What some of the new arrivals are about.

Aboutness is a term used in Library and Information science (LIS), Linguistics, philosophy of language and philosophy of mind. In LIS it is often considered synonymous with subject. It is what is said in a document, what it is about, its content, subject or topic. It is a term that is extremely important in information science.

Aboutness grasps more of what the book is about compared to the blurb which is commonly used to give an idea of what the book deals with. Because this is novels we are discussing, it is still okay to try and find out what the books are about through the blurb. The first book we will look at is John Grisham's  Sycamore Row,

1)In Sycamore Row, Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one, Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten will. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years earlier. The second will raises many more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbart leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid?Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row.

 2) John Grisham's 'The Partner'

 Once he was a well liked, well paid young partner in a thriving Mississippi law firm. Then Patrick Lanigan stole ninety million dollars from his won law firm- and ran for his life. For four years, he evaded men who were rich, powerful, and would stop at nothing to find him, Then inevitably, on the edge of the Brazilian jungle, they finally tracked him down.

Now Patrick is coming home. And in Mississippi city where it all begun, an extraordinary trial is about to begin. As prosecutors circle like sharks, as Patrick's lawyer prepares his defense, as Patrick's lover prays for his deliverance and his former partners wait for their revenge, another story is about to emerge. Because Patrick  Lanigan, the most reviled white collar criminal of his time, knows something that no one else in the world knows.

He knows the truth........

3) Robert Ludlum's 'Bourne Legacy'

Jason Bourne returns from the shadows as the world's number one assassin... 

Once, Jason Bourne was notorious in the clandestine world of covert-ops as one of the CIA's most expert international killers for hire. Out of the ashes of his violent past he's emerged today as a Georgetown professor, living a quiet life, retired from danger-until he narrowly escapes the bullet of a faceless assassin. And when two of Bourne's closest associates are murdered, Bourne knows that his legacy has followed him- and set him up as the prime suspect for the brutal crimes.

And the world's number one target,  The quicksand of lies and betrayals is deeper than Bourne ever imagined. Hunted by the CIA as a dangerous rogue agent, he has only one option to stay alive- and one last chance to stay one step ahead of an unseen assailant whose vengeance is personal. Pursued across the globe, Bourne's on the run, and on the edge of discovering the truth-that he's become the expendable pawn in an international terrorist plot. One that's taking every living witness with it and plunging Bourne one step closer to the world shattering consequences of........The Bourne Legacy,

4) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of a committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering 'the cause of generation and life' and 'bestowing animation upon lifeless matter,' Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but, upon bringing it to life, recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.

Frankenstein not only tells a horrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of human kind within cosmos; what does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go with tampering with nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation, genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.

5)Ranger's Apprentice. Book One; The ruins of Gorlan

They have always scared him in the past - the Rangers with their dark  cloaks and mysterious ways. Folks in the village claim that Rangers have the power to become invisible at will. A skill Will would now dearly love to have.

Will's heart had been set on Battle-school, on becoming a hero to the kingdom. But Will is small for his fifteen years, too small to be a warrior, He possesses other skills, though- a Ranger's skills. He can move silent as a shadow. He can climb. And he is brave.

He will need all these skills and more, For Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces. A battle for the kingdom is destined to begin. A battle the likes of which Will cannot even imagine.

6) Ranger's Apprentice. Book two; The Burning Bridge

For years, the Kingdom of Araluen has prospered. with the evil Lord Morgarath safely behind the impassable mountains. For years,its people have felt secure, But the scheming hand of the dark lord has not been idle....On a special mission for the Rangers, Will and his friend Horace, an apprentice knight, travel to a neighboring village and discover the unsettling truth; All the villagers have been either slayed or captured. But why? Could it be that Margarath has finally devised  plan to bring his legions over the supposedly insurmountable pass?If so, the King's army is in imminent danger of being crushed in a fierce ambush. And Will and Horace are the only ones who can save them.

The Ranger's Apprentice, book three and book four will follow soon.

New Comers!

We thank Mr Goercke and the Friends of the Darien book aid plan for their efforts in donating books that have always been in our book wish list. Most of our readers have always shown that they are fanatics of authors like Robert Ludlum, John Grisham, R.L Stine, Jeff Kinney, and Danielle Steel amongst others.

The following are a list of the books that have just joined our collection.. 

Tittle                                                                      Author                             
Goosebumps;Ghost beach                                                                     R.L Stine                                           
Goosebumps;Night of the living dummy                                          R.L Stine                                          
Goosebumps; it came from beneath the sink                                  R.L Stine                                 
Goosebumps;Let’s get invisible!                                                          R.L Stine                                    
Goosebumps;welcome to camp nightmare                                     R.L Stine                                    
The official SAT study guide                                                                College Board  
                  
Diary of a wimpy kid; dog days                                                           Jeff Kinney 
                         
Diary of a wimpy kid; hard luck                                                          Jeff Kinney  
                        
Diary of a wimpy kid; Rodrick rules                                                  Jeff Kinney   
                      
The associate                                                                                             John Grisham   
                
The partner                                                                                                John Grisham
                 
Sycamore row                                                                                           John Grisham   
               
The Bourne legacy                                                                                    John Grisham
               
The King of Torts                                                                                       John Grisham
                  
The Alchemist                                                                                             Paulo  Coelho                              
 Season of Passion                                                                                     Danielle Steel                            
 The Bourne sanction                                                                               Robert Ludlum                      
 Kaleidoscope                                                                                              Danielle Steel                         
 Wings                                                                                                            Danielle Steel   
                      
 Holes                                                                                                              Louis Sachar                            
 Frankenstein                                                                                               Mary Shelley                            
 Ranger’s apprentice; Book one; the                                                      John Flanagan
    ruins of Gorlan
      
 Ranger’s apprentice; Book two;                                                              John Flanagan
  The burning bridge

 Ranger’s apprentice; Book four;                                                             John Flanagan                     The battle for Skandia
       

 Ranger’s apprentice; Book three ;  The                                                John Flanagan                      icebound land  

                                                                              

My List of Good Books To Read

1) Chris Freeman's Streetwise

Ex-cop Joseph Soyinka made many enemies fighting corruption but refused to be intimidated - until his wife was killed and his life destroyed. Now he lives with his young son in the anonymous safety of New York City. By day he drives a yellow cab. By night he tries to forget about the past. Joseph knows his friend Cyrus is not a murderer, but he is involved in something - and he's in way over his head. The only way to find the real killer is to take Cyrus's place in a deadly game.

2) David Baldacci's Last Man Standing

Web London was trained to penetrate hostile ground and come out alive. Then ten seconds in a dark alley cost him everything: his friends, his fellow agents, his reputation. Among his super-elite FBI Hostage Rescue Team, Web was the sole survivor of a high-tech, devastating ambush.

Now Web is trying to put his life back together and understand what really happened. To get answers, he’ll need the help of psychiatrist Claire Daniels and the one other human being who lived through the attack – a ten-year-old boy. But when his search leads him back to that bloodstained alley, Web suddenly realizes he is about to face his assassin again.  And this time, one of them will become the Last Man Standing.

3) James L. Rubart's Soul's Gate

What if you could travel inside another person's soul?

To battle for them. To be part of Jesus healing their deepest wounds. To help set them free to step boldly into their divinely designed  future.

Thirty years ago that's exactly what Reece Roth did. Until tragedy shattered his life and ripped away his future. Now God has drawn Reece out of the shadows to fulfill a prophecy spoken over him thee decades ago. A prophecy about four warriors with the potential to change the world....if Reese will face his deepest regret and teach them what he has learned. They gather at a secluded and mysterious ranch deep in the mountains of Colorado, where they will learn to see the spiritual world around them with stunning clarity- and how to step into the supernatural. Their training is only the beginning. The four have a destiny to pursue a freedom even Reece doesn't fully fathom. But they have an enemy hell- bent on destroying them and he'll stop at nothing to keep their quest for true freedom and the coming battle of souls.

4) Alan M. Dershowitz's Just Revenge

For fifty years, Max Menuchen has kept the secret of his past;the memories are too terrible to share. The sole survivor when his entire family was gunned down in the woods of Lithuania by the Nazi Marcelus Prandus, Max has made a new life in America.

When a chance encounter brings Max face to face with Prandus, the desire for revenge becomes an obsession. It is not enough to simply to kill the old man. For Marcelus to suffer as Mas has suffered, he must witness the deaths of all his loved ones. But can it ever be just to kill the innocent to avenge the guilty? Max' solution is both monstrous and inspired, and the trial that follows would captivate the world.

5)Because  Pula Means Rain

"I believe in ghosts" says Emmanuel, looking out across a landscape turned silver under the full Botswana Moon. Emmanuel's grandmother does not believe  in ghosts, but in such a wide and open land, spread out under such a wide and open sky, there is omm enough for many beliefs and many truths.

Because the ghosts believe in Emmanuel. Ghosts are the shadows of the past that still fall upon the present, and Emmanuel and his village have yet to face the terrible secret that lies buried in their history. For the curse to be lifted and for peace to return to the community, Emmanuel must take a dangerous journey back in time and memory,He must face down his own fears, and the buried fears of his people. He must right a terrible wrong that was committed many years ago, on a night in which there was no moon at all....

6) The River Between

From the Heinemann African writers series,The River between explores life on the Makuyu and Kamen ridges of Kenya in the early days of white settlement. Faced with an alluring, new religion and 'magical' customs, the Gikuyu people are torn between those who fear the unknown and those who see beyond it. Some follow Joshua and his fiery brand of Christianity. Others proudly pursue tribal independence. In the midst of this disunity stands Waiyaki, a dedicated visionary born to a line of prophets. He struggles to educate the tribe- a task he sees as the only unifying link between the two factions- but his plans for the future raise issues which determine both his own and the Gikuyu' survival.

7)The King of Torts

The Office of the Public Defender is not known as a training ground for bright young litigators. Clay Carter has been there too long, and, like most of his colleagues, dreams of a better job in a real firm. When he reluctantly takes the case of a young man charged with a random street killing, he assumes it is just another of the many senseless murders that hit D.C every week. As he digs into the background of his client, Clay stumbles on a conspiracy too terrible to believe. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a complex case against one of the largest pharmaceutical companies  in the world and looking at the kind of enormous settlement that would totally change his life- that would make him, almost overnight, the legal profession's newest king of torts....

So many books.....so little time.....

A book for a nearby season

I used to be all gaga about Christmas, from a very young age, i loved christmas holidays like nothing ever before. There was just something about them, apart from the fact that people celebrate the birth of Christ. To me it was magical, serene, and gracious. Not only did i take joy at knowing that I exist as a human being because of Christ, it was more than that. It meant giving, loving, appreciating, praying,being thankful and keeping the light of faith and hope burning. I felt much of a greater connection with God, and with Christ himself.

But as i grew older, and experienced the tough situations that life threw at me, the light seemed to die away slowly. I no longer celebrated Christmas, There was just no need to be all jolly when my own life was a living hell and no one seemed to give a dime.I was hurt. felt broken, and it never occurred to me that one day something or someone might just mend me I'm not sure if i doubted the existence of God or I just believed that God seized caring. The spark was simply dead.

As i grew older and got to understand a thing or two about God's plan for our lives, it occurred to me that maybe God was not dead as i purported, that God indeed cared. But why did He not say anything when life pinned me down and left me without any hope?Why was He so silent when so many injustices happened in the world? Why did He keep quiet when the world mocked me and asked me where my God was in my time of trouble? I sat and waited, gave him a chance to explain Himself. It did not even take too long till i figured it all out. All this time it wasn't that God did not care, or that he was silent. He was fixing everything, making it alright. It does not matter how long it took to mend my broken soul, my broken heart. What mattered was that I became alright, i survived in the midst of  an outrageous danger posed by the devil himself in my life.

The book i'm reading now is titled Frontier Christmas, It may be old school to some but once in a while we need to have a look at different aspects of life. In this collection of romance tales,a white woman learns the meaning of christmas from an Apache, a little girl wishes for a christmas angel, an errant husband returns, and a widow rediscovers love.These stories were written by Madeline Baker, Robin Lee Hatcher, Norah Hess and Connie Mason. respectively.

The first story, which will be our focus, loving Sarah,written by Madeline Baker, a woman's husband is attacked and killed during a raid by a group of blood thirsty Indians, and her son kidnapped by the same Indians. Her life was spared and she had no idea why. Sarah was now left all alone as there were no other people in the immediate area, Now some good samaritan was in the habit of leaving a large oak basket filled with food at her doorstep. This went on for as long as she could remember. Without this food from her mystery samaritan she would have died from hunger, but what good was her to eat when she was in such misery? Just who eats when their lives are miserable? That's exactly how Sarah felt then. She felt no good alive. But there was just one ;element that kept her alive, that forced her to eat and try to keep the faith up, that was her son, Danny.

She was hopeful that one day, just one good day,she would be able to see her son again. Now this good samaritan who'd been providing her with food, turned out to be am Apache, (a name which was chosen out of respect to refer to Native American Indians), He had been watching her, as if studying her, saw her crying and felt her pain. His own brother was responsible for the murder of Sarah's husband and the kidnapping of her son.Though he was different from other Apaches, there was nothing he could have done to stop his brother from doing such misdeeds.. The least he could do was take care of this woman who had suffered such tremendous loss.

The Apache through spying on the white woman called Sarah. never thought that he would fall in love with her.

The Apache,whom we now learn is called Toklanni, and Devlin as his other name, is heart broken at the need to tell Sarah about the whereabouts of her son though he knows that he would break her heart all over again solely because he knew and understood what would follow;chaos. If the Army was alerted about a kidnapped child by the Indians there would be war, people would die He was also afraid that he might lose this woman who had now become his friend, who had welcomed him with both arms, and let her take care of him during the time that he needed such pampering and care.

It was not long till both Sarah and Devlin both confessed their undying love for each other, They went on and got married despite the fact that people would now start talking behind their back, about how a white woman married an Apache though. Devlin had never been in love, and in their culture a man did not choose whom he wanted to marry, it was a decision made by his parents.

 Devlin was troubled about how much  Sarah wanted her son back, so he went back to his tribe and made a deal with his brother, to surrender the boy for a price. But there was nothing he could offer him except for his gray stallion.. His brother, Noche, felt it was not enough, so he suggested that his own brother must fight him. If Devlin became victorious, he'd take the boy to his mother,and if  he lost, the boy had to remain behind. Devlin knew he had to win no matter what. Noche was shorter than him, and yet faster. But that could not keep him down.With so much determination Toklanni had pinned his brother down to the ground and held his knife at his throat. He promised to spare his life as long as he made a vow not to come after the boy and never to attack the white woman ever again. Toklanni emerged victorious, took Danny,the white woman's son and headed on home.

On a Christmas morning, Sarah worried about her husband's whereabouts, worried about his well being since he had went out to fight his brother. She sat by the window and watched as it snowed down, frosting the trees and the fence posts with a layer of white. Suddenly she saw horse and riders and feared for her life at realising that the horse was not her husband's gray stallion. Minutes later she felt a deep sense of relief as she recognised that the rider was her husband, and the smaller one..... Danny! her own son had graced their home once again. 

The white woman felt home, for a very long time she had felt that she did not even belong in her own house, now she felt alive. Seeing her son for the first time after a long period of agony, of missing him not knowing whether or not he was doing fine with the Indians. They exchanged gifts for christmas, but for Sarah, the only gift that she was thankful for a million times was that her own son, Danny, was now back home, untouched. She was merry that there was now a man in the house, a man she loved, a man who loved her.And for the Apache whose home was now Sarah's home. loving this white woman and having her was truly the greatest gift of all.

So the moral of the story here is that no matter how  much deeper in an ugly situation one may find themselves in, nothing has to die in you. Keep charging, keep pushing, and pray harder. So as we're headed for this Christmas keep the spirit alive, i know  i've already started! Cheers!

How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job; A book by Dale Carnegie

Today I chose to put this book on the spotlight especially because of the gravity of inspirational and motivational insights it possess. It is filled with the inspiring stories of people-from homemakers to billionaires-who have conquered boredom, frustration and fatigue, and have gone on to successful, fulfilling lives. The author, Dale Carnegie's proven techniques have helped millions to develop an overall sense of harmony and purpose, and to learn the secrets of top performance.

In this book you  will;

• Discover the four essential work habits you need to succeed.
• Find out what makes you tired  and what you can do about it.
• learn how to become genuinely interested in  other people
• Learn how to call attention to mistakes indirectly and let the other person save face.
• You will learn how to give honest, sincere appreciation without criticizing, condemning or complaining.
• You will learn the seven ways to peace and happiness
• Learn the fundamental techniques in handling people
• Learn the ways to win people to your way of thinking
• Learn the ways to change people without giving offence or arousing resentment

Dale Carnegie's inspirational and practical teachings are as sound today as when they were first written. This book is recommendable in companies and organizations where employees as well as the employers themselves need to be motivated every now and then.

Some people tend to take their work just as their work, not something they should enjoy. Just because you're trying to make a living does not mean you have to be uptight and not to be any fun at the work place. They say if you don't love what you're doing you can't really enjoy it, and that's actually true. You need to take a minute to appreciate your job, love it, not just do it because it brings food to the table. Love it because its worth waking up to every morning, because you enjoy it, love it because it has now become an important part of your life. Hence with books like this one perception can actually be changed for the better. 

Make time to come grab this book, its for your own good!

Jackie Collins Dies at 77

British born author, Jacqueline Jill "Jackie " Collins, has died of breast cancer  at the age of 77 Jackie was born 4th October 1937 in London England,She started writing as a teenager. Her first novel, "The world's full of married men" became a bestseller because of its open sexuality and the way it dealt honestly with the double standard. (www.fictiondb.com/author/jackie-collins) 

Collins died at Los Angeles on Saturday 19th September after being first diagnosed more that six years ago. Her fans would remember her by her 32 best selling novels of glamour, sex and affairs of Hollywood. In total, her books have sold over 500 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. Eight of her novels have been adapted for screen either as films or as television, mini series including Hollywood wives.

Her best selling books include Lucky, The Power Trip,Lethal Seduction,Hollywood kids, Vendetta;Lucky's revenge,American Star, Rock Star, Hollywood Husbands Lovers and Gamblers e t c. Our Library has only three books on Jackie Collins thanks to the nature of her writing, otherwise we'd be having a whole lot more! Ms Collins has been criticised by many for her style of writing, but she never felt bashful writing about sex,.“Sex is a driving force in the world so I don’t think it’s unusual that I write about sex. I try to make it erotic, too,” she told the Associated Press in a 2011 interview.

In an interview with the Press Association earlier this month, Collins said she chose to celebrate life rather than mourn those close to her who had died. “I refuse to mourn people, because everybody dies. Death and taxes, you can’t avoid either,” she said.

May Ms Collin's soul rest in peace.

Examination Tips for students

Its that time of the year again, exams, and more exams. Now a lot of people tend to panic before and during examinations, but there really is no need for panic.The thing a student can do for themselves is to work on a schedule and avoid last minute timing. Just set out a timetable for your study, write down how many exams you have and the days which you're going to write them.The next thing you need to do is to organize your study accordingly because you may find out that some subjects are going to be given much attention than the others. Just workout a balance that you will feel comfortable with.

The following tips will help you through out your exams.

1) Sort out your study material

The first thing you need to find out is whether or not you have the relevant study material, This will include all handouts and all the notes that you have put together on a particular subject..You can also read the subject guide to help you organise the information you have collected.

2) Use Past Exam Papers

It will help to go through past exam paper to familiarise yourself with the paper structure as well as the questions. Your teacher should be able to help you with the past exam papers if they are not available in the school library. Practice answering the questions within the specified time limit and check your answers against your notes to see how you performed.

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3) Ask For Help

It is perfectly fine to consult your friends or study buddies about a subject that is giving you a hard time. You can also talk to your teacher about anything that you think matters.

4) Don't Cram

Although some may stand firm about their cramming success stories. it might be unfortunate that the sane thing would note work out for you so well. Cramming might end up bringing masses of confusion, so just work on what you already know and perfect it if need be. 

5) Break The Questions Down

Often people fail because they have misunderstood the questions. Breaking the questions down make you understand what the question really wants from you. Look at the key parts of the question and this will give you clues on how to answer the question. For example in the question " Explain the difference between bee and wasp", the following will be how you will break down the question.

 A) Explain-give reasons to show how or why something is the way it is

 B)What are the distinguishing factors between a bee and a wasp?

 C)Bee- what is a bee?

 D)Wasp- what is a wasp?

6) Use Your Reading Time

The way you use your reading time could make you or break you in an exam. Use it to plan your writing time. Be sure also to read instructions carefully and scan the whole paper.. Also check out how many pages are there and how much each question is worth.You can start with the questions you're most confident with if you that's comfortable.

7) Keep Your Cool 

Before the exam, don't talk to other students about the exam . It could confuse you or make you feel less confident in youself. The same goes for after the exam, don't hang around talking about the exam with other students. You might begin to doubt yourself and stress out if you think you have made a mistake.

For more information about how to prepare for your exams please follow the link below,

 Top Ten Study Tips