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REVIEWS
ELIZABETH ROYTE
Bottlemania: How Water Went
on Sale and Why We Bought It
2008, Bloomsbury, USA,
New York, $24.99
Our water supply is among the cleanest and safest
on the planet. Tested far more extensively than bottled
water, tap water regularly wins blind-taste tests.
Despite this, American’s participate in an $11 billion
bottled water industry. Elizabeth Royte follows the trail
of this social phenomenon in Bottlemania. Why the
thirst for packaged water? Royte concludes: marketing. Both Pepsi owned Aquafina and Coke’s Dasani are
from municipal water supplies; corporations charge up
to 10,000 times more for their product than tap water.
And while this craze has a huge economic impact, the
environmental footprint is gigantic. The energy to produce, transport and dispose of just a single water bottle
equals filling one quarter of that bottle with oil. Local
water rights are also severely compromised. In Maine,
Royte challenges Nestlé’s purchase of Fryeburg’s
Poland Spring. If water is a basic right, “why would
we let anyone slap a barcode on it?” she questions.
CHRISTINE R. PAGE, M.D.
2012 and the Galactic Center:
The Return of the Great Mother
2008, Bear and Company,
Rochester, VT, $16.00,
In four years our sun will most closely align to the
Galactic Center for the first time in 26,000 years. The
significance of this 2012 date, coupled with the void at
the center of the galaxy, creates fear in some; the end of
the Mayan calendar could be the end of times. Others
are far more hopeful. Dr. Christine Page sits squarely in
the second camp. In 2012 and the Galactic Center, Dr. Page
considers the Galactic Alignment, the thirty-six-years
between the 1987 Harmonic Convergence and the year
2023. She sees this time as an open window where the
use of sacred spiritual tools allows us awareness usually
available only to sages and shamans. Using the analogy of the lunar cycle Dr. Page describes the years up to
2023 as the three days when the moon is invisible in our
night sky, the dark time of the old moon dying and the
new moon being born. The Maya, master astronomers,
predicted this dark period to be the end of their fourth
sun and the December 21, 2012 sunrise to be the birth of
the fifth world. Describing the Milky Way as the Great
Mother, Dr. Page sees the Black Road, the opening dark
rift or celestial birth canal, leading directly to the pulse
— the vibration of the Great Mother’s heart. Available to
anyone who listens to their own inherent guidance, this
path “presents us with the possibility of a peace upon
this planet that truly passes all our present-day understanding.” Drawing on mythology, archetypes and the
zodiac, Dr. Page shows how historically there is re-birth
out of chaos and how we can be re-born into a new era
of emotional creativity, intuition and renewal.
NAPOLEON HILL
Think and Grow Rich
(Deluxe edition)
Tarcher/Penguin, New York,
2008, (complete re-print of
1937 text) $19.95
A half-century before The Secret phenomenon, businessman Napoleon Hill wrote, “Whatever you vividly
imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.” In
his 1937 Think and Grow Rich, Hill advocated using
the “Master Mind” for creative imagination as well as
invisible counselors to produce success in business and
in life. First published during the Great Depression,
this financial self-help classic remains at the forefront
of motivational thinking. Though the examples are,
obviously, from many decades ago, Hill’s “Thirteen
Steps Toward Riches” remain relevant today. Through
spiritual growth, Hill insists, we draw success our way.
Hill also reveals ideas for outwitting the “six ghosts
of fear;” fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of
love of someone, old age and death. Though primarily focused on attaining financial resources, Hill also
briefly explores esoteric concepts such as telepathy and
the psychic mind.
MARY ANNE
RADMACHER
Live Boldly: Cultivate the Qualities
that Can Change Your Life
2008, Conari Press,
Newburyport, MA, $16.00
Mary Anne Radmacher is a poet, writer and
visual artist. Her well-known aphorisms found on
contemporary cards and posters are indicative of the
simplicity she promotes: “Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the
day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” In her latest
inspirational book, Live Boldly, Radmacher continues
her theme of living boldly with ease. Sharing her own
experiences, some humorous and some poignant,
Radmacher encourages readers to find boldness in their
own lives, and especially to recognize it in everyday
situations. Boldness, she says, is “living as if no one
is looking.” It is an exercise, and will strengthen with
practice. Laugh loudly, love truly, play often, work smart
and share your heart. Her message is uncomplicated;
choose one thing that you would like different today.
Make it simple, learn from it and most importantly,
“don’t wait.”
JUNE COTNER, EDITOR
Dog Blessings: Poems, Prose,
and Prayers Celebrating Our
Relationship with Dogs
2008, New World Library,
Novato, CA, $16.00
Dog Blessings is a celebration of the profound
affection between humans and their devoted four-legged
friends. A collection of short canine poems, prose and
prayers, this compact book includes among its writings
those of Bernie Siegel: “Dogs are healers. They are enlight-
ened. While we struggle to figure out why we were put
here on Earth, all a dog wants is to love and be loved — a
powerful lesson for us all.” Also included is “Prayer for My
Best Friend” by 12-year-old Brennan Boyle: “…But here
on Earth there can be no doubt, The angels bark as they
run about.” Editor June Cotner divides the collection into
eight sections, among them, A Dog’s World, Our Bond,
and Aging Gracefully. Roaming from the playfulness of a
new pup to the sadness of a faithful companion’s memorial
service, and all the joyous dog years in between, Dog Blessings is a treat for anyone who has ever loved a dog.
PEGGY JOY JENKINS
Nurturing Spirituality in Children
2008, Atria Books, New York,
NY/Beyond Words Publishing,
Hillsboro, OR, $15.00
Nurturing Spirituality in Children provides simple
thought-provoking lessons honoring a child’s spiritual
nature. Geared toward school-aged children, Peggy Jenkins’ teachings will inspire people of any age. Simple to
prepare and understand, each of the sixty-two lessons can
be shared in less than ten minutes. Using common household items such as a candle or a lamp, the activities help
children learn qualities such as empathy, trust and inner
peace. Jenkins suggests a morning ritual for the child in all
of us: start each day drawing a scribble, on paper or imagined, and visualize this scribble as the gift of pure energy
we receive daily from the universe. Color the blank spaces
with thoughts and feelings and know this is the same way
we color the pure energy of the universe. Fill the energy
scribble with love, abundance and harmony. Our wise use
of this energy is our gift back to the universe.
SUSAN GREGG
The Complete Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Magical Plants
2008, Fair Winds Press,
Beverly, MA, $21.99
Do you need extra confidence to speak in front of a
group or would you like to be more assertive? Gargling
with chamomile tea for thirty seconds will help you speak
up. You can also release any unnecessary energy you collect during the day by using this herb; just sprinkle some
powdered chamomile inside your shoes. The magical
properties of chamomile are among the nearly 300 herbs,
flowers and plants highlighted in the full-color, beautifully
photographed The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Magical Plants. Susan Gregg gathers the ancient wisdom
inherent in individual plants and reveals their magic in
this comprehensive and easily readable guide. Distracted?
Chew celery seeds to increase your attention. Whether
grown in your garden or purchased at a farmer’s market,
the power of plant magic is always available. Gregg also
offers simple recipes for teas, tonics and elixirs to help us
reconnect with the mystical properties of nature.
Gail Lord is a freelance writer living in Massachusetts.
Please send book review copies to 51 North Street, Grafton,
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