28 September 2015

#178. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline


Title:
Ready Player One
Author:
Ernest Cline
Genre:
Science Fiction/Future
Synopsis:
In a future lived primarily online due to the state of the real world, people compete to win an inheritance left behind by one of the creators of their online environment. To win the contestants must follow clues left behind by the pop culture obsessed creator and they are competing not only against each other but by an army of corporate employees who would use the power afforded them by winning to ruin the virtual world for everyone.
Verdict:
An absolutely fantastic read. The high quality of world building for both the real world and the virtual one make this a richly detailed and engaging book. The characters flaws and strengths feel organic and the pop culture references and nods to people of today are excellent fun.
Pages:
372
Read:
September 2015

13 September 2015

#177. Mindfulness For Health: A Practical Guide To Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress And Restoring Wellbeing by Vidymala Burch and Danny Penman


Title:
Mindfulness For Health: A Practical Guide To Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress and Restoring Wellbeing
Author:
Vidymala Burch and Danny Penman
Genre:
Meditation/Self-help/Health
Synopsis:
A guide to using meditation/mindfulness to reduce the level of discomfort experienced as a result of chronic pain of all sorts.
Verdict:
The anecdotes and advice resonated with some of my worst experiences and was helpful in helping me get my head around some stress management techniques.
It differentiates between primary pain (the pain caused by your condition/injury) and secondary pain (a pain that is created by your physical and mental reaction to the primary pain), and concentrates on guiding the reader in ways to reduce secondary pain which may in turn have an effect on the level of primary pain.
Pages:
233
Read:
September 2015