Category: Book news

Book review: ‘Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives’ by Minal Bopaiah

‘Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives’ by Minal Bopaiah. Photo: amazon

Minal Bopaiah is the founder of Brevity & Wit, a strategy and design firm that helps organizations achieve the change they wish to see in the world through a unique approach that combines human-centered design, behavior change science, and the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. Bopaiah has written for the Stanford Social Innovation Review and TheHill.com and has been a featured guest on numerous podcasts and shows, including the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU. She has also been a keynote speaker for many conferences, inspiring thousands with her credible, authentic, and engaging talks. Her new book “Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives”  helps leaders create more inclusive organizations using human-centered design and behavior change principles. (amazon, 2021)

“Equity” begins with an Introduction that delves deep into the subject of equity. Under the section Why Equity, Not Equality, Minal Bopaiah defines Equality as “when everyone has the same thing” and equity as “when everyone has what they need to thrive and participate fully.” Figure 1. Equality versus equity illustrates this as everyone having the same size bicycle versus everyone having the right bicycle to fit their needs. By sharing her family’s immigration story, she explains systemic inequality and how the system was designed this way: “the United States has an education system tied to local property taxes.” Equity allows leaders to create organizations where employees can contribute their unique strengths and collaborate better with their peers. The book is divided into chapters: 1. The Relationship between Bias, Systems, and Equity, 2. A Design Approach to IDEA, 3. Engaged and Equitable Leadership, 4. Bridging the Gap, 5. Communicating the Change, and 6. Creating Equity through Media and Marketing. In Closing Thoughts, her hope is that she has provided readers with the tools to “start designing for more equity in the corner of the world where you have influence and power.”

It may be a business centered subject, but everyone can benefit from learning more about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as Accessibility. “Equity” takes a complex topic and makes it clear and concise to everyday readers. Minal’s writing style is down to earth and the language is easy to understand. The Glossary at the end makes it easy to look up unfamiliar terms and Discussion Guide aimed at individuals, teams, and organizations will certainly keep the conversation going. One of the highlights is Chapter 6: Creating Equity through Media and Marketing which shows that even content creators can make a difference by making sure the content has proper representation and that everyone can access it. It may be a small book, but it speaks volumes about issues regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Far from being solely a business manual, it is also a reference guide for readers interested in creating a more equitable society. Filled with business and leadership advice, as well as interesting anecdotes and life lessons, “Equity” explains how everyone can do their part to achieve a more inclusive and diverse world and is recommended for readers interested in books about business leadership, workplace culture, and personal enrichment.

“When designing for equity, the objective is not to get everyone to think the same, have the same values, or believe the same things. The objective is to design a world where differences are valued.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Upcoming book release: ‘Breaking the Insidious Silence’ by Raye Mitchell

Olympic gold medalist Cindy Brown teams up with Harvard lawyer Raye Mitchell to release ‘Breaking the Insidious Silence: The Cindy Brown/Bank of New York Mellon Whistleblower Report.’ Release date is March 15, 2022. Photo: amazon

Cindy Brown, the Olympic Gold Medalist and former Women’s National Basketball (WNBA) player, teams up with Harvard Lawyer Raye Mitchell to release “Breaking the Insidious Silence: The Cindy Brown / Bank of New York Mellon Whistleblower Report.” Available on Amazon for pre-order, the report chronicles Brown’s fight to be heard and seeks the truth in finding the responsible party in a S.W.A.T.-like event in which Brown was evicted from her home at gunpoint. It has a release date of March 15, 2022. (Black Château, 2021)

Raye Mitchell is a University of Southern California MBA, and Harvard Law School graduate, civil rights lawyer, investigative writer, producer, and expert on helping people be heard and tell their story publicly. She explains, “’Through Breaking the Insidious Silence’ Ms. Brown wants to find the truth about whether Bank of New York Mellon is the corporation that ordered the S.W.A.T.-like attack on her and caused her to be evicted at gun point. Cindy, like so many Americans, has had to go it alone as a self-represented litigant in the growing national crisis of the civil justice gap and the inequalities in navigating the civil justice system. We aim to break that insidious silence.” 

Almost fifteen years ago, Cindy Brown became the victim of identity theft, which lead to financial institution misconduct and the loss of her home in what is considered an unlawful foreclosure. Seeking justice, she went to court mostly as a self-represented litigant. Brown was blocked from having her day in court, and like many Americans, was forced to navigate an uncivil civil justice system alone. 

Brown says, “In November 2020, I was evicted at gun point and living in my car. No person should have to endure that experience, so I am fighting for our collective restoration of dignity.” 

Brown’s story has been captured by the media and has received over 200,000 views on YouTube. The court documents that are at the center of the March 2022 hearing are also available.

“We will not retreat. Especially in this moment – as a global pandemic has widened inequities – our collective dignity and humanity requires that people like Cindy share their stories as tools on how to help others speak up, be heard, and find justice. Brown’s quest for justice has gained oxygen, shifted conversations, and is inspiring people to take action to ensure we all have fairness and equal access to justice. ‘The Breaking the Insidious Silence: The Cindy Brown / Bank of New York Mellon Whistleblower Report’ and the mission served is about so much more than one person, one group, or one organization,” Mitchell adds.

Raye Mitchell, also known as “Boss Girl Raye Mitchell,” is an award-winning entrepreneur, investigative writer, lawyer, diversity inclusion, and dignity expert. As a lawyer, Raye remains committed to helping everyday Americans be heard and gain access to justice in the era of a crumbling civil justice system that is anything but civil. Talking about the justice gap is devoid of discussion about Americans’ dignity gap when they go to court with or without a lawyer.

Cynthia L. Brown is an author, motivational speaker, a leadership expert on dignity in the dispute resolution process, Access to Justice for In Pro Se Litigants, and an A.D.A. Dignity Expert. Ms. Brown is a devoted advocate for fairness, respect for all, dedication to living the dream of dignity and access to justice. Cynthia L. Brown is an accomplished civil justice professional and proud member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal Woman’s Basketball Team. Ms. Brown has earned credentials and certifications from the United States Department of Justice, FBI.

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Movie adaptation: ‘Nightmare Alley’ by William Lindsay Gresham

The movie adaptation of ‘Nightmare Alley’ is now in theaters. Photo: amazon

William Lindsay Gresham was a novelist and nonfiction writer. Gresham’s was a tortured mind and a tormented life, and he sought to banish his demons through a maze of dead-end ways, from Marxism to psychoanalysis to Christianity to Alcoholics Anonymous to Rinzai Zen Buddhism. From these demons came his novel “Nightmare Alley” (1946), one of the underground classics of American literature. It is a study of the lowest depths of showbiz and its sleazy inhabitants – the dark, shadowy world of a second rate carnival filled with hustlers, scheming grifters, and Machiavellian femme fatales. Guillermo del Toro directed the 2021 movie adaptation from a screenplay by del Toro and Kim Morgan. It stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Willem Dafoe and focuses on Stan Carlisle, an ambitious carny who hooks up with corrupt psychiatrist Dr. Lilith Ritter, who proves to be as dangerous as he is. (amazon, Wikipedia, 2021)

“Nightmare Alley” – It all begins with an extraordinary description of a carnival-show geek—alcoholic and abject and the object of the voyeuristic crowd’s gleeful disgust and derision—going about his work at a county fair. Young Stan Carlisle is working as a carny, and he wonders how a man could fall so low. There is no way in hell, he vows, that anything like that will ever happen to him. Since Stan is clever and ambitious and not without a useful streak of ruthlessness, soon enough he is going places. Onstage he plays the mentalist with a cute assistant, then he graduates to full-blown spiritualist, catering to the needs of the rich and gullible in their well-upholstered homes. It looks like the world is Stan’s for the taking. At least for now.

Upcoming new book release: ‘The Starless Crown’ by James Rollins

‘The Starless Crown’ by James Rollins is book one of the Moon Fall series. Photo: amazon

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers including, among others, the Sigma Force series, six individual thrillers, the Tucker Wayne Series, the Jake Ransom middle school grade series. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. In his new book “The Starless Crown,” which will be released January 4, 2022, an alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world. It is book one of the Moon Fall series. (amazon, 2021)

“The Starless Crown” – A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he is forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother’s shadow and claims a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact – one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each passing moment, doom draws closer.

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New book release: ‘Contrast Brings Clarity: The Unexpected Path that Led Me to Homeschooling’ by Teressa Kennedy

‘Contrast Brings Clarity’ is the new book on homeschooling by Teressa Kennedy. Photo: Teressa Kennedy, used with permission.

My name is Teressa and I am a proud homeschool mom, entrepreneur, and author with a passion for education. At this point on our homeschooling journey, I feel it is necessary to share our story with the goal of helping parents, and educators like yourself, work towards building stronger partnerships between schools and families in our mission to educate our children. From my personal experience, children learn best when parents, educators, other family members, and community members work together to encourage and support them along their journey. (Teressa Kennedy, 2021)

As parents, we want the best for our children, but sometimes we stand in our own way by solely relying on our experiences to help educate them. My son gave me gentle reminders to show me that he and I have two different learning styles. As much as I tried to teach him the way I was taught, it was not effective. Also, I came to the realization that I had limitations, and needed others to help support my son and me along our educational journey.

We have an amazing village of fellow parent educators, family members, teachers, and clients who all share the same vision about supporting our children’s unique educational journey. I hope our story will encourage you.

“Contrast Brings Clarity” by Teressa Kennedy

Does one size really fit all? As lovely as that might sound, people come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. It is therefore virtually impossible to design a clothing item that can truly fit all people. In reality, the ‘one size fits all’ ideal is actually designed to fit sizes within a specific range.

Much like clothing items, traditional education centers around a ‘one size fits all’ methodology. As a result, a single-core teaching model is used for all students, regardless of their individual learning style. And this applies to teaching styles as well as to student evaluations. So, as a parent, what do you do when your child does not fit into that one core teaching model?

In “Contrast Brings Clarity,” Teressa answers that very question. Her courageous response completely changed the course of her life — and that of her son. While she struggled to build a suitable educational experience for him, Teressa overcame countless obstacles and, in due course, answered the homeschooling call. Eventually, side by side, mother and son embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

Along her incredible journey, Teressa learned numerous strategies that helped her son succeed academically — and she would like to share those strategies with you.

Sponsored Post

Book review: ‘Lineage: Life and Love and Six Generations in California Wine’ by Steven Kent Mirassou

‘Lineage: Life and Love and Six Generations in California Wine’ by Steven Kent Mirassou. Photo: amazon

Steven Kent Mirassou is an acclaimed winemaker and a descendant of one of the oldest and most respected wine families in California. He received his BA in American Literature from the George Washington University and his MA in Literature from NYU. He started his wine career in sales but found his true passion after moving into the production side of the business in 1996. Steven has made the highest rated wines from the Livermore Valley, and he is a co-founder of the Mount Diablo Highlands Wine Quality Alliance and the President of the Livermore Valley Wine Growers Association. With his decades of winemaking expertise, and with his extraordinary gift for haunting writing, Steven takes readers straight into the heart of his calling in his first book “Lineage: Life, Love and Six Generations in California Wine.” (amazon, 2021)

Steven Kent Mirassou starts “Lineage” with a description of the critical hour at the vineyard before the harvest starts. It is a cold night and it is “wondrously lonely out now” before the workers arrive. He is alone with his thoughts as they wander to the past and he reflects on the path that brought him to the wine making business. As the narrative moves along, he takes readers deep into the art of his craft, through the six generations that the Mirassou family has been growing grapes and crafting wines in California, the last thirty years in the Livermore Valley. As with every story, there is family drama, including the highs and lows of running a business. But through it all, he loves what he does and he learns that every loss brings on new beginnings. The book is divided into two parts: Part One consists of chapters like The Deep and Simple Immensity, Making Wine is Morning Work, and Thanks You Can Never Repay and Part Two has chapters like The True North of Civilization, Imprisoned in These Barrels, and Each Dusty Sunset Observed. It is an inside look deep into the art, the craft, the passion, and the 8,000 years of history that lie inside the finest of wines. As he puts it, “I work to take care of people, to add richness and joy to their lives, to make the people who drink my wine a little happier after than than they were before, each day.”

Images of beautiful Italian vineyards often accompany thoughts of wine and the wine making business. What the general public does not see is what happens behind the scenes: the long cold nights with the only illumination coming from the lights around the perimeter which are powered by generators, the tired workers who show up to work the vineyards, and the winemakers with arms deep in crushed grapes. Told in the first person point of view, it is a deeply personal look into the history of winemaking and his family business. This is a book like no other. It is a combination of autobiography and beautiful poetic prose: “This sweaty ferment that is the wine production business is like the snake attracted to its own tail, making eternal circles.” Accentuated with hauntingly beautiful pictures that tell their own story, it is more than just a book about the history of winemaking, it an impressive work of literature. “Lineage” brings the art of winemaking to the general masses and is recommended for readers interested in books about winemaking with a genuinely personal touch as well as poetry fans.  

“To taste a wine with one’s heart is to come to know the dirt between the farmer’s fingers, the exhalations of the vineyard as it sleeps in the black night.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Award-winning author introduces children to the magical world of insects

“The Sweetest Ladybug” by Isabel Cintra is a fantasy-based tale about kindness and inclusion. Photo: amazon

Isabel Cintra grew up in the small town of Sao Joaquim de Barra, Brazil. At an early age, she entered the magical world of writing and literature. Her book “Corvo-Correio” was a winner of Brazil’s 2017 Off Flip Literature Prize. (Black Château, 2021)

Isabel Cintra brings a message of representation and diversity to children around the world. She grew up wondering why the characters in her favorite fairy tales did not look like her and now she is changing that. Through her vibrant picture books, illustrated by her brother Zeka Cintra, Isabel strives to introduce kids to a world where diversity is valuable and beautiful. Her stories feature black and brown heroes and sheroes.

Award-winning author Isabel Cintra introduces children to the magical world of small insects in her new illustrated book, “The Sweetest Ladybug.” This fantasy-based delightful tale brings a message of representation and diversity, as well as the importance of kindness and inclusion.

Imagine if everything happening in your imagination also happened in real life. This is exactly what happens one day in the life of a curious, sweet, and intelligent girl named Johana. Guided by a beautiful ladybug, Johana discovers all the mysteries and beauties hiding in her own garden.

“When I was a child, I imagined being inside a hole where little ants were going. Playing with that imagination and wondering how the small insects in the garden live was the thought process behind this story.” – Isabel Cintra

“The Sweetest Ladybug” is a modern version of Alice in Wonderland for children aged 7-12. Johana becomes small, makes odd friends, and goes through some fantastic adventures full of kindness and challenges. It is available in paperback on Amazon and other major retailers. Paperback price: $15.99

 

 

Book excerpt: ‘Inhuman Trafficking’ by Mike Papantonio and Alan Russell

‘Inhuman Trafficking’ by Mike Papantonio and Alan Russell. Photo: amazon

“Inhuman Trafficking: A Legal Thriller” is Mike Papantonio and Alan Russell’s exciting new novel that has Nick “Deke” Deketomis racing to save his goddaughter Lily Reyes from a notorious human trafficker. Enjoy an excerpt from Chapter 1 below. Reprinted with permission.

The unfamiliar red Mustang pulled up alongside Lily Reyes, matching  her pace as she walked on the sidewalk. Lily didn’t like the feeling of being stalked. She began walking faster, and looked around to see if anyone was outside. The Tallahassee heat and humidity had the neighborhood looking like a ghost town; everyone was at work or had retreated inside their air-conditioned homes. The Mustang continued to creep along and pace her. Its windows were tinted, only offering her a general outline of the male driver wearing a baseball cap.

Maybe I should run up to a house and ring the doorbell, Lily thought. But what if no one was home, and her stalker took that opportunity to come after her?

The car came to a hard stop right next to her. As the passenger window inched downward, Lily took a breath to scream.

“You getting in?”

“Oh, god,” she said, blowing out pent-up air. “I thought you were like some disgusting creep. Where’d you get the car?”

“Borrowed it from a friend.”

Lily opened the passenger door, tossed her backpack inside, and got comfortable in her seat. The cooling AC blew over her. “Nice ride. Must be a good friend to let you borrow it.”

“It’s a business thing.”

Lily decided not to press him for answers. Carlos never liked it when she asked too many questions, and she didn’t want him getting uptight. He seemed distracted about something. Why, he’d barely looked at her.

Lily was kind of hoping he would have noticed how she’d dressed up for him.

“I thought you were going to pick me up at Subway,” Lily said. “Decided to spare you the walk.”

Lily’s mom, Sylvia, didn’t know about Carlos. No one knew about him, except for Lily’s best friend, Madison, and even she wasn’t supposed to know anything. Carlos was paranoid about being busted. When Lily had first started dating him, she’d lied about her age, telling him she was eighteen. It was only after they’d been going together for a month that Lily admitted she was only fifteen. Of course, she hadn’t been the only one stretching the truth. When they’d first hooked up, Carlos had said he was nineteen, not the twenty-one he really was.

“Did you bring some change of clothes?” Carlos asked.

“In the backpack, even though you never explained why I needed them.”

“Always nice to have options.” “Where we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Lily tried to play it cool, and hid her smile. Madison seemed to think that Carlos was just using her, but she didn’t know him like Lily did.

“Stopped and got you a wild cherry Slurpee,” he said. “Better drink it before it melts.”

He had remembered her favorite drink. She would certainly mention that to Madison. Lily reached for the Slurpee, and took a long sip.

“Want some?” she asked.

“Not without adding some rum.” “I’m okay with that.”

“Maybe later.”

Carlos liked to party, and liked it even more when Lily joined in with him. She had to be careful, though. Her mom was always in her business.

As if reading her mind, Carlos said, “How long did your mom let you off the leash?”

“I told her I’d probably be eating dinner at Madison’s.”

“That gives us a little time.” “Sure does,” she said.

Lily reached out her hand, and ran it along his leg. Carlos needed to see she was grown-up, and not some kid, but instead of positioning her hand on him like he usually did, Carlos acted preoccupied. Maybe he was just in one of his moods.

She withdrew her hand and began drinking her Slurpee. “Sure you don’t want some?”

He shook his head, and she continued to sip. Halfway through the cup, Lily’s skin began tingling.

“I feel weird,” she said.

“We can get some fresh air at Cascades Park.” “Is that where we’re going?”

Carlos nodded. He still wasn’t looking at her, and seemed unusu ally attentive to his driving, continually checking the rearview and side mirrors.

“It feels like we’re floating,” she said.

Lily flapped the hand not holding her drink. “I’m flying. Whoa.”

Something wasn’t right. Why was she feeling out of it? Her gaze fell to the Slurpee. One look, and the pieces came together. Lily’s accusation was shrill: “You put something in my drink!”

“Relax. I just made you a Molly and benzo cocktail to help loosen  you up.”

Lily tried to process her panic, along with Carlos’s explanation. She wanted to feel reassured, but didn’t. One by one, words emerged from her mouth. Each syllable felt as if it were weighted down on her tongue. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted you to be calm while I explained a few things.” “Oh, shit.” This was bad. “You’re breaking up with me.” “No, baby, never.”

Lily struggled to find the words, and speak them. “We’re. Still.

Together?”

“Forever, baby. It’s just that things didn’t work out with my big plan.

Remember we talked about that?” “Big score.”

“That’s right. And it would have been, but my luck went bad, really bad.”

Lily managed to say, “That’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay. Everything went to shit. It put me in the hole for almost five thousand bucks.”

“I can help you . . .”

Lily had earned almost two hundred dollars babysitting. She’d give it to him. But Carlos interrupted before she could finish.

“Thank you, baby. I knew I could count on you. They were going to mess me up bad, maybe even kill me. You were my only hope.”

Lily tried to follow what he was saying, but her brain couldn’t find its balance. Everything was hazy.

“After you work off my marker, baby, we’ll get back together. I promise.”

“Don’t understand.”

“A guy I know fronted the money I owed, but he needed collateral.” “What?”

“I had to put up something of value. And nothing’s more valuable to me than you. I love you.”

Lily had been waiting for a long time to hear those words. But now they sounded wrong. Felt wrong. Love?

Carlos said, “You’re a lifesaver. It will just be for a few months. And  when you come back to me, things will be better than ever between us.”

Too dizzy to support her chin, Lily’s face dropped down to her chest.

Talking was beyond her. She didn’t know how long they drove, and was barely aware when they came to a stop. She heard two men talking, but it was like listening in to a dream.

“Is she good to go?”

Lily had never heard that voice before. She would have remembered it if she had. There was something scary about it, a rasp with a serrated edge.

“She agreed to work off what I owe.”

“You explain what would happen to you if she didn’t?” “I told her.”

“Okay, then. I’ll find you if there’s a problem. Count on it. Give me the keys.”

Lily heard retreating footsteps. Carlos didn’t say goodbye. There was a part of her that was still listening for his voice, that wanted him to declare his love for her once more.

She couldn’t lift her head to acknowledge the new occupant of the driver’s seat, but heard the ugly voice.

“Hey, pretty lady,” he said. “I’m your Tío Leo.”

 

San Antonio River Foundation hosts inaugural North Pole Nopal

The North Pole Nopal is taking place this Saturday December 11, 2021. Photo: San Antonio River Foundation, used with permission.

Join the San Antonio River Foundation (SARF) on Saturday, December 11, from 10a.m. to 2p.m. for the inaugural North Pole Nopal outdoor market and holiday concert. This family-friendly event will feature a native tree giveaway from our partners at the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, local artisans and food vendors, music from the AM Project, and a performance from the San Antonio Brass Band. (San Antonio River Foundation, 2021)

As a part of this family-friendly event, SARF will be giving away 400 trees at 10a.m. at Confluence Park through a partnership with the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department.

AVAILABLE TREES
– Crape Myrtle
– Bald Cypress
– Dogwood
– Chinkapin Oak
– Texas Red Oak

The San Antonio River Foundation is kicking off the holiday giving season at North Pole Nopal with a call for funds to support its end-of-year appeal. The end-of-year appeal is to help support the nonprofit’s mission to preserve, enhance, and transform the San Antonio River Basin for its youth and families. SARF, the only non-profit focused on the San Antonio River, has welcomed more than 60,000 students and community members to Confluence Park through free community programming and educational field trips. The San Antonio River Foundation has a vision to inspire stewardship of the entire 240-mile-long river and the native ecology it supports.

Confluence Park
310 Mitchell St.
San Antonio, TX 78204

Parking for the event can be found at the following lots:
CPS Energy: 613 Mission Rd. San Antonio, TX 78210

The San Antonio River Foundation’s mission is to preserve, enhance, and transform the San Antonio River Basin as a vibrant cultural, educational, ecological, and recreational experience.

Television adaptation: The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time is a fantasy series by Robert Jordan. The television adaptation is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Photo: amazon

Robert Jordan was an American author of epic fantasy. He is known best for his series the Wheel of Time (finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death) which comprises 14 books and a prequel novel. He is one of several writers to have written original Conan the Barbarian novels. The Wheel of Time was adapted into a television series and released through Amazon Prime Video last month. The series follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who can use magic. She takes a group of four young people on a journey around the world, believing one of them might be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful individual prophesied to either save the world or destroy it. It stars Rosamund Pike as Moiraine. (amazon, 2021)

The Wheel of Time is a series of high fantasy novels set in an unnamed world that, due to the cyclical nature of time as depicted in the series, is simultaneously the distant past and the distant future Earth. It draws on numerous elements of both European and Asian mythology, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism, the metaphysical concepts of balance and duality, and a respect for nature found in Taoism. Its story of creation has similarities to the Abrahamic religions’ “Creator” (Light) and Shai’tan, “The Dark One.” It was also partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace (1869). The Wheel of Time is notable for its length, detailed imaginary world and magic system, and large cast of characters. (Wikipedia, 2021)