Book Review
Watching for Dragonflies
by Mari Carlson
The moving memoir "Watching for Dragonflies" is a wife and caregiver’s tale of contending with a spouse’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis. In Suzanne Marriott’s memoir "Watching for Dragonflies", lessons are mined from a decade of...
Book Review
The Once upon a Time of Now
by Mari Carlson
Spiritual and allegorical, the fantasy novel The Once Upon a Time of Now follows a girl in a strange land who absorbs mystical ideas from magical teachers. In Hope West’s fantasy novel The Once Upon a Time of Now, a girl and her...
Book Review
Abundant Soul-utions
by Mari Carlson
"Abundant Soul-utions" is a soulful self-help book that encourages self-care and delivers practical wisdom about changing one’s lifestyle for the better. Chris Atley’s self-help guide "Abundant Soul-utions" suggests that...
Book Review
Among the Okapi
by Mari Carlson
Quiet symbols and fragile but enduring relationships populate the dramatic novel "Among the Okapi", a modern parable about securing inner peace. John S. Taylor’s novel "Among the Okapi" juxtaposes a professor’s experiences at a...
Book Review
Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories
by Mari Carlson
The stories of Tobias S. Buckell’s "Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories" explore relevant earthly topics in science fiction settings. Fantasies are used to reflect on real atrocities, like the loss of collective...
Book Review
Dinner Party
by Mari Carlson
Halloween meals mark the anniversary of a twin sister’s death in Sarah Gilmartin’s novel "Dinner Party". Growing up, Kate thought that people either wore their emotions on their sleeves or suppressed them. Her melodramatic,...
Book Review
Spiritual Energy Explained
by Mari Carlson
Examining the chronology, practices, and successes of spirituality, "Spiritual Energy Explained" is a diverse and engaging philosophical introduction. Walter E. Broach’s metaphysical survey "Spiritual Energy Explained" places...
Book Review
The Yin and the Yang of It All
by Mari Carlson
"The Yin and the Yang of It All" is an energetic musician’s memoir about the acceptance of one’s origins. John Kim Faye’s memoir The Yin and the Yang of it All chronicles his long, lasting relationships with music and his mother....