The Big Magic

I find the use of bright colours on book covers very intriguing. While I may never judge a book by its cover, I definitely judge an author by his or her book cover. I love the creative use of bright colours, without fear of getting it wrong and for this 'The big magic' will be my favourite book cover for a very long time.

'The big magic' is described by the author as a manual for creative living. It’s a 274 paged book divided into 6 parts namely: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust and Divinity which are the characteristics she believes one must possess for creative living.

Using quotes from each chapter, here are the  six lessons I take away from 'The big magic' 

1.    Fear is not to be thrown away, we all need a healthy amount of fear to protect us from actual dangers. In the realm of creative expression, we have to learn to travel alongside our fears because creativity is always ready to inspire and stimulate us only when we have the courage to say “Yes” to it.

2.    Every creative person has his or her own of tale of enchantment about ideas, for some ideas comes as hard labour while for others a fairy dust. These tales prove that the planet is inhabited not only by animals and plants and bacteria and viruses, but also by ideas. Ideas are energetic life forms made manifest to the world through human collaboration.  

3.   You don’t need anyone’s permission (not my parents, not an authority figure not even an institution) to be creative because you are already one. Creativity is the hallmark our species, we have the senses, the curiosity, the opposite thumbs, the rhythm, the language, the excitement and the connection to divinity for it.

4.     The people standing at the gates of our dreams are autonomous, they are just people just like us; whimsical and quirky. They are a little different everyday, there is no neat template that can predict what will capture anyone’s imagination but since the right moment is unknowable, maximize your chances. You must never surrender because thoes miraculous turns of fate can happen to those who show persistence in putting themselves forward in stubborn good cheer.

5.    Trust that your craft loves you in return just as you love it.

6.    Creativity is sacred, and it is not sacred. We toil alone and we are accompanied by spirits. Art is a crushing chore and a wonderful privilege. Only when we are most playful can divinity finally get serious with us. Make space for all the paradoxes to be equally true inside your soul and I promise you can make anything.

Liz Gilbert is a very witty writer, my first encounter with her work was her best selling memoire ‘Eat, pray, Love' and I went on to read ‘Committed’ which was more like it’s sequel. What I like most about her books is her voice; it so easy to listen to and its so easy to tell that she is very passionate about her work.

Mastery by Robert Greene

Every setback is a set-up to make a strong come-back :) 

I'm back to reading books! And yes, Happy Mother's Day 2020!!

Currently reading... Mastery by Robert Greene. Review coming shortly! :)

Yours Sincerely,

Jennifer Okaima Piette :)

How is your faith? By David Gregory

It took a while to get into this book but when I finally did, my reading speed became a sprint. I didn't put it down until I got to the last page [except for when I had to use the bathroom] and even found myself digging into the acknowledgment pages.

David wrote this book with a soul. There are few writers who have mastered the art of weaving words into sincere memoirs. Any reader would be endeared by this style.

Judging by the title of the book, I expected to be bombarded with information overload about religion and all that but to my surprise the book ended up to be a beautiful piece of ethnography mixed in autobiographical narrative.

I was intrigued by his zest for journalism. I was also intrigued by his love for life and life of love, as expressed in the pages that narrated how he bonded with his father and sparked up his relationship with Beth, who became his wife despite age and religious gaps. It was interesting that what appeared to be a traumatic upbringing did not destroy his ability to raise a family.

David talked openly about his mother's alcoholism, family struggles, betrayal, workplace politics and the hustling to climb up the ladder. He talked about small and big victories. He didn't present himself as a saint and spoke easily about when he fell short and how he struggled to make amends.

And yes-- he talked about how faith helped him through each phase.

Yay, yay, yay-- I was a bit paranoid when I first started reading... my little knowledge about Judaism and Jewish culture didn't ignite any enthusiasm at all. But like I said earlier, the soulful way David told his story broke down every paranoia and I soon found myself drawn into the pages as the story unfolded.

David's many interpretation of faith - Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc. - didn't cause me to lose anything by reading the book. Instead, it strengthened my believe in God and His love expressed through Jesus Christ. The book also encouraged me to learn not to separate my faith from my work. I especially appreciate how David discussed these things by putting a human face to each of them. Yep, it wasn't another of those abstract discourse.

You might not meet a President George Bush who might ask you "how is your faith?" [David says that is what spurred him to embark on his journey]. But you can open you heart and be liberated.

We live in a secular world that takes pride in stigmatising people who believe in God through His son Jesus Christ. How can you believe in a God that you cannot see? Well, that is why it is called faith! Look closely, you will see God in everything and everywhere. There is a God. He has expressed His love to us by sending us His only son Jesus Christ. Our role is to believe. Of course, the doubts will always set in but it won't quench our faith if we don't let it.

I'll recommend How is your faith? to everyone interested in journalism or interfaith marriage. But most importantly to anyone out there interested in diving deeper in their spiritual journey, beyond the peripheral of this secular world. I don't 100% agree with the principles shared in the book but I appreciate David for having the courage to share his story.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

I like this book, "Lean In" very much. The author's voice is very authentic. No pretentious high sounding i-want-to-sound-intellengent innuendos one often finds in these genres of literature. 

"Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" by Sheryl Sandberg.

I started reading this book at a point in my career when I was pulling back-- and I'm so glad I found Sheryl's Lean In just in time. All I am doing now is leaning in, all weight forward :-). May God bless everyone who has the courage to share their stories for those coming up to learn from.

This book puts everything into perspective and gives you the courage to have that one-on-one conversation with yourself-- yes, that honest talk we cease to have after a certain phase of life. 

As ambitious as I look and sometimes appear, there are times when I have been so sure of myself and then, not to sure of myself.

Sheryl shares her story and through her story you'll see that it is okay not to know it all. But she doesn't stop at that, she encourages you to learn to put a step forward and be better than you have become. Her honest approach in picking different issues and addressing them one after the other is commendable. There is no rush.

I'm still reading it. But just thought to stop by here and say-- highly recommended!

Every girl, boy, woman and man should read this.

But most importantly, every girl, lady and woman should read it. Now I wish I had read this book in 2013! Anyway, life saving principles are never too late to apply.

Happy reading!

Adultery by Paulo Coehlo

If we are connected on Social Media [WhatsApp especially], you'd have received one of my broadcasts about my search for Paulo's Adultery. Finding a local bookstore to purchase this book was a hard nut to crack. Just at the point of almost giving up, my very good and kind friend, Zika, bought me a copy from the jand! Woot!!

Bookstores in Nigeria, we can do better!

Now back to my review:

I read Paulo's The Alchemist.

That book set a certain standard for what to expect from any book written by him. So when I started reading "Adultery," it was with the same enthusiasm, interest and fondness.

I was a bit disappointed. This is not to say the book isn't a good read. I think it might appeal better to a certain group of people at a certain phase of life.

And yeah, I'm going to hide the book far away from my baby niece who has a penchant for reading my books. That is to say, if you think "Half of a Yellow Sun" was sensual or provocative, wait until you read Adultery.

The plot wasn't so bad.

I admire Paulo's ability to infuse so many other important sub-themes under the main theme of adultery.

It covered love, jealousy, the futility of playing with fire, redemption, insecurity, hope, forgiveness, pretence, lies. loneliness etc.

“It’s loneliness. Even though I’m surrounded by loved ones who care about me and want only the best, it’s possible they try to help only because they feel the same thing—loneliness—and why, in a gesture of solidarity, you’ll find the phrase “I am useful, even if alone” carved in stone. Though the brain says all is well, the soul is lost, confused, doesn’t know why life is being unfair to it. But we still wake up in the morning and take care of our children, our husband, our lover, our boss, our employees, our students, those dozens of people who make an ordinary day come to life. And we often have a smile on our face and a word of encouragement, because no one can explain their loneliness to others, especially when we are always in good company. But this loneliness exists and eats away at the best parts of us because we must use all our energy to appear happy, even though we will never be able to deceive ourselves."

Taking it out of the context of marriage-- I think we can all identify with Linda and Jacob -- the two main characters.

Everyone think our lives are perfect. No one notice the struggle and discontentment. Yeah--sometimes we experience that discontented emotion with our lives and crave for something more-- more exciting. We find what we think it is and realize what we had was way better. Linda was lucky to not to loose it all before she found her way back.

Redemption c'est possible!

Some more quotes from Adultery:

“You only need to hide if you’re doing something you shouldn’t.”
**
“Going after a dream has a price. It may mean abandoning our habits, it may make us go through hardships, or it may lead us to disappointment, et cetera. But however costly it may be, it is never as high as the price paid by people who didn’t live. Because one day they will look back and hear their own heart say: ‘I wasted my life.’ ”

** 

"Learn to love better. 

This should be our goal in the world: learn to love.

Life offers us thousands of opportunities for learning. Every man and every woman, in every day of our lives, always has a good opportunity to surrender to Love. Life is not a long vacation, but a constant learning process.
And the most important lesson is learning to love.
Loving better and better...

The book had a lot going on. Isn't that what adulthood is all about? A lot going on!

I'll rate the book a four star. BUT like I mentioned to someone who asked if it was worth reading: what you'll get out of this book is very personal. This is one book you need no blanket feedback to decide on whether or not to read.

By the way, I found this picture of other collections by Paulo. I have only two checked off the list so far:

Have a good read!

"The Digital Economy" - A McGraw-Hill Publication

The Digital Economy ANNIVERSARY EDITION: Rethinking Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence

By Don Tapscott

With a new foreword by Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google

ISBN: 9780071835558

Price: $38.95 CDN

When Don Tapscott wrote The Digital Economy in 1994-95, The Digital Age was in its infancy. The pioneering Netscape Web browser 1.0 was in beta, websites didn’t do transactions, we all used dial-up modems, and smartphones didn’t exist. Google, YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter wouldn’t appear for many years.

Yet Tapscott’s analysis, raising issues such as networked business models, the impact of technology on privacy, the inevitable demand for corporate transparency, and the influence of new media on successive generations, deftly captured the many opportunities and challenges that lay in store for society. His pioneering term “digital economy” is now ubiquitous.

The Digital Economy is still a solid primer to understanding the impact of digital technology. In this 20thAnniversary Edition, Tapscott reflects on what has occurred since 1995 and how we arrived where we are. Even with 20-20 hindsight, most analysts fail to understand what the past two decades have meant.

In THE DIGITAL ECONOMY, Anniversary Edition: Rethinking Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence (October, 2014; HC, $38.95), Tapscott offers fresh commentary on today’s ever-accelerating digital churn, and how we can all prepare for the next wave of innovation.

As with all disruptive platforms and social revolutions, networked intelligence destroys as it creates, writes Tapscott. “Technology is also the foundation of new species of businesses that are capable of wiping out entire industries. Digital Conglomerates such as Google are achieving leadership roles in a dozen industries, where they do a better job with a fraction of the employees. Excess Capacity Networks like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb hold the power to wipe out jobs in industries ranging from taxis to hotels. Data Frackers like Facebook are acquiring vast treasure troves of data that position them to dominate multiple industries.”

In this new edition, he also covers:

· Frictions between present-day Industrial Capitalism and the Digital Economy
· The radical effects of the Internet on the traditional corporate structure
· Social media’s dramatic influence on business collaboration and culture
· Government transparency, citizen empowerment, and the creation of public value
· How digital content and collaboration is overhauling teaching and learning.

In an era where information has the ability to transform society, corporations, business, media, and learning, Tapscott still believes we all have the power to control the flow, and even shut it off if necessary. “Adopt a values statement for yourself and your family, and constantly revise it as the world and conditions change.Harness the power of new technologies and transparency for the good; design them, rather than having them control you.”


About the Author:
Don is one of the world’s leading authorities on innovation, media, and the economic and social impact of technology and advises business and government leaders around the world. He has authored or co-authored 15 widely read books including Macrowikinomics: New Solutions for a Connected Planet; the 1992 bestsellerParadigm Shift; and most recently Radical Openness: Four Unexpected Principles for Success. The 20thAnniversary Edition of Don’s hit The Digital Economy contains 12 new essays addressing the original topics of the book. His book Wikinomics was the best selling management book in the United States in 2007.

Over 30 years Don has introduced many seminal concepts that are part of contemporary understanding. Don recently collaborated with Thinkers50 and the Rotman School of Management to create the groundbreakingDon Tapscott App -- an interactive tool that explores Don’s thinking in a number of key areas.

In 2013, Thinkers50 awarded Don the Global Solutions Award for launching and leading the Global Solution Networks program at the Martin Prosperity Institute. This program is investigating how the digital revolution enables new models of global problem solving, cooperation and governance. Thinkers50, the definitive list of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world, listed Don as the 4th most influential management thinker alive. In 2011, Don was 9th on the list. In 2012, Don opened TEDGlobal in Edinburgh where his talk, 4 Principles for the Open World, was viewed by more than a million people online.

He is an Adjunct Professor of Management at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and the inaugural fellow at the Martin Prosperity Institute. In 2013, Don was appointed as the Chancellor of Trent University. He also plays a Hammond B3 organ in the band Men in Suits that has raised millions of dollars for worthy charities.

You can read more about his CV, experience, and background at http://dontapscott.com where there are links to Tapscott’s work in many of the world’s most important publications, radio and television networks.

For your reading pleasure! youth #education #volunteering #entrepreneurship

Hard copies available at:

• Terra Kulture Bookstore, Tiamiyu Savage street Victoria Island, Lagos
• Florence and Lambard publishers and booksellers, 202-204 Ikorodu road, Palmgroove bus stop, Lagos
• Media store, Silverbird Galleria, Abuja
• And a university campus near you!

Half A Loaf & A Bakery by Jennifer Ehidiamen and 'Funso Bukoye