Phil Cousineau

In general, this is a good book. The first part is actually quite powerful, and I used some of the lines as a quote in one of my blog posts.

The power of story telling is something we often fail to recognise, and this is something he brings out very clearly. The myths and old stories are generally Western ones that he has quoted, and this is a small quibble from my side. The essential message is clear and loud.

He writes well. However, from the second half of the book - the sections on show more sports, cities etc - which are indeed quite powerful themes, I think, the book tends to waver. While he does indeed draw the connection between his own experiences and that of ancient/modern myths, the link is weak.

However, he does do us yeoman service, especially in this modern age when mobile phone and electronic technology is threatening to take us away from our roots. show less

A World Treasury of Riddles
by
Phil Cousineau

I have always loved riddles, word puzzlers, brain teasers and ponders so this well done collection was right up my alley. When my kids were younger I would love to give them riddles as a way to put their mind on other things beside dinner time or their siblings new present, it helped to keep them quiet on family trips too.

I had a grand time looking at the riddle in the front of the book, trying to figure it out, and then going to the back of the show more book finding the corresponding number for the answer. Some of them I could figure out most of them I couldn't, but they all made sense and filled my inner kid with joy and wonderment, something that I can lose easily at times. I would recommend this merry book of riddles from all over the world to anyone who enjoys brain candy like I do.

Love & Light,

Riki Frahmann show less

The Meaning of Tea weighs in at over 300 pages and most of them are stories told from the mouths of interesting people who were interviewed for the book or movie. They are from seven different regions around the world significant to tea society. These people were asked certain questions to encourage them to talk on tea-related topics. Their answers are spiced with samplings from a broad range of tea realms, including history, culture, and philosophy and spirituality.

This is what's so show more wonderful about the book--there are so many different answers given to the same questions. For instance, just about everyone interviewed answers queries like, "What is the 'Meaning of Tea?'" And, "Can we know a 'Meaning of Life?'" Most of the tea lovers quoted do indeed think tea is meaningful and go on to share why.

This book proves that tea has a worldwide glory. But if you're from places like America in the West, don't fear the decline of tea. Its days of renown are not only coming back to what they once were in the beginning of American history, but a rebirth or renaissance is only just starting now. And of course the reason it's happening is because many millions of people are now convinced that tea is indeed quite meaningful. show less

Very good book, offering stories and suggestions on how to make all travel--even everyday travel--sacred.