The Charged Garden: Carlos A. Götz

The Charged Garden: Using Electricity to Grow Larger, Healthier Veggies and Fruit, Without Fertilizers or Pesticides 
Carlos A. Götz

Genre: Non fiction;

I was really intrigued by this, I’ve always had an interest in anything “alternative”, and when I got the email from author requesting a review I had just finished making some copper wire coils for some of my plants. I’d been reading an article that day which described this as having been around since 17th century, and I do put store in old gardeners works, companion planting being something I do a lot, lunar gardening something that intrigues me but looks like too much work for me 😉 They used observation to see what worked and what didn’t, and only now are we finding out the reasons why some of their ideas were so successful. Maybe the lunar planting, linked with tides and earths gravitation has more science behind it that I thought ? Carlos has a background in science and it was fascinating reading some of the theory behind the work. He explains things in very easy to understand terms, which I enjoyed. For me its easier to remember things if I know the how and the why, not just a string of disconnected instructions.
Anyway, I borrowed this on KU, haven’t finished reading yet but its fascinating. Im keen to read the self watering part, and the advice on fruit grafting.

The basic Electroculture theory is explained in a way that even a non science minded person like myself can understand it. I moved my coils to better positions according t advice in the book, its too early to see if it makes a difference but – they’re pretty. I like decoration in my garden anyway. I used copper jewelry wire as that’s what I had, but its a bit soft, and bends out of shape in strong winds. Of course this past two weeks its been windy and rainy so I keep trying to reshape. Next year I’ll look for some stronger wire.
There are more robust and complex models to make, very clearly explained but I know my DIY limits.
The Pyramid theory is interesting too, and I’m hoping to make a little greenhouse next year so I might think about pyramid shape. The mathematical formula is interesting, I’ve read about the great pyramid and wondered how so mung thousands of years back they managed to calculate it so exactly and as an artist and gardener I know the link in visual appeal and how nature used these same formula. The Golden Mean, The Fibonacci sequence, they’re all based on math, that same formula and I find it fascinating.

For the curious gardener, for those interested in history, and especially for anyone wanting to boost garden productivity this little book is well worth reading.

The fundamentals of Electroculture, as well as how and why it works.
Several passive Electroculture antenna style devices, along with some background information on who invented them and instructions on how to make them and install them.
The benefits of using pyramids in your garden, as well as how to make them and use them.
How to make and install Lakhovsky and Moody coils.
How to do Electroculture without any wires, antennas or any other device just using compost piles.
How to apply active Electroculture where the passive devices are not a good fit. How to set it up and how to make the High Voltage Power Supply for it.
What kind of music and or sounds to play for plants to grow faster.
How to improve seed germination rates, and how to build the necessary apparatus.
How to build a self-watering, sub-irrigated raised bed or container.
The most effective method for planting a fruit tree.
How to perform grafting on fruit trees in order to have fruit in their first year, especially when combined with the planting method mentioned before.
How to take care of the soil.
Plant soil pH preferences and plant companionship, which combinations help and which ones to avoid.
Several pollinator tips and how to get free bees.
How to protect your bees if you have them.
and more.
Even if you only applied one of the many techniques covered in this book, it would easily cover the cost of this book ten times over.

Stars: Five, a book for gardeners interested in working with nature, and for anyone interested in how and why things like this work.

 

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 by Lia Leendertz

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023
by Lia Leendertz

Genre: reference

I’ve always been an outdoor girl, a lover of nature. Brought up in a family where Sunday mornings meant looking to see what Adam the Gardener had to say for the upcoming week, and with Nan’s readings from Old Moore’s almanac I love this sort of book. I have it as an epub on my pc, but tbh I’d love to buy the book as a to-hand reference. I think books like this are one of the few that are better in print than on kindle/pc.
Its a fabulous mix of plants and the stars, recipes for the month, tide tables etc, a real nature lovers journal. I plan on reading each month next year at the end of the previous one, looking at whats ahead, whats in store. It reminds me of how big the world is, how long its been going and really how minute and shallow our place in it is.
Beautifully illustrated, it would make a great gift for any lover of the natural world.

Stars: five. A fabulous read to treasure and dip into each month.

ARC supplied by netgalley and publishers.

Make Money While You Sleep,How to Turn Your Knowledge into Online Courses That Make You Money 24hrs a Day, Lucy Griffiths

Make Money While You Sleep,How to Turn Your Knowledge into Online Courses That Make You Money 24hrs a Day, Lucy Griffiths

Genre: business & investing, self help

Well, most of us need more cash, and the idea of making money while we sleep….intriguing. I’ve read a few articles on passive income streaming, and the idea is sound.
As always though you need an idea, a product that people want to buy. This book does give some practical advice over that, and how to set your course against others in the same genre to see how it stands up. That was good to see, others I’ve read seem to skip much in the way of real practicalities.
Of course that’s the rub isn’t it? Why does someone want to buy Your course and not an already established one? That’s a tough hurdle and I think this book does tend to gloss over the hard parts of online course making.

I’m an artist, I’ve online friends who have set up online courses in different mediums and in different ways. Some as one off courses, some as monthly subscription types, some as free instruction videos. Some have been successful, others not. Those who have most success seem to be the ones where the blog/video/course is free and the income comes from ads. Possibly Lucy covers this later in the book but I have to be honest, I found it hard reading. Of those who go the course for sale route few have succeeded, even though as artists they are very good. Its a pretty saturated market too.

I’m not convinced with YouTube, Insta, Tiktok all offering free help that there’s a solid place for paid courses anymore. Certainly its not a quick easy route to riches. Yes, you will – if successful- be generating money while asleep, but before this there is a lot, seriously a lot, of very hard work and follow up marketing. Lucy does give some excellent practical advice on this which I was glad to see. Many self help books seem to live in a world where one has an idea, tweaks a few keys, types a few lines and hey presto its done.

Its a mixed bag for me, the bit I did read was useful, though I still feel that paid courses really are limited in application when set against whats free. I know when I want to learn something its Youtube for me, there are videos on every subject you can imagine – and lots you can’t….
I’ve tried to think of an idea where courses would work better. Maybe a specific beginners course, like the “idiots guide…” in computing. I know when I’ve started something new that’s always been the hard part, and once past that I can find everything I need for free. Very little online seems to be aimed solely at beginners and speaking from experience we can make expensive mistakes trying to keep up with more advanced videos. I think that’s one area where it could help.

I didn’t finish the book though, I may someday but its quite dry, dense, tough reading. Being divided into chapters with headings would help – I have an ARC so maybe the final book will have this. That way one can read the part that’s currently of interest, jump around to what appeals at the time.

Stars: 3. An interesting read, but as always there’s lots of work before you – may possibly – make money while you sleep.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

Barbed, A Memoir, Julie Morrison

Barbed, A Memoir, Julie Morrison

Genre: Biographies & memoirs, Non fiction

I really, really wanted to love this because…well…horses! That’s enough isn’t it? However, it was not to be ;-(
‘
The description really had me dying to get reading, I’ve a lifelong love of horses, and some of my happiest memories are when I was out riding, just me and my horse.
Sadly though I got to 25% and it just wasn’t working for me. I didn’t gel with Julies issues, just couldn’t connect with the story. I know by now that if I feel this way about a book by quarter in, its not going to get better for me, so I DNF it.

Its a shame when a book doesn’t work but not all books suit all readers, stories and who they appeal to are very subjective. Others will love this I’m sure, just not me.

Stars: Two, one that wasn’t for me.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

David Bowie, Robert Dimery

David Bowie, Robert Dimery

Genre: Biography & memoirs. Non-fiction

I’m a child of the seventies, had the Bowie posters on my wall back in 72, much to dad’s horror. He never did approve of my musical tastes, Bowie, Queen, Slade ( mum gave them a pass as she liked Noddy, til she read about him bragging how many women he’d had sex with!)Alice cooper, T Rex, Mott the Hoople….many of them get mentions here and I enjoyed that.

I’m the typical average Bowie fan of the seventies, bought the records, followed the career, copied the man. I wanted to learn more about Bowie the person, how he began, how the music started, what inspired certain songs, his musical influences and connections, and the beginning felt like that.
Then it moved into areas that seemed to leave much of Bowie behind in favour of mentions of others and analysis of his music. His son barely gets a passing mention it felt, and yet he must have had a huge impact in his life. Looking after a child is huge, you can’t just flit off and leave them home alone for a coupe of weeks….How did he manage, was his son brought with him, left with others, did Angie look after him? Though given her issues that’s unlikely, but that’s the kind of thing I was curious about. The practicalities. How did he afford to continue, where did the money come from? Record companies I assume, but what were the strings?
I loved little snippets like him giving Mott the Hoople All The Young Dudes, and the interactions with Marc Bolan that the first part held and was sure this was going to be a book I’d love. If that kind of detail had continued, I would have loved it.
Later though I felt it became very in depth, too in depth on the wrong ( for me ) focus, citing people, people and yet more people, giving far more opinions about the music than the facts and snippets around its inception I would have loved, and I was lost. I didn’t know these specific people from the music world. I know nothing of labels, producers, directors, stylists, and all the back staff, I barely know what they do, have no idea who they are. They meant nothing to me other than how they affect Bowie. I had to keep tracking back working out where and why and how and I didn’t enjoy that.

I didn’t feel the book focused enough on Bowie himself and the reasons for the music, but more on how his rise grew through others, bringing those others into the book more than I wanted. I didn’t know them, wasn’t invested in their stories. That’s me though, and others will find just what they want from this.

Stars: Three. Bowie was a musical genius, and I don’t feel this book does him justice. Its got some interest to it, but overall he didn’t feel the focus to me, his life and influences was what I wanted, not the myriad of ancillary label people.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

Unlikely Angel, The Songs of Dolly Parton, Lydia R. Hamessley

Genre: Entertainment, Biographies & Memoirs

My bad, I didn’t fully read description, just Dolly, Biography and Memoirs…and as a Dolly fan I thought it would feature more of her life, her journey into music. It does do that to a degree, but is more focused on analysing the music and writing ( I was shocked she was so prolific – didn’t realise quite how many songs she’d written).

As a businesswoman too she was a shrewd lady, recognising that to get the music she wanted to make rather than the producers wanted her to do she needed to play a long game. She was clear sighted about where she was going eventually, but it took her several detours. I so admire her persistence, when so many others would have given up, and she deserves all credit for that, her hard work, sticking to her ideals.
I enjoyed the more personal sections, about Dolly and her life, her upbringing, imagining little Dolly touring the US in the van with her uncle, belting out songs from that tiny frame. I loved reading the inspiration for her songs, the people she was influenced by, but the rest wasn’t really a book I would have chosen if I’d taken the time to read properly. I’m not really interested in taking apart songs, analysing them, just in listening to them and a brief look at what inspired them.

For those who love that side of things, the technical dissection of her music then its perfect. Just not me. Another one of those reader taste issues, not a book writing issue.

Stars: Three, a good book for the right reader, but for me it was just OK.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

Earth Almanac, Ted Williams

Genre: non fiction, outdoors and nature

I love books like this and even though its about US nature and I’m in UK, it doesn’t matter, there are parallels and I found it easy to enjoy Ted’s wonderful way of telling about what he sees. There are quirky little illustrations that added to the story, and I loved the way it followed the seasons, each leading naturally to the next.
I’ve loved nature and outdoors all my life, my early years would see me taking solitary walks in the woods and commons close to where I lived. Thinking back how far I wandered at under ten years old its quite scary, but my friends weren’t as nature minded and often I was left to explore alone.
Reading Ted’s book brought back some of that joy, the fun in tracking snowy footprints, of finding the first primrose, of watching catkins turn to hazel nuts, seeing the horse chestnuts sticky burst burst into leaf. Careful and observant nature lovers see the day to day changes and enjoy the gradual transition of seasons. Spring was always my favourite, and still is but autumn fruits and winter melancholy, the call of passing geese on a cold frosty morning, the dead looking branches that are really just in deep winter slumber, have their own magic.
Its easy to see Ted’s love of nature from the way he writes, showing the reader little things often not noticed, that only nature lovers would see.
Books like this are ones best in hardback physical form I feel where the illustrations can be properly appreciated. I love my kindle but most non fiction reads doesn’t really transition so well I think, and seeing and flipping through these books to certain parts works best in real life, not ebook.

Stars: Five, glorious book charting the transition of US seasons but which can be appreciated worldwide by true nature lovers.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

Photography Rules, Essential Dos and Don’ts from Great Photographers, Paul Lowe

Photography Rules, Essential Dos and Don’ts from Great Photographers, Paul Lowe

Genre: Crafts & Hobbies, Arts & Photography

Like many folk I love taking pictures with my phone. I do have a “proper” camera, albeit a few years old, but my phone is always with me for those spontaneous moments. I now have a phone with leica camera, and it has a host of selections that I have no idea how to use. I was kind of hoping there would be more nuts and bolts tips here, but this book really focuses ( hah, clever that!) on the actual subject, timing, framing and how to choose them.
There are pictures from other photographers and an explanation of what made them interesting, how the photographer would have viewed the subject, and I found those interesting. Its curious, what is it in a scene that makes us want to capture it? What I want to know is how to make that scene better, how to capture whatever it was that sparked my interest, and I didn’t really get that from this book. There were also a lot of images of photographers, which I found a bit strange, I can understand showing examples of their work to illustrate a point but not really why we needed a picture of them. I also felt much of the work was not really current. I know good images stand the test of time but I didn’t see much from recent times.

I was reading this on PC, and I feel this is one of those books that is best appreciated “in real life” as a physical book, not an electronic copy.
Maybe I would have been able to grasp more from the book that way, who knows, but though there were some tips I found interesting, overall this was just not what I was looking for.

Stars: Two. Not really what I was expecting or looking for. Maybe I’d have appreciated it more in a physical copy.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

Kika & Me, How One Guide Dog Changed My Life, Amit Patel

Kika & Me, How One Guide Dog Changed My Life, Amit Patel

Genre: Non Fiction, Biography and memoirs

Well, most of us know about assistance dogs now, but when I was a kid Guide dogs were quite new, and there was lots of fundraising to train them. They really are a life line for people and in this book we can see just how important they are for visually impaired people.
Kika really did give Amit a new life. I remember a lady mum worked for as a cleaner, her ex policeman husband was blind. This would be mid 60’s, he spent all day every day in his bed in their living room. The house was a typical mid terrace, and from what I recall there was no support for him. What an awful life he must have had, they didn’t have TV, he couldn’t read, there was no such thing as audio books. Once every couple of weeks a friend would take him out for a short walk. Horrendous life, and yet apart from his blindness he was well. Dogs like Kika allow folk to keep their independence.

I have very bad eyesight, rely on some pretty strong lenses, and possibly may lose my sight as I get older. I treasure being able to see, to be able to do what I want, be independent still. I loved reading about Kika, her training, her individualism, her fierce protectiveness for Amit. When he gives examples of times when she refused to move and help that came told him she was right, to move was dangerous, it showed me just how much trust he needed to put in her. To regain his Independence it was necessary, but its not easy.

It was an inspirational read, Amit could so easily have lapsed into depression, as he did in those first days, and that would have ruined not only his life, but his wife and parents too. It must have been so hard to pick life up again – he was so young, but his wife and parents were determined being blind would just become part of his life, not the defining characteristic. I really enjoyed his journey from emergency doctor, to blindness ( not that I enjoyed that bit of course) and how he managed to get out of the depression, how hard he worked, how first the long cane, and then Kika helped him become what he wanted, a functioning, useful part of society, a god husband and son, and ultimately a good father too. All that took so much work, its not an easy journey and I am so in awe of his strength and support from family. May he have a long and happy life ahead of him.

Stars: Five, a fantastic, inspirational read of a real life experience.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

The Man Behind the Tudors, Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Kirsten Claiden-Yardley

The Man Behind the Tudors, Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Kirsten Claiden-Yardley

Genre: History, Non-fiction (adult)

I’ve read many books set in the Tudor period, set from the perspective of the Kings or Queens of the time. I’ve always wondered what drives the men ( and women) behind the scenes, the ones who have real power but need to keep on the right side of the Royals. Its a dangerous place to be.
Thomas Howard is one such man, well known in the context of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard but not really for himself. This book takes us from his childhood to his death in his eighties.
In an age where kings changed, loyalties changed, even religion changed that’s an incredible thing for a senior courtier to successfully wade through for so long. Many innocent people lost their lives on little more than the king’s whim, paranoia, gossips and hearsay. That Thomas managed to not only survive that but thrive in it, settling his family down, expanding his personal and family wealth and position is amazing to me. He was clearly a very clever man, but one able to walk that thin line between respect and honesty to his king, and telling him what he needed to know, doing what needed to be done for king and country.
I liked that the author explained where he’d sourced material, where it made it clear what was fact, backed up by primary evidence and what was speculation.

I found it an interesting read but….very much like a text book to read. Very date, people and places heavy, where I prefer a little more of the personal side, to really feel as if I know the main character.
Its just a different style of reading to that which I normally choose, and there is so much going on, so many people, so many changes, alliances, marriages and deaths, and remarriages, that I found it difficult to keep up. That’s all a personal issue though, nothing to do with the book. It never pretends to be anything other than an account of Thomas Howard’s life, but more an issue of my expectation.

Stars: Three, an excellent account of Thomas Howard’s life, very detailed but just a little too heavy for me personally to enjoy more.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers