book review - Kitchen Decluttering, by Charity Grant

This book does exactly what it says in the title. It delivers a simple, structured, foolproof plan for decluttering your kitchen. There are no weird philosophies, no demands that you become a true believer - it's logical, straightforward and beautifully organised. Each day's task is quite manageable, there are no requirements to sign up for expensive services or buy fancy equipment or products - most tasks require nothing but the rubbish bin, some soapy water and a cloth or sponge.

I have read many organisational books and in my opinion, this one is one of the best. I particularly liked that it didn't make any extravagant claims. Grant doesn't promise to change your life, find you True Love or any of that. She tells you how to declutter your kitchen, period.

As far as the actual execution goes, it's well and clearly written and beautifully structured and organised. The presentation is extremely professional and all round, if it's fixing up the kitchen that's needed I cannot think of a better resource to have. This book is going into my permanent resources shelf.

Kitchen Decluttering is available from AMAZON.

Book review - Astro's Indian Odyssey, by Susan Day

I absolutely loved this book. It completely lives up to the high standard set by earlier books in the series. A particular treat this time was the Indian Princess, Emily, who epitomised the spoilt, luxury-loving princess.

Great for children and young-minded adults alike, the Astro's Adventures books are fun, light-hearted and portray dogs as they really are; they aren't pseudo humans in dog suits but have the personality traits of real dogs. 

Astro's Indian Odyssey, along with the rest of the Astro's Adventures series, is available on AMAZON and SMASHWORDS.

Book review - There Goes The Neighborhood, by Gary J Davies

Every one of these stories knocked me for six. I'd read several things by this author before, and frankly wasn't expecting much - but OMG, he kept all the good stuff for this collection, which seems to be the earliest of his published work.

The breadth and scope of imagination in these stories harks back to the good old days when Science Fiction was in its heyday and the writers of it were not tracking a beaten path but boldly going where no man had gone before.

Given the fine, fine quality of these stories, I thought it a pity the author had not troubled to present them more professionally; a little proofreading would have gone a long way, and then I could have given the book the five stars it would have deserved were it not for such gems as 'protege' instead of 'prodigy', and 'lay' used intransitively. From his biographical material one collects the author is tertiary educated, so there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of nonsense. A great shame to see such truly fine work so poorly presented.

There Goes the Neighborhood is available from SMASHWORDS, and is free at the time of writing.

Book review - Government Men, by Gary J Davies

As I started reading Government Men, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. The opening was that good. Davies portrayed the geeky scientist so beautifully, with such empathy and wry humour, that one knew he was writing from extensive personal experience. For those first few chapters, I dared to hope that I had discovered another Leaky Establishment.

Sadly, however, the book did not live up to its initial promise, degenerating into a chaotic and unstructured saga of hostile aliens, unicorns, Quetzalcoatl and Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all, which failed to engage me, partly because it was much too long, partly because it was unstructured, and partly because it just isn't that good.

I was so very sad at this. Davies clearly has enormous talent, and if he would just play to his strengths and write about the things he knows well, I really believe he could be another David Langford.

Government Men is available from SMASHWORDS, and as at 15 October, is free.

Book review - April's Busman Holiday, by Kerry Frith

This book is truly awful. It reads as if it had been written by a primary school child, perhaps one in about the fourth grade. In almost every sentence we see an almost total lack of competence in the English language: intransitive 'lay', homophone errors, inverted commas used for emphasis, missing punctuation, it's all there. The writer appears to be almost completely illiterate. The story is told with a naivete that also felt very childish to me.

And yet... there are flashes of something. Just as I'd be almost at the point of chucking it out, there'd be a flash of something that would hint at possibilities as yet unexplored. I think Frith may have talent, and if she ever gains an adult's fluency in the language, just may make a writer. But April's Busman Holiday (even the TITLE has a grammatical error!) was nowhere near ready for publication.

Book review - Unglued, by Zig Davidson

Unglued is one of the  most original mysteries I have ever read. Smooth narrative sets off a weirdly fractured world, in which one isn't even sure which of the possible crimes have been committed, let alone which of the possible perpetrators is guilty.

I cannot say too much about the story, lest I spoil for other readers what was an experience of such wonder and delight for me, but I will say that this is a truly brilliant debut novel from a tremendously gifted new writer.

The book is impeccably presented and the writing beautifully polished although not overly ornate, giving the reader a transparency that allows full immersion in the wonderful story. It is a very, very rare thing for me to say, but I'd be proud to have written this book myself.

Unglued is available from AMAZON.

Book review - Mindfulness, by Tabitha Zalot

This short, practical guide to basic meditation will, we are told, assist with stress management, insomnia, anger management, pain management and depression. This sounds like a very tall order, but the claims made are reasonable and plausible and the techniques described are simple, clear and easy to implement. There's no mysticism or mumbo-jumbo; the meditation techniques are physical and rational and aimed at controlling the excesses of the mind by calming the body.

It's certainly worth a try and I believe anyone who does is bound to experience some benefit. A most useful addition to any family's health toolbox.

Mindfulness is available from AMAZON.