By Ron Standerfer
iUniverse (2007) ISBN 9780595908509
The basic premise of Jerry Burgener's well-written and moving book, "Desert Journey," is this: A middle-aged man, battered by a series of failed relationships and filled with self-doubt, decides to take a couple of months off and travel to the American Southwest. Once there, he plans to do very little but ride his horse, enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Superstition Mountains, and maybe---just maybe---sort out the issues that had been plaguing his life. But destiny had something different in mind for him, and what was waiting for him in those mountains, was the start of a profound, mystical journey of self-discovery, facilitated by a wise and ageless Indian who soon became his mentor and spiritual advisor.
Seeking spiritual guidance and self-discovery from within the Native American shamanistic culture is not a new concept, of course. Carlos Castaneda explored that paradigm brilliantly in the 1960s with his series of writings based on "The Teachings of Don Juan." But there is something about Burgener's approach that is more---how shall I put this---peaceful, than the frenetic, peyote-induced rituals described in Castaneda's writings.
The thing I liked the most about "Desert Journey" is how quickly Burgener's journey became my journey. Thanks to his talented and descriptive writing, I could feel the warm nuzzle of his horse on my arm, smell the crisp, clean desert air, savor the sight of the multi-hued canyon walls changing with the light, and hear the sharp "screech" of a hawk flying overhead. I also found myself reading and rereading many of the passages in the book trying to divine the deeper wisdom buried within. One of my favorite sayings was, "dreams are powerful tools for us to use to connect with other worlds." This is a new and refreshing idea to me as I had always thought dreams were tools for exploring our subconscious, a place I have no desire to visit!
The only part of "Desert Journey" that did not totally fulfill my expectations was the ending. I expected the story to rise to a crescendo and finish with some kind of profound proclamation summarizing what the journey had really been all about. Instead, the author loads his horse into the trailer and heads back to Illinois. But then again, that's what life is all about, isn't it? Every time we reach the summit we discover that we are only on a plateau, and there is more climbing to be done.
"Desert Journey" is written in the first person singular and I am assuming the narrator, "Jerry," is in fact the author. On the other hand, the book is listed as fiction and is described as a novel, so I could be wrong. I hope I'm not though, because there are a million questions I want to ask Jerry Burgener as one Illinois boy to another. Meanwhile, "Desert Journey" is an excellent book and I strongly recommend it. Be forewarned, however, that if you do read it you may be tempted to take your own spiritual journey. I know I am.
http://www.readerviews.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Standerfer
7/26/2008
Reviews of Top Raw Food Recipe Books For Families
By Eve Zhu
1. Rawvolution
Matt Amsden has written and illustrated this very inspiring yet simple to use recipe book. It contains highly useful information, such as 'Stocking Your Kitchen', which details not only the basic equipment needed, but also basic ingredients for making raw food preparation easy. 'How To Eat Raw While Traveling' is fantastic for school and work with recipes for foods the raw foodist can proudly take anywhere. Examples are Veggie Cakes, Felafel and Onion Bread.
2. Eating Without Heating. Favorite Recipes from Teens Who Love Raw Food.
Sergei and Valya Boutenko are the teenage children of the famed raw Boutenko family. Clearly, they love eating raw and have beautifully put together their favourite raw recipes. Examples are Italian Rawsage, Nori Rolls and Sergei's Amazing Truffles. Both teenagers and parents will find this book a real treat to have.
3. Green For Life.
This ground-breaking book by Victoria Boutenko was an Independent Publisher Award Finalist. She clearly and simply explains why we should be feeding ourselves and families more dark leafy greens in the form of raw green smoothies. Over 17 delicious green smoothie recipes are given, making it easy to consume these otherwise bitter nutrients. Examples are Raspberry Dream and Summer Delight.
4. Eat Smart Eat Raw.
Kate Wood has written this wonderful and practical cookbook, having successfully tested the recipes on her own husband and children. Even the most resistant husband or child will love tasty delights such as Pasta Sauce and Calcium Candies. And each recipe has measurements in both metric and pounds. A must for any family's raw food chef.
To learn more, download my FREE REPORT 'Secrets Of Natural Living In The Modern World' at http://www.NaturalLivingSecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eve_Zhu
1. Rawvolution
Matt Amsden has written and illustrated this very inspiring yet simple to use recipe book. It contains highly useful information, such as 'Stocking Your Kitchen', which details not only the basic equipment needed, but also basic ingredients for making raw food preparation easy. 'How To Eat Raw While Traveling' is fantastic for school and work with recipes for foods the raw foodist can proudly take anywhere. Examples are Veggie Cakes, Felafel and Onion Bread.
2. Eating Without Heating. Favorite Recipes from Teens Who Love Raw Food.
Sergei and Valya Boutenko are the teenage children of the famed raw Boutenko family. Clearly, they love eating raw and have beautifully put together their favourite raw recipes. Examples are Italian Rawsage, Nori Rolls and Sergei's Amazing Truffles. Both teenagers and parents will find this book a real treat to have.
3. Green For Life.
This ground-breaking book by Victoria Boutenko was an Independent Publisher Award Finalist. She clearly and simply explains why we should be feeding ourselves and families more dark leafy greens in the form of raw green smoothies. Over 17 delicious green smoothie recipes are given, making it easy to consume these otherwise bitter nutrients. Examples are Raspberry Dream and Summer Delight.
4. Eat Smart Eat Raw.
Kate Wood has written this wonderful and practical cookbook, having successfully tested the recipes on her own husband and children. Even the most resistant husband or child will love tasty delights such as Pasta Sauce and Calcium Candies. And each recipe has measurements in both metric and pounds. A must for any family's raw food chef.
To learn more, download my FREE REPORT 'Secrets Of Natural Living In The Modern World' at http://www.NaturalLivingSecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eve_Zhu
3/14/2008
iPhone Music Downloads - 7 Tips to Find the Top Service for iPhone Music
By Davion Wong
iPhone owners are getting excited about loading their new gizmos with iPhone music downloads. After all, the phone-cum-digital portable media player can store up to 100 songs easily and allow a playtime of up to 24 hours of audio. This article will show you 7 hot tips to find the top service befitting of your new toy when it comes to iPhone music downloads.
1. Free or Paid
Freebie seekers probably would argue with me on this. There is nothing wrong with wanting free iPhone music downloads. Who doesn't anyway? But the trouble is that free websites that give you music for free are often associated with exposure to viruses, spyware and adware when downloading media files there. Our phones are too new and precious and to risk exposing them to these harmful elements is a No No.
How about downloading each iPhone song for $0.99 or more at online music services like HMV, iTunes and so on? People wouldn't mind if it is only one or two song. But if we are going to load up at least a 100 songs or soundtracks, this is going to be expensive.
There are now services that offer a lifetime membership for a flat fee of lower than $49.95 to access unlimited iPhone music downloads. These are the real gems!
2. Variety & Size of iPhone Music Library
Music lovers probably have their preferred music. You may not like pop but to another, pop may really sound heavenly. If you love all kinds of music, go with the services that offer multiple genres from Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Classical to many unheard music genre. Several top sites now offer over 100 million media files including music videos, TV shows and even movies and games.
3. Download Interface
This is a key feature that must not be overlooked. For easy navigation, the interface must be simple to use and does not take long to search and find your music files. One way to get a rough idea is to see how professionally done the site is and to read comments of existing users.
4. Software Applications for Download and Conversion
Several of the more established services are providing free software applications required to download iPhone music as well as movie and video files. They also provide the conversion software needed to convert movies and music file formats into iPhone-compatible formats. The top services also offer you a free DVD conversion software that transfer movies from DVDs to your iPhone.
5. Fast Downloading Speeds
Make sure that the download speeds are fast. Music file sizes are about 3-4 MB per song. Assuming you are downloading 20 songs at a go, the service must not limit your bandwidth usage by slowing down the speed. This is what some poorly run B-grade services do.
6. Safe Download Environment
Some services do not provide good secured environment with a high level of security and safety when you download iPhone music downloads. The last thing you want to worry about is adware, spyware and viruses that could make their way to your computer because the music store refuses to buck up on its system architecture.
7. After-sales Customer Care and Support
Many services just want to make more money. While they promise a 24/7 technical support to entice you to join them, they are hardly around when you need them to help troubleshoot when you face difficulties. Thankfully, there are a few reputable ones who can deliver an excellent level of after-sales service.
Look around and use these tips to find a good service for your iPhone music downloads. Want to know which services score well in every aspect mentioned? Read up my iPhone blog.
Davion is an ardent lover of techno gizmos. He runs a hugely popular iPhone review blog where he reveals where you can find unlimited iPhone downloads for pennies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong
iPhone owners are getting excited about loading their new gizmos with iPhone music downloads. After all, the phone-cum-digital portable media player can store up to 100 songs easily and allow a playtime of up to 24 hours of audio. This article will show you 7 hot tips to find the top service befitting of your new toy when it comes to iPhone music downloads.
1. Free or Paid
Freebie seekers probably would argue with me on this. There is nothing wrong with wanting free iPhone music downloads. Who doesn't anyway? But the trouble is that free websites that give you music for free are often associated with exposure to viruses, spyware and adware when downloading media files there. Our phones are too new and precious and to risk exposing them to these harmful elements is a No No.
How about downloading each iPhone song for $0.99 or more at online music services like HMV, iTunes and so on? People wouldn't mind if it is only one or two song. But if we are going to load up at least a 100 songs or soundtracks, this is going to be expensive.
There are now services that offer a lifetime membership for a flat fee of lower than $49.95 to access unlimited iPhone music downloads. These are the real gems!
2. Variety & Size of iPhone Music Library
Music lovers probably have their preferred music. You may not like pop but to another, pop may really sound heavenly. If you love all kinds of music, go with the services that offer multiple genres from Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Classical to many unheard music genre. Several top sites now offer over 100 million media files including music videos, TV shows and even movies and games.
3. Download Interface
This is a key feature that must not be overlooked. For easy navigation, the interface must be simple to use and does not take long to search and find your music files. One way to get a rough idea is to see how professionally done the site is and to read comments of existing users.
4. Software Applications for Download and Conversion
Several of the more established services are providing free software applications required to download iPhone music as well as movie and video files. They also provide the conversion software needed to convert movies and music file formats into iPhone-compatible formats. The top services also offer you a free DVD conversion software that transfer movies from DVDs to your iPhone.
5. Fast Downloading Speeds
Make sure that the download speeds are fast. Music file sizes are about 3-4 MB per song. Assuming you are downloading 20 songs at a go, the service must not limit your bandwidth usage by slowing down the speed. This is what some poorly run B-grade services do.
6. Safe Download Environment
Some services do not provide good secured environment with a high level of security and safety when you download iPhone music downloads. The last thing you want to worry about is adware, spyware and viruses that could make their way to your computer because the music store refuses to buck up on its system architecture.
7. After-sales Customer Care and Support
Many services just want to make more money. While they promise a 24/7 technical support to entice you to join them, they are hardly around when you need them to help troubleshoot when you face difficulties. Thankfully, there are a few reputable ones who can deliver an excellent level of after-sales service.
Look around and use these tips to find a good service for your iPhone music downloads. Want to know which services score well in every aspect mentioned? Read up my iPhone blog.
Davion is an ardent lover of techno gizmos. He runs a hugely popular iPhone review blog where he reveals where you can find unlimited iPhone downloads for pennies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong
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