january 2021 – good to read

Kim Stanley Robertson
This is a wake-up call pointing to more and immediate action on the climate front. It describes an apocalyptic tomorrow where our ecological problems have been given free rein to reach their terrible conclusions, unknown numbers of casualties in their wake. These terrifying events looming on the horizon (spoiler alert: heat, heat and more heat), the author, a steady presence in science fiction, sends us «on a trip: through the carbon-fueled chaos of the coming decades, with engineers working desperately to stop melting glaciers from sliding into the sea, avenging eco-terrorists downing so many airliners that people are afraid to fly, and bankers re-inventing the economy in real time in a desperate attempt to avert extinction.» (Rolling Stone) The solutions discussed and the idea that there is a way out, make this an optimistic book. (sgs)
Orbit Books | October 2020

Anna Barnes
From accepting your thoughts to zooming your focus in and out, The A to Z of Mindfulness will spark your curiosity about a wide variety of mindfulness subjects and encourage you to practice them with interactive prompts and reflective activities. Bright watercolor paintings and charming design make for a calming reading experience, while quotes and mantras provide the perfect dose of inspiration. Sometimes concrete and helpful, sometimes broad and motivational, The A to Z of Mindfulness is an unintimidating book guaranteed to fuel anyone’s mindfulness practice. Anna Barnes has a longstanding interest in mindfulness and emotional well-being. Appreciate the little things, believe in your personal power, and connect with nature is her message.
Andrews McNeel | January 2021

Gordon Korman
Meet Jett Baranov, Silicon Valley’s number one spoiled brat. His father created Fuego, the most successful tech company in the world. So imagine his dismay when his dad’s private plane drops him off at a wellness camp in the middle of the Arkansas wilderness. Can the prince of technology survive an entire summer eating healthy, exercising, and living life totally unplugged – no phones, no TV, no screens of any kind? As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he can’t help noticing that the adults at the Oasis are acting really strange. Could it be all those suspicious «meditation» sessions?
Barnes and Noble | January 2021

Nnedi Okorafor, Dave Brahm (illustrations), John Jennings (adaptation)
During a furious storm a young woman’s destiny is revealed… and her life is changed forever. After the Rain is a graphic novel adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor’s short story On the Road. The drama takes place in a small Nigerian town during a violent and unexpected storm. A Nigerian-American woman named Chioma answers a knock at her door and is horrified to see a boy with a severe head wound standing at her doorstep. He reaches for her, and his touch burns like fire. Something is very wrong. Haunted and hunted, Chioma must embrace her heritage in order to survive. John Jennings and David Brame’s graphic novel collaboration uses bold art and colors to powerfully tell this tale of identity and destiny. Nnedi Okorafor, PhD, is a Nigerian-American author of African-rooted science fiction and fantasy.
Abrams ComicArts | January 2021

Christopher S. Kilham
In India, both yoga and cannabis are considered gifts from the Hindu god Shiva. They are seen as twin currents of wisdom and enlightenment, allies for healing and consciousness expansion. As an ethnobotanist and yogi, Chris Kilham elaborates how cannabis and yoga offer profound benefits for body, mind, and spirit when wisely and thoughtfully combined. Kilham examines the history and lore of both cannabis and yoga, with a special focus on the role of cannabis in Indian and Himalayan yoga traditions where it has been used for thousands of years and explains how yoga practice offers a way to tune the human nervous system and how, through the endocannabinoid system, cannabis harmonizes a multitude of functions, from respiration to pain control, in ways that enhance yoga including the effects of both THC and CBD as well as the different methods of consuming cannabis, with advice on selecting the right method for your yoga practice.
Park Street Press | February 2021