HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD

By Charla Krupp
Price:$17.15 at Amazon.com

Reviewed by Meenu Gupta

 "How Not To Look Old -Fast and Effortless Ways To Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better"- any lady out there would get interested to flip open and skim through the book, once she reads this title of the book. The problem is we don't have the luxury of enough spare time. Considering the time factor, the book makes an excellent effort to shortlist ways to look younger and better. It is divided into chapters addressing each grooming aspect, from head to toe. So you don't have to sit by the fireplace and read it alone for hours like a novel. It is more like a reference book, you can look up an aspect of your personality that you want to work on.  Whether you want a new wardrobe, need tips to apply makeup or choose your new sandals, take my word for it, the book is your best bet to delay and camouflage the natural ageing process. For instance the book advises to avoid a middle partition in your hair, because if there is anything that is off balance about your face, it will surely be highlighted. Changing your hair length a bit, at least seasonally helps. Maybe wear your hair longer in the summer than in the winter. There are pictures of Teri Hatcher in 1996 and 2006, Salma Hayek in 1997, and 2007, Anne Heche in 2003 and later in 2006, showing how they look younger down the years because of the right hairstyle.

The section "Brilliant Buys" at the end of each chapter lists products for hair at affordable prices. To cite an example the section at the end of the chapter about hair, lists products like dandruff shampoos, conditioners, hair extensions, hair tools like Mason Pearson Hair brushes telling you where they are available. Talking about coloring your hair, whatever your current shade, go two shades lighter than your natural base color, the book's suggestions read like your personal hairstylist. Matching color with the face of eyebrows, lifted eyebrows give a facelift. The chapter on eye makeup tells you how to maintain your eyebrows and choose your eyeglasses to bring warmth and softness to your face. "When choosing frames, opt for high-quality European plastic(zyl) in a tortoiseshell, color, or translucent over cold, icy metal," the book suggests. It states Robert's Rules (of Robert Marc Frames fame), like the top of a frame should be at the bottom of the brow. Did you know that losing the heavy eyeliner and wearing soft and natural eyeliner makes you look younger!

Coming to your eyeshadow, your powder shadows should have a little luminosity, they should not be full-on glitter, but a slight sheen.

Wardrobe ideas to look young are also listed in the book. Don't go for matchy-matchy, choose the right accessories from the list published in the book for a chic look.
There is also a list of clothes you should never wear like cargo pants, oversized blazers and overalls, that make you look mature. Choose your price points from high, medium, low, from ageless labels like Prada (which is categorised as High), Banana Republic (as Medium) and Zara (as Low). Choosing the right length of the skirt and correct size for jeans is made easy by a size chart in the wardrobe chapter.  A glossary at the end of the book lists city by city index of stores for products with address and prices.

I loved the book and when I spread the word to my friends, two of them have got a copy from Amazon.com

10 out of 10 binkies from me, I don't think the book misses anything.

THE FRANTIC WOMAN'S GUIDE TO FEEDING FAMILY AND FRIENDS

By Mary Jo Rulnick
Price: $11.24 at Amazon.com

Reviewed By Meenu Gupta

I like the title of the book. "Frantic" is a good choice to complete the alliteration- "Frantic, Feeding, Family, Friends." The book caters to the needs of busy moms, as cooking time for almost all the recipes is less than 30 minutes. When kids are yelling for something new, hubby is groaning with hunger but you are tired, choose from the varied easy recipes. Rice Krispies Baked Chicken for dinner, blueberry pancakes for kids, Grilled Lemonade Chicken for summer, and Classic Cheese Sammies for spring. There are recipes for any time of the day and any season.

I also found the ready-made grocery lists and menus handy.

The book is like a wikipedia of kitchen. It defines cooking terminology, description of the commonly used herbs, which is a helpful reference. My favorite part of the book is the "Food- Stain Removal Chart". With a toddler at home, I badly needed it. It saves time,you won't have to search in Google next time your kid  spills ketchup on the couch or wine glass topples on white tablecloth.

Chardonnay is best served with chicken, Bordeaux is served with red meats ad beer complements spicy food better than wine. The book has many such good party ideas and menus of upto 8 items. The menus include healthy Broccoli Salad, Fruit Punch and Barbecue Beef for the non-vegetarians.

I also like the "PIT STOP" simple but useful tips at the end of every chapter. I didn't know earlier that apple eaters have fewer headaches or brown rice lasts longer if stored in the refrigerator.

One thing, however, that I didn't like about the book, is the table of contents. I would have preferred the names of the recipes instead of the chapter names like "Fall Plan One", "Winter Plan One". But the book is a practical attempt towards healthier, quicker and easier meals.

9 out of 10 binkies from me.

Meenu Gupta is a reader, member of Mothering Heights. Her other works can be found at www.indiacurrents.com, www.epicindia.com.

When Ghosts Speak: Undertanding the World of Earthbound Spirits

When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound Spirits

by Mary Ann Winkowski

256 pages

Grand Central Publishing

 

Reviewed by CPA Mom 

 

Just in time for Halloween, I was asked to review this fascinating book. Entitled, When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound Spirits, this was an unusual book. From the jacket cover:
 
"Meet Mary Ann Winkowski. She is just like you. She is a married mother of two grown daughters. She lives in a suburban town in Ohio. She goes to church every Sunday.

And she sees and talks to ghosts."
 
Mrs. Winkowski works as a full-time paranormal investigator and it is her life that the CBS series, The Ghost Whisperer, is based on. This real life "ghost-buster" has written a book to tell the amazing story of her life, as well as offer tips to the rest of us on how to recognize ghosts in our lives and how to help them move on.
 
To put this book into perspective, consider this.  Thirty-four percent of the people polled by a recent Associate Press/Ipsos poll said they believe in ghosts (compare to 36% who are baseball fans or 31% who approve of the job President Bush is doing in Iraq).  Twenty-three percent said they had actually seen a ghost or believe they had been in the presence of a ghost.
 
Now I personally believe in ghosts. The day after my late husband passed away, he came to see me. He sat on the side of the bed and just smiled. He did not speak. I've heard of other spouses and children and parents who have had similar visits from deceased loved ones. So I approached this book with an open mind. I have to tell you though, there is a lot to disbelieve in this book. As she talks of "creating white light" and speaking to celebrity ghosts, I could slowly feel my mind start to close to her words.
 
All in all though, this was a fascinating read and includes color pictures of earthbound spirits Mrs. Winkowski has encountered in her years of work. The book is page after page of her stories and is not just some dry scientific recitation. She truly believes in what she does and that comes through the pages. Fiction or Non-, it's a worthwhile read.