According to PRNewswire.com, Borders is launching a new, refurbished version of Borders bookstores. The stores are digitally connected, technologically advanced and aesthetically pleasing to book, music and movie lovers.

Borders, Inc stores now include kiosks where customers can mix and match their own music, publish their own books, create photo albums and Wi-fi capabilities. This “new” look made its debut in Ann Arbor, Michigan on February 2008. Kolleen O’Meara, contact for Borders, Inc news releases says,”Highlights of the store include new digital centers…as well as topical programming shown via 32″ LCD screens. Some destinations also include computer kiosks where customers can take advantage of a number of digital and Internet options to maximize their in-Destination experiences.”

This fresh new look Borders is going for - isn’t that fresh or new at all. It looks like a neutral colored Apple store. How are all these great ideas supposed to flow together? I suppose the kiosks with music will include headphones and the publishing station won’t make much noise - but what about the 32″ LCD screens advertising merchandise, featuring clips from DVD’s and other nifty ads?

Although the new store boasts comfortable seating arrangements (as it did before), who will want to sit and read a book while being surrounded by big screens, music kiosks, and other technologically sound stations?

For the younger generation, this store will do wonders. It’s colorful, eye-catching and diverse. The shelving looks exceptional - rounded, squared and some are molded right into the interior of the walls.

As long as the literature and great selection remains - Borders, Inc has tapped into an interesting new launch. However, quiet corners and the sweeping aroma of coffee won’t be the only things filtering through the air.

Although the book and its authors are getting rave reviews, the content is not christian. Tolle isn’t promoting God. Rather, he believes that Life is our inspiration, how we contribute, how we interweave into Life’s purpose,. Christianity has become more like a culture, as Tolle believes, when really the Bible and Jesus wants us to learn a deeper path.

Oprah refers to herself as a “free-thinking” Christian who refuses to believe there isn’t any other way to God but through the Father. Out of 6 billion people there must be more ways to God, which Tolle also discusses in chapter 1 — however it depends what she means by “other ways”. Different ways to get saved? Or different Gods to praise? Or what?

 Watch and see if you agree.

 Eckhart Tolle. Tolle found the inspiration for his novel in the hotel room, and wrote the first chapter of The Power of Now on a sticky note pad. German born Tolle speaks his native language, English and Spanish. Tolle has found a new spot on Oprah Winfrey’s best book list as well as, what she feels will inspire a nation to change. According to Tolle, by the 6th page either you don’t understand or “you begin to feel the shift.”

Oprah felt the “shift” and decided to share her enlightment in an online “class”. A New Earth Web event allows Oprah members to view live discussions between herself and Tolle. However, these live web casts are set to answer the questions visitors may have. Which includes instant emailing to the show and following along through each chapter with an online workbook.

 What is this “New Earth” and why should you care?

Tolle was a proclaimed spiritual teacher in England, leading workshops with no more than 10 or 12 people in their homes. Spiritual – like God? — asked Oprah during the first classroom session. “No,” replied Tolle, “consciousness.”

“In order to awaken to your life’s purpose one of the key things we must do is not try to tell life what our purpose is…not try to define ourselves.” According to Tolle, life has to define it. One of the ways to do so would be to invite stillness into your life.

Theory of stillness and quiet has pervaded new age christians as well as traditional pentecostals. John Orzechowski, a English and Intercultural Studies major at Southeastern University believes that, “Silence and tranquility are for good reason.” While attending college, John noticed that silence has become a rarity. “We are constantly bombarded with stimulation, noise, distraction from all directions.”

Is this media bombardment blocking humanity from hearing life’s true calling?

 According to Tolle, finding stillness is vital if you want to get to a place where the answers are potentially. While spiritually teaching, he told Life he was ready. Answers did not come for several years and when it came, Tolle says it told him to “move.”

The book did go on to publish and is doing fantastically well thanks to Oprah and that sticky pad that held the contents of a bestseller. In his book Tolle encourages all to awaken to their life’s purpose.

What’s the difference between this book and The Purpose Driven Life or any other self-help book for that matter? Though not Jesuit based or Christian encouraging, the book does zoom in on key aspects of ministry and teachings of Jesus (and other great minds) like PDL. Unlike most other self-help books, Tolle seeks to alleviate the egocentric base of human nature.

However, listening the “conscious” could easily be the holy spirit for christians. And “life” could just as well be a substitute for God which for Christians is the giver of life. I have yet to read this book, but I’m always distracted from books that recieve too much attention. Popularity doesn’t make it a universal awe-inspiring message, it makes it common and over-referenced. I’d read this book with caution, if you are Christian these principles fall into place like puzzle pieces — on the other hand to Tolle there is no God-head, just consciousness and Life.

The work is worth looking into, whether you agree or disagree with the philosophy of Eckhart Tolle. The main thing of A New Earth is to be present with the perception of the now. Start with nature, don’t name according to reference or scientifical explanation. Don’t lose knowledge, but set aside the basic human nature to assign labels to flowers, trees and stereotype people.

The online classes with Tolle and Winfrey will run on a 10-week feed on Oprah.com on Monday nights.

Check it out: http://event.oprah.com/videochannel/archive/archive_player.html

                                                                          

A Little Background…   

     Board of Education Island Trees Union Free School Dist. Vs. Pico (1982) involved a case in which Island Trees junior and senior high school removed 10 specific titles from its shelves. The board members however removed these books without consideration to their content, only stating that they were offensive, “objectable, anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-sematic and just plain filthy”. 

     Steven Pico, one of several students, objected to the removal of the books and brought a suit against the Board on behalf of his fellow students at the Island Tree High School. The lawsuit was tried in District Court first and the School Board won. After this decision, the Court of Appeals reversed their win saying that the removal of the books violated the First Amendment.

     The U.S Supreme Court affirmed the judgement coming to the conclusion that “local school boards have broad discretion in the management of school affairs…[however] such access [to certain reading materials] prepares students for active and effective participation in the pluralistic society which they will soon be adult members.”

 Here’s the Deal…

     Which made me think, book censorship can and does censor the learning processes of a child. Sheltering them from a world that won’t take the same courtesy and discouraging different views — the essential point of public institutions.

     The School Board violated no law in restricting the content — courts made that clear. However, the books that were pulled because of their offensive nature were pulled on biases, not academia. A few titles included:  “Black Boy” by Richard Wright, “Best Short Stories of Negro Writers” by Langston Hughes, “The Naked Ape” by Desmond Morris and “Down these Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas ( a book about a boy growing up in Spanish Harlem with bad anger management).

 Application… 

    According the National Council of Teachers of English (NTCE), “The right of any individual to read is basic to democratic society.” Profanity, violence and suggestive sexual situations are great reasons to ban a book in schools, but by the highschool age — especially in 2008 — teens have already experienced these things and much more.

     School boards and teachers need to examine the literariness of the text and its educational impact on students. If we censor, when will it stop and how far will it go? — that’s like removing fairytales because they incite magic and evil.  

This book is guarenteed to profit because Oprah not only endorsed it on her Book Club (a coveted position for any writer) but a spot on her show every week. Millions will buy — because Oprah said so. I wonder, how this book meshes with her Baptist background in (what seems to be) a self-indulging, spirit of empowerment type book.

With poems like “Poem in Praise of Menstration” and ”Poem to my uterus” – Lucille Clifton is a New York born poem writing diva. Her sensual writing style has landed her two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and many other numerous awards. Clifton believes that the purpose of poetry is to, “assert the importance of being human.” Her poems deal with birth, life, death and all around human nature.  

Homage to My Hips                                                     

thesehipsarebighips.                                          
they need space to
move around in.
they don’t fit into little
petty places. these hips
are free hips.
they don’t like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved,
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
i have known them
to put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top

If you write and consistently find yourself wondering what other writers submit, here are two great sites I think you should visit:

• www.writersdigest.com :  Writer’s Digest is one of the best sources for finding information on publishing, submitting, and writing resources.
•  www.glimmertrain.com: Glimmertrin press survives off of the submissions from writers. They particularly like fresh, unpublished writers     and don’t require specific genres. Glimmertrain also holds contests for writers all year round, some quarterly while others remain in place. The only downside (as with some publishers) there is a submission charge for entering contests.

A lot of childhood shows are spinoffs from popular movies i.e. “Timon & Pumba” from the Lion King or “Aladdin” from the Disney Aladdin movies. Some of our favorite childhood shows (cartoon or otherwise) started with a book. Does anybody remember wishing they had Mrs. Frizzle as a school teacher?

 Mrs. Frizzle’s 4th grade class had to be the most envied in the 90’s. Not only did they go on field trips but they had adventurous hands on learning– and never did a lick of homework.

  The Magic School bus series became so popular with the 90’s generation, that in 1994, it was made into a afternoon TV show, airing until 1997 (on and off the air between 98′-02). Who can forget the opening song by Little Richard…

Copyrighting won’t allow the video to be posted, so here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8KaZeNA7Ys

 R.L. Stine is most famously known for his “Goosebumps” and “Fear Street” series.

      Stine, originally a joke book writer, decided to write scary books about ghouls, ghosts, masks, evil dummies, and the general angry undead. Titles like Say Cheese and Die!, The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, A Night in Terror Tower, Night of the Living Dummy — scared kids of the 90’s for years.

  Stine wrote for the 90’s teens as well — there was a fear street for every scary interest. Dead End, The Prom Queen, First Date and One Evil Summer, every book promised chills, thrills and all around stereotypical highschool drama with a little death thrown in the mix.

To complete our quick stroll, here’s the intro to one of the most recognized show’s of the 90’s:                         

In the case of technical difficulties:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feKHgAtqXBc

Happily ever after stories didn’t interest me as a child — mostly because they ended right after the wedding. Anyone that has parents, knows the real drama doesn’t start until after a couple gets married.

That’s why my #1 pick would have to be The Frog Prince Continued by John  Scieszka with illustrations by Steve Johnson.

   The story is cute enough for children to enjoy (8-12) but has a lot of references to actual marital problems. A classic example: The Princess (the frog prince’s wife) is tired of his “froggy” habits, she is lonely at the castle, and their connection has dwindled.

The story takes an interesting twist when the Frog Prince tries to make a drastic change which includes: a gingerbread house, a witch, a spell, dark woods, spells poison apples, et cetera et cetera.

The illustrations in this book are amazing! It’s a great book for kids or Disney movie pessimists.

A happier genre of children’s book would have to be Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter Series. Little critter isn’t really a specific type of animal, more like mix between a hairy beaver and a fat porcupine. His adventures are fun and entertaining and every one teaches kids a lesson.

Little critter books are my #1 series of book — mainly because there is a book for any little lesson you can think of: The New baby, Just so Thankful, Just a school project, I was so Mad, I just Forgot, and (a really cute one about careers and growing up) When I get Bigger .

There is (my favorite) Happy Easter, Little Critter, which is pictured the the left. These are just a few of my childhood favorites — but I’m sure there are more! Children’s Books rock my literary socks!

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 Let’s face it, independent bookstores are losing the battle to big brand places like Barnes & Nobles, BooksaMillion and Borders. So here’s to the little guy!

 Some book lovers wonder what to do after their books have been  read and worn down to the binding. With this in mind, I found a great book shop in Lakeland that buys and sells cheap book.
 

For college students these books pile from pleasure and textbooks - it always seems like the most expensive are a one trick pony. Monica Morris, a pre-Med major at Southeastern University says that textbook pileup is the worst, “I get tired of seeing them, but I paid so much for them that I don’t want to throw them away.”

Morris, after 3 years of piling up she decided to try online sales. “I was worried about identity theft. But my books sold and I got back more than half the money I spent on them.” EBay, Amazon and Yahoo! Auction have 3 of the top easiest and best ways to sell online.

For those still weary about selling or buying items online - “generic” book stores have low prices and great books in good condition. Try Bookends bookstore, located on US 98. It’s currently run by multiple owners one of which shared some valuable information about their business.

Mrs. Connie Russell says it been established for 7 years and bursts over a 15,000 titles ranging from every genre imaginable. Including but not limited to textbooks, literary classes, pop fiction, drama, screenplays, horror, comedy, romance and inspirational crowd every shelf. Crowding is a great sign - it means at Bookends - there is a book for everyone.

Bookends bookstore not only sells but buys used books. Depending on condition, you can make a little cash by sharing your favorite piece with a perfect stranger. Because of these trades, Bookends boasts great literature at affordable prices. It’s a relatively small shop, cluttered, but well worth the money you’ll save for new books at low prices. Don’t be deterred by the cramped walls and shelves - (Warning: cliché coming) remember to never judge a book by its cover!

Bookends greatest feature is its diversity and surprising organization of every genre section. You’ll find customers grazing the ceiling high shelves and crates of classics. One middle-aged peruser had trouble finding an expansive inspirational section before she’d found Bookends.

Nancy, 42, says that, “I don’t mind other book stores, but this store in particular has rare books and the inspirational kind I like.” Some are deterred by the small store front plaza entrance, but whether it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye or not - customers rave about price, stock and variety. Friendly Nancy, argues that, “Sam’s Club looks like a warehouse with concrete floors - [but] that doesn’t stop it from being [one of] the best grocery chains.”

Shelves include brand new titles like King, Patterson, Walker, Morrison, and Christian fiction writers like Dee Henderson and Tim Lahaye. One customer says that, “No matter what weird or out-of-this-world book you’re looking for, she [Connie Russell] can find it for you. This store is amazing, and so is she. I love this place!” At Bookends there’s definitely something for everyone. Bookends bookstore is 15 minutes away from Southeastern University and tucked away like a jewel on US 98.

Bookends bookstore is located on US 98, just before Gibsonia-Galloway Rd in a small plaza with red and white lettering. Be sure to check it out!
Another Great Bookstore, that I soon hope to visit would be this place on Main Street, NY: