The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

This is a very engaging read and the characters literally leap to life as you turn the pages. It is an epic tale that spans lives across two continents. We start the story with an adult man, Amir, looking back to 1975 when he was 12 years old and growing up in Afghanistan. The novel lets you experience the depths of his thoughts and feelings, and the reader cannot help but become heavily involved in his life and relationships. I could not put the book down as the characters lives were spread out before me.

The book, by its location, covers the war and destruction of those living in Kabul, with the fall of monarchy, the oppression of the Northern Alliance and the Taliban regime. However, it is relationships that figure most strongly - between a father and son and with his best friend, Hassan. The very fabric of the novel is woven from love, guilt, betrayal, fear, cowardice and atoning for past mistakes. Amir is tormented by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan, the son of his father's servant, and this is carried into the next generation with Hassan's son. We follow his journey to redemption and how he manages to “find a way to be good again.”
The writing is so good it makes the characters' emotions almost palpable and the descriptions of various incidents are vivid. Many have questioned whether it is a work of fiction as it seems so real. The author, Khaled Hosseini, has revealed that he has drawn heavily on childhood memories, but it is definitely a work of fiction and is now an acclaimed top book. Khaled’s family were granted political asylum in the U.S. in 1980, and moved to California, where he studied to become a doctor. His knowledge as a medic certainly enabled him to describe various injuries and traumas in the novel in great detail, and his words conjure up haunting images. At times, it is a heart-breaking and emotional read, but it is also spiritually uplifting and inspiring as we travel along with Amir and his struggle through life.

The book begins and ends with the practice of kite running, a popular sport in Afghanistan - trying to remain holding the last kite flying in the air, by cutting down the contenders with a kite string coated with ground glass. Then the kite runners chase through the streets to catch the falling kite - the symbolic chasing of a dream in a nightmare world.

Amber Westfield is an expert and writer on New Age interests. She currently writes for New Age UK - the top New Age site for all the latest on festivals, summer and winter solstices, books, holidays, and galleries of pictures covering Stonehenge solstices, Glastonbury festival and equinox celebrations.

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Also check out The Kite Runner.

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Caring for a Betta Fish By Marcus Song

Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers
By Marcus Song

Marcus Song’s “Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers” is filled with exclusive and little known insider information on caring for these exquisite and one of it a kind little fish. Even for someone like me, who has owned Betta fish nearly all of my life for their beauty and longevity, I learned something new at the turn of each and every page. This is a wonderful read for those who are curious to learn about these under water beauties and possibly obtain one (or three or four!) for themselves.

First, Song took me through the history of the fish, from the olden days in rice paddies to their name sake, the ancient Asian warrior Bettah clan, to their international dispense via a gift from the King of Siam. He also explained the fascinating and exciting world of fish fighting when the people of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam would put their homes and even their children on the line “on the outcome of just one fight.”

We all know that Bettas are fantastically colored. But do you know why? They were not always so highly decorated. Song delves into color variations and just how Bettas got the immense variety of terrific tints and patterns that we see today.

While explaining the facts of how Bettas are no longer bred to fight but rather for their vivid hues, Song talks about how the species has calmed down their fighting spirit and become more tranquil, slowly but surely, generation after generation. Song took me through an incredible journey of how he himself has bonded with fish beyond anything in my wildest imagination. If cared for properly, Song claims a Betta will literally wag his tail when he sees his owner approaching and will possibly come to the surface for some extra TLC in the form of a pat on the head or a little leftover piece of chicken. In a later chapter, towards the end of the book, Song also informed me that after a bond has been formed you can actually train your Betta to do tricks such as jumping out of the water for food or swimming through hoops! I found these sections truly incredible, proving that the Betta is not just “some fish” but rather gentle companionship for those looking for an alternative type of pet.

Next, after getting some necessary background knowledge, I took a journey to the pet store in my mind with Song while he explained the do’s and don’ts of scoping out a respectable pet store, choosing the right Betta, avoiding death and illness while transporting the little guy and introducing fishy to his new home. Although the tank set up procedure is simple, if it is not done correctly, it could be a life or death situation that you do not want to put your newest family member in. Song eagerly explained many Betta lover tips such as aging water to filtration instructions and beyond.

I began to wonder what else there was and if I, as a fellow Betta owner, was feeding my fish properly. Low and behold, the next chapter answered my questions precisely. Little did I know that Betta fish were carnivores and that my little guys craved treats like a small piece of chicken left over from dinner or even a tiny but juicy piece of steak! Song also eased my vacation stress of what do with our three Bettas when we went on our annual vacation. Our little men are easier to please and care for than I had thought a mere 30 minutes before diving into Song’s book.
Song then prepared me for any health issues that my fish might have, some that might have gone unnoticed had I not taken a moment to read his book. There are many illnesses that can fall over your Betta but 99% of them can be cured if the owners observe their fish with attentive and loving eyes. Song gives me all of the information I could ever need on sicknesses, what to look for with each illness and Betta lover tips on treatment and even better yet, on prevention. It is so easy to stop these problems before they start. I learned many, many helpful tips to help my Betta fish become happier, healthier and stress free.

Lastly, Song took me into a place we have all been before: the loss and mourning period at the death of a pet. Most books do not speak of this topic but it is one that we have all experience with a beloved pet, big or small. Song made me feel comforted, that I wasn’t alone, when experiencing feelings of loss and sadness after a Betta fish’s death and where to go for help to cope with this loss if need be.

Song’s guide, “Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers” is truly a first in the Betta world. It is comprehensive and detailed yet easy to read and maneuver through. I found his tips thoughtful, informative and very simple to follow. Whether a member of a Betta group, a Betta breeder or just a fellow Betta lover my advice to you is to read this guide! Not only will it make you a better Betta owner, you will increase the quality of life for your Betta as well as yourself by giving yourself the gift of a truly unique and one of a kind pet for years to come.

Mr Song also offers at no extra cost, the following ebooks as bonuses, when you buy the Betta Lover Guide ebook:

Bonus #1: A Special Guide to Breeding Your Bettas. (A $19 value.)
Bonus #2: The Betta Bucks Guide. (A $39 value.)

For ebook, please visit Caring for a Betta Fish.


For book, please visit Caring For Betta Fish

Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved

A Thousand Splendid Suns (Paperback) by Khaled Hosseini

It`s extremely hard for any writer to follow the success of such an outstandingly original and brilliant novel as The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini has pull it off! He has written a second novel which is better than the first.

This time Khaled Hosseini provides a wonderful insight into the lives of Afganistani women by dealing with race, culture, religion, sex, childhood, and everything else you can thing of, all in Afghanistan. It does not side-step the suffering of the ordinary people in Afgan under both Soviet and Taliban rule, from the 70's to present day.

Khaled Hosseini describes beautifully an unforgetable portrait of a wounded country and the deeply moving relationship between two Afganistani women called Mariam and Laila , two very different women who are ages apart in background and education. They are married to the same man. As the story progress, these two women come together and begin to have a common bond, in essence, having an awakening to what's happening around them. In the end, it is love that trimphs over hardship, death and destruction.

The very fact that Khaled Hosseini has been able to create the masterpiece of The Kite Runner and can then give us a very different flavour of charcter study in A Thousand Splendid Suns truly reflects that he is a versatile, accomplished writer
who is very far from a one-trick-pony.

Hosseini is very good at drawing out his characters, his style is distinctively fresh and insightful. This is simply a delightful book. From the second you open it, you fall in to the lives of the characters. Khaled Hosseini is extremely adept at character description making each character believable, vulnerable and likeable. He moves his characters and action around in such a way that you won't see much foreshadowing of what's to come. Part of that skill comes in making each page so interesting and engaging that you will find myself deeply inside the story throughout.

It will have you turning the pages quickly and not wanting to be disturbed till you finish, and then that feeling you get at the end of a good book, satisfaction tempered with disappointment that there is no more to be had.

About the Author
Khalid Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afganistan and moved to the United States in
1980. His first novel, The Kite Runner was an international best seller.
In 2006, he was named a Goodwill Envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency. He lives in Northern California.

For product details and more information, please follow the link below:
A Thousand Splendid Suns

Also check out The Kite Runner from the same author.

Reviewed By Bosun Sogeke

Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved

Crossfire (Hardcover) By Andy McNab

Unrelentingly violent, harrowing and chillingly graphic as it hurtles us towards a truly shocking climax.

Nick Stone's tenth adventure is high-voltage, pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred McNab - Prose so testosterrone-drenched, action so blisteringly paced, it could only have been penned by the master thiller writer at his electrifying, unputdownable best.

Nick Stone is ask by the intelligent services to find the reporter that saves his life in Basra. The trail leads him from Iraq to London, Dublin and ultimately Kabul, where the hunter suddenly becomes the hunted.

For product details and more information, please follow the link below:
Crossfire

Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved

Winning Results with Google Ad Words (Paperback) By Andrew Goodman

Reach millions of targeted new customers right away

With over 2 million searches per day on Google and thousands of links for every search, the chances of your product(s) being found online are slim ... until now!

Learn how to target your marketing message and lead customers directly to you at the precise moment they are looking for the products and services you are selling.

In Winning results with Google Adwords, online marketing guru Andrew Goodman explains why and how a Google Adword campaign is the best bet for your advertising dollars. He outlines sure-fire strategies for writing successful ads, selecting and grouping specific keywords, increasing conversion rates ans maximising online sales.

Discover ways to expand your ad distribution, why testing ad effectiveness is crucial, how to effectively track results and much more.

Effectively, it gives you an insight into the following:
+ Learn to use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to your advantage.
+ Maximise existing and familiar keywords and remove negative search phrases.
+ Increase conversion rates and determine which Traffic-Tracking methods are right for you.
+ Systematically test Ad copy and develop a plan for ongoing keyword discovery.
+ Adjust your Ad campaign based on the ROI data you collect.
+ Gain new customers and retain customer loyalty through smart Ad copy and personalisation.
+ Zoom ahead of your competition by using Adword rapid feedback cycles.
+ Filter out in appropriate or irrelevant prospect.
+ Reach targeted csutomers - When they are looking for you.
+ Boost traffic, sales and profits using the pay per click strategy.
+ Create a successful Ad campaign and track your results.

Andrew Goodman is founder and principal of Page Zero Media, a consulting firm that provides search engine marketing services and strategic advice to companies seeking a online presence.
He co-founded Traffic.com, an acclaimed Guide to Portals and is a regular speaker at industry conferences such as Jupiter Media's search engine strategies and Nielsen Norman Group User Experience.

For product details and more information, please follow the link below:
Winning Results with Google Ad Words

Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved