City Travel Guides > Books > Books

Average Rating:

.The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Eckhart Tolle

2004-08
How much of your day is actually spent completely focused in the here and now? When you are working, how often do you find your mind wandering? How much of your time is spent thinking about what you are going to do next weekend or wishing you'd handled a particular situation differently?

The majority of us spend most of our life fixated on the past or worrying about the future. The present is just something that we gloss over until we realize that we missed out on something. Then, we yearn to have that day back.

What we tend to forget is that all we really have is now. The past is gone it no longer exists, except in memory. These experiences can't be changed in any way. Dream or worry about the future as much as you ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Used Price: CDN$ 7.50

Average Rating:

.The Brain That Changes Itself
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Norman Doidge

December 18, 2007
The history of Sigmund Freud's approach to the mechanisms of the mind has exhibited some tumultuous changes over the past century. Norman Doidge reminds us that Freud developed a thesis about the mind's plasticity over time. Freud's psychotherapy - irrespective of some questionable methods - was designed to allow the mind to search within itself and change outward behaviour by identifying memories hidden or repressed. However, after Freud, researchers using diagnoses of stroke or brain-injury victims, "mapped" areas in the brain for function. The first of these was the speech-producing region now named Broca's Area, after Paul Broca, its discoverer in the mid-19th century. Brain modularity, or "localization" as Doidge deems it, became the norm in brain research ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on The Brain That Changes Itself

Used Price: CDN$ 11.33

Average Rating:

.Twilight
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Stephenie Meyer

September 06, 2006
I picked up this book because I like vampire novels and the cover was very well done. But despite all the gushing reviews and word of mouth in regards to this book, I wasn't overly impressed.

Apart from the technical issues (poor plot pacing, awkward sentences, one dimensional characters) this book doesn't deserve the hype that it has received. It doesn't send out a good message, I thought, in making the heroine so weak and obsessed with a guy who keeps staring at her and watches her sleep. I think that's called stalking and is pretty illegal. It's not romantic. It's creepy.

Not to mention the unfathomable reason an 108 year old would have for jonesing on a 17 year old. I was a 17 year old. I teach 17 year olds and despite a few moments of brilliance, ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Twilight

Used Price: CDN$ 9.83

Average Rating:

.Remember Me?
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Sophie Kinsella

February 26, 2008
this book is by far, my favorite! i couldn't put it down! a MUST read for Kinsella fans :)
>>See More Reviews & Details on Remember Me?

Used Price: CDN$ 5.52

Average Rating:

.Eat Pray Love
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Elizabeth Gilbert

January 30, 2007
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about North American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by such a self-absorbed narcissistic writer receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whined and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants. ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Eat Pray Love

Used Price: CDN$ 3.10

Average Rating:

.New Moon
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Stephenie Meyer

May 31, 2008
I only picked up the second book because I wanted to understand the fascination with such a mediocre series. I picked up this book and thought that I should give it a chance and it might change my mind.

It once again didn't change my perception of how shoddy the plotting and pacing were done once again. I think that a better editor would have benefited this book greatly, because it had a promising premise, but it all fizzled out in the end.

I think the main problem that the author created a character that was more sympathetic and realistic and more suited to the heroine. Jacob worked better with the one again empty shell of Bella than Edward ever could. The book actually worked when Bella and Jacob interacted, because the reader got a glimpse of how much potential there ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on New Moon

Used Price: CDN$ 4.43

Average Rating:

.Eclipse
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Stephenie Meyer

August 07, 2007
There really was no saving point in this book. Bella was as annoying as ever. We were supposed to feel sad for her, yet there wasn't a moment where I didn't wish she would be killed just so the story could move onto someone more interesting.

Jacob, who was the only saving point of the last book 'New Moon', spiraled down into a jerk by physically forcing himself on Bella (twice) and then having the nerve to stand back for a bellowing laugh. I suppose it was lucky that his sexual assault didn't borderline anywhere near rape, yet what really irritates me the most is that Bella's reaction to his assualt was played off comically by both Jacob and her father Charlie. WTF?

This isn't even the start of Eclipse's problems. Then there's Edward, who literally kidnaps the poor girl and ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Eclipse

Used Price: CDN$ 21.04

Average Rating:

.The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Simon Winchester

May 06, 2008
everything this man writes is excellent. This book is no exception. You will have hours of genuine entertainment ahead of you. I only wish I had not read it so that I could start it again.
>>See More Reviews & Details on The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom

Used Price: CDN$ 15.62

Average Rating:

.Audition: A Memoir
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Barbara Walters

May 06, 2008
This is a great read! I feel like I have known so many people better after I've finished reading it. Barbara Walters' writing made me feel I was reading a book written by someone I know instead of a media icon. What a life! How can one woman who has a young daughter have travelled that much, met so many heads of state including dictators, dated so many prominent men,and had such a colourful career. I think it's important that Barbara recorded the sexism she has faced in her career that spanned five decades. It's interesting to know the men who had given her a hard time had either been let go or died of cancer. It made me wonder which is the cause, and which is the effect. Regretably, today sexism remains alive everywhere. To keep it brief, I just want to say "Barbara, thank you for writing this book. It's ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Audition: A Memoir

Used Price: CDN$ 16.94

Average Rating:

.Belong to Me
City Travel Guides > Books > Books
by: Marisa de los Santos

April 01, 2008
This book was really great in my opinion. I liked almost everything about it. As one of the other reviewers mentioned, this book is a sequel, which I did not know and I haven't read the first book. Regardless, Belong to Me was the perfect book for me to read curled up on my patio (in suberbia) enjoying lovely summer nights. I recommend it as a good book with a great story, but not many moments of page turning suspense. Slightly predictable, but still a great read.
>>See More Reviews & Details on Belong to Me

Used Price: CDN$ 14.40