By Susie Cortright
 "What was I like as a baby?"
All moms know how their kids' eyes light up when they hear stories about themselves as babies and young children.
All moms also know that when a mother takes the time to record these precious stories in written form, she preserves a mystery and a magic that is impossible to recapture any other way.
Still, even the most well-intentioned of us (myself included) have a hard time following through when we have something we wish to write down, particularly those everyday details that make up our lives. Sometimes we are swept away by the daily tasks of motherhood and sometimes we are simply too deep in the enjoyment of the experience itself to take the time out to write about it just then. Sometimes it all seems too much to do, but more often it is a gentle ebbing away of the time.
In Love, Mommy: Writing Love Letters to Your Baby, Judy Siblin-Librach leads us on a journey that helps us capture the major milestones (the birth story, the first
day at school) as well as those that may not immediately come to mind (the first time your child caught a baseball, the way her hugs felt, the first time she went through a car wash).
Siblin-Librach's writing style is elegant, perfectly capturing the depth of emotion that all mothers feel at one point or another. We are in good hands with a natural-born poet and mother who will lead us into creating and recording the lyrics of our own lives.
Part of the beauty of this book is the way Siblin-Librach makes it simple to write these life stories, whether or not you have ever enjoyed the process of writing in the past. The book is equally helpful in bringing back memories you may have thought were gone, just in case your baby has grown.
Siblin-Librach opens each chapter with incisive questions to prompt your writing, followed by sample letters from her own family. These examples can really help you to get an idea of all the different ways you can take a particular letter. The author includes notes to parents about how to write the letter, as well as tips and ideas to keep you inspired in this grand task. This book helps us to record the specific stories and memories, as well as the deeper story: the wisdom, the life lessons and the wishes you have for your child.
Judy Siblin-Librach has written a beautiful and heartfelt book that simplifies the process and that reminds us that it need not be a big deal to record these memories and to give ourselves and our children the greatest gift. In doing so, she has given a gift to all mothers and all those who will be mothers.
Susie Cortright is the founder of several popular websites, including Susies-Coupons.com, BestSelfHelp.com and Momscape.com, where you can register to win gift cards from top online merchants. Poker Book Review : The Illustrated Guide to Texas Hold'Em
By Shawn Somerville
 At a time when new poker books are pouring onto store shelves, Dennis Purdy is the first author to offer a unique approach to learning poker with The Illustrated Guide to Texas Hold'Em. The former gambling pro uses a visual problem-solving approach rather than a textual approach at teaching poker strategy.
The first three chapters of the guide start off very similarly to many beginner books on the poker market, covering the basic rules of how to play Hold'Em, what you might wear to a table, how much you should buy-in for and some rules of good poker etiquette. The fourth chapter presents eight brief rules of 'good basic poker strategy' followed by a detailed explanation of actual odds and pot odds. Chapter five is where this book becomes unique as the next 300 pages are filled with 150 different, illustrated Texas Hold'Em poker scenarios, matched with the author's answer to each of the practice situations! Purdy ends the book with a noteworthy 30 page poker terminology glossary.
The cover indicates that this guide may make a winner out of an advanced player but this book was really designed to captivate those unlikely readers that shy away from the other poker books already published. The introduction warns that this book is not 'targeted towards sophisticated and knowledgeable players', and I would agree. Advanced players will find too many examples stating the obvious like situation #2: folding 27 offsuit before the flop.
Purdy's advice is mostly in-line with most other poker authors however there are certainly some debatable answers to a few of his problems (i.e. Problem #46 suggests to cap the betting with 36s pre-flop?). There is often more than one correct way to play any individual poker hand however I sometimes found myself wondering why Purdy would suggest such advanced plays, especially since these situations can be easily misinterpreted by new players. The intention of this guide may have been to give definitive situational advice to poker scenarios, however, I suggest that readers actually place more importance on the general strategy advice given in the answers rather than the specific action to take. It's really the whole strategic approach you take to the game that will make the most difference in your results.
The visual representation of each of the poker situations is by far this book's greatest asset. I personally know readers to have picked up this book after ignoring the other acclaimed texts on the premise of its simple and fun-looking learning method. Another quality point is that no commitment is needed as the reader can easily review a couple pages and put the book back down again without losing the value of the material. The teaching pattern also follows through with its ideas, enabling the reader to encounter the same notions and strategies in various problems throughout the book (for example, each of situations #17, #38 & #148 address folding small pocket pairs in early position before the flop).
Due to the popular nature of problem solving game books, this style of teaching poker is expected to appeal to many players and will most likely be adopted in more books to come. Like many books of its nature, The Illustrated guide to Texas Hold'Em is not recommended as the only book to teach you sound poker strategy, but as a visual practice supplement for those players not interested in studying the more technical texts. Readers that insist on keeping the fun and excitement first and foremost in their poker education will appreciate this chance to learn without being bogged down with abstract concepts or complicated terminology.
Shawn has been playing online poker since it's inception in 1999, all of his poker articles can be found at WinnersTable.com. Choosing an Effective Law of Attraction Book
By Amy Wells
 You may have been hearing about the law of attraction recently. This concept has become a hot topic, and there has been an increased popularity with the release of the movie, "The Secret." Although there are a variety of definitions, the law of attraction describes how our thoughts and feelings create our life circumstances and outcomes. Whatever we focus on, we bring more of the object of focus into our lives. If you are curious and want to know more, or would like to find ways to work with this information and create more of what you want in life, there are a variety of helpful books and resources available. Here is an overview of some of the more effective books.
Michael Losier is a coach, speaker, and writer about law of attraction. Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't, is a clear and concise guide on how exactly what the title states, how to bring more of what you want into your life. One of the benefits of this book is the variety of practical exercises available. The book has a a number of easy to understand worksheets that motivate you into action and help you focus. If you like clarity and ease when learning and applying new concepts, you'll enjoy this book.
If you are looking for a general overview, David Hooper's book: Guide for Living: Law of Attraction - How to Attract Money, Love, and Happiness, is a short (80 pages) yet powerful book that explains and applies this law in different subject areas. The first part of the book is an overview, with quotes from a variety of writers about the law of attraction. In the second half, Hooper illustrates how to apply the concepts in a variety of areas of your life, such as work, relationships, and health. If your looking for a big picture explanation, with useful suggestions, this book does a good job with both.
Jerry and Esther Hicks are two of the most visible writers and speakers on law of attraction. For nearly 20 years, they have presented seminars, books, and tapes about this topic. Their book, Ask and It is Given, is an extremely comprehensive book on law of attraction processes. The subtitle is: Learning to Manifest Your Desires, and that is the focus here. Jerry and Esther Hicks present their material as channeled through a being called Abraham. If you are familiar with the Seth books, this is a similar concept. The first half of the book is an overview of the attraction law at work in our life, and answers to common questions about the law of attraction. The second half presents a variety of exercises that help us create more of what we want. This book has a number of exercises to choose from, providing interest and flexibility in applying the activities.
There are many other books available, but the three mentioned here are good places to start. Many of these authors, such as Michael Losier and Jerry and Esther Hicks, also offer a variety of audio recordings of their work, if you prefer to listen to rather than read the information. These authors also have their own websites with additional information, and there are number of user reviews about their books available on Amazon and other venues. If you'd like to create positive change in your life with the law of attraction, any of these books will be a good place to start.
Amy Wells is a practitioner of
visualization, the law of attraction, and other universal laws of success. If you'd like to create more wealth in your life, visit
http://www.wealthbythought.com for a free report. Book Reviews Share Your Opinion. (0 posts)
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