10 Advantages Of Digital Marketing

According to HubSpot’s report, digital marketing can help companies achieve a better cost of leads (CPL) than traditional marketing or even telemarketing. Business owners can easily achieve better results by incorporating technology-driven strategies into their marketing.

Companies use various digital marketing activities such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing (SMM), email marketing, search engine marketing (SEM), content creation, and more to promote their brand to potential consumers or build loyalty. clients. More and more small businesses are implementing digital marketing strategies to reach their target consumers online effectively. Many companies, new or established, use digital marketing strategies to reach their target audience online.

As such, online marketing is a great way for a small business or startup to launch their own marketing plans. Digital online marketing saves a lot of money for businesses and companies to reach their target audience compared to traditional marketing.

Targeted and well-planned digital advertising and marketing campaigns can reach the right users in less time and at a lower cost. The greatest benefit of digital marketing is that you can reach your target audience in a cost-effective and measurable way. You can connect with people who match your ideal customers with targeted advertising, stay connected with current customers, and get noticed by people who are actively searching for your products or services online. With traditional marketing, you never know who your investments will reach because results are difficult to measure.

This is difficult for your budget because you can’t change it while the campaign is active for better results. Whereas in the case of traditional marketing, you would have to wait weeks or even months to assess the credibility of the campaign.

Unlike traditional methods, you can see in real-time what’s working and what’s not working for your online business. You can engage in real-time to gain a good understanding of how customers perceive your brand. By optimizing your content in the digital space, you can reach more buyers of your products online. Using relevant keywords can help you describe what you have to offer.

In fact, over time, your website’s traffic will increase and so will your conversion rate. This is a valuable marketing strategy, especially for businesses located in restricted areas like restaurants. Small brands can drive traffic locally and nationally to reach targeted consumers.

According to the report, by 2020, 26 billion gadgets, including smartphones, tablets, home appliances, shoes, glasses and other accessories, are expected to be integrated into a global online ecosystem, which speaks to the importance of digital marketing. Today, over 7.7 billion people around the world use the Internet to find, buy and promote products/services.

Digital platforms are increasingly associated with marketing schemes and everyday life. In today’s digital age, building an online presence and investing in internet marketing versus traditional marketing is essential for a business to survive and thrive. Today, hundreds of thousands of companies are engaged in digital marketing, because it is easier and more convenient for them to reach a large number of people in this way.

Traditionally, businesses reach their target audience through channels such as television, radio, magazines, events, and direct mail. Now that people are spending more time online, companies are trying to reach potential buyers through digital channels. In the age of digitalization, your best strategy would be to meet your customers online, where they already spend a lot of time.

Online marketing is great for businesses as it offers consumers a better and more convenient shopping experience. This high adaptability of online marketing is an important advantage that businesses can take advantage of to offer their consumers the best shopping experience. With online marketing, companies can deliver content to their customers through personalized and low-cost communication.

With all the benefits internet marketing can bring to your business, running a professional internet marketing campaign can further expand your business by bringing in more customers for your product or brand. Internet marketing is a great opportunity to grow your business and get more valuable traffic and sales. Even if you don’t have the budget for SEO or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, businesses can still use digital marketing to build and connect with their audience.

Social media is one of the most convenient digital marketing methods used to distribute content and increase visibility for your business. Every social media profile you add to your marketing mix is a gateway to your website, and every content you post is another opportunity to acquire a new customer.

Without the use of social media as part of your marketing strategy, it will be much harder for you to connect with anyone outside of your circle of loyal customers. You need to reach people who are interested in your business and want to hear from you.

Of all the benefits, the most significant benefit of online marketing is the ability to target people in a targeted manner. The main advantage of digital marketing is the ability to reach target audiences in a cost-effective and measurable way. Reduce costs: A properly planned and targeted digital marketing campaign can reach the right customers at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.

Trackable and measurable results. Measuring your online marketing with web analytics and other online tools makes it easy to determine the effectiveness of your campaign. With Google Analytics, you can track statistics and information on your marketing website.

By showing a breakdown of all of this traffic information, these analytics can help you prioritize your marketing channels. Real-time analytics give you a better understanding of the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. With access to this information, you can also optimize your marketing budget by investing in effective marketing campaigns. Digital Online Advertising and Marketing introduces you to these channels and strategies so your potential buyers can see you, learn more about you, and find out what’s important to deliver.

Digital online advertising and marketing help organizations and individuals easily reach audiences around the world. If your business is not limited to a specific location, you can use digital marketing to reach your target audience around the world. Unlike mass marketing, which effectively engages local audiences through radio, newspapers, and print media, Internet marketing allows businesses to build more personal relationships with consumers around the world. You can connect with potential customers online through various digital marketing channels, such as social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc.), SEO, email marketing, videos, etc.

As you can see, digital marketing has many benefits that can change how your business reaches and attracts your target market. With our digital marketing training courses, you can learn how to use digital marketing to create a steady stream of new customers and sales every day, regardless of your product, price range, or market. Our team will help your business reap the many benefits of digital marketing by providing various effective services such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), PPC Management, and Social Media Management.

Top 10 Books Which Were In High Demand In 2021

Whether you’re looking for a new release from a favorite author or timely non-fiction, these books are among the 24 most popular among Goodreads members in 2021. But while they, along with many others, did not disappoint (See TIME’s list of 100 must-read books in 2021), it was the newcomers who really shined. Throughout 2021, I kept a list of “Best Books of the Year (So Far)”.

The data examines adult fiction, adult non-fiction, and youth books (including fiction, non-fiction, and comics). It’s a fascinating look not only at the most popular e-books in public libraries—they’re not much different from what you’d expect from bestseller lists—but also at books that are in unusually high demand in libraries. The data for the books on these lists comes from anonymous e-book requests to libraries between August and October 2021, and the books are limited by publication dates. National Book Award-nominated debut novel by poet Honorie Fanonne Jeffers is an insightful epic that tells the story of an American family from the colonial slave trade to the present day.

I first came across “Roman 11, Book 18” by the great Norwegian writer Dag Solstad on a warm and sunny day while walking with friends who were visiting from out of town. Best of all, they were invigorating: the kind of books that crawl out of the text right into your life. It is based on the mission of Ailee Pearl Garfield, a black woman who came of age in the 1980s and 1990s who is determined to learn more about her family’s history. While the announcement of Kazuo Ishiguro’s new book would have been met with feverish anticipation under normal circumstances, his latest novel has added anticipation as it is the first since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.

Prior to this, Watkins had written two brilliant books — a beautiful collection of otherworldly Battleborn stories and a terrifying environmental novel, The Golden Glory of Citrus — but it is this work that should make her famous. But it would be easier to say that reading it is like meeting someone new and feeling like the world is falling apart. It was almost amusing to find out just how ruthlessly dark the book was.

But it’s also a work of social critique and a reflection on how to live with purpose in a world whose history is far from complete and which seems to be fueled by disinformation. Book descriptions of bulgogi, fried rice cakes, and other Korean delicacies stand out as a testament to the deep and all-encompassing love between Zuna and his mother, which can be seen in vivid descriptions of his posthumous mother; around the world At a time when millions of people are struggling with the untold toll of COVID-19, Zauner’s candor about deaths seems like an unexpected but much-needed gift. Now, Strout writes for “Oh William! wrote a more direct sequel, which takes place some 20 years after the events of the first book, when Lucy becomes a widow and is reunited with her first husband, William.

2021 was supposed to be a big year for established and fan-favorite creators. House of Sticks is a book that will also warm your heart: a classic immigrant story told from the perspective of a Vietnamese girl who settled with her family in New York City in the early 1990s with little or no knowledge of life in America. These books pierce the nauseating anxiety of insanity, a state that the best writers can imagine as a kind of hell.

Burnt from time and beautiful pocket cover – dark green on cream – and, above all, the closeness of friends, I bought it. His book reads quickly, but like the ghost of Marx that roams Europe, stays with you.

Divided like a play into acts and scenes, the book wrestles with love, lust, fatherhood, and fame, but primarily deals with the sometimes life-threatening but ultimately redeeming hard work of creating art. It’s a special feeling to read a book that seems to be written for you, but in fact it was not. In a crowded field of novels-posters about the humiliation of fatherhood, “Night Bitch” is primitive and corporeal, the working cry of the book.

The general title of the book implies that small tragedies, like those of Hansen, happen everywhere and always, just as the price of life. In The Prophets, National Book Award finalist Robert Jones Jr. traces the relationships between teenagers as well as the lives of the women who raised them, surrounded them, and were the mainstay of the plantation for generations. Other times, the book feels surreal and fantastical as Wideman considers the possibility that their lives have taken them elsewhere.

Since then, Dorr has catapulted Cloud Cuckoo Land back and forth, from 15th-century Constantinople to a starship and back to that dusty library in Idaho where a looming crisis looms. The best entertainment of the year in 2021, as voted by Vultures critics.

In his poignant debut novel, Caleb Azuma, Nelson tells a shocking love story about young black artists in London. Like Isigouros’ previous book Don’t Let Me Go, this novel offers a gentle and compelling twist. World-renowned bestselling author Laura Dave presents a gripping new detective novel about a woman who is determined to find out the truth about her husband’s disappearance.

Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s searing collection of short stories should be read in order. For better or worse, no matter what happens in a given year, be it an uprising, new variations, the rise of #BookTok, or even a free Britney, the year-end lists will go on. Every part of Libertie is rich and vibrant, offering the best of what historical fiction can do. Our favorite works so far are from both emerging and established authors, reflecting on everything from life on the internet to life at the intersection of identity.

Online Schooling, Can It Be The Future Of Education?

In addition, online education provides a space for creative learning and developing students’ problem-solving skills. Therefore, online learning will continue to grow and become popular among students if universities have already incorporated it into traditional education. Online learning has countless benefits that can help those who choose it over a more traditional education. Put education at your fingertips. Online learning allows you to pursue your education later in life, for example, if you are working full-time but want to continue your education.

As mentioned above, online education is flexible, allowing you to set your own pace of study and customize courses to fit your schedule, but at the same time, it is flexible and everyone can learn according to their abilities. y Needs and skill levels. Online learning allows teachers and students to set their own learning pace and adds the flexibility to set a schedule that fits everyone’s agenda. Online learning and e-learning are flexible, allowing teachers and students to set the pace at which they can easily understand things.

Online learning reduces learning gaps for students as students can always view pre-recorded lessons at their leisure to resume lessons they missed due to illness, death in the family or other reasons. While a teacher may still need to include real-time online lessons as part of the curriculum requirements for their students that can be distributed around the world, most lessons are automated, allowing students to learn on their own using a screen. Nowadays, it has become one of the most popular and popular learning tools, and it is also quite easy and convenient to conduct a lesson online rather than offline. For some, this may be more effective than traditional activities; to others, it may seem like a waste of time to get an online education, and they believe that face-to-face education will benefit them more.

There is no doubt that online education will soon become an important part of educational institutions around the world, but the focus should be on quality education for all, including the poor and disadvantaged. Perhaps this type of learning will somehow alleviate the problems we have faced in education over the last century. I am optimistic that this type of education will help address the injustice our students suffer and create a sense of greater equality, as well as help to cope with the ever-increasing number of students suffering from mental health problems, which are greatly exacerbated in schools that they visit. . Meanwhile, educators are learning how to provide a rich learning experience through virtual contacts and online resources.

Teachers tailor learning to the needs of each student, rather than moving forward or slowing down to fit class schedules, which inevitably results in students falling behind or getting bored waiting for classmates to catch up.

The transition to digital learning makes it clear that children don’t necessarily need a traditional classroom to learn and achieve academic success. Children can use online libraries, online courses, educational websites, Wikipedia, and even regular websites to learn new things every day. Students and educators are finding innovative ways to combine online lectures and courses with similar educator and learning resources.

At the college level, online learning is cheaper than regular schools, which is more beneficial for college students on a budget, as they can save on housing, textbooks, transportation, and more. However, this cost reduction has not affected the quality of online education, which is a win-win situation for students who choose online education over college. These benefits are one of the reasons many believe that online learning will be the future of education. All in all, I believe e-learning is the future, despite its drawbacks (obesity due to lack of exercise, mental disorders that may result from separation, access to hate speech, fake news, porn, etc., but that’s for another article) undoubtedly A booming industry, both in college and as more and more parents homeschool their children.

While the classic face-to-face style of learning will not disappear anytime soon, many people recognize the benefits of online education, while others suggest that it is the future of education. It’s not that face-to-face classes are completely gone given all the downsides that can come with online classes, only that online may end up being the preferred option for learning in the future.

The fast growing online network is sure to be the future of education in many ways. The growth of online classes due to the COVID-19 lockdown has helped a lot with the overall vision for the future of education. In 2020, it increased even more due to the unprecedented COVID-19 epidemic, which made it impossible for schools to function normally. Despite everything, professors and students of all higher educational institutions have slowly begun to gravitate towards online learning. With this sudden exit from the classroom in many parts of the world, some are wondering if the adoption of online learning will continue after the pandemic and how such a shift will affect the global education market.

To begin with, more and more higher education institutions are implementing or strengthening their online learning platforms, the main considerations of which are to reduce student costs and increase hiring in an increasingly competitive environment. More and more universities are using online platforms in their learning, and students who have chosen traditional education have not yet participated in any virtual learning, such as with Moodle or Blackboard. But let’s put aside actual learning for a moment and highlight the many practical effects of distance learning, many of which are used in schools and universities that have moved to online learning.

The shift to online learning also means less need for huge university parking spaces that take away green space. With online learning, schools can open up classrooms to more students from different locations, including those who don’t live in the area or who might not otherwise be able to get to school in person.

New programs offer teachers more effective ways to deliver education and students the opportunity to interact and learn, including innovations from students interested in connecting better online when they can’t be together in person7. for online learning, enhancing the ability of teachers to learn from each other as they adapt to a new teaching and learning paradigm. In recognition of the shift to online learning, administrators from some of the country’s largest school districts have indicated they are specifically looking for teachers with the skills to teach students online. find highly coveted jobs in US school districts, supervising a wide range of students at all levels of education. Because online learning is so flexible, our high school students can sign up for meaningful internships that teach valuable professional skills and encourage career planning.

Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?

We don’t have to stop using textbooks, each has its pros and cons, and they are better suited to a given situation. We just have to use them in a healthy way, mostly electronic devices that are more likely to get someone added.

We must understand that this can and cannot be replaced, it mainly depends on the person who uses the electronic device and what applications are used. Students should be aware of the potential dangers of using these devices and how to avoid them. Computers should not replace textbooks because the use of computers reduces concentration, increases learning costs, and creates physical health problems.

With so many distractions, using a computer to study has a negative impact on students’ ability to focus on their work. Computers give students a lot of freedom, allowing them to deviate from a lesson planned by teachers, or even access sources with incorrect information. Students with below-average reading skills may find it difficult to keep up when they have to read everything from a textbook.

However, in order to learn effectively, textbooks must always be at the center of a student’s academic journey. Textbooks play an important role in a student’s learning process over the course of many years. Textbooks provide students with a way to learn about physics and help them process information in a way that is easier than on a screen. Each chapter of the textbook builds on what students have learned before so they have all the information they need to understand what is being taught.

Textbooks are limited in what they can offer students beyond the text and images on the page, and tablets offer users the ability to take notes and highlight without ruining the next student’s textbook. Students can easily avoid reading and analyzing text on their own because they can quickly look up passages in e-textbooks and search for answers online. Students are used to finding information electronically rather than manually reading textbooks. But Notepad makes it easier and easier for them to find the information they need, and they can get help with Google Search to find the answer.

You mean, students are willing to carry any outdated textbooks with them if they want to bring a computer or laptop and keep the details they need. The increasing use of tablets in place of printed textbooks will also help students have “light backpacks.” The tablet also offers a built-in dictionary, so students can easily look up words they don’t know without leaving the textbook. There are thousands of educational and instructional apps on the tablet, so teachers can tailor student learning to individual style/personality rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

As the popularity of tablets grows, many schools are debating whether to move from textbooks to tablets or introduce a personalized program on one computer that all students in the district can use. As tablets become more popular, many schools are debating whether to switch from textbooks to tablets and are also introducing one-on-one (one device per student) programs in their districts. Since everyone is always holding some sort of tech gadget in their hands, the idea that tablets are replacing textbooks in schools makes sense to a lot of people. Our society revolves around technology, so if we replaced textbooks and notebooks with laptops, students would be more motivated to complete their schoolwork because they are using something more modern instead of old and boring books.

While I was reading this, I realized that if students actually use computers instead of textbooks, this could lead to students visiting social networking websites or just other websites that are not recommended in school, such like gaming websites or even inappropriate websites. places. As you can see, the concentration of students would be significantly reduced due to the use of a computer instead of a textbook. On the contrary, it can be assumed that these students who did not use computers as textbooks were probably much more focused and could concentrate and understand the concept contained in the school textbook. Many high school students would agree that using laptops would be easier, more functional, and more efficient than using textbooks and laptops.

Second, if students use laptops instead of notebooks, workbooks, and textbooks, they will be more focused and organized in class because our generation prefers modern technology over old, boring and used ones that aren’t even updated Information textbook. .If students have access to textbooks instead of textbooks, workbooks, and textbooks, they will be more focused and organized in the classroom because our generation prefers modern technology to old, boring textbooks that aren’t updated with new information. Most high school students agree that writing from textbooks is easier, more effective, and more effective than writing from textbooks and notebooks.

With tablets for teaching in schools, students won’t have to learn from old and outdated textbooks, especially in ever-changing areas of study like computer science. With tablets for teaching in schools, students no longer need to learn from old and outdated textbooks, which is especially important for frequently changing fields of study, such as computer science.

Firstly, the amount of paper each school uses each year is killing many trees, and if we continue to use textbooks and paper instead of laptops, we will lose many trees, which will lead to even more air pollution and may deprive many habitats. animals. Therefore, based on these facts, it is recommended to replace textbooks with laptop computers, as this will make work more relaxed and, at the same time, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the functioning of researchers and home students around the world.

In a school environment, if computers or tablets are used and controlled appropriately, they can greatly improve student achievement. The tablet is more convenient in studying for students. Increased use of tablets instead of printed textbooks could help lighten school backpacks.

In addition to notebooks and binders, students should also bring pencils, pens, and spare paper. What I mean is that students are less willing to carry around any outdated textbooks and instead want to take a lighter notebook where they can store all the information they need. Textbooks usually cost about a hundred dollars or more, but information quickly becomes outdated and schools have to raise more money to buy up-to-date textbooks.

With portable computers, textbook publishers and teachers will be able to more easily edit and update information in electronic copies of texts. Now laptops are designed not only to easily download the latest updates on certain topics, but also to allow students to learn new information without having to buy new books every time.

Using a laptop, students can use computer-based tools such as Microsoft Office documents, Google Docs, PDFs, slide presentations, and infographic tools. They may have up-to-date information, and using laptops is much cheaper than buying expensive books.

Styling And Beauty Tips

With expert advice and care tips from a couple of plant experts, we’ve identified 15 beautiful plants that will thrive in even the least plant-friendly places. Getty Images Shine up your look with these in-depth beauty tips drawn from over 75 years of Women’s Day magazines. If you’re out of eyeliner or don’t know how to wash your bathing suits, the following fashion and beauty tricks will make your life easier.

Rip your new shoes by putting on a pair of thick socks, then put on your shoes and blow dry your feet over medium heat for a few minutes. Also, apply a heat protectant setting spray to damp hair to protect the hair. Let your hair dry by sitting in the sun or use a hair dryer – the heat will lighten the strands.

If you often use straighteners and curling irons, spray a heat protectant spray on your hair before styling. Always start with a primer as it helps smooth the skin and creates the perfect base for the rest of your makeup. It will help to apply an even, smooth pencil to the mark the first time. Use a moisturizing body lotion every day and try applying it to damp skin (as this ensures maximum absorption).

The oil can prevent the penetration of surfactants (found in shampoos and other hair care products) that can damage the hair. Constant shampooing will make your hair dry and your scalp will produce more oil to compensate for the loss of moisture. Instead, use dry shampoo and tie your hair into a braid or ponytail when it gets a little thicker. Also, be sure to protect your hair from moisture (rain will definitely ruin your mane) and touch up your hair in the morning with a hairdryer and a round brush.

To keep your hair looking lively, use a sea salt spray or thickener before drying. For quick root coverage, use a dry shampoo spray to color your hair. If you don’t have this product on hand, use eyeshadow (the shade closest to your hair color) for a quick fix. Dip the angled makeup brush into the mascara brush and apply to the lids like a liquid eyeliner.

Blend with your finger or a cotton swab, then apply to the skin as a regular moisturizer. Do not apply moisturizer to your face, as it will take 10 minutes or more for it to absorb into the skin before your face is ready for makeup. Using too much of this product occasionally throughout the day will make your skin look chapped because you’re just layering your makeup on top of other makeup. Take good care of your hair after coloring and use color-protecting shampoos and conditioners to prevent further damage to your color-treated hair.

When your hair is 60%-70% dry, you can blow dry your hair from the roots with a blow dryer. For long-lasting curls, make sure your hair is completely dry before you start using the curling iron. Use a root makeup remover for quick styling, followed by hairspray.

So your jeans will last longer, and the color will not fade as quickly. Constant application of nail polish will make them brittle and brittle. For a perfect nail polish application, apply petroleum jelly to the nail cuticle with a Q-tip and your fingers won’t look dirty.

Getty Images Getty Images 7 of 75 Add shine to your hair Always rinse out conditioner (which should be applied to the ends) with cold water to seal cuticles and enhance shine. Jupiterimages Getty Images 3 of 75 Comb your hair from root to tip Comb your hair from root to tip every night.

It will also help prevent dandruff and other irritating conditions of the hair and scalp. The conditioner will soften the hair on your legs, making it easier to shave (and make your skin silkier). Rinsing your hair with beer helps restore moisture to the strands, while using vinegar will increase light levels.

When using shampoo, dilute it in half a cup of water and use it to wash your hair. Choose a sulfate-free shampoo, as sulfates can irritate and dry out the hair cuticle. Beauty Photo Studio Getty Images 13 of 75 Choose Your Shampoo Carefully If you dye your hair, look for shampoos and conditioners that are sulfate-free and free of harsh detergents.

Thinkstock 15 of 75 Beautiful Brows Soften skin before pinching by dabbing with a cotton swab dipped in warm water or cream. Westend61 Getty Images 16 of 75 Pluck in the direction of hair growth with tweezers. Lena Clara Getty Images 19 of 75 Straight Brow Hair To keep your brows unruly, apply hairspray to an old toothbrush, then comb your brows up and down.

Use tape under your eyes to catch any deposits and keep the color away from your cheeks. Also make sure to wear them correctly, with the waves facing down so your hair stays in place. “Be light on your bronzer and make sure your neck is the same color as your face.

You may like the warm, bronzed skin you get from sunburn, but this will lead to sun spots, wrinkles, and discoloration later on. Make sure the toner is alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry out your skin. To keep your hair color vibrant longer, use shampoos and conditioners designed for color-treated hair.

Coloring your hair in a salon has a number of advantages over having it done in the bath, as professional stylists usually do trials to make sure you get the exact color. Those suffering from sensitivity and hair damage should try a “scalp detox” to cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural oils, according to Lin. Eugene Davis, celebrity hairdresser, suggests using an avocado oil hair mask. To make the perfume last longer, apply a small amount of Vaseline to the skin where you will be spraying the perfume.

For makeup that lasts all day and night, use a make-up fixer, such as a setting spray. According to makeup artist Kelly Bartlett, this will help the product fully absorb each wipe, starting with the one you use next. Just outline the lips as usual and then fill them in with color. Because exfoliating lips is the key to flawless lipstick application, you won’t want to skip this step of your beauty routine.

If you don’t give your body time to recover, your skin won’t look fresh and radiant. If left uncleaned, dead skin cells can make skin look dull, dark, bumpy, and dry.

You can get makeup brush cleaner from a pharmacy or beauty store, or just use shampoo and conditioner to clean your brushes like you would your own hair. To tame frizzy hair, spray a small amount of hairspray on your toothbrush and then use it to comb through frizzy strands.

Yoga And Mind Healing

Yoga becomes a healing practice once one is exposed to existence. When you practice yoga from the perspective of awareness or presence, your mind begins to calm down and become more connected and present. The more often you consciously practice yoga, the more calm and mirrored your mind and heart will become. Once you get out of the way, life naturally rebalances the mind and body.

To access mindfulness during yoga practice, focus on your breath, not thoughts, feelings, emotions, or maybe even pain. If you try too hard and your mind starts holding your breath, you may end up not hearing what’s going on in your body. When you begin to breathe deeply and focus on your postures, you reduce anxiety.

Meditation at the end of most of the practice can help retrain the mind and body to relax. When we energize the body through yoga and other means, the physical and emotional qualities corresponding to this frequency are also energized, as is our consciousness. Therefore, yoga can promote the healing process and help a person experience symptoms with more focus and less stress. Regular yoga practice can reduce stress levels and inflammation throughout the body, promoting heart health.

According to research analyzed by Harvard Medical School, yoga practice can help reduce symptoms associated with serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Scientists have found that regular yoga practice helps reduce the amount of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress and depression, in the body. In another study, subjects who practiced yoga twice a week reported “marked and significant” improvements in stress, well-being, and fatigue. In one of the studies mentioned above (related to anxiety), subjects who practiced yoga also experienced a statistically significant reduction in depression.

Yoga and meditation can relieve tension and stress while strengthening the mind and body. The benefits of yoga and meditation can improve recovery outcomes and help build lifelong sobriety behaviors.

For many people, the practice of yoga involves simple yet powerful meditative movements that anyone can do. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation.

In recent years, it has become popular as a form of posture-based exercise that promotes better control of the mind and body and improves well-being. While it is now a popular form of exercise and meditation, this has not always been the case. Story Share on Pinterest Yoga has long been helping people achieve mental and physical balance.

DISCUSSION Quickly emerging in the Western world as a discipline for bringing mind and body together in unity and harmony, yoga, adopted as a way of life, improves physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual health. According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga promotes stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss, and quality sleep. As part of your daily routine, yoga will most likely make your body more toned, leaner, and stronger.

In addition to these yoga benefits, researchers have also found that yoga poses may have some unexpected benefits to our metabolism, allowing them to improve body shape and help with weight loss. Research shows that yoga can have an invigorating effect on mental and physical energy, improving fitness and reducing fatigue. Aside from the physical benefits, one of the biggest benefits of yoga is how it helps a person deal with stress, which is known to have a devastating effect on the body and mind.

Yoga, which includes meditation and breathing, can help improve a person’s mental well-being. Yoga and meditation promote physical and mental health, improving recovery outcomes. There are many tools used in the recovery process to achieve this goal, and yoga and meditation can help achieve this both at the beginning of recovery and throughout the journey. Yoga is an ideal practice as it combines the healing of all aspects of the body.

Yoga can help improve balance, strengthen muscles, prevent injury, and calm the mind. Yoga should be considered as a complementary therapy or alternative drug therapy in the treatment of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, as it has been shown to create a greater sense of well-being, increase feelings of relaxation, increase self-confidence, and improve well-being. body image, increase efficiency, improve interpersonal relationships, increase focus, reduce irritability and encourage an optimistic outlook on life. Yoga is recognized as a form of mind-body medicine that integrates the physical, mental and spiritual components of an individual to improve aspects of health, especially stress-related illnesses. As a powerful form of mind-body medicine, yoga approaches health holistically, recognizing that physical ailments also have emotional and spiritual components.

Health is not just freedom from disease, every system of the body must be in perfect balance and symmetry, which is what yoga does. The genius of yoga is that it keeps us in good physical, mental and spiritual shape. Yoga not only improves the overall quality of life, but also gives meaning to everything we do.

I encourage you to use the power of yoga to improve your mind and body and continue on your path to a healthier and more purposeful life. Develop a clear mind, a calm heart and a free body by combining the therapeutic methods of yoga with the principles of Chinese medicine. Using breathing, meditation, and channeling energy through mindfulness to reduce stress and tension.

Practice yoga every day and repetition will enhance the physical and mental health benefits, creating an even deeper spiritual connection. Yoga is a great way to improve strength, flexibility and balance.

To help you better understand the benefits of yoga, we’ve looked at the many ways your practice can heal the mind, body, and spirit. There is a growing body of research showing that yoga practice can help reduce many types of chronic pain. Other studies have shown that yoga can help improve sleep quality, improve spiritual well-being, improve social function, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in cancer patients (18, 19). Many believe that yoga can also help relieve stress and improve mental clarity.

Yoga is often associated with meditation because it helps relax the mind and encourages participants to rethink. There is no doubt that yoga can fully develop a calm, stress-free mind and body when practiced from the heart and with sincerity. It also helps balance and integrate the mind, body and spirit, improving energy flow and stimulating the body’s natural healing process.

This holistic and powerful mind-heart approach to healing the body is explored through targeted yoga poses known to have beneficial effects on the body. We offer ongoing group yoga classes and private yoga therapy sessions with a focus on the health and wellness of the mind and body.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a Canadian philosophical novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The novel has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. It was rejected by at least five London publishing housesbefore being accepted by Knopf Canada, which published it in September 2001. The UK edition won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction the following year. It was also chosen for CBC Radio’s Canada Reads 2003, where it was championed by author Nancy Lee.

Book Summary

This is a story about a young man named Piscine Patel, or Pi, whose family owns a zoo in India. Growing up, Pi is interested in religion and so he converts to each of the major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. The family decides to move to Canada, but on the way there, their ship sinks and Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with a tiger, Richard Parker, a hyena, a zebra, and an orangutan.

Pi manages to keep himself separated from the other animals and all he can do is watch as the hyena kills the zebra and orangutan. Pi is afraid that he will be next to be killed, but the tiger kills the hyena. Pi decides to build an adjoining raft that is connected to the lifeboat by rope and luckily finds survival supplies, such as food and water.

Instead of waiting for the tiger to die, Pi decides he must train the tiger to ensure his own personal survival. Pi learns to fish and begins feeding the tiger, slowly training and taming him.

As food and water supplies dwindle, Pi suffers from health problems such as blisters and dehydration. He also becomes temporarily blind. Pi encounters another blind man who is also floating on a boat. However, the man comes aboard and the tiger eats him.

When Pi’s eyesight returns, he sees an island in the distance. He arrives on the island and finds algae that he can eat. The island has fresh water and is home to a large meerkat colony who eat fish. Life on the island is great, but then Pi realizes that the algae is carnivorous and so he gets back on the boat with the tiger and heads off.

The boat eventually reaches Mexico and Pi is rescued. In the end, Pi is questioned by investigators about his journey and despite being skeptical, they believe his story.

Analysis

A lot can be said about this story, but what draws my interest and attention is the idea of how a zoo can actually be more beneficial for a wild animal than the wild.

Pi goes to great lengths to explain how harsh conditions are for wild animals and how nice life in a zoo really is. We tend to have a romantic sense of what the wild is like for animals, but the reality is that animals in the wild are either looking for food or trying not to be food for something else.

It seems like a stressful existence in the wild, where each day could be your last and you are literally playing a game of life or death. And most humans wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild, especially since we’ve modernized ourselves to the luxuries of technology and civilization.

This also brings a greater appreciation to what we, as humans, have done with our food and safety needs: bringing them closer to us in a more controlled environment.

It’s comforting to know that our food is about twenty feet away from us whenever I want and if we run out of food, we can go to a building that has more food for us to buy.

We and our possessions are safe from the weather and we don’t need to worry about being attacked by predators.

So while it may seem lonely that the animals in zoos are confined to a limited space, we are looking at them through the eyes of a species that has, for the most part, everything it needs within reach. We are smart enough to understand that protecting ourselves and surviving that way is far greater than being free in the wild and nature.

The Old Man and The Sea

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella written by the American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Cayo Blanco (Cuba), and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction written by Hemingway that was published during his lifetime. One of his most famous works, it tells the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba.

In 1953, The Old Man and the Sea was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and it was cited by the Nobel Committee as contributing to their awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Hemingway in 1954.

CHARACTER SKETCH

SANTIAGO

Santiago is the protagonist of the novella. He is an old fisherman in Cuba who, at the beginning of the book has not caught anything for eighty-four days. The novella follows Santiago’s quest for the great catch that will save his career. Santiago endures a great struggle with an uncommonly large and noble marlin only to lose the fish to rapacious sharks on his way back to land Despite this loss. Santiago ends the novel with his spirit undefeated. Santiago represents Hemingway himself searching for his next great book.

MANOLIN

Manolin is Santiago’s only friend and companion. Santiago taught Manolin to fish, and the boy used to go out to sea with the old man until his parents objected to Santiago’s bad luck. Manolin still helps Santiago pull in his boat in the evenings and provides the old man with food and bait when he needs it. Manolin is the reader’s surrogate in the novel, appreciating Santiago’s heroic spirit and skill despite his outward lack of Success.

The Marlin

Although he does not speak and we do not have access to his thoughts, the marlin is certainly an important character in the novella. The marlin is the fish Santiago spends the majority of the novel tracking, kiling, and attempting to bring to shore The marlin is larger and more spirited than any Santiago has ever seen. Santiago idealizes the marlin ascribing to it traits of great nobility, a fish to which he must prove his own nobility if he is to be worthy to catch it

Summary and Review

This is a story about an old fisherman who is on somewhat of an unlucky streak. The only other fisherman who still believes in him is a young boy who has helped him fish in the past. The boy often takes care of the old man, who lives in a shack and often goes hungry.

The old man goes out, as he does every day, and tosses his line over the edge of the boat. He waits until something sharp pulls on the line. The fish is so strong that it begins to pull the boat.

The fish is resilient and continues to pull the boat further and further through the night. On the second day, the old man realizes he needs food and catches a dolphin, which he eats.

On the third day, he finally outlasts the fish and harpoons him. He drags the marlin to the side of the boat and is happy with his catch. However, he has to defend his catch against the slew of sharks.

He manages to kill several sharks, but by the time he makes it back to town, the marlin is nothing but bones. Exhausted, he barely makes it back to his shack, where he is greeted by the boy.

While other authors have dealt with man against nature, this story concentrates on that theme through its length, as well as the narrative. Hemingway often puts the reader into the mind of the old man with dialogue, but also internal monologue. This may present the old man as crazy, but it also reveals his emotions as he battles the fish over three days.

This, of course sets up the tragic ending where he is left to fight off the sharks from his prize catch that nearly took his life. The guy spent three days out at sea and had nothing to show for it when he got back. The ending is somewhat questionable as well. The old man is still poor, but the boy, and the other fishermen, have newfound respect for him. You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but he may still be able to impress you.

After We Fell by Anna Todd

Book Three of the After series—now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!

Tessa and Hardin’s love was complicated before. Now it’s more confusing than ever. AFTER WE FELL…Life will never be the same. #HESSA
Just as Tessa makes the biggest decision of her life, everything changes. Revelations about first her family, and then Hardin’s, throw everything they knew before in doubt and makes their hard-won future together more difficult to claim.
Tessa’s life begins to come unglued. Nothing is what she thought it was. Not her friends. Not her family. The one person she should be able to rely on, Hardin, is furious when he discovers the massive secret she’s been keeping. And rather than being understanding, he turns to sabotage. Tessa knows Hardin loves her and will do anything to protect her, but there’s a difference between loving someone and being able to have them in your life. This cycle of jealousy, unpredictable anger, and forgiveness is exhausting. She’s never felt so intensely for anyone, so exhilarated by someone’s kiss—but is the irrepressible heat between her and Hardin worth all the drama? Love used to be enough to hold them together. But if Tessa follows her heart now, will it be…the end?

5 stars(this review contains spoilers for After and After We Collided)

The After series keeps on getting better and better! After We Fell is by far my favorite of the three!
At the end of After We Collided we were left again on a cliffhanger with a rather unexpected turn of events, Tessa is trying to find a way to break the news of her impending move to Seattle to Hardin when she runs into her estranged father outside a tattoo shop…
I hope you guys are fond of rollercoasters because, this book like its two predecessors, is nothing short of one, so hang on tight!

It’s no surprise when I tell you that as soon as I started I was already frustrated.Tessa is going ahead with her plans to relocate to Seattle with Vance Publishing, Things are rocky with Hardin though not completely called off.Hardin is wayyyyyyyy frustrating though, when one thinks that he is starting to understand that a relationship takes compromise and that it’s not all about him and what he wants, he turns into the most unreasonable person ever. He doesn’t have a valid reason at all to not want to move with Tessa to Seattle other than his insecurities, but yet even when he knows this he still chooses to be a total idiot about it.Tessa talks him into coming on a weekend trip with her and his family, in an effort to try and mend things and have some fun together.The trip will prove to be anything but fun! I felt like jumping into the book and screaming at Hardin I just couldn’t even process what he was doing!

Once again the Hardin from the past surfaces and it’s like we took 10 steps backward rather than forward, again he proves he can be overly controlling and inconsiderate. I was seriously pissed with him when I found out the lengths that he went to in order to try and get his way. I couldn’t blame Tessa for being tired of his antics, when over and over he screws things up and then expects her to just forgive and forget.

I was glad though to see that Tessa didn’t give in to Hardin’s wishes, and put herself and her career first. I think Hardin needs to learn that not everything can go his way.Though while super smart for some things Tessa can be soooo dense for others. She gets invited to a “going away” party at the frat house out of all places. Why would she even consider going there and hanging out with all those people that were nothing but horrible to her? I was screaming at the top of my lungs in frustration, ok fine maybe I was screaming into my Goodreads updates, but seriously Tessa!!

This is the point when things start getting really screwy and my heart was racing out of my chest, I mean we have seen betrayal before and I really didn’t think I would see anything that would have me totally flabbergasted again…! I was crying angry tears for Tessa, I had to put the book down and walk away from it for a bit… I was in total and absolute disbelief…

I don’t want to give you tooo many details but just know that there is drama, frat house drama, Tessa’s dad drama, Tessa’s mother drama oh! and if you didn’t guess it? Yeah, there is plenty of Zed drama!I mean I get it Zed is hot, he is nice, he shows up at the right time and at the right place but come on Tessa!!!! How much more are you going to push Hardin? Again I found myself wanting to slap some sense into this girl.

In After We Fell, like After We Collided, we have Hardin’s POV which again is crucial to the story because while he still makes you mad you can understand why he is the way he is. I cant deny the growth in him, trying to control his temper, trying not to be impulsive and especially being much more considerate with Tessa, even his relationship with Landon makes you smile in this book. Again you see the wonderful guy he can be if he can learn to love himself.

But, it’s Hessa we are talking about here so drama doesn’t stay at bay for too long and the last part of the book will prove to be jaw dropping totally unexpected drama, and for this I won’t drop even a hint because you really need to experience this for yourself. All I can say is that it was unexpected and devastating, I’m scared for Hardin and his state of mind and him falling into that downward spiral he seems to often flirt with. What he will face will definitely be a very tough pill to swallow.

The last line in this book left me hyperventilating and in disbelief…

and in need of wine.. lots and lots of wine…

It has been a very long time since I’ve had a book hangover, years even. I finished After We Fell and couldn’t stop thinking about it, let alone start another book right away.

The fourth and final installment will be hitting shelves on February 24, yup that’s 49 days from today (but who’s counting), I can totally wait, because I’m so not dying to know what happens next….

Light Academia book recommendations .

Emma by Jane Austen.

Emma Woodhouse is a fascinating and vivid character in Jane Austen’s novels. Emma organises the lives of the residents of her sleepy little village and plays matchmaker with terrible effect. She is beautiful, pampered, vain, and irrepressibly clever.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

The March sisters, Jo, a bright tomboy and aspiring author, Beth, who is terribly frail, Meg, who is lovely, and romantic, spoilt Amy, are bonded in their love for one another and their battles to survive in New England during the Civil War.
It’s no secret that Little Women was inspired by Alcott’s own childhood. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, mingled with the likes of Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with her own writing “Sewing, doing laundry, and serving as a household servant are examples of “women’s work.” She soon learned, however, that she could earn more money by writing. Little Women brought her fame and fortune for the rest of her life, and it wasn’t just because she was a woman “It explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America, as requested by her publisher.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Pride and Prejudice has been one of the most popular novels in the English language since its early success in 1813. This great masterpiece was dubbed “her own beloved child” by Jane Austen, and its vivacious protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, was described as “as charming a creature as ever appeared in literature.” The romantic conflict between Elizabeth and her pompous beau, Mr. Darcy, is a brilliant display of civilised sparring. Jane Austen’s dazzling wit gleams as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirting and intrigue, making this the finest comedy of manners in Regency England.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside of Avonlea, has enticed generations of readers into the wonderful world of Green Gables. Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, arrives in this lush corner of Prince Edward Island only to learn that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his severe sister, Marilla—wish to adopt a boy rather than a fiery redhead girl. But, before they can send her back, Anne, who needs more room for her ideas and a genuine home, fully converts them. Anne of Green Gables is a beloved classic that examines all of a child’s fragility, expectations, and hopes as they grow up. It’s also a magnificent portrayal of a time, a location, and a family… and, above all, love

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, The Great Gatsby, is often regarded as his greatest achievement. This classic Jazz Age novel has been praised by generations of readers. It’s a wonderfully constructed narrative of America in the 1920s about the fantastically affluent Jay Gatsby and his new love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of opulent parties on Long Island at a time when “gin was the national drink and sex was the national obsession,” according to The New York Times.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and she rejects her sister Elinor’s warning that her rash behaviour exposes her to gossip and innuendo when she falls in love with the handsome but unsuitable John Willoughby. Meanwhile, Elinor, who is usually conscious of social convention, is fighting to hide her amorous disappointment even from her closest friends. The sisters learn that sense must combine with sensibility if they are to discover genuine pleasure in a culture where rank and money dominate the rules of love through their simultaneous experiences of love—and its potential loss.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.

On the Isle of Skye, the tranquil and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, their children, and many guests are on vacation. Woolf creates a magnificent, emotional analysis of the complicated tensions and allegiances of family life, as well as the battle between men and women, from the seemingly little postponement of a visit to a local lighthouse.

As time passes, the Ramsays face the greatest of human obstacles as well as its greatest triumph—the human ability for change—alone and simultaneously.

Dark Academia book recommendations.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

A group of bright, eccentric misfits at a prestigious New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from their classmates thanks to the influence of their charismatic classics professor. When they cross the line into normal morality, however, they progress from infatuation to corruption and betrayal, and finally—inexorably—to evil.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unusual freshman in Yale’s class. Alex was raised by a hippie mother in the Los Angeles suburbs and dropped out of school early, plunging into a world of sketchy drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. She is the solitary survivor of a brutal, unsolved multiple homicide by the age of twenty. Some could claim she’s squandered her life. But, from her hospital bed, Alex is given a second chance: a full scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious colleges. What’s the catch, and why is she involved? Alex arrives in New Haven charged by her mysterious donors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s hidden clubs, still searching for answers. The future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicians to Wall Street and Hollywood’s top players, are known to frequent these eight windowless “tombs.” Their esoteric operations, however, are revealed to be far more evil and fantastic than any paranoid imagination could imagine.

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio.

Oliver Marks was just released from prison after a ten-year sentence for a murder he may or may not have committed. He is greeted by the man who put him in prison on the day he is released. Detective Colborne is planning to retire, but first he wants to get the truth about what happened a decade ago.

Oliver and his buddies play the same roles onstage and off as heroes, villains, tyrants, temptresses, ingenues, and extras as part of a group of seven teenage actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts institution. However, when the cast changes and the supporting characters take over, the plays become dangerously alive, and one of them is discovered dead. The rest of the cast faces their most difficult acting task yet: persuading the cops, as well as themselves, that they are blameless.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Wilde’s storey of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is the author’s most popular work, written in his distinctly sparkling style. When the storey of Dorian Gray’s moral decay first came out in 1890, it caused a stir, but when Wilde was chastised for the novel’s corrupting influence, he remarked that “there is a horrible moral in Dorian Gray.” Only a few years later, the book and the aesthetic/moral conflict it posed were used as evidence in the trials resulting from Wilde’s gay liaisons, which led to his imprisonment. “Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry is what the world considers me: Dorian is what I would like to be—in other ages, maybe,” Wilde wrote in a letter about Dorian Gray’s relationship to autobiography.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas.

Catherine House is a unique institution of higher learning. With its experimental curriculum, highly selective admissions criteria, and substantial endowment, this furnace of reformer liberal arts study has produced some of the world’s brightest minds: prize-winning authors, painters, inventors, Supreme Court judges, and presidents. Tuition, lodging, and board are all provided for those chosen. Acceptance, however, comes at a cost. Students must spend three years in the House, including the summers, completely cut off from the outside world. They must leave behind their family, friends, television, music, and even their attire. In exchange, the school promises its pupils a future of supreme power and distinction, as well as the ability to transform into anyone or anything they wish. Ines, a member of this year’s new class, expects to trade the blurry nights of parties, narcotics, harsh friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to find a culture of sanctioned revelry instead. Viktória, the enigmatic director of the school, urges the kids to explore, to broaden their minds, to discover themselves and their position within Catherine’s intimidating black iron gates.Catherine is the closest thing Ines has ever had to a home, and her serious, shy roommate, Baby, quickly becomes an unusual friend. Despite its aged velvet and weathered leather, the House’s peculiar rituals make this haven feel more and more like a gilded jail. And when Baby’s obsession with acceptance ends in tragedy, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendour, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—may be concealing a dangerous agenda linked to a secretive, tightly knit group of students chosen to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.

YA Retellings.

Beauty and the beast:

Into the heartless wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer.

The woodland is a deadly place where men and women are lured to their deaths by siren song. A witch has been harvesting souls to feed the callous tree for ages, harnessing its power to expand her realm.

Seren, one of the witch’s tree-siren daughters, saves Owen Merrick’s life rather than ending it after he is led into the witch’s wood. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and her desire to be human becomes stronger. Seren’s desire to become human will take them into an old struggle waging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her, as a shift in the constellations foreshadows a dreadful curse.

Romeo and Juliet

Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis

Who would play the leads in a Hamilton remake of Romeo and Juliet? This is the storey of a young woman who believes she has what it takes…and the rest of the world agrees.

Jerzie Jhames will go to any length to get the main role in Roman and Jewel, Broadway’s hottest new show, a Romeo and Juliet inspired hip-hopera with a diverse cast and current twists on the play. Her aspirations are dashed, however, when she discovers that Cinny, the mega-star, has won the lead…and Jerzie is her understudy.

It’s a bad idea for Jerzie to fall for male lead Zeppelin Reid, especially after she knows Cinny wants him for herself. Star-crossed love is doomed to fail. When a video of Jerzie and Zepp practising goes online and the entire world votes on who should play Jewel, Jerzie realises that while fame is expensive, friendship, family, and love are invaluable.

The phantom of the Opera:

Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson.

There is no such thing as Isda. At least not beyond the opera house’s ornate walls.

Cyril, the opera house’s owner, protected her from being cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can modify memories when people sing. He has protected her from the violent world outside since that day. He only requests that she use her influence to keep ticket sales high—and that she stay hidden. Isda and Cyril would pay the price if it was discovered she had survived.

But when Isda meets Emeric Rodin, a handsome boy who upsets her tranquil, isolated life, she defies Cyril’s cardinal rule. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the true shock comes when she discovers glimpses of a way out of her gilded prison in his recollections.Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, haunted by the potential, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the cost of liberty is far greater than Isda could ever imagine. Even as she battles with her growing affections for Emeric, she realises that the only way she can control her own future is to become the monster the world sought to drown in the first place.

Pride and Prejudice:

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

Despite the meddling of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prominent company Pemberley Associates, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to establish herself when a shocking murder shakes London high society.

Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own, convinced that the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person. However, as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more convoluted, Lizzie realises that her ideal career may make her happy, but it may also lead to her death.

Rapunzel:

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

The virtuous people of Corona search for the all-healing Sundrop flower to cure their queen and her unborn child in a desperate attempt to preserve their queen’s life—but instead obtain the sparkling Moondrop flower. Regardless, it heals the queen, and she gives birth to a healthy baby girl with moon-like silver and grey hair. It brings with it perilous magical abilities: the ability to harm rather than cure. Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower and placed in the care of Mother Gothel, a powerful goodwife, for her own and the kingdom’s safety.

Rapunzel has been kept away for eighteen years, knowing she must protect people from her miraculous hair. However, when she leaves the only home she’s ever known in order to witness the floating lights that emerge on her birthday, she becomes entangled in an adventure with two robbers that takes her throughout the kingdom. Rapunzel discovers that there may be more to her storey, and her miraculous tresses, than she ever imagined before she reaches her happy ending.

Dhamaka’ movie review: Sound of social implosion

The disturbing thoughts swim in the conscience as one could clearly hear the sound of social implosion in Ram Madhvani’s compelling thriller, lined with commentary on media ethics

In the week of big public apology, comes a film where a common man seeks repentance from a powerful minister for not being able to do his duty. A gutsy idea that fills you with nervous energy, the film is an official remake of a Korean flick but, closer home, it reminds you of the angry common man of ‘A Wednesday’.

In the Neeraj Pandey film, the desperate everyman threatened to bomb Mumbai, here the despairing migrant crosses the line. The film makes you wonder what has changed in the last decade. Perhaps, the trust of the marginalised has been breached. Perhaps, it was reflected during the mass exodus from big cities to villages during the pandemic. It is not that the last man standing in the row was getting attention earlier but he was not being fed hope by a section of rapacious media. His trust was not being played with 24×7.

What seems like a ‘usual’ terror attack/ hostage situation to him that he intends to milk, quickly turns personal as his estranged wife (Mrunal Thakur) is reporting from ground zero. Even as the threat lurks into the newsroom, the remnant of journalism left in his system is smoked out by a hard-nosed producer Ankita Malaskar (Amruta Subhash). For her, truth and news are two different things.

In the ensuing moral battle, it becomes increasingly clear who is the bigger villain of the piece. But, at the same time, the narrative also becomes increasingly predictable. As the taut thriller starts getting flaccid, you start picking up faults in the plot. When a film takes a high moral ground, the margin to slip also reduces. When a film that seeks to expose the artifice of prime-time news starts looking staged, it pains.

The set design and cinematography are top-notch but the functioning of the newsroom, the motivations of the ‘villain’, and the actions of the officer of the anti-terror unit (Vikas Kumar) leave you unsated. After taking you to the edge of the seat, the climax is a tad disappointing. A few more drafts, a little more sharpness would have helped. No such issue with Amruta who excels in a minutely observed character that exemplifies the state of a section of electronic news media.

Karthik has been astutely cast in the role of the hollow television anchor fattened by opportunism, teleprompter, and TRPs. Like in ‘Love Aaj Kal’, he plays the ‘straying’ part well but when it comes to the transformation, he fumbles. Thankfully, that portion is short here.

Dhamaka is currently streaming on Netflix.

Animal Farm- a satirical allegory

This is an image of Animal Farm — Photo by Amelie Lachapelle on Pexels.com

The story begins with a typical farm being run by a human with a variety of animals living in it. The farm animals are often mistreated, overworked and ignored by the human which agitates them. Hoping to overthrow the human race and reaping all the benefits of their work, they drive the human out of the farm. What follows is a satirical allegory to the events that happened during and after the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Although the story revolves around farm animals, its themes of corruption, slavery, dicatorship, class distinction, and characters, makes the readers draw parallels with the current political scenario. It is a must-read for a better understanding of the Russian revolution and an engaging experience.

The Great Gatsby- The Jazz age novel

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It follows the life of a self-made millionaire named Jay Gatsby who is in pursuit of his long lost lover named Daisy Buchanan. The novel however, has little scope for romance and represents America in the 1920s. It highlights the era of unrivalled wealth and materialistic access.

The novel upon its release didn’t gain commercial success. Critics believed that it did not amount to Fitzgerald’s earlier novels. However, it began to gain popularity during World War II as free copies were distributed among American soldiers who were serving overseas. The Great Gatsby went on to become an important part of America’s educational curriculum and pop culture.

The novel continues to attract scholarly attention and is a contender for the title of ‘The Great American Novel’.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone- You Know Who

This is an image of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone — Photo by Dzenina Lukac on Pexels.com

This book can be considered as J.K Rowlings’ stepping stone to success. After being rejected by 11 publications and finally being published by Bloomsbury publication, upon the request of the chief executive’s 8 year old daughter. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone went on to be translated into 73 languages and sold 120 million copies. Becoming the second best-selling novel of all time.

The story follows Harry Potter and the readers’ introduction to the world of magic, following Harry’s discovery of his magical heritage and acceptance into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the readers alongside Harry manage to grasp the revelation of a whole new world of possibilities, worthy opponents and dangers show up on whom magic must be used to defeat and protect.

The Book Thief- Narrated by death.

The book thief is a 21st century novel that uses the Nazi regime in Germany as its background. Although it has its fair share of horror and despair. The Book Thief delivers hope to its readers through love and tranquility among family and friends.

The novel follows the life of Liesel, who moves into her new foster parents’ home following her brother’s death. As she goes on to witness the dangers posed by the Nazi regime, Liesel adopts her newly found passion for reading by stealing books from the rubbles and also the Mayor’s house. One of the pivotal characters in the novel is death itself as it narrates the entire story.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe- A world of fantasy

This is an image of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Open the book to a whole new world of fantasy, mythical creatures and magic. When 4 siblings are relocated to a large house in the countryside due to wartime evacuation. They discover a wardrobe in the house which had more than just clothes hanging inside. The 4 siblings venture into the world of dreams upon entering the wardrobe. They go on to encounter the witch and the lion, and participate in an impending war to end the evil’s oppression over the good.

This fantasy novel was the first to be published among the 7 volumes known as The Chronicles of Narnia. C.S Lewis wrote this novel as a dedication to his goddaughter named Lucy Barfield.

Here are some of the classic novels from the 20th century across different genres to enhance your reading pleasure.

Happy Reading.

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References

Anna Chui, 26th January 2021, lifehack.org

goodreads.com

wikipedia.org

TAR BABY – BOOK REVIEW

This 1981 novel Tar Baby by Toni Morrison explores the mythic image of Tar Baby to evoke the racial stereotyping. The novel brings together different oppositions like white and black, high and low culture, north and south etc. The title of the novel suggests the folk tale of Tar baby. The fable is an archetypal trickster tale and it describes how a fox entraps a rabbit by using the tar figure. The doll or ‘tar baby’ is made by Br’er fox and placed in the roadside to trap his archenemy Br’er Rabbit. Br’er Rabbit speaks to the doll or tar baby and gets angry as it is not responding, and strikes it and get struck. The more the Br’er Rabbit kicks, the more he becomes attached. In the modern scenario, we can consider this theme as a problematic situation that is only aggravated by additional involvement with it.

In the novel Morrison portrays the love and relation between central characters Jadine and Son, two African Americans, with the social background of a racial hierarchy and high and low cultures. Jadine is a beautiful fashion model, who has been sponsored by Valerian Street, a white man , candy manufacturer who marries Margaret Street, the principle beauty of Maine. When the novel begins Valerian is spending his life on the Caribbean island, Isle des Chevaliers. Son is a strong minded man, who washes up on the streets. Ondine and her husband Sydney, through their dialogues reveal the fact that, they have devoted most of their life serving Valerian Street, who considers them as “good Negroes”. There is another major mysterious character named Charlie, who never appears on the course of events of the novel. The novel progresses through the events that happened after the arrival of Son in the island.

The novel revolves around themes like nature v/s civilization, the subordinate black life and the shades of femininity. Morrison made the novel rich with dialogue episodes, symbolism and mythological involvement. Tar Baby powerfully portrays the plight and struggle of African Americans for livelihood in the second half of twentieth century. And this makes Tar Baby an essential read in the historical and cultural writings of American literature.