You can live to be a hundred and enjoy each of those years as a fully functioning person—or so says Chopra (Unconditional Life, 1991, etc.) in this challenging work. An intriguing set of Census Bureau statistics cited here notes that the number of centenarians is twice what it was ten years ago- -and is expected to double again by the millennium. Prolonging fruitful lives is not a question of mind over matter, Chopra contends, but, rather, of mind and matter—mind and body—together at one with the universe. It's often hard for pragmatic Westerners to deal with this kind of mind/spirit/body talk, but Chopra has a talent for anchoring the ephemeral in what's generally considered reality, and for leading spiritual novices through the swamps of such concepts as awareness, detachment, and self without resorting overly to New Age slang. In discussing how awareness—or lack of it—affects the physical symptoms of aging, for instance, Chopra builds an authoritative base using research from Harvard, Duke, and Stanford that shows that mental, social, and intellectual activity can keep people vital and alert as they age. But because many of us have poor models for aging, we accept the idea that getting old means pain, intellectual decay, and inactivity. Bringing attention or awareness to areas of discomfort is the first step to changing problems, Chopra argues, offering a step-by-step routine to make one or more of those changes. Along with reflections on such provocative concepts as cellular memory and ``metabolizing time,'' the author also tackles the positive aspects of aging—creativity and wisdom—and the value of those old standbys, diet and exercise. A separate chapter examines, not altogether satisfactorily, India's traditional medical system of Ayurveda. A guide to longevity that's also a thoughtful and sometimes inspiring reflection on our remarkable place in the cosmic scheme of things.
Pub Date: July 14, 1993
ISBN: 0-517-59257-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Harmony
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1993
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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