"Lenormand" by Rana George

"Lenormand" by Rana George is an instruction booklet for the Lenormand fortune telling cards (they come with the book). 

The Lebanese style cards are illustrated by Callie L. French and this booklet explains how each illustration was done and what are the meanings of the cards and especially, how these cards work in separate readings. 

The author would provide a name of a card (let's say, Heart), some proverbs that illustrate the meaning of the card, then what the card means in a reading and some real-life sample readings to show how the card is really used.

The little book comes with the 42 card deck and is an amazing tool because it provides so many practical examples of how the card can be read.

Rana George is really a very innovative and creative reader and teacher and she never ceases to surprise with her user friendly, logical and helpful material. I go through this book from time to time when I get "stuck" and need  more ideas of how the cards can be interpreted. Must read for everyone who loves Lenormand!

"The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason

"The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason is a classic little book on money. It is only 155 page thick but it has everything you need to know about money, savings, investment, finances, how to think, how to earn and how to save it. The book is known as "

Based in ancient Babylon and written as a simple and very tasteful narrative this book introduces several ancient characters, fathers and sons who wanted to learn how to become rich from being poor. 

The author then tells a story through various examples and "other stories" and the whole style reminded me of either "One Thousand and One Nights" or "The Alchemist". 

It reads easy like a folktale but is wise like a Bible. I definitely gained a lot from this book and I think it's a must read for everyone.

Excerpt: "Lo, Money is Plentiful for Those Who Understand The Simple Rules of its Acquisition":

1. Start thy purse to fattening

2. Control thy expenditures

3. Make thy gold multiply

4. Guard thy treasures from loss

5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment

6. Insure a future income

7. Increase thy ability to earn"

(Taken from "The Richest Man in Babylon"

"Sacred Evil" by Ipsita Roy Chakraverti

"Sacred Evil" by Ipsita Roy Chakraverti is nine paranormal stories. Ipsita Roy Chakraverti (as mentioned in the preface) is a professional Wiccan and a paranormal researcher based in India. The nine stories are true and taken from author's personal files.

The stories are not long but they're not easy to read. The author uses many descriptive words that sometimes distract from the plot. My favorite was the last story "Sacred Evil" that was written in the faster pace and could be digested it easier.

The book's name "Sacred Evil" sounds really evil, however I wouldn't call it a horror book. Stories are about various paranormal occurrences that sometimes psychics and paranormal investigators experience in their work such as a cursed doll, a cursed coconut, marrying fiancée's dead body, seeing a ghost etc...The author takes particular interest in necromancy and religions like voodoo and Wicca which have a bad name abroad (as dealing with the black magic only). Some scenes might be disturbing (such as sleeping with a dead body, human sacrifice and erotic elements like in "My Loving Doll" and "Sacred Evil".

At the end of every story the author explains the phenomena and in which place or culture it is practiced. 

I thought the book was OK, the author definitely can write but it depends on your taste in whether you'll enjoy it or not. She doesn't try to be liked or politically correct and in some places might sound narcissistic (especially in the "preface" where she introduces herself and where the word "I" is clearly overused), so it put me off a little bit.

Other than that this book has 9 stories that are based mostly in India and Nepal (also Calcutta and Banaras) which are: The Loving Doll, The Coconut, The Woman in Red, The Rikshaw-Puller, The Goddess, Bungalow Number Thirteen, The Tree, Those Who Return, Sacred Evil. 

"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari

"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari was sitting on our home bookshelf for a couple of years. My husband bought it because his colleague has recommended it. I didn't feel like reading it as it seemed a scientific book and too thick (446 pages).

However a week ago, I picked it up and read it in almost one sitting. The book covers the history of the human race. The first part retells the story of prehistoric humans that were hunters-gatherers, then there goes agricultural revolution, industrial revolution, the modern man and the bionic man.

It's hard to classify this book, it's not the regular history textbook that children read in school but it's written in a language that is simple enough for high school students. It is a very accessible book written in a very accessible way, possible to read for everyone. 

It's about the development of human species starting for the Big Bang and analyzing not only the historical events but also the human mind and how it changed over the time. It asks and answers many existential questions and predicts the future of humanity. It makes things a lot clearer about everything in the world starting from biology, sociology, science to economy, history and philosophy. It talks about everything and I was just amazed about how can someone explain things so clearly and put all that knowledge and information in one book and in such a way that it can be read in one sitting and enjoyed like a novel by Paulo Coelho.