, , ,

Today’s read won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize of 2010

Solo

by Rana Dasgupta

This is the latest novel from the critically acclaimed author of Tokyo Cancelled.

'Solo' recounts the life and daydreams of a reclusive one-hundred-year-old man from Bulgaria. Before the man lost his sight, he read this story in a magazine: a group of explorers came upon a community of parrots speaking the language of a society that had been wiped out in a recent catastrophe. Astonished by their discovery, they put the parrots in cages and sent them home so that linguists could record what remained of the lost language. But the parrots, already traumatised by the devastation they had recently witnessed, died on the way. Wondering if, unlike the hapless parrots, he has any wisdom to leave to the world, Ulrich embarks on an epic armchair journey through a century of violent politics, forbidden music, lost love and failed chemistry, finding his way eventually to an astonishing epiphany of tenderness and enlightenment.

more here => http://bit.ly/daARmn

,

A Touch of Grace

The Touch of the Master's Hand, showcases a poem by Myra Brooks Welch - a wife, mother, and poet who was born in 1881.

The Touch of the Master's Hand is about learning to find your worth in what God says about you. Not in what others tell you. Not in what Satan tells you. Not even in what you tell yourself.

If you feel wounded and scarred by failure and sin, take heart! God, our divine Master, offers forgiveness and renewal that will restore you to a beautiful masterpiece.

Here's an excerpt from The Touch of the Master's Hand that shares Myra's poem. May it be an encouragement to you today!

Excerpt from The Touch of the Master's Hand
by Myra Brooks Welch and Bob Kelly

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.

"What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
The Touch of the Master's Hand is a great way to remind yourself and others of God's forgiveness - and His restoring touch. Myra's poem is combined with beautiful images and inspirational quotes, Scripture and reflections from Bob Kelly.

Click here to learn more and to watch the 3-minute movie included free with each copy of the book.

, ,

International Children´s Book Day Ideas

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen´s birthday, 2 April, International Children´s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children´s books.

USBBY (The United States Board on Books for Young People) provides a wide range of ideas  for celebrating International Children´s Book Day with the children you love in your home, classroom, or library, and invites you to share you own ideas as well.    =>  http://bit.ly/gByWhN

,

How to Keep a Conversation Going

conversation
It happens to the best of us: we’re talking to someone we’ve just met, and theconversation is stalling. We don’t know where to take it, how to keep it going and the silence is making us feel awkward. Although in the grand scheme of things, these moments are meaningless, they can be quite a burden for you when they happen.

I think the biggest problem here is not that awkward feeling though, but the fact that not knowing good ways to keep aconversation going can make you lose the opportunity to get to know an otherwise great person.

It is common for conversations with new people to have bumps at the beginning. Get them over those bumps successfully, and you could find yourself building a beautiful relationship. Here are the best 5 ways I know to do this:    http://bit.ly/i5wLHL

, , ,

Author posters


If you are wanting to decorate your library, classroom or kids bedrooms and freshen it up for the new year, have a look at all the author posters on the Allen and Unwin website.

They add a splash of colour and interest to any wall and inspire chldren with new books that they might not have tried yet.

,

Thought for Thursday

All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer
... Robert Louis Stevenson

UK Save Our Libraries Day, 5th February

Over 400 public libraries in the UK are under threat of closure. 5th February is Save Our Libraries Day,
a day of action to bring greater global attention to the threats facing UK public library services.
CILIP has put together some suggested tweets to get the message out on the 5th February.
Please show your support on Twitter, especially on 5th February:
Support UK libraries and librarians. www.cilip.org.uk/savelibraries #savelibraries #cilip
I love my library because [fill in] www.cilip.org.uk/savelibraries #savelibraries #cilip
I love my librarian because [fill in] www.cilip.org.uk/savelibraries #savelibraries #cilip
UK public libraries facing massive cuts. Save our libraries www.cilip.org.uk/savelibraries #savelibraries #cilip
If you wish to email the UK government, send comments to : http://www.vaizey.com/text.aspx?id=1
Find out more about Save Our Libraries Day, including links to interactive maps of cuts and closures, Facebook pages and a We Love Libraries video at www.cilip.org.uk/savelibraries

, , ,

Learn to connect with your audience and motivate them … with “Resonate”

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

by Nancy Duarte

Reveals the underlying story form of all great presentations that will not only create impact, but will move people to action

Presentations are meant to inform, inspire, and persuade audiences. So why then do so many audiences leave feeling like they've wasted their time? All too often, presentations don't resonate with the audience and move them to transformative action.

Just as the author's first book helped presenters become visual communicators, Resonate helps you make a strong connection with your audience and lead them to purposeful action. The author's approach is simple: building a presentation today is a bit like writing a documentary. Using this approach, you'll convey your content with passion, persuasion, and impact.

  • Author has a proven track record, including having created the slides in Al Gore's Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth
  • Focuses on content development methodologies that are not only fundamental but will move people to action
  • Upends the usual paradigm by making the audience the hero and the presenter the mentor
  • Shows how to use story techniques of conflict and resolution

Presentations don't have to be boring ordeals. You can make them fun, exciting, and full of meaning. Leave your audiences energized and ready to take action with Resonate.

Why Read Aloud?

Children's author Rick Walton has started a blog titled Why Read Aloud? He's collecting stories about reading aloud and being read aloud to. He says, "we will figure out a way to get your stories to the administrators and teachers who need to hear them. Your story of how being read to made your life better might motivate a teacher to read to her kids and make their lives better."

=> http://bit.ly/eNDnyn

, ,

Public Speaking tip – Define your image

When you first begin to prepare your presentation, you defined an image that you wanted to present. “What do I want them to remember of me?”

Who are you? How will you be remembered after this presentation?

Everything the audience sees needs to reinforce that image – clothes, facial expression, stance and gesture.

At its most basic this means projecting confidence and sincerity. Unless you decide otherwise, the audience needs to know that you are comfortable with your message and that you believe in it.

If you are also using this presentation to present yourself as the face of your business, or as a candidate for a position, then take that into account as well. You need to be seen as trustworthy, competent, at ease with your material.