in Cocaine, Quaaludes, High End prostitutes and Helicopters. The last of which proved to be most dangerous. And in fact at the end of the day, and I think Belfort would agree the true moral of this tale of deceit and decadence, is never fly a helicopter when you are on Quaaludes.
You can read more reviews of books like this at http://www.booksforgentlemen.blogspot.com/, a blog about books the discerning gentlemen will enjoy. These two books can be purchased at the Book Depository it's FREE shipping http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=booksforgentlemen
Interview With Rev Hannah Thomsen and Ed Thomsen
Today we are talking with Rev. Hannah Thomsen along with her husband Ed Thomsen, co-authors of Hannah Reborn, available on Amazon and other fine retailers. Reverend and Mr. Thomsen, thank you for joining us.
ET & HT: Thank You for having us.
PBR: This book is obviously a very personal and revealing story for the both of you. Did you find writing this book to be of a therapeutic process for you?
HT: Yes, I actually started writing all my experiences down mostly as therapy in 1994. I had a lot of pain, frustration, and questioning going on at that time. I was also desperately trying to explain myself to the people I grew up with who were all still members of the LDS church. It was like justifying the choices I had made. It wasn't till a friend wanted to read what I wrote and then told me I had to publish it that I contemplated publishing my writings.
ET: I wrote these things first for my children to understand me. And secondly for my parents and close friends to also understand me. The therapeutic value for me was somewhat less than for Hannah.
HT: And I have to add that the last couple of years when we were refining and editing the book, it became therapeutic for our marriage as we reconstructed the events that had happened and were able to see how it had shaped our marriage. It was good for me to actually hear Ed's side of the story.
PBR: Everyone that reads your book takes away different understandings. What is the main message you want the readers to gain from your book?
ET: I firmly believe that the Kingdom of Heaven is always found inside the person. This is the main theme that I am always pointing to.
HT: For me it is about telling others of the power of love and faith that can heal. The healing I experienced through love and faith has been so powerful I wanted to share that. I also wanted to tell people that no matter what you experience, even if it is your husband telling you crazy things, you can still heal through love and faith in self.
PBR: Now that you have broken away from organized religion of the Mormon Church, how have your families taken to your spiritual development? Are they more supportive of you?
HT: My dad passed away at a time when my breakdown was still very fresh and I had just discovered he had actually been unfaithful to my mother, which I don't share in the book because it didn't seem to really fit within the story line, but I was very mad at him for accusing me of being unfaithful to the church and then I find out that he was unfaithful to my mother. So unfortunately when he passed I still had a lot of conflicting feelings towards him that I don't think we got resolved. My mother on the other hand is still very active in the LDS faith and we have mended our relationship. I have gone to church with her and she has opened up to me about her feelings and I feel we are as close as we have ever been. And I think the relationship with my parents was the one that suffered the most from my break with the Mormon Church.
ET: My relationship with my parents is a healthy one because they respect me for my beliefs and I respect them for their beliefs. At fifty-seven years of age I still discuss religious concepts with my parents and find them to be very engaging and interesting people.
HT: I think our children have greater respect for us for having stood up for ourselves and done what we believed in rather than just following dogma that no longer held the truth for us.
PBR: What kind of advice would you give someone who is questioning their own faith and how would you guide them?
HT: This actually ties in with one of my other purposes with the book. I wanted to be able to tell people who question their faith that it is ok - that we were given a brain to think with. That we were created with feelings and given freedom to choose based both on our brain and our feelings. As much as we talk of freedom, we experience a lot of restrictions through our religion. Through my conversations with my guides, the Aesir, I learned that there is no judging God that will punish us for feeling what we do and acting according to our hearts. We are free to question the path that we are on and this was the greatest freedom I was given as I left the Mormon Church, to question what I had been taught for so many years. It is really about finding our heart, our true purpose, be true to ourselves, and follow what we find inside. As Ed mentioned above, The Kingdom of God is truly within the person and so the only way to find that is to go within and not be afraid of what we might find there. I do believe there are many teachers who point us in the direction of going within, but I also feel that so much fear has been heaped upon us that many people are afraid to question because what if...? God may be there when we die and judge us after all. Since there is no proof whether God exist or not, it can be scary to contemplate the consequences. This was a fear I had to overcome myself. Through my studies and through my conversations with the Aesir I gained confidence that we are going to be our own judges when this life passes and we will have to face ourselves in deciding whether what we did was good or not. So the best we can do is to find our true selves within and live according to what we find.
ET: I agree.
PBR: You indicated on page 235, that Zipporah was with you for a whole month, instead of just the usual week. How do you know when your spirit guide or guardian angel is with you?
HT: Good question. It is hard to describe as it is a feeling inside. Maybe I can liken it to being with one's loved ones. Think of your mother or your child, there is a certain feeling you have when you are around them. Because of the dreams I had had I was given a certain feeling that I could relate to when they were around. So when I feel that feeling I know who it is. It is almost as if they were able to give me a spirit "signature" within the vision they gave me when I first saw them. When I feel this "signature" I know who it is.
PBR: Have you ever felt threatened or had a negative experience with a spirit guide?
HT: Yes, I have had it with negative beings. Not my own spirit guides, but other "guides" who pretend to be what they are not or who threaten me in some way, but knowing about spirits and how that works the only thing that really is a threat has been my own anxiety or my own fear. Controlling my anxiety has been the biggest lesson that I have learned and when it works then they are no longer a threat.
ET: I have had threatening and confusing experiences with negative beings who were pretending to be my spirit guides. Ultimately in order to discern who is genuine and who is not I must ask many questions of these beings before I can determine their true identities.
PBR: You have written some very expressive poems in your book, do you plan to write a book on poetry?
HT: I haven't thought about it, but I have written even more than what I put in the book, so maybe that is an idea to consider.
PBR: As people can learn more by reading your book and by visiting your website, there is much to be learned by your experiences. We do thank you for both of your time today, and wish you much success.
HT & ET: Thank you, we appreciate this time to answer these questions. We are always happy to expand on the topics that have been raised in the book.
Interviewed by: Nicole Sorkin, at Pacific Book Review. To learn more about Pacific Book Review please visit us at this link: http://www.pacificbookreview.com/
From Substance Abuse to a Life of Substance, Living in the Rear View Mirror by Kim Vazquex
A Perspective on a Life on Finding a Life of Substance
"Living in the Rear View Mirror" is a story of conquering the power and poison of bitterness, anger, stress, loneliness, and addictions. It is a story offering hope and healing for those caught in a web of pain, suffering, emotional emptiness, anxiety, and mental illness. Kim Vazquez shares her story of vulnerability openly and candidly as she relates the results of childhood abuse, rejection, and insecurity.
Deserted by her father in her early childhood, Kim was left insecure. Her mother devastated. Kim suffered through her mother's dysfunctional relationships, emotional stress, and financial woes. She found herself in bondage to her mother's out of control years, feeling unlucky and misunderstood. She later felt cheated out of her childhood as she had become a mini adult while comforting her mother through her hard and difficult life. Kim's was counted on to help with household chores, shopping needs, and finances.
Kim chronicles her adolescence and teen years. She was verbally abused by her father, stalked by her grandfather, experienced low self-esteem, and desperately sought acceptance from her peers. She soon found herself addicted to alcohol, drugs, misdirected aspirations, work, constant activity the need for ever-present drama, and seeking the euphoria of love through dysfunctional relationships. She describes a love affair with marijuana, her anxiety attacks, and a cycle of oppression and depression.
The subtitle of the book offers hope to the reader, "From Substance Abuse to a Life of Substance." Kim's is a spiritual journey, a pilgrimage, which took a new turn when she chose to break out of the cycle of fear, paranoia, emotional pain, and spiritual bankruptcy, a decision to change her life. She chose to search for quality of life, community, and friendliness. She helps the reader recognize the reality of the presence of outside spiritual energies through the power of forgiveness as the beginning of the restoration process.
Kim attributes her own restoration to a metaphysical approach, of counseling, meditation, and angelic healing. While there are those who will feel strongly that there is another road to recovery, "Living in the Rear View Mirror" affords an opportunity for others to identify with Kim's life as they realize their own need to pursue a spiritual solution to find release from their emotional pain in exchange for a hope in the seeds of possibility of spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery and healing.
A complimentary copy of the book was provided by a representative of the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Mill City Press, Inc.
213 3rd Avenue North, Suite 209
Minneapolis, MN 55401
978-1934937846, $ 16.95, 2009, 273 Pages
As Reviewed for Midwest Book Review
Richard R. Blake, Christian Education Consultant, Freelance Writer, Editorial Services